Improvement of a Diagnostic Urban Wind Model for Flow Fields around a Single Rectangular Obstacle in Micrometeorology Simulation

In general, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models incur high computational costs when dealing with realistic and complicated flows. In contrast, the mass-consistent flow (MASCON) field model provides a three-dimensional flow field at reasonable computational cost. Unfortunately, some weaknesses in simulating the flow of the wake zone exist because the momentum equations are not considered in the MASCON field model. In the present study, a new set of improved algebraic models to provide initial flow fields for the MASCON field model are proposed to overcome these weaknesses by considering the effect of momentum diffusion in the wake zone. Specifically, these models for the wake region are developed on the basis of the wake models used in well-recognized Gaussian plume models, ADMS-build and PRIME. The MASCON fields provided by the new set of wake zone models are evaluated against wind-tunnel experimental data on flow around a wall-mounted rectangular obstacle. Each MASCON field is compared with the experimental results, focusing on the positions of the vortex core and saddle points of the vortex formed in the near-wake zone and the vertical velocity distribution in the far-wake zone. The set of wake zone models developed in the present study better reproduce the experimental results in both the wake zones compared to the previously proposed models. In particular, the complicated recirculation flow which is formed by the union of the sidewall recirculation zone and the near-wake zone is reproduced by the present wake zone model using the PRIME model that includes the parameterization of the sidewall recirculation zones.

Heat transfer augmentation characteristics of a fin punched with curve trapezoidal vortex generators at the rear of tubes

The thermal-hydraulic characteristics of a novel fin punched with curve trapezoidal vortex generators (CTVGs) are investigated numerically. The effects of multi-parameters including the geometry of CTVG, the location of CTVGs, and working condition on thermal performance are considered. On one hand, CTVGs can availably lessen the size of tube wake zone, decrease the mechanical energy consumption and heighten the fin heat transfer ability in this area. On the other hand, the secondary flow strength is strengthened because the longitudinal vortices generated by CTVGs, which efficiently enhances the heat transfer on the fin downstream CTVGs. Close relationship exists between the volume-averaged secondary flow strength and the mean Nusselt number. For studied cases, the optimal circumferential location angle of ? = 90? is found, while the optimal radial location Dg is about 1.8 times the tube outside diameter. The smaller is the height or base length of CTVGs, the better the thermal performance of the enhanced fin punched with CTVGs. Better thermal performance is achieved as the fin spacing is about 0.24 times the tube outside diameter.

Airflow Characteristics Downwind a Naturally Ventilated Pig Building with a Roofed Outdoor Exercise Yard and Implications on Pollutant Distribution

The application of naturally ventilated pig buildings (NVPBs) with outdoor exercise yards is on the rise mainly due to animal welfare considerations, while the issue of emissions from the buildings to the surrounding environment is important. Since air pollutants are mainly transported by airflow, the knowledge on the airflow characteristics downwind the building is required. The objective of this research was to investigate airflow properties downwind of a NVPB with a roofed outdoor exercise yard for roof slopes of 5°, 15°, and 25°. Air velocities downwind a 1:50 scaled NVPB model were measured using a Laser Doppler Anemometer in a large boundary layer wind tunnel. A region with reduced mean air velocities was found along the downwind side of the building with a distance up to 0.5 m (i.e., 3.8 times building height), in which the emission concentration might be high. Additional air pollutant treatment technologies applied in this region might contribute to emission mitigation effectively. Furthermore, a wake zone with air recirculation was observed in this area. A smaller roof slope (i.e., 5° slope) resulted in a higher and shorter wake zone and thus a shorter air pollutant dispersion distance.

Improved Power for Wind Farm Savonius Rotors: Effect of Blade Shape and Rotors Position

In the present study the effect of distance between five vertical Savonius rotors « Gap » on the total performance of the wind farm rotors is investigated. Numerical computations are conducted for a single Savonius turbine, and for the five clustered turbines aligned in perpendicular direction with respect to the upstream wind velocity. The study is carried out using ANSYS FLUENT commercial code and the moving mesh approach for the rotating zones is used. The turbulence model adopted in this work is the k-ω shear stress transport (SST) model. Numerical approach was first validated with previously published experimental and numerical data for a single rotating Savonius rotor case with semi-circular blades. Then, an improvement process based on the modification of the blades profiles to an elliptical shape was adopted. Subsequently, the change in distance between the five vertical Savonius rotors « Gap » has been considered with values of 0.25, 1 and 1.4 times the rotor radius (R). Results show that the Gap = 1R provides the optimum power coefficient for the wind farm rotors. However, the generated wake zone behind the five aligned rotors for this value is more important in particular for the 90 ° angle of the advanced and returned rotor blades. The field efficiency defined by the total power ratio of the five isolated rotors to the total power of the wind farm with five Savonius rotors is around 67%. All these geometrical considerations and propositions made it possible to define an optimal wind farm rotors arrangement.

Airflow Characteristics Downwind a Naturally Ventilated Pig Building with a Roofed Outdoor Exercise Yard and Implications on Pollutant Distribution

The application of naturally ventilated pig buildings (NVPBs) with outdoor exercise yards is on the rise mainly due to animal welfare considerations, while the issue of emissions from the buildings to the surrounding environment is important. Since air pollutants are mainly transported by airflow, the knowledge on the airflow characteristics downwind the building is required. The objective of this research was to investigate airflow properties downwind of a NVPB with a roofed outdoor exercise yard for roof slopes of 5°, 15°, and 25°. Air velocities downwind a 1:50 scaled NVPB model were measured using a Laser Doppler Anemometer in a large boundary layer wind tunnel. A region with reduced mean air velocities was found along the downwind side of the building with a distance up to 0.5 m (i.e. 3.8 times building height), in which the emission concentration might be high. It was found that a smaller roof slope (i.e. 5° slope) resulted in a higher and shorter wake zone and thus a shorter air pollutant dispersion distance. It was concluded that a smaller roof slope could contribute to the dilution of air pollutants and a lower air pollutant concentration near the ground.

Characteristics of a co-flowing jet with varying lip thickness and constant velocity ratio

Purpose This study aims to analyze co-flowing jets (CFJs) with constant velocity ratio (VR) and varying primary nozzle lip thickness (LT) to find a critical LT in CFJs below which mixing enhances and beyond which mixing inhibits. Design/methodology/approach CFJs were characterized with a constant VR and varying LTs. A single free jet with a diameter equal to that of a primary nozzle of the CFJ was used for characteristic comparison. Numerical simulation is carried out and is validated with the experimental results. Findings The results show that within a critical limit, the mixing enhanced with an increase in LT. This was signified by a reduction in potential core length (PCL). Beyond this limit, mixing inhibited leading to the elongation of PCL. This limit was controlled by parameters such as LT and constant VR. A new region termed as influential wake zone is identified. Practical implications In this study, the VR is maintained constant and bypass ratio (BR) was varied from low value to very high values. Presently, subsonic commercial turbo fan operates under low to ultra-high BR. Hence the present study becomes vital to the current scenario. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first effort to find the critical value of LT for a constant VR for compressible co-flow jets. The CFJs with constant VR and varying LT have not been studied in the past. The present study focuses on finding a critical LT below which mixing enhances and above which mixing inhibits.

Experimental study of the duct-effects of the tidal current turbines in multi-row-staggered layout

<p>Tidal turbine array was optimized to increase the power production in order to improve the commercial competitivity of tidal current energy with other forms of energy generation. Due to duct-effects, the power performance of turbines in the staggered layout was better than that of the aligned layout. However, shear layer with enhanced turbulence occurred between the duct zone and isolated wake zone downstream, which had influence on the performance stability and increased the fatigue failure of tidal turbines. The study conducted a series of laboratory experiments to investigate the duct-effects of tidal turbines located in multi-row array with staggered layout. The turbine rotor was represented by porous disc. The flow thrust and time-varying velocity were measured using micro strain gauge and acoustic doppler velometer, respectively. Results showed that the flow was accelerated between turbines with the increment around 20% behind the first row, while the duct-effects were weakened as distance increased downstream. The shear-induced turbulence was enlarged by the duct-effect when it diffused mainly towards individual wake zone at the initial stage. As the turbulence filled the whole individual wake zones, it diffused rapidly to lateral sides and jointed together, and the turbulence intensity across the array wake was significantly higher than that of the free flow. Correspondingly, the performance of turbine rotor located downstream was improved limitedly by the duct-effects, and the stability was reduced clearly. It indicated that the advantage of the duct-effect induced in the staggered layout was limited in the near wake as the lateral interval between two turbine centres was 2 times of rotor diameter.</p><p>Keywords<strong>:</strong> Turbine rotor array; Staggered layout; Duct-effects; Turbine performance; Shear-induced turbulence</p>

Причины свечения аномального вторичного потока в сверхзвуковых кластированных струях, возбужденных высоковольтным электронным пучком

The role of clustered particles in the formation of a secondary flow (“wake”) occuring at the gas expiring into a rarefied medium in condensation modes is established. The “wake” boundaries were found by comparing the spectral and photometric measurements. Possible mechanisms for initiating luminescence in "wake" are considered. The role of energy exchange of clusters with background gas in the afterglow of the "wake" has been found out. The wavelengths and corresponding transitions in the neutral (Ar-I) and once ionized (Ar-II) argon atoms, which determine the anomalous glow, were discovered. The lifetimes in the excited state of particles in the central part and on the periphery of the clustered flow are detected. The effect of condensation on the background gas penetration into the primary traditional supersonic jet and into the “wake” zone is found.

Heat Transfer Enhancement for Wake Zone Using Slit Pillar in Microchannel Heat Sinks

Pillar microchannel heat sinks have been widely used for chip cooling, while their overall heat transfer performance is restricted by the stagnation flow in pillar wake zone. In this work, a simple but effective method using slit microstructure modified on pillar was proposed to enhance wake zone heat transfer. It enables a special flow path for the incoming fluid that intensively disturbs the wake fluid. To validate the proposed method, a three-dimensional simulation was employed to study the laminar flow and heat transfer characteristics in the slit pillar microchannel. The pillar without slit design was also investigated for comparative analysis. Effects of slit angle (θ), height over diameter ratio (H/D), and blocking ratio (D/W) of a single pillar were systematically studied at the Reynolds numbers of 26–260. Results showed the case with θ = 0 deg always demonstrated lower surface temperature, higher Nusselt number and higher thermal performance index (TPI) compared to other cases with different slit angles at the same conditions. Furthermore, it was interesting to find that the slit configuration was not suitable for long pillar microchannel, but preferred for high blocking ratio pillar microchannel at present ranges (H/D ≤ 1, D/W ≤ 0.5). The slit pillar array microchannel was also explored and observed with improved overall heat transfer performance. The proposed slit microstructure well prevents the heat transfer deterioration in pillar wake zone, which is promisingly to be used for cooling performance improvement of electronic device.