A Unified Transformation Framework for Studying Various Situations of Vertical/Oblique Drop Impact on Horizontal/Inclined Stationary/Moving Flat Surfaces

There are various situations of drop impact on solid surfaces widely occurred in natural phenomenon or used in different industrial applications. However, comparing and classifying these drop impact situations is not easy due to different states of the parameters affecting drop impact dynamics. In this article, a unified transformation framework is proposed to study various situations of vertical/oblique drop impact on horizontal/inclined stationary/moving flat surfaces with/without a crossflow. This simple framework consists of a coordinate with normal and tangential axes on a horizontal stationary surface. For each drop impact situation, the drop velocity, gravitational acceleration, possible induced flow due to the moving surface, and possible crossflow are transformed into the framework. Comparing the transformed versions of considered drop impact situations facilitates identification of their physical similarities/differences and determines which situations (and under what conditions) lead to identical results and can be used interchangeably. Although common situations of drop impact on moving surfaces (having tangential component of surface velocity) lead to asymmetric drop spreading, the possibility of symmetric drop spreading on moving surfaces is demonstrated and analyzed using the proposed transformation framework. This interesting possibility means that for related production lines or experimental setups, where symmetrical drop spreading is required, the surface does not need to be stationary. In such applications/setups, the use of moving surfaces (rather than stationary surfaces) can considerably accelerate the symmetric drop impact process. Our simulation results of several of the considered drop impact situations well confirm the facilities/predictions of the proposed transformation framework

Flow modulation of a planar free shear layer with large bubbles--direct numerical simulations

The flow of a planar free shear layer with cylindrical bubbles is simulated using a finite difference/front tracking scheme. This approach allows direct numerical simulation of the multiphase flow by wholly incorporating the local bubble flow field in conjunction with the large scale vortical structures of the liquid. The role of large bubbles in modifying low Reynolds number (~ 250) shear flow structures is investigated, specifically for bubbles whose diameter approaches the scale of the largest liquid eddies. The results indicate that duration of eddy crossing is the main mechanism for flow modulation, which is typically characterized by decreased vortex coherency and size, modified fluctuation statistics and significant variations in pairing/merging phenomena. The comparison of fluctuating statistics and flow field visualization also allowed qualitative discrimination between the modulation of the non-linear eddy dynamics and fluctuations due simply to the random bubble induced perturbations.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/31171/1/0000072.pd

A New Approach to Reduce Memory Consumption in Lattice Boltzmann Method on GPU

Several efforts have been performed to improve LBM defects related to its computational performance. In this work, a new algorithm has been introduced to reduce memory consumption. In the past, most LBM developers have not paid enough attention to retain LBM simplicity in their modified version, while it has been one of the main concerns in developing of the present algorithm. Note, there is also a deficiency in our new algorithm. Besides the memory reduction, because of high memory call back from the main memory, some computational efficiency reduction occurs. To overcome this difficulty, an optimization approach has been introduced, which has recovered this efficiency to the original two-steps two-lattice LBM. This is accomplished by a trade-off between memory reduction and computational performance. To keep a suitable computational efficiency, memory reduction has reached to about 33% in D2Q9 and 42% in D3Q19. In addition, this approach has been implemented on graphical processing unit (GPU) as well. In regard to onboard memory limitation in GPU, the advantage of this new algorithm is enhanced even more (39% in D2Q9 and 45% in D3Q19). Note, because of higher memory bandwidth in GPU, computational performance of our new algorithm using GPU is better than CPU

Flow Control in a Cavity with Tiny-Obstacles on the Walls for Mixing Enhancement Part I: Flow Physics

This paper seeks to make a study on flow control in two-dimensional square cavities having obstacles on their walls. The goal of using these passive controllers is to enhance mixing in an enclosed space. Lattice Boltzmann method is used to simulate the problem. Results are presented for various Reynolds numbers, 400≤Re≤4000 and different arrangements of tiny-obstacles with different heights. To give a perspective on the physics of this problem, time evolution of the flow is studied at Re = 1000. Then, the flow structure is studied for different Reynolds numbers. Findings show that the interaction of the main vortex with the tiny-obstacles inserted on the wall cavity changes the flow pattern at higher Reynolds numbers totally which is of high importance for mixing, such that the main primary vortex turns into a scooplike vortex along the upper wall. Also, merging the two bottom corner vortices forms a main secondary vortex which fills the cavity. Results show that obstacles heights and the gap between the upper wall and the upper obstacle are key parameters from flow control and mixing viewpoint. Also, the number of tiny-obstacles can be considered as another tool in this regard. The spaces between the obstacles don’t have much influence on the flow behavior. Obstacles with δ≤2% don’t change the flow field and can’t be considered as a flow control tool

Optimization of Freestream Flow Effects on Thrust Shock Vector Control Nozzle

The present study attempted to utilize a computational investigation to optimize the external freestream flow influence on thrust-vector control. The external flow with different Mach numbers from 0.05 to 1.1 and with optimum injection angles from 60˚ to 120˚ were studied at variable flow conditions. Simulation of a converging-diverging nozzle with shock-vector control method was performed, using the unsteady Reynolds- averaged Navier-Stokes approach with Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model. This research established that freestream flow and fluidic-injection angle are the significant parameters on shock-vector control performance. Computational results indicate that, increasing freestream Mach number would decline the thrust vectoring effectiveness. Also, optimizing injection angle would reduce the negative effect of external freestream flow on thrust-vector control. Moreover, increasing secondary to primary total pressure ratios and decreasing nozzle pressure ratios at different freestream Mach number would decrease dynamic response of starting thrust-vector control. Additionally, to lead the improvement of the next generation of jet engine concepts, the current study aimed to originate a database of variable external flow with effective aerodynamic parameters, which have influence on fluidic thrust-vector control

Computational and Experimental Investigations of Boundary Layer Tripping

Supersonic flow over a tapered body of revolution has been investigated both experimentally and numerically. The experimental study consisted of a series of wind tunnel tests on an ogive-cylinder body. Static pressure distributions on the body surfaces at several longitudinal cross sections, as well as the boundary layer profiles at various angles of attack have been measured. Further, the flow around the model was visualized using Schlieren technique. Tests with a natural development of the boundary layer and with tripping were also carried out. All tests were conducted in the trisonic wind tunnel of Qadr Research Center. Our results show that artificial boundary layer tripping has minor effect on the static surface pressure distribution (depending on its diameter and installation location), while the changes in total pressure around the body were significant. Tripping the boundary layer increased its thickness, changed its profile particularly near the body surface. Two oblique shock waves were formed in the front and behind the trip wire. In this study, using multi-block grid, the thin layer Navier-Stokes (TLNS) equations were solved around the above models. Also patched method was used near the interfaces. Good agreements were achieved when the numerical results were compared with the corresponding experimental data

Numerical Investigation of Optimization of Injection Angle Effects on Fluidic Thrust Vectoring

A computational investigation was conducted to optimize the fluidic injection angle effects on thrust vectoring. Numerical simulation of fluidic injection for shock vector control, with a convergent-divergent nozzle concept was performed, using URANS approach with Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model. The fluidic injection angles from 60º to 120º were investigated at different aerodynamic and geometric conditions. The current investigation demonstrated that secondary injection angle is an essential parameter in fluidic thrust vectoring. Computational results indicated that, optimizing secondary injection angle would have positive impact on thrust vectoring performance. Furthermore, in most cases, decreasing expansion ratio of the nozzle with increasing NPR has negative impact on pitch thrust vector angle and thrust vectoring efficiency. That is, the highest pitch thrust vector angle is obtained by decreasing nozzle expansion ratio with increasing SPR in smaller fluidic injection angles. In addition, the current investigation attempted to initiate a database of optimized injection angles with different essential parameter effects on thrust vectoring, in order to guide the design and development of an efficient propulsion system

Lattice Boltzmann Numerical Investigation of Inner Cylindrical Pin-fins Configuration on Nanofluid Natural Convective Heat Transfer in Porous Enclosure

Concerning the geometrical effect of inner cylindrical hot pins, the natural convective heat transfer of nanofluid in a homogenous porous medium in a squared enclosure is numerically studied, using lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). In order to investigate the arrangement of inner cylinders for better heat transfer performance, five different configurations (including one, three, and four pins) were compared, while the total heat transfer area of inner pins were held fixed. Squared cavity walls and inner cylinder’s surfaces were constantly held at cold and warm temperatures, respectively. In our simulation, Brinkman and Forchheimer-extended Darcy models were utilized for isothermal incompressible flow in porous media. The flow and temperature fields were simulated using coupled flow and temperature distribution functions. The effect of porous media was added as a source term in flow distribution functions. The results were validated using previous creditable data, showing relatively good agreements. After brief study of copper nano-particles volume fraction effects, five cases of interest were compared for different values of porosity and Rayleigh number by means of averaged Nusselt number of hot and cold walls; and also local Nusselt number of enclosure walls. Comparison of different cases shows the geometrical dependence of overall heat transfer performance via the average Nusselt number of hot pins strongly depending on their position. The four pin case with diamond arrangement shows the best performance in the light of enclosure walls’ average Nusselt number (heat transfer to cold walls). However, the case with three pins and downward triangular arrangement surprisingly gives promising heat transfer performance. In addition, the results show that natural convective heat transfer and flow field is intensified with increasing Rayleigh number, Darcy number, and porosity

Exergy Analysis of a Flat Plate Solar Collector in Combination with Heat Pipe

ABSTRACT: The use of solar collectors in combination with heat pipes is rapidly growing in recent years. Heat pipes, as heat transfer components, have undeniable advantages in comparison with other alternatives. The most important advantage is their high rate of heat transfer at minor temperature differences. Although there have been numerous studies on the heat analysis or first thermodynamic analysis of flat plate solar collectors in combination with heat pipes, the exergy analysis of these collectors is needed to be investigated. In this work, energy and exergy analysis of a flat plate solar collector with a heat pipe is conducted theoretically. Next, the exergy efficiency of pulsating heat pipe flat plate solar collectors (PHPFPSC) is compared with conventional collectors by using the experimental data. The results indicate that the use of heat pipes for heat transfer from the absorption plate to the water reservoir has significantly higher availability and exergy efficiency than the case with conventional collectors with intermediate fluid