Simulation of Natural Convection in Porous Media by Boundary Element Method

In this chapter, the boundary element method (BEM) is introduced for solving problems of transport phenomena in porous media domains, which is an important topic in many engineering and scientific branches as well as in fields of practical interest. The main objective of the present work is to find a numerical solution of the governing set of equations written for fluid flow in porous media domains, representing conservation of mass, momentum, and energy. The momentum equation is based on the macroscopic Navier-Stokes equations and is coupled with the energy equation. In order to use BEM for the solution of the obtained set, the governing equations are transformed by the velocity-vorticity formulation, which separates the computational scheme into kinematic and kinetic computational parts. A combination of single- and sub-domain BEM is used to solve the obtained set of partial differential equations. Solution to a problem of natural convection in porous media saturated with pure fluid and nanofluid, respectively, for examples of 2D and 3D geometries, is shown. Results are compared to published work in order to estimate the accuracy of developed numerical algorithm. Based on the results, the applicability of the BEM for solving wide range of various problems is stated

Topology of three-dimensional active nematic turbulence confined to droplets

Active nematics contain topological defects which under sufficient activity move, create and annihilate in a chaotic quasi-steady state, called active turbulence. However, understanding active defects under confinement is an open challenge, especially in three-dimensions. Here, we demonstrate the topology of three-dimensional active nematic turbulence under the spherical confinement, using numerical modelling. In such spherical droplets, we show the three-dimensional structure of the topological defects, which due to closed confinement emerge in the form of closed loops or surface-to-surface spanning line segments. In the turbulent regime, the defects are shown to be strongly spatially and time varying, with ongoing transformations between positive winding, negative winding and twisted profiles, and with defect loops of zero and non-zero topological charge. The timeline of the active turbulence is characterised by four types of bulk topology-linked events --- breakup, annihilation, coalescence and cross-over of the defects --- which we discuss could be used for the analysis of the active turbulence in different three-dimensional geometries. The turbulent regime is separated by a first order structural transition from a low activity regime of a steady-state vortex structure and an offset single point defect. We also demonstrate coupling of surface and bulk topological defect dynamics by changing from strong perpendicular to inplane surface alignment. More generally, this work is aimed to provide insight into three-dimensional active turbulence, distinctly from the perspective of the topology of the emergent three-dimensional topological defects.Comment: 7 figure

Lagrangian Particle Tracking in Velocity-Vorticity Resolved Viscous Flows by Subdomain BEM

A numerical study of particle motion in a cubic lid driven cavity is presented. As a computational tool, a boundary element based flow solver with a Lagrangian particle tracking algorithm is derived. Flow simulations were performed using an in-house boundary element based 3D viscous flow solver. The Lagrangian particle tracking algorithm is capable of simulation of dilute suspensions of particles in viscous flows taking into account gravity, buoyancy, drag, pressure gradient and added mass. The derived algorithm is used to simulate particle behaviour in a cellular flow field and in a lid driven cavity flow. Simulations of particle movement in a cellular flow field were used to validate the algorithm. The main goal of the paper was to numerically simulate the flow behaviour of spheres of different densities and different diameters, as experimentally observed in work of Tsorng et al.The study of slightly buoyant and non-buoyant particles in a lid driven cavity was aimed at discovering cases when particles leave the primary vortex and enter into secondary vortices, a phenomenon described in the work of Tsorng et al. A parametric study of this phenomenon was preformed. The presented computational results show excellent agreement with experiments, confirming the accuracy of the developed computational method

A specific slip length model for the Maxwell slip boundary conditions in the Navier–Stokes solution of flow around a microparticle in the no-slip and slip flow regimes

In the case of microscopic particles, the momentum exchange between the particle and the gas flow starts to deviate from the standard macroscopic particle case, i.e. the no-slip case, with slip flow occurring in the case of low to moderate particle Knudsen numbers. In order to derive new drag force models that are valid also in the slip flow regime for the case of non-spherical particles of arbitrary shapes using computational fluid dynamics, the no-slip conditions at the particle surface have to be modified in order to account for the velocity slip at the surface, mostly in the form of the Maxwell’s slip model. To allow a continuous transition in the boundary condition at the wall from the no-slip case to the slip cases for various Knudsen (Kn) number value flow regimes, a novel specific slip length model for the use with the Maxwell boundary conditions is proposed. The model is derived based on the data from the published experimental studies on spherical microparticle drag force correlations and Cunningham-based slip correction factors at standard conditions and uses a detailed CFD study on microparticle fluid dynamics to determine the correct values of the specific slip length at selected Kn number conditions. The obtained data on specific slip length are correlated using a polynomial function, resulting in the specific slip length model for the no-slip and slip flow regimes that can be applied to arbitrary convex particle shapes

Numerical analysis of performance uncertainty of heat exchangers operated with nanofluids

In this paper, we analyse the performance of two types of heat exchangers with nanofluid as the working fluid in turbulent flow regime ( 4, 000–180, 000). Based on the experimental uncertainty of the thermophysical properties of the nanofluids, we use the Stochastic Collocation Method in combination with a deterministic simulation programme to estimate the expected value and variance of the targeted engineering results. We find that the uncertainty in the thermal conductivity of the nanofluid has the largest impact on the uncertainty in the heat exchanger performance, while the uncertainty in the density can be neglected. The uncertainties in the Nusselt number, friction factor and several figures of merit are smaller than the change in these performance estimators due to a change in nanoparticle concentration. Predictions for heat exchanger performance agree much better with experimental data when used with empirical heat transfer correlations developed specifically for nanofluids than with the general Gnielinski correlation developed for pure fluids. We also perform a correlation analysis of the relationships between heat exchanger performance enhancement and pressure drop to show that they are strongly correlated. We find that the relationship between the concentration of nanoparticles and the Nusselt number is statistically insignificant. The relationship is significant, indicating the importance of flow conditions. The correlation between nanoparticle concentration and friction factor is significant and strong. This result suggests that the optimisation of the thermal-hydrodynamic behaviour should be sought in a parameter other than the nanoparticle volume fraction

Numerical modeling of two-phase flow inside a wet flue gas absorber sump

A numerical model of a flue gas scrubber sump is developed with the aim of enabling optimization of the design of the sump in order to reduce energy consumption. In this model, the multiphase flow of the continuous phase, i.e., water, and the dispersed phase, i.e., air bubbles, is considered. The air that is blown in front of the agitators, as well as the influence of the flow field of the agitators on the distribution of the dispersed phase and the recirculation pumps as outlet, is modeled. The bubble Sauter mean diameter is modeled using the population balance model. The model is used to analyze operating parameters such as the bubble retention time, the average air volume fraction, bubble Sauter mean diameter, the local distribution of the bubble size and the amount of air escaping from the pump outlets at two operating points. The purpose of the model is to simulate the two-phase flow in the sump of the flue gas scrubber using air dispersion technology with a combination of spargers and agitators, which, when optimized, reduces energy consumption by 33%. The results show that the homogeneity of air is lower in the bottom part of the absorber sump and that the amount of air escaping through recirculation pipes equals 1.2% of the total air blown into the absorber sump. The escaping air consists mainly of bubbles smaller than 6 mm. Additional operating point results show that halving the magnitude of the linear momentum source lowers the air retention, as well as the average homogeneity of the dispersed ai

Digitalization and upgrading avionics equipment in small aircraft

Diplomska naloga sodi na področje letalstva, natančneje majhnih motornih letal in njihove elektronske opreme. Namen diplomske naloge je predstavitev prehoda iz analogne v digitalno tehnologijo na področju manjše aviacije, ki je v današnjem obsegu letalskega prometa, tehnološko zelo zaostala, predvsem iz vidika varnosti. V prvem delu diplomske naloge so predstavljeni ključni problemi in izzivi s katerimi se zaradi pomanjkljive opreme srečujejo piloti manjših letal. Tu so kasneje teoretično opisani vsi sistemi in tehnologije, ki so vključeni v praktični del diplomske naloge in so podlaga za razumevanje delovanja. V nadaljevanju pa so opisani postopki in potek delovanja praktičnega dela diplomske naloge, ki sem ga v sodelovanju s podjetjem Aeroservice d.o.o. opravljal v času praktičnega usposabljanja v teku študija. Prikazan je primer digitalizacije letalske opreme na letalu tipa Cessna 172, ki se je iz celotne analogne tehnologije nadgradila v sodobno digitalno.The subject of the thesis is the aviation industry, more specifically small motor aircrafts and their corresponding electronic equipment. The purpose of the thesis is to present the transition from analog to digital technology in the field of small aviation, which in today\u27s scope of air traffic is technologically obsolete, especially from the safety point of view. In the first part of the thesis, the key problems and challenges faced by pilots of smaller aircraft due to insufficient equipment are presented. Later, all the systems and technologies that are included in the practical part of the thesis and are the basis for understanding the operation are presented from the theoretical perspective. Lastly, the procedures and course of action of the practical part of the thesis are described. The latter were conducted in cooperation with the company Aeroservice d.o.o., and performed during the practical training in the course of studies. An example of the digitization of aviation equipment on a Cessna 172 aircraft is shown, which was upgraded from its all-analog interface to a more modern and digital interface