Forces and flow structures evolution on a car body in a sudden crosswind

A vehicle driver is commonly exposed to strong side air flows, for example when passing through a wind gust. The aerodynamic efforts generated in these situations may induce undesired lateral deviations, which can lead to dramatic effects, if the driver is surprised. In order to simulate a sudden yaw angle change on a moving vehicle, a double wind tunnel facility, adapted from the one of Ryan, Dominy, 2000. Wake Surveys Behind a Passenger Car Subjected to a Transient Cross-wind Gust. SAE Technical Paper No. 2000-01-0874 is developed. Two Windsor car body models, differing from their rear geometry, are analysed. The transient evolution of the side force and yaw moment aerodynamic coefficients are interpreted in connection with the unsteady development of the flow, based on TR-PIV and stereoscopic PIV measurements. Our analysis shows that the region which is most sensitive to crosswind is located at the rear part of the leeward flank. However, changes in the rear geometry (from squareback to fastback body) only affect the established lateral coefficients values while transient duration and the force overshoots appear not to be significantly modified. Furthermore, the circulation of the most energetic leeward vortex appears to be correlated with the lateral coefficients transient evolutions

Etude de l'évolution instationnaire de l'écoulement entourant un véhicule soumis brusquement à un vent latéral

Les techniques de PIV résolue en temps et de PIV stéréoscopique sont appliquées autour de corps automobiles soumis à un coup de vent latéral. Ainsi, l’évolution instationnaire des efforts aérodynamiques peut être interprétée en lien avec la topologie de l’écoulement. On montre en particulier que la réponse instationnaire du véhicule est dominée par le transitoire de la partie arrière. Le développement de la structure tourbillonnaire d’axe longitudinal apparaissant du côté sous le vent du véhicule soumis à un dérapage apparaît jouer un rôle important dans la réponse instationnaire de efforts aérodynamiques

Analyse expérimentale et numérique du comportement de véhicules terrestres en présence d'un vent latéral instationnaire

L aérodynamique latérale des véhicules automobiles suscite de nos jours de plus en plus d intérêt de la part des constructeurs. L automobiliste est en effet soumis quotidiennement à de forts courants d air latéraux, que ce soit lors du dépassement d un autre véhicule, ou alorsen passant dans un couloir de vent du à la topographie du terrain (passage devant un espace entre deux immeubles par exemple). Les efforts aérodynamiques mis en jeu dans ces situations peuvent provoquer des mouvements non désirés du véhicule, pouvant avoir des conséquences dramatiques si le conducteur se laisse surprendre. Des études expérimentales reproduisant les effets d un dérapage dynamique ont mis en évidence des phénomènes transitoires importants mettant à défaut les modèles stationnaires généralement pratiqués par les constructeurs pour qualifier le comportement de leurs véhicules en présence de dérapage. Les mécanismes responsables de ces phénomènes transitoires sont encore mal connus de la communauté scientifique. Ce travail propose d approfondir ce sujet au travers de l étude de l aérodynamique d un véhicule terrestre fixe soumis à un vent longitudinal et à une rafale de vent latéral. Le but principal est d identifier les structures tourbillonnaires au moyen de mesures PIV et de calculs numériques des champs de vitesse autour d une maquette automobile et de les corréler aux efforts aérodynamiques. Un accord entre l ISAT, composante de l Université de Bourgogne, et l Institut Supérieurde l Aéronautique et de l Espace (ISAE) de Toulouse a permis de mener l étude avec les ressources de cet établissement. Le moyen d essai principal, créé par l ISAE, est le banc rafale latérale , constitué d une soufflerie principale et d une soufflerie secondaire, dont la sortie à volet déferlants ( Mexican Wave ) est inspirée de l approche proposée par Ryan et Dominy (2000). L analyse expérimentale a été effectuée à l aide de la PIV résolue en temps et stéréoscopique, et d une balance dard instationnaire à cinq composantes. Un banc numérique identique a été constitué à l aide du logiciel FLUENT , pour des calculs 3D. De plus, un modèle 2D annexe, basé sur la méthode meshless , a été développé pour de futures investigations, en raison de sa robustesse pour des problèmes à fortes discontinuités et sa bonne adaptabilité aux problèmes avec frontières mobiles.Une première phase de ce travail a consisté en la mise au point des bancs expérimental et numérique, avec génération d un champ de dérapage homogène, de 21 dans la zone de mesure. L évolution du dérapage en chaque point respecte bien la forme d un créneau imposé par la rafale. Pour l analyse des efforts, deux géométries de maquette ont été étudiées, à savoir un corps de Windsor à culot droit générant, pour un écoulement longitudinal, des structures de sillage bidimensionnelles, et son homologue à culot incliné de 25, générant des tourbillons cigare . Des pics d efforts ont été observés à l arrivée de la rafale, tout comme la littérature le prédit. Pour ce qui est du coefficient du moment de lacet, les sursauts sont de 29 % et 19 % respectivement pour la maquette à culot droit et celle à culot incliné, par rapport aux valeurs stationnaires. Concernant le coefficient de force de dérive, ils sont de 10 % et 14 %, respectivement. Lors de nos essais, ces efforts se sont établis après 5.5 longueurs de maquette. Afin d expliquer la différence de comportement entre les deux maquettes en termes d efforts, l évolution temporelle des tourbillons nommés, dans ce mémoire, A, B, C et 1 à été discutée. Il en est ressorti une forte corrélation entre la circulation du tourbillon A, le plusénergétique, naissant à l avant du flanc sous le vent de la maquette, et les efforts latéraux, de sorte que ce tourbillon serait le meilleur témoin des phénomènes instationnaires mis en jeu dans l étude de l effet du vent latéral. [...]The automotive manufacturers are nowadays more and more interested in crosswind aerodynamics. Indeed, the driver is subjected every day to strong side air flows, for example when overtaking another vehicle or when passing through a lateral wind wall, generated by terrain topography (as in the case of the passage near the empty space between two buildings).The aerodynamic efforts generated in these situations can lead to undesired lateral deviations,which can be dramatic if the driver is surprised. Different experimental studies, reproducing the effects of a dynamic yaw angle, pointed out the issues of the steady methods, commonly used to qualify the vehicle crosswind behaviour. Little is still known about the physics behind these unsteady phenomena. This is the main topic of this work, by studying the aerodynamics of a fixed vehicle subjected to both a longitudinal flow and a side wind gust. The goal is the identification of the near-vehicle vortex structures, by means of PIV measurements and CFD calculations, and their correlation with the evolution of the efforts. An agreement between the ISAT, a department of the University of Burgundy, and the ISAE of Toulouse, permitted to carry out this research with the resources of the latter laboratory. The work focuses on the use of the rafale latérale (side gust) test bench, made up with a main wind tunnel connected with an auxiliary one by means of a shutter system,whose opening is held by a Mexican Wave law. This approach is inspired by the work of Dominy and Ryan (2000). The experimental analysis was carried out by means of Time-Resolved and stereoscopic PIV, and by a five components unsteady balance as well. Anidentical test bench was numerically reproduced with the 3D CFD software FLUENT .Moreover, an additional 2D CFD model, based on the meshless method, has been developed for future studies. This kind of approximation method has been chosen for its robustness innon-continuous problems and because of its adaptability when moving boundaries are needed.The first phase of this work consisted on wind tunnels set-up, both for the real test bench and for the CFD model. The yaw angle field is homogeneous, 21 in the measurement region. The yaw angle evolution, at given point, respects the step wise behaviour, imposed by the gust passage. As far as the efforts are concerned, two versions of the Windsor body car model were studied, that is a squareback geometry, generating, for longitudinal flows, 2D wakestructures, and a fastback geometry (rear window inclined by 25), producing cone-liketrailing vortices. Force overshoots were seen after the gust arrival, as seen in literature. In particular, the yaw moment coefficient overshoots are 29% and 19% higher than the steady yaw angle tests, for the squareback and the fastback geometries, respectively. If the side forceis concerned, the entities of these overshoots are 10% and 14%, respectively. Our testspointed out that efforts establish after the vehicle has driven 5.5 times its length in thecrosswind. In order to explain the different behaviour of the two geometries, it is discussed about the unsteady evolution of the vortices called, in this report, A, B, C et 1. A strong correlation between the side efforts and the circulation of the most energetic vortex, A,having its origin in the front leeward side of the vehicle. The A vortex is so the best index for the study of the crosswind unsteady phenomena. The coupled analysis between vortex structures and efforts confirmed the presence of a higher side force for the squareback geometry. The inverted effect has been observed for the yaw momentDIJON-BU Doc.électronique (212319901) / SudocSudocFranceF

Diffusion tensor imaging of the cortical plate and subplate in very-low-birth-weight infants

Background: Many intervention studies in preterm infants aim to improve neurodevelopmental outcome, but short-term proxy outcome measurements are lacking. Cortical plate and subplate development could be such a marker. Objective: Our aim was to provide normal DTI reference values for the cortical plate and subplate of preterm infants. Materials and methods: As part of an ongoing study we analysed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) images of 19 preterm infants without evidence of injury on conventional MRI, with normal outcome (Bayley-II assessed at age 2), and scanned in the first 4 days of life. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in the frontal and temporal subplate and cortical plate were measured in single and multiple voxel regions of interest (ROI) placed on predefined regions. Results: Using single-voxel ROIs, statistically significant inverse correlation was found between gestational age (GA) and FA of the frontal (r = -0.5938, P = 0.0058) and temporal (r = -0.4912, P = 0.0327) cortical plate. ADC values had a significant positive correlation with GA in the frontal (r = 0.5427, P = 0.0164) and temporal (r = 0.5540, P = 0.0138) subplate. Conclusion: Diffusion tensor imaging allows in vivo exploration of the evolving cortical plate and subplate. We provide FA and ADC values of the subplate and cortical plate in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants with normal developmental outcome that can be used as reference values

Experimental and Numerical Validation of a Wind Gust Facility

The study of a vehicle moving through a lateral wind gust has always been a difficult task due to the difficulties in granting the right similitude. The facility proposed by Ryan and Dominy has been one of the best options to carry it out. In this approach, a double wind tunnel is used to send a lateral moving gust on a stationary model. Using this idea as a starting point, the ISAE has built a dedicated test bench for lateral wind studies on transient conditions. Experimental work has been carried out by means of time-resolved PIV, aiming at studying the unsteady interpenetration of the two flows coming from each wind tunnel. Meanwhile, a 3D CFD model based on URANS was set up, faithfully reproducing the double wind tunnel. Both the experimental and numerical results are compared, and the evolution of the reproduced wind gust is discussed. Conclusions are finally determined about the validity of this kind of test bench for ground vehicle applications

Vertically-oriented nanoparticle dimer based on focused plasmonic trapping.

We proposed a vertically-oriented dimer structure based on focused plasmonic trapping of metallic nanoparticle. Quantitative FDTD calculations and qualitative analysis by simplified dipole approximation revealed that localized surface plasmon coupling dominates in the plasmon hybridization, and the vertically-oriented dimer can effectively make use of the dominant longitudinal component of the surface plasmon virtual probe thus providing much stronger electric field in the gap. Furthermore, for practical application the top nanoparticle of the dimer can be replaced with an atomic force microscope tip which enables the precise control of the gap distance of the dimer. Therefore the proposed vertically-oriented dimer structure provides both the scanning capability and the extremely-high electrical field necessary for the high sensitivity Raman imaging.This work is partly supported by UK EPSRC Research Grant EP/L019787/1 and EP/K023349/1. Z.S. gratefully acknowledges the financial support from China Scholarship Council (No.201408060330)

Evidence for the existence of powder sub-populations in micronized materials : Aerodynamic size-fractions of aerosolized powders possess distinct physicochemical properties

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited.Purpose: To investigate the agglomeration behaviour of the fine ( 12.8 µm) particle fractions of salmeterol xinafoate (SX) and fluticasone propionate (FP) by isolating aerodynamic size fractions and characterising their physicochemical and re-dispersal properties. Methods: Aerodynamic fractionation was conducted using the Next Generation Impactor (NGI). Re-crystallized control particles, unfractionated and fractionated materials were characterized for particle size, morphology, crystallinity and surface energy. Re-dispersal of the particles was assessed using dry dispersion laser diffraction and NGI analysis. Results: Aerosolized SX and FP particles deposited in the NGI as agglomerates of consistent particle/agglomerate morphology. SX particles depositing on Stages 3 and 5 had higher total surface energy than unfractionated SX, with Stage 5 particles showing the greatest surface energy heterogeneity. FP fractions had comparable surface energy distributions and bulk crystallinity but differences in surface chemistry. SX fractions demonstrated higher bulk disorder than unfractionated and re-crystallized particles. Upon aerosolization, the fractions differed in their intrinsic emission and dispersion into a fine particle fraction (< 5.0 µm). Conclusions: Micronized powders consisted of sub-populations of particles displaying distinct physicochemical and powder dispersal properties compared to the unfractionated bulk material. This may have implications for the efficiency of inhaled drug deliveryPeer reviewe

Properties of MoNxOy thin films as a function of N/O ratio

The main purpose of this work consists on the preparation of single layered molybdenum oxynitride, MoNxOy. The films were deposited on steel substrates by dc reactive magnetron sputtering. The depositions were carried out from a pure Mo target varying the flow rate of reactive gases, which allowed tune the crystallographic structure between insulating oxides and metallic nitrides and consequently electronic, mechanical and optical properties of the material. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results revealed the occurrence of molybdenum nitride for the films with low oxygen fraction: face-centred cubic phases (gama-Mo2N) for low nitrogen flow rate or cubic MoNx and hexagonal phase (delta-MoN) for high nitrogen flow rate. The increase of oxygen content induces an amorphization of the nitride phases and appearance of MoO3 phases. The increase of the oxygen fraction in the films induces also a high decrease in films hardness. Residual stresses revealed to be of compressive type, in the range of very few tenths of GPa to 2 GPa. All these results have been analysed and will be presented as a function of the deposition parameters, the chemical composition and the structure of the films.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) – Pograma Operacional “Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovação” - POCTI/CTM/38086/2001.Comunidade Europeia (CE). Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER)

The clinical presentation of preterm cerebellar haemorrhage

The objective of this study was to evaluate clinical symptoms and findings on cranial ultrasound (CUS) in preterm infants with cerebellar haemorrhage through retrospective analysis of all preterm infants with a postnatal CUS or MRI diagnosis of cerebellar haemorrhage admitted in a tertiary care centre between January 2002 and June 2009. Fifteen infants were identified; median gestational age was 25 2/7 weeks and median birth weight 730 g. We discerned six types of haemorrhage: subarachnoid (n=3), folial (n=1), lobar (n=9, of which 4 bilateral), giant lobar (n=1, including vermis) and contusional (n=1). Especially in infants with lobar cerebellar haemorrhage, CUS showed preceding or concurrent lateral ventricle dilatation, mostly without intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH). Thirteen infants suffered from notable, otherwise unexplained motor agitation in the days preceding the diagnosis. In conclusion, motor agitation may be a presenting symptom of cerebellar haemorrhage in preterm infants. Unexplained ventriculomegaly can be a first sign of cerebellar haemorrhage and should instigate sonographic exploration of the cerebellum

Lack of association between estrogen receptor β dinucleotide repeat polymorphism and autoimmune thyroid diseases in Japanese patients

BACKGROUND: The autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs), such as Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), appear to develop as a result of complex interactions between predisposing genes and environmental triggers. Susceptibility to AITDs is conferred by genes in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and genes unlinked to HLA, including the CTLA-4 gene. Recently, estrogen receptor (ER) β, located at human chromosome 14q23-24.1, was identifed. We analyzed a dinucleotide (CA)n repeat polymorphism located in the flanking region of ERβ gene in patients with AITDs and in normal subjects. High heterozygosity makes this polymorphism a useful marker in the genetic study of disorders affecting female endocrine systems. We also correlated a ERβ gene microsatellite polymorphism with bone mineral density (BMD) in the distal radius and biochemical markers of bone turnover in patients with GD in remission. RESULTS: Fourteen different alleles were found in 133 patients with GD, 114 patients with HT, and 179 controls subjects. The various alleles were designated as allele(*)1 through allele(*)14 according to the number of the repeats, from 18 to 30. There was no significant difference in the distributions of ERβ alleles between patient groups and controls. Although recent study demonstrated a significant relation between a allele(*)9 in the ERβ gene and BMD in postmenopausal Japanese women, there were no statistically significant interaction between this allele and BMD in the distal radius, nor biochemical markers in patients with GD in remission. CONCLUSIONS: The present results do not support an association between the ERβ microsatellite marker and AITD in the Japanese population. We also suggest that the ERβ microsatellite polymorphism has at most a minor pathogenic importance in predicting the risk of osteoporosis as a complication of GD