Interaction Between a Vortex and a Turbulent Boundary Layer. Part 1: Mean Flow Evolution and Turbulence Properties

An experimental study was conducted to examine the interaction between a single weak streamwise vortex and a two-dimensional turbulent boundary layer. Attention was focused on characterizing the effect of the boundary layer on the vortex, including the effects of a moderate adverse pressure gradient. Rapid growth of the vortex core was observed, and a flattening of the core shape occurred when the dimension of the core radius became comparable to the distance of the vortex center from the surface. Adverse pressure gradients caused an increase in the rate of core growth, and therefore, a stronger distortion of the core shape. Measurements of surface skin friction beneath the vortex and some of the Reynolds stresses are presented

Heat transfer with very high free-stream turbulence and streamwise vortices

Results are presented for two experimental programs related to augmentation of heat transfer by complex flow characteristics. In one program, high free stream turbulence (up to 63 percent) was shown to increase the Stanton number by more than a factor of 5, compared with the normally expected value based on x-Reynolds number. These experiments are being conducted in a free-jet facility, near the margins of the jet. To a limited extent, the mean velocity, turbulence intensity, and integral length scale can be separately varied. The results show that scale is a very important factor in determining the augmentation. Detailed studies of the turbulence structure are being carried out using an orthogonal triple hot-wire anemometer equipped with a fourth wire for measuring temperature. The v' component of turbulence appears to be distributed differently from u' or w'. In the second program, the velocity distributions and boundary layer thicknesses associated with a pair of counter-rotating, streamwise vortices were measured. There is a region of considerably thinned boundary layer between the two vortices when they are of approximately the same strength. If one vortex is much stronger than the other, the weaker vortex may be lifted off the surface and absorbed into the stronger

Having Your Cake and Condemning It Too: When Asserting the Power of Eminent Domain Constitutes Breach of an Oil and Gas Lease

The rapid increase in urban drilling for oil and gas in Texas, especially the shale natural gas plays that have become major producers of energy in Texas and other parts of the United States, have created new concerns for surface owners who also own the related minerals. One question is, how can land and mineral owners limit or prohibit surface use while leasing the minerals to producers? The advent of horizontal drilling that permits exploitation of leased minerals from off-site drilling locations prompts this new concern. The following is a scenario that frequently occurs in the current development and production of oil and natural gas, especially where minerals that a landowner leases are associated with a surface that the landowner concurrently uses for residential or commercial purposes

Experimental investigation of flow through an asymmetric plane diffuser

There is a need for experimental measurements in complex turbulent flows that originate from very well-defined initial conditions. Testing of large-eddy simulations and other higher-order computation schemes requires inlet boundary condition data that are not normally measured. The use of fully developed upstream conditions offers a solution to this dilemma so that the upstream conditions can be adequately computed at any level of sophistication. The plane diffuser experiment by Obi et al. (1993) has received a lot of attention because it has fully-developed inlet conditions and it includes separation from a smooth wall, subsequent reattachment and redevelopment of the downstream boundary layer. The objective of this study is to provide careful qualification and detailed measurements in a recreation of the Obi experiment. The work will include extensive documentation of the flow two-dimensionality and detailed measurements required for testing of flow computations

Three-Dimensional Velocity Measurements Around and Downstream of a Rotating Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

Modern designs for straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) feature smaller individual footprints than conventional horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs), allowing closer spacing of turbines and potentially greater power extraction for the same wind farm footprint. However, the wakes of upstream turbines could persist far enough to affect the performance of closely-spaced downstream turbines. In order to optimize the inter-turbine spacing and to investigate the potential for constructive aerodynamic interactions, the complex dynamics of VAWT wakes should be understood. The full three-component mean velocity field around and downstream of a scaled model of a rotating VAWT has been measured by Magnetic Resonance Velocimetry (MRV). The model turbine has an aspect ratio (height/diameter) of 1, and was operated in a water facility at subscale but still turbulent Reynolds number of 11,600 based on the turbine diameter. The main flow features including recirculation bubble sizes and strong vortex structures are believed to be representative of flow at full scale Reynolds number. To have kinematic similarity with a power-producing turbine, the model turbine was externally driven. Measurements were taken with the turbine stationary and while driven at tip speed ratios (TSRs) of 1.25 and 2.5, realistic values for VAWTs in operation. The MRV measurement produced three-dimensional velocity data with a resolution of 1/50 of the turbine diameter in all three directions. The flow is shown to be highly three dimensional and asymmetric for the entirety of the investigated region (up to 7 diameters downstream of the turbine). The higher TSR produced greater velocity defect and asymmetry in the near wake behind the turbine, but also showed faster wake recovery than the slower TSR and stationary cases. Wake recovery is affected by a counter-rotating vortex pair generated at the upwind-turning side of the turbine, which mixes faster fluid from the free stream in with the wake. The strength of vortices is shown to increase with TSR

Turbulent Scalar Mixing in a Skewed Jet in Crossflow: Experiments and Modeling

Turbulent mixing of an inclined, skewed jet injected into a crossflow is investigated using MRI-based experiments and a high-fidelity LES of the same configuration. The MRI technique provides three-dimensional fields of mean velocity and mean jet concentration. The 30° skew of the jet relative to the crossflow produces a single dominant vortex which introduces spanwise asymmetries to the velocity and concentration fields. The turbulent scalar transport of the skewed jet is investigated in further detail using the LES, which is validated against the experimental measurements. Mixing is found to be highly anisotropic throughout the jet region. Isotropic turbulent diffusivity and viscosity are used to calculate an optimal value of the turbulent Schmidt number, which varies widely over the jet region and lies mostly outside of the typically accepted range 0.7 ≤ Sct ≤ 0.9. Finally, three common scalar flux models of increasing complexity are evaluated based on their ability to capture the anisotropy and predict the scalar concentration field of the present configuration. The higher order models are shown to better represent the turbulent scalar flux vector, leading to more accurate calculations of the concentration field. While more complex models are better able to capture the turbulent mixing, optimization of model constants is shown to significantly affect the results

Nanomaterial cytotoxicity is composition, size, and cell type dependent

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite intensive research efforts, reports of cellular responses to nanomaterials are often inconsistent and even contradictory. Additionally, relationships between the responding cell type and nanomaterial properties are not well understood. Using three model cell lines representing different physiological compartments and nanomaterials of different compositions and sizes, we have systematically investigated the influence of nanomaterial properties on the degrees and pathways of cytotoxicity. In this study, we selected nanomaterials of different compositions (TiO₂and SiO₂nanoparticles, and multi-wall carbon nanotubes [MWCNTs]) with differing size (MWCNTs of different diameters < 8 nm, 20-30 nm, > 50 nm; but same length 0.5-2 μm) to analyze the effects of composition and size on toxicity to 3T3 fibroblasts, RAW 264.7 macrophages, and telomerase-immortalized (hT) bronchiolar epithelial cells.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Following characterization of nanomaterial properties in PBS and serum containing solutions, cells were exposed to nanomaterials of differing compositions and sizes, with cytotoxicity monitored through reduction in mitochondrial activity. In addition to cytotoxicity, the cellular response to nanomaterials was characterized by quantifying generation of reactive oxygen species, lysosomal membrane destabilization and mitochondrial permeability. The effect of these responses on cellular fate - apoptosis or necrosis - was then analyzed. Nanomaterial toxicity was variable based on exposed cell type and dependent on nanomaterial composition and size. In addition, nanomaterial exposure led to cell type dependent intracellular responses resulting in unique breakdown of cellular functions for each nanomaterial: cell combination.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Nanomaterials induce cell specific responses resulting in variable toxicity and subsequent cell fate based on the type of exposed cell. Our results indicate that the composition and size of nanomaterials as well as the target cell type are critical determinants of intracellular responses, degree of cytotoxicity and potential mechanisms of toxicity.</p