scholarly journals Numerical study of flow behavior in a cavitation tunnel using RANS with Scale-Adaptive Simulation (SAS) turbulence model in an OpenFOAM framework

2021 ◽  
Vol 774 (1) ◽  
pp. 012023
Author(s):  
V Hidalgo ◽  
G Suárez ◽  
J Erazo ◽  
D Puga ◽  
D Márquez ◽  
...  
Fluids ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 70
Author(s):  
Xudong An ◽  
Lin Jiang ◽  
Fatemeh Hassanipour

In many industrial applications, a permeable mesh (porous screen) is used to control the unsteady (most commonly vortex) flows. Vortex flows are known to display intriguing behavior while propagating through porous screens. This numerical study aims to investigate the effects of physical properties such as porosity, Reynolds number, inlet flow dimension, and distance to the screen on the flow behavior. The simulation model includes a piston-cylinder vortex ring generator and a permeable mesh constructed by evenly arranged rods. Two methods of user-defined function and moving mesh have been applied to model the vortex ring generation. The results show the formation, evolution, and characteristics of the vortical rings under various conditions. The results for vorticity contours and the kinetic energy dissipation indicate that the physical properties alter the flow behavior in various ways while propagating through the porous screens. The numerical model, cross-validated with the experimental results, provides a better understanding of the fluid–solid interactions of vortex flows and porous screens.


Author(s):  
Mosbah Ben Said ◽  
Ahmed Ouamane

Abstract Labyrinth weirs are commonly used to increase the capacity of existing spillways and provide more efficient spillways for new dams due to their high specific discharge capacity compared to the linear weir. In the present study, experimental and numerical investigation was conducted to improve the rectangular labyrinth weir performance. In this context, four configurations were tested to evaluate the influence of the entrance shape and alveoli width on its discharge capacity. The experimental models, three models of rectangular labyrinth weir with rounded entrance and one with flat entrance, were tested in rectangular channel conditions for inlet width to outlet width ratios (a/b) equal to 0.67, 1 and 1.5. The results indicate that the rounded entrance increases the weir efficiency by up to 5%. A ratio a/b equal to 1.5 leads to an 8 and 18% increase in the discharge capacity compared to a/b ratio equal to 1 and 0.67, respectively. In addition, a numerical simulation was conducted using the opensource CFD OpenFOAM to analyze and provide more information about the flow behavior over the tested models. A comparison between the experimental and numerical discharge coefficient was performed and good agreement was found (Mean Absolute Relative Error of 4–6%).


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Srinivas Swaroop Kolla ◽  
Ram S. Mohan ◽  
Ovadia Shoham

Abstract The Gas-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone (GLCC©*) is a simple, compact and low-cost separator, which provides an economically attractive alternative to conventional gravity-based separators over a wide range of applications. More than 6,500 GLCC©'s have been installed in the field to date around the world over the past 2 decades. The GLCC© inlet section design is a key parameter, which is crucial for its performance and proper operation. The flow behavior in the GLCC© body is highly dependent on the fluid velocities generated at the reduced area nozzle inlet. An earlier study (Kolla et al. [1]) recommended design modifications to the inlet section, based on safety and structural robustness. It is important to ensure that these proposed configuration modifications do not adversely affect the flow behavior at the inlet and the overall performance of the GLCC©. This paper presents a numerical study utilizing specific GLCC© field application working under 3 different case studies representing the flow entering the GLCC, separating light oil, steam flooded wells in Minas, Indonesia. Commercially available Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software is utilized to analyze the hydrodynamics of flow with the proposed modifications of the inlet section for GLCC© field applications.


Author(s):  
Dickson Munyoki ◽  
Markus Schatz ◽  
Damian M. Vogt

The performance of the axial-radial diffuser downstream of the last low-pressure steam turbine stages and the losses occurring subsequently within the exhaust hood directly influences the overall efficiency of a steam power plant. It is estimated that an improvement of the pressure recovery in the diffuser and exhaust hood by 10% translates into 1% of last stage efficiency [11]. While the design of axial-radial diffusers has been the object of quite many studies, the flow phenomena occurring within the exhaust hood have not received much attention in recent years. However, major losses occur due to dissipation within vortices and inability of the hood to properly diffuse the flow. Flow turning from radial to downward flow towards the condenser, especially at the upper part of the hood is essentially the main cause for this. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the losses within the exhaust hood flow for two operating conditions based on numerical results. In order to identify the underlying mechanisms and the locations where dissipation mainly occurs, an approach was followed, whereby the diffuser inflow is divided into different sectors and pressure recovery, dissipation and finally residual kinetic energy of the flow originating from these sectors is calculated at different locations within the hood. Based on this method, the flow from the topmost sectors at the diffuser inlet is found to cause the highest dissipation for both investigated cases. Upon hitting the exhaust hood walls, the flow on the upper part of the diffuser is deflected, forming complex vortices which are stretching into the condenser and interacting with flow originating from other sectors, thereby causing further swirling and generating additional losses. The detailed study of the flow behavior in the exhaust hood and the associated dissipation presents an opportunity for future investigations of efficient geometrical features to be introduced within the hood to improve the flow and hence the overall pressure recovery coefficient.


2010 ◽  
Vol 132 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seok-Ki Choi ◽  
Seong-O Kim ◽  
Hoon-Ki Choi

A numerical study for the evaluation of heat transfer correlations for sodium flows in a heat exchanger of a fast breeder nuclear reactor is performed. Three different types of flows such as parallel flow, cross flow, and two inclined flows are considered. Calculations are performed for these three typical flows in a heat exchanger changing turbulence models. The tested turbulence models are the shear stress transport (SST) model and the SSG-Reynolds stress turbulence model by Speziale, Sarkar, and Gaski (1991, “Modelling the Pressure-Strain Correlation of Turbulence: An Invariant Dynamical System Approach,” J. Fluid Mech., 227, pp. 245–272). The computational model for parallel flow is a flow past tubes inside a circular cylinder and those for the cross flow and inclined flows are flows past the perpendicular and inclined tube banks enclosed by a rectangular duct. The computational results show that the SST model produces the most reliable results that can distinguish the best heat transfer correlation from other correlations for the three different flows. It was also shown that the SSG-RSTM high-Reynolds number turbulence model does not deal with the low-Prandtl number effect properly when the Peclet number is small. According to the present calculations for a parallel flow, all the old correlations do not match with the present numerical solutions and a new correlation is proposed. The correlations by Dwyer (1966, “Recent Developments in Liquid-Metal Heat Transfer,” At. Energy Rev., 4, pp. 3–92) for a cross flow and its modified correlation that takes into account of flow inclination for inclined flows work best and are accurate enough to be used for the design of the heat exchanger.


1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Eghneim ◽  
S. J. Kleis

A combined experimental and numerical study was conducted to support the development of a new gradient maintenance technique for salt-gradient solar ponds. Two numerical models were developed and verified by laboratory experiments. The first is an axisymmetric (near-field) model which determines mixing and entrainment in the near-field of the injecting diffuser by solving the conservation equations of mass, momentum, energy, and salt. The model assumes variable properties and uses a simple turbulence model based on the mixing length hypothesis to account for the turbulence effects. A series of experimental measurements were conducted in the laboratory for the initial adjustment of the turbulence model and verification of the code. The second model is a one-dimensional far-field model which determines the change of the salt distribution in the pond gradient zone as a result of injection by coupling the near-field injection conditions to the pond geometry. This is implemented by distributing the volume fluxes obtained at the domain boundary of the near-field model, to the gradient layers of the same densities. The numerical predictions obtained by the two-region model was found to be in reasonable agreement with the experimental data.


2007 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 171-178
Author(s):  
Khalid Alammar

Using the standard k-e turbulence model, an incompressible, axisymmetric turbulent flow with a sudden expansion was simulated. Effect of Prandtl number on heat transfer characteristics downstream of the expansion was investigated. The simulation revealed circulation downstream of the expansion. A secondary circulation (corner eddy) was also predicted. Reattachment was predicted at approximately 10 step heights. Corresponding to Prandtl number of 7.0, a peak Nusselt number 13 times the fully-developed value was predicted. The ratio of peak to fully-developed Nusselt number was shown to decrease with decreasing Prandtl number. Location of maximum Nusselt number was insensitive to Prandtl number.


2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weili Yang ◽  
Peter Grant ◽  
James Hitt

Abstract Our principle goal of this study is to develop a CFD based analysis procedure that could be used to analyze the geometric tradeoffs in scroll geometry when space is limited. In the study, a full centrifugal compressor stage at four different operating points from near surge to near choke is analyzed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and laboratory measurement. The study concentrates on scroll performance and its interaction with a vaneless diffuser and impeller. The numerical results show good agreement with test data in scroll circumferential pressure distribution at different ΛAR, total pressure loss coefficient, and pressure distortion at the tongue. The CFD analysis also predicts a reasonable choke point of the stage. The numerical results provide overall flow field in the scroll and diffuser at different operating points. From examining the flow fields, one can have a much better understanding of rather complicated flow behavior such as jet-wake mixing, and choke. One can examine total pressure loss in detail to provide crucial direction for scroll design improvement in areas such as volute tongue, volute cross-section geometry and exit conical diffuser.


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