The Acoustic Nature of “Storm Nose”, “Supercell” Vortices and Tornadoes

The process of cumulonimbus cloud Cb calvus formation in the middle latitudes of real atmosphere is analyzed in this work. Its transformation from initial lifecycle stage to “maturity” undergoes due to the formation of the waveguide called “aerial acoustic channel” in the troposphere near the level of temperature minimum that is close to 2 km altitude. This “aerial acoustic channel” can be considered as analog of “deep sound channel” that corresponds to the minimal sound speed level. Tropospheric “channel” related to the thermal inversion zone is almost unlimited horizontally. Synchronous generation of two compression waves (ascending one above Cb and descending one inside Cb) is caused by Cb calvus dome ascension. The first one can provoke the aerodynamic draft previously unexplained. The second one results in the growth of its “storm nose” and in the axial and peripheral descending mechanisms in Cb. The penetration of Cb into stratosphere results in the destruction of dynamic balance around Cb top and hence in its unloading in the descending decompression wave. Here the air cools down to the “dew point” in the place of conjugation with parental cloud – due to Snellius law it results in the formation of aerosol “vortex” as condensation front; this “vortex” has calculated value of its generatrix against vertical. Due to D. Snow’s criterion, this vortex forms either “supercell” vortex or tornado vortex.

A Simplified Analytical Model for Estimation of the Initial Waterhammer Pressure and Force on a Circular Tube

A simplified analytical model is developed for estimating the initial waterhammer pressure and force on a circular tube when a plane decompression wave, parallel to its axis, passes over it. The simplified analysis superimposes the solutions for a plane pressure wave traveling at sound speed in the surrounding water, and two-dimensional solution to the wave equation in cylindrical coordinates, with a nonflow boundary condition across the tube boundary at a fixed radius. The analytical method is compared to the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach by applying to predict the initial waterhammer pressure and force on the closest tube to the feedwater nozzle of a geometrically simplified nuclear steam generator (SG) analysis model, caused by a feedwater pipe break (FWPB). As the result, it is found that the simplified analytical model, while not matching results of the CFD calculations with precise accuracy, does confirm the nature of the waterhammer impact pressure loads on the SG tubes.

Wave intensity analysis and its application to the coronary circulation

Wave intensity analysis (WIA) is a technique developed from the field of gas dynamics that is now being applied to assess cardiovascular physiology. It allows quantification of the forces acting to alter flow and pressure within a fluid system, and as such it is highly insightful in ascribing cause to dynamic blood pressure or velocity changes.When co-incident waves arrive at the same spatial location they exert either counteracting or summative effects on flow and pressure. WIA however allows waves of different origins to be measured uninfluenced by other simultaneously arriving waves. It therefore has found particular applicability within the coronary circulation where both proximal (aortic) and distal (myocardial) ends of the coronary artery can markedly influence blood flow. Using these concepts, a repeating pattern of 6 waves has been consistently identified within the coronary arteries, 3 originating proximally and 3 distally. Each has been associated with a particular part of the cardiac cycle. The most clinically relevant wave to date is the backward decompression wave, which causes the marked increase in coronary flow velocity observed at the start of the diastole. It has been proposed that this wave is generated by the elastic re-expansion of the intra-myocardial blood vessels that are compressed during systolic contraction. Particularly by quantifying this wave, WIA has been used to provide mechanistic and prognostic insight into a number of conditions including aortic stenosis, left ventricular hypertrophy, coronary artery disease and heart failure. It has proven itself to be highly sensitive and as such a number of novel research directions are encouraged where further insights would be beneficial.

Measurements of Decompression Wave Speed in Simulated Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Mixtures Containing Hydrogen

In order to determine the material fracture resistance necessary to provide adequate control of ductile fracture propagation in a pipeline, a knowledge of the decompression wave speed following the quasi-instantaneous formation of an unstable, full-bore rupture is necessary. The thermodynamic and fluid dynamics background of such calculations is understood, but predictions based on specific equations of state (EOS) need to be validated against experimental measurements. A program of tests has been conducted using a specially constructed shock tube to determine the impact of impurities on the decompression wave speed in carbon dioxide (CO2), so that the results can be compared to two existing theoretical models. In this paper, data and analysis results are presented for three shock tube tests involving anthropogenic CO2 mixtures containing hydrogen as the primary impurity. The first mixture was intended to represent a typical scenario of precombustion carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, where typically the concentration of CO2 is around 95–97% (mole). The second mixture represents a worst case scenario of this technology with high level of impurities (with CO2 concentration around 85%). The third test represents a typical chemical-looping combustion process. It was found that the extent of the plateau on the decompression wave speed curves in these tests depends on the location of the phase boundary crossing along the bubble-point curve. The closer the phase boundary crossing to the critical point, the shorter the plateau. This is primarily due to the change in magnitude of the drop in the speed of sound at phase boundary crossing. For the most part, the predictions of the plateau pressure by both of the EOS that were evaluated, GERG-2008 and Peng–Robinson (PR), are in good agreement with measurements by the shock tube. This by no means reflects overall good performance of either EOS, but was rather due to the fact that the isentropes intersected the phase envelope near the critical point, or that the concentration of H2 was relatively low, either in absolute terms or relative to other impurity constituents. Hence, its influence in causing inaccurate prediction of the plateau pressure is lessened. An example of pipeline material toughness required to arrest ductile fracture is presented which shows that predictions by GERG-2008 are more conservative and are therefore recommended.

Measurements of Decompression Wave Speed in Binary Mixtures of Carbon Dioxide and Impurities

Shock tube tests were conducted on a number of binary CO2 mixtures with N2, O2, CH4, H2, CO, and Ar impurities, from a range of initial pressures and temperatures. This paper provides examples of results from these tests. The resulting decompression wave speeds are compared with predictions made utilizing different equations of state (EOS). It was found that, for the most part (except for binaries with H2), the GERG-2008 EOS shows much better performance than the Peng–Robinson (PR) EOS. All binaries showed a very long plateau in the decompression wave speed curves. It was also shown that tangency of the fracture propagation speed curve would normally occur on the pressure plateau, and hence, the accuracy of the calculated arrest toughness for pipelines transporting these binary mixtures is highly dependent on the accuracy of the predicted plateau pressure. Again, for the most part, GERG-2008 predictions of the plateau are in good agreement with the measurements in binary mixtures with N2, O2, and CH4. An example of the determination of pipeline material toughness required to arrest ductile fracture is presented, which shows that prediction by GERG-2008 is generally more conservative and is therefore recommended. However, both GERG-2008 and PR EOS show much worse performance for the other three binaries: CO2 + H2, CO2 + CO, and CO2 + Ar, with CO2 + H2 being the worst. This is likely due to the lack of experimental data for these three binary mixtures that were used in the development of these EOS.

Measurements of Decompression Wave Speed in Natural Gas Containing 2-8% (Mole) Hydrogen by a Specialized Shock Tube

The Battelle two-curve method is widely used throughout the industry to determine the required material toughness to arrest ductile (or tearing) pipe fracture. The method relies on accurate determination of the propagation speed of the decompression wave into the pipeline once the pipe ruptures. GASDECOM is typically used for calculating this speed, and idealizes the decompression process as isentropic and one-dimensional. While GASDECOM was initially validated against quite a range of gas compositions and initial pressure and temperature, it was not developed for mixtures containing hydrogen. Two shock tube tests were conducted to experimentally determine the decompression wave speed in lean natural gas mixtures containing hydrogen. The first test had hydrogen concentration of 2.88% (mole) while the second had hydrogen concentration of 8.28% (mole). The experimentally determined decompression wave speeds from the two tests were found to be very close to each other despite the relatively vast difference in the hydrogen concentrations for the two tests. It was also shown that the predictions of the decompression wave speed using the GERG-2008 equation of state agreed very well with that obtained from the shock tube measurements. It was concluded that there is no effects of the hydrogen concentration (between 0–10% mole) on the decompression wave speed, particularly at the lower part (towards the choked pressure) of the decompression wave speed curve.

Full-Bore Pipeline Rupture as ‘Transient Fanno’ Flow

Full-bore decompression of an initially highly pressurized pipe has been studied extensively in recent years. The main aim of this effort has been to estimate the speed of the decompression wave and its relationship to the speed of a travelling fracture in the pipe wall. It has been demonstrated that the speed of the decompression wave is influenced by the friction at the gas-solid interface, and also by the pipe size (diameter). The numerical value of the friction factor has been traditionally estimated using known relationships such as the Haaland formula. However, it has also been noticed that the friction factor calculated in this way has to be increased many-fold to achieve agreement between theory and experiment. To date, there is no physical justification for this increase. The present paper proposes an explanation by modelling the full-bore decompression as a ‘transient Fanno’ flow. The model development is based on the observation that the flow at the exit plane always tends to approach a ‘choked’ condition (sonic velocity). It is shown that a re-interpretation of the Fanno flow formula allows an estimation of the irreversibility, and therefore the friction factor, in the evolving flow. When averaged over space and time, the friction factor attains a value that need not be artificially adjusted. This value of the friction factor can be used in one-dimensional models of the decompression process. Also, the role of the ‘second coefficient of viscosity’ during the initial instants of the highly transient flow is examined.

Thermal Response of Gas Pipeline Metal to Gas Decompression

During natural gas pipeline processes that involve severe depressurization (e.g. blowdown), the gas experiences very significant cooling. The general impression in the industry has been that the adjacent pipeline metal also experiences cooling to a comparable extent. Should this actually be the case, the metal would be rendered susceptible to embrittlement. This would increase the possibility of fracture, thus compromising the integrity of the pipeline. To avoid the perceived possibility of fracture, pipeline design specifications tend to recommend special materials that can withstand low temperature. Such materials are often very expensive. However, recent experimental and analytical investigations into the heat transfer effects during pipeline decompression have shown that although the gas does undergo considerable cooling during events such as blowdowns, the metal is not cooled to nearly the same extent. These investigations resulted in a model of the blowdown. The model was based on the finding that the thermal response of the pipeline metal at a particular location is largely determined by the formation of a sharp negative spike in the gas temperature as the decompression wave passes that location. The present paper offers a more detailed version of the blowdown model, taking into account the transient temperature variations through the thickness of the pipe wall. The additional investigations offer insight into the phenomenon of ‘thermal shock’ in the pipeline metal. It is found that the metal response to a thermal ‘spike’ differs markedly from that to a thermal ‘shock’ imposed on the surface of the metal. It is shown that the possibility of damage due to unequal expansion/contraction in the material across the pipe wall thickness is minimal during a blowdown.