Simulation of single‐ and two‐phase flows on sliding unstructured meshes using finite volume method

The paper presents an efficient finite volume method for unstructured grids with rotating sliding parts composed of arbitrary polyhedral elements for both single‐ and two‐phase flows. Mathematical model used in computations is based on the ensemble averaged conservation equations. These equations are solved for each phase and in case of single‐phase flow reduce to the transient Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes (TRANS) equations. Transient flow induced by rotating impellers is thus resolved in time. The use of unstructured grids allows an easy and flexible meshing for the entire flow domain. Polyhedral cell volumes are created on the arbitrary mesh interface placed between rotating and static parts. Cells within the rotating parts move each time step and the new faces are created on the arbitrary interfaces only, while the rest of the domain remain ‘topologically’ unchanged. Implicit discretization scheme allows a wide range of time‐step sizes, which further reduce the computational effort. Special attention is given to the interpolation practices used for the reconstruction of the face quantities. Mass fluxes are recalculated at the beginning of each time step by using an interpolation scheme, which enhances the coupling between the pressure and velocity fields. The model has been implemented into the commercially available CFD code AVL SWIFT (AVL AST, SWIFT Manual 3.1, AVL List GmbH, Graz, Austria, 2002). Single‐phase flow in a mixing vessel stirred by a six‐bladed Rushton‐type turbine and two‐phase flow in aerated stirred vessel with the four‐blade Rushton impeller are simulated. The results are compared with the available experimental data, and good agreement is observed. The proposed algorithm is proved to be both stable and accurate for single‐phase as well as for the two‐phase flows calculations. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transient free‐surface flow of a viscoelastic fluid in a narrow channel

The interplay between inertia and elasticity is examined for transient free‐surface flow inside a narrow channel. The lubrication theory is extended for the flow of viscoelastic fluids of the Oldroyd‐B type (consisting of a Newtonian solvent and a polymeric solute). While the general formulation accounts for non‐linearities stemming from inertia effects in the momentum conservation equation, and the upper‐convected terms in the constitutive equation, only the front movement contributes to non‐linear coupling for a flow inside a straight channel. In this case, it is possible to implement a spectral representation in the depthwise direction for the velocity and stress. The evolution of the flow field is obtained locally, but the front movement is captured only in the mean sense. The influence of inertia, elasticity and viscosity ratio is examined for pressure‐induced flow. The front appears to progress monotonically with time. However, the velocity and stress exhibit typically a strong overshoot upon inception, accompanied by a plug‐flow behaviour in the channel core. The flow intensity eventually diminishes with time, tending asymptotically to Poiseuille conditions. For highly elastic liquids the front movement becomes oscillatory, experiencing strong deceleration periodically. A multiple‐scale solution is obtained for fluids with no inertia and small elasticity. Comparison with the exact (numerical) solution indicates a wide range of validity for the analytical result. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Time resolved spectroscopic NMR imaging using hyperpolarized Xe

We have visualized the melting and dissolution processes of xenon (Xe) ice into different solvents using the methods of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, imaging, and time resolved spectroscopic imaging by means of hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe. Starting from the initial condition of a hyperpolarized solid Xe layer frozen on top of an ethanol (ethanol/water) ice block we measured the Xe phase transitions as a function of time and temperature. In the pure ethanol sample, pieces of Xe ice first fall through the viscous ethanol to the bottom of the sample tube and then form a thin layer of liquid Xe/ethanol. The xenon atoms are trapped in this liquid layer up to room temperature and keep their magnetization over a time period of 11 min. In the ethanol/water mixture (80 vol%/20%), most of the polarized Xe liquid first stays on top of the ethanol/water ice block and then starts to penetrate into the pores and cracks of the ethanol/water ice block. In the final stage, nearly all the Xe polarization is in the gas phase above the liquid and trapped inside the pores. NMR spectra of homogeneous samples of pure ethanol containing thermally polarized Xe and the spectroscopic images of the melting process show that very high concentrations of hyperpolarized Xe (about half of the density of liquid Xe) can be stored or delivered in pure ethanol.     

The response of thermally and optically stimulated luminescence from Al2O3:C to high-energy heavy charged particles

The thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) response of Al₂O₃ dosimeters to high-energy heavy charged particles (HCP) has been studied using the heavy ion medical accelarator at Chiba, Japan. The samples were Al₂O₃ single-crystal chips, of the type usually known as TLD-500, and Luxel^TM dosimeters (Al₂O₃:C powder in plastic) from Landauer Inc. The samples were exposed to ⁴He (150 MeV/u), ¹²C (400 MeV/u), ²⁸Si (490 MeV/u) and ⁵⁶Fe (500 MeV/u) ions, with linear energy transfer values covering the range from 2.26 to 189 keV/μm in water and doses from 1 to 100 mGy (to water). A ⁹⁰Sr/⁹⁰Y beta source, calibrated against a ⁶⁰Co secondary standard, was used for calibration purposes. For OSL, we used both continuous-wave OSL measurements (CW-OSL, using green light stimulation at 525 nm) and pulsed OSL measurements (POSL, using 532 nm stimulation from a Nd:YAG Q-switched laser). The efficiencies (η_HCP,γ) of the different HCPs at producing OSL or TL were observed to depend not only upon the linear energy transfer (LET) of the HCP, but also upon the sample type (single crystal chip or Luxel^TM) and the luminescence method used to define the signal—i.e. TL, CW-OSL initial intensity, CW-OSL total area, or POSL. Observed changes in shape of the decay curve lead to potential methods for extracting LET information of unknown radiation fields. A discussion of the results is given, including the potential use of OSL from Al₂O₃ in the areas of space radiation dosimetry and radiation oncology.     

Luminescence properties of α-Al2O3 dosimetric crystals exposed to a high-current electron beam

The spectra of pulsed cathodoluminescence (PCL) and thermoluminescence (TL) in TLD-500 detectors, which were exposed to a strong beam from a pulsed electron accelerator, have been studied. Additional bands in the PCL spectrum and new peaks in the TL curves, which are due to impurity ions, have been revealed. Luminescence bands of F- and F⁺-centers cannot be used in the dosimetry of strong electron beams using TLD-500 detectors because of the saturation of dose dependence and the decrease in the TL yield. It is shown that high doses from these beams can be measured by recording TL in the luminescence band of impurity titanium ions.     

Searches for single-spin asymmetry in the inclusive production of neutral pions in the central region at a proton beam energy of 70 GeV

Results are presented that were obtained by measuring single-spin asymmetry in the inclusive production of neutral pions in the reaction p+p ↑→ π ⁰+X at x _F≈0. A beam of 70-GeV protons was extracted directly from the vacuum chamber of the accelerator by means of a bent single crystal. For transverse momenta in the range 1.0<p _T<3.0 GeV/c, the single-spin asymmetry independently measured by two detectors is zero within the errors. This result is in agreement with Fermilab data obtained at 200 GeV, but it is at odds with CERN data measured at 24 GeV.     

High-efficiency erbium ion luminescence in silicon nanocrystal systems

The photoluminescence spectra and kinetics of both erbium-doped and undoped multilayer structures of quasi-ordered silicon nanocrystals in a silicon dioxide matrix were studied. It was shown that the optical excitation energy of silicon nanocrystals 2–3 nm in size can be practically completely transferred to Er³⁺ ions in the oxide surrounding the nanocrystals, with its subsequent radiation at 1.5 μm. Possible reasons for the high excitation efficiency of the Er³⁺ ions are discussed, and the conclusion is drawn that the F?rster mechanism is dominant in the energy transfer processes occurring in these structures. __________ Translated from Fizika Tverdogo Tela, Vol. 46, No. 1, 2004, pp. 105–109. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2004 by Kashkarov, Kamenev, Lisachenko, Shalygina, Timoshenko, Schmidt, Heitmann, Zacharias.     

Prediction of the properties of two-phase composites with a piezoactive component

The effective dielectric, piezoelectric, and elastic constants of two-phase macroscopically piezoactive 3-0 and 3-3 composites are calculated. It is assumed that one of the components is a polarized ferroelectric ceramic material and the other is an inactive material with variable elastic properties. The limiting case when the elastic compliances of the inactive material tend to infinity (porous ferroelectric ceramics) is considered. The adequacy of this model to production technologies of piezoelectric composites is discussed. Computational results are compared with experimental data.