[Formulae and special characters can only be approximated here. Please see the pdf version of the Abstract for an accurate reproduction.] Since the damping functions employed by most of the low-Reynolds-number models are related to the non-dimensional distance y+[ special character ??? near-wall non-dimensional distance in y direction], which is based on local wall shear stress, these models become invalid for separated flows, because the wall shear stress is zero at the reattachment point. In addition, the pressure-velocity correlation term is neglected in most of these models, although this term is shown in this thesis to be important in the near-wall region for simple flows and large pressure gradient flows. In this thesis, two main efforts are made to improve the k ??? [special character - dissipation rate] model. First, based on Myong and Kasagi???s (1990) low-Reynolds-number model (hereafter referred to as MK model), a more general damping function [special character - turbulent viscosity damping function in LRN turbulent model] is postulated which only depends on the Reynolds numbers [formula ??? near-wall turbulence Reynolds number]. Second, a form for the pressure-velocity correlation term is postulated based on the Poisson equation for pressure fluctuations. This modified model predicts the turbulent flow over a flat plate very well. It is found that the inclusion of the pressure-velocity correlation term leads to significant improvement of the prediction of near-wall turbulence kinetic energy. When the model is applied to turbulent flow over a backward-facing step, it produces better predictions than the traditional k ??? [special character - dissipation rate] model, FLUENT???s two-layer model and the MK model. Again, the pressure-velocity correlation term improves the turbulence kinetic energy prediction in the separated region over that of other models investigated here. The studies of numerical methods concerning computational domain size and grid spacing reveal that a very large domain size is required for accurate flat plate flow computation. They also show that a fine grid distribution in the near-wall region upstream of the step is necessary for acceptable flow prediction accuracy in the downstream separated region.

A weakly nonlinear stability analysis was conducted for the flow induced in an incompressible, Newtonian, viscous fluid lying between two infinite parallel plates which form a channel. The plates are oscillating synchronously in simple harmonic motion. The disturbed velocity of the flow was written in the form of a series in powers of a parameter which is a measure of the distance away from the linear theory neutral conditions. The individual terms of this series were decomposed using Floquet theory and Fourier series in time. The equations at second order and third order in were derived, and solutions for the Fourier coefficients were found using pseudospectral methods for the spatial variables. Various alternative methods of computation were applied to check the validity of the results obtained. The Landau equation for the amplitude of the disturbance was obtained, and the existence of equilibrium amplitude solutions inferred. The values of the coefficients in the Landau equation were calculated for the nondimensional channel half-widths h for the cases h = 5, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16. It was found that equilibrium amplitude solutions exist for points in wavenumber Reynolds number space above the smooth portion of the previously determined linear stability neutral curve in all the cases examined. Similarly, Landau coefficients were calculated on a special feature of the neutral curve (called a ???finger???) for the case h = 12. Equilibrium amplitude solutions were found to exist at points inside the finger, and in a particular region outside near the top of the finger. Traces of the x-components of the disturbance velocities have been presented for a range of positions across the channel, together with the size of the equilibrium amplitude at these positions. As well, traces of the x-component of the velocity of the disturbed flow and traces of the velocity of the basic flow have been given for comparison at a particular position in the channel.

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The environmental and monetary cost of energy has renewed interest in horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWT). One problem with HAWT design is turbulent winds, which cause cyclic loading and reduced life. Controlling short-term aerodynamic fluctuations with blade pitching or mechanical flaps is limited by the speed of actuation. The objective was to investigate using jet-flap-like fluidic actuators on the 'suction surface' of an aerofoil for rapid aerodynamic control. A NACA 0025 aerofoil was constructed for wind-tunnel experiments. The low Reynolds number (Re) flow was measured non-intrusively with particle image velocimetry (PIV). The jet showed limited effect compared to published work. The sharp trailing edge and distance to the jet were determined to be critical factors. At Re≈100000 the 'suction surface' jet sheet is less useful for control than the conventional 'pressure surface' sheet. The experiment suggests usage near the blade root on truncated aerofoils.

The environmental and monetary cost of energy has renewed interest in horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWT). One problem with HAWT design is turbulent winds, which cause cyclic loading and reduced life. Controlling short-term aerodynamic fluctuations with blade pitching or mechanical flaps is limited by the speed of actuation. The objective was to investigate using jet-flap-like fluidic actuators on the 'suction surface' of an aerofoil for rapid aerodynamic control. A NACA 0025 aerofoil was constructed for wind-tunnel experiments. The low Reynolds number (Re) flow was measured non-intrusively with particle image velocimetry (PIV). The jet showed limited effect compared to published work. The sharp trailing edge and distance to the jet were determined to be critical factors. At Re≈100000 the 'suction surface' jet sheet is less useful for control than the conventional 'pressure surface' sheet. The experiment suggests usage near the blade root on truncated aerofoils.

Formation plays an important role in the end-use properties of paper products, but before formation can be optimized to achieve superior properties, an understanding about the causes of formation must be developed. Formation is caused by variations in the basis weight of paper that are results of fiber floc formation before and during the forming of the sheet. This project is a first step in a larger research program aimed at studying formation. By observing the effects that mechanical energy dissipation (in the form of turbulence) and retention chemical dosage have on floc formation, we may develop a better understanding of how to control formation. In this study, a rectangular cross-section flow channel was constructed to aid in the acquisition of digital images of a flowing fiber suspension. The furnish consisted of a 55:45 spruce:pine bleached market pulp mix from a Western Canadian mill. Turbulence was varied by changing the flow rate; Reynolds numbers achieved range from 20,000 to 40,000. The retention aid used was a cationic polyacrylamide with a medium charge density. Dosage of the retention aid was varied from 0 to 2 pounds per ton OD fiber. Digital images of the flowing fiber suspension were acquired with a professional digital SLR camera with a forensics-quality lens. Three separate image analysis techniques were used to measure the flocculation state of the fiber suspension: morphological image operations, formation number analysis, and fast Fourier transform analysis. Morphological image analysis was capable of measuring floc size increases seen in the acquired floc images. It was shown how floc diameter could increase simultaneously with decreasing total floc area and total floc number. A regression model relating retention aid dosage and energy dissipation was constructed in an effort to predict flocculation. The regression model was used to predict F2 (formation number squared) results from the study. The interaction effect RE was shown to have a differing effect across the retention aid dosage levels. As a result, this model and technique may prove to be a beneficial tool in optimizing retention aid applications.

In the present study, circular cylinders in the cross-flow or the motions of circular cylinders in a fluid at rest are especially of interest in fields, such as offshore and civil engineering or heat exchanger. For last two decades, the researches of the force caused by the fluid on the cylinder surface are mainly studied by the ways of experiment and numerical methods. A time-independent finite different method is developed to solve the two-dimensional fixed or transversely oscillating cylinder passing by a cross flow. The present study focuses on the cylinder under a cross flow with only two kinds of conditions, which are Re = 100, KC = 5 and Re=200, KC=4. The benchmark tests of the present numerical results are made and validated by the reported numerical simulation and experimental results, for instant, the flow visualization of the vorticity contours and the in-line force for a flow across a moving circular cylinder. The developed numerical method can easily apply on the analyses of interactions between viscous flow and motion cylinder. Besides, we also consider the oscillatory flow passes a circular cylinder connecting with a spring. The spring -linking cylinder is released in the beginning on the position of zero deflection of the spring and stares moving due to the influence of the in-line force acting on the cylinder. We can find that the spring-linking cylinder under a oscillating flow produces restoring force and drag force due to considering the influence of the spring and damping effect, the developed numerical method can easily apply on the analyses of interactions between viscous flow and oscillating cylinder.

The aerodynamics of two-dimensional and three-dimensional flapping motion in hover is analyzed in incompressible, laminar flow at low Reynolds number regime. The aim of this study is to understand the physics and the underlying mechanisms of the flapping motion using both numerical tools (Direct Numerical Simulation) and experimental tools (Particle Image Velocimetry PIV technique). Numerical analyses cover both two-dimensional and three-dimensional configurations for different parameters using two different flow solvers. The obtained results are then analyzed in terms of aerodynamic force coefficients and vortex dynamics. Both symmetric and cambered airfoil sections are investigated at different starting angle of attacks. Both numerical and experimental simulations are carried out at Reynolds number 1000. The experimental analysis is carried out using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique in parallel with the numerical tools. Experimental measurements are taken for both two-dimensional and three-dimensional wing configurations using stereoscopic PIV technique.

The hydrodynamic disturbances generated by two types of free-swimming, marine zooplankton were quantified experimentally in the laboratory with a novel, infrared Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system. The study consisted of three main parts: (1) the flow fields of free-swimming and tethered Euchaeta antarctica were compared to determine the effects of tethering, (2) three species of copepods (Euchaeta rimana, Euchaeta elongata, and Euchaeta antarctica) that live in seawater in a range of temperatures (23 ºC - 0 ºC) and a corresponding range of fluid viscosity (0.97 - 1.88 mm2 s-1) were analyzed experimentally and with a computational fluid dynamics model (FLUENT) to assess the effect of size and fluid viscosity on the flow fields, (3) the flow fields were collected for individuals of two species of euphausiids (Euphausia pacifica and Euphausia superba) to compare the effect of size and Reynolds number on propulsion and the spatial extent of the flow disturbance. In addition to the measured flow fields around solitary krill, flow fields were collected around small, coordinated groups of E. superba to examine group sensory cues through hydrodynamics. In the first part of this investigation, it was determined that tethering zooplankton during data collection resulted in flow fields with increased asymmetry and larger spatial extent due to the unbalanced force applied to the fluid by the tether. In response to these findings, only flow fields collected for free-swimming organisms were used in the subsequent studies. In the second part of the study, the increase in viscosity between subtropical and temperate fluid environments in conjunction with increased size and species-specific swimming speeds resulted in similar Reynolds numbers among E. elongata and E. rimana (in both cruising and escaping modes). During cruising (Re ~10), the spatial extent of the copepod hydrodynamic disturbances and propulsion costs were similar between species. In the case of fluid distrubances of escape (Re ~ 100), the spatial extent and energetic cost were larger for the larger species ( E. elongata). In the third part of the study, the hydrodynamic disturbance produced by E. superba (larger krill species) was found to be longer in horizontal spatial extent and at scales more appropriate for communication within schools than the hydrodynamic disturbance produced by E. pacifica. However, the sensory cue in coordinated groups of krill was complicated by the interaction of multiple flow disturbance fields, which suggests that hydrodynamic cues between krill in groups are restricted to small distances. The energetic cost of propulsion was ten times greater for the larger species of krill, and energetic expenditure did not appear to decrease for krill swimming in coordinated groups.

The flow past the needle of a Pelton turbine injector is an axisymmetric wake embedded in a round jet. The wake does not fully relax to yield a uniform velocity jet due to the short distance between injector and the Pelton wheel buckets and this non-uniformity affects the turbine efficiency. To minimize the non-uniformity, it is essential to predict the near wake accurately. While far-field wakes are well described by analytical expressions and also well predicted by CFD codes, the quality of the prediction of axisymmetric near wakes is not known. It is of practical interest to establish the applicability bounds of the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) models, which are commonly used in industry, for axisymmetric near wakes, for this specific problem, as well as, in general. Understanding of the near wake is crucial considering various aerospace applications. For example the details of the aerodynamics of the near wake are crucial for stabilization of a flame. The size of recirculation zone affects the rate of production of hot burnt products, and the mixing between the products and reactants is governed by the turbulence in the free shear layers. Wakes from two-dimensional bodies such as a wedge, circular and square cylinder have been extensively studied at different Reynolds number (Re); however, this is not the case with three-dimensional axisymmetric bodies such as spheres, ellipsoids, disks etc. Most common axisymmetric body investigated is a sphere. The flow past sphere is typically characterized in three regions: sub critical, critical and supercritical. In sub critical region, Re<3x105 the boundary layer separation is laminar. Critical region, Re≈3x105, is where the boundary layer transitions to turbulent and then separates resulting in sudden drag reduction. The critical Re may vary depending on flow conditions such as turbulent intensities, sphere surface variations etc. In the supercritical region, Re > 3x105, the boundary layer is turbulent before separation and the drag starts increasing beyond critical drag. Though the geometry and the flow conditions are simple the flow features involved are complex especially laminar to turbulent boundary layer transition and high speed transient vortex shedding. Experimentally it has been observed that the vortex shedding location changes randomly and perhaps rotates. All these features pose a significant challenge for experimental measurements and as well as numerical modeling. Thus most experimental measurements have been done below Re=103. Also the data is measured over the sphere surface, for eg: skin friction, pressure, but almost no data is available in the near wake. Similarly numerical investigations are primarily in subcritical region. DNS has been used for low Re, up to 800. RANS has been used in the subcritical region at Re=104. For higher Re, LES and DES have been used however they are computationally intensive. No numerical work has been reported for an ellipsoid at zero angle of attack. Chevray (1968) has done measurements in the near wake of ellipsoid at Re=2.75x105. Most experimental and numerical investigations of an ellipsoid are at an angle of attack. Given the extensive usage of RANS in the industry due to its economy, the focus of this work is to investigate the applicability of these models for flow prediction in the near wake in the supercritical region. Simulations are performed using commercial code CFX. The code is validated against well-established results for laminar and turbulent boundary layer flow over flat plate. Sufficient agreement has been obtained for laminar flow past sphere, against measured quantities such as separation location, separation bubble length and drag coefficient. The changes in wake structure, as a function of Re, are validated against experimental observations. The wake is steady and axisymmetric up to Re=200, from Re=200 to 270 it remains steady, loses axisymmetry but retains planar symmetry. Beyond Re=290 the wake becomes unsteady due to unstable recirculation bubble which leads to vortex shedding, while still retaining planar symmetry. The formation of typical horseshoe vortices is observed. Before the simulations in the supercritical region the low-Re k- model is validated in the subcritical region at Re=104 against measurements of skin friction, pressure coefficient and average drag coefficient. Very distinct wake fluctuations are observed and low-mode Strouhal number (St) agrees with the past measurements. Vortex sheet fluctuations are observed but the high-mode St calculation is based on crude measurement of the fluctuations. At Re=7.8x104 the trends in the drag, skin friction coefficient and pressure coefficient are in logical direction when compared with data at Re=104. However the near wake velocity data does not match with measurements qualitatively as well as quantitatively. The velocities in the present work are qualitatively justified based on the flow directions in the recirculation bubble. Various RANS models such as k-, k- and Reynolds stress model are used to predict flow past a sphere and an ellipsoid in the supercritical region. The results for sphere are compared against the measurements from Achenbach at Re=1.14x106 and that for ellipsoid are compared against the measurements from Chevray at Re=2.75x106. Four different turbulence models namely: high-Re k-, high-Re k-, low-Re k- and low-Re RSM. All the models over predict skin friction, which is due to simplistic treatment of boundary layer. The boundary layer is treated as fully turbulent as against the experiments where it transitions from laminar to turbulent. The k- model, being high-Re model, did not capture near wall flow and hence predicts an almost steady wake. It over predicts the drag, skin friction and results in delayed separation. However it did show the vortex sheet roll-up and release mechanism prominently which agreed with the experiments by Taneda. In all other models this mechanism is seen but intermittently and the wake is unsteady. Due to highly random wake orientation the low-mode St number is not calculated. RSM model shows certain consistency and St based on that is 0.24. All models show vortex sheet fluctuations with almost equal magnitude and frequency. The high-mode St is about 20 based on this. There is a need to have better understanding both experimentally and numerically about validity of this number. High frequency fluctuations are displayed in the time history of streamwise drag force for all the four models. The St based on this frequency is 4.32. Origin of these fluctuations needs investigation. The RSM model predicts the most accurate skin friction coefficient, pressure coefficient and the drag. For an ellipsoid, two cases are computed, one without blockage (referred to as base case) and another with 25% blockage (referred to as blockage case) to represent the typical blockage due to Pelton injector needle. Same models that were used for sphere are evaluated. Similar to the results for the sphere the maximum drag is predicted by k- model and the least by RSM model. Similarly the skin friction is high and the separation is delayed hence k-w model always predicts a smallest recirculation bubble. The differences in the form drag predictions are a direct result of the differences in upstream stagnation pressures, as there is no significant difference in the pressure curves obtained from different models including the rear stagnation pressure. The form drag is highest in k- model and lowest in RSM and so are the upstream stagnation pressures. The velocities in the near wake are predicted well by all the models. Pressure is predicted accurately before separation at x/D=-0.25. However it is significantly over-predicted after separation. To validate the pressure prediction independent simulation is done for an ellipsoid at an angle of attack of 100. The pressures on the windward and leeward side are in agreement with the measurements by Chesnakes et al. Similar to pressure prediction the turbulent intensity was predicted correctly before separation. After separation the trends agree but the intensities are higher than the measurements by about 10%. The results are not sensitivity to the inlet intensity levels except in the far field. The dissipation of the intensities is under predicted in simulations. The results from blockage case show similar trends as the base case. In the near wake the generation of turbulent kinetic energy is higher and the decay is slower in k- and RSM model compared to k-. This in turn results in higher eddy viscosity and higher velocities in the near wake for these models. Considering overall prediction accuracies RSM model predicts the drag, St and the separation location most accurately. It is important to predict the separation accurately for valid downstream results. For the cases with mild separation such as ellipsoid there is no significant difference in the velocities, however the pressure and drag prediction from RSM are closer to the experiments. The RSM model is more suitable both for sphere and ellipsoid at high Re. Validation of mean velocities and intensities in the near wake are needed to further support the choice of model. (for symbols pl see the original document)