Improved Standpipe Entrance for Stable High-Flux Flow

Cold model tests were used to show the causes of instabilities in the operation of the standpipe entrance (“sore thumb”) in industrial scale fluid cokers. New geometries were tested which might provide higher flows and prevent operating problems such as flow reversals and flooding, while also minimizing the adverse effects of fouling. The tests were conducted using FCC particles in a geometrically and dynamically scaled half-column of approximately 1/9th scale which had previously been used to show the effects of baffles on fluid coker strippers. The addition of sloping surfaces to increase the surface area for ingress of particles was helpful to an extent, but excessive overhang resulted in bubbles being drawn in. A perforated top surface was found to be instrumental in the degassing of the solids, whereas porous side area was essential for solids entry. Aeration of the standpipe reduced stick-slip flow, but excessive aeration made degassing more difficult and therefore promoted flow reversal. Loss of area at the top, and to a lesser extent, at the sides was found to be detrimental to the performance of the standpipe entrance. Several new geometries were tested, leading to one that provided better flow stability, improved flow control, excellent pressure build-up in the standpipe, more tolerance to fouling, and enhanced circulation capacity

Optimization of a Morphing Wing Based on Coupled Aerodynamic and Structural Constraints

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/77091/1/AIAA-39016-101.pd

Feature-rich distance-based terrain synthesis

This paper describes a novel terrain synthesis method based on distances in a weighted graph. A height field is determined by least-cost paths in a weighted graph from a set of generator nodes. The shapes of individual terrain features, such as mountains, hills, and craters, are specified by a monotonically decreasing profile describing the cross-sectional shape of a feature. The locations of features in the terrain are specified by placing the generators; secondary ridges are placed by pathing. We show the method to be robust and easy to control, even making it possible to embed images in terrain shadows. The method can produce a wide range of realistic synthetic terrains such as mountain ranges, craters, cinder cones, and hills. The ability to manually place terrain features that incorporate multiple profiles produces heterogeneous terrains that compare favorably to existing methods

A review of morphing aircraft

Aircraft wings are a compromise that allows the aircraft to fly at a range of flight conditions, but the performance at each condition is sub-optimal. The ability of a wing surface to change its geometry during flight has interested researchers and designers over the years as this reduces the design compromises required. Morphing is short for metamorphose: however, there is neither an exact definition nor an agreement between the researchers about the type or the extent of the geometrical changes necessary to qualify an aircraft for the title “shape morphing”. Geometrical parameters that can be affected by morphing solutions can be categorized into: planform alteration (span, sweep and chord), out-of-plane transformation (twist, dihedral/gull, spanwise bending) and airfoil adjustment (camber and thickness).Changing the wing shape or geometry is not new. Historically, morphing solutions always led to penalties in terms of cost, complexity or weight, although in certain circumstances these were overcome by system level benefits. The current trend for highly efficient and “green” aircraft makes such compromises less acceptable, calling for innovative morphing designs able to provide more benefits and fewer drawbacks. Recent developments in “smart” materials may overcome the limitations and enhance the benefits from existing design solutions. The challenge is to design a structure that is capable of withstanding the prescribed loads, but is also able to change its shape: ideally there should be no distinction between the structure and the actuation system. The blending of morphing and smart structures in an integrated approach requires multi-disciplinary thinking from the early development, which significantly increases the overall complexity, even at the preliminary design stage. Morphing is a promising enabling technology for future, next generation aircraft. However, manufacturers and end users are still too skeptical of the benefits to adopt morphing in the near future. Many developed concepts have a technology readiness level that is still very low. The recent explosive growth of satellite services means that UAVs are the technology of choice for many investigations on wing morphing.This paper presents a review of the state of the art on morphing aircraft and focuses on structural, shape changing morphing concepts for both fixed and rotary wings, with particular reference to active systems. Inflatable solutions have been not considered, and skin issues and challenges are not discussed in detail. Although many interesting concepts have been synthesized, few have progressed to wing tunnel testing, and even fewer have flown. Furthermore, any successful wing morphing system must overcome the weight penalty due to the additional actuation systems.<br/