Next Issue
Volume 7, June
Previous Issue
Volume 7, April
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
2.8
1.9
Journals
Fluids
Volume 7
Issue 5
share announcement

Fluids, Volume 7, Issue 5 (May 2022) – 38 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): This work aims to investigate the possibility of performing numerical simulations of multiphase mixtures at extreme density ratios using the OpenFOAM v2012 interIsoFoam solver. In the first phase, various benchmarks, both 2D and 3D, have been performed for a mixture with a density ratio of ηρ ≤ 103, confirming the robustness of the code. A 2D rising bubble problem has been studied for a helium/lead–lithium mixture, which is characterized by ηρ ≃ 1.2·105, and it is of interest for applications in fusion reactors. We found a consistent dynamic with the expected regime for all the cases, and that, for ηρ > 103, the dynamics of a bubble does not change with an increasing ηρ. We conclude that ηρ = 103 is a good compromise to guarantee result accuracy and limited computational effort. View this paper
  • Issues are regarded as officially published after their release is announced to the table of contents alert mailing list.
  • You may sign up for e-mail alerts to receive table of contents of newly released issues.
  • PDF is the official format for papers published in both, html and pdf forms. To view the papers in pdf format, click on the "PDF Full-text" link, and use the free Adobe Reader to open them.
Order results
Result details
Section
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
15 pages, 4144 KiB  
Article
Three-Phase-Lag Bio-Heat Transfer Model of Cardiac Ablation
by Sundeep Singh, Paola Saccomandi and Roderick Melnik
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 180; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050180 - 21 May 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2080
Abstract
Significant research efforts have been devoted in the past decades to accurately modelling the complex heat transfer phenomena within biological tissues. These modeling efforts and analysis have assisted in a better understanding of the intricacies of associated biological phenomena and factors that affect [...] Read more.
Significant research efforts have been devoted in the past decades to accurately modelling the complex heat transfer phenomena within biological tissues. These modeling efforts and analysis have assisted in a better understanding of the intricacies of associated biological phenomena and factors that affect the treatment outcomes of hyperthermic therapeutic procedures. In this contribution, we report a three-dimensional non-Fourier bio-heat transfer model of cardiac ablation that accounts for the three-phase-lags (TPL) in the heat propagation, viz., lags due to heat flux, temperature gradient, and thermal displacement gradient. Finite element-based COMSOL Multiphysics software has been utilized to predict the temperature distributions and ablation volumes. A comparative analysis has been conducted to report the variation in the treatment outcomes of cardiac ablation considering different bio-heat transfer models. The effect of variations in the magnitude of different phase lags has been systematically investigated. The fidelity and integrity of the developed model have been evaluated by comparing the results of the developed model with the analytical results of the recent studies available in the literature. This study demonstrates the importance of considering non-Fourier lags within biological tissue for predicting more accurately the characteristics important for the efficient application of thermal therapies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cardiovascular Hemodynamics)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 3366 KiB  
Article
Impact of Modelling Surface Roughness in an Arterial Stenosis
by Jie Yi, Fang-Bao Tian, Anne Simmons and Tracie Barber
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 179; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050179 - 21 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2139
Abstract
Arterial stenosis is a problem of immediate significance, as cardiovascular disease is the number one leading cause of death worldwide. Generally, the study of stenotic flow assumes a smooth, curved stenosis and artery. However, the real situation is unlikely to present an infinitely [...] Read more.
Arterial stenosis is a problem of immediate significance, as cardiovascular disease is the number one leading cause of death worldwide. Generally, the study of stenotic flow assumes a smooth, curved stenosis and artery. However, the real situation is unlikely to present an infinitely smooth-surfaced arterial stenosis. Here, the impact of surface roughness on the flow in an arterial stenosis was studied via a computational fluid dynamics analysis. A patient-specific geometry with a smooth surface was reconstructed, and a partially rough model was built by artificially adding random roughness only on the stenotic region of the smooth model. It was found that the flow was oscillatory downstream of the stenosis in the models. A slightly lower velocity near the wall and more oscillatory flows were observed due to the presence of the roughness in the stenotic region. However, the pressure distributions did not vary significantly between the smooth and rough models. The differences in the wall shear metrics were slight in the stenotic region and became larger in the downstream region of the models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cardiovascular Hemodynamics)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

28 pages, 18372 KiB  
Article
A Homogenization Approach for Turbulent Channel Flows over Porous Substrates: Formulation and Implementation of Effective Boundary Conditions
by Essam N. Ahmed, Sahrish B. Naqvi, Lorenzo Buda and Alessandro Bottaro
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050178 - 20 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1941
Abstract
The turbulent flow through a plane channel bounded by a single permeable wall is considered; this is a problem of interest since a carefully chosen distribution of grains and voids in the porous medium can result in skin friction reduction for the flow [...] Read more.
The turbulent flow through a plane channel bounded by a single permeable wall is considered; this is a problem of interest since a carefully chosen distribution of grains and voids in the porous medium can result in skin friction reduction for the flow in the channel. In the homogenization approach followed here, the flow is not resolved in the porous layer, but an effective velocity boundary condition is developed (and later enforced) at a virtual interface between the porous bed and the channel flow. The condition is valid up to order two in terms of a small gauge factor, the ratio of microscopic to macroscopic length scales; it contains slip coefficients, plus surface and bulk permeability coefficients, which arise from the solution of microscale problems solved in a representative elementary volume. Using the effective boundary conditions, free of empirical parameters, direct numerical simulations are then performed in the channel, considering a few different porous substrates. The results, examined in terms of mean values and turbulence statistics, demonstrate the drag-reducing effects of porous substrates with streamwise-preferential alignment of the solid grains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drag Reduction in Turbulent Flows)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

29 pages, 11790 KiB  
Article
Multifidelity Analysis of a Solo Propeller: Entropy Rise Using Vorticity Dynamics and Kinetic Energy Dissipation
by Kiran Siddappaji and Mark Turner
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 177; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050177 - 20 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1640
Abstract
Propellers for electric aviation are used in solo- and multirotor applications. Multifidelity analysis with reduced cycle time is crucial to explore several designs for energy minimization and range maximization. A low-fidelity design tool, py_BEM, is developed for design and analysis of a reverse-engineered [...] Read more.
Propellers for electric aviation are used in solo- and multirotor applications. Multifidelity analysis with reduced cycle time is crucial to explore several designs for energy minimization and range maximization. A low-fidelity design tool, py_BEM, is developed for design and analysis of a reverse-engineered solo 2-bladed propeller using blade-element momentum theory with physics enhancements including local Reynolds number effect, boundary-layer rotation, airfoil polar at large AoAs and stall delay. Spanwise properties from py_BEM are converted into 3D blade geometry using T-Blade3. S809 and NACA airfoil polar are utilized, obtained by XFOIL. Lift, drag, performance losses, wake analysis, comparison of 3D steady CFD with low fidelity tool, kinetic energy dissipation, entropy and exergy through irreversibility are analyzed. Spanwise thrust and torque comparison between low and high fidelity reveals the effect of blade rotation on the polar. Vorticity dynamics and boundary-vorticity flux methods describe the onset of flow separation and entropy rise. Various components of drag and loss are accounted. The entropy rise in the boundary layer and downstream propagation and mixing out with freestream are demonstrated qualitatively. Irreversibility is accounted downstream of the rotor using the second-law approach to understand the quality of available energy. The performance metrics are within 5% error for both fidelities. Full article
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 19434 KiB  
Article
Aerodynamic Prediction of Time Duration to Becoming Infected with Coronavirus in a Public Place
by Abd Alhamid R. Sarhan, Parisa Naser and Jamal Naser
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 176; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050176 - 20 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1585
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused panic and chaos that modern society has never seen before. Despite their paramount importance, the transmission routes of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 remain unclear and a point of contention between the various sectors. Recent studies strongly suggest that COVID-19 could [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused panic and chaos that modern society has never seen before. Despite their paramount importance, the transmission routes of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 remain unclear and a point of contention between the various sectors. Recent studies strongly suggest that COVID-19 could be transmitted via air in inadequately ventilated environments. The present study investigates the possibility of the aerosol transmission of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and illustrates the associated environmental conditions. The main objective of the current work is to accurately predict the time duration of getting an infection while sharing an indoor space with a patient of COVID-19 or similar viruses. We conducted a 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based investigation of indoor airflow and the associated aerosol transport in a restaurant setting, where likely cases of airflow-induced infection of COVID-19 caused by asymptomatic individuals were reported in Guangzhou, China. The Eulerian–Eulerian flow model coupled with the k-Ɛ turbulence approach was employed to resolve complex indoor processes, including human respiration activities, such as breathing, speaking, and sneezing. The predicted results suggest that 10 minutes are enough to become infected with COVID-19 when sharing a Table with coronavirus patients. The results also showed that although changing the ventilation rate will improve the quality of air within closed spaces, it will not be enough to protect a person from COVID-19. This model may be suitable for future engineering analyses aimed at reshaping public spaces and indoor common areas to face the spread of aerosols and droplets that may contain pathogens. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Particulate Flows: Advances in Engineering, Science, and Health Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 10321 KiB  
Article
Numerical Investigation of 3D Flow Properties around Finite Emergent Vegetation by Using the Two-Phase Volume of Fluid (VOF) Modeling Technique
by Amina and Norio Tanaka
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050175 - 18 May 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1805
Abstract
This study predicts how the Free Surface Level (FSL) variations around finite length vegetation affect flow structure by using a numerical simulation. The volume of fluid (VOF) technique with the Reynolds stress model (RSM) was used for the simulation. Multizone Hexahedral meshing was [...] Read more.
This study predicts how the Free Surface Level (FSL) variations around finite length vegetation affect flow structure by using a numerical simulation. The volume of fluid (VOF) technique with the Reynolds stress model (RSM) was used for the simulation. Multizone Hexahedral meshing was adopted to accurately track the free surface level with minimum numerical diffusion at the water–air interface. After the validation, finite length emergent vegetation patches were selected based on the aspect ratio (AR = vegetation width-length ratio) under constant subcritical flow conditions for an inland tsunami flow. The results showed that the generation of large vortices was predominated in wider vegetation patches (AR > 1) due to the increase and decrease in the FSL at the front and back of the vegetation compared to longer vegetation patches (AR ≤ 1), as this offered more resistance against the approaching flow. The wider vegetation patches (AR > 1) are favorable in terms of generating a large area of low velocity compared to the longer vegetation patch (AR < 1) directly downstream of the vegetation patch. On the other hand, it has a negative impact on the adjacent downstream gap region, where a 14.3–34.9% increase in velocity was observed. The longer vegetation patches (AR < 1) generate optimal conditions within the vegetation region due to great velocity reduction. Moreover, in all the AR vegetation cases, the water turbulent intensity was maximum in the vegetation region compared to the adjacent gap region and air turbulent intensity above the FSL, suggesting strong air entrainment over this region. The results of this study are important in constructing vegetation layouts based on the AR of the vegetation for tsunami mitigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Hydraulics, Turbulence and Sediment Transport, 2nd edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 753 KiB  
Article
Quantifying Uniform Droplet Formation in Microfluidics Using Variational Mode Decomposition
by Michael Izaguirre, Luke Nearhood and Shima Parsa
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050174 - 18 May 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1944
Abstract
Using variational mode decomposition, we analyze the signal from velocities at the center of the channel of a microfluidics drop-maker. We simulate the formation of water in oil droplets in a microfluidic device. To compare signals from different drop-makers, we choose the length [...] Read more.
Using variational mode decomposition, we analyze the signal from velocities at the center of the channel of a microfluidics drop-maker. We simulate the formation of water in oil droplets in a microfluidic device. To compare signals from different drop-makers, we choose the length of the water inlet in one drop-maker to be slightly shorter than the other. This small difference in length leads to the formation of satellite droplets and uncertainty in droplet uniformity in one of the drop-makers. By decomposing the velocity signal into only five intrinsic modes, we can fully separate the oscillatory and noisy parts of the velocity from an underlying average flow at the center of the channel. We show that the fifth intrinsic mode is solely sufficient to identify the uniform droplet formation while the other modes encompass the oscillations and noise. Mono-disperse droplets are formed consistently and as long as the fifth mode is a plateau with a local standard deviation of less than 0.02 for a normalized signal at the channel inlet. Spikes in the fifth mode appear, coinciding with fluctuations in the sizes of droplets. Interestingly, the spikes in the fifth mode indicate non-uniform droplet formation even for the velocities measured upstream in the water inlet in a region far before where droplets form. These results are not sensitive to the spatial resolution of the signal, as we decompose a velocity signal averaged over an area as wide as 40% of the channel width. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dynamics of Droplets and Bubbles)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 7732 KiB  
Article
Actin Turnover Required for Adhesion-Independent Bleb Migration
by Calina Copos and Wanda Strychalski
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 173; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050173 - 18 May 2022
Viewed by 1873
Abstract
Cell migration is critical for many vital processes, such as wound healing, as well as harmful processes, such as cancer metastasis. Experiments have highlighted the diversity in migration strategies employed by cells in physiologically relevant environments. In 3D fibrous matrices and confinement between [...] Read more.
Cell migration is critical for many vital processes, such as wound healing, as well as harmful processes, such as cancer metastasis. Experiments have highlighted the diversity in migration strategies employed by cells in physiologically relevant environments. In 3D fibrous matrices and confinement between two surfaces, some cells migrate using round membrane protrusions, called blebs. In bleb-based migration, the role of substrate adhesion is thought to be minimal, and it remains unclear if a cell can migrate without any adhesion complexes. We present a 2D computational fluid-structure model of a cell using cycles of bleb expansion and retraction in a channel with several geometries. The cell model consists of a plasma membrane, an underlying actin cortex, and viscous cytoplasm. Cellular structures are immersed in viscous fluid which permeates them, and the fluid equations are solved using the method of regularized Stokeslets. Simulations show that the cell cannot effectively migrate when the actin cortex is modeled as a purely elastic material. We find that cells do migrate in rigid channels if actin turnover is included with a viscoelastic description for the cortex. Our study highlights the non-trivial relationship between cell rheology and its external environment during migration with cytoplasmic streaming. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 20 Years of Regularized Stokeslets: Applications, Computation, and Theory)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 6143 KiB  
Article
An Analytical Study on the Mechanism of Grouping of Droplets
by Visakh Vaikuntanathan, Matthias Ibach, Alumah Arad, Xu Chu, David Katoshevski, Jerrold Barry Greenberg and Bernhard Weigand
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 172; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050172 - 18 May 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1924
Abstract
The condition for the formation of droplet groups in liquid sprays is poorly understood. This study looks at a simplified model system consisting of two iso-propanol droplets of equal diameter, Dd0, in tandem, separated initially by a center-to-center distance, [...] Read more.
The condition for the formation of droplet groups in liquid sprays is poorly understood. This study looks at a simplified model system consisting of two iso-propanol droplets of equal diameter, Dd0, in tandem, separated initially by a center-to-center distance, a20, and moving in the direction of gravity with an initial velocity, Vd0>Vt, where Vt is the terminal velocity of an isolated droplet from Stokes flow analysis. A theoretical analysis based on Stokes flow around this double-droplet system is presented, including an inertial correction factor in terms of drag coefficient to account for large Reynolds numbers (≫1). From this analysis, it is observed that the drag force experienced by the leading droplet is higher than that experienced by the trailing droplet. The temporal evolutions of the velocity, Vd(t), of the droplets, as well as their separation distance, a2(t), are presented, and the time to at which the droplets come in contact with each other and their approach velocity at this time, ΔVd0, are calculated. The effects of the droplet diameter, Dd0, the initial droplet velocity, Vd0, and the initial separation, a20 on to and ΔVd0 are reported. The agreement between the theoretical predictions and experimental data in the literature is good. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Flow of Multi-Phase Fluids and Granular Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 107521 KiB  
Article
Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Three-Dimensional Flow in Combined Protective Canister Filters
by Milan Sedlář, Tomáš Krátký and Jiří Langer
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 171; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050171 - 17 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1896
Abstract
This work deals with the numerical and experimental investigation of flow in the protective filters which combine fibrous pleats and the absorbent cartridge. The flow through the complete 3D geometry of all parts of the filters, including complex geometry of the pleats, is [...] Read more.
This work deals with the numerical and experimental investigation of flow in the protective filters which combine fibrous pleats and the absorbent cartridge. The flow through the complete 3D geometry of all parts of the filters, including complex geometry of the pleats, is numerically modeled using high-quality computational grids. The sorbent filling, textile dividers as well as the material of filtration pleats are modeled as the porous media with the coefficients of the quadratic Forchheimer equation derived from the experiments in the laboratory located at the SIGMA Research and Development Institute. A comprehensive CFD analysis has been carried out using the ANSYS CFX package with the SST turbulence model, which combines advantages of both the high- and the low-Reynolds number turbulence models. The fully parametric description of the pleats enables the generation of high-quality structured computational grids for a wide range of pleat heights and widths and to use numerical shape optimization process. The numerical simulations show very good agreement of calculated and measured pressure drop for all variants of the complex geometry of the combined filter. To simulate a real application of the protective filter, the unsteady simulations which follow the human breathing pattern have been performed with the flow rate corresponding to the increased human activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Feature Paper for Mathematical and Computational Fluid Mechanics)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

13 pages, 431 KiB  
Article
On Mixed Convection in a Horizontal Channel, Viscous Dissipation and Flow Duality
by Antonio Barletta, Michele Celli and Pedro Vayssière Brandão
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 170; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050170 - 13 May 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1493
Abstract
The conditions defining a stationary fluid flow may lead to a multiplicity of solutions. This circumstance is widely documented in the literature when mixed convection in a vertical channel or duct is accompanied by an important effect of viscous dissipation. Usually, there are [...] Read more.
The conditions defining a stationary fluid flow may lead to a multiplicity of solutions. This circumstance is widely documented in the literature when mixed convection in a vertical channel or duct is accompanied by an important effect of viscous dissipation. Usually, there are double stationary solutions with a parallel velocity field which satisfy given temperature boundary conditions and with a prescribed mass flow rate. However, in a vertical internal flow, the dual solutions can be determined only numerically as they do not have a closed analytical form. This study shows that, in a horizontal channel, stationary mixed convection with viscous dissipation shows up dual flow branches whose mathematical expressions can be determined analytically. The features of these dual flows are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Convection in Fluid and Porous Media)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 3652 KiB  
Article
High-Fidelity 2-Way FSI Simulation of a Wind Turbine Using Fully Structured Multiblock Meshes in OpenFoam for Accurate Aero-Elastic Analysis
by Dinmukhamed Zhangaskanov, Sagidolla Batay, Bagdaulet Kamalov, Yong Zhao, Xiaohui Su and Eddie Yin Kwee Ng
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 169; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050169 - 11 May 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2488
Abstract
With increased interest in renewable energy, the power capacity of wind turbines is constantly increasing, which leads to increased rotor sizes. With ever larger rotor diameters, the complex and non-linear fluid-structure interaction (FSI) effects on wind turbine aerodynamic performances become significant, which can [...] Read more.
With increased interest in renewable energy, the power capacity of wind turbines is constantly increasing, which leads to increased rotor sizes. With ever larger rotor diameters, the complex and non-linear fluid-structure interaction (FSI) effects on wind turbine aerodynamic performances become significant, which can be fully studied using hi-fidelity 2-way FSI simulation. In this study, a two-way FSI model is developed and implemented in Openfoam to investigate the FSI effects on the NREL Phase VI wind turbine. The fully structured multiblock (MB) mesh method is used for the fluid and solid domains to achieve good accuracy. A coupling method based on the ALE is developed to ensure rotation and deformation can happen simultaneously and smoothly. The simulation results show that hi-fidelity CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and CSD (Computational Structural Dynamics) -based 2-way FSI simulation provides high accurate results for wind turbine simulation and multi-disciplinary design optimization (MDO). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Numerical Methods for Computational Fluid Dynamics With Open-Source Software)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 7042 KiB  
Article
Flow Characterization at Heated Air Supersonic Facility SBR-50
by Philip Andrews, Philip Lax, Skye Elliott, Alexander Firsov and Sergey Leonov
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 168; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050168 - 11 May 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2426
Abstract
The supersonic wind tunnel facility SBR-50 at the University of Notre Dame was built in 2015 for experimental research related to shock wave (SW) interactions with obstacles and boundary layers (BL) as well as supersonic combustion and a plasma-based flow control. Currently, the [...] Read more.
The supersonic wind tunnel facility SBR-50 at the University of Notre Dame was built in 2015 for experimental research related to shock wave (SW) interactions with obstacles and boundary layers (BL) as well as supersonic combustion and a plasma-based flow control. Currently, the facility provides the following range of flow parameters with a test section area at the nozzle exit of 76.2 × 76.2 mm: Mach number M=2 and 4, total pressure p0= 1–4 bar, stagnation temperature T0= 300–775 K, and typical duration of the steady-state flow t= 0.5–2 s. One distinct feature of the facility is the Ohmic gas heater installed in a long plenum section. Objective of this study is to characterize flow in the SBR-50 facility, specifically the dynamics of the gas temperature. Two measuring methods were applied for collection of a detailed dataset: thermocouple measurements and schlieren-based thermal mark (laser spark) velocimetry. The experimental data are compared with 3D Navier–Stokes modelling of the gas parameters over the entire flowpath. Particularly, this study proves that the original facility schematics (the concept of a virtual piston in the plenum) allow for a longer operation with a constant stagnation temperature compared to a constant plenum volume with adiabatic cooling of the stored gas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High Speed Flows)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1985 KiB  
Article
Stability Analysis of Thin Power-Law Fluid Film Flowing down a Moving Plane in a Vertical Direction
by Wu-Man Liu and Cha’o-Kuang Chen
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050167 - 10 May 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1808
Abstract
This paper analyses the stability of thin power-law fluid flowing down a moving plane in a vertical direction by using the long-wave perturbation method. Linear and nonlinear stability are discussed. The linear stable region increases as the downward speed increases and the power-law [...] Read more.
This paper analyses the stability of thin power-law fluid flowing down a moving plane in a vertical direction by using the long-wave perturbation method. Linear and nonlinear stability are discussed. The linear stable region increases as the downward speed increases and the power-law index increases. More accurate results are obtained on the coefficients of the nonlinear generalized kinematic equation in the power-law part. The regions of sub-critical instability and absolute stability are expanded when the downward movement of plane increases, or the power-law index increases, and meanwhile the parts of supercritical stability and explosive supercritical instability are compressed. By substituting the power-law index and moving speed into the generalized nonlinear kinematic equation of the power-law film on the free surface, the results can be applied to estimate the stability of the thin film flow in the field of engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

15 pages, 9163 KiB  
Article
Aerodynamic Optimization of a Reduced Scale Model of a Ground Vehicle with a Shape Morphing Technique
by Ceyhan Erdem, Yoann Eulalie, Philippe Gilotte, Stefan Harries and Christian N. Nayeri
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050166 - 10 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2543
Abstract
Aerodynamic performances of ground vehicle continuously improve and a lot of both wind tunnel measurements and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) investigations contribute in the identification of local zones where shape deformation can lead to drag force reduction. Gradient-based optimization with optimal system involving [...] Read more.
Aerodynamic performances of ground vehicle continuously improve and a lot of both wind tunnel measurements and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) investigations contribute in the identification of local zones where shape deformation can lead to drag force reduction. Gradient-based optimization with optimal system involving CFD models is one of the powerful methods for shape optimization, but a genetic algorithm applied on the surrogate model can also explore a large design space in a reasonable period of computation time. In this paper, we present an aerodynamic optimization technique using a Kriging model in order to perform CFD simulations of different front air dam geometries situated below the front bumper of a reduced scale road vehicle. A first design-of-experiment (DoE) is undertaken with Large Eddy Simulations (LES), involving height geometric parameters for radial-basis-function of the front air dam, utilizing a Sobol algorithm. Then, a multi-objective-genetic-algorithm (MOGA) is applied on the constituted surrogate model, depending on the geometric parameters of the front air dam, in order to reach a minimum drag coefficient value by considering pressure constraints. Results show that a front air dam can increase the pressure at the rear of the tailgate, especially by slowing the airflow below the underfloor, but an optimum balance is necessary in order to not increase the stagnation pressure on the air dam, leading to the loss of this benefit. The Sobol technique driven by the Kriging model enables the retrieval of optimum airdam shapes found with wind tunnel tests, even with relatively coarse numerical meshes used for CFD simulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aerodynamics of Road Vehicles and Trains)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 7518 KiB  
Article
Modal Decomposition Techniques: Application in Coherent Structures for a Saccular Aneurysm Model
by Paulo Yu and Vibhav Durgesh
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 165; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050165 - 09 May 2022
Viewed by 1483
Abstract
Aneurysms are localized expansions of blood vessels which can be fatal upon rupture. Studies have shown that aneurysm flows exhibit complex flow phenomena which consist of single or multiple vortical structures that move within the flow cycle. Understanding the complex flow behaviors of [...] Read more.
Aneurysms are localized expansions of blood vessels which can be fatal upon rupture. Studies have shown that aneurysm flows exhibit complex flow phenomena which consist of single or multiple vortical structures that move within the flow cycle. Understanding the complex flow behaviors of aneurysms remain challenging. Thus, the goal of this study is to quantify the flow behavior and extract physical insights into aneurysm flows using advance data decomposition methods, Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) and Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD). The velocity field data were obtained by performing 2D Particle Image Velocimetry (2D PIV) on the mid-plane of an idealized, rigid, saccular aneurysm model. The input flow conditions were set to Rep=50 and 150 for a fixed α=2 using a precisely controlled piston pump system. POD was used to quantify the spatial features of the flows, while DMD was used to obtain insight on the dynamics. The results obtained from POD and DMD showed the capability of both methods to quantify the flow field, with the modes obtained providing different insights into the flow evolution in the aneurysm. The curve-fitting step of the POD time-varying coefficients, and the appropriate selection of DMD modes based on their energy contribution, allowed the mathematical flow models from POD and DMD to reconstruct flow fields at any given time step. This can be used for validation of numerical or computational data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coherent Structures in Fluid Mechanics)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 4742 KiB  
Article
Mitral Valve Regurgitation Murmurs—Insights from Hemoacoustic Computational Modeling
by Ziyu Wang, Jung Hee Seo and Rajat Mittal
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 164; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050164 - 07 May 2022
Viewed by 1723
Abstract
Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the leakage of blood from the left ventricle into the left atrium during systole through a mitral valve that does not close fully. A systolic murmur is produced by MR and can be used to diagnose this disease. In [...] Read more.
Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the leakage of blood from the left ventricle into the left atrium during systole through a mitral valve that does not close fully. A systolic murmur is produced by MR and can be used to diagnose this disease. In the current study, we use hemoacoustic simulations to characterize the features of murmurs for a range of severities relevant to chronic MR. The incompressible Navier–Stokes equations are solved using an immersed boundary method to simulate the blood flow. The resultant pressure fluctuations on the lumen wall serve as the source for the murmur, and the murmur propagation through the thorax is modeled as a 3D elastic wave in a linear viscoelastic material. The resulting acceleration on the surface of the thorax is used as a surrogate for the measurement from a stethoscope, and these characteristics of the acceleration signal are examined in detail. We found that the intensity of the MR murmur is lower at the mitral point on the precordium, as compared with the aortic and pulmonic areas. This is somewhat counterintuitive but is supported by other studies in the past. We also found that the intensity of the murmur, as well as the break frequency, are well correlated with the severity of MR, and this information can be useful for automated auscultation and phonocardiographic applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Biofluiddynamics: Advances and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 5151 KiB  
Article
Effect of Sugars on Gelation Kinetics of Gelatin Gels
by Pietro Renato Avallone, Martina Romano, Andrea Sarrica, Marco Delmonte, Rossana Pasquino and Nino Grizzuti
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 163; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050163 - 06 May 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3214
Abstract
We investigate the rheological behavior of aqueous solutions containing animal gelatin, sugars and polyols. The aim is to study how the gelation kinetics, transition temperatures and gel strengths of an aqueous gelatin solution can be affected by the progressive addition of co-solutes. Aqueous [...] Read more.
We investigate the rheological behavior of aqueous solutions containing animal gelatin, sugars and polyols. The aim is to study how the gelation kinetics, transition temperatures and gel strengths of an aqueous gelatin solution can be affected by the progressive addition of co-solutes. Aqueous solutions with a fixed mass percentage of gelatin of 6.8 wt% were prepared at various concentrations of sugars and polyols. Through Dynamic Temperature Ramp tests, performed at various ramp rates, and Dynamic Time Sweep and Dynamic Frequency Sweep tests, carried out at different temperatures, it was possible both to evaluate the transition temperatures and to monitor the gelation kinetics of the samples. It was found that the contribution of co-solutes positively affects both the gelation process and the thermal stability of the aqueous gelatin solution by reducing the gelation time and improving the mechanical properties of the gel in terms of network elasticity. Full article
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

19 pages, 6555 KiB  
Article
An Application of Kolmogorov Complexity and Its Spectrum to Positive Surges
by Carlo Gualtieri, Anja Mihailović and Dragutin Mihailović
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 162; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050162 - 06 May 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1297
Abstract
A positive surge is associated with a sudden change in flow that increases the water depth and modifies flow structure in a channel. Positive surges are frequently observed in artificial channels, rivers, and estuaries. This paper presents the application of Kolmogorov complexity and [...] Read more.
A positive surge is associated with a sudden change in flow that increases the water depth and modifies flow structure in a channel. Positive surges are frequently observed in artificial channels, rivers, and estuaries. This paper presents the application of Kolmogorov complexity and its spectrum to the velocity data collected during the laboratory investigation of a positive surge. Two types of surges were considered: a undular surge and a breaking surge. For both surges, the Kolmogorov complexity (KC) and Kolmogorov complexity spectrum (KCS) were calculated during the unsteady flow (US) associated with the passage of the surge as well as in the preceding steady-state (SS) flow condition. The results show that, while in SS, the vertical distribution of KC for Vx is dominated by the distance from the bed, with KC being the largest at the bed and the lowest at the free surface; in US only the passage of the undular surge was able to drastically modify such vertical distribution of KC resulting in a lower and constant randomness throughout the water depth. The analysis of KCS revealed that Vy values were peaking at about zero, while the distribution of Vx values was related both to the elevation from the bed and to the surge type. A comparative analysis of KC and normal Reynold stresses revealed that these metrics provided different information about the changes observed in the flow as it moves from a steady-state to an unsteady-state due to the surge passage. Ultimately, this preliminary application of Kolmogorov complexity measures to a positive surge provides some novel findings about such intricate hydrodynamics processes. Full article
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 1486 KiB  
Article
Advances in the Prediction of the Statistical Properties of Wall-Pressure Fluctuations under Turbulent Boundary Layers
by Gabriele Grasso, Michel Roger and Stéphane Moreau
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 161; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050161 - 05 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2632
Abstract
Analytical or empirical models of the wall-pressure power spectral density under a turbulent boundary layer are often validated on test cases in an incompressible flow regime. In this work, an analytical model based on the compressible Poisson equation for the unsteady pressure in [...] Read more.
Analytical or empirical models of the wall-pressure power spectral density under a turbulent boundary layer are often validated on test cases in an incompressible flow regime. In this work, an analytical model based on the compressible Poisson equation for the unsteady pressure in a turbulent boundary layer is developed. The Large Eddy Simulation of the flow over a controlled-diffusion airfoil at Mach 0.5 is used to validate the assumptions made on the statistical properties of the boundary layer turbulence and to validate the prediction of the statistics of the wall-pressure fluctuations. The predicted wall-pressure spectrum also compares favorably with experimental data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Turbulent Flows at Solid and Free Surface Boundaries in Memory of William W. Willmarth)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 16978 KiB  
Article
The Aerodynamics of an Iron Ore Pelletizing Rotary Kiln
by I. A. Sofia Larsson
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050160 - 05 May 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3783
Abstract
This paper summarizes more than a decade of systematic studies of the flow field in an iron ore pelletizing rotary kiln using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) on simplified models of a real kiln. Physical, laser-based experiments have been performed to validate part of [...] Read more.
This paper summarizes more than a decade of systematic studies of the flow field in an iron ore pelletizing rotary kiln using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) on simplified models of a real kiln. Physical, laser-based experiments have been performed to validate part of the numerical results. The objective is a better understanding of the kiln aerodynamics and, by extension, its effect on the combustion process. Despite all of the simplifications regarding the models studied in this project, the results show the importance of correctly predicting the flow field in order to optimize the combustion process. Combustion simulations revealed that the heat release from the flame does not affect or change the flow field in any significant way; the flow field, however, governs the flame propagation and affects the combustion process by controlling the mixing rates of fuel and air. Using down-scaled isothermal water models for investigating kiln aerodynamics in general and mixing properties in particular is therefore justified. Although the heat release from the flame cannot be accounted for in isothermal models, valuable implications regarding the real process can still be gained. To better model the actual process numerically, more advanced submodels for both the combustion and especially the flow field are needed. The complex flow field in this type of rotary kiln requires a careful choice of turbulence model to obtain accurate simulation results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling and Experimental Techniques to Combat Pollutant Emissions from Combustion Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 8879 KiB  
Article
High-Speed Digital Photography of Gaseous Cavitation in a Narrow Gap Flow
by Peter Reinke, Jan Ahlrichs, Tom Beckmann and Marcus Schmidt
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 159; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050159 - 03 May 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1943
Abstract
The research of cavitation in narrow gap flows, e.g., lubrication films in journal bearings or squeeze film dampers, is a challenging task due to spatial restrictions combined with a high time-resolution. Typically, the lubrication film thickness is in the range of a few [...] Read more.
The research of cavitation in narrow gap flows, e.g., lubrication films in journal bearings or squeeze film dampers, is a challenging task due to spatial restrictions combined with a high time-resolution. Typically, the lubrication film thickness is in the range of a few microns and the characteristic time for bubble generation and collapse is less than a few milliseconds. The authors have developed a journal bearing model experiment, which is designed according to similarity laws providing fully similar flow conditions to real journal flows while offering ideal access to the flow by means of optical measurement equipment. This work presents the high-speed photography of bubble evolution and transportation in a Stokes-type flow under the influence of shear and a strong pressure gradient which are typical for lubricant films. A paramount feature of the experiment is the dynamic variation (increase/decrease) of the minimum film thickness which triggers the onset of cavitation in narrow gap flows. Results presented in the work on hand include the time-resolved data of the gas release rate and the transient expansion of gas bubbles. Both parameters are necessary to set up numerical models for the computation of two-phase flows. Full article
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 7199 KiB  
Article
Coherent Structures of a Turbulent Flow Bounded by a Compact Permeable Wall
by James K. Arthur
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 158; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050158 - 29 Apr 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1965
Abstract
In order to optimize the use of compact porous media as flow and heat transfer devices, it is imperative to understand those coherent structures of the associated flow that generate and sustain turbulence. Given the deficiency of data regarding this area in the [...] Read more.
In order to optimize the use of compact porous media as flow and heat transfer devices, it is imperative to understand those coherent structures of the associated flow that generate and sustain turbulence. Given the deficiency of data regarding this area in the literature, this study has been carried out to fill this need. To this end, a series of particle image velocimetry measurements were conducted to capture a turbulent flow field bounded by a model permeable medium of 85% porosity. The bulk Reynolds numbers based on the bulk velocity through the entire flow domain and the depth of flow over the permeable boundary are approximately 5.0 × 103 and 2.0 × 104. By applying velocity gradient eigenanalysis, quadrant decomposition, multi-point correlations, and proper orthogonal decomposition, requisite information about the coherent structures of the flow field is extracted. The results indicate the existence of spatial structures whose order, size, and orientation are dependent on the Reynolds number and location along the permeable boundary. While the largest scales are marked by sweeps, ejections, and high vortex activity, there is evidence of inward and outward interactive events at the upstream portions of the permeable boundary layer flow. This work helps to clarify some observations made on turbulent flow over the compact permeable boundary. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Turbulent Flow)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 6803 KiB  
Article
On the Turbulent Behavior of a Magnetically Confined Plasma near the X-Point
by Giovanni Montani, Nakia Carlevaro and Brunello Tirozzi
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 157; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050157 - 29 Apr 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1504
Abstract
We construct a model for the turbulence near the X-point of a Tokamak device and, under suitable assumptions, we arrive to a closed equation for the electric field potential fluctuations. The analytical and numerical analysis is focused on a reduced two-dimensional formulation of [...] Read more.
We construct a model for the turbulence near the X-point of a Tokamak device and, under suitable assumptions, we arrive to a closed equation for the electric field potential fluctuations. The analytical and numerical analysis is focused on a reduced two-dimensional formulation of the dynamics, which allows a direct mapping to the incompressible Navier-Stokes equation. The main merit of this study is to outline how the turbulence near the X-point, in correspondence to typical operation conditions of medium and large size Tokamaks, is dominated by the enstrophy cascade from large to smaller spatial scales. Full article
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

30 pages, 33349 KiB  
Review
Foam Based Fracturing Fluid Characterization for an Optimized Application in HPHT Reservoir Conditions
by Maria E. Gonzalez Perdomo and Sharifah Wan Madihi
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 156; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050156 - 28 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2957
Abstract
Water-based fracturing fluids are among the most common fluid types used in hydraulic fracturing operations. However, these fluids tend to cause damage in water-sensitive formations. Foam comprises a small amount of base fluid, and compressible gas such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen has [...] Read more.
Water-based fracturing fluids are among the most common fluid types used in hydraulic fracturing operations. However, these fluids tend to cause damage in water-sensitive formations. Foam comprises a small amount of base fluid, and compressible gas such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen has emerged as a more ecologically friendly option to fracture such formations. Foam is an attractive option since it has a low density and high viscosity. The applicability of foamed frac fluid is characterized by foam stability and rheology, encompassing the viscosity and proppant carrying ability. The foam quality, pressure and temperature affect the foam rheology. Generally, foam viscosity and stability increase with pressure but decrease when the temperature increases. Hence, it is essential to preserve foam stability in high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) reservoir conditions. The addition of nanoparticles could increase the thermal stability of the foam. This article provides the basis of foam-based fracturing fluid characterization for an optimal application in HPHT reservoir conditions. Then, focusing on improving thermal stability, it reviews the research progress on the use of nanoparticles as foam stabilizing agent. This paper also sheds light on the literature gaps that should be addressed by future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanisms of Shale/Tight Oil and Gas Transport in Nanopores)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 4537 KiB  
Article
A Hydrodynamic Analog of the Casimir Effect in Wave-Driven Turbulent Flows
by Mahdi Davoodianidalik, Hamid Kellay and Nicolas Francois
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 155; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050155 - 27 Apr 2022
Viewed by 1924
Abstract
We present experimental results on a fluctuation-induced force observed in Faraday wave-driven turbulence. As recently reported, a long-range attraction force arises between two walls that confine the wave-driven turbulent flow. In the Faraday waves system, the turbulent fluid motion is coupled with the [...] Read more.
We present experimental results on a fluctuation-induced force observed in Faraday wave-driven turbulence. As recently reported, a long-range attraction force arises between two walls that confine the wave-driven turbulent flow. In the Faraday waves system, the turbulent fluid motion is coupled with the disordered wave motion. This study describes the emergence of the fluctuation-induced force from the viewpoint of the wave dynamics. The wave amplitude is unaffected by the confinement while the wave erratic motion is. As the wall spacing decreases, the wave motion becomes less energetic and more anisotropic in the cavity formed by the walls, giving rise to a stronger attraction. These results clarify why the modelling of the attraction force in this system cannot be based on the wave amplitude but has to be built upon the wave-fluid motion coupling. When the wall spacing is comparable to the wavelength, an intermittent wave resonance is observed, and it leads to a complex short-range interaction. These results contribute to the study of aggregation processes in the presence of turbulence and its related problems such as the accumulation of plastic debris in coastal marine ecosystems or the modelling of planetary formation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nonlinear Wave Hydrodynamics, Volume II)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 691 KiB  
Article
Finding Closure Models to Match the Time Evolution of Coarse Grained 2D Turbulence Flows Using Machine Learning
by Xianyang Chen, Jiacai Lu and Grétar Tryggvason
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 154; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050154 - 27 Apr 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1716
Abstract
Machine learning is used to develop closure terms for coarse grained model of two-dimensional turbulent flow directly from the coarse grained data by ensuring that the coarse-grained flow evolves in the correct way, with no need for the exact form of the filters [...] Read more.
Machine learning is used to develop closure terms for coarse grained model of two-dimensional turbulent flow directly from the coarse grained data by ensuring that the coarse-grained flow evolves in the correct way, with no need for the exact form of the filters or an explicit expression of the subgrid terms. The closure terms are calculated to match the time evolution of the coarse field and related to the average flow using a Neural Network with a relatively simple structure. The time dependent coarse grained flow field is generated by filtering fully resolved results and the predicted coarse field evolution agrees well with the filtered results in terms of instantaneous vorticity field in the short term and statistical quantities (energy spectrum, structure function and enstropy) in the long term, both for the flow used to learn the closure terms and for flows not used for the learning. This work shows the potential of using data-driven method to predict the time evolution of the large scales, in a complex situation where the closure terms may not have an explicit expression and the original fully resolved field is not available. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Simulation of Turbulent Flows)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 4133 KiB  
Article
RANS Modelling of a NACA4412 Wake Using Wind Tunnel Measurements
by Narges Tabatabaei, Majid Hajipour, Fermin Mallor, Ramis Örlü, Ricardo Vinuesa and Philipp Schlatter
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 153; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050153 - 26 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2815
Abstract
Wake analysis plays a significant role in wind-farm planning through the evaluation of losses and energy yield. Wind-tunnel tests for wake studies have high costs and are time-consuming. Therefore, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) emerges as an efficient alternative. An especially attractive approach is [...] Read more.
Wake analysis plays a significant role in wind-farm planning through the evaluation of losses and energy yield. Wind-tunnel tests for wake studies have high costs and are time-consuming. Therefore, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) emerges as an efficient alternative. An especially attractive approach is based on the solution of the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations with two-equation turbulence closure models. The validity of this approach and its inherent limitations, however, remain to be fully understood. To this end, detailed wind-tunnel experiments in the wake of a NACA4412 wing section profile are compared with CFD results. Two- and three-dimensional RANS simulations are carried out for a range of angles of attack up to stall conditions at a chord- and inflow-based Reynolds number of Rec=4×105. Here, we aim to investigate the wake characteristics and self-similar behaviour, both from the experimental and numerical perspectives. The measurements are carried out by means of hot-wire anemometry capturing the wake pattern in several planes. The sensitivity of the CFD model to different configurations of the setup and the considerations required for reliable simulation are discussed. The agreement between CFD, experiments, and the literature is fairly good in many aspects, including the self-similar behaviour and wake parameters, as well as the flow field. Comparison of experiments with URANS/RANS data indicates that the latter is an adequate methodology to characterize wings and their wakes once the CFD setup is designed appropriately and the limitations due to discretization and turbulence modelling are considered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Turbulent Flow)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 6923 KiB  
Article
Numerical Simulation of High-Density Ratio Bubble Motion with interIsoFoam
by Simone Siriano, Néstor Balcázar, Alessandro Tassone, Joaquim Rigola and Gianfranco Caruso
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 152; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050152 - 25 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3068
Abstract
The breeding blanket is one of the fundamental components of a nuclear fusion reactor and is responsible for the fuel production, generating tritium through neutronic capture reaction between lithium and neutrons. Lithium is a liquid PbLi alloy and the helium formed as reaction [...] Read more.
The breeding blanket is one of the fundamental components of a nuclear fusion reactor and is responsible for the fuel production, generating tritium through neutronic capture reaction between lithium and neutrons. Lithium is a liquid PbLi alloy and the helium formed as reaction by-product can coalesce into bubbles, generating a two-phase mixture with a high-density ratio (ηρ∼O5). These bubbles can accumulate and stagnate within the blanket channels with potentially harmful consequences. In this work, the interIsoFoam solver of OpenFOAM v2012 is used to simulate bubble motion for a two-phase mixture representative of the He-PbLi system to test its potential for future developments in the field of fusion. In a first phase, several traditional benchmarks were carried out, both 2D and 3D, and considering the two variants of the VOF method implemented in the solver, isoAdvector and plicRDF. Subsequently, He bubbles of different diameters rising in liquid PbLi (ηρ=1.2×105) were analysed to investigate different regimes. For a Eötvös number (Eo) greater than 10, it was possible to recreate the axisymmetric, skirted, oscillatory regimes and the peripheral and central breakup regimes. For Eo < 10, non-physical deformations of the interface are observed, probably generated by spurious velocities that have a greater impact on the solution for very small bubbles and rising velocities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Computational Methods in Fluid Dynamics and Applications, Volume II)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 2466 KiB  
Article
Numerical and Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Micro Restriction Geometry on Gas Flows through a Micro Orifice
by Akam Aboubakri, Abdolali Khalili Sadaghiani, Sarp Akgonul, Abdullah Berkan Erdoğmuş, Murat Baki, Fatih Can, Asif Sabanovic and Ali Koşar
Fluids 2022, 7(5), 151; https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids7050151 - 25 Apr 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1875
Abstract
This study experimentally and numerically investigates the effects of the nozzle/needle distance (clearance) and supply pressure on single phase compressible gas flow in a micro orifice with needle restriction, which play important roles in many engineering applications such as cryogenic cooling and MEMS [...] Read more.
This study experimentally and numerically investigates the effects of the nozzle/needle distance (clearance) and supply pressure on single phase compressible gas flow in a micro orifice with needle restriction, which play important roles in many engineering applications such as cryogenic cooling and MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) device cooling. Nitrogen was used as the working fluid at supply pressures ranging from 10 to 50 bars, while the conical needle draft angle was 15°. The nozzle/needle distance (clearance) was changed from 100 µm to 500 µm. From the experimental point of view, the load provided by the working fluid over the needle was measured by a load sensor. For the numerical analysis, six turbulence models and three wall treatments were considered in numerical simulations. The effect of micro restriction on high-pressure micro-gas flows was further assessed by numerical modeling. It is evident from the results that the utilized turbulence model has a considerable effect on the computed results. The k–ε standard and Spalart–Allmaras models were found to be not suitable for modeling micro-scale gas flows with restriction. On the other hand, the k–ε realizable and k–ω SST models exhibit the best performance in predicting the results. Full article
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-38
Previous Issue
Next Issue
Back to TopTop