Estimation of particle dynamics in 2-D fluidized beds using particle tracking velocimetry

The experimental characterization of particle dynamics in fluidized beds is of great importance in fostering an understanding of solid phase motion and its effect on particle properties in granulation processes. Commonly used techniques such as particle image velocimetry rely on the cross-correlation of illumination intensity and averaging procedures. It is not possible to obtain single particle velocities with such techniques. Moreover, the estimated velocities may not accurately represent the local particle velocities in regions with high velocity gradients. Consequently, there is a need for devices and methods that are capable of acquiring individual particle velocities. This paper describes how particle tracking velocimetry can be adapted to dense particulate flows. The approach presented in this paper couples high-speed imaging with an innovative segmentation algorithm for particle detection, and employs the Voronoi method to solve the assignment problem usually encountered in densely seeded flows. Lagrangian particle tracks are obtained as primary information, and these serve as the basis for calculating sophisticated quantities such as the solid-phase flow field, granular temperature, and solid volume fraction. We show that the consistency of individual trajectories is sufficient to recognize collision events.     

Doppler effects of an oscillating line source in shear flow with a free surface

The linearised water-wave radiation problem for the oscillating 2D submerged source in an inviscid shear flow with a free surface is investigated analytically. There is a nonzero surface velocity. The depth is infinite and the vorticity is uniform. The amplitudes radiated from the source are calculated analytically. Due to Doppler effects, there may be up to four different emitted waves, and there is resonance with zero group velocity and infinite amplitude.     

A velocity program using the Kanade–Lucas–Tomasi feature-tracking algorithm with demonstration for pressure and electroosmosis conditions

Investigating microfluidic flow profiles is of interest in the microfluidics field for the determination of various characteristics of a lab-on-a-chip system. Microparticle tracking velocimetry uses computational methods upon recording video footage of microfluidic flow to ultimately visualize motion within a microfluidic system across all frames of a video. Current methods are computationally expensive or require extensive instrumentation. A computational method suited to microparticle tracking applications is the robust Kanade–Lucas–Tomasi (KLT) feature-tracking algorithm. This work explores a microparticle tracking velocimetry program using the KLT feature-tracking algorithm. The developed program is demonstrated using pressure-driven and EOF and compared with the respective mathematical fluid flow models. An electrostatics analysis of EOF conditions is performed in the development of the mathematical using a Poisson's Equation solver. This analysis is used to quantify the zeta potential of the electroosmotic system. Overall, the KLT feature-tracking algorithm presented in this work proved to be highly reliable and computationally efficient for investigations of pressure-driven and EOF in a microfluidic system.     

On mechanical waves and Doppler shifts from moving boundaries

We investigate the propagation of infinitesimal harmonic mechanical waves emitted from a boundary with variable velocity and arriving at a stationary observer. In the classical Doppler effect, X_s(t)=vt is the location of the source with constant velocity v. In the present work, however, we consider a source co‐located with a moving boundary x=X_s(t), where X_s(t) can have an arbitrary functional form. For ‘slowly moving’ boundaries (i.e., ones for which the timescale set by the mechanical motion is large in comparison to the inverse of the frequency of the emitted wave), we present a multiple‐scale asymptotic analysis of the moving boundary problem for the linear wave equation. We obtain a closed‐form leading‐order (with respect to the latter small parameter) solution and show that the variable velocity of the boundary results not only in frequency modulation but also in amplitude modulation of the received signal. Consequently, our results extend the applicability of two basic tenets of the theory of a moving source on a stationary domain, specifically that (i) for non‐uniform boundary motion can be inserted in place of the constant velocity v in the classical Doppler formula and (ii) that the non‐uniform boundary motion introduces variability in the amplitude of the wave. The specific examples of decelerating and oscillatory boundary motion are worked out and illustrated. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The low Reynolds number turbulent flow and mixing in a confined impinging jet reactor

Turbulent mixing takes an important role in chemical engineering, especially when the chemical reaction is fast compared to the mixing time. In this context a detailed knowledge of the flow field, the distribution of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and its dissipation rate is important, as these quantities are used for many mixing models. For this reason we conduct a direct numerical simulation (DNS) of a confined impinging jet reactor (CIJR) at Re = 500 and Sc = 1. The data is compared with particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements and the basic flow features match between simulation and experiment. The DNS data is analysed and it is shown that the flow is dominated by a stable vortex in the main mixing duct. High intensities of turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation are found in the impingement zone which decrease rapidly towards the exit of the CIJR. In the whole CIJR the turbulence is not in equilibrium. The strong mixing in the impingement zone leads to a rapid development of a monomodal PDF. Due to the special properties of the flow field, a bimodal PDF is generated in cross-sections downstream the impingement zone, that slowly relaxes under relaminarising conditions. The time required for meso-mixing is dominating the overall mixing performance.     

Laser Doppler anemometry measurements of laminar flow in helical pipes

Three-dimensional laser Doppler anemometry measurements are performed on developed laminar flow in three helical pipes. The experimental observations are compared to results of numerical calculations employing the fully elliptic numerical method. Good agreement is found between measured data and numerical results. The three helical pipes, with curvature ratios of 0.0734 and 0.1374 and non-dimensional pitches of 0.0793 and 0.193, are adopted to study the effects of curvature and pitch on laminar flow in the experimental approach. The range of Reynolds numbers is 500–2000 to ensure laminar flow in the entire helical pipe. Both the profile shapes of the normal components of the secondary flow and those of the axial flow along the same centerline present not only similar patterns but also similar change when pitch, curvature ratio, and Reynolds number vary. The results demonstrate comprehensive relationships between the axial flow and the secondary flow.     

PIV measurements of velocities and concentrations of wood fibres in pneumatic transport

A method for simultaneous measurement of the concentration and velocity of wood fibres suspended in air was developed. The velocity of the wood fibres was measured by the use of particle image velocimetry (PIV). The concentration of wood fibres was measured using the raw images from the PIV equipment as input data. An image processing procedure was used to determine the volume fraction of the fibre particles in the images. The method gave good qualitative and quantitative results for low volume fractions of fibres; for higher volume fractions the quantitative results were unsatisfactory.Latin letters C Concentration of fibres [g/m³] - d Diameter of fibre [m] - M_w Water mass [kg] - M_f Fibre mass [kg] - m Calibration mass flow [kg/s] - m₂₅ Calibration mass flow at C=25 g/m³ [kg/s] - n Fan rpm [-] - t Thickness of light sheet [m] - t Time between laser pulses [s] - U_i Velocity component in i-direction [m/s] - v Streamwise velocity [m/s] - v_average Average streamwise velocity [m/s] - x_i Particle displacement in i-direction [m] Greek letters _f Volume fraction of fibres [-] - _average Average volume fraction of fibres [-] - Area fraction of fibres in image [-] - Density of fibre particle [kg/m³]     

The development of an axisymmetric curved turbulent wall jet

An experimental study has been carried out of the low speed Coanda wall jet with both streamwise and axisymmetric curvature. A single component laser Doppler technique was used, and by taking several orientations at a given point, values of the three mean velocities and five of the six Reynolds stresses were obtained. The lateral divergence and convex streamwise curvature both enhanced the turbulence in the outer part of the jet compared with a plane two-dimensional wall jet. The inner layer exhibited a large separation of the positions of maximum velocity and zero shear stress. It was found that the streamwise mean velocity profile became established very rapidly downstream of the slot exit. The profile appeared fairly similar at later downstream positions, but the mean radial velocity and turbulence parameters showed the expected nonself preservation of the flow. Removal of the streamwise curvature resulted in a general return of the jet conditions toward those expected of a plane wall jet. The range and accuracy of the data may be used for developing turbulence models and computational techniques for this type of flow.