Wind turbulence over misaligned surface waves and air-sea momentum flux. Part I: Waves following and opposing wind

Air-sea momentum and scalar fluxes are strongly influenced by the coupling dynamics between turbulent winds and a spectrum of waves. Because direct field observations are difficult, particularly in high winds, many modeling and laboratory studies have aimed to elucidate the impacts of the sea state and other surface wave features on momentum and energy fluxes between wind and waves as well as on the mean wind profile and drag coefficient. Opposing wind is common under transient winds, for example under tropical cyclones, but few studies have examined its impacts on air-sea fluxes. In this study, we employ a large eddy simulation for wind blowing over steep sinusoidal waves of varying phase speeds, both following and opposing wind, to investigate impacts on the mean wind profile, drag coefficient, and wave growth/decay rates. The airflow dynamics and impacts rapidly change as the wave age increases for waves following wind. However, there is a rather smooth transition from the slowest waves following wind to the fastest waves opposing wind, with gradual enhancement of a flow perturbation identified by a strong vorticity layer detached from the crest despite the absence of apparent airflow separation. The vorticity layer appears to increase the effective surface roughness and wave form drag (wave attenuation rate) substantially for faster waves opposing wind.

Characterization of milkweed-seed gust response

Inspired by the reproductive success of plant species that employ bristled seeds for wind-borne dispersal, this study investigates the gust response of milkweed seeds, selected for their near-spherical shape. Gust-response experiments are performed to determine whether these porous bodies offer unique aerodynamic properties. Optical motion-tracking and particle image velocimetry (PIV) are used to characterize the dynamics of milkweed seed samples as they freely respond to a flow perturbation produced in an unsteady, gust wind tunnel. The observed seed acceleration ratio was found to agree with that of similar-sized soap bubbles as well as theoretical predictions, suggesting that aerodynamic performance does not degrade with porosity. Observations of high-velocity and high-vorticity fluid deflected around the body, obtained via time-resolved PIV measurements, suggest that there is minimal flow through the porous sphere. Therefore, despite the seed’s porosity, the formation of a region of fluid shear, accompanied by vorticity roll-up around the body and in its wake, is not suppressed, as would normally be expected for porous bodies. Thus, the seeds achieve instantaneous drag exceeding that of a solid sphere (e.g. bubble) over the first eight convective times of the perturbation. Therefore, while the steady-state drag produced by porous bodies is typically lower than that of a solid counterpart, an enhanced drag response is generated during the initial flow acceleration period.

Driving Mechanisms of Double-Nosed Low-Level Jets during MATERHORN Experiment

In the realm of boundary-layer flows in complex terrain, low-level jets (LLJs) have received considerable attention, although little literature is available for double-nosed LLJs that remain not well understood. To this end, we use the MATERHORN dataset to demonstrate that double-nosed LLJs developing within the planetary boundary layer (PBL) are common during stable nocturnal conditions and present two possible mechanisms responsible for their formation. It is observed that the onset of a double-nosed LLJ is associated with a temporary shape modification of an already-established LLJ. The characteristics of these double-nosed LLJs are described using a refined version of identification criteria proposed in the literature, and their formation is classified in terms of two driving mechanisms. The wind-driven mechanism encompasses cases where the two noses are associated with different air masses flowing one on top of the other. The wave-driven mechanism involves the vertical momentum transport by an inertial-gravity wave to generate the second nose. The wave-driven mechanism is corroborated by the analysis of nocturnal double-nosed LLJs, where inertial-gravity waves are generated close to the ground by a sudden flow perturbation.

Confidence in Flame Impulse Response Estimation From Les with Uncertain Thermal Boundary Conditions

Thermoacoustic stability analysis is an essential part of the engine development process. Typically, thermoacoustic stability is determined by hybrid approaches. These approaches require information on the flame dynamic response. The combined approach of advanced System identification (SI) and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) is an efficient strategy to compute the flame dynamic response to flow perturbation in terms of the Finite Impulse Response (FIR). The identified FIR is uncertain due in part to the aleatoric uncertainties caused by applying SI on systems with combustion noise and partly due to epistemic uncertainties caused by lack of knowledge of operating or boundary conditions. Carrying out traditional uncertainty quantification techniques, such as Monte Carlo, in the framework of LES/SI would be computationally prohibitive. As a result, the present paper proposes a methodology to build a surrogate model in the presence of both aleatoric and epistemic uncertainties. Specifically, we propose a univariate Gaussian Process (GP) surrogate model, where the final trained GP takes into account the uncertainty of SI and the uncertainty in the combustor back plate temperature, which is known to have considerable impact on the flame dynamics. The GP model is trained on the FIRs obtained from the LES/SI of turbulent premixed swirled combustor at different combustor back plate temperatures. Due to the change in the combustor back plate temperature the flame topology changes, which in turn influences the FIR. The trained GP model is successful in interpolating the FIR with confidence intervals covering the "true" FIR from LES/SI.

Two Way Coupled Fields Multi-Physics Modeling Is Investigated as an Additional Approach to Address Fluid Elastic Instability

Two way coupled fields multi-physics modeling is investigated as an additional approach to address out-of-plane FEI. It is established in the literature that to model the damping-controlled fluid elastic instability, a finite time delay between tube vibration and fluid perturbation must be realized. The phase lag between tube vibration and flow perturbation due to damping must be adequately captured by the model. The effects of tube frequency, turbulence level, location, and mean gap velocity on the relative phase values must also be captured. This approach will allow the time delay between tube vibration and flow perturbation due to damping, as well as turbulence, and stiffness to be intrinsically modeled. We will introduce the applicability of the method to in-plane FEI in a future paper once we have based lined it against out of plane FEI empirical results.

Numerical Prediction of the Phase Difference in Tube Bundles Experiencing Streamwise Fluidelastic Instability

Recent experimental investigations have shown that tube arrays can become unstable in the streamwise direction. This is contrary to the long-held notion that fluidelastic instability is only a concern in the direction transverse to the flow. The possibility of streamwise fluidelastic instability (FEI) as a potential threat to the integrity of tube bundles was confirmed by the recent failures of newly installed replacement steam generators. A number of investigations were conducted to uncover the nature of this mechanism. A theoretical framework was developed by Hassan and Weaver [1] to model streamwise fluidelastic instability in a bundle of flexible tubes. The model utilized a simple time lag expression for the flow channel area perturbation. The current work aims at developing a numerical model to precisely predict the flow perturbation characteristics in a tube bundle due to streamwise tube motion. Flow simulations were carried out for single phase fluid flow in a parallel triangle tube bundle array with 1.2, 1.5 and 1.7 pitch to diameter ratios. The numerical model was benchmarked against numerical and experimental results available in the FEI literature. Simulations were carried out for a range of reduced flow velocities. The model results showed that the upstream flow perturbation magnitude and phase are different from those obtained in the downstream of the moving tube. The obtained flow perturbation characteristics were implemented in the Hassan and Weaver [1] model and the streamwise FEI threshold was predicted.

Gas flow control in rocket engines

In the new conditions of application of launch vehicle boosters, space tugs, etc., modern rocket engines often do not satisfy the current stringent requirements. This calls for fundamental research into processes in rocket engines for improving their efficiency. In this regard, for the past 5 years, the Department of Thermogas Dynamics of Power Plants of the Institute of Technical Mechanics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the State Space Agency of Ukraine has conducted research on gas flow control in rocket engines to improve their efficiency and functionality. Mechanisms of flow perturbation in the nozzle of a rocket engine by liquid injection and a solid obstacle were investigated. A mathematical model of supersonic flow perturbation by local liquid injection was refined, and new solutions for increasing the energy release rate of the liquid were developed. A numerical simulation of a gas flow perturbed by a solid obstacle in the nozzle of a rocket engine made it possible to verify the known (mostly experimental) results and to reveal new perturbation features. In particular, a significant increase in the efficiency of flow perturbation by an obstacle in the transonic region was shown up, and some dependences involving the distribution of the perturbed pressure on the nozzle wall, which had been considered universal, were refined. The possibility of increasing the efficiency of use of the generator gas picked downstream of the turbine of a liquid-propellant rocket engine was investigated, and the advantages of a new scheme of gas injection into the supersonic part of the nozzle, which provides both nozzle wall cooling by the generator gas and the production of lateral control forces, were substantiated. A new concept of rocket engine thrust vector control was developed: a combination of a mechanical and a gas-dynamic system. It was shown that such a thrust vector control system allows one to increase the efficiency and reliability of the space rocket stage flight control system. A new liquid-propellant rocket engine scheme was developed to control both the thrust amount and the thrust vector direction in all planes of rocket stage flight stabilization. New approaches to the process organization in auxiliary elements of rocket engines on the basis of detonation propellant combustion were developed to increase the rocket engine performance.

Confidence in Flame Impulse Response Estimation From LES With Uncertain Thermal Boundary Conditions

Thermoacoustic stability analysis is an essential part of the engine development process. Typically, thermoacoustic stability is determined by hybrid approaches such as network models or Helmholtz solvers. These approaches require information on the flame dynamic response. The combined approach of advanced System identification (SI) and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) is an efficient strategy to compute the flame dynamic response to flow perturbation in terms of the Finite Impulse Response (FIR). The identified FIR is uncertain due in part to the aleatoric uncertainties caused by applying SI on systems with combustion noise and partly due to epistemic uncertainties caused by lack of knowledge of operating or boundary conditions. Carrying out traditional uncertainty quantification techniques, such as Monte Carlo, in the framework of LES/SI would be computationally prohibitive. As a result, the present paper proposes a methodology to build a surrogate model in the presence of both aleatoric and epistemic uncertainties. More specifically, we propose a univariate Gaussian Process (GP) surrogate model, where the final trained GP takes into account the uncertainty of SI and the uncertainty in the combustor back plate temperature, which is known to have considerable impact on the flame dynamics. The GP model is trained on the FIRs obtained from the LES/SI of turbulent pre-mixed swirled combustor at different combustor back plate temperatures. Due to the change in the combustor back plate temperature the flame topology changes, which in turn influences the FIR. The trained GP model is successful in interpolating the FIR with confidence intervals covering the “true” FIR from LES/SI.

Numerical Approach for the Assessment of Micro-Textured Walls Effects on Rubber Injection Moulding

Micro-surface texturing of elastomeric seals is a validated method to improve the friction and wear characteristics of the seals. In this study, the injection process of high-viscosity elastomeric materials in moulds with wall microprotusions is evaluated. To this end, a novel CFD methodology is developed and implemented in OpenFOAM to address rubber flow behaviour at both microscale and macroscale. The first approach allows analyzing the flow perturbation induced by a particular surface texture and generate results to calculate an equivalent wall shear stress that is introduced into the macroscale case through reduced order modelling. The methodology is applied to simulate rubber injection in textured moulds in an academic case (straight pipe) and a real case (D-ring seal mould). In both cases, it is shown that textured walls do not increase the injection pressure and therefore the manufacturing process is not adversely affected.

Efficient Steady and Unsteady Flow Modeling for Arbitrarily Mis-Staggered Bladerow Under Influence of Inlet Distortion

Accurate and efficient predictions of the steady and unsteady flow responses due to the blade-to-blade variation as well as due to the nonaxisymmetric inlet distortion have been continually pursued. Computation of two problems concurrently has been rarely done in the past partly because of the need to perform whole annulus bladerow simulations, despite the advances in the current state-of-the-art methods with the phase-shift single passage simulations. The current work attempts to deal with this challenge by developing a new computational approach based on the principle of the multiscale method in the framework of a commercial solver (CFX). The methodology formulation relies on summation of the constituent source terms, each of which corresponds to a particular flow perturbation. The source term element corresponding to the blade-to-blade variation effect is linearly superimposed as in the classical Influence Coefficient Method. The unsteady flow field around a blade at any time instant depends only on its relative position to all its neighboring blades, so that the influences of an arbitrarily mis-staggered bladerow can be computed efficiently. In addition, the source term arisen due to the inlet distortion is calculated based on the spatial Fourier transform. A key enabler is that the source terms can be precomputed using a small set of identical blade passages. The source term is then propagated to different spatial and temporal locations depending on the combination of the mis-staggering pattern and the inlet distortion. The multiscale treatment makes it possible to predict a high-resolution flow field effects on the base coarse mesh as if a fine mesh were locally solved, while achieving a considerable computational efficiency gain. The proposed influence-coefficient and source term based method has been validated for test cases with a uniformly staggered bladerow, and for an arbitrarily mis-staggered bladerow, under a clean inflow condition as well as that subject to an inlet distortion.