Evolution Of Vortices Research Articles

Investigation on formation mechanism of cavitation channel vortex in the runner of Francis turbine

Abstract Cavitation channel vortices generally cause flow state more complex in the runner, leading to the work efficiency is reduced and the cavitation erosion on flow components is enhanced. In this paper, simulation of cavitation flow is carried out for a Francis turbine model, and the evolution of vortices in the runner during cavitation development is analyzed under partial load conditions. The results show that cavitation has a great influence on the morphology and distribution of attached vortices between blades, trailing vortices at the outlet edge of the blades, and vortex near the cone in the runner. With the gradual development of cavitation, the invasion effect of vortex rope in draft tube on the runner is enhanced, and the vortex near runner cone is gradually connected as a whole. Under the effect of the downstream reverse pressure gradient in local low-pressure area, the flow separation area gradually expands to the blade and upstream, and more singular points evolve on flow separation lines, which leads to more trailing vortices at the outlet of the blade and cavitation channel vortices are formed in serious cavitation stage.

Formation and development of vortices in power and propulsion systems

A differential equation of motion is proposed that reflects the dynamics of the vortex growth, which makes it possible to establish the boundaries of the existence of vortex flows and determine the vorticity field. Keywords:turbulence, impulse, vortex, Navier—Stokes equation, mass velocity, vorticity swgeorgy@gmail.com, toolgapodymova@yandex.ru

Transient vortical structure evolution under part-load condition in a high-power double-suction centrifugal pump based on Liutex method

Abstract In order to investigate the evolution of vortical structures inside a high-power double-suction centrifugal pump, the flow fields were solved numerically by the SST k-ω turbulence mode. After experimental validation, the Liutex/Rortex method was adopted for identifying vortices for each step from the numerical results, and the enstrophy was adopted to present the kinetic energy that vortical structures contained. The vortical structures at different seconds were obtained, and the vortices evolution was figured out. The results indicate that: the wake vortex was the dominant type inside the volute. Vortical structures at the impeller inlet evolve periodically. The interactions between the impeller leading edge with suction ribs and the blade trailing edge and volute tongues were critical factors for vortex evolution. Vortical structures mainly formed at the impeller inlet near the blade suction side. The suction rib would decrease the absolute rotational intensity around it, but the relative local rigid vortex would keep a high intensity. Due to the suction rib and volute tongues, the vortices variated with a period of 1/2T.

Numerical Investigation on the Spatiotemporal Correlation between Hydraulic Loss and Vortex at Turbine Mode of a Pump-turbine

Abstract Hydraulic loss and vortex analysis are two most widely-used methods investigating flow characteristics from macroscopic view and microscopic view respectively although the correlation between these two methods are still not fully clarified. Based on kinetic energy equation and Boussinesq hypothesis, hydraulic loss is resulted from the joint work of the dissipation loss and the transportation loss in flow domain while vorticity can be further divided into local rigid rotational part and deformational part with the help of the newly proposed concept Liutex. Thereafter, enstrophy as well as vorticity transport intensity is selected as the count part of hydraulic loss through dimensional analysis. Finally, the spatial correlation between hydraulic loss and vortex evolution in small guide vane opening at turbine mode is analyzed with the help of SST k–ω model and the temporal correlation at runaway point is analyzed through DES model. For spatial correlation, the dissipation loss and transportation loss are mainly caused by the deformational enstrophy Ω S and the rigid vorticity transport intensity T R , respectively. For temporal correlation, the correlation order nearly remains unchanged while the degree of correlation decreases to some extent. Based on our work, the hydraulic loss caused by different structure of vortex can be quantified and compared.

Numerical and experimental study of tip leakage vortex structures and dynamics in a mixed-flow waterjet pump

Abstract Driven by the pressure difference between pressure side and suction side, the tip leakage flow (TFL) and forms the tip leakage vortex (TLV), which interact with main flow and leads to instability of flow as well as cavitation in a mixed-flow waterjet pump. In this work, the characteristics of TLV are investigated by experiment based on high-speed photography (HSP) and the numerical simulation. The TLV trajectories predicted by numerical simulation’s shows a good agreement with the experiment test results. Cavitation of the TLV core due to low pressure forms a TLV core cavitation trajectory line. The start position of TLV trajectories and the relative angle between the TLV trajectory and the blade are significantly affected by the blade tip loading. The unsteady primary tip leakage vortex (PTLV) evolution process can be summarised in three stages of splitting, developing, and collapsing.

Physical aspects of vortex-shock dynamics in delta wing configurations

Delta wing configurations with double- and triple-leading edges introduced within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Applied Vehicle Technology -316 task group are examined to investigate the dynamics of vortices and shocks, with potential implications for the preliminary aircraft design. The numerical simulations are conducted for the configurations at Ma∞=0.85 and Re∞=12.53×106 using the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes k−ω shear stress transport (SST) model across a range of incidence angles. The detailed analysis focuses on the case with α=20° using the scale-adaptive simulation based on the k−ω SST model. This study considers shock-vortex interaction and breakdown with buffeting to study the transient flow physics over the wing. Additionally, insights into vorticity strength and destruction are gained through the enstrophy transport equation. The findings reveal that the inboard vortex (IBV) development is impeded by counter-rotating secondary vortices from IBV and the midboard vortex. A key distinction is observed for the first time between the double-delta and triple-delta wings, in that the double-delta wing experiences shock-induced vortex breakdown, with the transient nature of this breakdown leading to an adjustment in the shock position, causing a shock buffet. In contrast, the breakdown in the triple-delta wing is linked to a stationary shock induced by the kink in the planform. This study highlights the crucial role of the orientation of the shock relative to the vortex axis in characterizing the aerodynamic performance of the planforms.

Data Assimilation Impact of GNSS RO Measurements from Cube Satellites on Arctic Weather Forecasts

Abstract In this study, the effects of assimilating Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) observations from existing and recently added commercial cube satellites on analyses and forecasts over the Arctic region were investigated by conducting observing system experiments (OSEs). Profiles of refractivity were assimilated with a local observation operator using the three-dimensional variational method. The analyses and forecasts from the OSEs were verified against ERA5 reanalysis, radiosonde observations, and buoy observations. In addition to the averaged impact on forecast skill, the impact of GNSS RO observations was further examined for an individual Arctic cyclone case, focusing on the added value of the cube satellite data. The effects of GNSS RO observations from existing satellites on analyses and forecasts over the Arctic region are positive, and the assimilation of GNSS RO observations from cube satellites leads to additional improvements, particularly for temperature in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS). Temperature biases in the UTLS are significantly reduced in the analyses, and the improved analyses result in better forecasts of upper-level potential vorticity and cyclone development when GNSS RO observations from cube satellites are assimilated. This result demonstrates the potential of GNSS RO data from cube satellites to enhance forecasts over the Arctic region.

Plasma Sheet Counterparts for Auroral Beads and Vortices in Advance of Fast Flows: New Evidence for Near‐Earth Substorm Onset

AbstractThe relationship between auroral, ground, and plasma sheet signatures in the late growth phase is crucial for understanding the sequence of events during a substorm expansion phase onset. Here we show conjugate ground‐auroral‐satellite observations of a substorm that occurred on 18 September 2021, between 04:45 and 05:00 UT, where four auroral activations were detected in the all‐sky imagers. An initial activation showed the brightening of an equatorward arc within the cutoff of the 630 nm emissions, indicating activity on closed field lines well inside the open‐closed field line boundary (OCFLB). During a second activation, auroral beads were observed on a brightening arc, equatorward and within the OCFLB, followed by the transformation from small‐scale to large‐scale vortices. The tail current sheet was highly disturbed during the auroral vortex evolution, including pressure and magnetic disturbances, an apparent broadening of a previously thin current sheet, and a breakdown of the frozen‐in condition. Our observations clearly show late growth phase dynamics, including arc brightenings, the formation of auroral beads, and auroral vortex development, can occur well in advance of fast Earthward flows in the tail. Indeed, it is only during that later activity that auroral breakup and strong Earthward flows, which we associate with magnetic reconnection further down the tail, are observed together with strong magnetic bays on the ground. The sequence of events is consistent with an inside‐to‐outside model at substorm expansion phase onset, most likely via a shear‐flow ballooning instability in the transition region from dipole to tail‐like fields in the near‐Earth plasma sheet.

Investigating three-dimensional vortex evolution in centrifugal pump under rotating stall conditions using tomographic particle image velocimetry

A rotating stall in centrifugal pumps commonly occurs under off-design operations, which is a detrimental phenomenon leading to flow instabilities, pressure fluctuations, and reduced performance. A time-resolved non-intrusive three-dimensional (3D) flow visualization method is developed for investigating complex vortex structures in centrifugal pumps based on Omega vortex identification and tomographic particle image velocimetry (tomo-PIV). A special-made centrifugal pump prototype was developed with acrylic glass allowing for optical access. This method enables both qualitative and quantitative analysis of high spatiotemporal resolution on flow behaviors and dynamics under various stall conditions. The ultra-high sampling frequency realized over 40 time-consecutive observations per revolution under 0.2 Qd, 0.4 Qd, 0.6 Qd, and 0.8 Qd. It captures the instantaneous evolution of vortex structures that undergoes a growth–breakup transition within 7–9 ms. The rotating stall mechanism is revealed experimentally from the evolution of the vortex structure. Our analysis shows the tomo-PIV's additional velocity component aids in understanding the 3D characteristics of the stall. A substantial region of reverse flow in the z-axis direction is observed under 0.2 Qd. Vortex structures are more prone to blockage at the impeller inlet, exacerbating the stall phenomenon. As the flow rate increases, the velocity distributions across different layers exhibit a laminar characteristic with a more uniform profile. The vortex structures extend radially and migrate toward the outlet. The evolutions of the stall vortex, wake vortex, and inlet vortex share the same dominant frequency components (4.75fn and 5.25fn), but the flow rate affects the proportion of different frequency components.

Investigation into the Vortex Evolution characteristics of the Francis Turbine During the Runaway Process

Abstract The runaway process is a dynamic transition process that gradually deviates from the optimal operating condition. The flow passage components dissipate all of the energy corresponding to the hydraulic turbine’s head, causing the internal flow of the hydraulic turbine to gradually deteriorate and produce a large-scale vortex structure during the runaway process. A model Francis turbine is used as the research object in this paper to understand the evolution characteristics of an unsteady vortex during a runaway. The runaway process is investigated using high-precision simulation technology of gas-liquid two-phase flow, and the runaway speed is obtained, consistent with the experimental results. The results show that the cavitation volume increases as the rotating speed increases. The large incidence angle between the inlet flow and the blade causes large-scale flow separation in the runner, which leads to forming of a sheet vortex band near the hub of the runner hub and a columnar vortex in the blade passage of the runner blade suction surface. As the runaway process continues, the flow separation in the runner intensifies and the induced vortex size increases, obstructing the runner’s passage. In addition, pressure signal analysis reveals that the pressure fluctuation caused by the sheet vortex band is low-frequency. On the other hand, the pressure fluctuation caused by the columnar vortex is frequent. These two types of vortex structures with high-energy pressure fields degrade the flow in the runner and reduce the hydraulic performance of the turbine.

Vortices Evolution Characteristics and Pressure Pulsations of Variable-speed Francis Turbine

Abstract The stability of Francis turbine under low load conditions has become the focus in the power grid dominated by variable renewable energy. In this paper, the variable-speed approach is used to explore the operating characteristics of the Francis turbine, the RANS/LES hybrid turbulent model is adopted to investigate the fluid structure evolution process, and using the Q-criterion depicts the vortex cores. The results show that the numerical simulation agrees well with the experimental data acquired from the model test. It is found that the variable-speed operation can effectively eliminate the vortex ropes in the draft tube. Unexpectedly, the vortices in the runner will evolve from the separated vortices at the runner outlet for the fixed-speed Francis turbine to the inter-blade vortices at the runner inlet for the variable-speed Francis turbine in the case of small guide vane opening. It is concluded that the optimum operating range of a variable-speed Francis turbine (VSFT) should be within ±30% rated speed and 60% to 100% opening, and the pressure pulsation coefficient in the draft tube can be reduced from 7% to 1% at minimum water head, the output and efficiency of the turbine are increased by about 30% and 10% respectively.

Stability of secondary vortex evolution in wake of oscillating foils

Stability of secondary vortex evolution in wake of oscillating foils

Volumetric visualization of vanishing vortices in wind turbine wakes

Volumetric velocimetry is used to investigate the evolution of tip vortices in the wake of a model wind turbine. The power spectral density of streamwise velocity fluctuations is estimated at several downstream locations, and changes in the magnitude of the frequency peaks corresponding to the blade-pass and turbine rotational frequency are observed. Full volumetric visualization of the coherent structures depicts the vortex merging process responsible for the change in detected frequency peaks, capturing the physical mechanism likely responsible for many similar previous observations. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Comprehensive evaluation on deposition and heat transfer performance of the mixed tube bundle based on orthogonal experimental study

Deposition on heat exchange surfaces is an urgent problem to be solved to achieve efficient utilization of energy in thermal equipment. To mitigate deposition and the resultant heat attenuation, this work proposes a mixed tube bundle strategy of inserting attached cylinders behind the tube bundle, which can effectively meet the design requirements of high anti-deposition performance, high heat transfer efficiency, and low flow resistance. An integrated dynamic model for deposition is developed to elucidate the effect of ash particles on deposition, flow, and heat transfer characteristics. Based on the inverse distance weighting interpolation, a dynamic mesh smoothing technique is employed to simulate the evolving deposition layer on the heat transfer surface. In addition, the L16(43) orthogonal experimental design method is adopted to study the influence of the arrangement angle, diameter, and distance to the primary bundle of the attached cylinder on the overall performance, and determine the optimal scheme. The results show that deposition in the cases using the mixed tube bundle strategy has significantly decreased. The weakening effects of the attached cylinder on the deposition of small-medium particles and large-sized particles are due to the inhibition of vortex development in the gap of tube bundle and the deviation of the motion trajectory, respectively. The novel design exhibits the lowest deposition mass Mdep = 1.12 g and the best comprehensive performance PEC = 1.14 under the condition of the arrangement angle of 50°, the diameter of 10 mm, and the distance between the primary bundle of 5 mm. The obtained results can provide reference schemes and guidance for the optimization of the design of heat exchange equipment and accessory devices.

Numerical investigations of fluid flow and heat transfer in double forward facing step in the presence of a fin

Fluid flow overstep has many interesting physics such as flow separation, reattachment, recirculation, development of wall boundary layer, and primary and secondary vortices are few of them. Numerical simulation of this situation has been successfully employed for more than 3 decades. In the present investigation, a fin is introduced in the flow passage and explored its role in fluid flow and heat transfer. A fin is attached either to the top wall or bottom wall is considered and its position and size are varied. Further Reynolds number is also varied by assuming the flow is turbulent. Commercial software ANSYS Fluent is used for conducting the numerical simulation. For all the cases results were reported for flow physics and heat transfer in terms of streamline contour, isotherm, local Nusselt number as well as average Nusselt number. It is observed that the local Nusselt number is varied to a maximum value and further is decreased in the downstream direction. By varying the Reynolds number average Nusselt number can be improved from 20% to 85%. The fin size influences to increase of the average Nusselt number if it exceeds 0.3H. However, beyond a certain distance, the location of the fin is less influenced for improving the average Nusselt number. 22% hike in average Nusselt number is achieved when fin is located at top wall when compared to no fin case. However, the peak Nusselt number always occurred at the reattachment of the primary vortex.

Investigation of Non-Uniform Inflow Effects on Impeller Forces in Axial-Flow Pumps Operating as Turbines

Due to the existence of an inlet elbow, transmission shaft, and other structural components, the inflow of axial-flow pumps as turbines (PATs) becomes non-uniform, resulting in the complexity of internal flow and adverse effects such as structural vibration. In this paper, numerical methods were employed to explore the non-uniform inflow effects on impeller forces and internal flow field characteristics within an axial-flow PAT. The study results indicated that non-uniform inflow caused uneven pressure distribution inside the impeller, which leads to an imbalance in radial forces and offsetting the center of radial forces. With an increasing flow rate, the asymmetry of radial forces as well as the amplitude of their fluctuations increased. Non-uniform inflow was found to induce unstable flow structures inside the impeller, leading to low-frequency, high-amplitude pressure fluctuations near the hub. Using the enstrophy transport equation, it was shown that the relative vortex generation term played a major part in the spatiotemporal evolution of vortices, with minimal viscous effects.

The influence of roll angles on unsteady aerodynamics in a canard‐configured missile

AbstractDuring the initial stage of vertical launch, a missile may exhibit an uncertain roll angle (φ) and a high angle of attack (α). This study focuses on examining the impact of roll angle variations on the flow field and the unsteady aerodynamics of a canard‐configured missile at α = 75°. Simulations were performed using the validated k‐ω SST turbulence model. The analysis encompasses the temporal development of vortices, the oscillatory characteristics of the lateral force, and the fluctuation of kinetic energy distribution within the framework of proper orthogonal decomposition (POD). The results indicate that the flow field surrounding the canard‐configured missile is characterized by inconsistent shedding cycles of Kármán‐like and canard‐separated vortices. A distinct transition zone is identified between these vortices, where vortex tearing and reconnection phenomena occur. With increasing roll angles from 0° to 45°, there is an observed shift in the dominant frequency of the lateral force from the higher frequency associated with Kármán‐like vortex shedding to the lower frequency of canard vortex shedding. The shedding frequency of Kármán‐like vortices corresponds to the harmonics of the canard vortex shedding frequency, indicative of a higher‐order harmonic resonance. The frequency of the lateral force is observed to decrease with an increase in roll angle, except in configurations lacking distinct canard‐separated vortices, which are characterized by a “+” shape. The POD analysis reveals that the majority of the fluctuation energy is concentrated in the oscillations and shedding of the canard‐separated vortices, leading to pressure fluctuations that are primarily observed on the canard and the downstream region of the canard.

Relationship between vorticity near the surface and a long-lived vortex raised above it

The ability to predict the behavior of vortices is valuable for solving various scientific problems. One such problem is the evolution of tornado-like vortices near the surface and their connection with the original vortex located at a certain height above the surface. This article considers a two-dimensional axisymmetric hydrodynamic model in which the initial vorticity is maintained by an external force. Using the model, the influence of external force and temperature field on the evolution of vorticity near the surface is studied. It is shown that at relatively short times, the behavior of the resulting tornado-like vortices near the surface is universal and weakly depends on the external force and temperature field. However, over time, this influence becomes significant. It is shown that, depending on the presence of an anomaly in the temperature distribution, the vortex formed at the surface can exist for a long time.

The Stochastic Spinup of Vorticity in Spontaneous Tropical Cyclogenesis

Abstract Cloud-permitting simulations have shown that tropical cyclones (TCs) can form spontaneously in a quiescent environment with uniform sea surface temperature. While several mesoscale feedbacks are known to amplify an existing midlevel vortex, how the noisy deep convection produces the initial midlevel vortex remains unclear. This paper develops a theoretical framework to understand the evolution of the midlevel mesoscale vorticity’s histogram in the first two days of spontaneous tropical cyclogenesis, which we call the “stochastic spinup stage.” The mesoscale vorticity is produced by two random processes related to deep convection: the random stretching of planetary vorticity f and the tilting of random vertical shear. With the central limit theorem, the mesoscale vorticity is modeled as the sum of three independent normal distributions, which include the cyclones produced by stretching, cyclones produced by tilting, and anticyclones produced by tilting. The theory predicts that the midlevel mesoscale vorticity obeys a normal distribution, and its standard deviation is universally proportional to the square root of the domain-averaged accumulated rainfall, agreeing with simulations. The theory also predicts a critical latitude below which tilting is dominant in producing mesoscale vorticity. Treating the magnitude of random vertical shear as a fitting parameter, the critical latitude is shown to be around 12°N. Because the magnitude of vertical shear should be larger in the real atmosphere, this result suggests that tilting is an important source of mesoscale vorticity fluctuation in the tropics.

Induction of Controllable Vortex Flow in a New Aorta Stenosis Model for Potential Aorta Mechanobiology Study: A Flow Simulation Platform

Background: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are common, particularly among individuals over age 65, with a prevalence of 9%. To better understand the natural history of AAAs, one critical knowledge gap must be filled to elucidate the role of vortical flow in vascular degradation and thrombosis formation. We aimed to induce various types of vortical flow with aneurysm-like hemodynamic environments using a novel aorta stenosis model. Such a model will enable us to investigate the interplays between disturbed hemodynamics and vascular pathological remodeling. Methods: In this study, the hemodynamics and geometry of the aorta in rabbits were used to simulate the physiological flow conditions after two adjacent stenoses were created virtually with varying degrees of area reduction (30-70%) and spacing (5-6.8 mm). A physiological blood flow (rate) waveform measured in rabbits using ultrasound Doppler (normalized to 3.0 mL/s) was prescribed to the inlet (i.e., descending aorta), and zero pressure boundary conditions were applied at two outlets (i.e., iliac arteries). 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation in five different stenosis configurations was performed using commercial software (Fluent, Version 20, Ansys Inc., PA). In-house software assessed the evolution of flow vortices over three distinct regions post stenosis using an established method. The total volume of vortex flow, the number of vortices, and the phase-to-phase overlap of vortex flows within different post-stenosis regions were derived to characterize the vortex flow. Results: Quantitative and qualitative flow assessments were performed for all five CFD models. Firstly, in all models, we found consistent patterns of the three vortex flow parameters, indicating that the adjacent stenoses induced three different hemodynamic zones in the post-stenosis regions, namely, stable vortical flow (after first stenosis), transient flow (after second stenosis), unstable vortical flow (further distal to second stenosis). Moreover, increased stenosis degree or reduced spacing led to reduced vortex flow number but increased total volume of vortex flow. The distinctions of the three regions were most significant in the model with 50% and then 30% stenoses, and with a 5 mm (center-to-center) spacing between two stenoses. Conclusions: CFD simulations can offer a powerful tool to predict complex flows using subject-specific vasculature. Such a flow simulation platform is valuable for guiding experimental design or therapy in various diseases. We demonstrated that it is feasible to adjust and achieve multiple types of vortical flows with the novel stenosis model. The three zones with distinct hemodynamic environments allow us to investigate the vascular remodeling regulated by the specifics of the eddies. Our ongoing work is implementing optimized aorta stenosis models to preclinical or in vitro studies to reveal the interplays between varying disturbed flow and aneurysm remodeling. We acknowledge funding support from NIH/NIBIB (R01-EB029570A1) and the Health Research Institute of Michigan Technological University. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.