On the numerical solution of the turbulence energy equations for wave and tidal flows

This paper deals with the numerical solution, using finite difference methods, of the hydrodynamic and turbulence energy equations which describe wind wave and tidally induced flow. Calculations are performed using staggered and non-staggered finite difference grids in the vertical, with various time discretizations of the production and dissipation terms in the turbulence energy equations. It is shown that the time discretization of these terms can significantly influence the stability of the solution. The effect of time filtering on the numerical stability of the solution is also considered. The form of the mixing length is shown to significantly influence the bed stress in wind wave problems. A no-slip condition is applied at the sea bed, and the associated high-shear bottom boundary layer is resolved by transforming the equations onto a logarithmic or log-linear co-ordinate system before applying the finite difference scheme. A computationally economic method is developed which remains stable even when a very fine vertical grid (over 200 points) is used with a time step of up to 30 min.     

Experimental study of the mean wake of a tidal stream rotor in a shallow turbulent flow

The mean wake of a three-bladed horizontal axis tidal stream turbine operating at maximum power coefficient has been investigated experimentally in a wide flume with width 11 times the depth, providing minimal restriction to transverse wake development and behaviour of large-scale horizontal turbulence structures. This is an important first stage for understanding wake interaction in turbine arrays and hence large-scale power generation. The rotor diameter has a typical value of 60% of the depth and the thrust coefficient is representative of a full-scale turbine. The shear layers originating from the rotor tip circumference show classic linear expansion downstream, with the rate of a plane shear layer vertically and 1.5 times that horizontally. These shear layers merge by around 2.5 diameters downstream forming a self-similar two-dimensional wake beyond eight diameters downstream with a virtual origin at two diameters downstream of the rotor plane. The spreading rate is somewhat less than that for solid bodies. The detailed velocity measurements made in the near wake show rotation and vorticity similar to that measured previously for wind and marine turbines although with asymmetry associated with bed and surface proximity. The longitudinal circulation in a transverse plane is conserved at about 1% of the swept circulation from the blade tip within two diameters downstream, the extent of detailed measurement. Turbines are usually designed using blade element momentum theory in which velocities at the rotor plane are characterised by axial and tangential induction factors and it is now possible to see how this idealisation relates to actual velocities. The axial induction factor corresponds to velocity deficits at 0.4–0.8 radii from the rotor axis across the near wake while the tangential induction factor at the rotor plane corresponds to velocities at 0.4–0.6 radii between 1–2 diameters downstream, indicating some general correspondence. For the two-dimensional self-similar far wake the two parameters defining the centreline velocity deficit and the transverse velocity profiles are likely to be insensitive to Reynolds number in turbulent conditions.     

Experimental study of the evolution of perturbations in the supersonic wake behind a flat plate

The evolution of perturbations in the wake of a flat plate (with symmetric wedge-shaped nose and tail) is studied experimentally at the Mach number M=2 for various plate thicknesses and tail lengths.Novosibirsk. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 4, pp. 167–171, July–August, 1996.     

Experimental study of vortex structures in a hypersonic shock layer on a flat plate

The characteristics of travelling perturbations of density in a hypersonic shock layer on a flat plate for the Mach number M_∞=21 and unit Reynolds numberRe ₁=6·10⁵ m⁻¹ were experimentally studied by the method of electron-beam fluorescence. The perturbations were generated by interaction of the shock layer behind an oblique gas-dynamic whistle and the leading edge of the plate. The cases of unsteady and quasi-steady interaction were considered. In both cases, vortex disturbances of finite amplitude were generated. The measurements were performed at the fundamental frequency F=0.6·10⁻⁴ and at the harmonic; the streamwise phase velocities, the growth rates of the disturbances, and the angles of wave propagation were obtained. The measurement results are compared with some experimental data for subsonic flows, some particular results of the linear stability theory for compressible flows, and the results obtained on the basis of a simple model of the nonlinear stage of disturbance evolution in a hypersonic boundary layer. Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Siberian Division, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk 630090. Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 40, No. 6, pp. 41–47, November–December, 1999.     

Experimental study of extreme thrust on a tidal stream rotor due to turbulent flow and with opposing waves

Time-varying thrust has been measured on a rotor in shallow turbulent flow at laboratory scale. The onset flow has a turbulence intensity of 12% at mid depth and a longitudinal turbulence length scale of half the depth, about 5 times the vertical scale, typical of shallow flows. The rotor is designed to have thrust and power coefficient variations with tip speed ratio close to that of a full-scale turbine. Three extreme probability distributions give similar thrust exceedance values with the Type 1 Pareto in mid range which gives 1:100, 1:1000 and 1:10 000 exceedance thrust forces of 1.38, 1.5 and 1.59 times the mean value. With opposing waves superimposed the extreme thrust distribution has a very similar distribution to the turbulent flow only. Exceedance forces are predicted by superposition of a drag force with drag coefficient of 2.0 based on the wave particle velocity only and with an unchanged mean thrust coefficient of 0.89. These values are relevant for the design of support structures for marine turbines.     

Effect of one-sided unsteady energy supply on aerodynamic characteristics of airfoils in a transonic flow

The possibility of controlling the aerodynamic characteristics of airfoils in transonic flight regimes by means of one-sided pulsed-periodic energy supply is studied. Based on the numerical solution of two-dimensional unsteady gas-dynamic equations, the change in the flow structure in the vicinity of a symmetric airfoil at different angles of attack and the aerodynamic characteristics of the airfoil as functions of the amount of energy supplied asymmetrically (with respect to the airfoil) are determined. The results obtained are compared with the data calculated for the flow past the airfoil at different angles of attack without energy supply. It is found that a given lift force can be obtained with the use of energy supply at a much better lift-to-drag ratio of the airfoil, as compared to the case of the flow past the airfoil at an angle of attack. The moment characteristics of the airfoil are found. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 49, No. 6, pp. 82–87, November–December, 2008.     

Numerical study on the dynamics of a two-raft wave energy conversion device

This paper presents a dynamic analysis of a two-raft wave energy conversion device based on the three-dimensional wave radiation-diffraction method. The device consists of two hinged cylindrical rafts of elliptical cross section and a power take-off system at the joint. The effect of raft length, linear damping and spring coefficient in the power take off (PTO) system, axis ratio (ratio of minor axis to major axis of raft elliptical cross section) and raft radius of gyration on wave energy capture factor has been investigated in frequency domain, while the effects of a nonlinear Coulomb power take-off, raft radius of gyration and latching control have been studied in time domain. The difference in the performance of a raft-typed device obtained using a linear damping and a Coulomb damping is also illustrated.     

Experimental study of the turbulent boundary layer on a smooth flat plate with stepwise heat addition

Results are presented of an experimental study of heat transfer with stepwise heat addition on a flat wall. The experimental temperature profiles and heat transfer data obtained confirm the previously suggested hypothesis that the conventional heat-transfer law is valid in this case if the calculation is based on the difference of the equilibrium and actual wall temperatures.The author wishes to thank A. L. Leont'ev, É. P. Volchkov, and E. G. Zaulichnii for guidance and assistance in this study.     

Experimental study and direct numerical simulation of the evolution of disturbances in a viscous shock layer on a flat plate

The evolution of disturbances in a hypersonic viscous shock layer on a flat plate excited by slow-mode acoustic waves is considered numerically and experimentally. The parameters measured in the experiments performed with a free-stream Mach number M _∞ = 21 and Reynolds number Re _L = 1.44 · 10⁵ are the transverse profiles of the mean density and Mach number, the spectra of density fluctuations, and growth rates of natural disturbances. Direct numerical simulation of propagation of disturbances is performed by solving the Navier-Stokes equations with a high-order shock-capturing scheme. The numerical and experimental data characterizing the mean flow field, intensity of density fluctuations, and their growth rates are found to be in good agreement. Possible mechanisms of disturbance generation and evolution in the shock layer at hypersonic velocities are discussed. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 47, No. 5, pp. 3–15, September–October, 2006.     

Experimental study of turbulent round jet flow impinging on a square cylinder laid on a flat plate

A turbulent axisymmetric air jet impinging on a square cylinder mounted on a flat plate has been studied experimentally. Turbulence statistics and flow’s topology were investigated. When the surface was heated through uniform heat flux, local heat transfer coefficient was measured. The jet from a long round pipe, 75 pipe diameters (D) in length, at Reynolds number of 23,000, impinged vertically on the square cylinder (3D × 3D × 43D). Measurements were performed using particle image velocimetry, flow visualization using fluorescent dye and infrared thermography. The flow’s topology demonstrated a three-dimensional recirculation after separating from the square cylinder and a presence of foci between the bottom corner and the recirculation’s detachment line. The distribution of heat transfer coefficient was explained by the influence of these flow’s structures and the advection of kinetic energy. On the impingement wall of the square cylinder, a secondary peak in heat transfer coefficient was observed. Its origin can be attributed to very pronounced shear production coupled with the external turbulence coming from the free jet.     

Effects of a dynamic trailing-edge flap on the aerodynamic performance and flow structures in hovering flight

To examine the effects of wing morphing on unsteady aerodynamics, deformable flapping plates are numerically studied in a low-Reynolds-number flow. Simulations are carried out using an in-house immersed-boundary-method-based direct numerical simulation (DNS) solver. In current work, chord-wise camber is modeled by a hinge connecting two rigid components. The leading portion is driven by a biological hovering motion along a horizontal stroke plane. The hinged trailing-edge flap (TEF) is controlled by a prescribed harmonic deflection motion. The effects of TEF deflection amplitude, deflection phase difference, hinge location, and Reynolds number on the aerodynamic performance and flow structures are investigated. The results show that the unsteady aerodynamic performance of deformable flapping plates is dominated by the TEF deflection phase difference, which directly affects the strength of the leading-edge vortex (LEV) and thus influences the entire vortex shedding process. The overall lift enhancement can reach up to 26% by tailoring the deflection amplitude and deflection phase difference. It is also found that the role of the dynamic TEF played in the flapping flight is consistent over a range of hinge locations and Reynolds numbers. Results from a low aspect-ratio (AR=2) deformable plate show the same trend as those of 2-D cases despite the effect of the three-dimensionality.     

A numerical bifurcation study of friction effects in a slip-controlled torque converter clutch

Friction plays a key role in the efficiency and stability of the slip-controlled torque converter clutches. The effects of friction on the dynamics and stability of a slip-controlled torque converter clutch system using a bifurcation-analysis-based approach is presented in this paper. A three degree-of-freedom nonlinear driveline model with integral feedback action to control the clutch slip speed has been utilized for this study. The clutch interface friction is dependent on the slip speed and is a function of the static friction constant, μ ₀, the low velocity friction constant μ ₁, and the low velocity exponential rate, γ. Using one-parameter numerical continuation, local Hopf bifurcations of the subcritical type are observed as the friction parameters μ ₁ and γ were varied at low slip speeds. The continuation results are verified using simulations of the full nonlinear model. Stick-slip and undesirable oscillations of the model inertia elements are observed for certain parameter values. As the slip speed is increased, the bifurcation instability occurs at an increasingly higher value of μ ₁ signifying an improved tolerance of negative friction gradient at higher slip speeds. Smaller exponential rates γ are tolerated at higher slip speeds before the bifurcation instability occurs. For the range of parameter values considered, no bifurcations occur for a slip speeds higher than 3.4 and 4.5 rad/s with μ ₁ and γ as the continuation parameters, respectively. These values of slip speeds are much lower than the system’s first mode of torsional vibration of 16 Hz (≈100 rad/s).     

Experimental investigation of vortex formation in the wake of a flat plate for subsonic and supersonic freestream Mach numbers

The wake of a flat plate with thickness H = 6 mm whose surface was either smooth or rough by pasting smooth or rough paper on to it was investigated with optical methods. The studies showed that for supersonic freestream Mach numbers the wake of the smooth flat plate seems to be turbulent in the observation field. In contrast the wake of the rough plate can exhibit a vortex street if certain conditions are met. The most important parameters are the roughness of the paper and the distance from the location where the rough paper ends to the trailing edge, abbreviated with d. It turned out that a vortex street develops in the wake if the roughness exceeds a critical value and if the distance d is of the order of some millimeters. If these conditions are not met the wake of the rough plate is turbulent in the observation field. The dependence of the vortex formation upon the Mach number, the roughness and the distance d was investigated with holographic interferometry, two component laser-Doppler-anemometry and a laser-optics for measuring the vortex shedding frequency.     

Analytical and computational modelling for wave energy systems: the example of oscillating wave surge converters

The development of new wave energy converters has shed light on a number of unanswered questions in fluid mechanics, but has also identified a number of new issues of importance for their future deployment. The main concerns relevant to the practical use of wave energy converters are sustainability, survivability, and maintainability. Of course, it is also necessary to maximize the capture per unit area of the structure as well as to minimize the cost. In this review, we consider some of the questions related to the topics of sustain-ability, survivability, and maintenance access, with respect to sea conditions, for generic wave energy converters with an emphasis on the oscillating wave surge converter. New analytical models that have been developed are a topic of par-ticular discussion. It is also shown how existing numerical models have been pushed to their limits to provide answers to open questions relating to the operation and characteristics of wave energy converters.     

2D numerical contributions for the study of non-cohesive sediment transport beneath tidal bores

2D numerical simulations of tidal bores were obtained using the OpenFOAM CFD software to solve the Navier–Stokes equations by means of the Finite Volume Method by applying a LES turbulence model. The trajectories of non-cohesive sediment particles beneath tidal bores were estimated using a tracker method. Using the fourth order Runge–Kutta scheme, the tracker method solves the Maxey and Riley equations, which requires the knowledge of the velocity field at time t. From 2D numerical simulations of tidal bores, we proposed a classification of tidal bores with respect to the Froude number Fr (or r the ratio of water depths). For a Froude number $1<Fr<1.43$ ($1<r<1.57$), the tidal bore is undular. For a Froude number $1.43<Fr<1.57$ ($1.57<r<1.75$), the tidal bore is partially breaking, which is similar to the transitional tidal bore defined by Furgerot (2014). And for a Froude number $Fr>1.57$ ($r>1.75$), the tidal bore is totally breaking. The numerical results of trajectories of non-cohesive sediment particles are similar to the type of trajectories given by the analytical model proposed by Chen et al. (2012) with some modifications to take into account the effects of gravity, elevation, and attenuation. The parameters of modified Chen's model, ${\beta }_1$, ${\beta }_2$ and ${\beta }_3$, are linearly proportional to the Froude number Fr. This is because the level of turbulence for undular tidal bores is low. The flow induced by an undular tidal bore is not complex. This physical phenomenon is quasi linear. The parameter ${\beta }_1$, related to the front celerity of the undular tidal bore, decreases when the Froude number Fr increases. The parameter ${\beta }_2$, related to the elevation, increases when the Froude number Fr increases. And the parameter ${\beta }_3$, related to the attenuation of the secondary waves, increases when the Froude number Fr increases.