Precursors of backflow events and their relationship with the near-wall self-sustaining process

This study examines the precursors and consequences of rare backflow events at the wall using direct numerical simulation of turbulent pipe flow with a high spatiotemporal resolution. The results obtained from conditionally averaged fields reveal that the precursor of a backflow event is the asymmetric collision between a high- and a low-speed streak (LSS) associated with the sinuous mode of the streaks. As the collision occurs, a lifted shear layer with high local azimuthal enstrophy is formed at the trailing end of the LSS. Subsequently, a spanwise or an oblique vortex spontaneously arises. The dominant nonlinear mechanism by which this vortex is engendered is enstrophy intensification due to direct stretching of the lifted vorticity lines in the azimuthal direction. As time progresses, this vortex tilts and orientates towards the streamwise direction and, as its enstrophy increases, it induces the breakdown of the LSS located below it. Subsequently, this vortical structure advects as a quasi-streamwise vortex, as it tilts and stretches with time. As a result, it is shown that reverse flow events at the wall are the signature of the nonlinear mechanism of the self-sustaining process occurring at the near-wall region. Additionally, each backflow event has been tracked in space and time, showing that approximately 50 % of these events are followed by at least one additional vortex generation that gives rise to new backflow events. It is also found that up to a maximum of seven regenerations occur after a backflow event has appeared for the first time.

Numerical Analysis of Gravitational Vortex Chamber

A rotating mass of fluid is known as vortex and the motion of the rotating mass of fluid is known as vortex motion. Vorticity is the circulation per unit area. In this research simulation of a vortex chamber is to be carried out in ANSYS CFD taking water as fluid domain for generating a water vortex that is capable enough to move a turbine for electricity generation. The CAD modelling of the setup was set down and simulation was done in fine mesh by taking suitable wall function in the model of a cylindrical chamber along with a rectangular channel with a contraction portion at the end of it where good amount of vortex generation was acquired by observing velocity and pressure by setting different parameters. The results shows the pressure and velocity contours with 3D velocity streamline flow and the curve of the velocity and pressure curve shows the decrease of pressure and increase of velocity from inlet to outlet that leads to a decent vortex generation.

Aerodynamic Performance Analysis of a Modified Joukowsky Airfoil: Parametric Control of Trailing Edge Thickness

In order to ensure the blade strength of large-scale wind turbine, the blunt trailing edge airfoil structure is proposed, aiming at assessing the impact of the trailing edge shape on the flow characteristics and airfoil performance. In this paper, a Joukowsky airfoil is modified by adding the tail thickness parameter K to achieve the purpose of accurately modifying the thickness of the blunt tail edge of the airfoil. Using Ansys Fluent as a tool, a large eddy simulation (LES) model was used to analyze the vortex structure of the airfoil trailing edge. The attack angles were used as variables to analyze the aerodynamic performance of airfoils with different K-values. It was found that when α = 0°, α = 4°, and α = 8°, the lift coefficient and lift–drag ratio increased with increasing K-value. With the increase in the angle of attack from 8° to 12°, the lift–drag ratio of the airfoil with the blunt tail increased from +70% to −7.3% compared with the original airfoil, which shows that the airfoil with the blunt trailing edge has a better aerodynamic performance at a small angle of attack. The aerodynamic characteristics of the airfoil are affected by the periodic shedding of the wake vortex and also have periodic characteristics. By analyzing the vortex structure at the trailing edge, it was found that the value of K can affect the size of the vortex and the position of vortex generation/shedding. When α = 0°, α = 4°, and α = 8°, the blunt trailing edge could improve the aerodynamic performance of the airfoil; when α = 12°, the position of vortex generation changed, which reduced the aerodynamic performance of the airfoil. Therefore, when designing the trailing edge of an airfoil, the thickness of the trailing edge can be designed according to the specific working conditions. It can provide valuable information for the design and optimization of blunt trailing edge airfoil.

Analysis of the Influence of the Vortex Shedder Shape on the Metrological Properties of the Vortex Flow Meter

Vortex flow meters are used to measure the flow of gases and liquids. The flow meters of this type measure the frequency of vortices that arise behind an obstacle set in the path of the flowing fluid. The frequency is a function of the speed of the flowing fluid. This obstacle is called the vortex shedder bar. The advantage of this solution is that the frequency of vortices does not viscose on the rheological properties of the fluid, such as viscosity or density. As a result, the indications of the vortex flowmeter do not depend on the temperature and type of fluid. The work includes numerical and experimental studies of the effect of changing the shape of a vortex generator on the stability of vortex generation in a vortex flowmeter. The article presents a numerical analysis of the influence of selected surfaces of the vortex shedder on the parameters of the vortex flowmeter. In order to determine the influence of the shape of the vortex shedder on the type of generated vortices, simulations were carried out for various flow velocities. Numerical calculations were experimentally verified for a cylinder-shaped vortex shedder. The experimental tests consist in determining the velocity field behind the vortex shedder. For this purpose, a proprietary method of determining local liquid velocities and the visualization of local vortices were used. On the basis of the conducted research, the influence of the shape of the vortex shedder on the width of the von Karman vortex street was determined and the optimal longitudinal distance from the shedder was determined in which it is most useful to measure the frequency of the vortices. This place ensures the stability of the frequency of the generated vortices.