Hydrodynamics of bubble flow through a porous medium with applications to packed bed reactors

Gas-liquid flows through packed bed reactors (PBRs) are challenging to predict due to the tortuous flow paths that fluid interfaces must traverse. Experiments at the International Space Station showed that bubble and pulse flows are predominately observed under microgravity conditions, while trickle and spray flows observed under terrestrial conditions, are not present in microgravity. Toward understanding the physics behind the latter experiments, we simulate bubble flow through a PBR for different packing-particle-diameter-based Weber numbers and under different gravity conditions. We demonstrate different pore-scale mechanisms such as capillary entrapment, buoyancy entrapment, and inertia-induced bubble displacement. Then, we perform a quantitative analysis by introducing a new dynamic length scale, dependent upon the evolving gas-liquid interfacial area, to understand the dynamic trade-offs between the inertia, capillary, and buoyancy forces on a bubble passing through a PBR. This analysis leads us to define new dimensionless Weber-like numbers that delineate bubble entrapment from bubble displacement.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figure

Viscosity and Thermal Conductivity of Stable Graphite Suspensions Near Percolation

Nanofluids have received much attention in part due to the range of properties possible with different combinations of nanoparticles and base fluids. In this work, we measure the viscosity of suspensions of graphite particles in ethylene glycol as a function of the volume fraction, shear rate, and temperature below and above the percolation threshold. We also measure and contrast the trends observed in the viscosity with increasing volume fraction to the thermal conductivity behavior of the same suspensions: above the percolation threshold, the slope that describes the rate of thermal conductivity enhancement with concentration reduces compared to below the percolation threshold, whereas that of the viscosity enhancement increases. While the thermal conductivity enhancement is independent of temperature, the viscosity changes show a strong dependence on temperature and exhibit different trends with respect to the temperature at different shear rates above the percolation threshold. Interpretation of the experimental observations is provided within the framework of Stokesian dynamics simulations of the suspension microstructure and suggests that although diffusive contributions are not important for the observed thermal conductivity enhancement, they are important for understanding the variations in the viscosity with changes of temperature and shear rate above the percolation threshold. The experimental results can be collapsed to a single master curve through calculation of a single dimensionless parameter (a Péclet number based on the rotary diffusivity of the graphite particles).United States. Air Force Office of Scientific Research (FA9550-11-1-0174)National Natural Science Foundation (China) (51036003

Revealing the nature of morphological changes in carbon nanotube-polymer saturable absorber under high-power laser irradiation

Composites of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and water-soluble polymers (WSP) are the focus of significant worldwide research due to a number of applications in biotechnology and photonics, particularly for ultrashort pulse generation. Despite the unique possibility of constructing non-linear optical SWNT-WSP composites with controlled optical properties, their thermal degradation threshold and limit of operational power remain unexplored. In this study, we discover the nature of the SWNT-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film thermal degradation and evaluate the modification of the composite properties under continuous high-power ultrashort pulse laser operation. Using high-precision optical microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy, we have examined SWNT-PVA films before and after continuous laser radiation exposure (up to 40 hours) with a maximum optical fluence of 2.3 mJ·cm−2. We demonstrate that high-intensity laser radiation results in measurable changes in the composition and morphology of the SWNT-PVA film due to efficient heat transfer from SWNTs to the polymer matrix. The saturable absorber modification does not affect the laser operational performance. We anticipate our work to be a starting point for more sophisticated research aimed at the enhancement of SWNT-PVA films fabrication for their operation as reliable saturable absorbers in high-power ultrafast lasers

Thermal Transport in Micro- and Nanoscale Systems

Small-scale (micro-/nanoscale) heat transfer has broad and exciting range of applications. Heat transfer at small scale quite naturally is influenced – sometimes dramatically – with high surface area-to-volume ratios. This in effect means that heat transfer in small-scale devices and systems is influenced by surface treatment and surface morphology. Importantly, interfacial dynamic effects are at least non-negligible, and there is a strong potential to engineer the performance of such devices using the progress in micro- and nanomanufacturing technologies. With this motivation, the emphasis here is on heat conduction and convection. The chapter starts with a broad introduction to Boltzmann transport equation which captures the physics of small-scale heat transport, while also outlining the differences between small-scale transport and classical macroscale heat transport. Among applications, examples are thermoelectric and thermal interface materials where micro- and nanofabrication have led to impressive figure of merits and thermal management performance. Basic of phonon transport and its manipulation through nanostructuring materials are discussed in detail. Small-scale single-phase convection and the crucial role it has played in developing the thermal management solutions for the next generation of electronics and energy-harvesting devices are discussed as the next topic. Features of microcooling platforms and physics of optimized thermal transport using microchannel manifold heat sinks are discussed in detail along with a discussion of how such systems also facilitate use of low-grade, waste heat from data centers and photovoltaic modules. Phase change process and their control using surface micro-/nanostructure are discussed next. Among the feature considered, the first are microscale heat pipes where capillary effects play an important role. Next the role of nanostructures in controlling nucleation and mobility of the discrete phase in two-phase processes, such as boiling, condensation, and icing is explained in great detail. Special emphasis is placed on the limitations of current surface and device manufacture technologies while also outlining the potential ways to overcome them. Lastly, the chapter is concluded with a summary and perspective on future trends and, more importantly, the opportunities for new research and applications in this exciting field