As one of the key components of aero engines, compressor is required to endure higher pressure,  possess  higher  efficiency  and  wider  operating  range. Intensive studies have been made on tip leakage flow and researchers find that by reasonably organizing tip leakage flow, aero engines are  more likely to achieve better performance and reliability. Conventional flow controlling methods  like casing treatment and micro jet could substantially modify tip leakage flow, unfortunately with  a price of additional loss, not to mention the difficulty in manufacturing such structure. Whereas  plasma actuation  flow control method  uses  plasma actuators,  such equipment is easy  to  build,  responses  fast  and  has  a  wide  excitation  bandwidth.  This  method  has  become  a  new  trend  in  internal flow active control field.  In this research, a phenomenological model is adopted to simulate DBD plasma actuation in the  flow field inside a compressor cascade. The aim is to find out how plasma actuation will influence  tip  leakage  flow.  Meanwhile  possible  means  to  improve  plasma  actuation  performance  are  discussed.  First of all, numerical simulation of flow inside a compressor cascade without plasma actuation is  conducted to validate accuracy of the numerical methodology adopted and then determine one  numerical  approach  that  satisfies  specific  needs  sufficiently.  Meanwhile,  influence  of  casing  movement on tip leakage flow as well as possible mechanism of tip leakage vortex core generation  is investigated in detail. The results indicate:    1. Generating position of tip leakage vortex moves towards leading edge with increasing moving  speed of shroud.  2. As shroud moving speed increases, trajectory of tip leakage vortex moves away from suction  side of blade and closely towards shroud.  3. Casing movement  tends  to  transform  tip leakage vortex  from  circular  to  oval  shape  due  to  circumferential shearing.  4. Casing  movement  has  little  influence  on  total  pressure  field  concerning  absolute  pressure  value. While total pressure loss does reduce slightly with increasing moving speed of shroud.  5.Vorticity  transport  from  tip  clearance  into  passage  may  be  contributing  significantly  to  generation of tip leakage vortex inner core.  Secondly, a simplified model of DBD plasma actuation based on literature [1] is derived and applied  through  UDF  function  of  commercial  software  Fluent  into  the  flow  field.  Different  actuation  positions,  voltages  and  frequencies  are  applied  in  simulation  and  compared.  After  that  casing  movement is included. Main conclusions are as follow:    6. Plasma  actuation  shows  significant  suppressing  effect  on  tip  leakage  vortex  on  both  size,  trajectory and strength.  7. The suppressing effect on tip leakage vortex grows stronger as actuator moves towards leading  edge.  8. Increasing actuation voltage results in stronger suppressing effect on tip leakage vortex.  9. Plasma actuation can effectively improve total pressure loss situation near shroud region with  increasing actuation power.  10. Increasing actuation frequency results in stronger suppressing effect on tip leakage vortex as  well. Additionally, frequency performs slightly better than voltage. 11. Casing  movement  tends  to  weaken  suppressing  effect  of  tip  leakage  vortex  by  plasma  actuation. More  actuation  power  is  needed  to  achieve  sufficient  suppressing  effect  in  real  compressors. / Som en av de viktigaste komponenterna i flygmotorer krävs det att kompressorn utsätts för högre  tryck, har högre effektivitet och  större driftsintervall. Intensiva  studier har gjorts om  skovlarnas  toppspel  läckageflöde  och  man  anser  att  det  är  mer  sannolikt  att  flygmotorer  uppnår  bättre  prestanda  och  tillförlitlighet  genom  att  på  ett  rimligt  sätt  reglera  läckageflödet  i  toppspelet.  Konventionella metoder  för reglering av flödet, som behandling av “casing” och mikrojet, skulle  kunna  ändra  läckageflödet  avsevärt,  men  medför  tyvärr  ytterligare  förlust,  för  att  inte  tala  om  svårigheten att tillverka en sådan struktur. Samtidig flödeskontroll med hjälp av plasma aktuatorer  som är relativt lätta att bygga, reagerar snabbt och har en bred excitationsbandvid. Denna metod  har blivit en ny trend inom det interna flödesaktiva kontrollområdet.  I  denna  forskning  antas  en  modell  för  att  simulera  plasmaaktivering  av  DBD  i  flödesfältet  i  en  kompressorskaskad. Man försöker ta reda på hur plasmaaktivering påverkar läckageflödet. Möjliga  sätt att förbättra effekten av plasmaaktivering diskuteras.  För  det  första  genomförs  numerisk  simulering  av  flödet  i  en  kompressorskaskad  utan  plasmaaktivering för att validera noggrannheten i den numeriska metoden. Därefter undersöks i  detalj vilken inverkan den relativa rörelsen av ”casing” har på läckageflödet genom toppspelet och  mekanismen för toppspelsvirvel analyseras. Resultaten visar:    1. Startposition för läckagevirveln rör sig mot skovelns framkant när man introducerar och ökar  den relativa hastigheten för ”casing”.    2. I takt med att den relativa hastigheten ökar, kretsbanan för    läckage virveln rör sig bort från  skovelns sugsida och närmare mot ”casing”.  3. Den  relativa  rörelsen  tenderar  att  omvandla  virveln  från  cirkulär  till  oval  form  på  grund  av  skjuvkrafter.  4. Den relativa rörelsen av ”casing” påverkar inte det totala tryckfältet när det gäller det absoluta  tryckvärdet. Samtidigt som den totala tryckförlusten minskar något med ökad hastighet.  5. Virveltransport från toppspelet till huvudkanalen kan på ett betydande sätt bidra till att skapa  virvelns inre kärna.  I senare delen av arbetet utvecklas och tillämpas en förenklad modell för plasmaaktivering av DBD  baserad  på  litteratur  [1],  genom  att  använda  UDF‐funktionen  i  kommersiell  CFD  programvara  Fluent.  Olika  aktuatorläge,  spänningar  och  frekvenser  prövas  i  simuleringen  och  jämförs.  De  viktigaste slutsatserna är följande:    6. Aktuering av plasma visar en betydande dämpningseffekt på läckagevirveln i toppspelet både  va det gäller dess storlek, bana och styrka.  7. Den  dämpande  effekten  på  läckagevirveln  blir  starkare  när  aktuator  monteras  närmare  skovelns framkant.  8. Ökad aktuatorspänning leder till en starkare dämpande effekt på läckagevirveln.  9. Ökad aktuatorfrekvens leder till starkare dämpningseffekt på läckagevortex också.mDessutom  fungerar frekvensen något bättre än spänningen.  10. Den  relativa  rörelsen  av  ”casing”  försvagar  effekten  av  plasmaaktuering.  För  att  uppnå  tillräcklig dämpningseffekt i riktiga kompressorer krävs mer effekt till aktuatorn.

Den här rapporten handlar om en ändring i livsmedelsföretaget Freezing Food Småland Öland AB:s avfrostningsrutin för deras förångare i frysrummet. Ändringen gick ut på att avfrostningstiden och maxtemperaturen sänktes samt att tiden mellan avfrostningarna nu sker varannan i stället för varje natt. Syftet var att undersöka om ändringen av rutinen hade bidragit till en minskad energiförbrukning i förhållande till innan ändringen gjordes genom att också granska andra faktorer än själva avfrostningen som kunde tänkas påverka energiförbrukningen. Metoden gick ut på att insamla och analysera stora datamängder tillhandahållna av företaget för att sedan reducera dem till hanterbara siffror. Även data för lokala utomhustemperaturer samlades in. Med hjälp av detta beräknades medelvärden för en given tidsperiod för energiförbrukning, lagerhållning och utomhustemperatur. Resultatet visade en sänkning av energiförbrukningen, hur stor andel som berodde på avfrostningens ändrade rutiner lämnade undersökningen obesvarat. Utomhustemperaturen bör ha minskat effektbehovet, samtidigt bör lagerhållningen ökat den. Slutsatsen blev att mer tid behövde passera och en ny undersökning behöver framställas efter att avfrostningsrutinen ändrades för att möjliggöra en säkrare bedömning. / This report is about a change in the food company Freezing Food Småland Öland AB’s defrosting routine for their evaporators in the freezer warehouse. The change was that the defrosting time and maximum temperature were reduced and that the time between defrostings now takes place every other night instead of every night. The aim was to examine whether the change in the routine had contributed to a reduction in energy consumption compared to before the change was made by also examining factors other than defrosting itself that might affect energy consumption. The method was to collect and analyze large amounts of data provided by the company and then reduce them to manageable figures. Data for local outdoor temperatures were also collected. This calculated averages for a given time period for energy consumption, warehousing and outdoor temperature. The results showed a decrease in energy consumption, the proportion due to the change in defrosting procedures left the investigation unanswered. The outdoor temperature should have reduced the power requirement, at the same time the storage should have increased it. It was concluded that more time needed to pass,and a new study needed to be produced after the defrosting routine was changed to allow for a safer assessment.

In mehrstufigen Axialverdichtern für Flugtriebwerke und stationäre Gasturbinen werden die Statoren entweder mit Deckband ausgeführt oder freistehend mit einem Radialspalt zur Rotornabe. Diese zwei üblichen konstruktiven Varianten zur Trennung von rotierenden und stehenden Bauteilen haben erheblichen Einfluss auf das Strömungsverhalten und die Verluste im nabennahen Bereich der Statorpassage. In den hinteren Stufen von mehrstufigen Axialverdichtern kommt dieser Problematik eine große Bedeutung bei, da mit sinkender Kanalhöhe der Anteil der Randverluste am Gesamtverlust steigt. Weiterhin ist mit relativ großen Spaltweiten im Verhältnis zur Kanalhöhe zu rechnen. Die vorliegende Arbeit vergleicht die Strömung an Statoren mit und ohne Deckband auf Basis experimenteller und numerischer Untersuchungen in einem vierstufigen Niedergeschwindigkeits-Axialverdichter. Für beide Bauarten werden die Auswirkungen einer Variation der Spaltweite auf das Strömungsfeld mit stationären Drucksonden ermittelt und mit stationären CFD-Simulationen verglichen. Für Statoren mit Radialspalt zur Nabe wird eine verbesserte dreidimensionale Gestaltung vorgestellt und experimentell untersucht. Ziel der neuen Auslegung ist die Verringerung der Auswirkung der Spaltweitenvergrößerung auf Verluste, Minderumlenkung und Blockage. Die experimentelle Verifizierung der Neuauslegung wird von numerischen Simulationen zur detaillierten Analyse der Verbesserungen unterstützt.:Symbolverzeichnis Einleitung 1 Grundlagen der Strömung im Seitenwandbereich von Statoren / Stand des Wissens 1.1 Sekundärströmung an Statoren 1.2 Historische Entwicklung der Untersuchung von Statoren mit und ohne Deckband in Axialverdichtern 1.3 Reduzierung von Verlusten durch dreidimensionales Schaufeldesign 1.4 Zielstellung der aktuellen Untersuchung 2 Niedergeschwindigkeitsverdichter und Messtechnik 2.1 Allgemeiner Aufbau des Niedergeschwindigkeitsverdichters 2.2 Messtechnik am Niedergeschwindigkeitsverdichter 2.3 Auswertungsmethoden und Analyse der Messergebnisse 2.3.1 Normierung der Messwerte 2.3.2 Kennfeld 2.3.3 Strömungsfeldmessung an der Stufe 2.3.4 Druckverteilungen 2.3.5 Betrachtung der Messgenauigkeit 2.4 Experimentell untersuchteAufbauten 2.4.1 Referenz-Statoren ohne Deckband - Aufbau 16 2.4.2 Referenz-Statoren mit Deckband - Aufbau 17 2.4.3 Neuauslegung für Statoren mit großen Radialspalten - Aufbau 20 3 Numerische Untersuchungen 3.1 Numerisches Modell 3.2 Simulationsmodell 3.2.1 Vernetzung des Verdichters für den Referenzfall 3.2.2 Modellierung unterschiedlicher Radialspaltweiten 3.2.3 Modellierung der Deckbandkavität 3.2.4 Einfluss der Turbulenzmodellierung auf die Strömung an Statoren mit und ohne Deckband 3.2.5 Simulationen mit Non-Linear-Harmonic-Method 4 Statoren mit und ohne Deckband 4.1 Globales Betriebsverhalten des Verdichters für Referenzmessungen an Statoren mit und ohne Deckband 4.1.1 Drehzahllinie des Verdichters bei Radialspaltvariation über Stator 3 und 4 4.1.2 Drehzahllinie des Verdichters bei Deckbandspaltvariation im Stator 3 4.1.3 Globale Ergebnisse der CFD-Simulation für Statoren mit und ohne Deckband 4.2 Strömungsfeldmessungen für Statoren mit und ohne Deckband 4.2.1 Zuströmung zum dritten Stator 4.2.2 Vergleich der Strömung am dritten Stator mit und ohne Deckband 4.2.3 Auswirkung des Designs des dritten Stators auf Rotor 4 4.3 Bewertung der Ergebnisse für Statoren mit und ohne Deckband 5 Statoren ohne Deckband mit verringerter Sensitivität gegenüber großen Radialspaltweiten 5.1 Auslegung eines Stators ohne Deckband für große Radialspaltweiten 5.2 Globales Betriebsverhalten des Verdichters für neuausgelegte Statoren ohne Deckband 5.3 Strömungsfeldmessungen am neuausgelegten Stator mit großem Radialspalt 5.3.1 Zuströmung zum dritten Stator 5.3.2 Strömung am dritten Stator bei Radialspaltvariation 5.3.3 Auswirkung der Radialspaltvariation am dritten Stator auf Rotor 4 5.4 Bewertung der neuen Auslegung für Statoren mit großem Radialspalt 6 Zusammenfassung A Anhang A.1 Eigenschaften des CFD-Netzes A.2 CFD-Netze f¨ur Stator 3 mit Deckband A.3 Einfluss des Fillets am dritten Stator mit Deckband Literaturverzeichnis

Multiple high-fidelity, time-accurate computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the effects of upstream stator loading and rotor shock strength on vortex shedding characteristics in a single stage transonic compressor. Various configurations of a transonic axial compressor stage, including three stator/rotor axial spacings of close, mid, and far in conjunction with three stator loadings of decreased, nominal, and increased were simulated in order to understand the flow physics of transonic blade-row interactions. Low-speed compressors typically have reduced stator/rotor axial spacing in order to decrease engine weight, and also because there is an increase in efficiency with reduced axial spacing. The presence of a rotor bow shock in high-speed compressors causes additional losses as the shock interacts with the upstream stator trailing edge. This research analyzes the strength of shock-induced vortices due to these unsteady blade-row interactions. The time-accurate URANS code, TURBO, was used to generate periodic, quarter annulus simulations of the Blade Row Interaction compressor rig. Both time-averaged and time-accurate results compare well with experimentally-observed trends. It was observed that vortex shedding was synchronized to the passing of a rotor bow shock. Normal and large shock-induced vortices formed on the stator trailing edge immediately after the shock passing, but the large vortices were strengthened at the trailing edge due to a low-velocity region on the suction surface. This low velocity region was generated upstream of mid-chord on the suction surface from a shock-induced thickening of the boundary layer or separation bubble, due to the rotor bow shock reflecting off the stator trailing edge and propagating upstream. The circulation of the shock-induced vortices increased with shock strength (decreased axial spacing) and stator loading. Most design tools do not directly account for unsteady effects such as blade-row interactions, so a model is developed to help designers account for shock-induced vortex strength with varying shock strength and stator loading. An understanding of the unsteady interactions associated with blade loading and rotor shock strength in transonic stages will help compressor designers account for unsteady flow physics early in the design process.

The use of turbocharged Diesel engines is nowadays a widespread practice in the automotive sector: heavy-duty vehicles like trucks or buses, in particular, are often equipped with turbocharged engines. An accurate study of the flow field developing inside both the main components of a turbocharger, i.e. compressor and turbine, is therefore necessary: the synergistic use of CFD simulations and experimental tests allows to fulfill this requirement. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the performance and the flow field that develops inside a centrifugal compressor for automotive turbochargers. The study is carried out by means of numerical simulations, both steady-state and transient, based on RANS models (Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equations). The code utilized for the numerical simulations is Ansys CFX.   The first part of the work is an engineering attempt to develop a CFD method for predicting the performance of a centrifugal compressor which is based solely on steady-state RANS models. The results obtained are then compared with experimental observations. The study continues with an analysis of the sensitivity of the developed CFD method to different parameters: influence of both position and model used for the rotor-stator interfaces and the axial tip-clearance on the global performances is studied and quantified.   In the second part, a design optimization study based on the Design of Experiments (DoE) approach is performed. In detail, transient RANS simulations are used to identify which geometry of the recirculation cavity hollowed inside the compressor shroud (ported shroud design) allows to mitigate the backflow that appears at low mass-flow rates. Backflow can be observed when the operational point of the compressor is suddenly moved from design to surge conditions. On actual heavy-duty vehicles, these conditions may arise when a rapid gear shift is performed. / Användningen av turboladdade dieselmotorer ärr numera utbredd inom bilindustrin: i synnerhet tunga fordon som lastbilar eller bussar ärr ofta utrustade med turbo-laddade motorer. En utförlig förståelse av flödesfältet som utvecklas innuti båda huvudkomponenterna hos en turboladdare, dvs kompressor och turbin, är därför nödvändig: den synergistiska användningen av CFD-simuleringar och experimentel-la tester möjliggör att detta krav uppfylls. Syftet med denna avhandling är att undersöka prestanda och det flödesfält som utvecklas i en centrifugalkompressor för turboladdare. Studien utförs genom nu-meriska simuleringar, både steady state och transient, baserat på RANS-modeller (Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes-ekvationer). Koden som används för de numeriska simuleringarna är Ansys CFX.   Den första delen av arbetet ¨ar ett försöka att utveckla en CFD-metod för att förutsäga prestanda för en centrifugalkompressor med hjälp av steady-state RANS-modeller. De erhållna resultaten jämförs sedan med experimentella observationer. Studien fortsätter med en analys av känsligheten hos den utvecklade CFD-metoden till olika parametrar: Inflytande av både position och modell som används för rotor-statorgränssnitt samt axiellt spel mellan rotor och hus på de globala prestationerna studeras och kvantifieras.   I andra delen utförs en designoptimeringsstudie baserad på Design of Experiments (DoE). I detalj används tidsupplösta RANS-simuleringar för att identifiera vilken utformning av ported shroud som minskar backflöde i kompressorn under en snabb minskning av massflöde och varvtal och därmed ger bättre prestanda i transient surge. På tunga fordon kan dessa förhållanden uppstå under växling.

This dissertation presents results from a thorough study of the tip-gap turbulent flow structure in a low-speed linear compressor cascade wind tunnel at Virginia Tech that includes a moving belt system to simulate the relative motion between the tip and the casing. The endwall pressure measurements and the surface oil flow visualizations were made on a stationary endwall to obtain the flow features and to determine the measurement profiles of interest. A custom-made miniature 3-orthogonal-velocity-component fiber-optic laser-Doppler velocimetry (LDV) system was used to measure all three components of velocity within a 50 mm spherical measurement volume within the gap between the endwall and the blade tip, mainly for the stationary wall with 1.65% and 3.30% tip gaps as well as some initial experiments for the moving wall. Since all of the vorticity in a flow originates from the surfaces under the action of strong pressure gradient, it was very important to measure the nearest-wall flow on the endwall and around the blade tip. The surface skin friction velocity was measured by using viscous sublayer velocity profiles, which verified the presence of an intense lateral shear layer that was observed from surface oil flow visualizations. All second- and third-order turbulence quantities were measured to provide detailed data for any parallel CFD efforts. The most complete data sets were acquired for 1.65% and 3.30% tip gap/chord ratios in a low-speed linear compressor cascade. This study found that tip gap flows are complex pressure-driven, unsteady three-dimensional turbulent flows. The crossflow velocity normal to the blade chord is nearly uniform in the mid tip-gap and changes substantially from the pressure to suction side. The crossflow velocity relies on the local tip pressure loading that is different from the mid-span pressure loading because of tip leakage vortex influence. The tip gap flow is highly skewed three-dimensional flow throughout the full gap. Normalized circulation within the tip gap is independent of the gap size. The tip gap flow interacts with the primary flow, separates from the endwall, and rolls up on the suction side to form the tip leakage vortex. The tip leakage vortex is unsteady from the observation of the TKE transport vector and oil flow visualizations. The reattachment of tip separation vortex on the pressure side strongly depends on the blade thickness-to-gap height ratio after the origin of tip leakage vortex but is weakly related to it before the origin of tip leakage vortex for a moderate tip gap. Other than the nearest endwall and blade tip regions, the TKE does not vary much in tip gap. The tip leakage vortex produces high turbulence intensities. The tip gap flow correlations of streamwise and wall normal velocity fluctuations decrease significantly from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the blade due to flow skewing. The tip gap flow is a strongly anisotropic turbulent flow. Rapid distortion ideas can not apply to it. A turbulence model based on stress transport equations and experimental data is necessary to reflect the tip gap flow physics. For the moving endwall, relative motion skews the inner region flow and is decorrelated with the outer layer flow. Hence, the TKE and correlations of streamwise and wall normal velocity fluctuations decrease. / Ph. D.

This report documents the experimental study for four different three-dimensional turbulent flows. The investigation focuses on near wall measurements in these flows. Several experimental techniques are used in the studies; however, the bulk of the investigation focuses on a three-orthogonal-velocity-component fiber-optic laser Doppler anemometer (3D-LDA) system. The control volume of the 3D-LDA is on the order of 50 micro-meter in size, or a y⁺ distance of around 2.3 units (using average values of U_&#964 and ν from the experiment). An auxiliary small boundary layer wind tunnel (auxiliary tunnel) and a low speed linear compressor cascade wind tunnel (cascade tunnel) are utilized in this study. One of four flow experiments is done in the auxiliary tunnel the other three are in the cascade tunnel. The first three-dimensional turbulent flow is a vortical flow created by two half-delta wing vortex generators. Near wall secondary flow features are found. The second flow is an investigation of the first quarter chord tip gap flow in the cascade tunnel. Strong three-dimensional phenomena are found. The third flow investigated is the inflow to the compressor cascade with the moving wall. The experiment records shear layer interaction between the upstream flow and moving wall. Finally the fourth flow investigated is the inflow to the compressor cascade with the moving wall with half-delta wing vortex generators attached. Phase-averaged data reveal asymmetrical vortex structures just downstream of the vortex generators. This is the first time any near wall data has been taken on any of these flows. / Master of Science

There are many useful guidelines and theories to be found on mixing and mastering. One of these statements is that the monitoring level affects how well one can detect and evaluate the Dynamic Range Compression (DRC) when mixing. However, some of the sources that support this idea are contradictory as to whether a low or high monitoring level is better for this purpose. No previous research on this subject has been found, even though monitoring levels are presumed to be essential for the mixing and mastering engineer. The aim of the study was to investigate if the monitoring level will affect the listeners’ detection threshold for DRC when applied to a vocal track. For this, one higher and one lower monitoring level was chosen, and a simple up-down method was used to obtain the X50 in each monitoring condition, in which these were compared. The results indicate that the monitoring level does not affect the listeners’ threshold of detection for DRC. Moreover, it can be stated that the monitoring level in which the participants had the most habit of working in did not affect the result either. This research can be used to take more informed decisions regarding monitoring levels and to revisit some previous observations.

In axial compressor, corner separation phenomenon can occur between the blade surface and the hub. This leads to high total pressure losses, blockage and may worsen to surge. Various studies on NACA65-009 blade were previously performed experimentally and numerically to predict the corner separation. The LMFA showed that RANS simulations tend to overestimate it while the Wall-Resolved LES (WRLES) was able to well capture it. The conclusions drawn on RANS are validated here with another solver software. An extensive parametric study is performed on RANS which highlights the good performance of two non-linear turbulence models k − ω Wilcox QCR and EARSM k − kl for for predicting the topology and the intensity of corner separation. They are however very dependent on the mesh and the numerics. A Wall-Modeled LES (WMLES) is then computed. It reproduces well the topology of the separation given by the experiments and predicts similar anisotropy to the WRLES. Nevertheless it shows high sensitivity to the level of turbulence close to the endwall and the boundary layer profile of the upstream flow. Finally, this confirms that the WMLES is a promising alternative to the WRLES in order to study the corner separation on more costly geometries (several blades for instance). / I axiell kompressor kan hörnseparationsfenomen uppstå mellan bladytan och navet. Konsekvenserna är stora totala tryckförluster och kompressor blockering. Olika studier på NACA65-009 bladet utfördes tidigare experimentellt och numeriskt för att förutsäga hörnseparationen. LMFA visade att RANS simuleringar tenderar att överskatta den hörnseparationen medan Vägg-Löst LES (WRLES på engelska) kunde fånga bra den. Slutsatserna som dras om RANS valideras här med en annan lösningsprogramvara. En omfattande parametrisk studie utförs på RANS som belyserde goda prestandan för två icke-linjära turbulensmodeller k − ω Wilcox QCRoch EARSM k − kl för att förutsäga topologin och intensiteten för hörnseparation. Dock är de mycket beroende av nät och numerik. En Vägg-Modell LES (WMLES på engelska) beräknas sedan. Det reproducerar väl topologin för separationen som ges av experimenten och förutsäger liknande anisotropi som WRLES. Dock visar det hög känslighet för turbulensnivån nära ändväggen och gränsskiktsprofilen för uppströmsflödet. Slutligen bekräftar detta att WMLES är ett lovande alternativ till WRLES för att studera hörnseparationen på dyrare geometrier (till exempelflera blad).

This thesis provides a comprehensive investigation of flow-sound-structure coupling in spring-loaded valves subjected to air flow. While they are commonly used in a multitude of applications, these types of valves have been found to experience severe vibrations when interaction is present among the structure, the hydrodynamic field, and the acoustic field for a range of operational valve structural characteristics, flow parameters, and connected piping length. The first part of this investigation was aimed at characterizing experimentally the valve’s dynamic behaviour and the parameters affecting the onset of self-excited instability. The occurrence of instability was mainly driven by the presence of acoustic feedback: the connected length of piping had to be sufficiently long, with a longer pipe correlating to more severe vibrations. In addition, it was found that the valve’s oscillation frequency depends on the modal characteristics of the combined valve piping system, rather than the structural natural frequency alone. Furthermore, an increase in the valve’s spring stiffness caused the vibrations to become more severe. Meanwhile, other parameters such as initial spring preload force and valve plate area only had moderate effects on the stability behaviour of the valve. The second part of the investigation sought to develop a theoretical model that could simulate the valve’s response when subjected to air flow while considering the effects of acoustic feedback and impact on the seat and limiter. Thus, a structural model of the valve was developed based on a single-degree-of-freedom model of the system with impact computed based on a pseudo-force method. The hydrodynamic field relied on a one dimensional unsteady Bernoulli description of the flow. Finally, the acoustic interaction was accounted for using the one-dimensional wave equation resolved using a finite difference scheme. The model has demonstrated remarkable agreement with the experimental results. It has shown an ability to predict the modal characteristics of the system as well as correctly predict the effect of increased stiffness or increased piping length on vibration amplitude. The final part of the investigation consisted in designing countermeasures to mitigate the effects of this self-excited instability mechanism. A concentric Helmholtz-type cavity resonator, an orifice plate, and an anechoic termination are placed at the downstream side of a model valve which were seen to be unstable in the experimental and modelling phases of the investigation. All tested devices were able to eliminate the self excited instability mechanism. The applicability and robustness of each of these methods were discussed. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)