An experimental investigation of the sonic criterion for transition from regular to Mach reflection of weak shock waves

The signal speed, namely the local sound speed plus the flow velocity, behind the reflected shocks produced by the interaction of weak shock waves (M _i < 1.4) with rigid inclined surfaces has been measured for several shock strengths close to the point of transition from regular to Mach reflection. The signal speed was measured using piezo-electric transducers, and with a multiple schlieren system to photograph acoustic signals created by a spark discharge behind a small aperture in the reflecting surfaces. Both methods yielded results with equal values within experimental error. The theoretical signal speeds behind regularly reflected shocks were calculated using a non-stationary model, and these agreed with the measured results at large angles of incidence. As the angle of incidence was reduced, for the same incident shock Mach number, so as to approach the point of transition from regular to Mach reflection, the measured values of the signal speed deviated significantly from the theoretical predictions. It was found, within experimental uncertainty, that transition from regular to Mach reflection occurred at the experimentally observed sonic point, namely, when the signal speed was equal to the speed of the reflection point along the reflecting surface. This sonic condition did not coincide with the theoretical value.     

Measurement of velocity in rotational flows using ultrasonic anemometry: the flowmeter

In this paper a previously developed theoretical model of the measurement process performed by a transit-time ultrasonic anemometer is applied to a fluid flowing through a circular section pipe. This model considers the influence of the shift of the acoustic pulse trajectory from straight propagation due to the flow on the measured speed. The aim of this work is to estimate the errors induced in the measured velocity by the shift of the acoustic pulse trajectory. Using different duct’s flow models, laminar and turbulent regimes have been analyzed. The results show that neglecting the effect of shift of the acoustic pulse trajectory leads to flow rate measurement underestimation.     

Magnetohydrodynamic flow in an infinite channel

The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow of an incompressible, viscous, electrically conducting fluid in an infinite channel, under an applied magnetic field has been investigated. The MHD flow between two parallel walls is of considerable practical importance because of the utility of induction flowmeters. The walls of the channel are taken perpendicular to the magnetic field and one of them is insulated, the other is partly insulated, partly conducting. An analytical solution has been developed for the velocity field and magnetic field by reducing the problem to the solution of a Fredholm integral equation of the second kind, which has been solved numerically. Solutions have been obtained for Hartmann numbers M up to 200. All the infinite integrals obtained are transformed to finite integrals which contain modified Bessel functions of the second kind. So, the difficulties associated with the computation of infinite integrals with oscillating integrands which arise for large M have been avoided. It is found that, as M increases, boundary layers are formed near the nonconducting boundaries and in the interface region for both velocity and magnetic fields, and a stagnant region in front of the conducting boundary is developed for the velocity field. Selected graphs are given showing these behaviours.     

On a Degenerate Free Boundary Problem and Continuous Subsonic–Sonic Flows in a Convergent Nozzle

This paper concerns the well-posedness of a boundary value problem for a quasilinear second order elliptic equation which is degenerate on a free boundary. Such problems arise when studying continuous subsonic–sonic flows in a convergent nozzle with straight solid walls. It is shown that for a given inlet being a perturbation of an arc centered at the vertex of the nozzle and a given incoming mass flux belonging to an open interval depending only on the adiabatic exponent and the length of the arc, there is a unique continuous subsonic–sonic flow from the given inlet with the angle of the velocity orthogonal to the inlet and the given incoming mass flux. Furthermore, the sonic curve of this continuous subsonic–sonic flow is a free boundary, where the flow is singular in the sense that while the speed is C ^1/2 Hölder continuous at the sonic state, the acceleration blows up at the sonic state.     

An anemometer for highly turbulent or recirculating flows

An anemometer which determines flow velocity by ionizing air and sensing the convective displacement of the ions is described. It is suited to measurement in low speed, highly unsteady gas flows. Comparisons to hot wire spectra suggest the corona anemometer has adequate frequency response to make it a useful tool for fluid dynamics measurement.     

Investigation of possibility of flow field diagnostics by laser induced biacetyl phosphorescence

Experimental results of laser induced phosphorescence of biacetyl triplet³A _u in a mixture of biacetyl and N₂ show that: the lifetime of phosphorescence is a function of temperature and independent of density and concentration; the initial phosphorescence intensity is a linear function of density and insensitive to the variation of temperature. The temperature and density distribution of gas flow could be measured by observing the phosphorescence lifetime and initial intensity of biacetyl mixed with N₂ respectively. The velocity distribution could be measured by observing the time-of-flight of the gaseous phosphorescent spot under pulsed laser excitation. Compared with Doppler anemometer, it, to a great extent, avoids the particle lag problem in flow field with large velocity gradient. The phosphorescence decay mechanism is also analysed and the analytical results agree with experimental ones. The project supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China and The Third World Academy.     

Boundary element method solution of MHD flow in a rectangular duct

The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow of an incompressible, viscous, electrically conducting fluid in a rectangular duct with an external magnetic field applied transverse to the flow has been investigated. The walls parallel to the applied magnetic field are conducting while the other two walls which are perpendicular to the field are insulators. The boundary element method (BEM) with constant elements has been used to cast the problem into the form of an integral equation over the boundary and to obtain a system of algebraic equations for the boundary unknown values only. The solution of this integral equation presents no problem as encountered in the solution of the singular integral equations for interior methods. Computations have been carried out for several values of the Hartmann number (1 ? M ? 10). It is found that as M increases, boundary layers are formed close to the insulated boundaries for both the velocity and the induced magnetic field and in the central part their behaviours are uniform. Selected graphs are given showing the behaviours of the velocity and the induced magnetic field.     

Hodograph design of lifting airfoils with high critical mach numbers

We wish to construct airfoils that have the highest free-stream Mach number M for a given set of geometric constraints for which the flow is nowhere supersonic. Nonlifting airfoils which maximize M for a given thickness ratio are known to possess long sonic segments at their critical speed. To construct lifting airfoils, we proceed under the conjecture that the optimal airfoil satisfying a given set of constraints is the one possessing the longest possible arc length of sonic velocity. A boundary-value problem is formulated in the hodograph plane using transonic small-disturbance theory whose solution determines an airfoil with long sonic arcs. For small lift coefficients, the hodograph domain covers two Riemann sheets and a finite-difference method is used to solve the boundary-value problem on this domain. A numerical integration of the solution around the boundary yields an airfoil shape, and three examples are discussed. The performance of these airfoils is compared with standard airfoils having the same lift coefficient and , and it is shown that the calculated airfoils have a 6%–10% increase in critical M .This research was supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under Grant F49620-93-1-0022DEF and by the National Science Foundation under Grant DMS-9157546. Research support for M.C.A.K. was given by the IBM Corporation under a Graduate Research Fellowship.     

Contouring the nozzles producing a uniform supersonic flow or a thrust maximum in the presence of a curvilinear sonic line

Within the framework of the ideal, i.e., inviscid and non-heat conducting, gas model we consider the problem of designing the supersonic section of a two-dimensional or axisymmetric nozzle realizing a uniform supersonic flow limitingly similar with a sonic flow when the choked flow involves a curvilinear sonic line. Emphasis is placed on nozzles with abruptly or steeply converging subsonic sections and a strongly curved sonic line formed by the C ⁻-characteristics of the expansion fan with the focus at the lower bend point of the vertical section of the subsonic contour. In the two-dimensional case, the least possible greater-than-unity Mach number M _em at the nozzle exit corresponds to the flow in which the first intersection of the C ⁺-characteristics originated at the closing C ⁻-characteristic of the expansion fan falls on the unknown contour of its supersonic part. For a uniform flow with M _e < M _em the intersection of C ⁺-characteristics beneath the unknown contour make impossible its construction. A part of the contour realizing a uniform flow with M _em > 1 ensures a limitingly rapid flow acceleration and forms the initial region of the supersonic generator of a maximum-thrust nozzle. For this reason, in the case of a curvilinear sonic line the supersonic generators of these nozzles have two, rather than one, bends, which, however, is interesting only for the theory. At least, in the calculated examples the thrusts of the nozzles with one and two bends differ only by a hundredth or even thousandth fractions of per cent.     

Air flow aerodynamic on a wall-mounted hemisphere for various turbulent boundary layers

Air flow field around a surface-mounted hemisphere of a fixed height for two different turbulent boundary layers (thin and thick) are investigated experimentally and numerically. Flow measurements are performed in a wind tunnel using hot-wire anemometer and streamwise component of velocity fluctuation are calculated using a special developed program of the hardware system. Mean surface pressure coefficients and velocity field for the same hemisphere are determined by the numerical simulation. Turbulent flow field and intensity are measured for two types of boundary layers and compared at various sections in both streamwise and spanwise directions. Numerical scheme based on finite volume and SIMPLE algorithm is used to treat pressure and velocity coupling. Studies are performed for Reynolds number, Re_H = 32,000. Based on the numerical simulation using RNG k–ε turbulence model, flow pathlines, separation region and recirculation area are determined for the two types of turbulent boundary layer flows and complex flow field and recirculation regions are identified and presented graphically.     

Buoyant MHD flows in a vertical channel: the levitation regime

Buoyant magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows with Joulean and viscous heating effects are considered in a vertical parallel plate channel. The applied magnetic field is uniform and perpendicular to the plates which are subject to adiabatic and isothermal boundary conditions, respectively. The main issue of the paper is the levitation regime, i.e., the fully developed flow regime for large values of the Hartmann number M, when the hydrodynamic pressure gradient evaluated at the temperature of the adiabatic wall is vanishing. The problem is solved analytically by Taylor series method and the solution is validated numerically. It is found that the fluid velocity points everywhere and for all values of M downward. For small M’s, the velocity field extends nearly symmetrically (with respect to the mid-plane) over the whole section of the channel between the adiabatic and the isothermal walls. For large values of M, by contrast, the fluid levitates over a broad transversal range of the channel, while the motion becomes concentrated in a narrow boundary layer in the neighborhood of the isothermal wall. Accordingly, the fluid temperature is nearly uniform in the levitation range and decreases rapidly within the boundary layer in front of the isothermal wall. It also turns out that not only the volumetric heat generation by the Joule effect, but also that by viscous friction increases rapidly with increasing values of M, the latter effect being even larger than the former one for all M.     

On the Design of Lifting Airfoils with High Critical Mach Number Using Full Potential Theory

 We wish to construct airfoils that have the highest free-stream Mach number for a given set of geometric constraints for which the flow is nowhere supersonic. Nonlifting airfoils that maximize the critical Mach number for a given cross-sectional area are known to possess long sonic segments at their critical speed. To construct lifting airfoils, we proceed under the conjecture that an airfoil with a high value of has the longest possible arc length of sonic velocity over its upper and lower surface. In Kropinski et al. (1995) the lifting problem was tackled in transonic small-disturbance theory. In this paper we numerically construct lifting airfoils with high using the full potential theory and we show that these airfoils have significantly higher than some standard airfoils. We also construct airfoils with higher values of the lift coefficient, by relaxing the speed constraint on the lower surface of the airfoil to have a value less than sonic. Received 13 May 1996 accepted 12 September 1996)     

Magnetohydrodynamic Rotating Flow of a Generalized Burgers’ Fluid in a Porous Medium with Hall Current

This study concentrates on the unsteady magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) rotating flow of an incompressible generalized Burgers’s fluid past a suddenly moved plate through a porous medium. Modified Darcy’s law for generalized Burgers’s fluid in a rotating frame has been used to model the governing flow problem. The closed form solution of the governing flow problem has been obtained by employing Laplace transform technique. The integral appearing in the inverse Laplace transform has been evaluated numerically. The influence of various parameters on the velocity profile has been delineated through several graphs and discussed in detail. It was found that the fluid is decelerated with increasing Hartmann number M and porosity parameter K. However, for large Hall parameter m, the real part of velocity decreases and the imaginary part of velocity increases.     

Predicting transport by Lagrangian coherent structures with a high-order method

Recent developments in identifying Lagrangian coherent structures from finite-time velocity data have provided a theoretical basis for understanding chaotic transport in general flows with aperiodic dependence on time. As these theoretical developments are extended and applied to more complex flows, an accurate and general numerical method for computing these structures is needed to exploit these ideas for engineering applications. We present an unstructured high-order hp/spectral-element method for solving the two-dimensional compressible form of the Navier–Stokes equations. A corresponding high-order particle tracking method is also developed for extracting the Lagrangian coherent structures from the numerically computed velocity fields. Two different techniques are used; the first computes the direct Lyapunov exponent from an unstructured initial particle distribution, providing easier resolution of structures located close to physical boundaries, whereas the second advects a small material line initialized close to a Lagrangian saddle point to delineate these structures. We demonstrate our algorithm on simulations of a bluff-body flow at a Reynolds number of Re = 150 and a Mach number of M = 0.2 with and without flow forcing. We show that, in the unforced flow, periodic vortex shedding is predicted by our numerical simulations that is in stark contrast to the aperiodic flow field in the case with forcing. An analysis of the Lagrangian structures reveals a transport barrier that inhibits cross-wake transport in the unforced flow. The transport barrier is broken with forcing, producing enhanced transport properties by chaotic advection and consequently improved mixing of advected scalars within the wake.     

Magnetohydrodynamic flow on a half-plane

We investigate the magnetohydrodynamic flow (MHD) on the upper, half of a non-conducting plane for the case when the flow is driven by the current produced by an electrode placed in the middle of the plane. The applied magnetic field is perpendicular to the plane, the flow is laminar, uniform, steady and incompressible. An analytical solution has been developed for the velocity field and the induced magnetic field by reducing the problem to the solution of a Fredholm's integral equation of the second kind, which has been solved numerically. Infinite integrals occurring in the kernel of the integral equation and in the velocity and magnetic field were approximated for large Hartmann numbers by using Bessel functions. As the Hartmann number M increases, boundary layers are formed near the non-conducting boundaries and a parabolic boundary layer is developed in the interface region. Some graphs are given to show examples of this behaviour.     

LDA/PDA measurements of instantaneous characteristics in high pressure fuel injection and swirl spray

 Transient dynamics of two injection flows, upstream and downstream a swirl injector, are investigated. Capillary n-heptane pipe flow is measured using laser Doppler anemometer to obtain instantaneous time series of centerline velocity and to reconstruct series of instantaneous and integrated flow rates and pressure gradient. A collimated laser sheet and a high-speed video camera visualize injected spray flow. Finally, the phase Doppler anemometer measurements are introduced to analyze instantaneous patterns of droplets velocity-size and number density into fuel spray. All measurements are employed at similar temporal resolution close to 30 μs. Results indicate that both flows are strongly time-dependent and well correlated in time-phases. Initial transitions are completed by 100 μs. Opening or closing of the injector valve affects both flows as strong delta oscillation causes spray penetration dynamics and a post injection effect. A combination of intrusive laser-based techniques allows indication of the basic injection and spraying characteristics need to optimize high-pressure fuel injectors and combustion late injection mode at a high speed. Received: 19 December 1998/Accepted: 13 August 1998     

Two Dimensional Subsonic Euler Flows Past a Wall or a Symmetric Body

The existence and uniqueness of two dimensional steady compressible Euler flows past a wall or a symmetric body are established. More precisely, given positive convex horizontal velocity in the upstream, there exists a critical value \({\rho_{\rm cr}}\) such that if the incoming density in the upstream is larger than \({\rho_{\rm cr}}\), then there exists a subsonic flow past a wall. Furthermore, \({\rho_{\rm cr}}\) is critical in the sense that there is no such subsonic flow if the density of the incoming flow is less than \({\rho_{\rm cr}}\). The subsonic flows possess large vorticity and positive horizontal velocity above the wall except at the corner points on the boundary. Moreover, the existence and uniqueness of a two dimensional subsonic Euler flow past a symmetric body are also obtained when the incoming velocity field is a general small perturbation of a constant velocity field and the density of the incoming flow is larger than a critical value. The asymptotic behavior of the flows is obtained with the aid of some integral estimates for the difference between the velocity field and its far field states.     

Predictions of axisymmetric and two-dimensional impinging turbulent jets

The k − turbulence model and a version of a second-moment closure, modified to include the effect of pressure reflections from a solid surface, have been used as the basis of predictions of the flow that results from the orthogonal impingement of circular and two-dimensional (2-D) jets on a flat surface. Comparison of model predictions has been made with velocity measurements obtained in the stagnation and wall jet regions of the impinging flows. Results, in general, confirm the superiority of the Reynolds stress transport equation model for predicting mean and fluctuating velocities within the latter regions of such flows. In particular, modifications to the second-moment closure to account for the influence of the surface in distorting the fluctuating pressure field away from the wall successfully predict the damping of normal-to-wall velocity fluctuations throughout the impinging flows. In contrast, results derived from the eddy-viscosity-based approach do not, in general, accurately reproduce experimental observations.     

A three-dimensional hydrodynamic model in curvilinear co-ordinates with collocated grid

A three-dimensional hydrodynamic model has been developed for turbulent flows with free surface. In the horizontal x–y-plane, a boundary-fitted curvilinear co-ordinate system is adopted, while in the vertical direction, a σ-co-ordinate transformation is used to represent the free surface and bed topography or lower boundary. Using the finite volume method, the convection terms are discretized using Roe's second-order-accurate scheme. The governing equations are solved in a collocated grid system by a fractional three-step implicit algorithm that has been developed to handle the velocity–pressure–depth coupling problem of free surface incompressible fluid flows. The present study is the extension of previous work to three-dimensional turbulent flows. The model has been applied to three test cases. Comparison with available data shows that the model developed is successful, and is valuable to engineering application. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simultaneous PIV and PTV measurements of wind and sand particle velocities

Wind-blown sand is a typical example of two-phase particle-laden flows. Owing to lack of simultaneous measured data of the wind and wind-blown sand, interactions between them have not yet been fully understood. In this study, natural sand of 100–125 μm taken from Taklimakan Desert was tested at the freestream wind speed of 8.3 m/s in an atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel. The captured flow images containing both saltating sand and small wind tracer particles, were separated by using a digital phase mask technique. The 2-D PIV (particle imaging velocimetry) and PTV (particle tracking velocimetry) techniques were employed to extract simultaneously the wind velocity field and the velocity field of dispersed sand particles, respectively. Comparison of the mean streamwise wind velocity profile and the turbulence statistics with and without sand transportation reveal a significant influence of sand movement on the wind field, especially in the dense saltating sand layer (y/δ < 0.1). The ensemble-averaged streamwise velocity profile of sand particles was also evaluated to investigate the velocity lag between the sand and the wind. This study would be helpful in improving the understanding of interactions between the wind and the wind-blown sand.