Photovoltaic (PV) cells have long been an attractive alternative for the consumption of fossil fuels but current manufacturing practices suffer from poor energy efficiency, large carbon footprints, low material utilization, high processing temperatures and high solvent usage. A critical step in PV production is the deposition of CdS as a thin film to serve as a "buffer layer" between the optically absorbent layer and the transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layer to complete an effective p-n junction. The development of an inexpensive, low temperature, constant flow deposition process for producing CdS films is investigated. Micro-assisted solution concepts are implemented to promote the selectivity of heterogeneous surface reactions over homogeneous bulk precipitation. Analytical models based off Hagen-Poiseuille equation for fluid flow are coupled with computational fluid dynamic simulations to produce uniform flow fields within the deposition step permitting uniform film coverage on large substrates. / Graduation date: 2011 / Access restricted to the OSU Community at author's request from Jan. 11, 2011-Jan. 11, 2012.

McDonalds Lime Ltd, situated in Otorohanga, New Zealand, operate two dry process rotary lime kilns producing burnt and hydrated lime for a range of industries including agriculture, roading, water treatment, gold mining and steel making. The following Technology in Industry Fellowship (TIF) funded Masters Project is structured around investigating the combustion characteristics of Kiln Two at McDonald’s Lime Ltd using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Numerical results obtained using the commercial CFD code FLUENT were first validated against experimental data from the International Flame Research Foundation’s (IFRF) Furnace No.1. The validation study focussed on comparing the finite rate and mixture fraction/PDF approaches to combustion chemistry, as well as different methods for defining coal particle size distributions. Numerical modelling of Kiln Two at McDonald’s Lime Ltd began with full three-dimensional simulations, however due to their complexity and large computational times, two-dimensional axisymmetric models were primarily used for investigations. Comparisons were made between the two approaches. Investigations into the original pulverised coal fired system focussed on how the kiln aerodynamics and heat transfer properties were affected by changes to the coal and air inlet properties. The performance of a recently installed waste oil firing system was also investigated, with results showing that firing the kiln with a 25% thermal substitution of oil is the most efficient mode of operation. As the investigations focussed on the combustion characteristics the effects of the reacting limestone bed were ignored in all simulations. CFD modelling of the combustion characteristics within a large scale rotary kiln proved to be an extremely complex task. The work presented in this thesis has however provided some promising results which will ultimately assist McDonalds Lime Ltd in reducing their operating costs and environmental impact. Futhermore, the project has laid the foundation for further investigations.

This thesis investigates the application of CFD techniques to the aerodynamic analysis of a U-shaped JETC. Investigations were carried out to determine the flow patterns present at a number of locations within the structure of a full U-shaped JETC. The CFD solutions produced in these investigations used recommendations from the literature in the set-up of the CFD solver, and provided the computational component towards problem-specific validation of the CFD techniques used. A structured series of CFD-aided investigation and design processes were then performed. These processes were based around a series of analyses that evaluated the influence of a number of cell parameters in terms of cell airflow efficiency and velocity distortion. Four cell components; the inlet and exhaust stack baffle arrangements, the turning-vanes, the rear of the working section and augmenter entrance, and the lower exhaust stack, including the BB, were investigated in individual analyses. Throughout the investigations the value of CFD as a design tool was constantly assessed. Overall, the findings suggest that aerodynamic optimisation of the baffle arrangements would provide the greatest gains to cell airflow efficiency. As some cells contain as many as three baffle arrangements, the potential increases made to cell airflow capacity are sizable. Through implementing the findings of the baffle arrangement investigations, static pressure loss across the five-row baseline arrangement was reduced by 79%. For low levels of velocity distortion in the upstream region of the working section, the need to design the inlet stack baffles in the turning-vane arrangement was highlighted. Mid-baffle vane alignment, consistent flow channels, and sufficiently low chord to gap ratios should be incorporated into a turning-vane design to maximise flow uniformity. The need for the baffle and vane components to combine with the geometry of the cell to limit adverse pressure gradients was found as a requirement to minimise inner corner separation, and the downstream threat it creates to a safe testing environment. CFD proved to be a valuable analysis tool throughout the investigations performed in this thesis. The number of design iterations analysed, and the detail of data that could be extracted, significantly exceeded what could have been achieved through an isolated experimental testing programme.

Due to their efficient heat and mass transfer potential, impinging jets have received attention in various applications. Heat transfer and flow characteristics of rectangular turbulent impinging jets issued from a 24:1 aspect ratio and 24:1 contraction ratio nozzle were investigated experimentally and numerically. In the heat transfer measurements; a thin stainless-steel foil was utilized to obtain iso-flux boundary conditions on the impingement surface. The target plate was free to translate in the lateral direction and the heat transfer distributions were determined at 0 ≤ x/W ≤ 20 with the micro-thermocouples placed underneath the foil. The measurements were conducted for Re(j) = 8900 − 48600 at nozzle-to-target spacing of 0.5 ≤ H/W ≤ 12.0. Both semi and fully confined jets were investigated. Heat transfer coefficients at Re(j) = 28100, 36800, 45600 and H/W = 4.0 were determined by using adiabatic-wall temperatures and the distributions were compared with those of the wall shear stress. Off-center peaks were observed at high Re(j) and low H/W. Since the wall distributions are susceptible to nozzle-exit conditions, velocity and turbulence profiles at the nozzle-exit were measured for the velocity range of interest. Additionally, near-wall mean velocity and turbulence profiles were determined at Re(j) = 21500 and 36800 at H/W = 4.0 to have a better understanding of the secondary peaks in the wall distributions. Numerical computations were performed by using several different turbulence models (k − ω, k − ε, V 2F and Reynolds stress models). In wall-bounded turbulent flows, near-wall modeling is crucial. Therefore, the turbulence models eliminating wall functions such as the k − ω and V 2F models may be superior for modeling impingement flows. The numerical results showed reasonable agreement with the experimental data for local heat transfer and skin friction coefficient distributions. The occurrence of the secondary peaks was predicted by the k − ω and V 2F models, and for a few cases with the low-Re-k − ε models. Near-wall measurements along with the computed profiles were used to describe the “secondary peak” phenomena. It was shown that the increase in turbulence production in the wall-streamwise direction enhances turbulent momentum and heat transport in the wall-normal direction which lead to secondary peaks in the wall distributions. The possibility of improving surface heat transfer with fully-developed jets was also explored numerically as a case study.

No description available.

No description available.

I ett marint framdrivningssystem byggt av Rolls-Royce Marine i Kristinehamn, kallat POD Propulsion - MermaidTM, kyls systemets yttre delar med förbiströmmande vatten. Det kylande vattnet kompletteras av ett internt luftkylningssystem vilket, till följd av en lägre kylningskapacitet än för det externa vattnet, förorsakar en otillräcklig kylning i den sektor av elmotorns stator vars periferi kyls av kylluftsströmmen. En andel av statorn är således enbart luftkyld vilket medför att den axiella temperaturen i denna sektor uppnår ett lokalt maximum, kallad ”hotspot”, vilken är högre än för resten av elmotorns stator. Avsaknaden av en tangentiellt uniform temperatur i statorn medför begränsningar vid dimensionering av framdrivningssystemet. Begränsningar som kan få till följd att motorn i en POD överdimensioneras, gentemot fartygets effektbehov, sådan att elmotorn vid drift inte ska generera lika mycket värme och därmed undvika de höga statortemperaturerna. En effektiv kylning av hotspoten och därigenom en tangentiellt mer uniform temperatur skulle därmed medföra att elmotorn kan; dimensioneras mer effektivt och därigenom ge en lägre installationskostnad, uppnå en högre utnyttjandegrad samt leda till en förbättrad hydrodynamisk verkningsgrad. Rapporten ämnar genom både analytiska och numeriska simuleringar utvärdera ett flertal olika passiva kylningsmetoder som kan appliceras över POD-husets hotspot. De tilltänkta kylningsmetoderna baseras i grunden på två olika principer. En av principerna, kallad utvidgade ytor, avser kyla hotspoten genom att underlätta överföringen av värme från hotspoten till en förbipasserande fluid där den andra, genom tillämpning av ett ledande material, leder värme från hotspoten till en omgivande kallare yta. Resultaten visar att alla de tilltänkta modifikationerna, i varierande grad, möjliggör en temperatursänkning av det vertikala hotspotområdet, vilken är belägen intill luftkylningskanalen. De modifikationer som presterar bäst är modifikationerna som tillämpar en heatpipe som ledande material och modifikationen utvidgad solid gjort av koppar. Dessa modeller visar en 60 procentig temperatursänkning av den vertikala hotspoten relativt referensmodellen. Rapportens resultat kan även visa en temperatursänkning av luften då modifikationen ledande stag tillämpas, vilket är gynnsamt för fartygets luftkylningsprocess.

Simulation zur Beschleunigung der Produktentwicklung

This research investigates the effects that geometry and control have on the absorption characteristics of active wavemakers and looks at the feasibility of modelling these wavemakers in commercial computational fluid dynamic software. This thesis presents the hydrodynamic coefficients for four different types of wavemakers. The absorption characteristics of these wavemakers are analysed using different combinations of control impedance coefficients. The effect of combining both geometry and control is then investigated. Results, quantifying the absorption characteristics are then presented. It is shown that the amount of absorption for a given paddle differs greatly depending on the choice of control coefficients used to implement complex conjugate control. Increased absorption can be achieved over a broader bandwidth of frequencies when the geometry of the wavemaker is optimised for one specific frequency and the control impedance is optimised for an alternate frequency. In conjunction to this theoretical study, a numerical investigation is conducted in order to verify and validate two commercial computational fluid dynamic codes' suitability to model the previously discussed absorbing wavemakers. ANSYS CFX and FLOW3D are used to model a physical wavemaker. Both are rigorously verified for discretisation errors and CFX is validated against linear wavemaker theory. Results show good agreement and prediction of the free surface close to the oscillating wavemaker, but problems with wave height attenuation and excessive run times were encountered.

Fire in buildings can have a severe impact in terms of both human safety and potential economic loss. This is especially true in the case of fires of such severity that the building structure is damaged. Concrete buildings are traditionally regarded as safe in a fire situation as concrete is non-flammable and exhibits highly insulating material properties. The majority of current research relating to the impact of fire on structures examines other forms of construction. Research of concrete in fire is generally limited to investigation and testing of individual members in order to understand the often complex interactions exhibited by concrete as a material at high temperatures. This research seeks to redress the balance by using a systematic approach to examine effects of fire on a holistic concrete structure in simplified but realistic temperature exposures. The research utilises evidence and structural information from the Windsor Tower in Madrid, which suffered a major fire in February 2005 with partial collapse in some areas of the structure. The fire spread throughout the building, travelling both upwards and downwards. Computer modelling was used extensively. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis was used to explore likely fire temperature and duration in localised areas. Structural Finite Element Modelling (FEM) was used to develop a hierarchy of models, beginning with simple structural forms and progressing logically to more detailed structures. This produced a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the reaction of the structure to fire for comparison to the real, observable damage to the building and assessment of generic failure behaviours. The structural model produced was used with a number of variations in support condition, fire spread rate and extent, and fire protection. It was found that for a structure of this type, structural stiffness of the concrete floors was insufficient to compensate for the loss of strength in heated steel members where there was no alternative load redistribution path. It was also found that in the case where an alternative load path exists, but involves steel members which have previously heated during the multiple-floor spread of the fire, the rate of fire spread has a critical effect on the structural stability.