A low speed wind tunnel experimental investigation was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the leading edge pulsed blowing and the trailing edge jet blowing/ Gurney flap on the improvement of aerodynamic performance of an unmanned aerial vehicle at low Reynolds numbers. The wind tunnel tests for the leading edge pulsed jet blowing were conducted at 10%, 30% and 50% location of the chord length from the leading edge at a free stream velocity of 20 m/s. The jet momentum coefficient and the non-dimensional pulser frequency had been varied independently to investigate the effectiveness of the leading edge pulsed blowing. The trailing edge jet blowing tests were conducted at free stream velocity of 20 m/s at different jet momentum coefficients. The leading edge pulsed blowing showed a strong dependency of the actuator effectiveness on the jet momentum and the pulser frequency. The leading edge pulsed blowing had delayed the flow separation over the airfoil from an angle of attack of 17° to 22° with a docile stall for jet emanating at 10% location of the chord length for a jet momentum coefficient of 0.0275. The pulsed blowing at 50% chord location generated higher lift compared to the 10% location of the pulser with an abrupt stall at 19°. There was no evidence of the lift augmentation in the pre-stall angle of attack regime. The experimental results showed that the trailing edge jet flap was capable of generating significant roll moment at realistic jet momentum coefficients. The fluidic actuators were then integrated into the wings of a scale Extra 330 model airplane. The wind tunnel results for the leading edge pulsed blowing on the scale model indicated a delay in the stall of the airplane from an angle of attack of 12° to 21° with a 13% increase in the lift at take-off and landing speed of 17 m/s. The trailing edge jet actuators were also able to augment lift and demonstrate the roll control authority at low angle attacks at a cruising speed of 30 m/s.

A low speed wind tunnel experimental investigation was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the leading edge pulsed blowing and the trailing edge jet blowing/ Gurney flap on the improvement of aerodynamic performance of an unmanned aerial vehicle at low Reynolds numbers. The wind tunnel tests for the leading edge pulsed jet blowing were conducted at 10%, 30% and 50% location of the chord length from the leading edge at a free stream velocity of 20 m/s. The jet momentum coefficient and the non-dimensional pulser frequency had been varied independently to investigate the effectiveness of the leading edge pulsed blowing. The trailing edge jet blowing tests were conducted at free stream velocity of 20 m/s at different jet momentum coefficients. The leading edge pulsed blowing showed a strong dependency of the actuator effectiveness on the jet momentum and the pulser frequency. The leading edge pulsed blowing had delayed the flow separation over the airfoil from an angle of attack of 17° to 22° with a docile stall for jet emanating at 10% location of the chord length for a jet momentum coefficient of 0.0275. The pulsed blowing at 50% chord location generated higher lift compared to the 10% location of the pulser with an abrupt stall at 19°. There was no evidence of the lift augmentation in the pre-stall angle of attack regime. The experimental results showed that the trailing edge jet flap was capable of generating significant roll moment at realistic jet momentum coefficients. The fluidic actuators were then integrated into the wings of a scale Extra 330 model airplane. The wind tunnel results for the leading edge pulsed blowing on the scale model indicated a delay in the stall of the airplane from an angle of attack of 12° to 21° with a 13% increase in the lift at take-off and landing speed of 17 m/s. The trailing edge jet actuators were also able to augment lift and demonstrate the roll control authority at low angle attacks at a cruising speed of 30 m/s.

No description available.

Synthetic jet actuators have previously been defined as having potential use in both internal and external aerodynamic applications. The formation of a jet flow perpendicular to the surface of an aerofoil or in a duct of diffuser has a range of potential flow control benefits. These benefits can include both laminar to turbulent transition control, which is associated with a drag reduction in aerodynamic applications. The formation and development of zero-net-mass-flux synthetic jets are investigated using highly accurate numerical methods associated with the methodology of Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS). Jet formation is characterised by an oscillating streamwise jet centreline velocity, showing net momentum flux away from the jet orifice. This momentum flux away from the orifice takes the form of a series of vortex structures, often referred to as a vortex train. Numerical simulations of the synthetic jet actuator consist of a modified oscillating velocity profile applied to a wall boundary. The Reynolds numbers used vary from 85 ≤ Re ≤ 300. A complete numerical study of both axisymmetric and fully three-dimensional jet flow is performed. A parametric axisymmetric simulation is carried out in order to study the formation criterion and evolution of zero-net-mass-flux synthetic jets under variations in actuator input parameters. From the results of these simulations the conditions necessary for the formation of the synthetic jet along with the input parameters that provide an optimal jet output are deduced. Jet optimisation is defined by the mass flow, vortex strength and longevity of the vortex train as it travels downstream. Further investigations are carried out on a fully three-dimensional DNS version of the optimised axisymmetric case. Comparisons between the jet evolution and flow-field structures present in both the axisymmetric and three-dimensional configurations are made. This thesis examines the vortex structures, the jet centreline velocities along with time dependent and time averaged results in order to deduce and visualise the effects of the input parameters on the jet formation and performance. The results attained on altering the oscillation frequency of the jet actuator indicated that synthetic jets with zero mean velocity at the inflow behave significantly differently from jets with non-zero mean velocity at the inflow. A study into the evolution and formation of the train of vortex structures associated with the formation of a synthetic jet is performed. This study is accompanied with a series of time averaged results showing time dependent flow-field trends. The time history of the jet centreline velocity, showing the net momentum flux of the fluid away from the orifice of a fully developed synthetic jet, is analysed for both axisymmetric and three-dimensional cases. Differences in the fluid dynamics between the idealised axisymmetric configuration and the three-dimensional case have been identified, where three-dimensional effects are found to be important in the region near the jet nozzle exit. The effect of a disturbance introduced into the three-dimensional simulation in order to break its inherent symmetr around the jet centreline is examined by altering the input frequency of the disturbance. It was found that the effect of this relatively minor disturbance had a major effect on the jet flow field in the region adjacent to the orifice. The effect of which was deemed to be caused by discontinuities in the surface of the jet orifice due to manufacturing tolerances. Although the effects of these disturbances on the jet flow-field are large, they seem to have been neglected from numerical simulations to date. The effect of a synthetic jet on an imposed cross-streamwise velocity profile was examined. It was found that the synthetic jet flow-field resulted in a deformation of the velocity profile in the region downstream of the synthetic jet. It is suggested that this region of deformed flow could interact with coherent structures in a transitional boundary layer in order to delay flow transition to turbulence. The effect of varying the Strouhal number of a synthetic jet in a cross-flow is also analysed. It is clear from the results presented that, in the presence of a cross-flow velocity the Strouhal number effect on the synthetic jet flow field evolution, while dominant in a quiescent fluid is surpassed by the effect of the cross-flow.

Geometric modification as the most effective passive flow control method has recently received wide attention due to its enormous potential in enhancing performance characteristics of airfoils or hydrofoils without expensive manufacturing and maintenance cost. Two primary passive flow control modifications, known as leading-edge tubercles and internal slots and their applications in airfoils/hydrofoils have been investigated in this dissertation. For the hydrofoil, since free surface effects cannot be neglected, the interaction between the hydrofoil-motion induced waves on the free surface and the hydrofoil has been studied as well. In the theoretical approach aspect, an empirically-based model based on an iteration scheme has been proposed for predicting the lift coefficients of twisted airfoils with leading-edge tubercles by using experimental data for untwisted airfoils. With both numerical and experimental investigations, this dissertation has discussed the application of a custom optimized-design internal slot on a NACA 634-021 airfoil blade to allow ventilation of flow through the slot from the pressure side to the suction side of the blade, in support of delaying flow separation, and stall. The combined effect of an internal slot in an airfoil and transverse leading-edge tubercles on its performance has been further studied both numerically and experimentally. Moreover, performance of a NACA 634-021 hydrofoil in motion under and in close proximity of a free surface for a large range of AoAs has been studied. Lift and drag coefficients of the hydrofoil at different submergence depths are investigated both numerically and experimentally. The results of the numerical study are in good agreement with the experimental results. The agreement confirms the new finding that for a submerged hydrofoil operating at high AoAs close to a free surface, the interaction between the hydrofoil-motion induced waves on the free surface and the hydrofoil results in mitigation of the flow separation characteristics on the suction side of the foil and delay in stall, and improvement in hydrofoil performance. A similarly submerged hydrofoil with a custom-designed internal slot has further been studied. The performance characteristics of the slotted hydrofoil in the presence of the free surface are investigated both numerically and experimentally. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Industrial and mining sectors are amongst the largest single energy consumers in South Africa, making them a primary focus for implementing energy saving initiatives. Refrigeration systems on mines are responsible for consuming up to25 % of the electrical energy consumption on a typical South African deep level mine. Ample opportunities to reduce the energy consumption of these systems exists, as many of the current systems rely on old technology and function under partial or inadequate control management. In compiling this thesis, various energy saving strategies on deep level mines were investigated. In specific, the effects of controlling and improving the cooling auxiliaries. Scenarios were investigated and simulated, where after an optimum solution was implemented. Implementations, such as the ones covered in this dissertation, form part of the IDM (Integrated Demand Management) energy efficiency incentive introduced by Eskom, where funding is made available based on actual power saving; ensuring that the projects will be financially viable to the clients. Reduced electrical energy consumption realised from the abovementioned projects were measured, captured and compared to the consumption before project implementation to determine the achieved savings. Savings of up to 30 % of the plant installed capacity were realised, providing average savings of up to 2.3 MW per day. / Thesis (MIng (Mechanical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Industrial and mining sectors are amongst the largest single energy consumers in South Africa, making them a primary focus for implementing energy saving initiatives. Refrigeration systems on mines are responsible for consuming up to25 % of the electrical energy consumption on a typical South African deep level mine. Ample opportunities to reduce the energy consumption of these systems exists, as many of the current systems rely on old technology and function under partial or inadequate control management. In compiling this thesis, various energy saving strategies on deep level mines were investigated. In specific, the effects of controlling and improving the cooling auxiliaries. Scenarios were investigated and simulated, where after an optimum solution was implemented. Implementations, such as the ones covered in this dissertation, form part of the IDM (Integrated Demand Management) energy efficiency incentive introduced by Eskom, where funding is made available based on actual power saving; ensuring that the projects will be financially viable to the clients. Reduced electrical energy consumption realised from the abovementioned projects were measured, captured and compared to the consumption before project implementation to determine the achieved savings. Savings of up to 30 % of the plant installed capacity were realised, providing average savings of up to 2.3 MW per day. / Thesis (MIng (Mechanical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Computational simulations of air glow discharge plasma in the presence of supersonic flow are presented. The glow discharge model is based on a self-consistent, multi-species, continuum description of the plasma with finite-rate chemistry effects. The glow discharge model is coupled to a compressible Navier-Stokes solver to study the effect of the plasma on the flow and the counter-effect of the flow on the plasma. A finite-rate air chemistry model is presented and validated against experiments from the literature at a pressure of 600 mTorr. Computational results are compared with experimentally measured V-I characteristics, axial positive ion densities and electron temperature, and reasonably good qualitative and quantitative agreement is observed. The validated air plasma model is then used to study the effect of the surface plasma discharge on M=3 supersonic flow at freestream pressure 18 Torr and the corresponding effects of the flow on the discharge structure in two dimensions. The species concentrations and the gas temperature are examined in the absence and presence of bulk supersonic flow. The peak gas temperature from the computations is found to be 1180 K with the surface plasma alone in the absence of flow, and 830 K in the presence of supersonic flow. Results indicate that O- ions can have comparable densities to electrons in the pressure range 1-20 Torr, and that O2- ion densities are at least two orders of magnitude smaller over the pressure range considered. Different ion species are found to be dominant in the absence and presence of supersonic flow, highlighting the importance of including finite-rate chemistry effects in discharge models for understanding plasma actuator physical phenomena. Electrode polarity effects are investigated, and the cathode upstream actuation is found to be stronger than the actuation strength with the cathode downstream, which is consistent with experimental findings of several groups. A parallel computing implementation of the plasma and flow simulation tools has been developed and is used to study the three-dimensional plasma actuator configuration with circular pin electrodes. / text

The effects of active flow control by oscillatory blowing at the leading edge of a nonslender delta wing with a Λ=50° sweep angle have been investigated. Pressure measurements and Particle Image Velocimetry measurements were conducted on a half wing to investigate the formation of leading edge vortices for oscillatory blowing, compared to the stalled flow for the no blowing case. Stall has been delayed by up to 8, and significant increases in the upper surface suction force have been observed. Velocity measurements show that shear layer reattachment is promoted with forcing, and a vortex flow pattern develops. The time averaged location of the centre of the vortical region moves outboard with increased excitation. The near-surface flow pattern obtained from the PIV measurements shows reattachment in the forward part of the wing. There is no measurable jet-like axial flow in the vortex core, which seems to break down at or very near the apex. This highlights that unlike slender delta wings, vortex breakdown is not a limiting factor in the generation of lift for nonslender delta wings. Phase averaged measurements reveal the perturbation due to the pulsed blowing, its interaction with the shear layer and vortex, apparent displacement of the vortex core, and relaxation of the reattachment region. The flow in a phase averaged sense is highly three dimensional. Experiments indicate that unsteady blowing at Strouhal numbers in the region of St=0.5 to St=0.75, and in the region of St=1.25 to St=1.5 can be a highly effective. Reattached flow can develop from stalled flow after pulsing has been initiated with a time constant of tU/c=5 for unsteady blowing at St=0.75, and tU/c=7 for St=1.5. Experiments with excitation from finite span slots located in the forward half of the wing show that partial blowing can be more effective at low momentum coefficients. Force measurements of a full delta wing confirmed that the effectiveness of this method of flow control was not only confined to half delta wings.

The work presented in this thesis concerns the application of concepts that are widely used in metamaterial research to the control of fluid flow. In particular surface structuring and resonance were investigated. The initial work focussed on Stokes flow over structured surfaces. The effective boundary conditions that the structuring creates, analogous to the impedance boundary condition encountered in electromagnetism and acoustics, were examined. Exact solutions for the flow and slip length along the grooves of a family of surfaces were derived. These were compared to Finite Element Method (FEM) models and previous work valid for arbitrary structured surfaces, which was based on a perturbation expansion. Good agreement was found for all available surfaces. The previously presented solution was then also compared to results for a sinusoidal surface, finding good agreement for low aspect ratios but diverging at intermediate aspect ratios. Extending the perturbation theory beyond first order was found to improve the agreement. To explore the concept of resonance in fluid dynamics laminar flow around a circular bluff body with an attached flexible tail was considered, investigating how the resonant behaviour of the elastic tail modified the drag and vortex shedding frequency of the body. The results were compared against the no tail case as well as a rigid tail. For short tail lengths the average drag was reduced compared to both reference cases, whilst the vortex shedding could be either enhanced or reduced. When one of the resonant frequencies of the tail matched the vortex shedding frequency of the body, the resonance motion of the tail resulted in in sharp changes to both the drag and vortex shedding frequency. In the finally section of the thesis I describe the Particle Image Velocimetry experiments that were set up to verify the resonant flexible tail behaviour. The process by which the initial set up was upgraded is given. Results are shown for a circular bluff body being towed through the fluid. This is then extended to a circular bluff body with an attached rigid tail. Preliminary results for the flexible tail case are then presented.