Thermoacoustic instabilities arise and sustain due to the coupling of unsteady heat release from the flame and the acoustic field. One potential driving mechanism for these instabilities arise when velocity fluctuations (u') at the fuel injection location causes perturbations in the local equivalence ratio and is convected to the flame location generating an unsteady heat release (q') at a particular convection time delay, τ. Physically, τ is the time for the fuel to convect from injection to the flame. The n-τ Flame Transfer Function (FTF) is commonly used to model this relationship assuming an infinitesimally thin flame with a fixed τ. In practical systems, complex swirling flows, multiple fuel injections points, and recirculation zones create a distribution of τ, which can vary widely making a statistical description more representative. Furthermore, increased flame lengths and higher frequency instabilities with short acoustic wavelengths challenge the 'thin-flame' approximation. The present study outlines a methodology of using distributed convective fuel time delays and heat release rates in a one-dimensional (1-D) linear stability model based on the transfer matrix approach. CFD analyses, with the Flamelet Generated Manifold (FGM) combustion model are performed and probability density functions (PDFs) of the convective time delay and local heat release rates are extracted. These are then used as inputs to the 1-D Thermoacoustic model. Results are compared with the experimental results, and the proposed methodology improves the accuracy of stability predictions of 1-D Thermoacoustic modeling. / Master of Science / Gas turbines that operate with lean, premixed air-fuel mixtures are highly efficient and produce significantly lesser emission of pollutants. However, they are highly susceptible to self-induced thermoacoustic oscillations which can excite larger pressure fluctuation which can damage critical components or catastrophic engine failure. Such a combustion system is considered to be unstable since the oscillation amplitude increases with time. Understanding the non-linear feedback mechanisms driving the system unstable and their cause are naturally of high interest to the industry. Highly resolved, but computationally demanding simulations can predict the stability of the system accurately, but become bottlenecks delaying iterative design improvements. Low order numerical models counter this with quick solutions but use simplified representations of the flame and feedback mechanisms, resulting in unreliable stability predictions. The current study bridges the gap between these methods by modifying the numerical model, allowing it to incorporate a better representation of fluid flow fields and flame structures that are obtained through computationally cheaper simulations. Experiments are conducted to verify the predictions and a technique that can be used to identify regions of the flame that contribute to amplitude growth is introduced. The improved model shows notable improvement in its prediction capabilities compared to existing models.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / The computerized measurement of thermoacoustically generated temperature gradients in short, thin plates is reported. The computerized data acquisition system is delineated. The temperature difference developed across a stack of short plates was measured as a function of the longitudinal position of the plates in a resonant tube for acoustic pressure amplitudes of 0.5 to 6.6 kPa, and static (or mean) pressures from 100 to 440 kPa, in argon and helium for the first through the third harmonic frequencies of the tube. Measured data were compared with predictions based on work done by Wheat ley and others [J. Wheatley, et al., Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, v. 74, pp. 153-170, 1983] and results reported by Muzzerall (Master's Thesis in Engineering Acoustics, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, September 1987). For low acoustic and static pressures, there is good agreement between measured data and theory. As the acoustic pressure amplitudes increase there is a general degradation of agreement up to the point at which it appears saturation of the thermoacoustic effect occurs. / http://archive.org/details/computerizedmeas00kite / Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy

An experimental study of a low-frequency transcritical thermoacoustic device has been conducted at Purdue University's Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories. The purpose of this study was to characterize the thermoacoustic response of transcritical R-218 and asses it's feasibility for energy extraction and waste heat removal. This rig operated as a standing-wave configuration and achieved pressure amplitudes as high as 690 KPa (100 psi) at a temperature difference of 150 K and a bulk pressure of 1.3 P/P_cr(3.43 MPa). To the author's knowledge, this is the highest ever thermoacoustic pressure amplitude achieved in a non-reacting flow. The thermoacoustic response was characterized by varying temperature difference and bulk pressure parametrically. The effect of resonator length was characterized in a set of tests where resonator length and bulk pressure was varied parametrically at a single temperature difference. Finally, the feasibility for energy extraction was assessed in a set of tests which characterized the ability of the working fluid to pump itself through a recirculation line with check valves. This set of tests showed that the working fluid was able to create self-sustained circulation by inducing a pressure differential across the check valves with the thermoacoustic response. This circulation was induced while still maintaining a significant pressure amplitude, demonstrating promising results as a feasible method for energy extraction and waste heat removal.

Thermoacoustic (TA) engines and generators are one of the latest derivations of the two century-old energy conversion devices that are based on the Stirling cycle. Unlike the traditional Stirling devices, the TA devices use the pressure wavefront of a standing wave created in the working gas, eliminating the power and displacement pistons. The lack of moving parts and the lubrication make these devices practically maintenance-free, making them ideal candidates for space and marine applications. The traditional method for delivering thermal energy to the working fluid (standing wave) would require a heat exchanger, absorbing energy from an external source, and a pump to deliver this energy to the working fluid, however, these components inherently have high losses as well as high cost, hindering overall efficiency. In thermoacoustic systems, the oscillating nature of the working fluid makes it possible to eliminate these components, with most widely applied method being the placement of an asymmetrical gas-diode in a heat carrying loop which is attached to the resonator. Such methods of creating a time-averaged nonzero flow-rate in a preferred direction is called Acoustic Mass Streaming. An alternative to the gas-diode technique to create such pump-less flows is to take advantage of the Acoustic Radiation Pressure (ARP) phenomenon, which is a time-averaged spatially varying pressure of second order amplitude observed in standing wave resonators. Connecting a loop in two different locations to the resonator creates a pressure differential due to the spatial variance which can be further amplified with a converging-diverging nozzle, namely a Venturi. This thesis investigates the fundamentals of this novel acoustic mass streaming method, where the Acoustic Radiation Pressure is combined with a Venturi. Using the thermoacoustic software DeltaEC, the effects of placing a Venturi with different dimensional parameters into the resonator is studied and the changes on the ARP is examined. Considering various types of acoustic losses, the maximum amount of fluid that can be circulated in the pump-less loop is investigated. Time-averaged minor-loss coefficients for converging and diverging acoustic flows at a T-Junction are also presented. / Graduate

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Improvements to heritage gas turbine engines will be needed in the coming years as the demand made on these systems increase. While industry continually presses for higher performance of both military and civilian aero engines, the government simultaneously raises the bar for emissions standards in the commercial sector to support public health. The next generation of aerospace gas turbine engines will be defined by their ability to operate at high power conditions while maintaining efficiency. This challenge is compounded by airlines' proposition of a return to supersonic flight- an operating regime characterized by higher total temperatures, and thus more NOx production. Lean Direct Injection (LDI) is a combustion scheme that was proposed by NASA, and inherently addresses the needs of both the private sector and the military. LDI is a liquid fueled combustor that promotes rapid mixing of fuel and air at the entrance of the combustor. Despite the benefits of LDI, it has never been implemented, nor has any other lean burning scheme been implemented in an aircraft due to the system level complications of such technology. This dissertation focuses on the dynamics of thermoacoustic instability and lean blowout (LBO), two of the major complications that industry will face when they attempt to incorporate LDI in a production engine. The present dissertation investigates these dynamics from a fundamental and applications standpoint. Fundamental insights on thermoacoustic instabilities are developed by investigating droplet dynamics in a self-excited flow field, and significant oscillations in droplet diameters are discerned. PDPA measurement will be taken to identify coupling of the fuel spray with the instability, and a phase locking algorithm will be used to develop a new spray parameter than is more indicative of combustion heat release that the standard Sauter mean diameter. Next, while varying the swirl number and the venturi geometry of the combustor, the evolution of the flow field will be characterized. An in-house innovation called the Direct Rotation Swirler (DRS) is built for this purpose. The DRS uses an active geometry to provide continuously variable swirl number modulation. The effects of these changes on lean blow out, pressure drop and NOx emissions will then be experimentally determined. Venturis were rapidly manufactured using a ii casting procedure that was developed to make venturi geometries from a commercially available ceramic at very low cost. / Doctor of Philosophy / Improvements to heritage gas turbine engines will be needed in the coming years as the demand made on these systems increase. While industry continually presses for higher performance of both military and civilian aero engines, the government simultaneously raises the bar for emissions standards in the commercial sector to support public health. The next generation of aerospace gas turbine engines will be defined by their ability to operate at high power conditions while maintaining efficiency. This challenge in compounded by airlines' proposition of a return to supersonic flight- an operating regime characterized by higher total temperatures, and thus more NOx production. Lean Direct Injection (LDI) is a combustion scheme that was proposed by NASA, and inherently addresses the needs of both the private sector and the military. LDI is a liquid fueled combustor that promotes rapid mixing of fuel and air at the entrance of the combustor. Rapid mixing yields a clean, even flame and eliminates the fuel-rich primary zone which is the heart of NOx production. Despite the benefits of LDI, it has never been implemented, nor has any other lean burning scheme been implemented in an aircraft due to the system level complications of such technology. This dissertation focuses on two of the major complications that industry will face when they attempt to incorporate LDI in a production engine. Drastically reducing the local hot spots in the primary zone is fundamentally necessary to improve pattern factor and emissions, but this change is directly at odds with two dynamic phenomenon that plague combustors. These effects are thermoacoustic instabilities, and lean blow out. Thermoacoustic instabilities are a major concern in any type of combustor and instabilities are more common and more intense in lean engines which is a significant safety risk to aircraft. A thermoacoustic instability occurs when pressure waves in an engine grow to high amplitudes. Small pressure waves are normal in any combustion process, but when the acoustic waves couple with the heat release, the waves can grow uncontrollably. The amplitudes can reach magnitudes capable of damaging the combustor or significantly reducing its cyclic life. Due to the high iv standard of safety in the aerospace industry, lean combustion will not be implemented until engines can be designed to avoid instabilities throughout the entire flight envelope. Lean blow out occurs when the fuel to air ratio of the engine becomes too low to sustain a flame. Lean blow out is a transient phenomenon that is dependent on local flame speeds, local chemical time scales and turbulence parameters. Typically, lean blow out is combated by designing a rich flame anchoring region that burns with plenty of excess fuel so that even if the fuel flow rate is reduced, a core region is still within its flammability regions. The present dissertation investigates these dynamics from a fundamental and applications standpoint. Fundamental insights on thermoacoustic instabilities are developed by investigating droplet dynamics in a self-excited flow field, and significant oscillations in droplet diameters are discerned. PDPA measurement will be taken to identify coupling of the fuel spray with the instability, and a phase locking algorithm will be used to develop a new spray parameter than is more indicative of combustion heat release that the standard Sauter mean diameter. Next, while varying the swirl number and the venturi geometry of the combustor, the evolution of the flow field will be characterized. An in-house innovation called the Direct Rotation Swirler (DRS) is built for this purpose. The DRS uses an active geometry to provide continuously variable swirl number modulation. The effects of these changes on lean blow out, pressure drop and NOx emissions will then be experimentally determined. Venturis were rapidly manufactured using a casting procedure that was developed to make venturi geometries from a commercially available ceramic at very low cost.

Thermoacoustic engines convert thermal energy into acoustic energy with few or no moving parts, thus they require little maintenance, are highly reliable, and are inexpensive to produce. These traits make them attractive for applications in remote or portable power generation, where a linear alternator converts the acoustic power into electric power. Their primary application, however, is in driving thermoacoustic refrigerators, which use acoustic power to provide cooling at potentially cryogenic temperatures, also without moving parts. This dissertation examines the feasibility of a new type of thermoacoustic engine, where mean flow and an internal pulse combustion process replace the hot heat exchanger in a traditional closed cycle thermoacoustic engine, thereby eliminating the heat exchangers cost, inefficiency, and thermal expansion stresses. The theory developed in this work reveals that a large temperature difference must exist between the hot face of the regenerator and the hot combustion products flowing into it, and that much of the convective thermal energy input from the combustion process is converted into conductive and thermoacoustic losses in the regenerator. The development of the Thermoacoustic Pulse Combustion Engine, as described in this study, is designed to recover most of this lost thermal energy by routing the inlet pipes through the regenerator to preheat the combustion reactants. Further, the developed theory shows that the pulse combustion process has the potential to add up to 7% to the engines acoustic power output for an acoustic pressure ratio of 10%, with linearly increasing contributions for increasing acoustic pressure ratios. Computational modeling and optimization of the Thermoacoustic Pulse Combustion Engine yield thermal efficiencies of about 20% for atmospheric mean operating pressures, though higher mean engine pressures increase this efficiency considerably by increasing the acoustic power density relative to the thermal losses. However, permissible mean engine pressures are limited by the need to avoid fouling the regenerator with condensation of water vapor out of the cold combustion products. Despite lower acoustic power densities, the Thermoacoustic Pulse Combustion Engine is shown to be well suited to portable refrigeration and power generation applications, due to its reasonable efficiency and inherent simplicity and compactness.

Photoacoustic computed tomography (PAT) has great potential for application in the biomedical field. It best combines the high contrast of electromagnetic absorption and the high resolution of ultrasonic waves in biological tissues. In Chapter II, we present time-domain reconstruction algorithms for PAT. First, a formal reconstruction formula for arbitrary measurement geometry is presented. Then, we derive a universal and exact back-projection formula for three commonly used measurement geometries, including spherical, planar and cylindrical surfaces. We also find this back-projection formula can be extended to arbitrary measurement surfaces under certain conditions. A method to implement the back-projection algorithm is also given. Finally, numerical simulations are performed to demonstrate the performance of the back-projection formula. In Chapter III, we present a theoretical analysis of the spatial resolution of PAT for the first time. The three common geometries as well as other general cases are investigated. The point-spread functions (PSF's) related to the bandwidth and the sensing aperture of the detector are derived. Both the full-width-at-half-maximum of the PSF and the Rayleigh criterion are used to define the spatial resolution. In Chapter IV, we first present a theoretical analysis of spatial sampling in the PA measurement for three common geometries. Then, based on the sampling theorem, we propose an optimal sampling strategy for the PA measurement. Optimal spatial sampling periods for different geometries are derived. The aliasing effects on the PAT images are also discussed. Finally, we conduct numerical simulations to test the proposed optimal sampling strategy and also to demonstrate how the aliasing related to spatially discrete sampling affects the PAT image. In Chapter V, we first describe a prototype of the RF-induced PAT imaging system that we have built. Then, we present experiments of phantom samples as well as a preliminary study of breast imaging for cancer detection.