82 research outputs found
On the properties of steady states in turbulent axisymmetric flows
We experimentally study the properties of mean and most probable velocity
fields in a turbulent von K\'arm\'an flow. These fields are found to be
described by two families of functions, as predicted by a recent statistical
mechanics study of 3D axisymmetric flows. We show that these functions depend
on the viscosity and on the forcing. Furthermore, when the Reynolds number is
increased, we exhibit a tendency for Beltramization of the flow, i.e. a
velocity-vorticity alignment. This result provides a first experimental
evidence of nonlinearity depletion in non-homogeneous non-isotropic turbulent
flow.Comment: latex prl-stationary-051215arxiv.tex, 9 files, 6 figures, 4 pages
(http://www-drecam.cea.fr/spec/articles/S06/008/
Design and Experimental Validation of a Ducted Counter-rotating Axial-flow Fans System
An experimental study on the design of counter-rotating axial-flow fans was
carried out. The fans were designed using an inverse method. In particular, the
system is designed to have a pure axial discharge flow. The counter-rotating
fans operate in a ducted-flow configuration and the overall performances are
measured in a normalized test bench. The rotation rate of each fan is
independently controlled. The relative axial spacing between fans can vary from
17% to 310%. The results show that the efficiency is strongly increased
compared to a conventional rotor or to a rotor-stator stage. The effects of
varying the rotation rates ratio on the overall performances are studied and
show that the system has a very flexible use, with a large patch of high
efficient operating points in the parameter space. The increase of axial
spacing causes only a small decrease of the efficiencyComment: accepted in Journal of Fluid Engineerin
Towards an experimental von Karman dynamo: numerical studies for an optimized design
Numerical studies of a kinematic dynamo based on von Karman type flows
between two counterrotating disks in a finite cylinder are reported. The flow
has been optimized using a water model experiment, varying the driving
impellers configuration. A solution leading to dynamo action for the mean flow
has been found. This solution may be achieved in VKS2, the new sodium
experiment to be performed in Cadarache, France. The optimization process is
described and discussed, then the effects of adding a stationary conducting
layer around the flow on the threshold, on the shape of the neutral mode and on
the magnetic energy balance are studied. Finally, the possible processes
involved into kinematic dynamo action in a von Karman flow are reviewed and
discussed. Among the possible processes we highlight the joint effect of the
boundary-layer radial velocity shear and of the Ohmic dissipation localized at
the flow/outer-shell boundary
Design and Experimental Validation of a Ducted Counter-Rotating Axial-Flow Fans System
An experimental study on the design of counter-rotating axial-flow fans was carried out. The fans were designed using an inverse method. In particular, the system is designed to have a pure axial discharge flow. The counter-rotating fans operate in a ducted-flow configuration and the overall performances are measured in a normalized test bench. The rotation rate of each fan is independently controlled. The relative axial spacing between fans can vary from 17% to 310%. The results show that the efficiency is strongly increased compared to a conventional rotor or to a rotor-stator stage. The effects of varying the rotation rates ratio on the overall performances are studied and show that the system has a very flexible use, with a large patch of high efficient operating points in the parameter space. The increase of axial spacing causes only a small decrease of the efficiency
Generation of magnetic field by dynamo action in a turbulent flow of liquid sodium
We report the observation of dynamo action in the VKS experiment, i.e., the
generation of magnetic field by a strongly turbulent swirling flow of liquid
sodium. Both mean and fluctuating parts of the field are studied. The dynamo
threshold corresponds to a magnetic Reynolds number Rm \sim 30. A mean magnetic
field of order 40 G is observed 30% above threshold at the flow lateral
boundary. The rms fluctuations are larger than the corresponding mean value for
two of the components. The scaling of the mean square magnetic field is
compared to a prediction previously made for high Reynolds number flows.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Some Unusual Properties of Turbulent Convection and Dynamos in Rotating Spherical Shells
The dynamics of convecting fluids in rotating spherical shells is governed at
Prandtl numbers of the order unity by the interaction between differential
rotation and roll-like convection eddies. While the differential rotation is
driven by the Reynolds stresses of the eddies, its shearing action inhibits
convection and causes phenomena such as localized convection and turbulent
relaxation oscillations. The response of the system is enriched in the case of
dynamo action. Lorentz forces may brake either entirely or partially the
geostrophic differential rotation and give rise to two rather different dynamo
states. Bistability of turbulent dynamos exists for magnetic Prandtl numbers of
the order unity. While the ratios between mean magnetic and kinetic energies
differ by a factor of 5 or more for the two dynamo states, the mean convective
heat transports are nearly the same. They are much larger than in the absence
of a magnetic field.Comment: To appear in Procs. IUTAM Symposium on Turbulence in the Atmosphere
and Oceans, 08-7 = GA.06-0
Metabolic synergies in the biotransformation of organic and metallic toxic compounds by a saprotrophic soil fungus
The saprotrophic fungus Penicillium griseofulvum was chosen as model organism to study responses to a mixture of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers (α-HCH, ÎČ-HCH, Îł-HCH, ÎŽ-HCH) and of potentially toxic metals (vanadium, lead) in solid and liquid media. The P. griseofulvum FBL 500 strain was isolated from polluted soil containing high concentrations of HCH isomers and potentially toxic elements (Pb, V). Experiments were performed in order to analyse the tolerance/resistance of this fungus to xenobiotics, and to shed further light on fungal potential in inorganic and organic biotransformations. The aim was to examine the ecological and bioremedial potential of this fungus verifying the presence of mechanisms that allow it to transform HCH isomers and metals under different, extreme, test conditions. To our knowledge, this work is the first to provide evidence on the biotransformation of HCH mixtures, in combination with toxic metals, by a saprotrophic non-white-rot fungus and on the metabolic synergies involved
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