Research on unsteady cavitating flow around a Clark-Y 11.7% hydrofoil

The paper concerns experimental and numerical investigations focused on the cloud cavitation phenomenon over a hydrofoil. The results of flow visualization by means of a high- -speed camera are presented. The cavitation cycles including vapour structures occurrence, development and collapse were recorded and described. Within the numerical investigation, transient calculations of cavitating flow were performed. OpenFOAM software was used. To model mass transfer between phases, the Kunz cavitation model was chosen. Turbulences were modelled by means of k-ω SST model. The vapour areas appearance, their shapes and changes in time were described and compared with experimental results. The characteristic features of cavitating flow were observed, however further adjustment of the cavitation model was advised

Experimental and numerical study on condensation in transonic steam flow

The present paper describes an experimental and numerical study of steam condensing flow in a linear cascade of turbine stator blades. The experimental research was performed on the facility of a small scale steam power plant located at Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice, Poland. The test rig of the facility allows us to perform the tests of steam transonic flows for the conditions corresponding to these which prevail in the low-pressure (LP) condensing steam turbine stages. The experimental data of steam condensing flow through the blade-to- blade stator channel were compared with numerical results obtained using the in-house CFD numerical code TraCoFlow. Obtained results confirmed a good quality of the performed experiment and numerical calculations

Identification of the liquid mass fraction content in the wet steam

The experimental research, initiated at the Institute of Power Engineering and Turbomachinery of the Silesian University of Technology at the end of the last century, created an opportunity to supplement knowledge about the phenomenon of steam flow with condensation, tested by numerical fluid mechanics by IMiUE employees. In parallel with the numerical work, significant progress has been made in experimental studies on thflow of wet steam. Recently, measuring techniques based on recording the phenomenon of extinction of light have been elaborated or improved. The basic value determined in the final stage in the experimental way was the contentof the liquid phase defined as the wetness fraction. The methodology of tests and experimental investigations was presented, as well as the applied and developed measurement systems. Next, some developed designs of X probe and their modifications are described. Article present also some examples of applications of the developed measurement techniques in application to experimental research conducted on wet steam in the IMiUE. Examples of comparison between experimental and numerical tests are also provided

Experimental and numerical studies of sound generated by cavities

Cavities and gaps are an important element in the construction of many devices and machines, including energy sector applications. This type of flow is usually coupled with strong pressure fluctuations inside the cavity, which are emitted into the far field in the form of a sound wave responsible for the noise generation. This applies to both subsonic and supersonic flows. Pressure fluctuations often have the character of single tones of a specific frequency and high amplitude and their generation is associated with a vortex shedding formed directly above the inlet and its interaction with the walls of the cavity. The presented work include description of developed test stand and applied measurement techniques dedicated to the analysis of high frequency phenomena. In addition, the adopted numerical model will be described, including conducted two-dimensional and three-dimensional analysis. The developed models will be validated based on experimental measurements concerning wide range of flow conditions

Biofilm Formation Reducing Properties of Manuka Honey and Propolis in Proteus mirabilis Rods Isolated from Chronic Wounds

Chronic wound infections are difficult to manage because of the biofilm formation in the wound environment. New measures for eliminating infections are necessary to increase the chance of wound healing. Apitherapy may be the new solution. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of wound infection factors and to examine the impact of Manuka honey and ethanol extract of propolis on biofilm formation of Proteus mirabilis isolated from chronic wound infections. According to the findings, the most frequent factors of infection are Staphylococcus aureus (46.1%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (35.0%), and Proteus mirabilis (10.6%). Minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration values were assigned using the microbroth dilution test according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Biofilm of Proteus mirabilis isolates was formed in 96-well polystyrene plates and treated with Manuka honey (concentrations from 1.88% to 30.0%) and ethanol extract of propolis (1.0% to 40.0%). After 24 h, the biofilm viability was expressed by formazan absorbance (λ = 470 nm). Manuka honey reduced the biofilm viability in all, and ethanol extract of propolis in most, of the concentrations tested. Ethanol extract of propolis at the concentrations of 20.0% and 40.0%, reduced biofilm viability stronger than ethanol itself. With these results comes the conclusion that these substances can reduce biofilm formation

Experimental and numerical tip leakage flow visualization in the LP turbine labyrinth seal

The subject of this publication is the identification of basic flow parameters and flow structures in the seal experimentally and compare them with CFD results. A straight-through seal with two leaning fins and smooth or honeycomb land was analysed. The sealing concept is characteristic for the tip seal of the last stage of an aircraft low-pressure turbine. Due to the limitations of the test rig the analyses presented here were conducted on a highly simplified, stationary model of the seal itself, with an axial inflow and no curvature in the circumferential direction. The characteristics of the discharge coefficient as a function of the pressure ratio for different clearances and the pressure distribution along the seal, for different pressure ratios are presented. In addition, an attempt was made to visualize the flow using the schlieren technique. The main idea of application schlieren photography was to observe the vortex and separation structures occurring during the flow through the labyrinth seal, which is the major source of pressure losses. CFD calculations were carried out using the Ansys CFX commercial code