Topology of vortex breakdown in closed polygonal containers

2017 ◽  
Vol 820 ◽  
pp. 263-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor V. Naumov ◽  
Irina Yu. Podolskaya

The topology of vortex breakdown in the confined flow generated by a rotating lid in a closed container with a polygonal cross-section geometry has been analysed experimentally and numerically for different height/radius aspect ratios $h$ from 0.5 to 3.0. The locations of stagnation points of the breakdown bubble emergence and corresponding Reynolds numbers were determined experimentally and numerically by STAR-CCM+ computational fluid dynamics software for square, pentagonal, hexagonal and octagonal cross-section configurations. The flow pattern and velocity were observed and measured by combining seeding particle visualization and laser Doppler anemometry. The vortex breakdown size and position on the container axis were identified for Reynolds numbers ranging from 500 to 2800 in steady flow conditions. The obtained results were compared with the flow structure in the closed cylindrical container. The results allowed revealing regularities of formation of the vortex breakdown bubble depending on $Re$ and $h$ and the cross-section geometry of the confined container. It was found in a diagram of $Re$ versus $h$ that reducing the number of cross-section angles from eight to four shifts the breakdown bubble location to higher Reynolds numbers and a smaller aspect ratio. The vortex breakdown bubble area for octagonal cross-section was detected to correspond to the one for the cylindrical container but these areas for square and cylindrical containers do not overlap in the entire range of aspect ratio.

1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (4) ◽  
pp. 680-684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig C. Jahnke ◽  
Daniel T. Valentine

The flow field induced inside a cylindrical container by the rotation of the two end walls is described. It is shown that stagnation points leading to separation bubbles occur on the axis of rotation and/or the bottom end wall for certain ranges of the characteristic parameters; the Reynolds number, the aspect ratio of the container, and the ratio of the rotation rates of the end walls. Flow fields in a container of aspect ratio 2.0 are examined for Reynolds numbers from 100 to 3000 and ratios of the rotation rates of the top and bottom end walls from −0.10 to 1.0. For a range of ratios of the rotation rates of the top and bottom end walls and Reynolds numbers it is shown that ring vortices surrounding a columnar vortex core exist.


Author(s):  
Katerina Loizou ◽  
Wim Thielemans ◽  
Buddhika N. Hewakandamby

The main aim of this study is to examine how the droplet formation in microfluidic T-junctions is influenced by the cross-section and aspect ratio of the microchannels. Several studies focusing on droplet formation in microfluidic devices have investigated the effect of geometry on droplet generation in terms of the ratio between the width of the main channel and the width of the side arm of the T-junction. However, the contribution of the aspect ratio and thus that of the cross-section on the mechanism of break up has not been examined thoroughly with most of the existing work performed in the squeezing regime. Two different microchannel geometries of varying aspect ratios are employed in an attempt to quantify the effect of the ratio between the width of the main channel and the height of the channel on droplet formation. As both height and width of microchannels affect the area on which shear stress acts deforming the dispersed phase fluid thread up to the limit of detaching a droplet, it is postulated that geometry and specifically cross-section of the main channel contribute on the droplet break-up mechanisms and should not be neglected. The above hypothesis is examined in detail, comparing the volume of generated microdroplets at constant flowrate ratios and superficial velocities of continuous phase in two microchannel systems of two different aspect ratios operating at dripping regime. High-speed imaging has been utilised to visualise and measure droplets formed at different flowrates corresponding to constant superficial velocities. Comparing volumes of generated droplets in the two geometries of area ratio near 1.5, a significant increase in volume is reported for the larger aspect ratio utilised, at all superficial velocities tested. As both superficial velocity of continuous phase and flowrate ratio are fixed, superficial velocity of dispersed phase varies. However this variation is not considered to be large enough to justify the significant increase in the droplet volume. Therefore it can be concluded that droplet generation is influenced by the aspect ratio and thus the cross-section of the main channel and its effect should not be depreciated. The paper will present supporting evidence in detail and a comparison of the findings with the existing theories which are mainly focused on the squeezing regime.


Author(s):  
Matthew A. Smith ◽  
Randall M. Mathison ◽  
Michael G. Dunn

Heat transfer distributions are presented for a stationary three passage serpentine internal cooling channel for a range of engine representative Reynolds numbers. The spacing between the sidewalls of the serpentine passage is fixed and the aspect ratio (AR) is adjusted to 1:1, 1:2, and 1:6 by changing the distance between the top and bottom walls. Data are presented for aspect ratios of 1:1 and 1:6 for smooth passage walls and for aspect ratios of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:6 for passages with two surfaces turbulated. For the turbulated cases, turbulators skewed 45° to the flow are installed on the top and bottom walls. The square turbulators are arranged in an offset parallel configuration with a fixed rib pitch-to-height ratio (P/e) of 10 and a rib height-to-hydraulic diameter ratio (e/Dh) range of 0.100 to 0.058 for AR 1:1 to 1:6, respectively. The experiments span a Reynolds number range of 4,000 to 130,000 based on the passage hydraulic diameter. While this experiment utilizes a basic layout similar to previous research, it is the first to run an aspect ratio as large as 1:6, and it also pushes the Reynolds number to higher values than were previously available for the 1:2 aspect ratio. The results demonstrate that while the normalized Nusselt number for the AR 1:2 configuration changes linearly with Reynolds number up to 130,000, there is a significant change in flow behavior between Re = 25,000 and Re = 50,000 for the aspect ratio 1:6 case. This suggests that while it may be possible to interpolate between points for different flow conditions, each geometric configuration must be investigated independently. The results show the highest heat transfer and the greatest heat transfer enhancement are obtained with the AR 1:6 configuration due to greater secondary flow development for both the smooth and turbulated cases. This enhancement was particularly notable for the AR 1:6 case for Reynolds numbers at or above 50,000.


1982 ◽  
Vol 104 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manlio Bertela` ◽  
Fabio Gori

Unsteady and steady flow in a cylindrical chamber with a rotating cover has been studied for two Reynolds numbers and three aspect ratio values. The structure of the velocity and pressure fields in the apparatus is described. Primary and secondary volumetric flow rates and torque coefficients are also calculated for all six cases solved.


2003 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 183-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukimaru Shimizu ◽  
Edmond Ismaili ◽  
Yasunari Kamada ◽  
Takao Maeda

Wind tunnel results are reported concerning the effects of blade aspect ratio and Reynolds number on the performance of a horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) with Mie-type1 tip attachments. The flow behaviour around the blade tips and the Mie-type tip vanes is presented. Detailed surface oil film visualization and velocity measurements around the blade tips, with and without Mie vanes, were obtained with the two-dimensional, Laser-Doppler Velocimetry method. Experiments were performed with rotors having blades with different aspect ratio and operating at different Reynolds numbers. The properties of the vortices generated by the Mie vanes and the blade tips were carefully studied. It was found that increased power augmentation by Mie vanes is achieved with blades having smaller aspect ratio and smaller Reynolds number.


Author(s):  
Rodolfo T. Gonçalves ◽  
Dennis M. Gambarine ◽  
Aline M. Momenti ◽  
Felipe P. Figueiredo ◽  
André L. C. Fujarra

Experiments regarding flow-induced vibration on floating rounded squared section cylinders with low aspect ratio were carried out in an ocean basin equipped with a rotating-arm apparatus. Floating squared section cylinders with rounded edges and aspect ratios of L/D = 2.0 were elastically supported by a set of linear springs in order to provide low structural damping to the system. Two different incidence angles were tested, namely 0 and 45 degrees. The Reynolds numbers covered the range from 2,000 to 30,000. The aim was to understand the flow-induced vibrations around single columns, gathering information for further understanding the causes for the Vortex-Induced Motions in semi-submersible and TLP platforms. Experiments on circular and squared sections cylinders (without rounded edges) were also carried out to compare the results with the rounded square section cylinders (with rounded edges). The amplitude results for in-line, transverse and yaw amplitude for 0-degree models showed to be higher for squared section cylinders compared to those for the rounded square section cylinders. No significant difference between the 45-degree models was observed. The results of ratio between frequency of motion in the transverse direction and natural frequency in still water confirmed the vortex-induced vibration behavior for the squared and rounded square section cylinders for 45-degree incidence; and also the galloping characteristics for 0-degree incidence cases. The rounded effect on the square section cylinders showed to be important only for reduced velocity larger than 8, which is probably related to the position of the separation point that changes around the rounded edge, behavior that did not occurr for the squared edge that fixed the separation point for any reduced velocity.


Author(s):  
C. T. Wang ◽  
C. P. Chang ◽  
C. K. Shaw ◽  
J. Y. Cheng

Fuel cells possessing high potency and low pollution are well known and are considered the new generation of power technology. This study presents a novel bionic concept flow slab design to improve fuel cell performance. A series of 2D simulations was executed at Re=10 and 100 for the bionic flow and traditional flow slabs. In addition, the effect of aspect ratio was studied using 3D simulation. Numerical results obtained show that this novel bionic flow slab design will exhibit better performance than traditional flow slabs regardless of Reynolds numbers and aspect ratios because it possesses a more uniform velocity and a lower pressure drop. Finally, the performance in the bionic flow slab’s reaction area was determined to be superior. These findings show that the bionic concept and flow slab design addressed in this paper will be useful in enhancing fuel cell performance.


1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 593-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukimaru Shimizu ◽  
Yoshiki Futaki ◽  
C. Samuel Martin

This paper describes the relationship between hydraulic losses and secondary flow within sinuous conduits with complicated bends. It has been found that the nature of secondary flow present in the bends is quite sensitive to the geometric configuration of the bend and the actual aspect ratio of the conduit section. Indeed, many different secondary flow patterns have been found to exist as the bend geometry is altered. A wide range of experiments has been conducted for various aspect ratios of a rectangular conduit with different curvatures.


1994 ◽  
Vol 258 ◽  
pp. 287-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Norberg

The investigation is concentrated on two important quantities – the Strouhal number and the mean base suction coefficient, both measured at the mid-span position. Reynolds numbers from about 50 to 4 × 104 were investigated. Different aspect ratios, at low blockage ratios, were achieved by varying the distance between circular end plates (end plate diameter ratios between 10 and 30). It was not possible, by using these end plates in uniform flow and at very large aspect ratios, to produce parallel shedding all over the laminar shedding regime. However, parallel shedding at around mid-span was observed throughout this regime in cases when there was a slight but symmetrical increase in the free-stream velocity towards both ends of the cylinder. At higher Re, the results at different aspect ratios were compared with those of a ‘quasi-infinite cylinder’ and the required aspect ratio to reach conditions independent of this parameter, within the experimental uncertainties, are given. For instance, aspect ratios as large as L/D = 60–70 were needed in the range Re ≈ 4 × 103–104. With the smallest relative end plate diameter and for aspect ratios smaller than 7, a bi-stable flow switching between regular vortex shedding and ‘irregular flow’ was found at intermediate Reynolds number ranges in the subcritical regime (Re ≈ 2 × 103).


2015 ◽  
Vol 138 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela Vocale ◽  
Gian Luca Morini ◽  
Marco Spiga

In this work, hydrodynamically and thermally fully developed gas flow through elliptical microchannels is numerically investigated. The Navier–Stokes and energy equations are solved by considering the first-order slip flow boundary conditions and by assuming that the wall heat flux is uniform in the axial direction, and the wall temperature is uniform in the peripheral direction (i.e., H1 boundary conditions). To take into account the microfabrication of the elliptical microchannels, different heated perimeter lengths are analyzed along the microchannel wetted perimeter. The influence of the cross section geometry on the convective heat transfer coefficient is also investigated by considering the most common values of the elliptic aspect ratio, from a practical point of view. The numerical results put in evidence that the Nusselt number is a decreasing function of the Knudsen number for all the considered configurations. On the contrary, the role of the cross section geometry in the convective heat transfer depends on the thermal boundary condition and on the rarefaction degree. With the aim to provide a useful tool for the designer, a correlation that allows evaluating the Nusselt number for any value of aspect ratio and for different working gases is proposed.


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