Density wave oscillations (DWO) are a class of two-phase flow instabilities which can pose significant safety concerns to boiling water reactors (BWR). During an anticipated transient without scram (ATWS) while operating in the proposed extended operating domain MELLLA+, natural circulation conditions can potentially lead to DWO-type instabilities which have the capability to develop into cycles of fuel surface dryout and rewet, damaging core integrity. In order to provide data on these phenomena, a series of tests were performed at the KATHY facility during which DWO was developed with and without simulated neutronic feedback. In this dissertation, the data provided by these tests is analyzed to determine the onset conditions for DWO. Following this, several models are assessed for their capability in predicting this stability boundary compared to the experimental results. The models were chosen in order to provide a suitably large range of prediction methodologies. Two analytical drift-flux models developed with and without thermal equilibrium are shown, with respective differences compared. A computational model of the full KATHY natural circulation loop is built using the 1D thermal-hydraulics code TRACE. This is adapted with a point-kinetics model for neutronic feedback for experimental comparison. With both the analytical models and the TRACE model, a series of parametric studies are performed showing the effects of inlet/outlet flow restrictions, pressure, channel geometry, and axial power profile on the stability boundary. Finally, two machine learning neural network-based models are developed and trained on various subsets of the experimental data. The results from each model showed certain benefits and drawbacks based on model complexity and physicality. / Doctor of Philosophy / Certain conditions in the core of a boiling water reactor (BWR) can lead to unstable flows due to the high ratio between the power and the coolant flow rate. These instabilities, called density wave oscillations (DWO), have been shown to occur during a specific accident scenario known as an anticipated transient without scram (ATWS) when the reactor is operating in a lower flow domain called MELLLA+. In this accident, pump flow through the core is halted, but the reactor is not shut down. This can lead to serious safety concerns if left unaddressed. To analyze these instabilities, the KATHY facility performed a series of tests with and without power feedback from simulated neutron response. In this dissertation, the onset conditions from these tests are given and compared to several models for predicting the stability boundary. Two analytical models proposed by Ishii and Saha are compared and the effect of certain parameters on the stability is assessed. Next, a model of the KATHY loop is built using the thermal-hydraulics code TRACE both with and without simulated power feedback. Finally, two types of machine learning models are developed to determine their accuracy in predicting the instability conditions. The overall performance of each is compared and their benefits and drawbacks are highlighted.

Impinging oxygen jets are widely used in steelmaking industries. The momentum transfer from the gas to liquid and resulting instability affect the overall productivity and operational stability. The purpose of this research is to understand the surface deformation, its stability and momentum transfer from the gas to the liquid. Video imaging and Particle Image Velocimetry were used along with water modelling techniques. Surface deformations mainly followed the dimensionless relationship of previous researchers. The surface instability was interpreted with Blowing number and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. Spatial and time oscillation behaviour were analyzed with Power Spectral Density analysis. A new mathematical model with the full stress boundary condition at the surface was developed. The technique combines the Cartesian Cut Cell and Volume of Fluid method and the surface boundary was modelled a a pressure boundary. The numerical code was tested with the Broken Dam and wave instability problems. Both showed good agreement with the reported physical phenomena. Numerical tests of impinging jets showed similar surface depression depth with the water model experiments. The model was compared with other models. The liquid momentum level was higher as the gas fiowrate increased and the effects of physical property changes on surface instability and momentum transfer efficiency were investigated with the mathematical model. With observations from the numerical test, momentum transfer mechanisms were proposed. Simulations of momentum transfer at industrial flow rates were also carried out. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

An experimental scale model study was conducted to investigate the onset of fluidelastic instability in a tube array subjected to axisymmetric jet flow. A tube array was constructed using aluminum tubes with 44.45 mm outer diameter, $D$, which were arranged in a square pattern with 88 mm pitch, $P$. The pitch to diameter ratio, $P/D$, was approximately 2.0. The tubes were flexibly mounted using threaded rod and tuned to a first mode natural frequency, $f_n$, of 9 Hz. Auxiliary damping devices were added to each tube, and tuned, to achieve a damping ratio, $\zeta$, of 1 % of critical. The mass damping parameter, $m(2 \pi \zeta)/(\rho D^{2})$, of the tube array was 27.9. The tube array was tested under uniform flow conditions in McMaster University's 2 ft wind tunnel to establish the critical reduced velocity, $V_{cr}/(f_n D)$, of 30.0 at the onset of fluidelastic instability. The uniform flow test established a basis for comparing the results with the existing literature and evaluating the validity of the proposed partial admission calculation. The tube array was also tested in open air using an axisymmetric jet, with two different physical arrangements, the first with the jet aimed between tubes and perpendicular to the tube spans and the second with the jet aimed at a tube face and perpendicular to the tube spans. In each case the jet flow velocity was incrementally increased to characterize the onset of fluidelastic instability. To characterize the flow dispersion through the tube array a series of velocity profile measurements were also collected. The measured velocity profiles were used to estimate the spanwise function of transverse average gap velocity, $\bar{V}(x)$, which was used to predict the equivalent critical uniform gap flow velocity, $V_{cr}$, using the concept of partial admission. The predicted $V_{cr}$ values showed reasonable agreement with the experimental results. However, the prediction method did indicate instabilities in tube rows where instability was not actually observed. A simplified prediction approach was developed which was based on using a predicted three dimensional velocity profile, $V(x,y)$, at the $z$ location of the first row tube gap, under the assumption of free field conditions, to calculate an estimate of the spanwise function of transverse average gap velocity, $\bar{V}(x)$. Although the predictions of $V_{cr}$ agreed reasonably well with the experimental results, first row instabilities were not observed in any of axisymmetric jet flow experiments. Therefore, this method can be used to estimate the the critical uniform gap velocity, $V_{cr}$, but not the spatial location of the instability. Based on the results of the experiments and calculations, adoption of the modified partial admission formula is recommended and possible avenues for further investigation and verification are suggested. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Patients with a history of lateral ankle sprain (LAS) may experience different levels of mechanical and/or sensorimotor deficits following their injuries. Although various factors, such as structural damage, sensorimotor adaptation, perceived instability, swelling and/or pain, can develop and perpetuate the condition of chronic ankle instability (CAI), most previous CAI research on biomechanics has considered all patients with CAI as a homogeneous group. Recent research has clustered patients with CAI into six distinct movement patterns during a maximal jump-landing/cutting task. This approach could motivate clinicians to develop appropriate rehabilitation programs for each patient with CAI depending on their movement patterns. However, evaluating patients with CAI for the quality of movement and sensorimotor deficits using a 3D motion capture system and a force plate is not easily accessible in clinical settings. PURPOSE: (i) to identify subgroups within the CAI population based on their movement patterns using inertial measurement unit (IMU) devices and (ii) to characterize each subgroup's functional movement patterns during maximal jump-landing/cutting relative to the uninjured controls. METHODS: A total of 100 patients with CAI (height = 1.76 ± 0.1 m, mass = 74.0 ± 14.9 kg) were assessed according to the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) (ADL: 84.3 ± 7.6%, Sport: 63.6 ± 8.6%) and the Ankle Instability Instrument (AII) (6.7 ± 1.2) and were fit into clusters based on their movement strategy during the maximal jump-landing/cutting task. A total of 21 uninjured controls (height = 1.74 ± 0.1 m, mass = 70.7 ± 13.4 kg) were compared with each cluster. Seven IMU sensors were placed on the base of the lumbar spine, lower and upper legs, and feet and participants performed 5 trials of the maximal jump-landing/cutting test. Joint kinematics in the lower extremity were collected during the task using IMU sensors. Data were reduced to functional curves; kinematic data from the sagittal and frontal planes were reduced to a single representative curve for each plane. Then, representative curves were clustered using a Bayesian clustering technique. Functional analyses of variance were used to identify between-group differences for outcome measures and describe specific movement characteristics of each subgroup. Pairwise comparison functions as well as 95% confidence interval (CI) bands were plotted to determine specific differences. If 95% CI bands did not cross the zero line, we considered the difference significant. RESULTS: Four distinct clusters were identified from the sagittal- and frontal-plane kinematic data. Specific movement patterns in each cluster compared to either uninjured controls or rest of patients with CAI were also identified. CONCLUSION: The IMUs were able to distinguish 4 clusters within the CAI population based on distinct movement patterns during a maximal jump-landing/cutting task. Thus, IMUs can be effective measuring devices to distinguish and characterize multiple distinct movement patterns without relying on a traditional 3D motion capture system. Clinicians should consider utilizing IMU devices to measure and evaluate specific movement patterns in the CAI population during multiplanar demanding tests before developing appropriate treatment interventions in clinical settings.

The intent of this thesis is to simulate the effect of a background magnetic field on Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability morphology and evolution in support of a Discovery Science campaign at the National Ignition Facility. The RT instability is relevant in High Energy Density (HED) systems including supernova remnants such as the Crab Nebula and inertial fusion confinement (ICF). Magnetic fields affect RT evolution and can suppress small-scale fluid motion. Thus far no experimental work has quantified the effect of a B-field on RT evolution morphology. RT evolution under a B-field was examined in three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations using the hydrocode ARES, developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The parameter space of the experiment is explored to determine the parameters that yield a visible effect on RT evolution. The effect of resistive MHD and conductivity is examined to further establish the desired parameter space to observe the suppression of RT morphology.

We have used Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-human hybrid cells containing chromosomes 16, 18, X, and 21 to test the ability of human kinetochores to successfully bind to spindle microtubules and to be distributed to the daughter cells. We have established the intrinsic rate of non-disjunction among these human chromosomes noted above and compared these rates with those in cells presented with mitotic challenges such as taxol, nocodazole, and mitosis with unreplicated genomes (MUG). Cells were grown on culture slides, fixed and processed for immunofluorescence and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Daughter pairs were identified by staining with anti-á-tubulin to identify midbodies. Human centromere DNA probes were used for FISH in order to test for the successful passage of human kinetochores to daughter cells during anaphase. Our data indicate that different human kinetochores vary in their ability to properly engage the spindle and to be successfully distributed. In addition, mitotic challenges have been shown to affect the rate of non-disjunction. The mechanism of this effect is not yet known.

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