Fluid flow and local heat transfer in a microchannel with single and array of pin fins have been studied. For the single pin fin case, a microchannel with a 150-µm diameter pin fin with a tip clearance was experimentally and numerically studied for three Reynolds numbers in laminar regime. Tip clearances of 0, 30, 45 and 100 µm in a 200-µm high microchannel. Experimental and numerical local temperatures and the corresponding Nusselt numbers along the centerline of the pin fin were presented and discussed. Local temperatures were measured on top of the heater surface and downstream the pin fin through micro resistance temperature detectors (RTDs). A conjugate CFD modeling capable of simulating solid/fluid conduction and convection revealed velocity, heat flux and heat transfer coefficient over the heated surface. Nusselt number and wake length for a range of tip clearances were presented and compared with full-height pin fin. Experimental and numerical results showed that a tip clearance can significantly enhance heat transfer in the wake region. Simulations revealed that tip clearance alters the flow structure by increasing the three dimensionality of the flow, promoting mixing, shortening the wake region, and increasing the velocity downstream the pin fin. A tip clearance with a height of 100 µm was found to provide the best heat transfer enhancement. For a microchannel with array of pin fins with tip clearance, an experimental study carried out with the tip clearance of 0 and 100 µm in a 200-µm high microchannel. Results revealed that introducing tip clearance in pin array can on-average almost double heat transfer coefficient compared to full height (no tip) array of pin fins.

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An experimentally obtained comparison between the breakup of water droplets in the flow field behind both a detonation wave and shock wave is considered. The experiments presented here were completed to support ongoing research efforts into droplet breakup mechanisms at different Mach and Weber numbers. The physical features of the droplets are observed using a high-speed camera and shadowgraph imagery. Droplets are roughly between 2-3 mm in diameter and are struck by detonation waves of Mach 5-6 and shock waves induced by deflagration combustion events of Mach 1-2. The Weber number of these experiments ranges from 5(10^3) to 90(10^3). These experiments were initiated in a detonation tube using four separate mixtures to allow for the creation of shock waves in the detonation tube, which consisted of hydrogen and oxygen or methane and oxygen at different equivalence ratios and once with the addition of nitrogen. Additionally, the breakup of these droplets is compared by non-dimensionalizing the displacement of fluid at the equator of the droplet, which is further compared to predictions made by the Taylor Analogy Breakup model. Attempts are made to determine the influence of factors other than Weber number on the deformation of a water droplet, while also considering the effects of Weber number.

This work investigated the application of fiber-based endoscopes (FBEs) in combustion and flow measurements, especially for multidimensional and quantitative measurements. The use of FBEs offers several unique advantages to greatly reduce the implementation difficulty and cost of optical diagnostics. However, the use of FBEs requires registering the locations and orientations of the FBEs carefully for quantitative measurements, and degrades the spatial resolution of the images transmitted. Hence this work conducted a series of controlled tests to quantify the accuracy of the view registration process and the spatial resolution degradation for FBEs. The results show that, under the conditions tested in this work, the view registration process can be accurate within ±0.5 degree and the FBEs can resolve spatial features on the order of 0.25 mm. The combined effects of such view registration uncertainty and spatial resolution degradation are reflected in the re-projection error, which was shown to be within ±0.5 pixels under typical conditions used in this work. Finally, based on these understanding, experiments were conducted to obtain instantaneous measurements of flame structures at kHz temporal resolution using FBEs, demonstrating the capability of resolving flame features on the order of 0.2~0.3 mm in three-dimensional. / Master of Science

Pressure pulsations, or thermoacoustic instabilities, as they are called in the research community, can cause extensive damage in gas turbine combustion chambers. To understand the phenomena related to thermoacoustics, a simple Rijke-type tube combustor was built and studied. Extensive experimental results, as well as theoretical analyses related to the Rijke tube are presented in this thesis. The results, attributable to both the analyses and the experiments, help explain all the phenomena affecting the acoustic pressure in the combustor. The conclusion is that there are three separate yet related physical processes affecting the acoustic pressure in the tube. The three mechanisms are as follows: a main thermoacoustic instability in accordance to the Rayleigh Criterion; a vibrating flame instability where the flame sheet exhibits mode shapes; and a pulsating flame instability driven by heat losses to the flame stabilizer. All these instabilities affect the heat released to the gas in the combustor. The energy from the oscillating heat couples with the acoustics of the volume bounded by the tube structure. The experimental results in the study are important in order to obtain model parameters for prediction as well as for achieving control of the instabilities. / Master of Science

Thesis (MScEng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The automotive industry in South Africa is expanding as a result of pressure on the world economy that forces vehicle manufacturers to outsouree work to developing countries. In order to add value to automotive engine development, the capability to perform state-of-the-art engineering must be developed in this country. Threedimensional fluid flow simulation is one such area and is being developed in this study in order to enhance the ability to develop combustion systems. Another capability being developed at the University of Stellenbosch is the simulation of valve train dynamics. It was realised that there is a lack of research results of in-cylinder flow characteristics and how they influence combustion chamber processes. This project focuses on the investigation of two different combustion chamber geometries and how they influence the flow and combustion processes in two different combustion chambers. The aim is to gain a better understanding of combustion chamber flow as an indirect result from comparing the flow in two fundamentally different engines under similar operating conditions. The difference in the engines is that one was developed for reduced exhaust gas emissions while the other was developed to achieve high performance. The numerical simulation capability is developed in the process of achieving this goal. To achieve the above-mentioned aim, a literature study was performed on the different combustion chamber flow characteristics and how they are influenced by different configurations. An experimental method of measuring combustion characteristics is studied in order to establish the ability to perform the latter. Theory of numerical flow simulation is also studied with this same goal in mind. Experimental testing is performed and combustion analysis is done on the results. In conjunction to the experimental work, numerical flow simulations are performed on the two different combustion chambers. The results from experimental testing and numerical simulations have shown that obstructions in the flow into the combustion chamber, together with a port configuration that cause flow around the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, increases the rate at which fuel burns in the combustion chamber and thereby reduce the production of toxic emissions from the engine. The study also proved that reducing resistance to flow increases the amount of air that is breathed by the engine and thereby results in increased torque generation. Through this study, opportunities for further research are identified. The results of the study can be used when new combustion systems are developed, especially in the light of ongoing tightening of emission regulations. The contribution to numerical flow simulation capabilities developed in this study add value to the ability to develop new combustion systems in the future, especially when complimented by some of the further research topics identified. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die motorbedryf in Suid-Afrika is besig om vinnig te ontwikkel as direkte gevolg van druk op die wêreldekonomie wat internasionale motorvervaardigers forseer om werk na ontwikkelende lande uit te kontrakteer. Hoogs gesofistikeerde ingenieurstegnieke moet ontwikkel word in Suid-Afrika met die doelom waarde toe te voeg aan enjin ontwikkeling. Drie-dimensionele vloei simulasie is een van hierdie vermoëns en word tydens hierdie studie ontwikkelom die verbrandingstelsel ontwikkelings-vaardighede te bevorder. Nog 'n vaardigheid wat tans ontwikkel word aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch is die vermoë om nok-en-klepstelsel dinamika te simuleer. Daar bestaan egter 'n leemte in navorsingsresultate van vloei eienskappe binne in die verbrandingsruim en hoe dit verbrandingsruim prosesse beïnvloed. Die projek fokus dus op 'n ondersoek van twee verskillende geometriese konfigurasies van die verbrandingsruim en hoe dit die vloei- en verbrandingsprosesse in die twee konfigurasies beïnvloed. Die doel is om 'n beter begrip te ontwikkel van verbrandingsruim prosesse as 'n indirekte gevolg van die vergelyking tussen twee fundamenteel verskillende enjins onder eenderse bedryfstoestande. Die verkil tussen die twee enjins is dat een ontwikkel is met die doelop verlaagde uitlaatgas emmissies en die ander ontwikkel is om verbeterde werkverrigting. Die numeriese simulasie vermoë is ontwikkel in die proses om die doel te bereik. Om bogenoemde doel te bereik is 'n literatuurstudie gedoen wat verskillende vloeieienskappe in die verbrandingsruim ondersoek, asook hoe dit deur verskillende konfigurasies beïnvloed word. 'n Eksperimentele metode III die bepaling van verbrandingseienskappe is ook bestudeer met die doelom laasgenoemde uit te voer. Teorie aangaande numeriese vloei simulasie is ook bestudeer met bogenoemde doel. Eksperimentele toetse is gedoen en verbrandingsanalise uitgevoer op die resultate. In kombinasie met die eksperimentale werk is numeriese simulasies van die prosesse in die twee verbrandingsruim konfigurasies uitgevoer. Die resultate van die eksperimentele toetse en numeriese simulasies toon dat obstruksies in die vloei na die verbrandingsruim, gesamentlik met die poort konfigurasie wat veroorsaak dat lug om die longitudinale as van die silinder vloei, die tempo waarteen die lug-brandstof mengsel verbrand verhoog en sodoende die vrystelling van skadelike uitlaatgasse na die atmosfeer verminder. Die studie het ook getoon dat die vermindering van weerstand teen vloei, die hoeveelheid lug wat in die verbrandingsruim invloei vermeerder en sodoende die wringkrag wat deur die enjin gelewer word verhoog. Deur die studie is verdere navorsingsgeleenthede uitgewys. Die resultate van die studie kan gebruik word in die ontwikkeling van nuwe verbrandingstelsels, veral in die lig van verstrengende regulasies rakende uitlaatgas emmissies. Die bydrae tot numeriese vloei simulasie vermoëns ontwikkel in hierdie studie voeg waarde toe tot die vermoë om nuwe verbrandingstelsels te ontwikkel, veral wanneer dit gekomplimenteer word met van die verdere navorsingsonderwerpe wat geïdentifiseer is.