Modelling confined multi-material heat and mass flows using SPH

Many applications in mineral and metal processing involve complex flows of multiple liquids and gases coupled with heat transfer. The motion of the surfaces of the liquids can involve sloshing, splashing and fragmentation. Substantially differing material properties are common. The flows are frequently complicated by other physical effects. Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is a computational modelling technique that is ideally suited to such difficult flows. The Lagrangian framework means that momentum dominated flows and flows with complicated material interface behaviours are handled easily and naturally. To be able to model complex multi-physics flows, many aspects of SPH need to be explored. In this paper we describe developments that allow conductive and convective heat transfer to be modelled accurately for a sequence of idealised test problems.     

Finite element analysis of laminar and turbulent flows using LES and subgrid-scale models

Numerical simulations of laminar and turbulent flows in a lid driven cavity and over a backward-facing step are presented in this work. The main objectives of this research are to know more about the structure of turbulent flows, to identify their three-dimensional characteristic and to study physical effects due to heat transfer. The filtered Navier–Stokes equations are used to simulate large scales, however they are supplemented by subgrid-scale (SGS) models to simulate the energy transfer from large scales toward subgrid-scales, where this energy will be dissipated by molecular viscosity. Two SGS models are applied: the classical Smagorinsky’s model and the Dynamic model for large eddy simulation (LES). Both models are implemented in a three-dimensional finite element code using linear tetrahedral elements. Qualitative and quantitative aspects of two and three-dimensional flows in a lid-driven cavity and over a backward-facing step, using LES, are analyzed comparing numerical and experimental results obtained by other authors.     

A dynamic subgrid-scale model for the large eddy simulation of stratified flow

A new dynamic subgrid-scale (SGS) model, including subgrid turbulent stress and heat flux models for stratified shear flow is proposed by using Yoshizawa’s eddy viscosity model as a base model. Based on our calculated results, the dynamic subgrid-scale model developed here is effective for the large eddy simulation (LES) of stratified turbulent channel flows. The new SGS model is then applied to the large eddy simulation of stratified turbulent channel flow under gravity to investigate the coupled shear and buoyancy effects on the near-wall turbulent statistics and the turbulent heat transfer at different Richardson numbers. The critical Richardson number predicted by the present calculation is in good agreement with the value of theoretical analysis     

Modelado numérico del proceso de soldadura FSW incorporando una técnica de estimación de parámetros

Numerical models of heat transfer and fluid flow used in the simulation of the friction-stir welding (FSW) process have contributed to the understanding of the process. However, there are some input model parameters that cannot be easily determined from fundamental principles or the welding conditions. As a result, the model predictions are not always in agreement with experimental results. In this work, the Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) method is used in order to perform a non-linear estimation of the unknown parameters present in the heat transfer and fluid flow models, by adjusting the temperatures results obtained with the models to temperature experimental measurements. These models are implemented in a general-purpose software that uses a numerical formulation developed from the finite element method (FEM). The unknown parameters are: the friction coefficient and the amount of adhesion of material to the surface of the tool, the heat transfer coefficient on the bottom surface and the amount of viscous dissipation converted into heat. The obtained results show an improvement in the numerical model predictions from the incorporation of parameter estimation techniques.     

Transient flow in natural gas pipeline – The effect of pipeline thermal model

One-dimensional, nonisothermal gas flow model was solved to simulate the slow and fast fluid transients, such as those typically found in high-pressure gas transmission pipelines. The results of the simulation were used to understand the effect of different pipeline thermal models on the flow rate, pressure and temperature in the pipeline. It was found that simplified flow model with steady-state heat transfer term overestimates the amplitude of the temperature fluctuations in the pipeline. This result indicated that unsteady heat transfer model with the effect of heat accumulation in the surroundings of the pipeline should be used to calculate the gas parameters at locations of interest within high-pressure gas transmission pipelines.     

Discretisation procedures for multi-physics phenomena

Procedures are described for solving the equations governing a multi-physics process. Finite volume techniques are used to discretise, using the same unstructured mesh, the equations of fluid flow, heat transfer with solidification, and solid deformation. These discretised equations ofe then solved in an integrated manner. The computational mechanics environment, PHYSICA, which facilitates the building of multi-physics models, is described. Comparisons between model predictions and experimental data are presented for the casting of metal components.     

Advanced continuum modelling of gas-particle flows beyond the hydrodynamic limit

The accurate prediction of dilute gas-particle flows using Euler–Euler models is challenging because particle–particle collisions are usually not dominant in such flows. In other words, in dilute flows the particle Knudsen number is not small enough to justify a Chapman–Enskog expansion about the collision-dominated near-equilibrium limit. Moreover, due to the fluid drag and inelastic collisions, the granular temperature in gas-particle flows is often small compared to the mean particle kinetic energy, implying that the particle-phase Mach number can be very large. In analogy to rarefied gas flows, it is thus not surprising that two-fluid models fail for gas-particle flows with moderate Knudsen and Mach numbers. In this work, a third-order quadrature-based moment method, valid for arbitrary Knudsen number, coupled with a fluid solver has been applied to simulate dilute gas-particle flow in a vertical channel with particle-phase volume fractions between 0.0001 and 0.01. In order to isolate the instabilities that arise due to fluid-particle coupling, a fluid mass flow rate that ensures that turbulence would not develop in a single phase flow (Re = 1380) is employed. Results are compared with the predictions of a two-fluid model with standard kinetic theory based closures for the particle phase. The effect of the particle-phase volume fraction on flow instabilities leading to particle segregation is investigated, and differences with respect to the two-fluid model predictions are examined. The influence of the discretization on the solution of both models is investigated using three different grid resolutions. Radial profiles of phase velocities and particle concentration are shown for the case with an average particle volume fraction of 0.01, showing the flow is in the core-annular regime.     

Multi-Fracture Reservoir Simulations for Long Time Physical Processes

Reservoirs with multi-fracture techniques are developed and frequently used for oil and gas industry. Recently, they are also used for deep geothermal reservoirs especially for Hot Dry Rock (HDR). The analysis of the reservoir is generally interested in long time physical properties (10–100 years), e.g. fluid flow, heat transport etc. Typical CFD simulations are limited in this context. Here we developed a fluid flow and heat transport modeling in a multi-fracture reservoir based on the so-called Mixed Dimensional Model (MDM), which describes the different characteristic flows and the heat transport in different dimensions. In the mathematical point of view, these models are discretized based on the Cellular Automaton (CA) method combined with other necessary numerical techniques. The different cases of fluid flow and heat transport in multi-fracture reservoirs have been simulated and shown physical results very reasonably with less computational time. (© 2013 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Lattice Boltzmann method for slip flow heat transfer in circular microtubes: Extended Graetz problem

Slip flow heat transfer in circular microtubes is of fundamental interest and practical importance. However, to the best knowledge of the present author, there is no open publication of developing simple and efficient lattice Boltzmann (LB) models on such topic. To bridge the gap, in this paper a simple LB model, which is based on our recent work [S. Chen, J. Tölke, M. Krafczyk, Simulation of buoyancy-driven flows in a vertical cylinder using a simple lattice Boltzmann model, Phys. Rev. E 79 (2009) 016704], is designed. In addition, the recently developed Langmuir slip model [S. Chen, Z.W. Tian, Simulation of thermal micro-flow using lattice Boltzmann method with Langmuir slip model, Int. J. Heat Fluid Flow 31 (2010) 227-235], which possesses a clear physical picture and keeps the Reynolds analogy, is extended to capture velocity slip as well as temperature jump in microtubes. The feasibility and capability of the present model are validated by the extended Graetz problem, which is a benchmark prototype for forced convection heat transfer in circular microtubes.     

Monotone iterative method of upper and lower solutions applied to a multilayer combustion model in porous media

This paper presents a new nonlinear reaction–diffusion–convection system coupled with a system of ordinary differential equations that models a combustion front in a multilayer porous medium. The model includes heat transfer between the layers and heat loss to the external environment. A few assumptions are made to simplify the model, such as incompressibility; then, the unknowns are determined to be the temperature and fuel concentration in each layer. When the fuel concentration in each layer is a known function, we prove the existence and uniqueness of a classical solution for the initial and boundary value problem for the corresponding system. The proof uses a new approach for combustion problems in porous media. We construct monotone iterations of upper and lower solutions and prove that these iterations converge to a unique solution for the problem, first locally and then, in time, globally.     

On some generalizations of the second grade fluid model

In this article, we provide a brief review of some generalizations of the second grade fluid model. We discuss certain similarities between these fluids and fluids of higher grades, while also describing certain limitations of these models. The new models that we put forth are based upon some interesting experimental results which suggest that not only can normal stress coefficients depend upon the shear rate, but that this dependency is in fact not the same rate as that of shear viscosity variation with shear rate. We then discuss some steady flows of these generalized second grade fluid models.     

Numerical and experimental investigation of thermal convection in an inclined narrow gap

The knowledge of the fluid behaviour in inclined cavities is of fundamental importance as far as heat and mass transfer are concerned. The interest in this subject is particularly increasing due to the rapid process in micro technologies. We therefore studied the flow- and temperature field of such flows numerically as well as experimentally using CFD and PIV/T, respectively. We present and discuss the numerical and experimental results of our investigations and explain the applied techniques. (© 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Analysis of flow and thermal field in nanofluid using a single phase thermal dispersion model

Flow and thermal field in nanofluid is analyzed using single phase thermal dispersion model proposed by Xuan and Roetzel [Y. Xuan, W. Roetzel, Conceptions for heat transfer correlation of nanofluids, Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 43 (2000) 3701–3707]. The non-dimensional form of the transport equations involving the thermal dispersion effect is solved numerically using semi-explicit finite volume solver in a collocated grid. Heat transfer augmentation for copper–water nanofluid is estimated in a thermally driven two-dimensional cavity. The thermo-physical properties of nanofluid are calculated involving contributions due to the base fluid and nanoparticles. The flow and heat transfer process in the cavity is analyzed using different thermo-physical models for the nanofluid available in literature. The influence of controlling parameters on convective recirculation and heat transfer augmentation induced in buoyancy driven cavity is estimated in detail. The controlling parameters considered for this study are Grashof number (10³ < Gr < 10⁵), solid volume fraction (0 < ? < 0.2) and empirical shape factor (0.5 < n < 6). Simulations carried out with various thermo-physical models of the nanofluid show significant influence on thermal boundary layer thickness when the model incorporates the contribution of nanoparticles in the density as well as viscosity of nanofluid. Simulations incorporating the thermal dispersion model show increment in local thermal conductivity at locations with maximum velocity. The suspended particles increase the surface area and the heat transfer capacity of the fluid. As solid volume fraction increases, the effect is more pronounced. The average Nusselt number from the hot wall increases with the solid volume fraction. The boundary surface of nanoparticles and their chaotic movement greatly enhances the fluid heat conduction contribution. Considerable improvement in thermal conductivity is observed as a result of increase in the shape factor.     

Kinetic Algorithms for Modeling Conductive Fluids Flow on High-Performance Computing Systems

Doklady Mathematics - Processes in the dynamics of electrically conducting fluid flows in complex heat transfer systems are mathematically modeled in detail on high-performance parallel computing...     

Lattice Boltzmann simulation of convective heat transfer of non-Newtonian fluids in impeller stirred tank

Lattice Boltzmann simulation of convective heat transfer of non-Newtonian fluids in an impeller stirred tank is performed. The curved and moving boundary methods combined with the unknown-index algorithm are used to solve the flow and thermal fields induced in a cold tank by an oscillating hot impeller. For a given maximum radius of the blades, the simulation results show that a rectangular impeller of large aspect ratio induces stronger heat transfer effect on the tank walls than the small aspect ratio. This is because the latter would cause worse field synergy than the former, i.e. the induced local velocities of fluid are mostly perpendicular to the temperature gradients. The convection effects on the tank walls are also improved as the oscillation amplitude of impeller increases until the swept areas of impeller are close to whole azimuth of the tank, i.e., oscillation amplitude of 90°. The maximum Nusselt number on the tank walls for power-law fluid flows of n = 0.7, 1 and 1.5 occurs at oscillation amplitude of 75°. Finally, it is found that the heat transfer effect on the tank walls is reduced as the power-law index of fluid increases.     

Constraints on equation of state for cavitating flows with thermodynamic effects

Thermodynamic effects play an important role in the cavitation dynamics of cryogenics fluids. Such flows are characterized by strong variations in fluid properties with the temperature. A compressible, multiphase, one-fluid solver was developed to study and to predict thermodynamic effects in cavitating flows. To close the system, a cavitation model is proposed to capture metastable behaviours of fluids and non isothermal thermodynamic path. The thermodynamical consistency based on entropy conditions and the evolution of the mixture speed of sound are investigated. These constraints are applied to other models. The considered working fluid is the refrigerant R-114.     

Direct Numerical Simulation of turbulent heat transfer behind a backward-facing step at low Prandtl number

The paper presents Direct Numerical Simulations of the turbulent flow of a low Prandtl number fluid over a backward-facing step with heat transfer. The backward-facing step flow is investigated as a generic configuration for sudden changes in cross section. Several simulations are reported: for isothermal conditions, for heat transfer with the Prandtl number of air, and for heat transfer with the Prandtl number of liquid sodium. The simulation for air is compared to results from literature. The differences induced by reduction of the Prandtl number are then assessed by comparison of the two cases. (© 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

MHD boundary-layer flow of a micropolar fluid past a wedge with constant wall heat flux

The steady laminar magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) boundary-layer flow past a wedge with constant surface heat flux immersed in an incompressible micropolar fluid in the presence of a variable magnetic field is investigated in this paper. The governing partial differential equations are transformed into a system of ordinary differential equations using similarity variables, and then they are solved numerically by means of an implicit finite-difference scheme known as the Keller-box method. Numerical results show that micropolar fluids display drag reduction and consequently reduce the heat transfer rate at the surface, compared to the Newtonian fluids. The opposite trends are observed for the effects of the magnetic field on the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics.     

Short shots and industrial case studies: Understanding fluid flow and solidification in high pressure die casting

The geometric complexity and high fluid speeds involved in high pressure die casting (HPDC) combine to give strongly three dimensional fluid flow with significant free surface fragmentation and splashing. A simulation method that has proved particularly suited to modelling HPDC is Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH). Materials are approximated by particles that are free to move around rather than by fixed grids, enabling more accurate prediction of fluid flows involving complex free surface motion. Three practical industrial case studies of SPH simulated HPDC flows are presented; aluminium casting of a differential cover (automotive), an electronic housing and zinc casting of a door lock plate. These show significant detail in the fragmented fluid free surfaces and allow us to understand the predisposition to create defects such as porosity in the castings. The validation of flow predictions coupled with heat transfer and solidification is an important area for such modelling. One powerful approach is to use short shots, where insufficient metal is used in the casting or the casting shot is halted part way through, to leave the die cavity only partially filled. The frozen partial castings capture significant detail about the order of fill and the flow structures occurring during different stages of filling. Validation can occur by matching experimental and simulated short shots. Here we explore the effect of die temperature, metal super-heat and volume fill on the short shots for the casting of a simple coaster. The bulk features of the final solid castings are found to be in good agreement with the predictions, but the fine details appear to depend on surface behaviour of the solidifying metals. This potentially has significant implications for modelling HPDC.