scholarly journals Effects of Bridge-Shaped Microchannel Geometry on the Performance of a Micro Laminar Flow Fuel Cell

Micromachines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 822
Author(s):  
Muhammad Tanveer ◽  
Kwang-Yong Kim

A laminar flow micro fuel cell comprising of bridge-shaped microchannel is investigated to find out the effects of the cross-section shape of the microchannel on the performance. A parametric study is performed by varying the heights and widths of the channel and bridge shape. Nine different microchannel cross-section shapes are evaluated to find effective microchannel cross-sections by combining three bridge shapes with three channel shapes. A three-dimensional fully coupled numerical model is used to calculate the fuel cell’s performance. Navier-Stokes, convection and diffusion, and Butler-Volmer equations are implemented using the numerical model. A narrow channel with a wide bridge shape shows the best performance among the tested nine cross-sectional shapes, which is increased by about 78% compared to the square channel with the square bridge shape.

2011 ◽  
Vol 674 ◽  
pp. 196-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
FABIEN CANDELIER ◽  
FREDERIC BOYER ◽  
ALBAN LEROYER

The goal of this paper is to derive expressions for the pressure forces and moments acting on an elongated body swimming in a quiescent fluid. The body is modelled as an inextensible and unshearable (Kirchhoff) beam, whose cross-sections are elliptic, undergoing prescribed deformations, consisting of yaw and pitch bending. The surrounding fluid is assumed to be inviscid, and irrotational everywhere, except in a thin vortical wake. The Laplace equation and the corresponding Neumann boundary conditions are first written in terms of the body coordinates of a beam treating the body as a fixed surface. They are then simplified according to the slenderness of the body and its kinematics. Because the equations are linear, the velocity potential is sought as a sum of two terms which are linked respectively to the axial movements of the beam and to its lateral movements. The lateral component of the velocity potential is decomposed further into two sub-components, in order to exhibit explicitly the role of the two-dimensional potential flow produced by the lateral motion of the cross-section, and the role played by the curvature effects of the beam on the cross-sectional flow. The pressure, which is given by Bernoulli's equation, is integrated along the body surface, and the expressions for the resultant and the moment are derived analytically. Thereafter, the validity of the force and moment obtained analytically is checked by comparisons with Navier–Stokes simulations (using Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations), and relatively good agreements are observed.


Author(s):  
Patrick Kinnicutt ◽  
Herbert Einstein ◽  
Carlos Noack

In current geotechnical engineering practice, soil or rock stratigraphy is usually obtained from borehole data. Interpolation between boreholes is performed by projecting borehole data on a cross-sectional plane, either by hand drawings or by using CAD or GIS software, then manually interpolating between the boreholes. This methodology for obtaining the geology of a site does not truly represent the three-dimensional nature of the data, and it does not capture the uncertainties in the interpolation. This study describes NOMAD, a three-dimensional ground profiler developed for education and research that runs on the UNIX platform. The focus is on features available in NOMAD for visualizing uncertainties, creating ground profiles from site data, and updating the model with new subjective and objective data. One such feature, which will be described in detail, is the ability to modify a cross section of the site and have this modification automatically propagated to the site model and other cross sections, allowing users to visualize how changes in one cross section affect other cross sections. Also discussed is a model incorporated in NOMAD for creating ground profiles from borehole data. This model makes use of Indicator CoKriging and Bayesian Updating for modeling both the subjective and objective information about a site, taking into account the true three-dimensional nature of the data.


2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abhilash K. Tilak ◽  
Ranjit S. Patil

Abstract In this paper, three-dimensional simulations to study the performance of microchannel heat sinks (MCHS) with rectangular, hexagonal, semicircular and various novel cross section (such as barrel, fan shaped, L shaped, inverted T shaped, inverted T shaped with semicircular ends at base (ITSCEB)) were carried out using de-ionized water. Numerical results were validated with the published experimental data and further simulations were performed on various novel cross section at a constant heat flux of 50 W/cm2 with Reynolds number varying in the range of 300–1500. The comparative analysis of various novel MCHS having the same cross-sectional area was carried out to figure out the suitable cross section capable of better cooling performance. This work shows that the novel ITSCEB cross section was giving the highest pressure drop, however considerable improvement was noted in the heat transfer coefficient around 21% more than conventional rectangular and around 11–55% more than other proposed cross section in this study.


1995 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 718-724 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. M. Liew ◽  
K. C. Hung ◽  
M. K. Lim

A three-dimensional elasticity solution to the vibrations of stress-free hollow cylinders of arbitrary cross section is presented. The natural frequencies and deformed mode shapes of these cylinders are obtained via a three-dimensional displacement-based energy formulation. The technique is applied specifically to the parametric investigation of hollow cylinders of different cross sections and sizes. It is found that the cross-sectional property of the cylinder has significant effects on the normal mode responses, particularly, on the transverse bending modes. By varying the length-to-width ratio of these elastic cylinders, interesting results demonstrating the dependence of frequencies on the length of the cylinder have been concluded.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isam Janajreh ◽  
Ilham Talab ◽  
Jill Macpherson

Downwind wind turbines have lower upwind rotor misalignment, and thus lower turning moment and self-steered advantage over the upwind configuration. In this paper, numerical simulation to the downwind turbine is conducted to investigate the interaction between the tower and the blade during the intrinsic passage of the rotor in the wake of the tower. The moving rotor has been accounted for via ALE formulation of the incompressible, unsteady, turbulent Navier-Stokes equations. The localizedCP,CL, andCDare computed and compared to undisturbed flow evaluated by Panel method. The time history of theCP, aerodynamic forces (CLandCD), as well as moments were evaluated for three cross-sectional tower; asymmetrical airfoil (NACA0012) having four times the rotor's chord length, and two circular cross-sections having four and two chords lengths of the rotor's chord. 5%, 17%, and 57% reductions of the aerodynamic lift forces during the blade passage in the wake of the symmetrical airfoil tower, small circular cross-section tower and large circular cross-section tower were observed, respectively. The pronounced reduction, however, is confined to a short time/distance of three rotor chords. A net forward impulsive force is also observed on the tower due to the high speed rotor motion.


2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 264-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Lorbach ◽  
Ulrich Hirn ◽  
Johannes Kritzinger ◽  
Wolfgang Bauer

Abstract We present a method for 3D measurement of fiber cross sectional morphology from handsheets. An automated procedure is used to acquire 3D datasets of fiber cross sectional images using an automated microtome and light microscopy. The fiber cross section geometry is extracted using digital image analysis. Simple sample preparation and highly automated image acquisition and image analysis are providing an efficient tool to analyze large samples. It is demonstrated that if fibers are tilted towards the image plane the images of fiber cross sections are always larger than the true fiber cross section geometry. In our analysis the tilting angles of the fibers to the image plane are measured. The resulting fiber cross sectional images are distorted to compensate the error due to fiber tilt, restoring the true fiber cross sectional shape. We use an approximated correction, the paper provides error estimates of the approximation. Measurement results for fiber wall thickness, fiber coarseness and fiber collapse are presented for one hardwood and one softwood pulp.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 5597
Author(s):  
Hussein A. Z. AL-bonsrulah ◽  
Mohammed J. Alshukri ◽  
Ammar I. Alsabery ◽  
Ishak Hashim

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEM-FC) aggregation pressure causes extensive strains in cell segments. The compression of each segment takes place through the cell modeling method. In addition, a very heterogeneous compressive load is produced because of the recurrent channel rib design of the dipole plates, so that while high strains are provided below the rib, the domain continues in its initial uncompressed case under the ducts approximate to it. This leads to significant spatial variations in thermal and electrical connections and contact resistances (both in rib–GDL and membrane–GDL interfaces). Variations in heat, charge, and mass transfer rates within the GDL can affect the performance of the fuel cell (FC) and its lifetime. In this paper, two scenarios are considered to verify the performance and lifetime of the PEM-FC using different innovative channel geometries. The first scenario is conducted by adopting a constant channel height (H = 1 mm) for all the differently shaped channels studied. In contrast, the second scenario is conducted by taking a constant channel cross-sectional area (A = 1 mm2) for all the studied channels. Therefore, a computational fluid dynamics model (CFD) for a PEM fuel cell is formed through the assembly of FC to simulate the pressure variations inside it. The simulation results showed that a triangular cross-section channel provided the uniformity of the pressure distribution, with lower deformations and lower mechanical stresses. The analysis helped gain insights into the physical mechanisms that lead to the FC’s durability and identify important parameters under different conditions. The model shows that it can assume the intracellular pressure configuration toward durability and appearance containing limited experimental data. The results also proved that the better cell voltage occurs in the case of the rectangular channel cross-section, and therefore, higher power from the FC, although its durability is much lower compared to the durability of the triangular channel. The results also showed that the rectangular channel cross-section gave higher cell voltages, and therefore, higher power (0.63 W) from the fuel cell, although its durability is much lower compared to the durability of the triangular channel. Therefore, the triangular channel gives better performance compared to other innovative channels.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3255
Author(s):  
Aizhao Zhou ◽  
Xianwen Huang ◽  
Wei Wang ◽  
Pengming Jiang ◽  
Xinwei Li

For reducing the initial GSHP investment, the heat transfer efficiency of the borehole heat exchange (BHE) system can be enhanced to reduce the number or depth of drilling. This paper proposes a novel and simple BHE design by changing the cross-sectional shape of the U-tube to increase the heat transfer efficiency of BHEs. Specifically, in this study, we (1) verified the reliability of the three-dimensional numerical model based on the thermal response test (TRT) and (2) compared the inlet and outlet temperatures of the different U-tubes at 48 h under the premise of constant leg distance and fluid area. Referent to the circular tube, the increases in the heat exchange efficiencies of the curved oval tube, flat oval tube, semicircle tube, and sector tube were 13.0%, 19.1%, 9.4%, and 14.8%, respectively. (3) The heat flux heterogeneity of the tubes on the inlet and outlet sides of the BHE, in decreasing order, is flat oval, semicircle, curved oval, sector, and circle shapes. (4) The temperature heterogeneity of the borehole wall in the BHE in decreasing order is circle, sector, curved oval, flat oval, and semicircle shapes. (5) Under the premise of maximum leg distance, referent to the heat resistance of the tube with a circle shape at 48 h, the heat exchange efficiency of the curved oval, flat oval, semicircle, and sector tubes increased 12.6%, 17.7%, 10.3%, and 7.8%, respectively. (6) We found that the adjustments of the leg distance and the tube shape affect the heat resistance by about 25% and 12%, respectively. (7) The flat-oval-shaped tube at the maximum leg distance was found to be the best tube design for BHEs.


2015 ◽  
Vol 770 ◽  
pp. 156-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricio Winckler ◽  
Philip L.-F. Liu

A cross-sectionally averaged one-dimensional long-wave model is developed. Three-dimensional equations of motion for inviscid and incompressible fluid are first integrated over a channel cross-section. To express the resulting one-dimensional equations in terms of the cross-sectional-averaged longitudinal velocity and spanwise-averaged free-surface elevation, the characteristic depth and width of the channel cross-section are assumed to be smaller than the typical wavelength, resulting in Boussinesq-type equations. Viscous effects are also considered. The new model is, therefore, adequate for describing weakly nonlinear and weakly dispersive wave propagation along a non-uniform channel with arbitrary cross-section. More specifically, the new model has the following new properties: (i) the arbitrary channel cross-section can be asymmetric with respect to the direction of wave propagation, (ii) the channel cross-section can change appreciably within a wavelength, (iii) the effects of viscosity inside the bottom boundary layer can be considered, and (iv) the three-dimensional flow features can be recovered from the perturbation solutions. Analytical and numerical examples for uniform channels, channels where the cross-sectional geometry changes slowly and channels where the depth and width variation is appreciable within the wavelength scale are discussed to illustrate the validity and capability of the present model. With the consideration of viscous boundary layer effects, the present theory agrees reasonably well with experimental results presented by Chang et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 95, 1979, pp. 401–414) for converging/diverging channels and those of Liu et al. (Coast. Engng, vol. 53, 2006, pp. 181–190) for a uniform channel with a sloping beach. The numerical results for a solitary wave propagating in a channel where the width variation is appreciable within a wavelength are discussed.


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