Heat transfer from a line source located in the periodic laminar near wake of a circular cylinder

This experimental study is devoted to the diffusion of a passive scalar downstream a line source located in a Bénard–von Kármán street. Measurements of velocity and temperature have been performed using LDA and cold wire thermometer with a phase reference. Information on the initial evolution of mean, fluctuating velocity and temperature and associated shear-stresses and heat fluxes fields are presented for two locations of the source: ( and 1). The results show that the velocity field in the wake is strongly related to the geometric structure of vortices while the temperature field is controlled by both the time scale of rotation of the vortices and the location of the heated fluid within the vortex street.     

Vortex-induced oscillations at low Reynolds numbers: Hysteresis and vortex-shedding modes

Results are presented for the numerical simulation of vortex-induced vibrations (VIVs) of a cylinder at low Reynolds numbers (Re). A stabilized space–time finite-element formulation is utilized to solve the incompressible flow equations in primitive variables. The cylinder, of low nondimensional mass (m^*=10), is free to vibrate in, both, the transverse and in-line directions. To investigate the effect of Re and reduced natural frequency, F_n, two sets of computations are carried out. In the first set of computations the Reynolds number is fixed (=100) and the reduced velocity (U^*=1/F_n) is varied. Hysteresis, in the response of the cylinder, is observed at the low- as well as high-end of the range of reduced velocity for synchronization/lock-in. In the second set of computations, the effect of Reynolds number (50Re500) is investigated for a fixed reduced velocity (U^*=4.92). The effect of the Reynolds number is found to be very significant for VIVs. While the vortex-shedding mode at low Re is 2S (two single vortices shed per cycle), at Re300 and larger, the P+S mode of vortex shedding (a single vortex and one pair of counter-rotating vortices are released in each cycle of shedding) is observed. This is the first time that the P+S mode has been observed for a cylinder undergoing free vibrations. This change of vortex-shedding mode is hysteretic in nature and results in a very large increase in the amplitude of in-line oscillations. Since the flow ceases to remain two-dimensional beyond Re200, it remains to be seen whether the P+S mode of shedding can actually be observed in reality for free vibrations.     

Interaction of an obliquely rising vortex ring with a free surface in a viscous fluid

A vortex ring, which approaches a free surface under various initial conditions and different values of flow parameters, is investigated by means of numerical solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations. The study focuses on the connection process of the vortex ring with the free surface at low Reynolds number. Discrepancies between a numerical solution and experimental observations found recently with regard to the shape of the reconnected vorticity tubes have been resolved. The crucial parameter, which determines the essential differences at the low Reynolds number selected, is the angle of inclination at which the vortex ring rises toward the free surface. At an angle of inclination of 20° circular vorticity tubes at the free surface evolve, while at an angle of 45° the reconnection takes place in the form of an almost circular sheet. At higher Reynolds number this form of reconnection may change to the other form through instability. The possibility of vortex-ring reflection at the free surface is discussed.

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Sommario Usando soluzioni numeriche delle equazioni di Navier-Stokes, viene analizzato il comportamento di un vortice and anello che si avvicina ad una superficie libera, per diverse condizioni iniziali e valori dei parametri del flusso. Lo studio è incentrato sul processo di connessione del vortice adnanello con la superficie libera per bassi numeri di Reynolds. con riguardo alla forma dei tubi di vorticità riconnessi con la superficie, tutte le differenze tra osservazioni sperimentali e simulazioni numeriche sono state risolte. Per bassi numeri di Reynolds, il parametro cruciale dell' interazione è l'angolo di inclinazione tra vortice e superficie. Per un angolo di 20° si formano tubi circolari di vorticità alla superficie, mentre a 45° la riconnessione ha luogo in forma di strato sottile di vorticità. Per altri numeri di Reynolds la forma della riconnessione può cambiare in altre forme a causa dell'instabilità. Infine viene discussa la possibilità di riflessione del vortice ad anello alla superficie.

     

Laminar flow and heat transfer in confined channel flow past square bars arranged side by side

A numerical investigation was conducted to analyze the unsteady laminar flow field and heat transfer characteristics in a plane channel with two square bars mounted side by side to the approaching flow. A finite volume technique is applied with a fine grid and time resolution. The transverse separation distance between the bars (G/d) is varied from 0 to 5, whereas the bar height to channel height is d/H=1/8, and the channel length is L=5H. Different flow regimes develop in the channel due the interaction between the two mounted square bars, steady flow, flow with vortex shedding synchronization either in phase or in anti-phase, or biased flow with low frequency modulation of vortex shedding are found. Results show that the pressure drop increase and heat transfer enhancement are strongly dependent of the transverse separation distance of the bars and the channel Reynolds number.     

Analyses of polychlorinated biphenyls in waters and wastewaters using vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A method was developed for viable and rapid determination of seven polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in water samples with vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (VALLME) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). At first, the most suitable extraction solvent and extraction solvent volume were determined. Later, the parameters affecting the extraction efficiency such as vortex extraction time, rotational speed of the vortex, and ionic strength of the sample were optimized by using a 2(3) factorial experimental design. The optimized extraction conditions for 5 mL water sample were as follows: extractant solvent 200 μL of chloroform; vortex extraction time of 2 min at 3000 rpm; centrifugation 5 min at 4000 rpm, and no ionic strength. Under the optimum condition, limits of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.36 to 0.73 ng/L. Mean recoveries of PCBs from fortified water samples are 96% for three different fortification levels and RSDs of the recoveries are below 5%. The developed procedure was successfully applied to the determination of PCBs in real water and wastewater samples such as tap, well, surface, bottled waters, and municipal, treated municipal, and industrial wastewaters. The performance of the proposed method was compared with traditional liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) of real water samples and the results show that efficiency of proposed method is comparable to the LLE. However, the proposed method offers several advantages, i.e. reducing sample requirement for measurement of target compounds, less solvent consumption, and reducing the costs associated with solvent purchase and waste disposal. It is also viable, rapid, and easy to use for the analyses of PCBs in water samples by using GC-MS.     

Large Eddy Simulation of the vortex end in reverse-flow centrifugal separators

The present work is a study of the gas-flow phenomenon known as the “end of the vortex” (EoV), which spontaneously occurs at the lower end, or under, reverse-flow centrifugal separators such as cyclones or swirl tubes. Different CFD models of swirl tubes have been built to study and analyse this phenomenon in detail. The present numerical work is based on—and compared with—previous experimental observations of this phenomenon. The numerical models were built in complete agreement with the geometrical configurations and operating conditions used in these earlier experimental studies [1]. Two different configurations of swirl tubes were analyzed. One configuration was an in principle long tube with variable length in which the dependence on the vessel length of the behaviour of the vortex core in a simple, well-defined geometry was studied. The other configuration was equipped with a wide “dust collection vessel” at the bottom, the depth of which was varied, to study the behaviour of the vortex core in a widely-used geometry. 3-D LES simulations were carried out using the commercial CFD package Star-CD. The bending of the vortex core to the wall of the vessel and its precessional motion, constituting the phenomenon of the EoV, was seen in both configurations, and the obtained results are in very good agreement, both qualitatively and to an extent quantitatively, with previous experimental results [1].     

New approaches in computational dynamics of the mixing flow

Between the most mature interdisciplinary areas, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) comes recently into focus. In the same time, it becomes more and more difficult to contribute fundamental research to it. However, although it remains unpredictable how CFD develops, it is part of what makes it an exciting and attractive discipline.This paper aims to exhibit some part of recent work in CFD. It concerns the qualitative approach of the turbulent behaviour of a mixing flow in an excitable media. Studying a mixing for a flow implies the analysis of successive stretching and folding phenomena for its particles, the influence of parameters and initial conditions. In the previous works, the study of the 3D non-periodic models exhibited a quite complicated behaviour. In agreement with experiments, there were involved some significant events, the so-called “rare events”. The variation of parameters had a great influence on the length and surface deformations. The experiments were realized with a special vortex installation, it was used a well-known aquatic algae as biologic material, and the water as basic fluid.In the paper there are presented some features of a qualitative comparative analysis of the model associated to the vortex flow technology. In the computational analysis there were used the fast analysis tools of MAPLE11 soft, in order to check the “rare events” and to complete the statistical analysis of the behaviour of the model.     

Influence of power-law index on transitional Reynolds numbers for flow over a semi-circular cylinder

In this work, the governing partial differential equations (continuity and Cauchy’s momentum equations) describing the flow of power-law type non-Newtonian fluids across a semi-circular cylinder (oriented with its curved surface in the upstream direction) have been solved numerically. In particular, consideration has been given to the delineation of the critical Reynolds numbers denoting the onset of flow separation from the surface of the cylinder and the onset of the laminar vortex shedding regime. This information is germane to establish the scaling of the macroscopic characteristics like drag coefficient and Strouhal number on the governing parameters, namely, Reynolds number and power-law index. The present results clearly suggest that the transitional Reynolds numbers show a strong dependence on the type (shear-thinning and shear-thickening) of fluid behavior as well as on the severity of the shear-dependence of the viscosity. With reference to the behavior seen in Newtonian fluids, the flow remains not only attached to the surface up to higher Reynolds numbers, but shear-thinning behavior also delays the onset of the laminar vortex shedding regime. As expected, shear-thickening fluids, of course, display the opposite characteristics.     

Improved partition efficiency with threaded cylindrical column in vortex counter-current chromatography

Type-I coil planet centrifuge produces a uniformly circulating centrifugal force field to produce vortex motion of two immiscible solvent phases in a cylindrical cavity of the separation column to perform efficient countercurrent chromatography. The partition efficiency obtained from the original vortex column was substantially improved by threading the cylindrical cavity to increase the area of mass transfer between the two phases. Partition efficiency of the threaded column was evaluated by three different two-phase solvent systems with a broad range of hydrophobicity each with a set of suitable test samples. Overall results of the present studies indicated that the threaded cylindrical column substantially improves the partition efficiency in terms of theoretical plate number, peak resolution, and height equivalent of one theoretical plate. The results also indicated that higher peak resolution is produced by eluting either the upper phase in the head to tail direction or the lower phase in the reversed direction. When there is a choice in the mobile phase, a better separation is achieved by using the less viscous phase as the mobile phase. Since the present system gives extremely low column pressure, it may be a potential alternative to the conventional type-J HSCCC system for a large-scale preparative separation.