Flow over a stepped chute with and without macro-roughness elements

2004 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 880-891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet Ali Kökpinar

High-speed two-phase flows over a 30° stepped flume were experimentally investigated using macro-roughness elements. The roughness elements included combinations of steps and horizontal strips. Local values of air concentration, air bubble frequency, and mean chord lengths were measured by a fiber-optical instrumentation system in the air–water flow region. The range of unit discharge of water was varied from 0.06 to 0.20 m2/s. Three step configurations were studied: (i) without macro-roughness elements, (ii) with macro-roughness elements on each step, and (iii) with macro-roughness elements on each second step (AMR configuration). The results were compared in terms of onset flow conditions and internal air–water flow parameters such as local air concentration, mean air bubble chord length distribution, and air bubble frequency in the skimming flow regime. It was observed that the AMR configuration produced the maximum free-surface aeration among the other configurations. This alternative step geometry has potential for less cavitation damage than conventional step geometry because of the greater air entrainment.Key words: stepped chute, air-entrainment, air-water flow properties, macro-roughness elements, skimming flow.

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1430
Author(s):  
Shuai Li ◽  
Jianmin Zhang ◽  
Xiaoqing Chen ◽  
Jiangang Chen

Three-dimensional aerators are often used in hydraulic structures to prevent cavitation damage via enhanced air entrainment. However, the mechanisms of aeration and bubble dispersion along the developing shear flow region on such aerators remain unclear. A double-tip conductivity probe is employed in present experimental study to investigate the air concentration, bubble count rate, and bubble size downstream of a three-dimensional aerator involving various approach-flow features and geometric parameters. The results show that the cross-sectional distribution of the air bubble frequency is in accordance with the Gaussian distribution, and the relationship between the air concentration and bubble frequency obeys a quasi-parabolic law. The air bubble frequency reaches an apex at an air concentration (C) of approximately 50% and decreases to zero as C = 0% and C = 100%. The relative location of the air-bubble frequency apex is 0.210, 0.326 and 0.283 times the thickness of the layers at the upper, lower and side nappes, respectively. The air bubble chord length decreases gradually from the air water interface to the core area. The air concentration increases exponentially with the bubble chord length. The air bubble frequency distributions can be fit well using a “modified” gamma distribution function.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Penghua Teng ◽  
James Yang ◽  
Michael Pfister

The chute aerator of a spillway is a structure in such a sense that air is, in the intense emulsification, entrained into the high-velocity water flow. Correctly predicting the air entrainment and two-phase flow pattern at the aerator would contribute to reliable spillway operation. Based on experimental data, 2D numerical simulations are preformed to predict streamwise air concentrations in the aerated flow, in which a two-fluid model is used. Depending on the air bubble size, relatively good agreement is seen with the experiments in the air cavity zone. The simulations give rise to higher air concentration downstream of the cavity, which is presumably due to underestimation of the interfacial forces in the two-fluid model.


Author(s):  
Stephan Uhkoetter ◽  
Stefan aus der Wiesche ◽  
Michael Kursch ◽  
Christian Beck

The traditional method for hydrodynamic journal bearing analysis usually applies the lubrication theory based on the Reynolds equation and suitable empirical modifications to cover turbulence, heat transfer, and cavitation. In cases of complex bearing geometries for steam and heavy-duty gas turbines this approach has its obvious restrictions in regard to detail flow recirculation, mixing, mass balance, and filling level phenomena. These limitations could be circumvented by applying a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach resting closer to the fundamental physical laws. The present contribution reports about the state of the art of such a fully three-dimensional multiphase-flow CFD approach including cavitation and air entrainment for high-speed turbo-machinery journal bearings. It has been developed and validated using experimental data. Due to the high ambient shear rates in bearings, the multiphase-flow model for journal bearings requires substantial modifications in comparison to common two-phase flow simulations. Based on experimental data, it is found, that particular cavitation phenomena are essential for the understanding of steam and heavy-duty type gas turbine journal bearings.


Author(s):  
Afshin Goharzadeh ◽  
Keegan Fernandes

This paper presents an experimental investigation on a modified airlift pump. Experiments were undertaken as a function of air-water flow rate for two submergence ratios (ε=0.58 and 0.74), and two different riser geometries (i) straight pipe with a constant inner diameter of 19 mm and (ii) enlarged pipe with a sudden expanded diameter of 19 to 32 mm. These transparent vertical pipes, of 1 m length, were submerged in a transparent rectangular tank (0.45×0.45×1.1 m3). The compressed air was injected into the vertical pipe to lift the water from the reservoir. The flow map regime is established for both configurations and compared with previous studies. The two phase air-water flow structure at the expansion region is experimentally characterized. Pipeline geometry is found to have a significant influence on the output water flow rate. Using high speed photography and electrical conductivity probes, new flow regimes, such as “slug to churn” and “annular to churn” flow, are observed and their influence on the output water flow rate and efficiency are discussed. These experimental results provide fundamental insights into the physics of modified airlift pump.


2016 ◽  
Vol 138 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasan B. Al Ba'ba'a ◽  
Tarek Elgammal ◽  
Ryoichi S. Amano

Prediction correlations of air bubble diameter and frequency in stagnant clean water were established. Eleven different orifice diameters were tested under flow rate of 0.05–0.15 SLPM. The resulted bubble size and frequency were traced using high-speed camera. It was found that the mean Sauter diameter and bubble frequency are in the range of 3.7–6.9 mm and 6.4–47.2 bubbles per second, respectively. Nonlinear regression was performed to design the new correlations of estimating diameter and frequency with a correlation factor of 0.93 and 0.94, respectively. Flow rate and orifice size had the highest impact on the studied parameters.


2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Chanson ◽  
L Toombes

Stepped spillways have been used for about 3500 years. The last few decades have seen the development of new construction materials, design techniques, and applications, for example, embankment overtopping protection systems. Although it is commonly acknowledged that free-surface aeration is significant in stepped chutes, experimental data are scarce, often limited to very steep slopes (α ~ 50°). This paper presents an experimental study conducted in a large-size stepped chute (α = 22°, h = 0.1 m, W = 1 m). Observations demonstrate the existence of a transition flow pattern for intermediate flow rates between nappe and skimming flows. Detailed air–water flow measurements were conducted in both transition and skimming flows, immediately downstream of the inception point of free-surface aeration where uniform equilibrium flow conditions were not achieved. In skimming flows, a complete characterization is developed for the distributions of void fraction, bubble count rate, and velocity, and flow resistance data are compared with other studies. Transition flows exhibit significantly different air–water flow properties. They are highly aerated, requiring the design of comparatively high chute sidewalls.Key words: stepped spillway, air entrainment, two-phase flow properties, skimming flow, transition flow.


1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Yang ◽  
D. C. Wiggert

A quasi-two-dimensional two-phase flow cylindrical model of slug motion in a voided line is developed that can reasonably predict the change of flow pattern of the slug, air entrainment, “holdup” and the distribution of axial velocity. However, when using the theory of incompressible momentum transfer to estimate the pressure-time history of slug at the elbow, the calculated results are not in good agreement with those of the experiments. Further analysis of the experimental results indicate that an acoustic, or waterhammerlike response may occur immediately upon impact of the high-speed slug with the elbow, and subsequently, the waveform exhibits momentum transfer due to the acceleration of the slug at the elbow.


Fluids ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 203
Author(s):  
James Yang ◽  
Penghua Teng ◽  
Junhu Nan ◽  
Shicheng Li ◽  
Anders Ansell

Air entrainment at the intake of a bottom outlet often gives rise to air pockets in its conduit and formation of geysers. The outlet in question comprises a bulkhead gate, gate shaft, horizontal conduit, and exit. Operations show that it suffers from appreciable flow fluctuations and blowouts in the tailwater, which leads to gate operation restrictions. For the purpose of understanding the hydraulic phenomenon, both prototype discharge tests and three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of two-phase flows are performed. The operational focus of the facility are small and large gate openings. The CFD results reveal that, with air entrained in the gate shaft, continual breakup and coalescence of air bubbles in the conduit typify the flow. At small openings below 1 meter, the air–water flow is characterized by either distinct blowouts of regular frequency or continuous air release. In terms of geyser behaviors inclusive of frequency, the agreement is good between field and numerical studies. At large openings, the gate becomes fully submerged, and the flow is discharged without air entrainment and blowouts. The paper showcases the air–water flow features in a typical bottom outlet layout in Sweden, which is intended to serve as an illustration of the study procedure for other similar outlets.


2020 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeri Sutopo ◽  
Budi S. Wignyosukarto ◽  
Bambang Yulistyanto ◽  
Istiarto Istiarto ◽  
Nor Hayati Abdul Hamid

The Chanson’s equation for distribution of air bubbles in vertical direction in the developing zone at self-air entrainment condition is used when the air bubbles concentration at the flow surface is 90%. Otherwise, if this condition is not satisfying, then the equations of Straub and Anderson can be used. The results of these two equations are not similar with experimental results. Therefore, these two equations need to be modified accordingly. These modification equations can also be used to predict the air bubbles distributions in vertical direction. Hence, the main objective of this study is to modify these equations for vertical air concentration distribution in the developing zone and validate them with experimental results. The steep channel in the form of flume with 10 m long, 0.2 m wide and 0.4 m high with slopes varies between 20° and 25° were used in this experimental work. The discharge water was 9 l/s, 12 l/s and 21 l/s with Froude numbers between 6.9 to 8.0. The Thomson weir (V Notch) was used to calibrate the discharge flow of water. A set of video cameras was used to record the motion pictures of the air bubbles. The air bubble was analyzed using Ulead Video Studio 11 software program equipped with Imagej software. The results of this study indicates that the modifications of equations of Straub and Anderson were the equation air concentration distribution (C) in the underlying zone value was 0.647 m at 20° slope of channel bed, the equation air concentration distribution (C) in the underlying zone the value was 0.542 m at 25° slope and the equation in the mixing zone remained the same. The original Chanson equation was modified mainly in terms of the hyperbolic tangent (tanh) equation which originally had a power of 2 while the modification was 0.8; and the Ce was 0.9 sin α, whereas at the modified Chanson’s equation, Ce was converted into Ce= 0.6 sin α.


2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 454-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jürg Speerli ◽  
Willi H Hager

Bottom outlets involve high-velocity air-water flow. Depending on the tunnel length, both air entrainment and air detrainment processes are significant. These processes are evaluated using a hydraulic model consisting of a long rectangular tunnel with a bottom slope larger than the critical slope. Expressions are presented for the maximum air concentration and its streamwise development along the tunnel. A prediction of mixture flow depth along the tunnel is developed. Design guidelines are presented relating to the flow pattern required, the air supply system, and the downstream submergence. The effect of tunnel length on the development of mixture flow characteristics is also outlined. A typical example shows the design procedure for bottom outlets.Key words: air entrainment, air-water flow, high-velocity flow, tunnel flow.


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