A design method for turbomachinery blading in three-dimensional flow

A mixed spectral finite element scheme for the implementation of a design method for turbomachinery blading in three-dimensional subcritical compressible flow is presented. The method gives the detailed blade shape that would produce a prescribed tangential mean swirl schedule, given the hub and shroud profiles, the number of blades and their stacking position. After a presentation of the mathematical formulation of the design theory, the current numerical approach is described. It is then applied to the design of blading for radial inflow turbine impellers in three-dimensional flow.     

Overview of Identification Methods of Mechanical Parameters Based on Full-field Measurements

This article reviews recently developed methods for constitutive parameter identification based on kinematic full-field measurements, namely the finite element model updating method (FEMU), the constitutive equation gap method (CEGM), the virtual fields method (VFM), the equilibrium gap method (EGM) and the reciprocity gap method (RGM). Their formulation and underlying principles are presented and discussed. These identification techniques are then applied to full-field experimental data obtained on four different experiments, namely (i) a tensile test, (ii) the Brazilian test, (iii) a shear-flexural test, and (iv) a biaxial test. Test (iv) features a non-uniform damage field, and hence non-uniform equivalent elastic properties, while tests (i), (ii) and (iii) deal with the identification of uniform anisotropic elastic properties. Tests (ii), (iii) and (iv) involve non-uniform strain fields in the region of interest. Working group “Identification” of the French CNRS research network (GDR 2519) “Mesures de champs et identification en Mécanique des Solides / Full-field Measurements and Identification in Solid Mechanics”.     

Periodic viscous flow: A bench-mark problem

A double-transform technique provides a semi-analytic solution in the form of a series expansion for unsteady axisymmetric Stokes flow in the entrance region of a semi-infinite rigid cylindrical tube. This in turn offers an appropriate bench-mark problem for evaluating the quality of numerical approximations. To illustrate this, periodic axial flow in a circular cylinder is considered. Some aspects of the bench-mark problem that are of interest include the reverse flow in the wall layers, the accuracy of the approximate method in different flow regimes and the mesh grading. This bench-mark problem and the numerical study provide some insight into practical issues pertinent to the approximate solution of unsteady and periodic flows.     

Nonlinear Identification Problems Under Large Deflections

This paper presents a method of identifying unknown parameter and force histories for nonlinear structures. The nonlinearities treated are those that arise from large deflections and rotations and/or from material behavior in the form of elastic-plastic and hyperelastic responses. The method is based on a sensitivity response approach in conjunction with a general finite element program; it can determine multiple isolated force histories as well as multiple forces in the form of traction distributions. Because it successfully allies a general finite element program with the inverse methods, there is (potentially, at least) little restriction on the geometric and material complexity of the problems that can be handled. Experimental data from a very flexible beam-like structure is used to demonstrate the attributes of the developed method. Both quasi-static and dynamic tests are performed and evaluated.     

One-dimensional non-Darcy flow in a semi-infinite porous media: a multiphase implicit Stefan problem with phases divided by hydraulic gradients

One-dimensional non-Darcy flow in a semi-infinite porous media is investigated. We indicate that the non-Darcy relation which is usually determined from exper-imental results can always be described by a piecewise linear function,and the problem can be equivalently transformed to a multiphase implicit Stefan problem.The novel feature of this Stefan problem is that the phases of the porous media are divided by hydraulic gradients,not the excess pore water pressures.Using the similarity transformation technique,an exact solution for the situation that the external load increases in proportion to the square root of time is developed. The study on the existence and uniqueness of the solution leads to the requirement of a group of inequalities.A similar Ste-fan problem considering constant surface seepage velocity is also investigated, and the solution, which we indicate to be uniquely existent under all conditions,is established. Meanwhile,the relation between our Stefan problem and the traditional multiphase Stefan problem is demonstrated.In the end,computational examples of the solution are presented and discussed.The solution provides a useful benchmark for verifying the accuracy of general approximate algorithms of Stefan problems, and it is also attractive in the context of inverse problem analysis.     

A new decoupled finite element algorithm for viscoelastic flow. Part 2: Convergence properties of the algorithm

We present the results of some numerical experiments which were carried out in order to investigate the general characteristics of the algorithm described in Part I of this paper.     

Modeling full-tensor anisotropy in groundwater flow via an iterative scheme for mixed finite elements

This paper presents an iterative scheme for the efficient simulation of groundwater flow in a two-dimensional, heterogeneous aquifer in which the hydraulic conductivity is anisotropic. The scheme is applicable to matrix equations arising from both mixed finite-element and cell-centered finite-difference approximations to the flow equations, and it extends readily to three space dimensions. The scheme, which generalizes an earlier technique for isotropic aquifer, admits a fast multigrid solver for hydraulic heads. Numerical experiments illustrate both the effectiveness of the scheme and the importance of accurately treating anisotropy: Small changes in the off-diagonal terms in the conductivity tensor cause relatively large changes in both the predicted heads and the Darcy velocities.     

A new decoupled finite element algorithm for viscoelastic flow. Part 1: Numerical algorithm and sample results

This paper presents an algorithm for two-dimensional Steady viscoelastic flow Simulation in which the Solution of the momentum and continuity equations is decoupled from that of the constitutive equations. The governing equations are discretized by the finite element method, with 3 × 3 element subdivision for the stress field approximation. Non-consistent Streamline upwinding is also used. Results are given for flow through a converging channel and through an abrupt planar 4:1 contraction.     

峰后岩石非Darcy渗流的分岔行为研究

煤矿采动围岩大多处于峰后应力状态或破碎状态，其渗流一般不符合Darcy定律，为非Darcy渗流系统．峰后岩石非Darcy渗流系统的失稳和分岔是煤矿突水和煤与瓦斯突出动力灾害发生的根源．文中用谱截断方法建立了Ahmed-Sunada型非Darcy渗流系统的降阶动力学方程，再由变量代换得到以无量纲变量表示的平衡态附近的演化方程，分析了系统的分岔条件，给出了系统的各种吸引子图案，并结合采矿工程实际，用非线性数学的观点揭示了煤矿突水和煤与瓦斯突出的机理．研究表明：当非Darcy渗流系统渗流特性和边界压力的初始值满足一定条件时，系统由平衡转向不稳定，即存在跨临界Hopf分岔和切分岔，并且，系统的动力学响应不随渗透特性连续变化，即该系统存在突变性．     

Finite element modelling of sheared flow effects on the radiation characteristics of acoustic sources in a circular duct

The recent interest in propeller noise generation, stimulated by development of new propeller types for commerical propjets, has generated a need for the ability of measure the noise characteristics of propellers. However, wind tunnel noise measurements are affected by reflections from the wind tunnel walls. Computer codes predicting the free-field noise of a propeller and its noise field in a circular wind tunnel allow validating the use of wind tunnel measurements to predict free-field noise characteristics. A wind tunnel contains flow which is uniform in the duct axial direction, but can vary in the radial direction. It can be shown that a third-order differential equation governs the acoustic pressure field for such a duct containing radially sheared subsonic flow. This third-order problem is then posed as a coupled pair of equations which are second-order in terms of acoustic density and first-order in terms of an artificial variable which represents the effects of the flow being sheared. It is shown that this form of the problem allows a natural extension of the existing numerical solution techniques for non-sheared flow. The sheared flow problem is presented, and a finite element method is developed to yield a solution for propeller-type acoustic forces. The finite element code and method are refined with numerical experiments, and results are presented for a specific propeller and duct geometry. Good agreement is shown between this method and an alternate approach to the sheared flow problem using a piecewise constant representation of the velocity in the boundary layer. This validates both the numerical methods.     

Finite element modelling of two-phase heat and fluid flow in deforming porous media

This paper details a finite element model which describes the flow of two-phase fluid and heat within a deforming porous medium. The coupled governing equations are derived in terms of displacements, pore pressures and temperatures, and details of the time-stepping algorithm and thermodynamic considerations are also presented. Two numerical examples are included for verification.     

A comparison of primitive variables and streamfunction–vorticity for fem depth-averaged modelling of steady flow

The governing equations for depth-averaged turbulent flow are presented in both the primitive variable and streamfunction–vorticity forms. Finite element formulations are presented, with special emphasis on the handling of bottom stress terms and spatially varying eddy viscosity. The primitive variable formulation is found to be preferable because of its flexibility in handling spatial variation in viscosity, variability in water surface elevations, and inflow and outflow boundaries. The substantial reduction in computational effort afforded by the streamfunction–vorticity formulation is found not to be sufficient to recommend its use for general depth-averaged flows. For those flows in which the surface can be approximated as a fixed level surface, the streamfunction–vorticity form can produce results equivalent to the primitive variable form as long as turbulent viscosity can be estimated as a constant.     

Numerical investigations of asymmetric flow of a micropolar fluid between two porous disks

Numerical solution is presented for the two- dimensional flow of a micropolar fluid between two porous coaxial disks of different permeability for a range of Reynolds number Re （-300≤ Re 〈 0） and permeability parameter A （1.0≤A ≤2.0）. The main flow is superimposed by the injection at the surfaces of the two disks. Von Karman＇s similarity transformations are used to reduce the governing equations of motion to a set of non-linear coupled ordinary differential equations （ODEs） in dimensionless form. An algorithm based on the finite difference method is employed to solve these ODEs and Richardson＇s extrapolation is used to obtain higher order accuracy. The results indicate that the parameters Re and A have a strong influence on the velocity and microrotation profiles, shear stresses at the disks and the position of the viscous/shear layer. The micropolar material constants cl, c2, c3 have profound effect on microrotation as compared to their effect on streamwise and axial velocity profiles. The results of micropolar fluids are compared with the results for Newtonian fluids.     

Finite element modelling of quasi-three-dimensional nearly horizontal flow

A quasi-three-dimensional numerical model is presented and applied to some test problems with constant density. The numerical technique is based on a finite element formulation and the three-dimensional problem is factorized into one- and two-dimensional subproblems. The non-linear advection is treated by use of a weak formulation of the characteristics method and the equations are transformed to ‘sigma’ coordinates.     

A finite element convergence study for shear-thinning flow problems

The solution of the non-linear set of equations arising from the application of the finite element method to non-Newtonian fluid flow problems often requires large amounts of computer time. Four iteration schemes (Picard, Newton-Raphson, Broyden and Dominant Eigenvalue method) are compared in three different flow geometries using a shear-thinning fluid model. Points of comparison involve the computer time necessary to converge the equations, ease of implementation, radius of convergence and rate of convergence.     

Coupled heat transfer and viscous flow,and magnetic effects in weld pool analysis

A finite element formulation and analysis is developed to study coupled heat transfer and viscous flow in a weld pool. The thermal effects generate not only buoyancy forces but also a variation in the surface tension which acts to drive the viscous flow in the molten weld pool. A moving phase boundary separates molten and solid material. Numerical experiments reveal the nature of the highly convective flow in the weld pool and the associated thermal profiles. The relative importance of buoyancy, surface tension, phase change, convection, etc. are examined. We also consider the sensitivity of the solution to the finite element mesh and related non-linear numerical instabilities. Of particular interest is the coupling of the thermal and viscous flow fields for the case when radial flow is inward or outward.     

A hybrid method for computing the flow of viscoelastic fluids

A hybrid method for computing the flow of viscoelastic and second-order fluids is presented. It combines the features of the finite difference technique and the shooting method. The method is accurate because it uses central differences. Its convergence is at least superlinear. The method is applied to obtain the solutions to three problems of flow of Walters' B' fluid: (a) flow near a stagnation point, (b) flow over a stretching sheet and (c) flow near a rotating disk. Numerical results reveal some new characteristics of flows which are not easy to demonstrate using the perturbation technique.     

Numerical solution of subsonic and transonic cascade flows

In this work a study of the application of the finite element method to transonic flows in axial turbomachines is undertaken. Solution techniques capable of accurately predicting flows from the incompressible regime up to the establishment of shocks in the transonic regime are presented. In the subsonic and shockless transonic regimes a local linearization method capable of very rapid convergence is used. In the full transonic regime the artificial compressibility method is employed to exclude downstream influences in the supersonic regions. The two approaches can be combined in a unified package and appropriate switches introduced to select the relevant method in any flow regime.     

Implicit finite element methods for two-phase flow in oil reservoirs

The equations governing immiscible, incompressible, two-phase, porous media flow are discretized by generalized streamline diffusion Petrov–Galerkin methods in space and by implicit differences in time. Systems of non-linear algebraic equations are solved by Newton–Raphson iteration employing ILU-preconditioned conjugate-gradient-like methods to the non-symmetric matrix system in each iteration. The resulting solution methods are robust, enable complex grids with irregular nodal orderings and allow capillary effects. Several numerical formulations are tested and compared for one-, two- and three-dimensional flow cases, with emphasis on problems involving saturation shocks, heterogeneous media and curved boundaries. For reservoirs consisting of multiple rock types with differing capillary pressure properties, it is shown that traditional Bubnov-Galerkin methods give poor results and the new Petrov–Galerkin formulations are required. Investigations regarding the behaviour of several preconditioned conjugate-gradient-like methods in these type of problems are also reported.