Positron emission particle tracking-Application and labelling techniques

The positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) technique has been widely used in science and engineering to obtain detailed information on the motion and flow fields of fluids or granular materials in multiphase systems, for example, fluids in rock cracks, chemical reactors and food processors; dynamic behaviour of granular materials in chemical reactors, granulators, mixers, dryers, rotating kilns and ball mills. The information obtained by the PEPT technique can be used to optimise the design, operational conditions for a wide range of industrial process systems, and to evaluate modelling work. The technique is based on tracking radioactively labelled particles (up to three particles) by detecting the pairs of back-to-back 511 ke V -γ-rays arising from annihilation of emitted positrons. It therefore involves a positron camera, location algorithms for calculating the tracer location and speed, and tracer labelling techniques. This paper will review the particle tracking technique from tracking algorithm, tracer labelling to their application.     

Discrete element method-based studies on dynamic interactions of a lugged wheel with granular media

Terramechanics plays an important role in determining the design and control of autonomous robots and other vehicles that move on granular surfaces. Traction capabilities, slippage, and sinkage of a robot are governed by the interaction of a robot’s appendage with the operating terrain. It is important to understand how the terrain flows under this appendage during such an interaction. In this work, dynamics of soil performance and locomotion performance of a lugged wheel travelling on soft soil are numerically investigated. Studies are conducted with a two-dimensional model by using the discrete element method to analyze the interactions between a lugged wheel and the soil. The soil performance is studied by examining the force distribution and evolution of force networks during the course of the wheel travel. For two different control modes, namely, slip-based wheel control and angular velocity-based wheel control, the performance parameters such as, sinkage, traction, traction efficiency, and power consumption of the wheel are compared for various wheel configurations. The findings of this work are expected to be useful for optimal design and control of the lugged wheel travelling on deformable surfaces.     

Positron emission particle tracking—Application and labelling techniques

The positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) technique has been widely used in science and engineering to obtain detailed information on the motion and flow fields of fluids or granular materials in multiphase systems, for example, fluids in rock cracks, chemical reactors and food processors; dynamic behaviour of granular materials in chemical reactors, granulators, mixers, dryers, rotating kilns and ball mills. The information obtained by the PEPT technique can be used to optimise the design, operational conditions for a wide range of industrial process systems, and to evaluate modelling work. The technique is based on tracking radioactively labelled particles (up to three particles) by detecting the pairs of back-to-back 511 keV γ-rays arising from annihilation of emitted positrons. It therefore involves a positron camera, location algorithms for calculating the tracer location and speed, and tracer labelling techniques. This paper will review the particle tracking technique from tracking algorithm, tracer labelling to their application.     

Development of in-wheel sensor system for accurate measurement of wheel terrain interaction characteristics

Planetary rovers need high mobility on a rough terrain such as sandy soil, because such a terrain often impedes the rover mobility and causes significant wheel slip. Therefore, the accurate estimation of wheel soil interaction characteristics is an important issue. Recent studies related to wheel soil interaction mechanics have revealed that the classical wheel model has not adequately addressed the actual interaction characteristics observed through experiments. This article proposes an in-wheel sensor system equipped with two sensory devices on the wheel surface: force sensors that directly measure the force distribution between the wheel and soil and light sensors that accurately detect the wheel soil surface boundary line. This sensor design enables the accurate measurement of wheel terrain interaction characteristics such as wheel force distribution, wheel–soil contact angles, and wheel sinkage when the powered wheel runs on loose sand. In this article, the development of the in-wheel sensor system is introduced along with its system diagram and sensor modules. The usefulness of the in-wheel sensor system is then experimentally evaluated via a single wheel test bench. The experimental results confirm that explicit differences can be observed between the classical wheel model and practical data measured by the in-wheel sensor system.     

Visualization and analysis of wheel camber angle effect for slope traversability using an in-wheel camera

This paper visualizes and analyzes an effect of a wheel camber angle for the slope traversability in sandy terrain. An in-wheel camera developed in this work captures the wheel-soil contact phenomenon generated beneath the wheel through a transparent section of the wheel surface. The images taken by the camera are then analyzed using the particle image velocimetry. The soil flows with various wheel camber angles are analyzed with regard to the soil failure observed on the slope surface. The analysis reveals that the slope failure and soil accumulation in front of the wheel significantly affect the wheel forces and distributions of the wheel sinkage in the wheel width direction. Further, the side force of the wheel in traversing a slope decreases as the slip ratio increases because the shear stress in the slope downward direction decreases owing to the slope failure.     

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.     

Modelling tire-moist terrain interaction using advanced computational techniques

This paper focuses on predicting and analyzing the tire-moist terrain interaction. The moist terrain (sand) is modelled using Smoothed-Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) technique. The SPH basic interpolation technique is described, and the necessary interpolation equations are implemented. The soil is modelled using the hydrodynamic elastic-plastic material, while the water is modelled using Murnaghan equation of state. The numerical interaction between both materials is defined using Darcy’s law. The soil moisturizing technique consists of layering water particles on top of sand particles and pressurizing the water into the sand. The moisturizing technique is examined using the direct shear-strength test, and validated against physical measurement carried out in a laboratory under similar soil conditions and bulk density. Finally, the results and the effect of moisture content on tire-moist terrain interaction are discussed and investigated using a previously modelled and validated off-road truck tire size 315/80R22.5.     

粒子法中自由表面粒子识别

针对移动粒子半隐式法MPS（Moving Particle Semi-implicit Method）基于粒子数密度来判断自由表面会出现将内部粒子误判为自由表面粒子的问题,提出了一种结合几何法和体积法的自由表面粒子判定方法。通过对溃坝问题进行数值模拟,结果表明,全新的自由表面粒子判定方法对流体平稳运动以及剧烈运动两种工况,都能准确地判断出自由表面粒子,解决了基于粒子数密度判断方法因粒子分布稀疏产生误判的问题。[JP2]这种全新的自由表面粒子判定方法对今后采用MPS方法计算两相流问题时,两种介质在界面处的传热传质计算有重要意义。     

Linear normal stress under a wheel in skid for wheeled mobile robots running on sandy terrain

Wheeled mobile robots are often used on high risk rough terrain. Sandy terrains are widely distributed and tough to traverse. To successfully deploy a robot in sandy environment, wheel-terrain interaction mechanics in skid should be considered. The normal and shear stress is the basis of wheel-soil interaction modeling, but the normal stress in the rear region on the contact surface is computed through symmetry in classical terramechanics equations. To calculate that directly, a new reference of wheel sinkage is proposed. Based on the new reference, both the wheel sinakge and the normal stress can be given using a quadratic equation as the function of wheel-soil contact angle. Moreover, the normal stress can be expressed as a linear function of the wheel sinkage by introducing a constant coefficient named as sand stiffness in this paper. The linearity is demonstrated by the experimental data obtained using two wheels and on two types of sands. The sand stiffness can be estimated with high accuracy and it decreases with the increase of skid ratio due to the skid-sinkage phenomenon, but increases with the increase of vertical load. Furthermore, the sand stiffness can be utilized directly to compare the stiffness of various sandy terrains.     

Shape effects of wheel grousers on traction performance on sandy terrain

This paper presents the effects of different wheel grouser shapes on the traction performance of a grouser wheel traveling on sandy terrain. Grouser wheels are locomotion gears that allow small and lightweight exploration rovers to traverse on the loose sand on extraterrestrial surfaces. Although various grouser shapes have been analyzed by some research groups, a more synthetic and direct comparison of possible grousers is required for practical applications. In this study, we developed a single wheel testbed and experimentally investigated the effects of four grouser shapes (parallel, slanted, V-shaped, and offset V-shaped) on the traction performance of linear movement on flat sand. The wheel slip, sinkage, traction and side force acting on the wheel axle, the wheel driving torque, and the efficiency of each wheel were examined. Thereafter, the effects on the lateral slope traversability of a small and lightweight four-wheeled rover with different grouser shapes were also examined. The traversability experiment demonstrated the vehicle mobility performance in order to contribute to the design optimization of rover systems. These experimental results and their comparisons suggested that, of the shapes studies herein, the slanted shape was the optimal grouser design for use in wheeled rovers on lunar and planetary soil.     

Three-dimensional PIV measurement of flow around an arbitrarily moving body

A three-dimensional (3D) particle image velocimetry measurement technique capable of simultaneously monitoring 3D fluid flows and the structure of an arbitrarily moving surface embedded in the flow was proposed with a heavy emphasis on image processing methods. The costs associated with the experimental apparatus were reduced by recording the surface and the trace particles at one image plane without the use of additional cameras or illumination devices. An optimal exposure time for surface and particle imaging was identified using red fluorescent tracer particles in conjunction with a long-pass glass filter. The particle image and surface image were then separated using an image separation process that relied on the feature scaling differences between the particles and the surface texture. A feature detection process and a matching process facilitated estimation of the 3D surface points, and the 3D surface structure was modeled by Delaunay triangulation. The particle volume reconstruction algorithm constrained the voxels inside the surface structure to zero values to minimize ghost particle generation. Volume self-calibration was employed to improve the reconstruction quality and the triangulation accuracy. To conserve computing resources in the presence of numerous zero voxels, the MLOS-SMART reconstruction and the direct non-zero voxel cross-correlation method were applied. Three-dimensional experiments that modeled the flows around an eccentric rotating cylinder and a flapping flag were conducted to validate the present technique.     

3D scanning particle tracking velocimetry

In this article, we present an experimental setup and data processing schemes for 3D scanning particle tracking velocimetry (SPTV), which expands on the classical 3D particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) through changes in the illumination, image acquisition and analysis. 3D PTV is a flexible flow measurement technique based on the processing of stereoscopic images of flow tracer particles. The technique allows obtaining Lagrangian flow information directly from measured 3D trajectories of individual particles. While for a classical PTV the entire region of interest is simultaneously illuminated and recorded, in SPTV the flow field is recorded by sequential tomographic high-speed imaging of the region of interest. The advantage of the presented method is a considerable increase in maximum feasible seeding density. Results are shown for an experiment in homogenous turbulence and compared with PTV. SPTV yielded an average 3,500 tracked particles per time step, which implies a significant enhancement of the spatial resolution for Lagrangian flow measurements.     

Wavefront sensing for single view three-component three-dimensional flow velocimetry

We present the application of wavefront sensing to particle image velocimetry for three-component (3C), three-dimensional (3D) flow measurement from a single view. The technique is based upon measuring the wavefront scattered by a tracer particle and from that wavefront the 3D tracer location can be determined. Hence, from a temporally resolved sequence of 3D particle locations the velocity vector field is obtained. Two approaches to capture the data required to measure the wavefronts are described: multi-planar imaging using a distorted diffraction grating and an anamorphic technique. Both techniques are optically efficient, robust and compatible with coherent and incoherent scattering from flow tracers. The depth (range) resolution and repeatability have been quantified experimentally using a single mode fiber source representing a tracer particle. The anamorphic approach is shown to have the greatest measurement range and hence was selected for the first proof of principle experiments using this technique for 3D particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) on a sparsely seeded gas phase flow.     

Design of manned lunar rover wheels and improvement in soil mechanics formulas for elastic wheels in consideration of deformation

Most of the current lunar rover vehicle wheels are inconvenient for changing broken wheels and have poor shock absorbing in driving, so they cannot be used to carry people on the moon. To meet the demands for manned lunar transportation, a new wheel possessing a woven metal wire mesh tire and using hub-rim combination slide mechanism is designed in this article. The characteristics of the new wheel is analyzed by comparing with the same-size conventional rover wheels after demonstrating the validity of FEM simulation. The new wheel possesses lighter structure and superior shock absorbing. It also provides stronger traction because the deformation of the designed wheel increases the contact area between the tire and lunar terrain. In order to establish an on-line soil parameter estimation algorithm for low cohesion soil, the stress distribution along a driven deformable wheel on off-road terrain is simplified. The basic mechanics equations of the interaction between the wheel and the lunar soil can be used for analytical analysis. Simulation results show that the soil estimation algorithm can accurately and efficiently identify key soil parameters for loose sand.     

Travelling performance of a wheel on a finite thickness ground

Off-road terrain can often be regarded as a finite thickness ground consisting of a soft soil layer on a rigid base. Experiments for the traveling performance of a wheel in a dense sand layer on a rigid base revealed that as the soil layer thickness decreases under the condition of high constant slip, the drawbar pull does not increase monotonically but increases gradually to a maximal value, then decreases to a minimal value, and thereafter again increases rapidly to the highest value at zero soil layer thickness. The mechanical interpretation of the relationship between the drawbar pull and the soil layer thickness is given qualitatively from the aspects of the shear characteristics of dense sand and the rigid-body friction between the wheel and the rigid base of the soil layer. It is indicated that the relationship takes the same form as van der Waals' state equation for the pressure and the volume of an imperfect gas with a phase transition between gas and liquid. The equation representing the relationship of the drawbar pull to the soil layer thickness is proposed in accordance with van der Waals' equation.     

以新型空壳颗粒复合材料为分配层的成层防护结构抗爆性能试验研究

以成层式人防工程为试验研究背景,分别采用黄沙和新型空壳颗粒复合材料做分配层,开展大比尺集团装药化爆模拟试验,考察其衰减爆炸冲击波的能力。试验结果表明,采用颗粒复合材料构建的分配层,在相同装药量下,遮弹层的变形和破坏明显大于黄沙分配层,应力波上升沿加大,波形脉宽增加,平均峰值应力大概是黄沙分配层的0.65左右,除装药正下方的个别颗粒遭受粉碎性破坏外,绝大部分空壳颗粒依然完好,只是表层泡沫陶瓷略有破损。这说明新型空壳颗粒复合材料不但对爆炸波有非常明显的衰减弥散作用,而且具备承受多次打击的能力。用这种材料做分配层,可大幅提高地下人防工程的抗爆能力。     

Formation of waves on a horizontal erodible bed of particles

The mechanisms responsible for the initial growth of sand waves on the surface of a settled layer of particles are studied experimentally and theoretically. Experiments employ water-glycerin solutions of 1–14 cP and glass spheres (_s = 2.4 g/cm³) that are either 100 or 300 μm in diameter. The particle Reynolds number and Shields parameter are of order one and the flow Reynolds number is of order 1000 to 10,000. Experimentally obtained regime maps of sand wave behavior and data on the wavelengths of the sand waves that first appear on the surface of the settled bed are presented. Turbulence in the clear liquid is not necessary for formation of waves and there is no dramatic change in behavior as the flowrate is increased across the turbulent transition. The initial wavelength varies as the Fronde number to the first power. Because a flowing suspension phase is observed before waves form, linear stability analysis of the clear-layer—suspension-layer cocurrent two-phase flow is presented. The suspension phase is modeled as a continuum that has an either constant or exponentially increasing viscosity. Neither of the models correctly predicts the wavelength for the first observed waves, their growth rate or their speed. However, the initial wavelength is found to agree well with the trajectory length for a saltating particle obtained from a model for forces on individual particles.     

考虑颗粒形状和破碎的胶结钙质砂力学行为离散元模拟研究

质砂作为一种建筑材料,近年来广泛应用于我国南海岛礁工程建设中。本文通过建立考虑钙质砂真实颗粒形状和颗粒破碎的胶结钙质砂离散元模型,研究了二维剪切条件下试样的宏微观力学行为,包括应力-应变行为、颗粒破碎、胶结破坏、位移场和裂纹随剪应变的演化规律,讨论了颗粒形状、颗粒粒径范围、颗粒强度和水泥胶结强度对胶结钙质砂力学行为的影响规律。结果表明,钙质砂颗粒粒径区间越宽,胶结钙质砂的强度越高。同一级配条件下,考虑真实颗粒形状的胶结钙质砂试样比圆颗粒试样的强度更高,试样总体颗粒破碎率也更高。钙质砂颗粒的强度越高,胶结钙质砂的性能越好。但是提高水泥的强度对胶结钙质砂力学性能的影响并不显著。本文的研究结果可为实际工程中钙质砂的加固提供理论依据。     

Evaluation of coarse-grained CFD-DEM models with the validation of PEPT measurements

Computational Fluid Dynamics coupled with Discrete Element Method (CFD-DEM) is a commonly used numerical method to model gas-solid flow in fluidised beds and other multiphase systems. A significant limitation of CFD-DEM is the feasibility of the realistic simulation of large numbers of particles. Coarse-graining (CG) approaches, through which groups of multiple individual particles are represented by single, larger particles, can substantially reduce the total number of particles while maintaining similar system dynamics. As these three CG models have not previously been compared, there remains some debate, however, about the best practice in the application of CG in CFD-DEM simulations. In this paper, we evaluate the performance of three typical CG methods based on simulations of a bubbling fluidised bed. This is achieved through the use of a numerical validation framework, which makes full use of the high-resolution 3D positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) measurements to rigorously validate the outputs of CFD-DEM simulations conducted using various different coarse-graining models, and various different degrees of coarse-graining. The particle flow behaviours in terms of the particle occupancy field, velocity field, circulation time, and bubble size and velocity, are comprehensively analysed. It is shown that the CG simulation starts to fail when the size ratio between the bed chamber and the particles decreases to approximately 20. It is also observed, somewhat surprisingly, that the specific CG approach applied to interparticle contact parameters does not have a substantial effect on the simulation results for the bubbling bed simulations across a wide range of CG factors.     

Reconstruction of three-dimensional particle trajectories in flows through curved circular tubes

An automated technique is described for reconstructing three-dimensional trajectories of tracer particles in curved circular ducts. Individual particles are tracked in real time by a rotating camera under computer control. A digital imaging system enables the computer to locate the particle, adjust the speed of rotation, and store position and calibration data. By viewing the tube from approximately orthogonal directions, three-dimensional information on the position of the particle is obtained. Its precise location is calculated by tracing rays from the camera to the interior of the tube. This technique yields detailed three-dimensional position and velocity data along a trajectory.