Velocity field measurements of swirl flow around a forward-swept axial fan using a phase-averaged PTV

The flow characteristics around a rotating axial fan were experimentally investigated using a phase-averaged PTV velocity field measurement technique. The axial fan has 5 forward-swept blades with a radius of 25 mm. Measurements were carried out at 4 axial planes and 4 radial planes perpendicular to the axis of rotation. For the axial plane measurements, one fan blade was divided into 4 different phases in order to analyze the flow structure according to blade phase. For each case, 500 instantaneous velocity fields were measured and ensemble averaged to obtain phase-averaged velocity vector fields and vorticity contours. In addition, measurements were carried out at two planes around the blade surface. Phase averaged velocity fields show periodic variations with respect to the blade phase. The periodic shedding of the tip vortex at the blade tip is also observed. The phase averaged velocity fields measured in the radial planes show periodic variations according to the fan phase and the distance from the fan. These experimental results can be used to validate numerical calculations and to understand the flow characteristics of forward-swept axial fans.     

PIV studies of large scale structures in the near field of small aspect ratio elliptic Jets

The near flow field of small aspect ratio elliptic turbulent free jets (issuing from nozzle and orifice) was experimentally studied using a 2D PIV Two point velocity correla tions in these jets revealed the extent and orientation of the large scale structures in th e major and minor planes. The spatial filtering of the instantaneous velocity field using Gaussian convolution kernel shows that while a single large vortex ring circumscribing the jet seems to be present at the exit of nozzle, the orifice jet exhibited a number of smaller vortex ring pairs close to jet exit. The smaller length scale observed in the case of the orifice jet is rep resentative of the smaller azimuthal vor tex rings that generate axial vortex field as they are convected. This results in the axis-switching in th e case of orifice jet and may have a mechanism differ ent from the self induction process as observed in the case of contoured nozzle jet flow.     

Scattering and absorption of sound at flow duct expansions

The scattering of plane acoustic waves at area expansions in flow ducts is analysed using the vortex sheet model where the flow at the expansion is modelled as a jet, with a vortex sheet emanating from the edge. Of particular interest is the influence of the flow field on acoustic scattering and absorption.First, it is demonstrated that the stability properties of the shear layer can be simulated by modifying the edge condition within the vortex sheet model. To this end the accuracy for the region where the shear layer is changing from unstable to stable is improved by introducing a gradually relaxed Kutta edge condition with empirically derived coefficients. For low Strouhal numbers the vortex sheet model applies and for higher Strouhal numbers the two models converge.Second, it is demonstrated that the acoustic transmission through the jet expansion region can be determined by neglecting the scattering there. Incorporating this assumption, the vortex sheet model reproduces well the experimental results on transmission and absorption for an area expansion. This result supports the assumption that the main part of the scattering occurs at the area expansion at least for the low-frequency range. Furthermore, the influence of the flow field is particularly strong for small Strouhal numbers.     

PIV measurements of the flow and turbulent characteristics of a round jet in crossflow

The instantaneous and ensemble averaged flow characteristics of a round jet issuing normally into a crossflow was studied using a flow visualization technique and Particle Image Velocimetry measurements. Experiments were performed at a jet-to-crossflow velocity ratio, 3.3 and two Reynolds numbers, 1,050 and 2,100, based on crossflow velocity and jet diameter. Instantaneous laser tomographic images of the vertical center plane of the crossflow jet show that there exists very different natures in the flow structures of the near field jet due to Reynolds number effect even though the velocity ratio is same. It is found that the shear layer becomes much thicker when the Reynolds number is 2,100 because of the strong entrainment of the inviscid fluid by turbulent interaction between the jet and crossflow. The mean and second order statistics are calculated by ensemble averaging over 1,000 realizations of instantaneous velocity fields. The detail characteristics of mean flow field, streamwise and vertical rms velocity fluctuations, and Reynolds shear stress distributions are presented. The new PIV results are compared with those from previous experimental and LES studies.     

Large eddy simulation of turbulent horizontal buoyant jets

Large eddy simulations (LESs) of turbulent horizontal buoyant jets are carried out using a high-order numerical method and Sigma subgrid-scale (SGS) eddy-viscosity model, for a number of different Reynolds (Re) and Richardson (Ri) numbers. Simulations at previous experimental flow conditions (Re = 3200, 24, 000 and Ri = 0, 0.01) are carried out first, and the results are found to be qualitatively and quantitatively similar to the experimental results, thus validating the numerical methodology. The effect of varying Ri (values 2×10^?4, 0.001, 0.005, and 0.01) and Re (3200 and 24, 000) is studied next. The presence of stable stratification on one side and unstable stratification on the other side of the jet centreline leads to an asymmetric development of horizontal buoyant jets. It is found that this asymmetry, the total radial spread and the vertical deflection are significantly affected by Ri, while Re affects only the radial asymmetry. The need for developing improved integral models, accounting for this asymmetry, is pointed out. Turbulent production and dissipation rates are investigated, and are found to be symmetric in the horizontal plane, but asymmetric in the mid-vertical plane. A previously proposed model, for correlation between the vertical component of the fluctuating scalar flux vector and the vertical cross-correlation component of the Reynolds tensor, is modified based on the current LES results. Instantaneous scalar and velocity fields are analysed to reveal the structure of horizontal buoyant jets. Similar to the developed turbulent jet, the flow close to the nozzle too is found to be markedly different in the stable and unstable stratification regions. Persistent coherent vortex rings are found in the stable stratification region, while intermittent breakdown of vortex rings into small-scale structures is observed in the unstable stratification region. Similarities and differences between the flow structures in the horizontal buoyant jet configuration and those in the jet in crossflow configuration are discussed. Finally, a dynamic mode decomposition analysis is carried out, which indicates that the flow in the unstable stratification region is more energetic and prone to instabilities, as compared to the flow in the stable stratification region.     

Turbulent plane wall jets over smooth and rough surfaces

Large-eddy simulations were carried out to study the effects of surface roughness on a plane wall-jet using the Lagrangian dynamic eddy-viscosity subgrid-scale model, at Re = 7500 (based on the jet bulk velocity and height). Results over both smooth and rough surfaces were validated by experimental data at the same Reynolds number. As the jet is injected into the still environment, large-scale rollers are generated in the shear layer between the high-momentum fluid of the jet and the surrounding and are convected downstream with the flow. To understand the extent to which the outer-layer structures modify the flow in the inner layer and the extent to which the effect of roughness spreads away from the wall, both instantaneous and mean flow fields were investigated. The results revealed that, for the Reynolds number and roughness height considered in this study, the effect of roughness is mostly confined to the near-wall region of the wall jet. There is no structural difference between the outer layer of the wall jet over the smooth and rough surfaces. Roughness does not affect the size of the outer-layer structures or the scaling of the profiles of Reynolds stresses in the outer layer. However, in the inner layer, roughness redistributes stresses from streamwise to wall-normal and spanwise directions toward isotropy. Contours of joint probability-density function of the streamwise and wall-normal velocity fluctuations at the bottom of the logarithmic region match those of the turbulent boundary layer at the same height; while the traces of the outer-layer structure were detected at the top of the logarithmic region, indicating that they do not affect the flow very close to the wall, but still modify a major portion of the inner layer. This modification must be taken into consideration when the inner layer of a wall jet is compared with the conventional turbulent boundary layer.     

Stereoscopic PIV measurements of flow in and around axial flow fan

To analyze the complex three-dimensional flow structure of an axial flow fan and determine the validity of its application, PIV is used to provide detailed space and time resolved experimental data for understanding and control of flow field. The high resolution stereoscopic PIV system was successfully employed in this study for the investigation of flow structure around the axial flow fan. Using the once-per-revolution signal from the rotor, image fields were captured at a fixed position of the blades and hence provides the ability to do phase-averaging. The three-dimensional instantaneous velocity fields, phase-averaged velocity fields, instantaneous and mean vorticity distributions of the stereoscopic PIV measurement results were represented at typical planes of the flow field. Phaseaveraged velocity fields were calculated based on 200 frames of the instantaneous stereoscopic PIV measurement results. From the velocity distribution, the vorticity and turbulent intensity distribution, which are known to be major factors of fan noise, were calculated and its diffusion was discussed as they travel downstream. From the reconstructed three-dimensional velocity iso-surface at 8 cross planes of the outlet flow fields, the three-dimensional features can be seen clearly.     

A comparison of 2D and 3D PIV measurements in an oblique jet

A stereo PIV (SPIV) acquisition and analysis system was developed to measure three velocity components in planar flow fields. The analysis software is based on a third order mapping function method. The system was calibrated by imaging a square grid in three measurement planes with two Kodak Megaplus cameras oriented at 30 to the bisector between them. The camera images were dewarped into real coordinates by employing a set of transform matrices computed for each calibration plane. Bias and rms errors were determined by comparing displacements measured directly with displacements estimated from the dewarping and recombination algorithm. The bias errors in the directions parallel with the measurement plane were negligible while the bias in thez direction was about 0.6 pixel. The rms errors, 0.2–0.3 pixels, were largest in thez direction. These errors were thought to result from limitations in the calibration method. The SPIV system was tested in a two-dimensional oblique jet with Reynolds number of 1800. The three dimensional results were taken in a vertical (x, y) plane parallel with the jet span. The SPIV results were compared with LDV data and two-dimensional PIV data obtained in a vertical (y, z) plane of the same jet. The SPIV measurements yielded accurate values for the in-plane mean and rms velocity components. The measured out-of-plane mean component was underestimated due to the bias error mentioned above. The rms component was accurate in part of the field but overestimated in another part due to local variations in rms error. It is expected that in the future, the out-of-plane errors can be minimized by improving the calibration and transformation procedures.     

Dynamic PIV measurement of a high-speed flow issuing from vent-holes of a curtain-type airbag

A curtain-type airbag is a safety device designed to protect passengers from the side collisions of a car. The curtain-type airbag system consists of an inflator, a fill-hose, and a curtain-airbag. The fill-hose is a passageway and distributor of the exploded gases from the inflator to the airbag through vent-holes. Although the design of vent-holes is important for proper deployment of the airbag, it is very difficult to measure the exceedingly high speed flow issuing from the vent-holes by using conventional measurement methods. In this study, we employed a dynamic PIV technique to measure the temporal evolution of instantaneous velocity fields of the flow ejecting from the vent-holes. From the velocity field data measured at a frame rate of 2000 fps, the temporal variation of the volume flux from vent-holes was also evaluated for the diagnosis of airbag performance. The flows ejecting from the vent-holes showed high velocity fluctuations, and the maximum velocity was about 480 m/s. The instantaneous velocity fields in the initial stage showed a swaying motion of a high-speed jet. The accumulated volume flux from the vent-holes was also compared at each vent-hole region.     

自耦合射流冲击冷却的数值计算

本文利用动网格技术对两维自耦合射流冲击冷却恒热流壁面进行了数值模拟,腔体底面具有一定的运动规律,每个时间步网格会重新划分。通过对流场和温度场的分析,得出以下结论:自耦合射流是零质量射流,射流的截面速度分布具有自相似性。涡对的平移和破碎影响了温度场的分布,从而冲击靶面温度最低点不是出现在射流驻点区,而是对应于涡对破碎、紊流度最大的位置。     

Detailed unsteady dynamics of flame-flow interactions during combustion instability and its transition scenario for lean-premixed low-swirl hydrogen turbulent flames

This experimental study elucidates the unsteady dynamics of flame-flow interactions during unique thermoacoustic instability (TI) and the transition mechanism from stable combustion to TI for lean-premixed hydrogen turbulent jet flames in a low-swirl combustor (LSC), where a swirler assembly consists of an unswirled central region (CR) and an annular swirler region (SR). Simultaneous 200-kHz pressure fluctuation p’ measurements and 10-kHz OH* chemiluminescence imaging, as well as 40-kHz stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (SPIV) and two-dimensional PIV measurements for steady-state and transient data acquisitions, respectively, were conducted. The SPIV was performed in multiple planes to explore three-dimensional velocity fields. During TI, periodic flashback was possibly caused by significant axial velocity oscillations, resulting in the local mixture velocity falling below the turbulent flame speed. The large-scale vortex ring generated by the velocity oscillations caused axisymmetric radial velocity V_r oscillations with switching signs during the TI period. Similar to a typical low-swirl flow, the positive V_r away from the combustor axis created diverging flow, whereas unlike the typical flowfield, the negative V_r toward the combustor axis generated converging flow while flattening the axial velocity distributions, which was the signature phenomenon for this TI. Using the transient data and dynamic mode decomposition, variations in delay times between the mixture injection and its convection to a region with positive local Rayleigh indices were investigated. During stable combustion, the mixture jet from the SR predominantly induced thermoacoustic coupling (TC). As the combustion transitioned into the TI, the mixture jet from the CR began to induce TC and, eventually, achieved predominance in inducing TC during fully evolved TI. The transition from the SR jet- into CR jet-dominant TI arising from the dynamic flame-flow interactions resulted from the inherent physical characteristics of hydrogen flames, thereby yielding the larger p’ amplitude compared to typical TIs.     

Roles of initial condition and vortex pairing in jet noise

This is a study of the effect of initial condition on sound generated by vortex pairing in a low Mach number, cold air jet (0·15 ⩽ M ⩽ 0·35). Data has been taken, both flow velocity fields and sound pressure far fields, in a quality anechoic facility, with careful documentation of the effect of initial condition on the sound field of jets of two different geometries (i.e., circular and elliptic). Explanations are presented for most of the observed effects by applying Möhring's theory of vortex sound to vortex filament models of coherent structures in the jets. The explanations also draw upon experience with coherent structure dynamics. The sound source of interest here is that associated with the pairing of shear layer vortices. The evolution of these vortices is greatly affected by the initial condition as is their resultant sound field. The elliptic jets with laminar boundary layers show azimuthal directivity, namely, sound pressure levels in the minor axis plane were greater than in the major axis plane. This difference decreases as the nozzle boundary layer undergoes natural transition with increasing jet speed. When the nozzle boundary layer is tripped, making it fully turbulent and removing the shear layer mode of pairing, the elliptic jet sound fields become nearly axisymmetric. What appears to be the most acoustically active phase of vortex pairing has been modeled, and the resulting sound field calculated for the circular jet. Supporting evidence is found in the experimental data for the validity of this model. The model explains the connection between the initial condition and the far field sound of jets. Interestingly, a general result of Möhring's theory is that motions of vortex rings (of any arbitrary shape) can produce only axisymmetric sound fields if the rings remain in a plane. This implies that the observed asymmetric directivity of the laminar elliptic jet sound field must be due to non-planar ring motions of the vortical structures. The primary contribution of this paper is to examine quantitatively the role of vortex pairing in the production of jet noise; the results are used to reemphasize that “pairing noise” cannot be dominant in most practical jet sound fields, contrary to claims by other researchers.     

浮力对矩形射流扩散火焰影响的大涡模拟

本文对浮力作用下的矩形射流扩散燃烧过程进行了三维大涡模拟。数值模拟结果展示了浮力作用下矩形射流扩散火焰的动态弯曲过程,比较分析了射流速度对火焰刚性的影响,发现射流速度越高火焰弯曲程度越小、燃料喷射距离越远。对浮力作用下的水平射流横截面流动分析结果表明,由于流向涡的卷吸作用在局部区域存在逆着浮力方向的流动。     

Use of a plane jet for flow-induced noise reduction of tandem rods

Unsteady wake from upstream components of landing gear impinging on downstream components could be a strong noise source.The use of a plane jet is proposed to reduce this flow-induced noise.Tandem rods with different gap widths were utilized as the test body.Both acoustic and aerodynamic tests were conducted in order to validate this technique.Acoustic test results proved that overall noise emission from tandem rods could be lowered and tonal noise could be removed with use of the plane jet.However,when the plane jet was turned on,in some frequency range it could be the subsequent main contributor instead of tandem rods to total noise emission whilst in some frequency range rods could still be the main contributor.Moreover,aerodynamic tests fundamentally studied explanations for the noise reduction.Specifically,not only impinging speed to rods but speed and turbulence level to the top edge of the rear rod could be diminished by the upstream plane jet.Consequently,the vortex shedding induced by the rear rod was reduced,which was confirmed by the speed,Reynolds stress as well as the velocity fluctuation spectral measured in its wake.This study confirmed the potential use of a plane jet towards landing gear noise reduction.     

A study on large coherent structures and noise emission in a turbulent round jet

A moderate Reynolds number,and high subsonic turbulent round jet is investigated by large eddy simulation.The detailed results(e.g.mean flow properties,turbulence intensities,etc.)are validated against the experimental data,and special attention is paid to study motions of coherent structures and their contributions to far-field noise.Eulerian methods(e.g.Q-criteria andλ2criteria)are utilized for visualizing coherent structures directly for instantaneous flow fields,and Lagrangian coherent structures accounting for integral effect are shown via calculating fields of finite time Lyapunov exponents based on bidimensional velocity fields.All visualizations demonstrate that intrusion of three-dimensional vortical structures into jet core occurs intermittently at the end of the potential core,resulting from the breakdown of helical vortex rings in the shear layer.Intermittencies in the shear layer and on the centerline are studied quantitatively,and distinctively different distributions of probability density function are observed.Moreover,the physical sound sources are obtained through a filtering operation of defined sources in Lighthill’s analogy,and their distributions verify that intrusion of vortical structures into the core region serves as important sound sources,in particular for noise at aft angles.The facts that intermittent behaviors are caused by motions of coherent structures and correlated with noise generation imply that to establish reasonable sound sources in active noise production region based on intermittent coherent structures is one of the key issues for far-field noise prediction.     

Helical modes in low- and high-swirl jets measured by tomographic PIV

We report on a parallel study on properties of large-scale vortical structures in low- and high-swirl turbulent jets by means of the time-resolved tomographic particle image velocimetry technique. The high-swirl jet flow is featured by a well-established bubble-type vortex breakdown with a central recirculation zone. In the low-swirl flow, the mean axial velocity, while intermittently acquiring negative values, remains positive in the mean but with a local velocity defect immediately downstream from the nozzle exit, followed by a spiralling vortex core system and its eventual breakdown. Measurements of the 3D velocity fields allowed direct analysis of the azimuthal/helical modes via Fourier transform over the azimuthal angle and proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) analysis in the Fourier space. A precessing vortex core is detected for both swirl cases, whereas the POD analysis showed that the one originating in the bubble-type vortex breakdown is much more energetic and easier to detect.     

Effect of gap flow on the shallow wake of a sharp-edged bluff body – mean velocity fields

This experimental study was carried out to investigate the turbulent shallow wake generated by a vertical sharp-edged flat plate suspended in a shallow channel flow with a gap near the bed. The objective of this study is to understand the effect of the gap flow on the wake by studying two different gap heights between the channel bed and the bottom edge of the bluff body. These two cases will be compared to the no-gap case which is considered as a reference case. The maximum flow velocity was 0.45 m/s and the Reynolds number based on the water depth was 45,000. Extensive measurements of the flow field in the vertical mid-plane and in the horizontal near-bed, mid-depth, and near-surface planes were made using particle image velocimetry. This paper is part of an extensive study to characterise the gap-flow effects and is primarily concerned with the mean velocity fields, while a companion paper discusses the turbulence characteristics. The size of the wake identified in the horizontal planes is found to vary in the three planes, where the gap flow enhances the entrainment in the near-wake region in the near-bed velocity field. The results also revealed that, if the gap flow is weak, it is engulfed by the recirculation zone formed just behind the bluff body whose axis is perpendicular to the vertical mid-plane. On the other hand, if the gap flow is relatively strong, it penetrates in the downstream direction and only a portion of it is diverted upward to feed the recirculation zone.     

振荡射流提高风力机叶型升力的PIV实验

本实验在风力机叶片叶型表面头部加入平均质量流量为零的一定频率的振荡射流。PIV(Particle Image Ve- locimetry)实验手段显示出叶片上表面速度场。通过对加入振荡射流前后速度场和涡量场的观察与比较,可以发现在振荡射流的作用下,叶片上表面尾端的流动分离发生了再附,转捩点向后推移。通过比较还可以发现在加入特定的频率和强度的振荡射流之下,该效果更加明显。该实验不仅可以证明振荡射流可以提高叶片升力,而且显示了不同频率的射流对流动的影响。     

Numerical visualization of vortex flow behavior in square jets in cross-flow

Direct numerical simulations have been performed in this study to visualize the flow behavior of single and multiple square jets issuing normally into a cross-flow. Three configurations are considered, a single jet located in the centre of the domain, twin jets in side-by-side (SBS) arrangement in the spanwise direction and triple jets in tandem arrangement with twin jets at the front and a third jet in downstream along the centre line. Simulation uses a jet to cross-flow velocity ratio of 2.5 and the Reynolds number 225, based on the free-stream quantities and the jet width. While the vortical structures predicted from single jet case were in good qualitatively agreement with the findings of other researchers, our results show that the process of merging between two counter-rotating vortex pairs (CRVP) in twin jets configurations is strongly dependent on the jet-to-jet edge distance. Further downstream in the far-field, results from the SBS twin jets show a most dominating larger CRVP accompanied with a smaller inner vortex pair. The observations are in good qualitative agreement with the experimental findings in the literature. The resulting flow structures of triple jets in tandem configuration have revealed, for the first time, more complicated flow interactions between individual jets and cross-flow, providing further insights of complex flow physics and its potential engineering applications.     

Random vortex-street model for a self-similar plane turbulent jet

We ask what determines the (small) angle of turbulent jets. To answer this question we first construct a deterministic vortex-street model representing the large-scale structure in a self-similar plane turbulent jet. Without adjustable parameters the model reproduces the mean velocity profiles and the transverse positions of the large-scale structures, including their mean sweeping velocities, in a quantitative agreement with experiments. Nevertheless, the exact self-similar arrangement of the vortices (or any other deterministic model) necessarily leads to a collapse of the jet angle. The observed (small) angle results from a competition between vortex sweeping tending to strongly collapse the jet and randomness in the vortex structure, with the latter resulting in a weak spreading of the jet.