scholarly journals Computational fluid dynamic analysis and validation of the single stage low pressure rotary lobe compressed air expander

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (Suppl. 4) ◽  
pp. 1133-1142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Krawczyk ◽  
Michalina Kurkus-Gruszecka ◽  
Aleksandra Mikolajczak ◽  
Piotr Lapka ◽  
Krzysztof Badyda

Technologies using media with relatively low thermodynamic parameters are now being developed more and more widely. These technologies may be used in industrial processes in which waste media such as low pressure air or other gases are available. One of the technologies enabling the use of such gases is rotary lobe expander. Rotary lobe expanders are compressed gas-powered devices which produce electricity or mechanical energy. In terms of the nature of operation, these devices are similar to turbines, but have higher efficiency at lower operating pressure. Currently, they are applied in mines as engines or as drives for elevators. The paper covers the CFD model of the expander and its validation using the literature data on the industrial device. The mathematical model, geometry, the choice of the computational grid and the adopted boundary conditions were presented. Several simulations were carried out for the variable operational parameters of the device and an attempt was made to assess the correctness of the assumptions and developed model. Finally, the results with discussion are presented both in tabular and graphical forms.

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 4512
Author(s):  
Michalina Kurkus-Gruszecka ◽  
Piotr Krawczyk

In the article the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation and calculated operational parameters of the single stage low-pressure rotary lobe expander compared with the values obtained from a different geometry simulation are presented. Low-pressure rotary lobe expanders are rotary engines that use a compressed gas to produce mechanical energy, which in turn can be converted into another form, i.e., electric energy. Currently, expanders are used in narrow areas, but have a large potential in the energy production from gases of low thermodynamic parameters. The first geometry model was designed on the basis of an industrial device and validated with the empirical data. Simulation of the second geometry was made based on a validated model in order to estimate the operational parameters of the device. The CFD model included the transient simulation of compressible fluid in the geometry changing over time and the rotors motion around two rotation axes. The numerical model was implemented in ANSYS CFX software. After obtaining simulation results in the form of parameters monitors for each time step, a number of calculations were performed using a written code analysing the CFD program output files. The article presents the calculation results and the geometries comparison in terms of work efficiency. The research indicated that the construction of the device on a small scale could cause a significant decrease in the aforementioned parameter, caused by medium leaks in the expander clearances.


Author(s):  
Leonid S. Bobe ◽  
Nikolay A. Salnikov

Analysis and calculation have been conducted of the process of low-pressure reverse osmosis in the membrane apparatus of the system for recycling hygiene water for the space station. The paper describes the physics of the reverse osmosis treatment and determines the motive force of the process, which is the difference of effective pressures (operating pressure minus osmotic pressure) in the solution near the surface of the membrane and in the purified water. It is demonstrated that the membrane scrubbing action is accompanied by diffusion outflow of the cleaning agent components away from the membrane. The mass transfer coefficient and the difference of concentrations (and, accordingly, the difference of osmotic pressures) in the boundary layer of the pressure channel can be determined using an extended analogy between mass transfer and heat transfer. A procedure has been proposed and proven in an experiment for calculating the throughput of a reverse osmosis apparatus purifying the hygiene water obtained through the use of a cleaning agent used in sanitation and housekeeping procedures on Earth. Key words: life support system, hygiene water, water processing, low-pressure reverse osmosis, space station.


Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 177
Author(s):  
Suzana Uran ◽  
Matjaž Malok ◽  
Božidar Bratina ◽  
Riko Šafarič

Constructing a micro-sized microfluidic motor always involves the problem of how to transfer the mechanical energy out of the motor. The paper presents several experiments with pot-like microfluidic rotational motor structures driven by two perpendicular sine and cosine vibrations with amplitudes around 10 μm in the frequency region from 200 Hz to 500 Hz. The extensive theoretical research based on the mathematical model of the liquid streaming in a pot-like structure was the base for the successful real-life laboratory application of a microfluidic rotational motor. The final microfluidic motor structure allowed transferring the rotational mechanical energy out of the motor with a central axis. The main practical challenge of the research was to find the proper balance between the torque, due to friction in the bearings and the motor’s maximal torque. The presented motor, with sizes 1 mm by 0.6 mm, reached the maximal rotational speed in both directions between −15 rad/s to +14 rad/s, with the estimated maximal torque of 0.1 pNm. The measured frequency characteristics of vibration amplitudes and phase angle between the directions of both vibrational amplitudes and rotational speed of the motor rotor against frequency of vibrations, allowed us to understand how to build the pot-like microfluidic rotational motor.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 4663
Author(s):  
Tatsuhiro Yamamoto ◽  
Akihito Ozaki ◽  
Myonghyang Lee

The number of houses with large, continuous spaces has increased recently. With improvements in insulation performance, it has become possible to efficiently air condition such spaces using a single air conditioner. However, the air conditioning efficiency depends on the placement of the air conditioner. The only way to determine the optimal placement of such air conditioners is to conduct an experiment or use computational fluid dynamic analysis. However, because the analysis is performed over a limited period, it is difficult to consider non-stationarity effects without using an energy simulation. Therefore, in this study, energy simulations and computational fluid dynamics analyses were coupled to develop a thermal environment analysis method that considers non-stationarity effects, and various air conditioner arrangements were investigated to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method. The accuracy verification results generally followed the experimental results. A case study was conducted using the calculated boundary conditions, and the results showed that the placement of two air conditioners in the target experimental house could provide sufficient air conditioning during both winter and summer. Our results suggest that this method can be used to conduct preliminary studies if the necessary data are available during design or if an experimental house is used.


2014 ◽  
Vol 789 ◽  
pp. 554-559
Author(s):  
Yang Liu ◽  
Zhou Li ◽  
Guo Qing Zhang ◽  
Wen Yong Xu

The computational fluid dynamic (CFD) software was used to calculate the velocity field in atomization chamber of spray forming equipment. The relationship between melt flow rates, gas aspiration of the atomizer and operating pressure are complex, and the above mentioned parameters are closely related to the atomization process. The influences of different delivery chamfers on gas flow field, which is determined by atomizer structure, were analyzed. Using K-epsilon model with a symmetrical domain, the gas dynamic of different delivery chamfer conditions were investigated. The results indicate that the sharp point of delivery tube causes detachment of flow field, and 56°, 45° and 34° chamfer conditions have same diffusion angle. Gas was aspirated from delivery tube when chamfer was 0°, which is beneficial to liquid metal flow in atomization process.


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