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### Research Papers: Techniques and Procedures

J. Fluids Eng. 2009;131(11):111401-111401-6. doi:10.1115/1.4000259.

Measurement-integrated (MI) simulation is a numerical simulation in which experimental results are fed back to the simulation. The calculated values become closer to the experimental values. In the present paper, MI simulation using a turbulent model is proposed and applied to steady and unsteady oscillatory airflows passing an orifice plate in a pipeline. Velocity and pressure feedbacks are conducted and both feedback methods showed good agreement with the experimental results. Moreover, the calculation times between the MI simulation and ordinary simulation were compared in steady and unsteady conditions. The calculation time was demonstrated to be significantly reduced compared with ordinary simulation.

Commentary by Dr. Valentin Fuster

### Research Papers: Flows in Complex Systems

J. Fluids Eng. 2009;131(11):111101-111101-10. doi:10.1115/1.4000260.

The effects of sweep-back angle $(Λ)$, Reynolds number (Re), and angle of attack $(α)$ on the boundary-layer flow structures and aerodynamic performance of a finite swept-back wing were experimentally investigated. The Reynolds number and sweep-back angle used in this test is $30,000 and $0 deg≤Λ≤45 deg$. The wing model was made of stainless steel, and the wing airfoil is NACA 0012. The chord length is 6 cm, and the semiwing span is 30 cm; and therefore, the semiwing aspect ratio is 5. The boundary-layer flow structures were visualized using the surface oil-flow technique. Seven boundary-layer flow modes were categorized by changing Re and $α$. A six-component balance is used to determine aerodynamic loadings. The aerodynamic performance is closely related to the boundary-layer flow modes. The stall angle of attack $(αstall)$ is deferred from 9 deg to 10 deg (for an unswept wing), to 30 deg to 35 deg (for a swept-back wings of $Λ>30 deg$). The deferment of $αstall$ is induced from the increased rotation energy and turbulent intensity generated from the secondary flow. Furthermore, the increased rotation energy and turbulent intensity resisted the reverse pressure generated at high $α$.

Commentary by Dr. Valentin Fuster
J. Fluids Eng. 2009;131(11):111102-111102-7. doi:10.1115/1.4000261.

This paper presents a study of the laminar flow in a channel with longitudinal moving bars arrayed along the channel width. The governing equations describing the fluid, which flows along the direction of the bar’s length, are expressed with double Poisson equations and are solved by eigenfunction-expansion and point-match method. The result shows that when the solid bars move forward, the fluid flow will move in the same direction, and the $f Re$ decreases as the positive velocity of bars increases. However, when the bars move backward, a reverse flow will occur in the channel, and the $f Re$ is higher at larger negative velocity of bars. For a channel flow with moving bars, the $f Re$ value is not a constant, such as a classical one without moving bars, in which the $f Re$ value is a constant. Furthermore, when the area of the cross section of the bar is fixed, both the mean velocities and the $f Re$ values of the fluid can be obtained under different velocities and aspect ratios of the bars.

Commentary by Dr. Valentin Fuster
J. Fluids Eng. 2009;131(11):111103-111103-15. doi:10.1115/1.4000258.

The aim of this work is to provide a detailed two-dimensional numerical analysis of the physical phenomena occurring during dynamic stall of a Darrieus wind turbine. The flow is particularly complex because as the turbine rotates, the incidence angle and the blade Reynolds number vary, causing unsteady effects in the flow field. At low tip speed ratio, a deep dynamic stall occurs on blades, leading to large hysteresis lift and drag loops (primary effects). On the other hand, high tip speed ratio corresponds to attached boundary layers on blades (secondary effects). The optimal efficiency occurs in the middle range of the tip speed ratio where primary and secondary effects cohabit. To prove the capacity of the modeling to handle the physics in the whole range of operating condition, it is chosen to consider two tip speed ratios ($λ=2$ and $λ=7$), the first in the primary effect region and the second in the secondary effect region. The numerical analysis is performed with an explicit, compressible RANS $k-ω$ code TURBFLOW , in a multiblock structured mesh configuration. The time step and grid refinement sensitivities are examined. Results are compared qualitatively with the visualization of the vortex shedding of Brochier (1986, “Water channel experiments of dynamic stall on Darrieus wind turbine blades,” J. Propul. Power, 2(5), pp. 445–449). Hysteresis lift and drag curves are compared with the data of Laneville and Vitecoq (1986, “Dynamic stall: the case of the vertical axis wind turbine,” Prog. Aerosp. Sci., 32, pp. 523–573).

Commentary by Dr. Valentin Fuster
J. Fluids Eng. 2009;131(11):111104-111104-7. doi:10.1115/1.4000345.

Axial fans often show adverse flow conditions at the fan hub and at the tip of the blade. The modification of conventional axial fan blade is presented. Hollow blade was manufactured from the hub to the tip. It enables the formation of self-induced internal flow through internal passages. The internal flow enters the passage of the hollow blade through the opening near the fan hub and exits through the trailing edge slots at the tip of the hollow blade. The study of the influence of internal flow on the flow field of axial fan and modifications of axial fan aerodynamic characteristics is presented. The characteristics of the axial fan with the internal flow were compared to characteristics of a geometrically equivalent fan without internal flow. The results show integral measurements of performance testing using standardized test rig and the measurements of local characteristics. The measurements of local characteristics were performed with a hot-wire anemometry and a five-hole probe. Reduction in adverse flow conditions near the trailing edge at the tip of the hollow blade, boundary-layer reduction in the hollow blade suction side, and reduction in flow separation were attained. The introduction of the self-induced blowing led to the preservation of external flow direction defined by the blade geometry, which enabled maximal local energy conversion. The integral characteristic reached a higher degree of efficiency.

Commentary by Dr. Valentin Fuster
J. Fluids Eng. 2009;131(11):111105-111105-11. doi:10.1115/1.4000377.

A detailed review and analysis of the hydrodynamic characteristics of laminar developing and fully developed flows in noncircular ducts is presented. New models are proposed, which simplify the prediction of the friction factor–Reynolds product $f Re$ for developing and fully developed flows in most noncircular duct geometries found in heat exchanger applications. By means of scaling analysis it is shown that complete problem may be easily analyzed by combining the asymptotic results for the short and long ducts. Through the introduction of a new characteristic length scale, the square root of cross-sectional area, the effect of duct shape has been minimized. The new model has an accuracy of ±10% or better for most common duct shapes when nominal aspect ratios are used, and ±3% or better when effective aspect ratios are used. Both singly and doubly connected ducts are considered.

Commentary by Dr. Valentin Fuster

### Research Papers: Multiphase Flows

J. Fluids Eng. 2009;131(11):111301-111301-10. doi:10.1115/1.4000241.

An experimental study of air supply to bottom cavities stabilized within a recess under a horizontal surface has been carried out in a specially designed water tunnel. The air supply necessary for creating and maintaining an air cavity in steady and gust flows has been determined over a wide range of speed. Flux-free ventilated cavitation at low flow speeds has been observed. Stable multiwave cavity forms at subcritical values of Froude number were also observed. It was found that the cross-sectional area of the air supply ducting has a substantial effect on the air demand. Air supply scaling laws were deduced and verified with the experimental data obtained.

Commentary by Dr. Valentin Fuster
J. Fluids Eng. 2009;131(11):111302-111302-8. doi:10.1115/1.4000388.

Although cavitation inception in jets has been studied extensively, little is known about the more complex problem of a jet flow interacting with an outer flow behind a moving body. This problem is studied experimentally by considering inception behind an axisymmetric body driven by a waterjet. Tests were carried out for various water tunnel velocities and jet speeds such that jet velocity ratio $UJ/U$ could be varied in the range of 0–2. Distinctly different cavitation patterns were observed at zero jet velocity (when cavitation appeared in spiral vortices in such flows) and at various jet velocity ratios (when cavitation appeared around the jet in such flows). A simple superposition analysis, utilizing particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) measurements, is able to qualitatively predict the experimental result. On the basis of these observations, a numerical prediction of cavitation inception number based on viscous-inviscid interaction concept is suggested.

Commentary by Dr. Valentin Fuster
J. Fluids Eng. 2009;131(11):111303-111303-11. doi:10.1115/1.4000257.

Computational modeling of fluidized beds can be used to predict the operation of biomass gasifiers after extensive validation with experimental data. The present work focused on validating computational simulations of a fluidized bed using a multifluid Eulerian–Eulerian model to represent the gas and solid phases as interpenetrating continua. Simulations of a cold-flow glass bead fluidized bed, using two different drag models, were compared with experimental results for model validation. The validated numerical model was then used to complete a parametric study for the coefficient of restitution and particle sphericity, which are unknown properties of biomass. Biomass is not well characterized, and so this study attempts to demonstrate how particle properties affect the hydrodynamics of a fluidized bed. Hydrodynamic results from the simulations were compared with X-ray flow visualization computed tomography studies of a similar bed. It was found that the Gidaspow (blending) model can accurately predict the hydrodynamics of a biomass fluidized bed. The coefficient of restitution of biomass did not affect the hydrodynamics of the bed for the conditions of this study; however, the bed hydrodynamics were more sensitive to particle sphericity variation.

Commentary by Dr. Valentin Fuster

### Research Papers: Fundamental Issues and Canonical Flows

J. Fluids Eng. 2009;131(11):111201-111201-17. doi:10.1115/1.3216519.

Flow maldistribution, resulting from bubbles or other particulate matter, can lead to drastic performance degradation in devices that employ parallel microchannels for heat transfer. In this work, direct numerical simulations of fluid flow through a prescribed parallel microchannel geometry are performed and coupled with active control of actuated microvalves to effectively identify and reduce flow maldistribution. Accurate simulation of fluid flow through a set of three parallel microchannels is achieved utilizing a fictitious-domain representation of immersed objects such as microvalves and artificially introduced bubbles. Flow simulations are validated against experimental results obtained for flow through a single high-aspect ratio microchannel, flow around an oscillating cylinder, and flow with a bubble rising in an inclined channel. Results of these simulations compare very well to those obtained experimentally, and validate the use of the solver for the parallel microchannel configuration of this study. System identification techniques are employed on numerical simulations of fluid flow through the geometry to produce a lower dimensional model that captures the essential dynamics of the full nonlinear flow, in terms of a relationship between valve angles and the exit flow rate for each channel. A model-predictive controller is developed, which employs this reduced order model to identify flow maldistribution from exit flow velocities and to prescribe actuation of channel valves to effectively redistribute the flow. Flow simulations with active control are subsequently conducted with artificially introduced bubbles. The model-predictive control methodology is shown to adequately reduce flow maldistribution by quickly varying channel valves to remove bubbles and to equalize flow rates in each channel.

Commentary by Dr. Valentin Fuster
J. Fluids Eng. 2009;131(11):111202-111202-9. doi:10.1115/1.4000303.

A thin strip cross-sectional element is used to suppress vortex shedding from a plate with a width to thickness ratio of 4.0 at incidence angles in the range of 0–90 deg and a Reynolds number of $1.1×104$. The axes of the element and plate are parallel. The incidence angle of the element is 90 deg and the ratio of strip width to plate thickness is 0.5. Extensive measurements of wake velocities, together with flow visualization, show that vortex shedding from both sides of the plate is suppressed at incidence angles in the range of 0–55 deg if the element is placed at points in effective zones. Unilateral vortex shedding occurs if the element is applied at points in unilateral effective zones. The changes in sizes and locations of the effective and unilateral effective zones with the change in plate incidence are investigated, and the mechanism of the control is discussed. Two patterns of unilateral vortex shedding are observed. Pattern I occurs on the side where there is no element, and oppositely, pattern II occurs on the side where the element resides. A resonance model is proposed to illustrate the occurrence of pattern II unilateral shedding. The phenomenon of unilateral vortex shedding means that the vortex can be generated without strong interaction between the shear layers separated from the bluff body.

Commentary by Dr. Valentin Fuster
J. Fluids Eng. 2009;131(11):111203-111203-9. doi:10.1115/1.4000376.

Separated flow past a hump in a turbulent boundary layer is studied numerically using detached-eddy simulation (DES), zonal detached-eddy simulation (ZDES), delayed detached-eddy simulation (DDES), and Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) modeling. The geometry is smooth so the separation point is a function of the flow solution. Comparisons to experimental data show that RANS with the Spalart–Allmaras turbulence model predicts the mean-field statistics well. The ZDES and DDES methods perform better than the DES formulation and are comparable to RANS in most statistics. Analyses motivate that modeled-stress depletion near the separation point contributes to differences observed in the DES variants. The order of accuracy of the flow solver ACUSOLVE is also documented.

Commentary by Dr. Valentin Fuster