Upstream Flow Research Articles

Numerical study of a generic ship's airwake for understanding bi‐stability mechanism

A distinguishing feature of the bi-stable wake is that the wake persists in either of two preferred states for a sufficiently long time. Aiming to understand the persistence mechanism, this paper numerically investigates the airwake characteristics of the Chalmers ship model (CSM) using large eddy simulation with a wall-adapting local-eddy viscosity model and is complemented by experimental testings for validations. There are two cases of interest: (i) the baseline CSM with a sharp-edged superstructure front that induces massive boundary layer separation; (ii) the front-rounded (FR) CSM with suppressed flow separation. During a characteristic time ( $t^*$ ) of 1142 (26.5 s), the baseline case has a frequently switching wake, whereas the FR wake maintains a stable asymmetric structure with only one switch attempt. To understand the different wake behaviours, the study starts by analysing wake flow structures, vortex cores and the wake dynamics, followed by investigating the instantaneous flow physics. Results suggest that the baseline wake has a weak bi-stable pattern, whereas the FR wake behaves similarly to a reflectional symmetry breaking state of a potential bi-stable wake. The wake switching is found to be driven by the tilting of (vertical-oriented) $z$ -vorticity sheets from either side of the base toward the centre. This tilting behaviour is subjected to the high-magnitude vorticity that sheds from the upstream flow separation at the front sharp edges. With the sharp edges rounded in the FR case, the upstream vorticity is mitigated and the tilting effect is significantly reduced, leading to a more stable wake structure. The reasoning provided in the paper potentially explains the persistence mechanism of the bi-stable wake.

Numerical investigation on dynamic flow characteristics of methane condensation in microchannels

Microchannel condensers play an essential role in cryogenic two-phase heat management systems due to their efficient heat transfer characteristics. Thus, it is worth conducting an in-depth study on microscale condensation characteristics of cryogenic fluids. This paper delves into the flow condensation process of methane in microchannels. A two-dimensional transient model with high accuracy for cryogenic fluids has been developed by combining a self-defined program for the source term of the phase transition model. The model fully considers the boundary layer thickness and accurately explores the mesh accuracy. The complete condensation flow patterns are captured for various vapor quality, mass flux, and wall subcooling degrees. The injection flow is a unique flow regime for condensation in microchannels. The decrease in wall subcooling degree and increase in mass flux leads to the separation point at the neck of the injected flow moving towards the exit, while the annular flow region is expanding and the flow pattern transition is lagging. The mass flux improves the heat transfer coefficient more significantly at high vapor quality. During injection and bubble flow, the wall shear stress and local heat transfer coefficient are subject to bouncing and oscillations, which may induce fluctuations in the upstream annular flow. The prediction performance of six classical heat transfer correlations is evaluated. The results indicate that the Nie et al. correlation has the highest comprehensive prediction accuracy with MRD and MARD of -5.00 % and 15.83 %, respectively.

Implementation Of Optical Diagnostics For Study Of A Non-Canonical Hypersonic Geometry

The study of shock/boundary-layer interactions on a non-canonical hypersonic geometry involves physical complexities not found on the canonical investigations that dominate the literature. The present case examines a cone-slice-ramp, which combines an upstream asymmetric flow expansion with a downstream three-dimensional compression ramp. Optical diagnostics of the off-body flowfield are a necessary complement to surface instrumentation including high-frequency pressure sensors and Temperature Sensitive Paint (TSP). Focused Laser Differential Interferometry (FLDI) measured the flowfield distribution of second-mode instability waves responsible for transition. Filtered Rayleigh Scattering (FRS) was used for flow visualization of the separation region and unsteady shear layer. Velocimetry through the separation shear layer was provided by Femtosecond Laser Electronic Excitation Tagging (FLEET) whereas Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) measured the thermal profiles through multiple flow features generated by the interaction. These flowfield diagnostics detail the alterations in the shock/boundary-layer interaction as the flow state moves from laminar to transitional to turbulent conditions, revealing behaviors absent from canonical flows.

Spatial And Temporal Modes On A Generic Tandem Configuration In Transonic Shock Buffet

Certain combinations of upstream flow conditions in transonic flight may incite a highly unsteady shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction, often referred to as transonic buffet. The coupling of periodic shock motion and intermittent separation is seen to convey a characteristic unsteadiness in the evolution of the turbulent wake. This article uses high-speed focusing Schlieren and PIV measurements at high spatial resolution to characterize the temporal and spectral modes governing the flow past a generic 2D tandem configuration. This interaction, consisting of an OAT15A supercritical airfoil as the main wing and a NACA 64A-110 profile representing the tailplane, is investigated at chord-based Reynolds numbers of 2 million and 1 million, respectively and compared against fully-established shock buffet conditions in an isolated airfoil scenario operated at identical inflow conditions. The strongest buffet is observed in both configurations for a Mach number of 0.72 and an angle of attack of 5 deg, occurring at frequencies of 112 Hz and 103 Hz. Despite an equally periodic nature of the buffet unsteadiness, both shock amplitude and frequency are seen to decrease slightly in the tandem interaction. Global spectral analysis performed on the entire field of view identifies the buffet instability as the governing mode in both flow scenarios, imposing its unsteadiness even far downstream of its origin, allowing the extraction. of relevant sensor locations for a subsequent localized assessment of the involved time scales. Except for the buffet mode, complementing DMD analyses reveal a strong influence of a vortex-shedding mode throughout the entire buffet cycle. Mode shapes and associated frequencies furthermore suggest an intermittent low-frequency/large wavelength and high-frequency/low wavelength behavior, involving leading contributions between 2000 Hz and 4000 Hz.

Study of combustion flow field in a scramjet engine under inflow oscillation variations based on OpenFOAM

In this study, a compressible supersonic numerical model was established based on the open-source computational fluid dynamics software OpenFOAM. The supersonic air inflow was set in sinusoidal variation and gas hydrogen was employed as fuel for the DLR engine numerical simulation. The SST k-ω model and a 9-species 27-reaction hydrogen/oxygen chemical reaction model was employed as the turbulence and reaction mechanical kinetics models respectively. The effect of continuous variable inflow on the combustion performance for the scramjet engine was analyzed and the results showed that the combustion flame inside the scramjet engine exhibited significant partitioning phenomena around the combustion stabilization zones under periodic continuous variable inflow conditions. It was found that intense combustion zones were formed at both upstream and downstream flow as the induction of intersecting shock waves. When the flame was stabilized in the engine, the initiation position of the intense combustion zone at the upstream was transferred to the distance of twice the strut length, while the initiation position of the intense combustion zone at the downstream was anchored at a distance of about five times the strut length.

Exploration of the effect of hot smoke generated by tunnel fire on the ventilation flow field of jet fan

Abstract To reduce the hazard of hot smoke from tunnel fires, ventilation becomes a necessary control strategy. Uniform ventilation is the main method used in the study of tunnel fires, but it has obvious differences from the widely used jet fan ventilation in practice, and the two have different performances in controlling smoke. Therefore, the distribution of the upstream flow field with jet fan ventilation will be studied in a tunnel fire. Considering several parameters such as the HRR and the velocity of fan exit, numerical simulations were conducted to monitor the fire development by using a Fire dynamics simulator (FDS). The results suggest that the center-line velocity decay of a jet fan can be categorized into three regions: linear decay, power function decay, and stabilization. The decay coefficient (n) related to power function decay correlates with HRR, and therefore, a new prediction for the center-line velocity distribution of the jet fan is proposed. The predicted results correlate well with the available experimental data.

Effect of trailing-edge blowing on the acoustic and aerodynamic characteristics of a flatback airfoil

This study investigated the impact of trailing-edge uniform air blowing on the acoustic and aerodynamic characteristics of a flatback airfoil. Near- and far-field pressure fluctuations, surface static pressure distribution, as well as boundary layer and wake flow measurements were conducted to comprehensively understand the effects of the method on both the noise generation mechanism and the aerodynamic characteristics of the airfoil. It was revealed that tonal noise originates from surface pressure fluctuations induced by upstream flow disturbances due to vortex shedding. The application of blowing was found to shift large-scale vortices generated during vortex shedding further downstream, resulting in the suppression of surface pressure fluctuations on both the pressure and suction sides of the airfoil, consequently reducing far-field noise. Additionally, blowing enhanced spanwise coherence at the vortex shedding frequency. In terms of aerodynamic behavior, blowing was shown to increase base pressure, leading to drag reduction without affecting lift. Interestingly, the significant drag reduction was found to occur at the same blowing parameter associated with maximum tonal noise reduction.

Inner structures of rapid free-surface granular avalanche over a small bump obstacle: Expansion fan, oblique shock wave, and contact anisotropy

This study investigates the inner flow characteristics of a rapid granular avalanche passing over a small bump obstacle fixed on an inclined chute using the discrete element method. Both the cross-sectional mean flow properties, such as free-surface height, mean flow velocity, and mean stresses, and the inner local flow properties, including granular temperature, coordination number, pressure, contact force orientation, and granular fabrics, were comprehensively investigated. Upstream of the obstacle, a wide compression region where mean stresses strengthen and exhibit anisotropy was observed. Employing the kinetic theory of granular gas, we revealed a smooth supersonic-to-subsonic transition near the obstacle, a phenomenon distinct from typical gas dynamics. These upstream flow phenomena are attributed to the generation of stream-wise-oriented contact force chains as the flow impacts the obstacle. Downstream of the obstacle, a complex non-monotonic expansion–compression–expansion process was observed. We demonstrated that this non-monotonic flow process reflects an inner gasdynamic-like phenomenon characterized by an expansion fan followed by an oblique shock wave. Moreover, the force chains and the inner shock structure were found to significantly influence the evolution of stream-wise velocity profiles. These findings underscore the significance of inner flow structures in shaping the dynamics of granular avalanche flow interacting with obstacles.

Numerical simulation of supercritical flow in sudden contractions flumes

ABSTRACT In this research, the effect of sudden non-continuous contraction on the energy dissipation of supercritical flows was numerically investigated. This study focuses on energy dissipation in sudden contractions in supercritical flows. The numerical models were studied using FLOW-3D software and the random number generator (RNG) turbulence model. The laboratory tests were performed on sudden contractions of 10–15 cm and used shapes such as geometric trapezoidal and semicircular. Numerical simulations were carried out at a distance of 1.5 m from the supercritical flow generator gate, at a fixed opening of 2.6 cm, with the Froude number in the range of 2.5–7 and the relative contraction in the range of 8.9–9.73. This laboratory study found that as the Froude number of the upstream flow increases, the energy dissipation increases in the upstream (ΔE/E0) and downstream (ΔE/E1). For the 15 cm contraction, the results indicated that the energy loss compared with section A is 48.25% and compared with section B, it is 69.5% more than a free hydraulic jump in this channel. According to the conclusion, this value in trapezoidal constriction is 45.73 and 63.6% higher than in free hydraulic jump, respectively.

Developing an Explainable Variational Autoencoder (VAE) Framework for Accurate Representation of Local Circulation in Taiwan

AbstractThis study develops an explainable variational autoencoder (VAE) framework to efficiently generate high‐fidelity local circulation patterns in Taiwan, ensuring an accurate representation of the physical relationship between generated local circulation and upstream synoptic flow regimes. Large ensemble semi‐realistic simulations were conducted using a high‐resolution (2 km) model, TaiwanVVM, where critical characteristics of various synoptic flow regimes were carefully selected to focus on the effects of local circulation variations. The VAE was constructed to capture essential representations of local circulation scenarios associated with the lee vortices by training on the ensemble data set. The VAE's latent space effectively captures the synoptic flow regimes as controlling factors, aligning with the physical understanding of Taiwan's local circulation dynamics. The critical transition of flow regimes under the influence of southeasterly synoptic flow regimes is also well represented in the VAE's latent space. This indicates that the VAE can learn the nonlinear characteristics of the multiscale interactions involving the lee vortex. The latent space within VAE can serve as a reduced‐order model for predicting local circulation using synoptic wind speed and direction. This explainable VAE binds the physical reasoning to the predictions of the local circulation that ensures the physical examination of the uncertainty in accelerating the local weather assessments under various climate change scenarios.

Modelling spillway and weir operation during major overflows. On optical measurements in prototypes: pros and cons

At weirs and dams, the spillway flow is a high-velocity turbulent motion operating at very-large Reynolds numbers and physical measurements are challenging. In these high-speed free-surface flows, the upstream flow is not aerated and some air entrainment takes place downstream of the inception of free-surface aeration. The state-of-the-art knowledge in large dam spillway hydrodynamics currently reaches a major knowledge gap because of a lack of detailed quantitative field measurements in both the non-aerated and air-water flow regions. In this contribution, a review of prototype observations and measurements is presented based upon optical data sets conducted between 2010 and 2022 during floods at several large dam spillways in eastern Australia, with a focus on the key requirements for successful optical velocity measurements in high-velocity (prototype) spillway flows. The experience and expertise gained in these studies provide new insights into the operation of large dam spillways and their modelling. The intricacy of field measurement techniques is discussed using the experience at dam spillways during large floods, encompassing optical velocity measurements of spillway hydrodynamics at two structures. Overall, the paper presents current challenges on the modelling of large dam spillway flows.

Enhanced Ion Acceleration Due To High‐Shear Tangential Discontinuities Upstream of Quasi‐Perpendicular Shocks

AbstractCollisionless shock waves are efficient ion accelerators. Previous numerical and observational studies have shown that quasi‐parallel (Q‖) shocks are more effective than quasi‐perpendicular (Q⊥) shocks at generating energetic ions under steady upstream conditions. Here, we use a local, 2D, hybrid particle‐in‐cell model to investigate how ion acceleration at super‐critical Q⊥ shocks is modulated when tangential discontinuities (TDs) with large magnetic shear are present in the upstream plasma. We show that such TDs can significantly increase the ion acceleration efficiency of 2D Q⊥ shocks, up to a level comparable to Q‖ shocks. Using data from the hybrid model and test particle simulations, we show that the enhanced energization is related to the magnetic field change associated with the discontinuity. When shock‐reflected ions cross the TD during their upstream gyromotion, the sharp field change causes the ions to propagate further upstream, and gain additional energy from the convection electric field associated with the upstream plasma flow. Our findings illustrate that the presence of upstream discontinuities can lead to bursts of energetic ions, even when they do not trigger the formation of foreshock transients. These results emphasize the importance of time‐variable upstream conditions when considering ion energization at shocks.

Influence of wakes interaction and upstream turbulence on three tidal turbines behaviour

The current study presents numerical results on three tidal turbine models (two in front, one downstream) interacting in a turbulent upstream flow. The numerical results come from a lifting-line (LL) embedded in a Lagrangian vortex particle (VP) solver: Dorothy LL-VP. The objective is to assess the extent to which this numerical tool is suited to reproduce accurately wakes interaction as well as fluctuating loads perceived by the downstream turbine. To this aim, the numerical set-up reproduces an experimental campaign led at IFREMER’s wave and current flume tank. The downstream turbine is placed at different positions to change the wakes interaction. Two upstream turbulence intensities (TI) experimentally tested are reproduced numerically using the synthetic eddy method (SEM). Favourable comparisons are obtained between numerical and experimental wakes, including velocity profiles. Preliminary results suggest that the downstream turbine performance decrease is numerically well captured. More investigations are needed on the loads fluctuations with longer computation time, and adding an angular velocity controller as well as hub modelling to Dorothy LL-VP.

Composition and Bioreactivity of Dissolved Organic Matter Leachates From End Members in a Mountain to Prairie Transitional River Valley

AbstractRiver organic matter transformations impact the cycling of energy, carbon, and nutrients. The delivery of distinct dissolved organic matter (DOM) sources can alter aquatic DOM cycling and associated biogeochemical processes. Yet DOM source and reactivity are not well‐defined for many river systems, including in western Canada. Here, we explore DOM cycling in the mainstem of the Oldman River (stream order 6–7), a heavily regulated river network in southern Alberta (Canada). We compared seasonal river DOM content, composition, and bioavailability with nine endmember leachates from the river valley using optical properties and incubations to estimate biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC). River DOM composition was most similar to terrestrial soil leachates, followed by autochthonous DOM leachates. River DOM bioavailability was low (BDOC = 0%–16.6%, mean of 7.1%). Endmember leachate bioavailability increased from soils (BDOC = 23.9%–53.7%), to autochthonous sources (fish excretion, macrophytes, biofilm; BDOC = 49.9%–80.0%), to terrestrial vegetation (leaves, shrubs, grass; BDOC > 80%), scaling positively with protein‐like DOM content and amount of leachable dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and negatively with aromaticity. Seasonally, DOC concentrations changed little despite >15‐fold increases in discharge during spring. River DOM composition shifted modestly toward soil‐like endmembers in spring and more bioavailable autochthonous end members in autumn and winter. Low DOM bioavailability in the river mainstem and low DOC yields shown in previous work point to limited internal processing of DOM and limited bioavailable DOM delivery to downstream habitats, possibly due to upstream flow regulation. Our observations provide important insights into the functioning of western Canadian aquatic networks.

In situ measurements and simulations of a net cage in currents

Accurate predictions of net cages’ deformation under current loads are vitally important for the welfare of stocked fish and the safety of cage structures. In this study, a scaled cage model was deployed at a fish farm. The incoming flow profile was measured through an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) with high resolution in the depth direction, and the flow inside the cage was measured through an Acoustic Doppler Vector (ADV). Pressure tags were applied to capture the lifting of the cage under varying current conditions. The incoming flow velocity shows a good correlation with the lifting of the cage, and in general the rate of the cage being lifted by the flow increases with flow speed. However, the flow speed measured inside the cage is much less correlated to the upstream flow and cage deformation. Numerical cage models consisting of truss elements were developed; two flow reduction factors r = 0.9 and 0.8 derived from empirical formulas and measurements inside cages in previous studies were applied. The numerical model with r = 0.8 can predict the cage deformation well, with most relative deviations in the depth directions being less than 15%. The study indicates the feasibility of applying pressure tags with high precision to estimate current-induced cage deformation in situ, especially when a cage is experiencing obvious deformation.

Furnace MILD combustion versus its open counterpart in hot coflow

The open jet flame in hot co-flow (JHC) has been frequently utilized for fundamental investigations of Moderate or Intense Low-oxygen Dilution (MILD) combustion due to its controllable conditions and relatively easy measurement capabilities. However, practical MILD combustion must take place within a combustor that is enclosed. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the similarity and disparity of combustion characteristics between two flame configurations. This issue is addressed currently. Specifically, we investigate the flow mixing, ignition, and combustion, as well as emission characteristics of non-premixed and premixed JHC and cylindrical furnace (FUR) flames at various values of the environmental temperature (Te) and central jet Reynolds number (Re). For the open non-premixed flames, we employ both previous single-tube JHC (SJHC) combustor and presently modified JHC (MJHC) one that uses the same nozzle configuration as the FUR burner. It is revealed that significant differences occur in flow, combustion and emission characteristics between the SJHC and FUR cases. On the other hand, both non-premixed and premixed MJHC configurations exhibit high similarity to the corresponding FUR cases in terms of upstream flow mixing and combustion features. Moreover, different CO and NOx emissions result from open JHC and close furnace flames due to different post-combustion configuration and residence time. Accordingly, future experiments on non-premixed MJHC and premixed JHC flames are highly recommended for better understanding practical MILD combustion.

Assessing Local Statistics of a Premixed Turbulent Bunsen Flame

The local interactions between the flame-front and turbulence control the dynamics, morphology, and propagation of a premixed turbulent flame. To investigate such complex dynamics of a flame–turbulence interaction, we present an experimental exposition of a premixed turbulent Bunsen flame. Several quantities have been evaluated to assess the flame–turbulence interaction. We first measured the statistics of the flowfield adjacent to the flame and compared it with the cold flow. This allowed us to evaluate the effect of the flame on the upstream turbulence. Subsequently, we performed statistical analyses of the local values of various stretch rates and quantified how their distribution changes with turbulence intensity and flame temperature. We also evaluated the pairwise relation among various stretch rates to assess their dependence on each other. Finally, we used flame particles to evaluate the Lagrangian evolution of stretch rates conditioned on flame-fronts. All the analyses presented in this work point out Karlovitz number as a key factor in determining the flame–turbulence interaction. Specifically, we observe a stronger influence of turbulent eddies on flames with increasing Karlovitz number, as evidenced by the reduced effect of flame on upstream flow, wider probability distribution functions of stretch rates, and increased persistence timescales for stretches.

Influence of Runner Downstream Structure on the Flow Field in the Draft Tube of a Small-Sized Water Turbine

The flow in the draft tube of the water turbine is affected by the upstream flow and the inherent structure accompanied by various undesirable characteristics, affecting the efficient and stable operation of the water turbine. Changing the flow structure downstream of the runner is an important measure to reduce hydraulic loss in the draft tube and improve stability. In this study, three downstream structures of the runner, namely, the non-locking nut, small locking nut, and extended locking nut are numerically calculated and verified using experimental results. The unstable flow characteristics of the draft tube are analyzed using variations in swirling flow, backflow, pressure gradient, and vortex strip. The results show the non-negligible effect of the locking nut, which significantly reduces the rotational momentum flux at the draft tube inlet, accelerates the decay rate of the swirling flow, and suppresses the generation of axial low pressure. The small locking nut significantly reduces the pressure gradient, shortens the backflow zone, and decreases the backflow velocity. The extended locking nut reduces the backflow zone in some sections and reduces the vortex zone of the straight section but prolongs the backflow zone and increases the backflow velocity.

A nonlinear disturbance observer for sliding mode control of surge in centrifugal compressors via TCV actuator

Surge is a form of dynamic instability created as an unstable pattern in the flow of fluid and can severely affect centrifugal compressor performance by causing fluctuations in flow and pressure parameters. Due to the heavy and costly damage that the surge may cause in various industrial processes such as petrochemical plants, it is necessary to design an appropriate control system to reduce the effect of this phenomenon. The problem of active surge control of a centrifugal compressor using the throttle control valve (TCV) in the presence of compressor parametric uncertainties as well as large demands on upstream and downstream loads is investigated in this work. The control objective was to design a robust control system that can stabilize the compressor over a wide operating range without knowing the upper bound for the uncertainties and load demand. The controller should also react quickly by generating a smooth control signal without saturating the control input. These objectives are achieved by designing a sliding mode controller along with a nonlinear disturbance observer. The performance of the proposed disturbance observer-based controller is evaluated under various operational and load conditions and the results are compared against fuzzy type 1, conventional sliding mode, and wavelet-based neural network robust adaptive controllers. The results show that the proposed method can tolerate large disturbances without any knowledge on the upper bound of the incident disturbance, both on the downstream pressure and upstream mass flow which is highly desirable in practice. The comparative study proves the efficacy of the proposed method using various performance measures. The study also confirms the superior robust performance and stability of the proposed method in front of matched and mismatched disturbances as well as model uncertainties especially close to the instability boundary. Although choosing a TCV actuator has made the control system design easier, the sensitivity of the control valve to flow coefficient and zero calibration under different operating ranges of the compression system is studied carefully and some recommendations for the users are provided.

Experimental study of simple flumes with converging triangular walls

For water management, the accurate measurement of discharge in irrigation channels is essential. Static flow measuring devices such as weirs and flumes play a significant role in discharge measurement in open channels. Flumes are one of the most commonly used devices for flow measurement. Many researchers have focused on application of simple flumes in irrigation networks. This investigation aims to study the flow discharge through a simple flume with converging triangular walls under free-flow conditions. The flume is constructed by placing two right-angled triangular plates on either side of a rectangular open channel. The channel cross section is rectangular while height of the converging walls reaches to zero at the end of the flume opening. The proposed flume is inexpensive, its operation is simple, its installation is easy and does not require high maintenance (maintenance free). The present study is designed to determine the effect of different variables on flow discharge of this kind of flumes. For this, an experimental program was conducted under upstream subcritical flow regime and under free outflow conditions to formulate the flow discharge of the flume. Flume discharge relationship was deduced using dimensional analysis method and then calibrated using the experimental data collected in this study (318 runs). The proposed discharge equation has an average absolute relative error of 1.66 %, and for 96.5 % of the measured discharge values, the relative errors are within ±5 %. To reliably estimate the flume discharge, free-flow and submerged-flow conditions should be distinguished. For this, suitable equation with an average absolute relative error less than 3.44 % was presented to estimate the submergence threshold. This flume is suitable for the rectangular channel for accurate measurement of free flow at any location on field. This particular device has considerable advantages over the other devices, as it can be quickly installed and removed for use in irrigation channels. The findings and results of this study will be of interest for practical applications.