Comparison of two numerical methods for the solution of non-Newtonian flow in ducts

Two numerical methods, the Galerkin finite element method (FEM) and the boundary-fitted co-ordinate transformation method (BFCTM), have been applied to solve inelastic non-Newtonian fluid flow in ducts of irregular cross-section. Three representative fluid models, namely the power-law, the Ellis and the Bingham models, have been analysed. The application of the FEM is straightforward, while for the BFCTM the accurate estimation of viscosity on the duct boundary and the proper mesh adjustment appear to be critical for generating convergent solutions. A detailed comparison of the two numerical methods in terms of volumetric flow rate, axial velocity, shear rate, viscosity and CPU time is given. Both methods can generate accurate solutions of velocity over a wide range of variables, but the FEM requires much less computing time to reach the same level of accuracy. Only the BFCTM can be used to approximate shear rate and viscosity with reasonable accuracy.     

Approximate elongation flow properties utilising the opposed orifice technique – Correction for shear and inertia

Mackay et al. (1995) have presented an approximate technique to determine the elongation viscosity from pressure drop measurements in a simple stagnation flow device. In the present paper we describe experiments using a high viscosity Newtonian oil, aimed at probing some of the assumptions made by Mackay et al. We find that Trouton ratios calculated using the original analysis are well above the value of three expected for Newtonian fluids. Finite element simulations of the flow field show this is due to the net pressure drop having a substantial shear contribution, which should be corrected for before the Trouton ratios are evaluated. Interestingly, most of the shear correction is due to shear on the inside of the orifice near the exit from the central flow region. The shear contribution to the pressure drop occurs for all flow rates, however, at large flow rates there is also an inertial correction to the pressure drop. In this paper we describe an approximate method that corrects for both shear and inertial effects. With these effects recognised and corrected for, the measured Trouton ratios are reduced to around three. Received: 15 December 1997 Accepted: 16 March 1998     

The development of the structure of water – air bubble grid turbulence

The development of the turbulent flow field generated due to the interaction of grid turbulence with a swarm of bubbles is investigated experimentally, in a vertical channel of rectangular cross section. Void fraction and streamwise mean and rms velocity distributions have been measured at several distances from the grid, with an optical probe and Laser Doppler Velocimetry, in relation to the air flow rate ratio. The obtained results indicate that close to the grid the void fraction and velocity distributions are dictated by the bubble injectors’ location on the grid. Downstream the void fraction distribution changes to a double peak pattern. The velocity distribution is characterized by a shear layer between the wall area and the central area of the channel. The extend of this shear layer is increasing as the distance from the grid and the gas flow rate ratio are increasing, and is associated with a corresponding increase of the turbulence fluctuations. Autocorrelation and spectra measurements at the centre of the channel show a reduction of the flow scales for low void fraction. Consistently, power spectra distributions indicate that bubbles cause a redistribution of energy manifested by the relative enhancement of the intermediate scales’ energy content and a consequent reduction in the larger scales. These trends are gradually alleviated and reversed at large distances from the grid, as the air flow rate is increased.     

An experimental investigation into the dimension-sensitive viscosity of polymer containing lubricant oils in microchannels

In many lubrication processes, lubricating oils containing polymer additives are subject to high shear rate through very small clearance channels. While the influence of shear rate on the performance of these lubricants has been well examined, very little is known about the effects of channel size. In this study a specially designed microchannel viscometer has been used to experimentally characterize the influence of channel height on the effective viscosity of oil lubricants with two different polymer additives (a radial hydrogenated styrene–isoprene copolymer and an A–B–A block ethylene–propylene copolymer) commenly used as viscosity index (VI) modifiers. The mass concentration of the polymer solutions ranged from 0.5% to 1.5% in this study. The viscosity was measured over a range of shear rates in steel slit microchannels with heights of 4.5, 7 and 11.5 μm, respectively. For all solutions a significant viscosity dependence on channel size was observed. In the higher shear rate range the smaller channels exhibited a lower viscosity while in the lower shear rate range all solutions exhibited a significant increase in viscosity. Generally, this observed increase in viscosity is more dramatic in the smaller channels. Possible causes of these behaviors were discussed in this paper.     

Effects of shear thinning on migration of neutrally buoyant particles in pressure driven flow of Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids

The pattern of cross stream migration of neutrally buoyant particles in a pressure driven flow depends strongly on the properties of the suspending fluid. These migration effects have been studied by direct numerical simulation in planar flow. Shear thinning has a large effect when the inertia or elasticity is large, but only a small effect when they are small. At moderate Reynolds numbers, shear thinning causes particles to migrate away from the centerline, creating a particle-free zone in the core of the channel, which increases with the amount of shear thinning. In a viscoelastic fluid with shear thinning, particles migrate either toward the centerline or toward the walls, creating an annular particle-free zone at intermediate radii. The simulations also give rise to precise determination of slip velocity distributions in the various cases studied.     

Hydrodynamic interactions of dilute polymer solutions under shear flow in a narrow channel

Hydrodynamic interactions on dilute solutions of spherical beads under shear flow are calculated with the method of induced forces. The Navier-Stokes equation is considered in the Stokes approximation. Hydrodynamic interactions cause the drag to be anisotropic in space.Numerical solutions are obtained for the added stress, caused by polymeric molecules in solution in a narrow channel under shear flow. The polymeric molecules are considered as Hookean spring-dumbbells.Slip velocity and the effective viscosity are obtained taking different dumbbells' bead radii. Transversal migration in the channel is obtained for different bead radii.     

Experiments on the linear instability of flow in a wavy channel

The effects of wall corrugation on the stability of wall-bounded shear flows have been examined experimentally in plane channel flows. One of the channel walls has been modified by introduction of the wavy wall model with the amplitude of 4% of the channel half height and the wave number of 1.02. The experiment is focused on the two-dimensional travelling wave instability and the results are compared with the theory [J.M. Floryan, Two-dimensional instability of flow in a rough channel, Phys. Fluids 17 (2005) 044101 (also: Rept. ESFD-1/2003, Dept. of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, 2003)]. It is shown that the flow is destabilized by the wall corrugation at subcritical Reynolds numbers below 5772, as predicted by the theory. For the present corrugation geometry, the critical Reynolds number is decreased down to about 4000. The spatial growth rates, the disturbance wave numbers and the distribution of disturbance amplitude measured over such wavy wall also agree well with the theoretical results.     

Numerical study of concentrated fluid–particle suspension flow in a wavy channel

The particle migration effects and fluid–particle interactions occurring in the flow of highly concentrated fluid–particle suspension in a spatially modulated channel have been investigated numerically using a finite volume method. The mathematical model is based on the momentum and continuity equations for the suspension flow and a constitutive equation accounting for the effects of shear‐induced particle migration in concentrated suspensions. The model couples a Newtonian stress/shear rate relationship with a shear‐induced migration model of the suspended particles in which the local effective viscosity is dependent on the local volume fraction of solids. The numerical procedure employs finite volume method and the formulation is based on diffuse‐flux model. Semi‐implicit method for pressure linked equations has been used to solve the resulting governing equations along with appropriate boundary conditions. The numerical results are validated with the analytical expressions for concentrated suspension flow in a plane channel. The results demonstrate strong particle migration towards the centre of the channel and an increasing blunting of velocity profiles with increase in initial particle concentration. In the case of a stenosed channel, the particle concentration is lowest at the site of maximum constriction, whereas a strong accumulation of particles is observed in the recirculation zone downstream of the stenosis. The numerical procedure applied to investigate the effects of concentrated suspension flow in a wavy passage shows that the solid particles migrate from regions of high shear rate to low shear rate with low velocities and this phenomenon is strongly influenced by Reynolds numbers and initial particle concentration. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Three‐dimensional numerical simulation of compound meandering open channel flow by the Reynolds stress model

Turbulent flow in a compound meandering open channel with seminatural cross sections is one of the most complicated turbulent flows as the flow pattern is influenced by the combined action of various forces, such as centrifugal force, pressure, and shear stresses. In this paper, a three‐dimensional (3D) Reynolds stress model (RSM) is adopted to simulate the compound meandering channel flows. Governing equations of the flow are solved numerically with finite‐volume method. The velocity fields, wall shear stresses, and Reynolds stresses are calculated for a range of input conditions. Good agreement between the simulated results and measurements indicates that RSM can successfully predict the complicated flow phenomenon. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical analysis of turbulent structure in compound meandering open channel by algebraic Reynolds stress model

The turbulent flow in a compound meandering channel with a rectangular cross section is one of the most complicated turbulent flows, because the flow behaviour is influenced by several kinds of forces, including centrifugal forces, pressure‐driven forces and shear stresses generated by momentum transfer between the main channel and the flood plain. Numerical analysis has been performed for the fully developed turbulent flow in a compound meandering open‐channel flow using an algebraic Reynolds stress model. The boundary‐fitted coordinate system is introduced as a method for coordinate transformation in order to set the boundary conditions along the complicated shape of the meandering open channel. The turbulence model consists of transport equations for turbulent energy and dissipation, in conjunction with an algebraic stress model based on the Reynolds stress transport equations. With reference to the pressure–strain term, we have made use of a modified pressure–strain term. The boundary condition of the fluctuating vertical velocity is set to zero not only for the free surface, but also for computational grid points next to the free surface, because experimental results have shown that the fluctuating vertical velocity approaches zero near the free surface. In order to examine the validity of the present numerical method and the turbulent model, the calculated results are compared with experimental data measured by laser Doppler anemometer. In addition, the compound meandering open channel is clarified somewhat based on the calculated results. As a result of the analysis, the present algebraic Reynolds stress model is shown to be able to reasonably predict the turbulent flow in a compound meandering open channel. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Computational Modelling of Non-Newtonian Effects on Flow in Channels with Moving Wall Indentations

Non-Newtonian effects in a channel with moving wall indentations are assessed numerically by a finite volume method for solving the unsteady incompressible Navier-Stokes equations and using a power-law model exhibiting shear thinning viscosity and Casson's model as the constitutive equations for the non-Newtonian fluid. The computations show that for a non-Newtonian fluid, there are differences in the velocity profiles and in the structure and size of the reversed flow regions as compared with the corresponding Newtonian fluid. The comparison of non-Newtonian and Newtonian wall shear stress reveals a slight decrease in the magnitude on the average for the non-Newtonian case, eventually resulting in the strength of the “wave train” being slightly weaker than those corresponding to a Newtonian fluid.     

The structure of water-air bubble grid turbulence in a square duct

Local measurements of void fraction and continuous phase velocity field in water-air bubble, grid turbulence were conducted in a channel of vertical, square test section. The measured statistics indicate that, due mainly to the interaction of mean shear with the dispersed phase, the turbulence structure of the flow is modified. The observed change is characterized by a strong spatial dependence of void fraction and liquid flow properties, and the emergence of two spatial regions controlled by different physical processes. Intensity measurements indicate significant departure from isotropy in the flow. Two distinct regimes corresponding to low and high values of void fraction have been also identified. The autocorrelation and spectra measurements indicate that for low void fraction the scales of turbulence decrease while for higher values of void fraction increase again and inverse cascade is observed.     

Compliance effects on the torsional flow of a viscoelastic fluid

The effects of transducer compliance on transient stress measurements in torsional flows of a viscoelastic fluid are investigated theoretically. The analysis is based on the torsional flow of an upper-convected Maxwell fluid between a rotating and ‘stationary’ disk, which is allowed to twist and displace axially as a result of the stresses exerted on the disk by the fluid. An approximate analytical solution to the governing equations is obtained using a standard perturbation method. Results of the analysis are used to examine how the fluid velocity is altered by the motion of the stationary disk and to gain insight on how transient stress measurements are affected by transducer compliance. The analysis shows that compliance effects increase with applied shear rate and that the effects of torsional and axial compliance are coupled in measurements of the shear stress and first normal stress difference.     

HLLE++格式在高马赫数空腔流动模拟中的应用

空腔流动存在剪切层运动、涡脱落与破裂,以及激波与激波、激波与剪切层、激波与膨胀波和激波/涡/剪切层相互干扰等现象,流动非常复杂,特别是高马赫数(M>2)时,剪切层和激波更强,激波与激波干扰更严重,对数值格式的要求更高,既需要格式耗散小,对分离涡等有很高的模拟精度,又需要格式在激波附近具有较大的耗散,可以很好地捕捉激波,防止非物理解的出现。Roe和HLLC等近似Riemann解格式在高马赫数强激波处可能会出现红玉现象,而HLLE++格式大大改善了这种缺陷,在捕捉高超声速激波时避免了红玉现象的发生,同时还保持在光滑区域的低数值耗散特性。本文在结构网格下HLLE++格式的基础上,通过改进激波探测的求解,建立了基于非结构混合网格的HLLE++计算方法,通过无粘斜坡算例,验证了HLLE++格式模拟高马赫数流动的能力,并应用于高马赫数空腔流动的数值模拟,开展了网格和湍流模型影响研究,验证了方法模拟高马赫数空腔流动的可靠性和有效性。     

Interactive buckling regarding the axial extension mode of a thin-walled channel under uniform compression in the first nonlinear approximation

The present paper deals with an influence of the axial extension mode on interactive buckling of a thin-walled channel with imperfections subjected to uniform compression, when a shear lag phenomenon and distortional deformations are taken into account. A plate model is adopted for the channel. The structure is assumed to be simply supported at the ends. A method of the modal solution to the coupled buckling problem within the first order approximation of Koiter’s asymptotic theory, using the transition matrix method and Godunov’s orthogonalization (Kolakowski and Krolak, 2006), has been used. The calculations have been carried out for a thin-walled channel.     

Use of characteristics method with cubic interpolation for unsteady-flow computation

The specified-time-interval (STI) scheme has been used commonly in applying the method of characteristics (MOC) to unsteady open-channel flow problems. However, with the use of STI scheme, the numerical error for the simulation results can always be induced due to the interpolation used to approximate the characteristics trajectory. Hence, in order to remedy the numerical errors caused by the interpolation, one needs to seek some kind of interpolation technique with higher-order accuracy. Instead of the linear interpolation technique, which has been used very commonly and can induce serious numerical diffusion, the Holly--Preissmann two-point, method, which is a cubic interpolation technique with fourth-order of accuracy, is proposed here to integrate with the method of characteristics for the computation of one-dimensional unsteady flow in open channel. The concept of reachback and reachout in space and time directions for the characteristics is also introduced to assure the model stability. The computed results from this new model are compared with those computed by using the Preissmann four-point scheme and the multimode method of characteristics with linear interpolation.     

An improved near‐wall modeling for large‐eddy simulation using immersed boundary methods

An improved near‐wall modeling for large‐eddy simulation using the immersed boundary method is proposed. It is shown in this study that the existing near‐wall modeling for the immersed boundary (IB) methods that imposes the velocity boundary condition at the IB node is not sufficient to enforce a correct wall shear stress at the IB node. A new method that imposes a shear stress condition through the modification of the subgrid scale‐eddy viscosity at the IB node is proposed. In this method, the subgrid eddy viscosity at the IB node is modified such that the viscous flux at the face adjacent to the IB node correctly approximates the total shear stress. The method is applied to simulate the fully developed turbulent flows in a plane channel and a circular pipe. It is demonstrated that the new method improves the prediction of the mean velocity and turbulence stresses in comparison with the existing wall modeling based solely on the velocity boundary condition. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

非对称槽道中涡旋波的特性研究

利用PIV流场显示技术，对振荡流体在非对称槽道中涡旋波的产生、发展和消失的规律进 行了实验研究和分析，测得了涡旋波流场的速度矢量图，阐明了涡旋波流场周期性变化的特 点. 结合涡动力学方程，深入分析并揭示了做周期性运动的流体能在槽道中产生波的特性这 一规律，从中发现：流体周期变化的非定常性和不对称的槽道结构是形成涡旋波流动的主要 因素. 本文对涡旋波流场中各个旋涡的速度分布和涡量进行了测量和计算，分析了涡旋波 强化传质的机理，并研究了Re数对涡旋波流动的影响     

Numerical modeling of turbulent compound channel flow using the lattice Boltzmann method

The flow of water in a straight compound channel with prismatic cross section is investigated with a relatively new tool, the lattice Boltzmann method. The large eddy simulation model is added in the lattice Boltzmann model for nonlinear shallow water equations (LABSWE^TM) so that the turbulence, caused by lateral exchange of momentum in the shear layer between the main channel and floodplain, can be taken into account and modeled efficiently. To validate the numerical model, a symmetrical compound channel with trapezoidal main channel and flat floodplain is tested. Similar to most natural watercourses, the floodplain has higher roughness values than the main channel. Different relative depths, D_r (the ratio of the depth of flow on the floodplain to that in the main channel), are considered. The Reynolds number is set at 30 000 in the main channel. The lateral distributions of the longitudinal velocity, the boundary shear stress, the Reynolds stress and the apparent shear stress across the channel are obtained after the large eddy simulation is performed. The results of numerical simulations are compared with the available experiment data, which show that the LABSWE^TM is capable of modeling the features of flow turbulence in compound channels and is sufficiently accurate for practical applications in engineering. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Two dimensional flow of Reiner-Philippoff fluids in the inlet length of a straight channel

Summary In this paper, two dimensional boundary layer equations for Reiner-Philippoff fluids have been obtained for the two limiting cases when the shear stress parameter is small or large. These equations have been integrated using Karman-Pohlhausen's method in the inlet of a straight channel. Analytical expressions for the inlet length and the boundary layer thickness in both cases have been obtained. The pressure drop has also been obtained from kinetic energy end-correction.