New methodologies and concepts for developing compact and energy efficient automotive exhaust systems have been studied. This originates in the growing concern for global warming, to which road transportation is a major contributor. The focus has been on commercial vehicles—most often powered by diesel engines—for which the emission legislation has been dramatically increased over the last decade. The emissions of particulates and nitrogen oxides have been successfully reduced by the introduction of filters and catalytic converters, but the fuel consumption, which basically determines the emissions of carbon dioxides, has not been improved accordingly. The potential reduction of fuel consumption by optimising the exhaust after-treatment system (assuming fixed after-treatment components) of a typical heavy-duty commercial vehicle is ~4%, which would have a significant impact on both the environment and the overall economy of the vehicle. First, methodologies to efficiently model complex flow duct networks such as exhaust systems are investigated. The well-established linear multiport approach is extended to include flow-acoustic interaction effects. This introduces an effective way of quantifying amplification and attenuation of incident sound, and, perhaps more importantly, the possibility of predicting nonlinear phenomena such as self-sustained oscillations—whistling—using linear models. The methodology is demonstrated on T-junctions, which is a configuration well known to be prone to self-sustained oscillations for grazing flow past the side branch orifice. It is shown, and validated experimentally, that the existence and frequency of self-sustained oscillations can be predicted using linear theory. Further, the aeroacoustics of T-junctions are studied. A test rig for the full determination of the scattering matrix defining the linear three-port representing the T-junction is developed, allowing for any combination of grazing-bias flow. It is shown that the constructive flow-acoustic coupling not only varies with the flow configuration but also with the incidence of the acoustic disturbance. Configurations where flow from the side branch joins the grazing flow are still prone to whistling, while flow bleeding off from the main branch effectively cancels any constructive flow-acoustic coupling. Two silencer concepts are evaluated: first the classic Herschel-Quincke tube and second a novel modified flow reversal silencer. The Herschel-Quincke tube is capable of providing effective attenuation with very low pressure loss penalty. The attenuation conditions are derived and their sensitivity to mean flow explained. Two implementations have been modelled using the multiport methodology and then validated experimentally. The first configuration, where the nodal points are composed of T-junctions, proves to be an example where internal reflections in the system can provide sufficient feedback for self-sustained oscillation. Again, this is predicted accurately by the linear theory. The second implementation, with nodal points made from Y-junctions, was designed to allow for equal flow distribution between the two parallel ducts, thus allowing for the demonstration of the passive properties of the system. Experimental results presented for these two configurations correlate well with the derived theory. The second silencer concept studied consists of a flow reversal chamber that is converted to a resonator by acoustically short-circuiting the inlet and outlet ducts. The eigenfrequency of the resonator is easily shifted by varying the geometry of the short circuit, thus making the proposed concept ideal for implementation as a semi-active device. Again the concept is modelled using the multiport approach and validated experimentally. It is shown to provide significant attenuation over a wide frequency range with a very compact design, while adding little or no pressure loss to the system. / QC 20110208

In cardiovascular medicine, the assessment of blood flow is fundamental to the understanding and detection of disease. Many pharmaceutical, interventional, and surgical treatments impact the flow. The primary purpose of the cardiovascular system is to drive, control and maintain blood flow to all parts of the body. In the normal cardiovascular system, fluid transport is maintained at high efficiency and the blood flow is essentially laminar. Disturbed and turbulent blood flow, on the other hand, appears to be present in many cardiovascular diseases and may contribute to their initiation and progression. Despite strong indications of an important interrelationship between flow and cardiovascular disease, medical imaging has lacked a non-invasive tool for the in vivo assessment of disturbed and turbulent flow. As a result, the extent and role of turbulence in the blood flow of humans have not yet been fully investigated. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a versatile tool for the non-invasive assessment of flow and has several important clinical and research applications, but might not yet have reached its full potential. Conventional MRI techniques for the assessment of flow are based on measurements of the mean velocity within an image voxel. The mean velocity corresponds to the first raw moment of the distribution of velocities within a voxel. An MRI framework for the quantification of any moment (mean, standard deviation, skew, etc.) of arbitrary velocity distributions is presented in this thesis. Disturbed and turbulent flows are characterized by velocity fluctuations that are superimposed on the mean velocity. The intensity of these velocity fluctuations can be quantified by their standard deviation, which is a commonly used measure of turbulence intensity. This thesis focuses on the development of a novel MRI method for the quantification of turbulence intensity. This method is mathematically derived and experimentally validated. Limitations and sources of error are investigated and guidelines for adequate application of MRI measurements of turbulence intensity are outlined. Furthermore, the method is adapted to the quantification of turbulence intensity in the pulsatile blood flow of humans and applied to a wide range of cardiovascular diseases. In these applications, elevated turbulence intensity was consistently detected in regions where highly disturbed flow was anticipated, and the effects of potential sources of errors were small. Diseased heart valves are often replaced with prosthetic heart valves, which, in spite of improved benefits and durability, continue to fall short of matching native flow patterns. In an in vitro setting, MRI was used to visualize and quantify turbulence intensity in the flow downstream from four common designs of prosthetic heart valves. Marked differences in the extent and degree of turbulence intensity were detected between the different valves. Mitral valve regurgitation is a common valve lesion associated with progressive left atrial and left ventricular remodelling, which may often require surgical correction to avoid irreversible ventricular dysfunction. The spatiotemporal dynamics of flow disturbances in mitral regurgitation were assessed based on measurements of flow patterns and turbulence intensity in a group of patients with significant regurgitation arising from similar valve lesions. Peak turbulence intensity occurred at the same time in all patients and the total turbulence intensity in the left atrium appeared closely related to the severity of regurgitation. MRI quantification of turbulence intensity has the potential to become a valuable tool in investigating the extent, timing and role of disturbed blood flow in the human cardiovascular system, as well as in the assessment of the effects of different therapeutic options in patients with vascular or valvular disorders.

<p>Increased levels of nitrate in ground water have made many wells unsuitable as sources for drinking water. In this thesis an ion-exchang eassisted electromembrane process, suitable for nitrate removal, is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. An ion-exchange textile material is introduced as a conducting spacer in the feed compartment of an electropermutation cell. The sheet shaped structure of the textile makes it easy to incorporate into the cell. High permeability and fast ion-exchange kinetics, compared to ion-exchange resins, are other attractive features of the ion-exchange textile.</p><p>A steady-state model based on the conservation of the ionic species is developed. The governing equations on the microscopic level are volume averaged to give macro-homogeneous equations. The model equations are analyzed and relevant simplifications are motivated and introduced. Dimensionless parameters governing the continuous electropermutation process are identified and their influence on the process are discussed. The mathematical model can be used as a tool when optimising the process parameters and designing equipment.</p><p>An experimental study that aimed to show the positive influence of using the ion-exchange textile in the feed compartment of an continuous electropermutation process is presented. The incorporation of the ion-exchange textile significantly improves the nitrate removal rate at the same time as the power consumption is decreased. A superficial solution of sodium nitrate with a initial nitrate concentration of 105 ppm was treated. A product stream with less than 20 ppm nitrate could be obtained, in a single pass mode of operation. Its concluded from these experiments that continuous electropermutation using ion-exchange textile provides an interesting alternative for nitrate removal, in drinking water production. The predictions of the mathematical model are compared with experimental results and a good agreement is obtained.</p><p>Enhanced water dissociation is known to take place at the surface of ion-exchange membranes in electromembrane processes operated above the limiting current density. A model for this enhanced water dissociation in presented in the thesis. The model makes it possible to incorporate the effect of water dissociation as a heterogeneous surface reaction. Results from simulations of electropermutation with and without ion-exchange textile incorporated are presented. The influence of the water dissociation is investigated with the developed model.</p>

<p>Disturbances introduced in wall-bounded flows can grow and lead to transition from laminar to turbulent flow. In order to reduce losses or enhance mixing in energy systems, a fundamental understanding of the flow stability and transition mechanism is important. In the present thesis, the stability, transition mechanism and early turbulent evolution of wall-bounded flows are studied. The stability is investigated by means of linear stability equations and the transition mechanism and turbulence are studied using direct numerical simulations. Three base flows are considered, the Falkner-Skan boundary layer, boundary layers subjected to wall suction and the Blasius wall jet. The stability with respect to the exponential growth of waves and the algebraic growth of optimal streaks is studied for the Falkner-Skan boundary layer. For the algebraic growth, the optimal initial location, where the optimal disturbance is introduced in the boundary layer, is found to move downstream with decreased pressure gradient. A unified transition prediction method incorporating the influences of pressure gradient and free-stream turbulence is suggested. The algebraic growth of streaks in boundary layers subjected to wall suction is calculated. It is found that the spatial analysis gives larger optimal growth than temporal theory. Furthermore, it is found that the optimal growth is larger if the suction begins a distance downstream of the leading edge. Thresholds for transition of periodic and localized disturbances as well as the spreading of turbulent spots in the asymptotic suction boundary layer are investigated for Reynolds number Re=500, 800 and 1200 based on the displacement thickness and the free-stream velocity. It is found that the threshold amplitude scales like Re^-1.05 for transition initiated by streamwise vortices and random noise, like Re^-1.3 for oblique transition and like Re^-1.5 for the localized disturbance. The turbulent spot is found to take a bullet-shaped form that becomes more distinct and increases its spreading rate for higher Reynolds number. The Blasius wall jet is matched to the measured flow in an experimental wall-jet facility. Both the linear and nonlinear regime of introduced waves and streaks are investigated and compared to measurements. It is demonstrated that the streaks play an important role in the breakdown process where they suppress pairing and enhance breakdown to turbulence. Furthermore, statistics from the early turbulent regime are analyzed and reveal a reasonable self-similar behavior, which is most pronounced with inner scaling in the near-wall region.</p>

This study consists of the development of a ram pump, which will allow the pumping of water without the need of external energy sources. It is considered an analysis of interest since, once it is finished; it can be applied in reality improving and facilitating different activities related to agriculture and health. Previous studies have been made related to the ram pump; however, in this case, it is intended to understand the system that has been built in the laboratory in order to find the best combination of parameters that will lead to obtain the highest possible efficiency.  The study will be carried out by studying scientific literature and by experimenting in the laboratory. Encompassing the experimental and literary field, it is expected to understand perfectly the advantages and disadvantages of the ram pump in order to determine if it is worth it to install in certain places. After the study, the most favourable parameters for the operation of the Bruzaholms Bruk pump have been obtained. It has been found that the use of a longer drive pipe favours the operation of the system, as it is possible to obtain a higher efficiency, although it must be taken into account that the mentioned length needs to be controlled, as it could reduce the working rhythm of the pump. It has also been seen that the pump gives better results if the impulse valve is completely opened. Finally, it has been proven that, as long as the height difference between the two tanks is enough, increasing the height of the water source will favour the operation of the system.

Nowadays, the energy sector is facing a huge demand that needs to be covered. Wind energy is one of the most promising energy resources as it is free from pollution, clean and probably will arise as one of the main energy sources to prevent global warming from happening. Almost 10% of the global energy demand is coming from renewable resources. By 2050 this percentage is expected to grow to 60%. Therefore, efforts on wind turbine technology (i.e. reliability, design…) need to be coped with this growth. Currently, large wind energy projects are usually carried out in higher altitudes and cold climates. This is because almost all of the cold climates worldwide offer profitable wind power resources and great wind energy potential. Operating with wind turbines in cold climates bring interesting advantages as a result of higher air density and consequently stronger winds (wind power is around 10% higher in the Nordic regions). Not only benefits can be obtained but extreme conditions force to follow harsh conditions. Low temperatures and ice accretion present an important issue to solve as can cause several problems in fatigue loads, the balance of the rotor and aerodynamics, safety risks, turbine performance, among others. As wind energy is growing steadily on icy climates is crucial that wind turbines can be managed efficiently and harmlessly during the time they operate. The collected data for the ice detection, de-icing and anti-icing systems parts was obtained through the company Arvato Bertelsmann and is also based on scientific papers. In addition, computer simulations were performed, involving the creation of a wind tunnel under certain conditions in order to be able to carry out the simulations (1st at 0ºC, 2nd at -10ºC) with the turbine blades rotating in cold regions as a standard operation. In this project, Computational Fluids Dynamics (CFD) simulation on a 5MW wind turbine prototype with ice accretion on the blades to study how CL and CD can change, also different measures of ice detection, deicing and anti-icing systems for avoiding ice accumulation will be discussed. Simulation results showed a logical correlation as expected, increasing the drag force about 5.7% and lowering the lift force 17,5% thus worsening the turbine's efficiency.

Arc welding still requires deeper process understanding and more accurateprediction of the heat transferred to the base metal. This can be provided by CFD modelling.Most works done to model arc discharge using CFD consider the arc corealone. Arc core simulation requires applying extrapolated experimental data asboundary conditions on the electrodes. This limits the applicability. To become independent of experimental input the electrodes need to be included in the arcmodel. The most critical part is then the interface layer between the electrodesand the arc core. This interface is complex and non-uniform, with specific physicalphenomena.The present work reviews the concepts of plasma and arc discharges that areuseful for this problem. The main sub-regions of the model are described, andtheir dominant physical roles are discussed.The coupled arc-electrode model is developed in different steps. First couplingsolid and fluid regions for a simpler problem without complex couplinginterface. This is applied to a laser welding problem using the CFD softwareOpenFOAM. The second step is the modelling of the interface layer betweencathode and arc, or cathode layer. Different modelling approaches available inthe literature are studied to determine their advantages and drawbacks. One ofthem developed by Cayla is used and further improved so as to satisfy the basicprinciples of charge and energy conservation in the different regions of thecathode layer. A numerical procedure is presented. The model, implementedin MATLAB, is tested for different arc core and cathode conditions. The maincharacteristics calculated with the interface layer model are in good agreementwith the reference literature. The future step will be the implementation of theinterface layer model in OpenFOAM.

Wall transpiration, in the form of wall-normal suction or blowing through a permeable wall, is a relatively simple and effective technique to control the behaviour of a boundary layer. For its potential applications for laminar-turbulent transition and separation delay (suction) or for turbulent drag reduction and thermal protection (blowing), wall transpiration has over the past decades been the topic of a significant amount of studies. However, as far as the turbulent regime is concerned, fundamental understanding of the phenomena occurring in the boundary layer in presence of wall transpiration is limited and considerable disagreements persist even on the description of basic quantities, such as the mean streamwise velocity, for the rather simplified case of flat-plate boundary-layer flows without pressure gradients. In order to provide new experimental data on suction and blowing boundary layers, an experimental apparatus was designed and brought into operation. The perforated region spans the whole 1.2 m of the test-section width and with its streamwise extent of 6.5 m is significantly longer than previous studies, allowing for a better investigation of the spatial development of the boundary layer. The quality of the experimental setup and measurement procedures was verified with extensive testing, including benchmarking against previous results on a canonical zero-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layer (ZPG TBL) and on a laminar asymptotic suction boundary layer. The present experimental results on ZPG turbulent suction boundary layers show that it is possible to experimentally realize a turbulent asymptotic suction boundary layer (TASBL) where the boundary layer mean-velocity profile becomes independent of the streamwise location, so that the suction rate constitutes the only control parameter. TASBLs show a mean-velocity profile with a large logarithmic region and without the existence of a clear wake region. If outer scaling is adopted, using the free-stream velocity and the boundary layer thickness (δ99) as characteristic velocity and length scale respectively, the logarithmic region is described by a slope Ao=0.064 and an intercept Bo=0.994, independently from the suction rate (Γ). Relaminarization of an initially turbulent boundary layer is observed for Γ&gt;3.70×10−3. Wall suction is responsible for a strong damping of the velocity fluctuations, with a decrease of the near-wall peak of the velocity-variance profile ranging from 50% to 65% when compared to a canonical ZPG TBL at comparable Reτ. This decrease in the turbulent activity appears to be explained by an increased stability of the near-wall streaks. Measurements on ZPG blowing boundary layers were conducted for blowing rates ranging between 0.1% and 0.37% of the free-stream velocity and cover the range of momentum thickness Reynolds number 10000&lt;Reθ&lt;36000. Wall-normal blowing strongly modifies the shape of the boundary-layer mean-velocity profile. As the blowing rate is increased, the clear logarithmic region characterizing the canonical ZPG TBLs gradually disappears. A good overlap among the mean velocity-defect profiles of the canonical ZPG TBLs and of the blowing boundary layers for all the Re number and blowing rates considered is obtained when normalization with the Zagarola-Smits velocity scale is adopted. Wall blowing enhances the intensity of the velocity fluctuations, especially in the outer region. At sufficiently high blowing rates and Reynolds number, the outer peak in the streamwise-velocity fluctuations surpasses in magnitude the near-wall peak, which eventually disappears. / Genom att använda sig av genomströmmande ytor, med sugning eller blåsning, kan man relativt enkelt och effektivt påverka ett gränsskikts tillstånd. Genom sin potential att påverka olika strömningsfysikaliska fenomen så som att senarelägga både avlösning och omslaget från laminär till turbulent strömning (genom sugning) eller som att exempelvis minska luftmotståndet i turbulenta gränsskikt och ge kyleffekt (genom blåsning), så har ett otaligt antal studier genomförts på området de senaste decennierna. Trots detta så är den grundläggande förståelsen bristfällig för de strömningsfenomen som inträffar i turbulenta gränsskikt över genomströmmande ytor. Det råder stora meningsskiljaktigheter om de mest elementära strömningskvantiteterna, såsom medelhastigheten, när sugning och blåsning tillämpas även i det mest förenklade gränsskiktsfallet nämligen det som utvecklar sig över en plan platta utan tryckgradient. För att ta fram nya experimentella data på gränsskikt med sugning och blåsning genom ytan så har vi designat en ny experimentell uppställning samt tagit den i bruk.Den genomströmmande ytan spänner över hela bredden av vindtunnelns mätsträcka (1.2 m) och är 6.5 m lång i strömningsriktningen och är därmed betydligt längre än vad som använts i tidigare studier. Detta gör det möjligt att bättre utforska gränsskiktet som utvecklas över ytan i strömningsriktningen. Kvaliteten på den experimentella uppställningen och valda mätprocedurerna har verifierats genom omfattande tester, som även inkluderar benchmarking mot tidigare resultat på turbulenta gränsskikt utan tryckgradient eller blåsning/sugning och på laminära asymptotiska sugningsgränsskikt. De experimentella resultaten på turbulenta gränsskikt med sugning bekräftar för första gången att det är möjligt att experimentellt sätta upp ett turbulent asymptotiskt sugningsgränsskikt där gränsskiktets medelhastighetsprofil blir oberoende av strömningsriktningen och där sugningshastigheten utgör den enda kontrollparametern. Det turbulenta asymptotiska sugningsgränsskiktet visar sig ha en medelhastighetsprofil normalt mot ytan med en lång logaritmisk region och utan förekomsten av en yttre vakregion. Om man använder yttre skalning av medelhastigheten, med friströmshastigheten och gränsskiktstjockleken som karaktäristisk hastighet respektive längdskala, så kan det logaritmiska området beskrivas med en lutning på Ao=0.064 och ett korsande värde med y-axeln på Bo=0.994, som är oberoende av sugningshastigheten. Om sugningshasigheten normaliserad med friströmshastigheten överskrider värdet 3.70x10^-3 så återgår det ursprungligen turbulenta gränsskiktet till att vara laminärt. Sugningen genom väggen dämpar hastighetsfluktuationerna i gränsskiktet med upp till 50-60% vid direkt jämförelse av det inre toppvärdet i ett turbulent gränsskikt utan sugning och vid jämförbart Reynolds tal. Denna minskning av turbulent aktivitet verkar härstamma från en ökad stabilitet av hastighetsstråken närmast ytan. Mätningar på turbulenta gränsskikt med blåsning har genomförts för blåsningshastigheter mellan 0.1 och 0.37% av friströmshastigheten och täcker Reynoldstalområdet (10-36)x10^3, med Reynolds tal baserat på rörelsemängds-tjockleken. Vid blåsning genom ytan får man en stark modifiering av formen på hastighetesfördelningen genom gränsskiktet. När blåsningshastigheten ökar så kommer till slut den logaritmiska regionen av medelhastigheten, karaktäristisk för turbulent gränsskikt utan blåsning, att gradvis försvinna. God överens-stämmelse av medelhastighetsprofiler mellan turbulenta gränsskikt med och utan blåsning erhålls för alla Reynoldstal och blåsningshastigheter när profilerna normaliseras med Zagarola-Smits hastighetsskala. Blåsning vid väggen ökar intensiteten av hastighetsfluktuationerna, speciellt i den yttre regionen av gränsskiktet. Vid riktigt höga blåsningshastigheter och Reynoldstal så kommer den yttre toppen av hastighetsfluktuationer i gränsskiktet att överskrida den inre toppen, som i sig gradvis försvinner. / <p>QC 20171101</p>

Turbochargers are becoming an essential device in internal combustion engines as they boost the intake air with more pressure in order to increase the power output. These devices are normally designed for a single steady design point but the pulsating flow delivered from the internal combustion engine is everything but steady. The efficiency drop experienced in the off-design points by the fixed geometry turbochargers have made some research groups to look into new variable geometry solutions for turbocharging. A nozzle ring is a device which normally achieves a higher performance under design conditions, but the efficiency rapidly drops at off-design conditions. In this paper, a variable angle nozzle ring is designed and implemented in the model of a radial turbine of a turbocharger in order to study its potential when working under real internal combustion engine cycles. To understand the profit margin the turbine performance is compared with two turbines with the same impeller geometry: one without nozzle ring and one with a nozzle ring with a fixed angle. The results show that the maximum efficiency angle function calculated for the variable angle nozzle ring achieves an improvement in the total efficiency of 5 % when comparing with a turbine with a fixed angle and 18 % when comparing with a vaneless turbine. The improved guidance achieved due to the variable blade angle leads to less turbine losses and therefore more mechanical energy can be extracted from the exhaust mass flow throughout all the combustion cycle but a further study should be made in order to match all the engine operations points. Notably, taking the pulsating boundary conditions into consideration, a remarkable improvement is achieved already for the fixed angle nozzle ring.

Several alternative ways of producing energy came up as the world took conscience of the finite availability of fossil fuels and the environmental consequences of its use and processing. Wave and tidal energy are among the so called green energies. Wave energy converters have been under research for the past two decades and yet there hasn’t been one technology that gathered everyone’s acceptance as being the most suitable one. The present work is focused on a self-rectifying turbine for wave energy harnessing. It’s a self-rectifying biplane Wells with an intermediate stator. The main goal is to evaluate the performance of such a turbine. Two different analyses were performed: experimental and computational. The experimental tests were made so that efficiency, velocity profiles and loss coefficients could be calculated. To do so scaled-down prototypes were built from scratch and tested experimentally. The 3D numerical analysis was possible by using a CFD commercial code: Fluent 6.3. Several simulations were performed for different flow coefficients. Three different degrees of mesh refinement were applied and k-ε turbulence model was the one chosen to simulate the viscous behavior of the flow through the turbine. A steady-state analysis is due and two mixing planes were used at the interfaces between the rotors and the stator. In the end comparisons are made between the experimental and numerical results