Rain drop size distributions estimated from NOAA Snow-Level Radar data

Using NOAA’s S-band High Power Snow-Level Radar, HPSLR, a technique for estimating the rain drop size distribution (DSD) above the radar is presented. This technique assumes the DSD can be described by a four parameter, generalized Gamma distribution (GGD). Using the radar’s measured average Doppler velocity spectrum and a value (assumed, measured, or estimated) of the vertical air motion, w, an estimate of the GGD is obtained. Four different methods can be used to obtain w. One method that estimates a mean mass-weighted raindrop diameter, Dm, from the measured reflectivity, Z, produces realistic DSDs compared to prior literature examples. These estimated DSDs provide evidence that the radar can retrieve the smaller drop sizes constituting the “drizzle” mode part of the DSD. This estimation technique was applied to 19 h of observations from Hankins, NC. Results support the concept that DSDs can be modeled using GGDs with a limited range of parameters. Further work is needed to validate the described technique for estimating DSDs in more varied precipitation types and to verify the vertical air motion estimates.

Vertical Structure of Ice Clouds and Vertical Air Motion from Vertically Pointing Cloud Radar Measurements

The vertical structure of ice clouds and vertical air motion (Vair) were investigated using vertically pointing Ka-band cloud radar. The distributions of reflectivity (Z), Doppler velocity (VD), and spectrum width (SW) were analyzed for three ice cloud types, namely, cirrus, anvil, and stratiform clouds. The radar parameters of the cirrus clouds showed narrower distributions than those of the stratiform and anvil clouds. In the vertical structures, the rapid growth of Z and VD occurred in the layer between 8 and 12 km (roughly a layer of −40 °C to −20 °C) for all ice clouds. The prominent feature in the stratiform clouds was an elongated “S” shape in the VD near 7–7.5 km (at approximately −16 °C to −13 °C) due to a significant decrease in an absolute value of VD. The mean terminal fall velocity (Vt) and Vair in the ice clouds were estimated using pre-determined Vt–Z relationships (Vt = aZb) and the observed VD. Although the cirrus clouds demonstrated wide distributions in coefficients a and exponents b depending on cloud heights, they showed a smaller change in Z and Vt values compared to that of the other cloud types. The anvil clouds had a larger exponent than that of the stratiform clouds, indicating that the ice particle density of anvil clouds increases at a faster rate compared with the density of stratiform clouds for the same Z increment. The significant positive Vair appeared at the top of all ice clouds in range up to 0.5 m s−1, and the anvil clouds showed the deepest layer of upward motion. The stratiform and anvil clouds showed a dramatic increase in vertical air motion in the layer of 6–8 km as shown by the rapid decrease of VD. This likely caused increase of supersaturation above. A periodic positive Vair linked with a significant reduction in VD appeared at the height of 7–8 km (approximately −15 °C) dominantly in the stratiform clouds. This layer exhibited a bi-modal power spectrum produced by pre-existing larger ice particles and newly formed numerous smaller ice particles. This result raised a question on the origins of smaller ice particles such as new nucleation due to increased supersaturation by upward motion below or the seeder-feeder effect. In addition, the retrieved Vair with high-resolution data well represented a Kelvin-Helmholtz wave development.

PIV measurements of entrainment process of directly injected media in internal combustion engines

PIV measurements have been successfully applied to various flow fields relating internal combustion engines such as in-cylinder air motion, air flow in an intake port, and even a discharging passage of an ignition plug. Measurements of induced air motion around diesel sprays can be said to be a significant example of the PIV applications because the air motion is reflected in an unsteady complicated flow structure. Instead of the apparent entrainment exaggerated by spray droplet dispersing, substantial air entrainment through momentum exchange between liquid and gas was finally obtained by combining PIV and spray profile observation. PIV measurements of this kind were extensionally applied to other direct fluid injection by the authors. The second object was a high-pressure gas jet directly injected under gas pressure as high as 30 MPa. It was found the gas jet has strong air entrainment through momentum exchange in a single gaseous phase between fuel gas and ambient air. The third directly injected medium in internal combustion engines should be torch flame ejected from nozzle holes of a pre-combustion chamber (PCC) to a main combustion chamber (MCC) of a so-called DF (dual-fuel) engine. In this study, mixture entrainment process of torch flames is discussed on the PIV results for the first time. However, chamber configurations of a real DF engine are hard to simulate since itrequires several auxiliary PCC devices such as an ignition plug, a sub gas injector, and so on. All of them should be actuated synchronously with an engine crank angle. In the case of a constant volume vessel (CVV), the synchronization is not necessary, but the mixture control in the PCC becomes problematic because of the lack of compression and expansion strokes that assures PCCgas exchange. For overcoming the situation, rupture of a membrane was introduced in this study. The membrane turns the upper part of the PCC into an air pressure reservoir and low-pressure air jets eject from the nozzle holes after a solenoid-driven needle pierces the membrane for rupturing. The differential pressure between the upper chamber and the lower one was chosen as a main parameter of the experiment. Since the measurements and analysis of the entrainment of the low-pressure air jets are yet to finalize, the outlook of the CVV, the PIV specifications, and prime results of the air entrainment are attached herewith. After all, the PIV measurements revealed essential difference among air entrainment processes of the above three directly injected media in internal combustion engines.

Improved Estimates of the Vertical Structures of Rain Using Single Frequency Doppler Radars

It is important to understand the statistical-physical structure of the rain in the vertical so that observations aloft can be translated meaningfully into what will occur at the surface. In order to achieve this understanding, it is necessary to gather high temporal and spatial resolution observations of rain in the vertical. This can only be accomplished using radars. It can be achieved by translating radar Doppler spectra into drop size distributions which can then be integrated to calculate variables such as the rain fall rate. A long-standing difficulty in using such measurements, however, is the problem of vertical air motion which can shift the Doppler spectra, and, therefore, significantly alter the deduced drop size distributions and integrated variables. In this work, we illustrate the improvement in measured rain structures using a new approach for removing the effect of mean vertical air motion. It is demonstrated that the new approach proposed here not only produces what appear to be better estimates of the rainfall rates, but, also as a consequence, provides estimates of the temporal and spatial regionally coherent updraft and downdrafts occurring in the precipitation. Furthermore, the technique is readily applicable to other radars especially those operating at non-attenuating frequencies.

Improved Estimates of the Vertical Structures of Rain Using Single Frequency Doppler Radars

It is important to understand the statistical-physical structure of the rain in the vertical so that observations aloft can be translated meaningfully into what will occur at the surface. In order to achieve this understanding, it is necessary to gather high temporal and spatial resolution observations of rain in the vertical. This can only be accomplished using radars. It can be achieved by translating radar Doppler spectra into drop size distributions which can then be integrated to calculate variables such as the rain fall rate. A long-standing difficulty in using such measurements, however, is the problem of vertical air motion which can shift the Doppler spectra, and, therefore, significantly alter the deduced drop size distributions and integrated variables. In this work, we illustrate the improvement in measured rain structures using a new approach for removing the effect of mean vertical air motion. It is demonstrated that the new approach proposed here not only produces what appear to be better estimates of the rainfall rates, but, also as a consequence, provides estimates of the temporal and spatial regionally coherent updraft and downdrafts occurring in the precipitation. Furthermore, the technique is readily applicable to other radars especially those operating at non-attenuating frequencies.

Research on Regularities of Cyclic Air Motion through a Respirator Filter

In this paper, a solution to the problem of the change in the pressure drop in a respirator filter during cyclic air motion is suggested since the current theory of filtering is based on steady-flow processes. The theoretical dependence of the pressure drop in the respirator filter on air flow rate is determined, which is represented by the harmonic law, which characterizes the human respiration process during physical work. For the calculation, a filter model was used, which is represented by a system of parallel isolated cylinders with a length equal to the total length of the filter fibres surrounded by porous shells formed by a viscous air flow field, with a size determined by the equal velocities of the radial component of air flow and undisturbed flows. The flow-around process in the proposed model of air flow through the respirator filter is described by the Brinkman equation, which served to establish the total air flow resistance in the proposed system under conditions of velocity proportionality. It consists of two parts: the first characterizes the frictional resistance of the air flow against the surface of the cylinder, which imitates the filter fibre; the second—the inertial part—characterizes the frequency of pulsations of respiratory movements during physical performance. The divergence of the analytical results and experimental studies is no more than 20%, which allows the use of the established dependence to estimate the change in pressure drop in a respirator filter made of filter material “Elephlen” when the user carries out different physical activities. This allows the period of effective protective action of respirators with different cycles of respiration during physical activities to be specified, which is a very serious problem that is not currently regulated in health and safety regulations, and it also allows the prediction of the protective action of filters and respiratory protection in general.