Array measurements of the surface pressure beneath a forced axi-symmetric separation bubble

An array of microphones is used to study the space–time characteristics of the wall-pressure field beneath a forced separation bubble downstream of an axi-symmetric backward-facing step. To excite the flow, an externally driven Helmholtz resonator is employed. A unique aspect of the present study is the utilization of an amplitude-modulated forcing scheme in order to avoid contamination of the measured hydrodynamic pressure fluctuations by acoustic radiation from the forcing device. The results lead to the hypothesis that the optimal forcing frequency is achieved when the forced disturbance originates near the center of the unforced separation bubble in the limit of very low levels of forcing. Moreover, a frequency–wavenumber spectrum analysis highlights the possibility for achieving separation control while minimizing potential acoustic radiation due to coupling between the forced disturbance and resonant modes of the underlying surface.     

Criteria for the Separation of Unsteady Ideal Fluid Flow past a Smooth Airfoil

Criteria for the separation of unsteady flow past a closed smooth airfoil are studied using the ideal fluid model and the Brillouin-Villat criterion. The necessary separation conditions are formulated. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 47, No. 1, pp. 74–81, January– February, 2006.     

Design of airfoils providing the absence of separation in a compressible flow in a specified range of angles of attack

A problem of modification of the classical airfoils that ensure the absence of separation in a subsonic ideal-gas flow in a specified range of angles of attack is solved by a numerical-analytical method based on the quasi-solution of inverse boundary-value problems of aerohydrodynamics and Kármán-Jiang formulas. Loitsyanskii’s criterion of the non-separated flow is used to determine the boundary-layer separation point. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 49, No. 6, pp. 99–106, November–December, 2008.     

Investigation of steady laminar flows with an initial disturbance

Results of a parametric study of steady asymmetric flows are analyzed. Three-dimensional unsteady equations of hydromechanics for a compressible medium are solved by a time-dependent method. The range of the characteristic Reynolds number Re = 60–350 is considered. It is shown that a symmetric flow becomes asymmetric at Re = 90. This value can be considered as a threshold value for air. In the examples considered, the upper separation region is always smaller than the lower separation region owing to flow asymmetry in the vicinity of the left boundary of the domain of integration. The dependence of the separation region size on the Reynolds number is found. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 49, No. 3, pp. 11–19, May–June, 2008.     

Scanning PIV measurements of a laminar separation bubble

Scanning PIV is applied to a laminar separation bubble to investigate the spanwise structure and dynamics of the roll-up of vortices within the bubble. The laminar flow separation with turbulent reattachment is studied on the suction side of an airfoil SD7003 at Reynolds numbers of 20,000–60,000. The flow is recorded with a CMOS high-speed camera in successive light-sheet planes over a time span of 1–2 s to resolve the temporal evolution of the flow in the different planes. The results show the quasi-periodic development of large vortex-rolls at the downstream end of the separation bubble, which have a convex structure and an extension of 10–20% chord length in the spanwise direction. These vortices possess an irregular spanwise pattern. The evolution process of an exemplary vortex structure is shown in detail starting from small disturbances within the separation bubble transforming into a compact vortex at the downstream end of the separation bubble. As the vortex grows in size and strength it reaches a critical state that leads to an abrupt burst of the vortex with a large ejection of fluid into the mean flow.     

Application of flow suction for controlling the shedding of large-scale vortices at boundary-layer separation

A wind-tunnel study of the influence of flow suction on laminar boundary-layer separation behind a two-dimensional step on the surface is performed. Hot-wire measurements are carried out at low subsonic flow velocities. It is demonstrated that this method of flow control allows suppressing the formation of large-scale vortices determined by global stability properties of the separation region. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 47, No. 4, pp. 60–65, July–August, 2006.     

Effect of riblets on the drag of a body of revolution with trailing-edge flow separation

The results of measurements of the drag of axisymmetric bodies with smooth and ribbed central cylindrical sections and affinely similar trailing edges of various lengths are given. The experimental data were obtained for zero angle of attack and the numbers M=0.25–0.85 and Re=10⁷–2.4·10⁷ (calculated on the basis of the length of the body without the trailing section). The trailing-edge flow separation was visualized by the oil film method. It is shown that ribbing can lead to a decrease in drag due not only to a reduction in turbulent friction but also to reduction of the separation zone on the smooth trailing section of the body. Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 163–168, January–February, 1998. The work was carried out with the support of the International Science-Technology Center (project No. 199-95).     

“Non-free” interaction of plane shock waves and the boundary layer in the neighborhood of the leading edge of a plate with slip

The interaction between a normally impinging shock wave and the boundary layer on a plate with slip is studied in the neighborhood of the leading edge using various experimental methods, including special laser technology, to visualize the supersonic conical gas flows. It is found that in the “non-free” interaction, when the leading edge impedes the propagation of the boundary layer separation line upstream, the structure of the disturbed flow is largely identical to that in the developed “free” interaction, but with higher parameter values and gradients in the leading part of the separation zone. The fundamental property of developed separation flows, namely, coincidence of the values of the pressure “plateau” in the separation zone and the pressure behind the oblique shock above the separation zone of the turbulent boundary layer, is conserved. Moscow. e-mail: ostap@inmech.msu.su. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 57–69, May–June, 2000. The work was carried out with financial support from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project No. 97-01-00099).     

Shallow and deep dynamic stall for flapping low Reynolds number airfoils

We consider a combined experimental (based on flow visualization, direct force measurement and phase-averaged 2D particle image velocimetry in a water tunnel), computational (2D Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes) and theoretical (Theodorsen’s formula) approach to study the fluid physics of rigid-airfoil pitch–plunge in nominally two-dimensional conditions. Shallow-stall (combined pitch–plunge) and deep-stall (pure-plunge) are compared at a reduced frequency commensurate with flapping-flight in cruise in nature. Objectives include assessment of how well attached-flow theory can predict lift coefficient even in the presence of significant separation, and how well 2D velocimetry and 2D computation can mutually validate one another. The shallow-stall case shows promising agreement between computation and experiment, while in the deep-stall case, the computation’s prediction of flow separation lags that of the experiment, but eventually evinces qualitatively similar leading edge vortex size. Dye injection was found to give good qualitative match with particle image velocimetry in describing leading edge vortex formation and return to flow reattachment, and also gave evidence of strong spanwise growth of flow separation after leading-edge vortex formation. Reynolds number effects, in the range of 10,000–60,000, were found to influence the size of laminar separation in those phases of motion where instantaneous angle of attack was well below stall, but have limited effect on post-stall flowfield behavior. Discrepancy in lift coefficient time history between experiment, theory and computation was mutually comparable, with no clear failure of Theodorsen’s formula. This is surprising and encouraging, especially for the deep-stall case, because the theory’s assumptions are clearly violated, while its prediction of lift coefficient remains useful for capturing general trends.     

Nonlinear excitations and ＂peakons＂ of a （2＋1）-dimensional generalized Broer-Kaup system

Shallow water waves and a host of long wave phenomena are commonly investigated by various models of nonlinear evolution equations. Examples include the Korteweg–de Vries, the Camassa–Holm, and the Whitham–Broer–Kaup (WBK) equations. Here a generalized WBK system is studied via the multi-linear variable separation approach. A special class of wave profiles with discontinuous derivatives (“peakons”) is developed. Peakons of various features, e.g. periodic, pulsating or fractal, are investigated and interactions of such entities are studied. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10475055, 10547124 and 90503006), and the Hong Kong Research Grant Council Contract HKU 7123/05E.     

Gas and Particle Dynamics of a Contoured Shock Tube for Pre-clinical Microparticle Drug Delivery

We investigate the gas-particle dynamics of a device designed for biological pre-clinical experiments. The device uses transonic/supersonic gas flow to accelerate microparticles such that they penetrate the outer skin layers. By using a shock tube coupled to a correctly expanded nozzle, a quasi-one-dimensional, quasi-steady flow (QSF) is produced to uniformly accelerate the microparticles. The system utilises a microparticle “cassette” (a diaphragm sealed container) that incorporates a jet mixing mechanism to stir the particles prior to diaphragm rupture. Pressure measurements reveal that a QSF exit period – suitable for uniformly accelerating microparticles – exists between 155 and 220 mus after diaphragm rupture. Immediately preceding the QSF period, a starting process secondary shock was shown to form with its (x,t) trajectory comparing well to theoretical estimates. To characterise the microparticle, flow particle image velocimetry experiments were conducted at the nozzle exit, using particle payloads with varying diameter (2.7–48 μm), density (600–16,800 kg/m³) and mass (0.25–10 mg). The resultant microparticle velocities were temporally uniform. The experiments also show that the starting process does not significantly influence the microparticle nozzle exit velocities. The velocity distribution across the nozzle exit was also uniform for the majority of microparticle types tested. For payload masses typically used in pre-clinical drug and vaccine applications (≤ 1 mg), it was demonstrated that payload scaling does not affect the microparticle exit velocities. These characteristics show that the microparticle exit conditions are well controlled and are in agreement with ideal theory. These features combined with an attention to the practical requirements of a pre-clinical system make the device suitable for investigating microparticle penetration into the skin for drug delivery.     

Boundary-value problem for a degenerate system of parabolic equations in boundary-layer theory

A problem is considered for the system describing gas flows with plate boundary layer separation in Mises variables in boundary-layer theory. The existence of generalized solutions of the problem is proved. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 36–41, July–August, 2008.     

A New Version of Detached-eddy Simulation, Resistant to Ambiguous Grid Densities

Detached-eddy simulation (DES) is well understood in thin boundary layers, with the turbulence model in its Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) mode and flattened grid cells, and in regions of massive separation, with the turbulence model in its large-eddy simulation (LES) mode and grid cells close to isotropic. However its initial formulation, denoted DES97 from here on, can exhibit an incorrect behavior in thick boundary layers and shallow separation regions. This behavior begins when the grid spacing parallel to the wall Δ_∥ becomes less than the boundary-layer thickness δ, either through grid refinement or boundary-layer thickening. The grid spacing is then fine enough for the DES length scale to follow the LES branch (and therefore lower the eddy viscosity below the RANS level), but resolved Reynolds stresses deriving from velocity fluctuations (“LES content”) have not replaced the modeled Reynolds stresses. LES content may be lacking because the resolution is not fine enough to fully support it, and/or because of delays in its generation by instabilities. The depleted stresses reduce the skin friction, which can lead to premature separation.For some research studies in small domains, Δ_∥ is made much smaller than δ, and LES content is generated intentionally. However for natural DES applications in useful domains, it is preferable to over-ride the DES limiter and maintain RANS behavior in boundary layers, independent of Δ_∥ relative to δ. For this purpose, a new version of the technique – referred to as DDES, for Delayed DES – is presented which is based on a simple modification to DES97, similar to one proposed by Menter and Kuntz for the shear–stress transport (SST) model, but applicable to other models. Tests in boundary layers, on a single and a multi-element airfoil, a cylinder, and a backward-facing step demonstrate that RANS function is indeed maintained in thick boundary layers, without preventing LES function after massive separation. The new formulation better fulfills the intent of DES. Two other issues are discussed: the use of DES as a wall model in LES of attached flows, in which the known log-layer mismatch is not resolved by DDES; and a correction that is helpful at low cell Reynolds numbers.     

Separation impact of a circular disk floating on the surface of an ideal incompressible fluid of infinite depth

The three-dimensional mixed problem of the separation impact of a circular disk floating on the surface of an ideal incompressible unlimited fluid is considered. The position and shape of the contact area between the body and the fluid (and the separation zone) are not known and depend on the relation between the translational and angular velocities acquired by the disk upon impact. Because of this, the problem in question is nonlinear and belongs to the class of free-boundary problems. The problem is solved using the method of Hammerstein-type nonlinear boundary integral equations. This approach allows the fluid flow after impact and the unknown zone of separation of fluid particles to be determined simultaneously. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 50, No. 4, pp. 76–86, July–August, 2009.     

One problem of the theory of dimensional electrochemical machining of metals

A method is proposed for determining the shape of the anode-article boundary for a given shape of the cathode-tool in plane problems of the theory of dimensional electrochemical machining of metals. Under the assumptions used, the boundary of the anode-article is divided into the working zone, where metal dissolution occurs, and an adjacent zone, where the treatment (dissolution) is terminated. The initial problem is reduced to a problem of a fictitious plane-parallel potential flow of an ideal fluid with a nonlinear condition on the free surface. The point of separation of the fictitious flow from the solid boundary corresponds to the point separating these two zones of the anode boundary. The Brillouin-Will condition of smooth separation is imposed at the separation point to construct a closed system of equations determining the problem solution. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 50, No. 3, pp. 214–220, May–June, 2009.     

Potential benefits of a non-linear stiffness in an energy harvesting device

The benefits of using a non-linear stiffness in an energy harvesting device comprising a mass–spring–damper system are investigated. Analysis based on the principle of conservation of energy reveals a fundamental limit of the effectiveness of any non-linear device over a tuned linear device for such an application. Two types of non-linear stiffness are considered. The first system has a non-linear bi-stable snap-through mechanism. This mechanism has the effect of steepening the displacement response of the mass as a function of time, resulting in a higher velocity for a given input excitation. Numerical results show that more power is harvested by the mechanism if the excitation frequency is much less than the natural frequency. The other non-linear system studied has a hardening spring, which has the effect of shifting the resonance frequency. Numerical and analytical studies show that the device with a hardening spring has a larger bandwidth over which the power can be harvested due to the shift in the resonance frequency.     

Further tests validating the adaptation process of the adaptive walls wind tunnel in Naples

The present work reports some experimental results from the adaptive walls wind tunnel in Naples and must be considered a logical step forward in validating the wall adaptation process of this tunnel. Two sets of new tests were made for evaluating the effects of wall adaptation: one on the location of laminar–turbulent transition and turbulent separation points, the other one on the measurement of aerodynamic forces and moments, taken by a strain gage balance. Up to now, aerodynamic forces and moments were evaluated by the integration of pressure distributions on the model surface. All results agree with the theory, and measurement of aerodynamic forces has also been partially validated. Using a balance proved to be a technical shortcoming in the testing device. Received: 5 September 2000/Accepted: 25 January 2001     

Optimization of the shapes of obstacles in jet-separation flow

The model of an ideal incompressible fluid is used to study the solvability of optimal control problems for the shape of a nozzle which discharges free-boundary fluid flow with and without accounting for gravity (internal aerodynamics) and shape optimization problems for an obstacle with jet separation (external aerodynamics). The qualitative properties of such flows are studied. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 48, No. 3, pp. 30–39, May–June, 2007.     

Prediction of separation flows around a 6：1 prolate spheroid using RANS/LES hybrid approaches

This paper presents hybrid Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) and large-eddy-simulation (LES) methods for the separated flows at high angles of attack around a 6:1 prolate spheroid. The RANS/LES hybrid methods studied in this work include the detached eddy simulation (DES) based on Spalart–Allmaras (S–A), Menter’s k–ω shear-stress-transport (SST) and k–ω with weakly nonlinear eddy viscosity formulation (Wilcox–Durbin+, WD+) models and the zonal-RANS/LES methods based on the SST and WD+ models. The switch from RANS near the wall to LES in the core flow region is smooth through the implementation of a flow-dependent blending function for the zonal hybrid method. All the hybrid methods are designed to have a RANS mode for the attached flows and have a LES behavior for the separated flows. The main objective of this paper is to apply the hybrid methods for the high Reynolds number separated flows around prolate spheroid at high-incidences. A fourth-order central scheme with fourth-order artificial viscosity is applied for spatial differencing. The fully implicit lower–upper symmetric-Gauss–Seidel with pseudo time sub-iteration is taken as the temporal differentiation. Comparisons with available measurements are carried out for pressure distribution, skin friction, and profiles of velocity, etc. Reasonable agreement with the experiments, accounting for the effect on grids and fundamental turbulence models, is obtained for the separation flows. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10502030 and 90505005).     

Measurement of Capillary Pressure–Saturation Relationships Under Defined Compression Levels for Gas Diffusion Media of PEM Fuel Cells

Measurements of capillary pressure–saturation relationships under defined levels of compression for gas diffusion layers (GDL) of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells as thin, mixed-wettable porous media have been carried out in a newly constructed device. This article lines out the construction principle of the cell and the preconditioning procedure of the sample to measure the capillary pressure–saturation relationships under well-defined conditions and loads of compression. Three commercial GDLs (Freudenberg H2315T10A, H2315T10AC1, and SGL Carbon BA24) have been examined and a compression-depending hysteresis of the capillary pressure–saturation relationship has been measured and identified.