Granular surface flow on an asymmetric conical heap

2019 ◽  
Vol 865 ◽  
pp. 41-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandip Mandal ◽  
D. V. Khakhar

We carry out an experimental study of the granular surface flow of nearly monodisperse glass beads on a conical heap formed on a rough circular disc by a narrow stream of the particles from a hopper, with the pouring point displaced from the centre of the disc. During the growth phase, an axisymmetric heap is formed, which grows either by periodic avalanches or by non-periodic avalanches that occur randomly over the azimuthal location of the heap, depending on the operating conditions and system properties. The dynamics of heap growth is characterized by the variation of the heap height, angle of repose and the angular velocity of the periodic avalanche with time, for different mass flow rates from the hopper. When the base of the heap reaches the edge of the disc closest to the pouring point, the heap stops growing and a steady surface flow of particles is developed on the heap surface, with particles flowing over the edge of the disc into a collection tray. The geometry is a unique example of a granular flow on an erodible bed without any bounding side walls. The corresponding steady state geometry of the asymmetric heap is characterized by means of surface contours and angles of repose. The streamwise and transverse surface velocities are measured using high-speed video photography and image analysis for different mass flow rates. The flowing layer thickness is measured by immersing a coated needle in the flow at different positions on the mid-line of the flow. The surface angle of the flowing layer is found to be significantly smaller than the angle of repose and to be independent of the mass flow rate. The velocity profiles at different streamwise positions for different mass flow rates are found to be geometrically similar and are well described by Gaussian functions. The flowing layer thickness is calculated from a model using the measured surface velocities. The predicted values match the measured values quite well.

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hooman Rezaei ◽  
Abraham Engeda ◽  
Paul Haley

Abstract The objective of this work was to perform numerical analysis of the flow inside a modified single stage CVHF 1280 Trane centrifugal compressor’s vaneless diffuser and volute. Gambit was utilized to read the casing geometry and generating the vaneless diffuser. An unstructured mesh was generated for the path from vaneless diffuser inlet to conic diffuser outlet. At the same time a meanline analysis was performed corresponding to speeds and mass flow rates of the experimental data in order to obtain the absolute velocity and flow angle leaving the impeller for those operating conditions. These values and experimental data were used as inlet and outlet boundary conditions for the simulations. Simulations were performed in Fluent 5.0 for three speeds of 2000, 3000 and 3497 RPM and mass flow rates of minimum, medium and maximum. Results are in good agreement with the experimental ones and present the flow structures inside the vaneless diffuser and volute.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (20) ◽  
pp. 6543
Author(s):  
Mieczysław Dzierzgowski

Laboratory measurements and analyses conducted in a wide range of changes of water temperature and mass flow rate for different types of radiators allowed to provides limitations and assessment of the current radiators heat transfer model according to EN 442. The inaccuracy to determinate the radiator heat output according to EN 442, in case of low water mass flow rates may achieve up to 22.3% A revised New Extended Heat Transfer Model in Radiators NEHTMiRmd is general and suitable for different types of radiators both new radiators and radiators existing after a certain period of operation is presented. The NEHTMiRmd with very high accuracy describes the heat transfer processes not only in the nominal conditions—in which the radiators are designed, but what is particularly important also in operating conditions when the radiators water mass flow differ significantly from the nominal value and at the same time the supply temperature changes in the whole range radiators operating during the heating season. In order to prove that the presented new model NEHTMiRmd is general, the article presents numerous calculation examples for various types of radiators currently used. Achieved the high compatibility of the results of the simulation calculations with the measurement results for different types of radiators: iron elements (not ribbed), plate radiators (medium degree ribbed), convectors (high degree ribbed) in a very wide range of changes in the water mass flow rates and the supply temperature indicates that a verified NEHTMiRmd can also be used in designing and simulating calculations of the central heating installations, for the rational conversion of existing installations and district heating systems into low temperature energy efficient systems as well as to directly determine the actual energy efficiency, also to improve the indications of the heat cost allocators. In addition, it may form the basis for the future modification of the European Standards for radiator testing.


2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 189-198
Author(s):  
Leno J. Guzman ◽  
Ying Chen ◽  
Hubert Landry

Abstract. The development of highly efficient seed metering is required to meet the demands of modern seeding equipment. The discrete element method (DEM) was used to simulate metering of seeds with a fluted roller meter. This approach was chosen due to its capability to accurately represent granular material flow. The contact model selected for the DEM simulation was the linear rolling resistance model. Angle of repose experimental tests and simulations were performed to calibrate the rolling friction coefficient for peas. The calibrated value for the rolling friction coefficient was 0.016. A 192 mm cross-section of an air cart seed roller and housing was defined as the domain of the simulation. Sensitivity analysis showed that simulated mass flow rates were not sensitive to the selected damping coefficients (0.2, 0.5, and 0.8). Sensitivity indicator values varied between -0.049 and 0.088 for the range of damping coefficients and roller speeds studied. The simulated geometry of the seed meter and housing resulted in a steady flow of seeds, with discharged mass increasing linearly. The simulated mass flow rates were 34.0, 72.3, 110.4, 147.3, and 182.0 g s-1 for roller speeds of 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 rpm, respectively. An experiment was performed to validate the simulation results. The predicted mass flow rate values of the simulation were within 10 g s-1 of the experimental results, with the largest relative error being 16.5%. Keywords: DEM, Damping, Metering, Peas, Rolling friction coefficient, Seed, Simulation.


Author(s):  
Arash Nemati Hayati ◽  
Seyed Mohammad Hashemi ◽  
Mehrzad Shams

In this study, the performance of a typical bubbly water ramjet was investigated by the application of computational fluid dynamics method at different vessel velocities up to 80 knots for a range of air mass flow rates up to 0.9 kg/s. For this purpose, the validity of presented method was preliminarily examined for a converging–diverging nozzle. Then, a designed ramjet with discrete injection configuration was studied at different operating conditions. It was proved that the injection process significantly increases the amount of generated thrust up to 10 times more than the thrust of a single-phase water ramjet. The results suggest that for optimum operation of the ramjet, specific values should be assigned for both inlet and mixing chamber diameters with respect to outlet diameter. Furthermore, it seems that the modification of mixing chamber profile can effectively improve the performance, as the generated thrust of model with throat-like chamber surpasses that for conventional model up to more than two times. Finally, in order to rectify the contradiction of results obtained in previous literatures on the dependency of thrust on vessel velocity, a meaningful relation was derived between the generated thrust of the ramjet with the advance velocity at different air mass flow rates.


Author(s):  
Federico M Berruti ◽  
Lorenzo Ferrante ◽  
Franco Berruti ◽  
Cedric Briens

Among many other potential applications, intermittent solid slug feeders can be used to effectively inject biomass materials into fluidized bed reactors for pyrolysis. In particular, these feeders can be used to convey biomass materials that are highly cohesive to prevent plugging or undesirable reaction in the feeding tube. Although feeders of this design have been shown to work very effectively, they have not been studied in detail or optimized for the pyrolysis process. In addition, the operating conditions required to obtain predictable and consistent mass flow rates and slugs of desirable characteristics need to be established.The purpose of this work was to design, build and demonstrate the operation of a horizontal intermittent solid slug feeder and to test it with sawdust as the feed material. Sawdust is an extremely cohesive and difficult biomass to inject, but one that holds great potential as an important renewable feedstock for pyrolysis.The intermittent feeder designed for this work consisted of a pressurized vertical solids storage silo leading to a pneumatic pinch valve. The pinch valve, controlled by solenoid valves connected to a relay timer, released the feed into a horizontal feeding tube at a ninety degree angle. Within the silo, a rotating mixer prevented the bridging of solids. Intermittent pulses of gas from a control volume were fed into the horizontal feeding tube, as well as, in some cases, a continuous gas flow. The timing of the pulses was controlled by solenoid valves with a relay timer. While the pinch valve is opened, solids fall into the horizontal feeding tube forming a plug, which is then propelled by the pulsating gas into the reactor. The solid mass flow rate was experimentally measured by collecting the solids and continuously measuring the mass using a digital balance.Several variables were tested in order to optimize the performance of the feeder and the consistency of the feeding rate. They included the silo pressure, mixing rate, gas pulse pressure and volume, continuous gas mass flow rate, and the open pinch-valve time interval. The goals of this optimization were (a) to maximize the solid-to-gas ratio of mass flow rates, since the gas mass flux must be minimized to avoid wasting energy, and (b) to define operating conditions required to inject consistent biomass mass flow rates suitable for a laboratory scale pyrolysis reactor, and (c) to propose initial design criteria and a calibration procedure for intermittent solid slug feeders.The results demonstrated that the intermittent solid slug feeder system successfully achieved the desired objectives and showed how to efficiently select its optimum operating conditions.


Author(s):  
Muna S. Kassim ◽  
Fouad A. Saleh ◽  
Alaa Th. Aliwi

Experimental and numerical investigation to study the influence of add (one groove and two grooves) to the unshroud impeller onto the rotating stall as well fluctuations of pressure at a high speed blower of centrifugal. Experimental test rig which includes blower of centrifugal, transducer of pressure as well measurement instrumentations are constructed and designed for this study. A data acquisition system (hardware) as well its (software) have been developed into transferring the signal than transducer of pressure to the computer. The experimental work has been implemented through measuring the variation of static pressure as well fluctuation of pressure for two cases of the impeller (with one groove and with two grooves). Static pressure has been taken in different points arranged onto the frontal-wall of a volute casing along one track for two cases of the impeller. This track is angular track about the impeller. The results of experimental show that the fluctuations of pressure for different mass flow rates are nature of non-periodical and the mass flow rates decrease with the fluctuations of pressure increase. Also, the results indicate that the impeller with two grooves show high mass flow rates comparison with the impeller with one groove. Simulation of numerical has been implemented onto blower of centrifugal to analysis both field of flow as well fluctuations of pressure through using ANSYS (FLUENT 15). The simulation of numerical has been carried out through solve the continuity as well momentum equations with the moving reference framework technicality inside a blower. The numerical simulation results show good agreement with the results of experimental.


Author(s):  
Julia E. Stephens ◽  
Sameer Kulkarni

Abstract Advancements in core compressor technologies are necessary for next generation, high Overall Pressure Ratio (OPR) turbofan engines. High pressure compressors (HPCs) for future engines are being designed with exit corrected mass flow rates less than 2.25 kg/s (5 lbm/s). In order to accurately measure the performance of these advanced designs, high accuracy measurements are needed in test facilities. The W7 High Speed Multistage Axial Compressor Facility at NASA Glenn Research Center has been used to acquire data for advanced compressor designs. This facility utilizes an advanced differential pressure flow meter called a V-Cone. The facility has historically tested components with physical mass flow rates in the range of 27 to 45 kg/s (60 to 100 lbm/s). As such, when the V-Cone was calibrated prior to installation, the calibrations focused on higher mass flow rates, and uncertainties in that regime range from 0.5% to 0.85%. However, for low mass flow rates under 9 kg/s (20 lbm/s), expected in tests of advanced high OPR HPCs rear stages, the uncertainties of the V-Cone exceed 2.5%. To address this, using a method similar to that utilized by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, an array of Critical Flow Venturi Nozzles (CFVs) was installed in the W7 test section and used to calibrate the V-Cone in 0.5 kg/s (1 lbm/s) increments up to 10.5 kg/s (23 lbm/s). This effort details the measurements and uncertainties associated with this calibration which resulted in a final uncertainty of the V-Cone measurements under 1%.


Author(s):  
Yiheng Tong ◽  
Mao Li ◽  
Jens Klingmann

Flame structures, blowout limits and emissions of swirl-stabilized premixed methane-air flames were studied experimentally in a small atmospheric combustor rig. Combustion sections with rectangular cross section (30mm by 40mm) and circular cross section (inner diameter = 39mm) were used to investigate effects of combustor geometry on the flame’s performance. Flame structures and instabilities were obtained from CH* chemiluminescence captured by a high speed intensified CMOS camera. Maps of flame blowout limits (ΦBO) versus total mass flow rates ( ṁ = 70 ∼ 130 standard liter per minute, SLPM) were obtained with the combustor inlet flow temperature (Tin) kept at Tin = 397 ± 5K and a flow swirl number of S = 0.6. Emission data of mole fraction of CO in the exhaust gas versus equivalence ratio was obtained under the conditions of Tin = 293 ± 5K and S = 0.66. It is found that the flame became longer and more unstable with decreasing equivalence ratio or increasing total mass flow rates. A strong high-amplitude and low-frequency oscillation was found to be the reason for the flame blowout. A possible reason for flame instability and blowout is presented in the paper. Within the parameters investigated in this study, the equivalence ratio had the strongest impact on flame stabilities and CO emission. Both in the rectangular and circular combustors, when the flame length increased to a critical value (LIBO, which was approximately the same for these two combustors), flame could not be stabilized anymore and blowout occurred. Compared with the rectangular combustor, the circular one had lower blowout limits and was better in stabilizing the flame. Combustor geometry did not significantly affect CO emission in the current study.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 3537
Author(s):  
Charles Stuart ◽  
Stephen Spence ◽  
Sönke Teichel ◽  
Andre Starke

The implementation of increasingly stringent emissions and efficiency targets has seen engine downsizing and other complementary technologies increase in prevalence throughout the automotive sector. In order to facilitate ongoing improvements associated with the use of these strategies, delivering enhancements to the performance and stability of the turbocharger compressor when operating at low mass flow rates is of paramount importance. In spite of this, a few concepts (either active or passive) targeting such aims have successfully transitioned into use in automotive turbochargers, due primarily to the requirement for a very wide compressor-operating range. In order to overcome the operational limitations associated with existing pre-swirl generation devices such as inlet guide vanes, this study developed a concept comprising of an electrically driven axial fan mounted upstream of a standard automotive turbocharger centrifugal compressor. Rather than targeting a direct contribution to compressor boost pressure, the fan was designed to act as a variable pre-swirl generation device capable of being operated completely independently of the centrifugal impeller. It was envisioned that this architecture would allow efficient generation of the large pre-swirl angles needed for compressor surge margin extension and efficiency enhancement at low mass flow rate-operating points, while also facilitating the delivery of zero pre-swirl at higher mass flow rates to ensure no detrimental impact on performance at the rated power point of the engine. Having progressed through 1-D and 3-D aerodynamic modelling phases to understand the potential of the system, detailed component design and hardware manufacture were completed to enable an extensive experimental test campaign to be conducted. The experimental results were scrutinized to validate the numerical findings and to test the surge margin extension potential of the device. Compressor efficiency improvements of up to 3.0% pts were witnessed at the target-operating conditions.


2009 ◽  
Vol 131 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas T. Crane ◽  
Lon E. Bell

It is a difficult technical challenge to design thermoelectric power generation systems that work optimally over a broad dynamic range of thermal input power. Conventional systems are designed to work optimally for a nominal operating condition, while maintaining the ability to operate at off nominal and extreme operating conditions without damage to the system. For systems that operate in a narrow range of thermal power conditions, thermoelectric waste heat recovery system design is simplified. However, for applications that do have a wide range of operating conditions, designs typically exhibit overall average efficiencies that are reduced by approximately 20% or more compared with that achievable for the thermoelectric material operating at peak efficiency. Both cars and trucks consume significant fuel at low mass flow rates. Since the ultimate goal of waste heat recovery systems is to minimize fuel consumption, it is critical that the recovery system be designed to operate near peak efficiency over the range of mass flow rates that make a significant contribution to overall power recovery. Such performance capability is especially important in city driving, and in hybrid vehicle applications. This paper describes a design concept that maximizes the performance for thermoelectric power generation systems in which the thermal power to be recovered is from a fluid stream (e.g., exhaust gas) subject to varying temperatures and a broad range of exhaust flow rates. The device is constructed in several parts, with each part optimized for a specific range of operating conditions. The thermoelectric system characteristics, inlet mass flow rates and fluid temperatures, and load and internal electrical resistances are monitored and generator operation is controlled to maximize performance. With this design, the system operates near optimal efficiency for a much wider range of operating conditions. Application of the design concept to an automobile is used to show the benefits to overall system performance.


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