The work presented in this dissertation is the first numerical investigation conducted to study leading edge film cooling with Large Eddy Simulation (LES). A cylindrical leading edge with a flat after-body represents the leading edge, where coolant is injected with a 30Ë compound angle. Three blowing ratios of 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2 are studied. Free-stream Reynolds number is 100,000 and coolant-to-mainstream density ratio is unity. At blowing ratio of 0.4, the effect of coolant inlet condition is investigated. Results show that the fully-turbulent coolant jet increases mixing with the mainstream in the outer shear layer but does not influence the flow dynamics in the turbulent boundary layer at the surface. As a result, the turbulent jet decreases adiabatic effectiveness but does not have a substantial effect on the heat transfer coefficient. At B.R.=0.4, three types of coherent structures are identified which consist of a primary entrainment vortex at the leeward aft-side of the coolant hole, vortex tubes at the windward side of the coolant hole, and hairpin vortices typical of turbulent boundary layers produced by the turbulent interaction of the coolant and mainstream downstream of injection. At B.R. = 0.8 and 1.2, coherent vortex tubes are no longer discernable, whereas the primary vortex structure gains in strength. In all cases, the bulk of the mixing occurs by entrainment which takes place at the leeward aft-side of the coolant jet. This region is characterized by a low pressure core and the primary entrainment vortex. Turbulent shear interaction between coolant jet and mainstream increases substantially with blowing ratio and contributes to the dilution of the coolant jet. As a result of the increased mixing in the shear layer and primary structure, adiabatic effectiveness decreases and heat transfer coefficient increases with increase in blowing ratio. The dissertation also investigates the deposition and erosion of Syngas ash particles in the film cooled leading edge region. Three ash particle sizes of 1, 5, and 10 microns are investigated at all blowing ratios using Lagrangian dynamics. The 1 micron particles with momentum Stokes number St = 0.03 (based on approach velocity and cylinder diameter), show negligible deposition/erosion. The 10 micron particles, on the other hand with a high momentum Stokes number, St = 3, directly impinge and deposit on the surface, with blowing ratio having a minimal effect. The 5 micron particles with St=0.8, show the largest receptivity to coolant flow and blowing ratio. On a mass basis, 90% of deposited mass is from 10 micron particles, with 5 micron particles contributing the other 10%. Overall there is a slight decrease in deposited mass with increase in blowing ratio. About 0.03% of the total incoming particle energy can potentially be transferred as erosive energy to the surface and coolant hole, with contribution coming from only 5 micron particles at B.R.=0.4 and 0.8, and both 5 and 10 micron particles at B.R.=1.2. / Ph. D.

A two-dimensional integrodi erential equation resulting from the use of potential harmonics expansion in the many-body Schr odinger equation is used to study ground-state properties of selected few-body nuclear systems. The equation takes into account twobody correlations in the system and is applicable to few- and many-body systems. The formulation of the equation involves the use of the Jacobi coordinates to de ne relevant global coordinates as well as the elimination of center-of-mass dependence. The form of the equation does not depend on the size of the system. Therefore, only the interaction potential is required as input. Di erent nucleon-nucleon potentials and hyperon-nucleon potentials are employed to construct the Hamiltonian of the systems. The results obtained are in good agreement with those obtained using other methods. / Physics

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An accurate description of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) is a prerequisite for computational fluid dynamic (CFD) wind studies. This includes taking into account the thermal stability of the atmosphere, which can be stable, neutral or unstable, depending on the nature of the surface fluxes of momentum and heat. The diurnal variation between stable and unstable conditions in the Namib Desert interdune was measured and quantified using the wind velocity and temperature profiles that describe the thermally stratified atmosphere, as derived by Monin- Obukhov similarity theory. The implementation of this thermally stratified atmosphere into CFD has been examined in this study by using Reynoldsaveraged Navier-Stokes (RANS) turbulence models. The maintenance of the temperature, velocity and turbulence profiles along an extensive computational domain length was required, while simultaneously allowing for full variation in pressure and density through the ideal gas law. This included the implementation of zero heat transfer from the surface, through the boundary layer, under neutral conditions so that the adiabatic lapse rate could be sustained. Buoyancy effects were included by adding weight to the fluid, leading to the emergence of the hydrostatic pressure field and the resultant density changes expected in the real atmosphere. The CFD model was validated against measured data, from literature, for the flow over a cosine hill in a wind tunnel. The standard k-ε and SST k-ω turbulence models, modified for gravity effects, represented the data most accurately. The flow over an idealised transverse dune immersed in the thermally stratified ABL was also investigated. It was found that the flow recovery was enhanced and re-attachment occurred earlier in unstable conditions, while flow recovery and re-attachment took longer in stable conditions. It was also found that flow acceleration over the crest of the dune was greater under unstable conditions. The effect of the dune on the flow higher up in the atmosphere was also felt at much higher distances for unstable conditions, through enhanced vertical velocities. Under stable conditions, vertical velocities were reduced, and the influence on the flow higher up in the atmosphere was much less than for unstable or neutral conditions. This showed that the assumption of neutral conditions could lead to an incomplete picture of the flow conditions that influence any particular case of interest. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Akkurate beskrywing van die atmosferiese grenslaag (ABL) is 'n voorvereiste vir wind studies met berekenings-vloeimeganika (CFD). Dit sluit in die inagneming van die termiese stabiliteit van die atmosfeer, wat stabiel, neutraal of onstabiel kan wees, afhangende van die aard van die oppervlak vloed van momentum en warmte. Die daaglikse variasie tussen stabiele en onstabiele toestande in die Namib Woestyn interduin is gemeet en gekwantifiseer deur gebruik te maak van die wind snelheid en temperatuur profiele wat die termies gestratifiseerde atmosfeer, soos afgelei deur Monin-Obukhov teorie, beskryf. Die implementering van hierdie termies gestratifiseerde atmosfeer in CFD is in hierdie studie aangespreek deur gebruik te maak van RANS turbulensie modelle. Die handhawing van die temperatuur, snelheid en turbulensie profiele in die lengte van 'n uitgebreide berekenings domein is nodig, en terselfdertyd moet toegelaat word vir volledige variasie in die druk en digtheid, deur die ideale gaswet. Dit sluit in die implementering van zero hitte-oordrag vanaf die grond onder neutrale toestande sodat die adiabatiese vervaltempo volgehou kan word. Drykrag effekte is ingesluit deur die toevoeging van gewig na die vloeistof, wat lei tot die ontwikkeling van die hidrostatiese druk veld, en die gevolglike digtheid veranderinge, wat in die werklike atmosfeer verwag word. Die CFD-model is gevalideer teen gemete data, vanaf die literatuur, vir die vloei oor 'n kosinus heuwel in 'n windtonnel. Die standaard k-ε en SST k-ω turbulensie modelle, met veranderinge vir swaartekrag effekte, het die data mees akkuraat voorgestel. Die vloei oor 'n geïdealiseerde transversale duin gedompel in die termies gestratifiseerde ABL is ook ondersoek. Daar is bevind dat die vloei herstel is versterk en terug-aanhegging het vroeër plaasgevind in onstabiele toestande, terwyl vloei herstel en terug-aanhegging langer gevat het in stabiele toestande. Daar is ook bevind dat vloei versnelling oor die kruin van die duin groter was onder onstabiele toestande. Die effek van die duin op die vloei hoër op in die atmosfeer is ook op hoër afstande onder onstabiele toestande gevoel, deur middel van verhoogte vertikale snelhede. Onder stabiele toestande, is vertikale snelhede verminder, en die invloed op die vloei hoër op in die atmosfeer was veel minder as vir onstabiel of neutrale toestande. Dit het getoon dat die aanname van neutrale toestande kan lei tot 'n onvolledige beeld van die vloei toestande wat 'n invloed op 'n bepaalde geval kan hê.

Die vorliegenden Dissertation berichtet von der Entdeckung ungewöhnlicher magnetischer, elektronischer und struktureller Eigenschaften in einer Reihe von neuen intermetallischen Verbindungen auf Selten-Erd-Basis. Die untersuchten Systeme vom Typ RET2X bestehen aus den Selten-Erd-Elementen (RE) Yb oder Lu, den Übergangsmetallen (T) Pt oder Pd sowie den weiteren Liganden (X) Sn oder In. Die Synthese der verwendeten Proben, deren kristallografische Analyse und die Untersuchung ihrer physikalischen Eigenschaften werden im Detail vorgestellt. Diese Arbeit liefert Resultate, die sowohl für die Grundlagenforschung als auch für technische Anwendungen eine große Relevanz besitzen. Die Untersuchungen der neuen Verbindungen YbPt2Sn und YbPt2In zeigen, dass die magnetische Kopplung zwischen benachbarten Yb-Ionen extrem schwach ist. Dies führt zu einem riesigen magnetokalorischen Effekt im Bereich von 0.05 K bis 2 K. Damit besitzen beide metallischen Materialien optimale Eigenschaften, um als Kühlkörper in Entmagnetisierungskryostaten Verwendung zu finden. Zwei zu Testzwecken aufgebaute Kühleinsätze auf YbPt2Sn-Basis bestätigen die Eignung dieser Verbindung als metallisches Kühlmaterial. Die Untersuchungen der Substitutionsreihe Lu(Pt1-xPdx)2In offenbaren einen Ladungsdichtewelle (CDW)-Phasenübergang mit außergewöhnlichen Eigenschaften. Im Gegensatz zu Beobachtungen in den meisten anderen bekannten CDW-Systemen ist der Übergang in LuPt2In kontinuierlich, d. h. zweiter Ordnung. Durch Ersetzen von Pt mit isovalenten Pd kann die Übergangstemperatur T_CDW kontinuierlich zum absoluten Temperaturnullpunkt geführt werden. Die beobachteten Eigenschaften zeigen, dass der Phasenübergang dabei zweiter Ordnung bleibt. Damit wird experimentell bewiesen, dass Lu(Pt1-xPdx)2In eines der seltenen Systeme ist, in denen ein CDW quantenkritischer Punkt in Erscheinung tritt. Noch außergewöhnlicher ist die Beobachtung von Supraleitung mit einem ausgeprägten Maximum in der Sprungtemperatur T_c genau am quantenkritischen Punkt. Das deutet auf eine neuartige Kopplung zwischen quantenkritischer CDW und Supraleitung hin.

In the past decade, great research effort was inspired by the need to realise active optical functionalities in silicon, in order to develop the full potential of silicon as a photonic platform. In this thesis we explore the possibility of achieving tunable delay and optical gain in silicon, taking advantage of the unique dispersion capabilities of photonic crystals. To achieve tunable optical delay, we adopt a wavelength conversion and group velocity dispersion approach in a miniaturised engineered slow light photonic crystal waveguide. Our scheme is equivalent to a two-step indirect photonic transition, involving an alteration of both the frequency and momentum of an optical pulse, where the former is modified by the adiabatic tuning possibilities enabled by slow light. We apply this concept in a demonstration of continuous tunability of the delay of pulses, and exploit the ultrafast nature of the tuning process to demonstrate manipulation of a single pulse in a train of two pulses. In order to address the propagation loss intrinsic to slow light structures, with a prospect for improving the performance of the tunable delay device, we also investigate the nonlinear effect of stimulated Raman scattering as a means of introducing optical gain in silicon. We study the influence of slowdown factors and pump-induced losses on the evolution of a signal beam along the waveguide, as well as the role of linear propagation loss and mode profile changes typical of realistic photonic crystal structures. We then describe the work conducted for the experimental demonstration of such effect and its enhancement due to slow light. Finally, as the Raman nonlinearity may become useful also in photonic crystal nanocavities, which confine light in very small volumes, we discuss the design and realisation of structures which satisfy the basic requirements on the resonant modes needed for improving Raman scattering.

This study performed detailed measurements on and around scaled up conducting and adiabatic airfoils with and without film cooling. The conducting vane was a matched Bi airfoil, which accurately scaled the convective heat transfer and conduction through the solid, in order to produce non-dimensional surface temperatures and thermal boundary layers that were representative of an actual engine. Measurements made on all vane models included surface temperature measurements and thermal profiles above the walls. Separate measurements on non-film cooled and film cooled conducting models allowed for the individual contributions of the internal convective cooling and external film cooling to the overall cooling scheme to be quantified. Surface temperature and thermal field measurements above the wall were also performed on a film cooled adiabatic model. For the conducting model with internal cooling only, strong streamwise temperature variations were seen. The surface temperature variations were highly dependent on the local external and internal heat transfer coefficients. Spanwise temperature variations also existed, but were modest in comparison to streamwise variations. Comparing the thermal fields above the film cooled adiabatic and conducting walls allowed for the assumption that the conducting wall would not significantly affect the thermal field in the film cooling jet to be tested. Near the edge of the film cooling jet the developing thermal boundary layer had a clear effect on the overlying gas temperature, suggesting that the common assumption that the adiabatic wall temperature is the appropriate driving temperature for heat transfer to a film cooled wall was invalid. On the jet centerline thermal boundary layer effects were less influential, due to the development of a new, thin boundary layer. This suggested that the adiabatic wall temperature as driving temperature for heat transfer was a reasonable assumption on the jet centerline for most cases tested. As film cooling momentum flux ratio increase, thermal boundary layer effects became more influential on the jet centerline. Additionally, the high resolution surface temperature measurements and thermal field measurements above the wall presented in the current study represent a significant improvement in the data available for validation of computational simulations of conducting turbine airfoils. / text

In modern, low emission, gas turbine combustion systems the amount of air available for cooling of the flame tube liner is limited. This has led to the development of more complex cooling systems such as cooling tiles i.e. a double skin system, as opposed to the use of more conventional cooling slots i.e. a single skin system. An isothennal experimental facility has been constructed which can incorporate 10 times full size single and double skin (cooling tile) test specimens. The specimens can be tested with or without effusion cooling and measurements have been made to characterise the flow through each cooling system along with the velocity field and cooling effectiveness distributions that subsequently develop along the length of each test section. The velocity field of the coolant film has been defined using pneumatic probes, hot-wire anemometry and PIV instrumentation, whilst gas tracing technique is used to indicate (i) the adiabatic film cooling effectiveness and (ii) mixing of the coolant film with the mainstream flow. Tests have been undertaken both with a datum low turbulence mainstream flow passing over the test section, along with various configurations in which large magnitudes and scales of turbulence were present in the mainstream flow. These high turbulence test cases simulate some of the flow conditions found within a gas turbine combustor. Results are presented relating to a variety of operating conditions for both types of cooling system. The nominal operating condition for the double skin system was at a coolant to mainstream blowing ratio of approximately 1.0. At this condition, mixing of the mainstream and coolant film was relatively small with low mainstream turbulence. However, at high mainstream turbulence levels there was rapid penetration of the mainstream flow into the coolant film. This break up of the coolant film leads to a significant reduction in the cooling effectiveness. In addition to the time-averaged characteristics, the time dependent behaviour of the .:coolantfilm was. also investigated. In particular, unsteadiness associated with large scale structures in the mainstream flow was observed within the coolant film and adjacent to the tile surface. Relative to a double skin system the single skin geometry requires a higher coolant flow rate that, along with other geometrical changes, results in typically higher coolant to mainstream velocity ratios. At low mainstream turbulence levels this difference in velocity between the coolant and mainstream promotes the generation of turbulence and mixing between the streams so leading to some reduction in cooling effectiveness. However, this higher momentum coolant fluid is more resistant to high mainstream turbulence levels and scales so that the coolant film break up is not as significant under these conditions as that observed for the double skin system. For all the configurations tested the use of effusion cooling helped restore the coolant film along the rear of the test section. For the same total coolant flow, the minimum value of cooling effectiveness observed along the test section was increased relative to the no effusion case. In addition the effectiveness of the effusion patch depends on the amount of coolant injected and the axial location of the patch. The overall experimental data suggested the importance of the initial cooling film conditions together with better understanding of the possible mechanisms that results in the rapid cooling film break-up, such as high turbulence mainstream flow and scales, and this will lead to a more effective cooling system design. This experimental data is also thought to be ideal for the validation of numerical predictions.

This thesis is concerned with studying the fascinating quantum properties of real-world nanostructures embedded in a noisy condensed matter environment. The interaction with light is used for controlling and manipulating the quantum state of the systems considered here. In some instances, laser pulses also provide a way of actively probing and controlling environmental interactions. The first two research chapters assess two different ways of performing all-optical spin qubit gates in self-assembled quantum dots. The principal conclusion is that an `adiabatic' control technique holds the promise of achieving a high fidelity when all primary sources of decoherence are taken into account. In the next chapter, it is shown that an optically driven quantum dot exciton interacting with the phonons of the surrounding lattice acts as a heat pump. Further, a model is developed which predicts the temperature-dependent damping of Rabi oscillations caused by bulk phonons, finding an excellent agreement with experimental data. A different system is studied in the following chapter: two electron spin qubits with no direct interaction, yet both exchange-coupled to an optically active mediator spin. The results of this study show that these general assumptions are sufficient for generating controlled electron spin entanglement over a wide range of parameters, even in the presence of noise. Finally, the Radical Pair model of the avian compass is investigated in the light of recent experimental results, leading to the surprising prediction that the electron spin coherence time in this molecular system seems to approach the millisecond timescale.

L'approximation adiabatique en mécanique quantique stipule que si un système quantique évolue assez lentement, alors il demeurera dans le même état propre. Récemment, une faille dans l'application de l'approximation adiabatique a été découverte. Les limites du théorème seront expliquées lors de sa dérivation. Ce mémoire à pour but d'optimiser la probabilité de se maintenir dans le même état propre connaissant le système initial, final et le temps d'évolution total. Cette contrainte sur le temps empêche le système d'être assez lent pour être adiabatique. Pour solutionner ce problème, une méthode variationnelle est utilisée. Cette méthode suppose connaître l'évolution optimale et y ajoute une petite variation. Par après, nous insérons cette variation dans l'équation de la probabilité d'être adiabatique et développons en série. Puisque la série est développée autour d'un optimum, le terme d'ordre un doit nécessairement être nul. Ceci devrait nous donner un critère sur l'évolution la plus adiabatique possible et permettre de la déterminer. Les systèmes quantiques dépendants du temps sont très complexes. Ainsi, nous commencerons par les systèmes ayant des énergies propres indépendantes du temps. Puis, les systèmes sans contrainte et avec des fonctions d'onde initiale et finale libres seront étudiés. / The adiabatic approximation in quantum mechanics states that if the Hamiltonian of a physical system evolves slowly enough, then it will remain in the instantaneous eigenstate related to the initial eigenstate. Recently, two researchers found an inconsistency in the application of the approximation. A discussion about the limit of this idea will be presented. Our goal is to optimize the probability to be in the instantaneous eigenstate related to the initial eigenstate knowing the initial and final system, with the total time of the experiment fixed to $T$. This last condition prevents us from being slow enough to use the adiabatic approximation. To solve this problem, we turn to the calculus of variation. We suppose the ideal evolution is known and we add a small variation to it. We take the result, put it in the probability to be adiabatic and expand in powers of the variation. The first order term must be zero. This enables us to derive a criterion which will give us conditions on the ideal Hamiltonian. Those conditions should define the ideal Hamiltonian. Time dependent quantum systems are very complicated. To simplify the problem, we will start by considering systems with time independent energies. Afterward, the general case will be treated.

Les symétries géométriques en usage en physique nucléaire sont assez peu variées, essentiellement la symétrie de l’ellipsoïde triaxial. On propose donc une méthode rigoureuse permettant d’étudier l’évolution et la possibilité de l’existence de symétries nouvelles dont la symétrie tétraédrique. Le formalisme de l’équation de SCHRÖDINGER est replacé dans le cadre des espaces de RIEMANN. Ce formalisme est utilisé dans le contexte du noyau de l’atome où l’on applique la théorie du champ moyen alliée à l’approximation adiabatique. Le noyau est le siège de deux catégories de mouvements adiabatiquement séparés, le mouvement rapide des nucléons dans le champ moyen, et le mouvement collectif modifiant lentement le champ moyen. Le second est régi par une équation de SCHRÖDINGER collective qui prend place dans un espace dont la métrique est donnée par le tenseur de masse. L’étude de la géométrie du noyau est alors calculable à l’aide de deux grands programmes développés dans le cadre de la thèse. / The geometrical symmetries used in nuclear physics are not very diversified, essentially the symmetry of the triaxial ellipsoid. One proposes therefore a rigourous method allowing to study the temporal evolution and the possibility of the existence of new symmetries among them the tetrahedral symmetry. The formalism of SCHRÖDINGER equation is reformulated in the framework of RIEMANN’s spaces. This formalism is used in the context of the atomic nucleus where one applies the mean-field theory combined with the adiabatic approximation. The nucleus is the terrain of two types of motions adiabatically separated, the quick motion of the nucleons in the mean-field and the collective motion modifying slowly the meanfield. The second one is governed by a collective SCHRÖDINGER equation written down in a space whose metric is given by the mass tensor. The study of the nucleus geometry is then computable with the help of two big programs developped within the thesis.