Two-Dimensional Simulation of Flows in an Open Channel with Groin-Like Structures by iRIC Nays2DH

This study presents the results obtained from the numerical simulation on turbulent flows around a single groin for different orientations. Here iRIC Nays2DH, which is based on 2D model, is used to simulate the flows in a straight open channel with groin of 45°, 90°, and 135° angled with the approaching flow. A depth-averaged k-ε model is used as turbulence closure model with finite differential advections as upwind scheme. The numerical results of velocity and bed shear stress profiles are compared with the available experimental data. Good agreements are found between experimental and calculated results. From the simulation, it is observed that the peak of velocity and bed shear stress is maximum at the position of head of groin when lateral distance y/l=1, where l is the groin length. The position of maximum velocity and bed shear stress is found to be shifted towards downstream with increasing y/l. The maximum velocity and bed shear stress for 135° groin are found lower than the other two cases for all the sections of y/l.

Application of the Reynolds Stress Model to Direct Modeling and Actuator Disk Simulations of a Small-Scale Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbine

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has become a staple in wind energy research and studies cover a broad range of topics including atmospheric wind profiles, airfoil design, wind turbine design, terrain effects, and wake dynamics. One of the most important aspects of applying CFD methods is the selection of a turbulence closure model when solving the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. In this research, the Reynolds Stress Model (RSM) was applied to predict the wake turbulence and velocity profiles for a small scale, 3-bladed, horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT) using a commercial CFD software, Star CCM+. The wind turbine was modeled directly by discretizing the rotor and also using an actuator disc concept to simulate the rotor. Wind tunnel experiments were performed using hot-wire anemometry to measure the velocity deficit at various downstream locations. High speed images were also captured to examine qualitatively the wake and tip vortex dissipation created from an oil mist. The CFD results show the RSM turbulence closure model to be excellent in predicting the wake velocity and tip vortex structure when compared to experimental results.

Flow simulation over oblique cylindrical weirs

This paper presents a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation to investigate the effects of the obliqueness of cylindrical weirs on the flow velocity distribution, the pressure distribution and the distribution of water depth over the weir crest. Three different cylindrical weirs with diameters of 0.114 m, 0.09 m, and 0.0635 m, with three dissimilar inclination angles of 90°, 135°, and 150° were used. The SSG Reynolds stress turbulence closure model was utilized in the analyses. The results show that the flow patterns are affected by the inclination angle with respect to the flow direction. It was noticed that inclination angle increment increases the velocity of flow at the downstream surface of the weir, thus increases the absolute value of the negative pressure, at the inward-moved end of the weir. The outward-moved end of the weir was observed not to be covered with water and extending with the increase of the inclination angle.