Vortex identification in the wake of a model wind turbine array

Vortex identification techniques are used to analyse the wake of a 4 × 3 array of model wind turbines. The Q-criterion, Δ-criterion, and λ₂-criterion are applied to particle image velocimetry data gathered fore and aft of the last row centerline turbine. The Q-criterion and λ₂-criterion provide a clear indication of regions where vortical activity exists, while the Δ-criterion is not successful. Galilean decomposition, Reynolds decomposition, vorticity, and swirling strength are used to further understand the location and behaviour of the vortices. The techniques identify and display the high-magnitude vortices in high-shear zones resulting from the blade tips. Using Galilean and Reynolds decomposition, swirling motions are shown encapsuling vortex regions in agreement with the identification criteria. The Galilean decompositions selected are 20% and 50% of a convective velocity of 7 m/s. As the vortices convect downstream, the strength of the vortices decreases in magnitude, particularly in the far wake of the array, to approximately 25% of those present in the near wake. A high level of vortex activity is visualised as a result of the top tip of the wind turbine blade -- the location where the highest vertical entrainment is present. Analysing the full frame set, the Q-criterion, λ₂-criterion, and swirling strength prove comparable, while the Δ-criterion under-performs in regions of high turbulence activity, namely in the back of the turbine. Entraining flow into the turbine canopy interacting with the turbine generates high-magnitude vortices concentrated at the blade tips. The count of vortices decreases when moving from the top tip down to the wall, as well as their strength for each Galilean technique when a non-zero threshold is applied. Vortex sizes in the near wake are found comparable to turbine blade, hub, and mast dimensions. In the far wake, the resulting size of the vortices is approximately 30% of those in the near wake. These vortices increase in velocity as they convect downstream, following the mean velocity behaviour. The lowest magnitude vortices reside at the hub height in the near-wake region, where they convect at nearly half the speed of those at the blade tips.     

Secondary instability of a swept-wing boundary layer disturbed by controlled roughness elements

Abstract  

Wind-tunnel data on velocity perturbations evolving in a laminar swept-wing flow under low subsonic conditions are reported. The focus of the present experiments are secondary disturbances of the boundary layer which is modulated by stationary streamwise vortices. Both the stationary vortices and the secondary oscillations of interest are generated in a controlled manner. The experimental data are obtained through hot-wire measurements. Thus, evolution of the vortices, either isolated or interacting with each other, is reconstructed in detail. As is found, the secondary disturbances, initiating the laminar-flow breakdown, are strongly affected by configuration of the stationary boundary-layer perturbation that may have an implication to laminar–turbulent transition control.     

Sediment transport mechanics upstream of an orifice

Abstract  

Mechanics of sediment transport, maximum scour depth, and scoured volume upstream of a circular orifice was explored under constant head condition. A high-speed camera was used to investigate the sediment transport mechanism. It was found that sediment transport had two distinct phases. In the first phase, the sediment transport was due to excess bed shear stress and occurred within an area that was elliptical in shape, and the mobilized sediment was transported out of the orifice. In the second stage, vortices appear in the area that was scoured during the first phase. The sediment particles were lifted up into the main flow by these vortices, which were then transported out of the orifice by the main flow. The scour depth and scoured volume were found to be dependent on sediment size and head over the orifice.     

Effects of roughness elements on bypass transition induced by a circular cylinder wake

Abstract  

The bypass transition of flat-plate boundary layer induced by a circular cylinder wake under the influence of roughness elements is experimentally investigated. The hydrogen-bubble visualization results show that the boundary layer separation occurs upstream of the roughness, and the separated shear layer is incised by roughness to different extent, resulting in different kinds of secondary vortices formed immediately downstream of the roughness. During the evolution of the secondary vortex, two types of instabilities are observed, which are denoted as large- and small-scale instabilities, respectively, according to different spatial scale of the hairpin vortices formed afterward. A merging process of hairpin vortices is also observed when the secondary vortices undergo the small-scale instability, and a potential new transition control strategy based on the present observation is proposed.     

Unsteady wake vortices in jets in cross-flow

Abstract  

The current flow visualization study investigates unsteady wake vortices of jets in cross-flow in order to (1) advance the understanding of their origin and characteristics and (2) explore various excitation techniques for organizing and accentuating them. An isolated circular jet passed through a nozzle and entered the cross-flow normal to the wall. Free stream velocities up to 5 m/s and jet-to-cross-flow velocity ratio range between 1 and 10 were covered. While mechanical perturbation did not result in any significant periodic organization of the wake vortices, the database obtained for the unperturbed flow provided further insight into their behavior. The key finding was that the wake vortices always originated from the lee-side of the jet where the jet efflux boundary layer and the wall boundary layer intersected. In no case these vortices were seen to form either from the wall boundary layer or the jet shear layer at downstream locations. After formation the wake vortex twists and stretches as it convects downstream with the base still attached to the near-wall region on the jet’s lee side. The top remains connected to the underside of the jet where the tracer particles dissipate due to high turbulence in the shear layer.     

风力机翼型在失速工况下非定常流场的本征正交分解分析

风力机气动性能受静态失速与动态失速影响很大,对风力机翼型的失速问题研究具有重要意义。本文通过计算流体力学方法得到的风力机翼型在固定大攻角工况,以及大攻角震荡工况下的非定常流场,来研究翼型静态失速与动态失速。采用本征正交分解方法(POD),对非定常流场降阶,得到流场的POD模态以及对应的系数。POD模态结果表明在静态失速下,主要非定常流动结构是尾迹区域交替脱落的涡结构;在动态失速下,除了尾迹区域,前缘和整个吸力面都存在流动分离结构。     

凹槽叶顶冷气射流对涡轮叶尖泄漏流动的影响

涡轮叶尖泄漏流动对涡轮通道内流动损失有着显著影响,叶顶冷气射流对控制叶尖泄漏流动和改善涡轮叶尖气热性能有重要意义.本文利用数值模拟方法,研究了叶顶冷气喷射位置和喷射流量对高压涡轮凹槽叶顶间隙泄漏流动控制的影响.文中重点分析了泄漏流动结构及涡轮气动效率的变化,探讨了冷气对刮削涡这一间隙内主控流动结构演化的影响.研究表明,...     

Dynamic simulation of a tilting-disc valve with clearance in pulsatile channel flow

Abstract  

In this study, a fully coupled fluid–structure interaction (FSI) software system for a pulsatile flow across a moving tilting-disc valve with clearance is developed. Unsteady pulsatile flow coupled with induced valve motion has been examined in details. State-of-the-art computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods are adopted in the present flow solver development. To account for nonstationary valve motion, the meshes surrounding the valve are generated and updated in each time-marching step using hybrid grid method. A single-degree-of-freedom rotational valve model is integrated simultaneously with the CFD adaptive time-stepping. It is found in the present study that, on both side of the occluder, strong shedding vortices occur and persist in the valve closing phase. These closure vortices show great influence on the prediction of the regurgitate flow characteristics and the subsequent valve opening dynamics as well. Based on the present software system, the results obtained from quasi-steady simulations performed at various instants of interest with prescribed valve motion are critically evaluated to assess whether simplified flow and valve conditions may lead to erroneous conclusions.     

EHD flow in a wide electrode spacing spike–plate electrostatic precipitator under positive polarity

In this work, results of two- and three-dimensional particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements of the flow velocity fields in a wide spacing spike–plate electrostatic precipitator (ESP) under positive polarity are presented. A DC voltage of positive polarity (up to 28 kV) was applied to the spike electrode. The average gas flow velocity was 0.6 m/s. The PIV measurements were carried out in four planes perpendicular to the plate electrodes. Three parallel planes passed along the ESP while one plane passed across the ESP duct. The results show that electrohydrodynamic (EHD) secondary flow with relatively strong vortices exist in the ESP. The EHD secondary flow pattern depends on applied voltage and measuring plane position in respect to the spike tip. The strongest vortices occur in the plane passing through the tip of the upstream-directed spike. These relatively strong EHD vortices may hinder collection of the particles in the diameter range of 0.1–1 μm in the wide electrode spacing spike–plate ESPs.     

S型叶尖小翼对风力机流场特性影响的研究

在额定尖速比下,结合滑移网格的大涡模拟方法,对有无叶尖S型小翼的三叶片水平轴风力机流场特性进行了数值研究,结果表明:加装S型小翼后,改善了风轮上游的速度及压力分布情况,汲取了更多的风能;风轮压力面及吸力面的最大压差由1359 Pa提高到1756 Pa,使风轮功率放大;叶尖涡结构扩展规律与PIV(Particle Image Velocimetry)实验结果一致,叶尖涡轴向速度由15.6 m/s降低到了13.3 m/s,涡漩能量减少,叶尖涡涡量强度减弱,降低了气动噪声。     

透平叶片中的二次流旋涡结构的研究

当今在透平机械行业中的研究人员常常会被二次流旋涡结构的研究所吸引。本文作者主要用数值计算,部分地也用实验手段,试图研究、分析与讨论叶片通道中马蹄涡、通道涡、角隅涡和间隙涡等二次流旋涡的生成、演绎与发展。对于壁涡由于尺寸很小而不容易发现。现在应用弯扭叶片作为一种手段来降低叶片损失的人多了,从而需要对弯扭叶片对上述旋涡的影响进行研究。因此,本文对周向弯扭叶片的影响以及其对损失影响的机理也进行了讨论。     

Unsteady surface signature of a pulsed vortex generator jet

Abstract  

Porous pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) is employed as a visualization technique for unsteady flow features on a low-pressure turbine blade. Recognizing that the measurement of high-frequency pressure fluctuations in unsteady flows—especially in turbomachinery—has proven to be difficult, recent advancements in the development of porous PSP have enabled the high-resolution measurement of pressure fields with frequency content of at least 20 kHz. In this work, PSP is applied to an L1A low-pressure turbine blade section (Re = 20,000 based on axial chord) to visualize the surface dynamics of a vortex generator jet (VGJ) pulsed at 10.6 Hz with nitrogen gas. Intensity-based, time-resolved PSP measurements reveal the development and the surface structure of the VGJ as well as the spanwise variation in the blowing profile.     

Assessment of normal flow patterns in the pulmonary circulation by using 4D magnetic resonance velocity mapping

Objective

The purpose of this study was to analyze flow patterns in the pulmonary circulation of healthy volunteers by using 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging.

Materials and Methods

The study was approved by the local ethics committee and all subjects gave written informed consent. Eighteen volunteers underwent a 4D flow scan of the whole-heart. Two patients with congenital heart disease were also included to detect possible patterns of flow abnormalities (Patient 1: corrected transposition of great arteries (TGA); Patient 2: partial anomalous pulmonary venous return and atrial septal defect). To analyze flow patterns, 2D planes were placed on the main pulmonary artery (PA), left and right PA. Flow patterns were assessed manually by two independent viewers using vector fields, streamlines and particle traces, and semi-automatically by vorticity quantification.

Results

Two counter-rotating helices were found in the main PA of volunteers. Right-handed helical flow was detected in the right PA of 15 volunteers. Analysis of the helical flow by particles traces revealed that both helices contributed mainly to the flow in the right PA. In the patient with corrected TGA helical flow was not detected. Abnormal vortical flow was visualized in the main PA of patient 2, suggesting elevated mean PA pressure.

Conclusions

Helical flow is normally present in the main PA and right PA. 4D flow is an excellent tool to evaluate noninvasively complex blood flow patterns in the pulmonary circulation. Knowledge of normal and abnormal flow patterns might help to evaluate patients with congenital heart disease adding functional information undetectable with other imaging modalities.     

叶顶端翼提升主动襟翼叶型气动性能的数值研究

本文在振荡来流条件下,数值模拟叶顶端翼对加装主动Gurney襟翼的垂直轴风力机叶片非定常气动特性的影响。采用NACA0015翼型的直叶片,并在尾缘前6%弦长位置安装主动襟翼。在最大出力工况(折合频率为0.1)下,对比原型叶片,加装主动襟翼叶片的切向力系数提高了4.47%,安装有叶顶端翼的主动襟翼叶片的切向力系数提高21.18%。通过比较叶片端部涡结构分布,发现叶顶端翼不仅阻止了叶片压力面及吸力面的叶梢涡分支在尾缘处汇合,同时也隔断了主动襟翼产生的角涡与叶梢涡的融合,有效的降低了叶片端部损失,提升了风力机的整体性能。     

谱分析法测量叶尖小翼对风轮旋转时固有频率的影响

风力机叶尖加小翼,在一定范围内可以增加风力发电机的输出功率,提高功率系数.本文通过应用谱分析法测量风力机风轮旋转时机头的振动谱,通过分析得到了风轮动频,应用动频曲线研究了风力机叶尖小翼对风轮固有频率的影响.实验表明,叶尖小翼虽然降低了风轮静频但通过增大离心力和气动力提高了动频.叶尖小翼可以改善旋转风轮的结构动态特性.     

An experimental study on the effects of relative rotation direction on the wake interferences among tandem wind turbines

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of relative rotation direction on the wake interferences among two tandemwind turbines models.While the oncoming flow conditions were kept in constant during the experiments,turbine power outputs,wind loads acting on the turbines,and wake characteristics behind the turbines were compared quantitatively with turbine models in either co-rotating or counter-rotating configuration.The measurement results reveal that the turbines in counter-rotating would harvest more wind energy from the same oncoming wind,compared with the co-rotating case.While the recovery of the streamwise velocity deficits in the wake flows was found to be almost identical with the turbines operated in either co-rotating or counter-rotating,the significant azimuthal velocity generated in the wake flow behind the upstream turbine is believed to be the reason why the counter-rotating turbines would have a better power production performance.Since the azimuthal flow velocity in the wake flow was found to decrease monotonically with the increasing downstream distance,the benefits of the counter-rotating configuration were found to decrease gradually as the spacing between the tandem turbines increases.While the counter-rotating downstream turbine was found to produce up to 20%more power compared with that of co-rotating configuration with the turbine spacing being about 0.7D,the advantage was found to become almost negligible when the turbine spacing becomes greater than 6.5D.It suggests that the counter-rotating configuration design would be more beneficial to turbines in onshore wind farms due to the smaller turbine spacing(i.e.,~3 rotor diameters for onshore wind farms vs.~7 rotor diameters for offshore wind farms in the prevailing wind direction),especially for those turbines sited over complex terrains with the turbine spacing only about 1–2 rotor diameters.     

Three-dimensional vortex visualization in stratified spin-up

Abstract  

We present the results of three-dimensional time-dependent numerical simulations of incremental spin-up of a thermally stratified fluid. The fluid inside a vertical cylindrical container of radius R and height 2H is water characterized by the kinematic viscosity ν and thermal diffusivity κ. Initially, its density (temperature) varies linearly with height and is characterized by a constant buoyancy frequency N, which is proportional to the density gradient. The system undergoes an abrupt change in the rotation rate from its initial value Ω_i, when the fluid is in a solid-body rotation state, to the final value Ω_f. The aim of this contribution is to show the formation of columnar vortices in a high Rossby number spin-up flow.     

High-speed visualization of interface phenomena: single and double drop impacts onto a deep liquid layer

Abstract  

Single and double drop impacts onto a deep pool were observed with a high-speed camera. The early stage of drop impact was investigated to detect the evolution of the interface between the fluid of the impacting drop and of the target pool. A new flow regime for the single drop impact was detected, due to a superposition of partial coalescence and crater formation. The closure of the crown above the crater was observed for some impact parameters. The submerged flow geometry generated by the simultaneous impact of two identical drops was also reported.     

Investigation of the pseudo-shock wave in a two-dimensional supersonic inlet

Abstract  

This paper describes experimental and numerical investigations into the multiple shock waves/turbulent boundary layer interaction in a supersonic inlet. The test model has a rectangular shape with an asymmetric subsonic diffuser of 5°. Experiments were conducted to obtain the visualization images and static pressure data by using supersonic wind tunnel. Numerical simulation was performed by solving the RANS equations with the Menter’s SST turbulent model. The inflow condition was a free-stream Mach number of 2.5 and a unit Reynolds number of 7.6 × 10⁷/m. Numerical results showed good agreement with the experimental results. Based on this agreement, the flow characteristics which are often very difficult to obtain experimentally alone were analyzed with the aid of numerical simulation. The structures, pressure and velocity distributions, and total pressure loss of the pseudo-shock wave in the supersonic inlet were presented in detail from flow visualization images and static pressures.