Improved basic understanding, predictability, and controllability of vortex-dominated and unsteady aerodynamic flows are important in enhancement of the performance of next generation helicopters. The primary objective of this research project was improved understanding of the fundamental vorticity and turbulent flow physics for a dynamically stalling airfoil at realistic helicopter flight conditions. An experimental program was performed on a large-scale (C = 0.45 m) dynamically pitching NACA 0012 wing operating in the Texas A&M University large-scale wind tunnel. High-resolution particle image velocimetry data were acquired on the first 10-15% of the wing. Six test cases were examined including the unsteady (k>0) and steady (k=0) conditions. The relevant mechanical, shear and turbulent time-scales were all of comparable magnitude, which indicated that the flow was in a state of mechanical non-equilibrium, and the expected flow separation and reattachment hystersis was observed. Analyses of the databases provided new insights into the leading-edge Reynolds stress structure and the turbulent transport processes. Both of which were previously uncharacterized. During the upstroke motion of the wing, a bubble structure formed in the leading-edge Reynolds shear stress. The size of the bubble increased with increasing angle-of-attack before being diffused into a shear layer at full separation. The turbulent transport analyses indicated that the axial stress production was positive, where the transverse production was negative. This implied that axial turbulent stresses were being produced from the axial component of the mean flow. A significant portion of the energy was transferred to the transverse stress through the pressure-strain redistribution, and then back to the transverse mean flow through the negative transverse production. An opposite trend was observed further downstream of this region.

Porous media flows are encountered in many natural and man-made systems such as gas adsorption, filtration, heat exchangers, combustion, catalytic reactors and groundwater hydrology. This study experimentally investigates these flows as function of pore Reynolds number, Re[subscript pore]. The pore Reynolds number is based on the porous bed hydraulic diameter, D[subscript H] =φD[subscript Β]/(1−φ) where φ is bed porosity and D[subscript B] is solid phase bead diameter and average bed interstitial velocity, V[subscript int]= V[subscript Darcy]/φ, where VDarcy= Q/A[subscript bed], with Q being the volumetric flow rate and A[subscript bed] the bed cross section normal to the flow. The flow characteristics are studied through application of a particle displacement technique called particle image velocimetry, PIV. In the case of PIV, flow fields are estimated by seeding the flow with tracer particles and then evaluating their displacements. Application of quantitative imaging technique such as PIV to a complex flow domain like porous bed requires matching refractive index of liquid phase to that of the solid phase. Firstly, the effect of slight index mismatch, due to experimental uncertainties, on obtaining highly accurate PIV measurements as expressed as an experimental uncertainty was explored. Mismatch of refractive indices leads to error in estimation of particle positions and their displacements due to refraction at solid-liquid interfaces. Slight mismatch, in order of 10⁻³, in refractive indices also leads to reduction in particle density, particle signal peak intensity and degrade the particle image. These effects on velocity field estimation using PIV is studied experimentally and numerically. The numerical model, after validating against experimental results, is used to generate an expression for the error in PIV measurements as a function of refractive index mismatch for a range of bead diameters, bed widths, bed porosity, and optical magnification. After refractive index matching, planar PIV measurements were taken at discrete locations throughout a randomly packed bed with aspect ratio (bed width to bead diameter) of 4.67 for steady, low pore Reynolds number flows, Re[subscript pore] ~ 6, intermediate Re[subscript pore] of 54 and unsteady flow with high Re[subscript pore] ranging from 400-4000. Details of the measurement uncertainties as well as methods to determine local magnification and determination of the dynamic velocity range are presented. The data are analyzed using the PIV correlation averaging method for steady flows and multigrid and multipass correlation methods for unsteady turbulent flows with the largest velocity uncertainties arising from in plane image loss and out of plane motion. Results for low Re[subscript pore] flows show the correspondence of the geometric and velocity correlation functions across the bed, and that the centerline of the bed shows a random-like distribution of velocity with an integral length scale on the order of one hydraulic diameter (or 0.38 bead diameters based on the porosity for this bed). The velocity variance is shown to increase by a factor of 1.8 when comparing the center plane data versus using data across the entire bed. It is shown that the large velocity variance contributes strongly to increased dispersion estimates, and that based on the center plane data of the variance and integral length scales, the dispersion coefficient matches well with that measured in high aspect ratio beds using global data. For unsteady and turbulent flow, velocity data were used to determine the following turbulence measures: (i) turbulent kinetic energy components, (ii) turbulent shear production rate, (iii) integral Eulerian length and time scales, and (iv) energy spectra all for a range of pore Reynolds numbers, Re[subscript pore], from 418 to 3964. These measures, when scaled with the bed hydraulic diameter, DH, and average interstitial velocity, V[subscript int], all collapse for Re[subscript pore], beyond approximately 2800, except that the integral scales collapse at a lower value near 1300-1800. The results show that the pore turbulence characteristics are remarkably similar from pore to pore and that scaling based on bed averaged variables like D[subscript H] and V[subscript int] characterizes their magnitudes despite very different local mean flow conditions. In the case of high Re[subscript pore] flows, large scale structures such as stationary and convected vortices and structures resembling jets were also identified. These structures were analyzed in detail using decomposition techniques like Large Eddy Scale decomposition and critical point analysis like swirl strength analysis. Direct velocity measurements were used to estimate Lagrangian statistics through Eulerian measures and then estimate contribution of flow structures to turbulent mechanical dispersion. Results agree well with those in the literature obtained using global measurements in very high aspect ratio, long test beds. Stationary vortical or recirculation regions were seen to play a dominant role in contributing to overall dispersion in porous beds. / Graduation date: 2013

Excess global elemental sulphur (So) production has resulted in a decrease in its price. As a result, many companies, such as Syncrude Canada Ltd., have resorted to above ground storage alternatives. Geochemical reactions in these above ground blocks produce elevated concentrations of H2SO4 (acid). This acid can have potentially deleterious effects on the environment. As such, these blocks will require long-term (500 years) monitoring and maintenance. Presently the So is removed from the product stream, piped in a molten state, and poured over a low permeability liner in thin lifts. As the So cools and undergoes crystal structure change it fractures, creating preferential flow passages which are potentially highly conductive. An understanding of the liquid conductivity (Kl) of the block and knowledge regarding the spatial and temporal distribution of acid (H2SO4) within these blocks is required. In this thesis, gas pumping tests were conducted on an above ground block to determine the gas flow rates within the block and to indirectly determine the Kl of the block. Measurements of the relative humidity (RH) in the block were used to observe changes in stored acid concentrations with time and location. The results of the gas conductivity (Kg) testing showed that the block is anisotropic and is highly conductive in both the horizontal and vertical directions. Cross hole tests appeared to produce the most representative estimates of Kg due to the negation of turbulence that arises in the vicinity of the borehole. The choice of gas used in the analysis had negligible effect on the resulting Kl in contrast to choice of liquid, which resulted in larger variations in Kl. The Kl was a maximum when the liquid was pure water and decreased with increasing acid strength. The geometric mean of the resulting cross hole Kl values was 2 x 10-3 m s-1 (pure water). RH measurements were observed to fluctuate with depth and increased following precipitation. The resulting minimum pH observed within the block occurred at depths of 3 and 7 meters below the surface of the So block and increased with depth. The arithmetic mean pH value based on the daily averaged RH measurements was -1.7.

In modern aircraft, one of the most difficult issues has been how to provide avionics with adequate cooling. Future versions of the fighter aircraft JAS 39 Gripen is equipped with new applications that have increased heat loads. In previous versions of the JAS 39 Gripen avionics was cooled by zero degree air and fuel, but in the next version a liquid loop will be installed to cool the new radar.The fluid in the liquid loop is cooled to proper temperature by pressurized bleed air from the engine which is cooled by ram air. The air to cool the avionics is produced the same way and this is a very expensive process for the airplane which lowers its performance. It is important to minimize the production of cooling air and therefore three new adjustable valves that provide various components of cooling air are installed in the next version of the JAS 39 Gripen. The cooled and pressure controlled air from the engine is distributed between different avionic shelves, each containing a set of components. Depending on the type of tasks performed and current flight mode of the aircraft the requirement of functions which should be active varies and therefore also the cooling demand to avionics. The first part of this thesis studies the overall priority of how the engine bleed shall be used. This part of the thesis results in a decision basis for the distribution of cooling air to be regulated in the absence of full cooling capacity. The amount of cooling which must be distributed to the radar is proportional to its developed power which varies widely depending on the radar’s operational mode. Since the pump which determines the liquid flow velocity operates at a constant speed is the regulation of cooling to the radar is controlled by varying the bleed air flow into the heat exchanger which cools the fluid and thus the temperature of the fluid has when it reaches the radar. This part of the thesis creates a control algorithm for controlling the airflow into the heat exchanger. The regulation keeps the fluid inlet temperature to the radar within the range of +25 ± 5 ˚ C and the gradient of the temperature less than 0.5° C per second. The PI-controller with the feed-forward filter succeeded in controlling the temperature of the liquid as it reached the radar within +25 ± 1° C, the temperature gradient requirement, 0.5° C per second, was also passed in all flight cases which were used to evaluate the controller. The PI-controller with feed-forward has a low convergence time and no static error. It also performs well when the measurement signals contain a lot of noise because of the controllers integrated low pass filter.   The three new adjustable valves saves 12 to 97 g/s of cooling air for the different valve positions studied in this thesis, this corresponds to 9 - 70% of the total amount of controllable air to the avionics. Since the production of cooling air is a costly process for the aircraft, the use of all 3 valves is recommended.

Improved basic understanding, predictability, and controllability of vortex-dominated and unsteady aerodynamic flows are important in enhancement of the performance of next generation helicopters. The primary objective of this research project was improved understanding of the fundamental vorticity and turbulent flow physics for a dynamically stalling airfoil at realistic helicopter flight conditions. An experimental program was performed on a large-scale (C = 0.45 m) dynamically pitching NACA 0012 wing operating in the Texas A&M University large-scale wind tunnel. High-resolution particle image velocimetry data were acquired on the first 10-15% of the wing. Six test cases were examined including the unsteady (k>0) and steady (k=0) conditions. The relevant mechanical, shear and turbulent time-scales were all of comparable magnitude, which indicated that the flow was in a state of mechanical non-equilibrium, and the expected flow separation and reattachment hystersis was observed. Analyses of the databases provided new insights into the leading-edge Reynolds stress structure and the turbulent transport processes. Both of which were previously uncharacterized. During the upstroke motion of the wing, a bubble structure formed in the leading-edge Reynolds shear stress. The size of the bubble increased with increasing angle-of-attack before being diffused into a shear layer at full separation. The turbulent transport analyses indicated that the axial stress production was positive, where the transverse production was negative. This implied that axial turbulent stresses were being produced from the axial component of the mean flow. A significant portion of the energy was transferred to the transverse stress through the pressure-strain redistribution, and then back to the transverse mean flow through the negative transverse production. An opposite trend was observed further downstream of this region.

The jet-in-crossflow problem has been extensively studied, mainly because of its applications in film cooling and injector designs. It has been established that in low-speed flows, pulsing the jet significantly enhances mixing and jet penetration. This work investigates the effects of pulsing on mixing and jet trajectory in high speed (compressible) flow, using Large Eddy Simulation. Jets with different density ratios, velocity ratios and momentum ratios are pulsed from an injector into a crossflow. Density ratios used are 0.55 (CH4/air), 1.0 (air/air) and 1.5 (CO2/air). Results are compared with the low speed cases studied in the past and then analyzed for high speed scaling. The simulations show that the lower density jet develops faster than a higher density jet. This results in more jet spread for the lower density jet. Scaling for jet spread and the decay of centerline jet concentration for these cases are established, and variable density scaling law is developed and used to predict jet penetration in the far field. In most non-premixed combustor systems, the fuel and air being mixed are at different initial temperatures and densities. To account for these effects, heated jets at temperatures equal to 540K and 3000K have been run. It has been observed that, in addition to the lower density of heated jets, the higher kinematic viscosity effects the jet penetration. This effect has been included and validated in the scaling law for the heated jet trajectory.

Η διδακτορική διατριβή με τίτλο «Μελέτη Διατάξεων Σταδιακής Καύσης» έχει ως αντικείμενο την περιγραφή και την ανάλυση του ροϊκού πεδίου της αλληλεπίδρασης αξονοσυμμετρικών δεσμών διαφορετικού αριθμού Reynolds. Ο έλεγχος των μηχανισμών που διέπουν το ροϊκό αυτό πεδίο είναι σημαντικό εργαλείο για την βελτιστοποίηση της ανάμιξης ρευμάτων οξειδωτικού και καυσίμου και αποτελεί τον κρισιμότερο τεχνολογικό στόχο κατά τη διερεύνηση της αποδοτικότητας σε ένα ευρύ φάσμα σχημάτων σταδιακής καύσης. Στόχος της διατριβής είναι ο χαρακτηρισμός και ο έλεγχος της μίξης κατά την διαδικασία της σύγκλισης των δεσμών, συνεισφέροντας στην κατανόηση των βασικών μηχανισμών που αναπτύσσονται στο μέσο και τυρβώδες πεδίο, αλλά και στη βελτιστοποίηση της μίξης από την οποία εξαρτάται η μείωση των περιβαλλοντικών επιπτώσεων και η αύξηση της απόδοσης της καύσης, τόσο σε συστήματα παραγωγής ενέργειας όσο και σε θαλάμους καύσης κινητήρων αεροσκαφών, τα οποία αποτελούν τις πιο «φιλικές» ως προς το περιβάλλον αλλά και τις πιο αποδοτικές πρακτικές σε συστήματα καύσης. Παρά το γεγονός αυτό, η γνώση των επιμέρους φαινομένων και μηχανισμών που κυριαρχούν στο πεδίο της αλληλεπίδρασης αξονοσυμμετρικών δεσμών χαρακτηρίζεται από σημαντικές ελλείψεις, όσο αφορά την λεπτομερή καταγραφή του μέσου και τυρβώδους πεδίου ταχυτήτων. Η Ανεμομετρία Laser Doppler αποτελεί τα βασική μετρητική διάταξη που χρησιμοποιήθηκε για την καταγραφή των μέσων και τυρβωδών όρων του πεδίου της ταχύτητας. Το πλεονέκτημα της μεθόδου, που αποτελεί ένα από τα βασικά εργαλεία για τη μέτρηση τυρβωδών χαρακτηριστικών, είναι το γεγονός ότι δεν παρεμβαίνει στη ροή, καθώς στηρίζεται στην καταγραφή της συχνότητας του φωτός που σκεδάζεται από τροχιοδεικτικά σωματίδια, τα οποία ακολουθούν πιστά τη ροή. Η μελέτη στηρίζεται στην ανάλυση των μηχανισμών που αναπτύσσονται στο μέσο και τυρβώδες πεδίο και στον χαρακτηρισμό της μίξης των συστατικών των δεσμών, όπως αυτή αντικατοπτρίζεται στις πρώτης, δεύτερης και τρίτης τάξης ροπές της ταχύτητας, αλλά και στους αδιάστατους συντελεστές λοξότητας και επιπεδότητας. Σε αυτήν την κατεύθυνση, η παρούσα εργασία έχει σαν στόχο την ανάδειξη της ανάλυσης του ροϊκού πεδίου ως την πιο κρίσιμη παράμετρο ανάπτυξης σχημάτων καύσης, καθώς τα μεγέθη και η εξέλιξή τους έτσι όπως καταγράφονται μπορούν να χρησιμοποιηθούν άμεσα ως κριτήρια για την απόδοση τέτοιων σχημάτων, προσφέροντας την δυνατότητα της επιλογής των καλύτερων λειτουργικών παραμέτρων πριν ακόμα δοκιμαστούν σε περιβάλλον καύσης. Η τυρβώδης δομή και τα ανώτερα στατιστικά των ροπών της ταχύτητας κατά την αλληλεπίδραση των δεσμών χρησιμοποιούνται αρχικά ως βασικό εργαλείο της μελέτης των συγκεκριμένων διατάξεων σταδιακής καύσης και επιπλέον χρησιμοποιούνται για να χαρακτηρίσουν τη μίξη των συστατικών των δεσμών στις διαφορετικές περιοχές της αλληλεπίδρασης, πριν, κατά τη διάρκεια και μετά την σύγκλισή τους. Τα αποτελέσματα της εργασίας δείχνουν ότι δέσμες σχετικά μικρού αριθμού Reynolds (της τάξης των λίγων χιλιάδων) μπορούν να χρησιμοποιηθούν για την παραγωγή τυρβωδών δομών, όπου η μίξη ενισχύεται μέσω της αλληλεπίδρασής τους, γεγονός που μπορεί να έχει σημαντική επίδραση στην ανάπτυξη παρόμοιων εφαρμογών σε πραγματικής κλίμακας εγκαταστάσεις. / Τhis study aims to the assessment and analysis of the flow field produced by the interaction between two axisymmetric jets with different Reynolds numbers. The scheme is considered as a generic staged combustion configuration. In this frame, the identification and control of the mechanisms that dominate the flow field is one of the most significant issues towards the enhancement of mixing, thus the increasing of combustion operational and environmental efficiency. The scope of the study is to characterize and control the mixing process during the interaction and merging of the jets. The study contributes to the understanding of the dominating mechanisms occurring in the flow, through the assessment of the mean and turbulent flow features. The initial conditions used in the experiments diverge from the marginal conditions that refer to the interaction of equal momentum jets and the combining of a “strong” and a “weak” jet. In addition, due to the particularly low, although turbulent, Reynolds numbers used at jets’ exits, the capability of the jets to produce and maintain strongly turbulent structures during and after their interaction is also evaluated. During the experiments included in this thesis, a two dimensional Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA) was used to measure the main components of the velocity vector (i.e. in the axial and the radial or horizontal directions). A pair of similar optical systems were used to produce two ellipsoidal control volumes and collect the light scattered by tracer particles, that faithfully represent the flow. Axisymmetric turbulent jets constitute the main component regarding the realization of staged combustion configurations based on multiple jets arrangements. Jet flow fields have been extensively studied during the last decades, mainly focusing on the self-similar region, i.e. the region where the mean and turbulent features are dynamically preserved. Recently, most of the studies are related to the identification of divergences arising from the different initial conditions and specific parameters, such as the shape of the orifice, the type of the confinement imposed at the exit, the jet density etc. The effects of these features are briefly summarized within the context of the thesis. In particular, the low Reynolds number effect is under consideration, as the jets recorded in the experiments are compared to typical previous studies devoted to the self-similarity region of jets with significantly higher Reynolds numbers. In the first part of the experiments, a jet of reference is monitored within an area covering the initial development and extends to the boundaries of the self-similarity region. Measurements include axial and radial distributions of the mean and turbulent axial and radial velocity components, turbulent shear stresses and terms that represent the turbulent transport of the Reynolds stresses. The budget of the turbulent kinetic energy is presented at the final measurement station, showing the particular mechanisms occurring in the flow. Measurements on the jets’ interaction field are presented afterwards. The distributions are systematically presented in comparison to the distributions recorded during the sole action of the primary jet Characteristic profiles are presented at locations within the merging and the mixing zones. In the early stages of development, the patterns of both jets can be identified. Within the merging region, besides the absorption of the secondary jet, the measurements indicate a spatial suppression of primary jet’s characteristics. Further downstream, the profiles resemble to those of a standalone jet. Higher values of the mean and turbulent terms are observed while the profiles extend over a wider region, in accordance with the secondary jet’s Reynolds number. Results of the present study demonstrate that skewness and flatness factors can be used as indicators of small scale mixing. The field of the interaction is further analyzed and discussed for a third pair of initial conditions and the proper decomposition of the mean and turbulent profiles using three different types of seeding conditions. In the early stages, the measurements confirm the independent action of the jets, although the tendency of the secondary jets’ pattern to be deformed. Within the merging zone, the distributions referring to the different types of seeding are characterized by humps and increased turbulent features in the secondary jet’s development region. The shape, the intensity and the extent of the humps depends on the seeding type. Most of the characteristics observed in this region are related to the probability density function distributions, which are composed by samples that correspond to tracers emanating from the individual sources. However, within the mixing zone, the profiles are nearly similar for the individual types of seeding, leading to the conclusion that all the samples contributing to measurements have been adapted by the flow field due to the small scale mixing, which is continuously improved further downstream.

Spacer-filled channels are employed in membrane modules in many industrial applications where feed-flow spacers (employed to separate membrane sheets and create flow channels) tend to enhance mass transport characteristics, possibly mitigating fouling and concentration polarization phenomena. In this work direct numerical simulation was performed for the flow in the spacer-filled channels to obtain a better understanding of fluid flow and mass transfer phenomena in these channels. A solute with a Schmidt number of 1 at Reynolds numbers of 300, 500 and 800 (based on the bulk velocity and spacer diameter) was considered. The effect of spacer location was also studied for three different configurations, spacer at the centre of the channel, at off-centre location, and attached to the wall. Instantaneous velocity fields and flow structures such as separation of boundary layer on the walls and on the cylinder, eddies on the walls, recirculation regions and vortex shedding were investigated. A Fourier analysis was carried out on the time series velocity data. Using this analysis the Strouhal number was calculated and the development of the flow towards a broader turbulent state at higher Reynolds number was captured. Other statistical characteristics such as time-averaged velocities and wall shear rates are obtained and discussed. The average pressure loss which represents the operation cost of membrane modules was calculated for the channels and found to be highest for spacer at the centre of the channel and lowest for spacer attached to the wall. Scalar transport equation is directly solved along with Navier-Stokes equation to get the concentration field. Local Sherwood number is obtained on the walls and the relationship between shear stress, vortex shedding, and mass transfer enhancement was explored. The overall Sherwood number and Stanton number of the channels, which indicate the mass transfer performance of the channels, are obtained. It was observed that as spacer approaches the wall mass transfer rate is decreasing. / Thesis (Master, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-11-30 11:44:07.479

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