Base pressure behaviour in a suddenly expanded duct at supersonic mach number regimes using Taguchi design of experiments

Experimental investigations are carried out to study the control of base pressure without and with the use of micro-jets through suddenly expanded axi-symmetric passage in the supersonic regime. Four micro jets having an orifice diameter of 1mm were located at 90◦ intervals. In the base area, active controls jets have been placed on a pitch of a circle diameter that is 1.3 times the exit diameter of the nozzle. The jets were dispensed abruptly into the axi-symmetric tube maintained at a cross-sectional area of 4.84 times the exit nozzle area. The variation of base pressure as a function of flow control parameters namely Mach number, nozzle pressure ratio (NPR) and length to diameter) ratio (L/D) are evaluated experimentally. This study also assesses the impact of flow control variables on base pressure for two cases viz. with control and without control respectively. An L9 orthogonal array of Taguchi and the analysis of variance were employed to investigate the percentage of contribution of these parameters and their interactions affecting the base pressure. The correlations between the various factors affecting the base pressure were obtained by using multiple linear regression equations. Confirmation tests were conducted in order to test the developed linear regression equations for their practical significance. Both the regression models were found to be significant and reliable with a percentage deviation lying in the range of −6.12% to 10.26% for base pressure without control and −13.92% to 6.58% for base pressure with control. Analysis of variance was also performed in order to determine the statistical significance of each parameter on the total variability of base pressure. The study concluded that Mach number is the most influential parameter affecting base pressure followed by NPR and L/D

Study of effect of flow parameters on base pressure in a suddenly expanded duct at supersonic mach number regimes using CFD and design of experiments

Effectiveness of active control of micro jets has been examined by conducting experiments through an abruptly expanded axi-symmetric duct in a view to control base pressure. For this purpose, 1mm orifice diameter micro jets have been deployed at an interval of 900 along the exit diameter of the nozzle. The experiments have been conducted by considering three flow parameters at three levels. Mach number (M), length to diameter (L/D) ratio and area ratio (AR) are the three parameters used to conduct and analyze the flow experiments. Base pressure is considered to be the response variable. The experimentation has been carried out for two cases, i) without active control; ii) with active control. An L9 orthogonal array has been implemented to plan the experiments. It is observed that the control becomes effective for lower area ratios when compared to the higher ones. In addition to this, at high area ratios suction at the base decreases and hence base pressure continuous to diminish with increasing L/D until it reaches a value of L/D=6. The obtained experimental results are subjected to multiple linear regression analysis and Analysis of variance (ANOVA). The performances of the two linear regression models were tested for their prediction accuracy with the help of 15 random test cases. It is observed that, both linear regression models for base pressure without and with control are statistically adequate and capable of making accurate predictions. Furthermore, this work also concludes that, Mach number is the most significant factor affecting base pressure followed by area ratio and L/D ratio for both cases of experimentation. The obtained experimental results are further validated by CFD analysis and are found to be in good concurrence with each other

Modelling of suddenly expanded flow process in supersonic Mach regime using design of experiments and response surface methodology

The present work is an attempt to model, analyze, and control the flow at the base of an abruptly expanded circular duct by using design of experiments (DOE) and response surface methodology (RSM). Tiny-jets in the form of orifice were positioned at an interval of 900, 6.5 mm from the primary axis of the main jet of the nozzle. Experiments were conducted to measure two responses namely, base pressure without the use of micro jets or active control (WoC) and base pressure with the use of micro jets or active control (WC). Mach number (M), nozzle pressure ratio (NPR), area ratio (AR) and length to diameter ratio (L/D) were considered as the input variables (parameters), which control the outputs (i.e. base pressure). Non-linear regression models based on central composite design (CCD) and Box-Behnken design (BBD) have been developed in order to facilitate the input-output relationships. Moreover, the significance of main, square and interaction terms of the developed models have been tested by performing analysis of variance (ANOVA). The ANOVA and significance test results and their respective correlation coefficient values indicate that both the CCD and BBD regression models are statistically adequate for both the base pressure responses of without control and with control respectively. The performances of the nonlinear models have been validated for accuracy prediction by use of 15 test cases. The performance of BBD model is found to be better in forecasting base pressure for both cases of without control and with control when compared to the CCD model

Experimental and numerical investigation on gas turbine blade with the application of thermal barrier coatings

The engine parts material used in gas turbines (GTs) should be resistant to high-temperature variations. Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) for gas turbine blades are found to have a significant effect on prolonging the life cycle of turbine blades by providing additional heat resistance. This work is to study the performance of TBCs on the high-temperature environment of the turbine blades. It is understood that this coating will increase the lifecycles of blade parts and decrease maintenance and repair costs. Experiments were performed on the gas turbine blade to see the effect of TBCs in different combinations of materials through the air plasma method. Three-layered coatings using materials INCONEL 718 as base coating, NiCoCrAIY as middle coating, and La2Ce2O7 as the top coating was applied. Finite element analysis was performed using a two-dimensional method to optimize the suitable formulation of coatings on the blade. Temperature distributions for different combinations of coatings layers with different materials and thickness were studied. Additionally, three-dimensional thermal stress analysis was performed on the blade with a commercial code. Results on the effect of TBCs shows a significant improvement in thermal resistance compared to the uncoated gas turbine blade

Response of active control on the flow field of the duct pressure at supersonic Mach numbers

In this study, experiments were conducted to control the base pressure and wall pressure in the wake at considerably high Mach numbers for a duct diameter of 25 mm. Tests were done at Mach 1.87 and 2.2. The Nozzle Pressure Ratios considered are 3 to 11 at different expansion levels. These experiments were conducted to evaluate the flow mechanism’s efficacy while the nozzle is under the impact of favorable and adverse pressure. The control mechanism was positioned at 6.5 mm from the central axis of the main jet. Results reveal that the minimum pipe length required for the flow to remain attached with the duct is L = 2D. When the duct is L = 2D or 3D, the flow pattern is erratic due to the incident’s excessive interaction of the reflected shock waves, and the impact of the ambient pressure. Because of the high duct diameter, the control is not efficient even though nozzles are under-expanded. For a larger area ratio, the reattachment length will be large, hence control becomes marginally effective. For over-expanded jets, the control results to reduce the pressure inside the duct. When nozzles encounter high-intensity adverse pressure results in high wall pressure compared to the lower nozzle pressure ratio due to the decline in the strength of the wave. When nozzles are under-expanded, the control effectiveness is optimum. The control mechanism is employed is able to suppress oscillations for large ducts compared to the short duct, where the flow is oscillatory. The control mechanism also results in the reduction of jet noise for some selected cases

Solar Orbiter's encounter with the tail of comet C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS): Magnetic field draping and cometary pick-up ion waves

ontext. Solar Orbiter is expected to have flown close to the tail of comet C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS) during the spacecraft’s first perihelion in June 2020. Models predict a possible crossing of the comet tails by the spacecraft at a distance from the Sun of approximately 0.5 AU. Aims. This study is aimed at identifying possible signatures of the interaction of the solar wind plasma with material released by comet ATLAS, including the detection of draped magnetic field as well as the presence of cometary pick-up ions and of ion-scale waves excited by associated instabilities. This encounter provides us with the first opportunity of addressing such dynamics in the inner Heliosphere and improving our understanding of the plasma interaction between comets and the solar wind. Methods. We analysed data from all in situ instruments on board Solar Orbiter and compared their independent measurements in order to identify and characterize the nature of structures and waves observed in the plasma when the encounter was predicted. Results. We identified a magnetic field structure observed at the start of 4 June, associated with a full magnetic reversal, a local deceleration of the flow and large plasma density, and enhanced dust and energetic ions events. The cross-comparison of all these observations support a possible cometary origin for this structure and suggests the presence of magnetic field draping around some low-field and high-density object. Inside and around this large scale structure, several ion-scale wave-forms are detected that are consistent with small-scale waves and structures generated by cometary pick-up ion instabilities. Conclusions. Solar Orbiter measurements are consistent with the crossing through a magnetic and plasma structure of cometary origin embedded in the ambient solar wind. We suggest that this corresponds to the magnetotail of one of the fragments of comet ATLAS or to a portion of the tail that was previously disconnected and advected past the spacecraft by the solar wind