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For gas turbines, the demand for high-performance, more efficient and longer-life turbine blades is increasing. This is especially so, now that there is a need for high-power and low-weight aircraft gas turbines. Thus, the search for improved design methodologies for the optimisation of combustor exit temperature profiles enjoys high priority. Traditional experimental methods are found to be too time-consuming and costly, and they do not always achieve near-optimal designs. In addition to the above deficiencies, methods based on semi-empirical correlations are found to be lacking in performing three-dimensional analyses and these methods cannot be used for parametric design optimisation. Computational fluid dynamics has established itself as a viable alternative to reduce the amount of experimentation needed, resulting in a reduction in the time scales and costs of the design process. Furthermore, computational fluid dynamics provides more insight into the flow process, which is not available through experimentation only. However, the fact remains that, because of the trial-and-error nature of adjusting the parameters of the traditional optimisation techniques used in this field, the designs reached cannot be called “optimum”. The trial-and-error process depends a great deal on the skill and experience of the designer. Also, the above technologies inhibit the improvement of the gas turbine power output by limiting the highest exit temperature possible, putting more pressure on turbine blade cooling technologies. This limitation to technology can be overcome by implementing a search algorithm capable of finding optimal design parameters. Such an algorithm will perform an optimum search prior to computational fluid dynamics analysis and rig testing. In this thesis, an efficient methodology is proposed for the design optimisation of a gas turbine combustor exit temperature profile. The methodology involves the combination of computational fluid dynamics with a gradient-based mathematical optimiser, using successive objective and constraint function approximations (Dynamic-Q) to obtain the optimum design. The methodology is tested on three cases, namely: (a) The first case involves the optimisation of the combustor exit temperature profile with two design variables related to the dilution holes, which is a common procedure. The combustor exit temperature profile was optimised, and the pattern factor improved, but pressure drop was very high. (b) The second case involves the optimisation of the combustor exit temperature profile with four design variables, one equality constraint and one inequality constraint based on pressure loss. The combustor exit temperature profile was also optimised within the constraints of pressure. Both the combustor exit temperature profile and pattern factor were improved. (c) The third case involves the optimisation of the combustor exit temperature profile with five design variables. The swirler angle and primary hole parameters were included in order to allow for the effect of the central toroidal recirculation zone on the combustor exit temperature profile. Pressure loss was also constrained to a certain maximum. The three cases show that a relatively recent mathematical optimiser (Dynamic-Q), combined with computational fluid dynamics, can be considered a strong alternative to the design optimisation of a gas turbine combustor exit temperature profile. This is due to the fact that the proposed methodology provides designs that can be called near-optimal, when compared with that yielded by traditional methods and computational fluid dynamics alone. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted

This work involved an investigation into the mechanisms governing the reduction of material in the solids bed of the Ifcon® process. Thermo gravimetric analyses were done to investigate the influence of various operational parameters on the rate of solid state reduction. The experiments were modeled, and model predictions were compared to experimental results. Kinetic data was analised and the reduction rate constants were calculated. The rate constants were used as inputs to a model, which describes the reduction behaviour and temperature profile in a composite solids bed (similar to that in the Ifcon® process). High temperature reduction- and melting tests were done in an 150 kW induction furnace, to simulate final reduction in a solids bed. The temperature profile through the solids bed was measured and results were compared to model predictions. Finally the extent to which solid state reduction occurs in the solids bed was estimated as a function of production rate. / Dissertation (MEng (Metallurgical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering / unrestricted

In this thesis, a calculation model is created to study a theoretical radiator-like configuration, consisting of a flat vertical plate heated with a constant capacity rate. This lumped capacitance model is partly created to more theoretically look at radiators with add-on-fans, but also to in such a setting look at fundamental heat transfer relationships. System heat transfer is studied for various heights, H (m), and freestream velocities, u (m/s). These results are then subject to validation, where comparison is made with values derived from two relevant reference studies. It is found that polynomial fits well describe the results obtained from calculation. The relationships for heat transfer Q (W), heat flux q (W/m2) thus become: 𝑄(𝐻,𝑢) = 𝑎00 + 𝑎01𝑢 + 𝑎10𝐻 + 𝑎11𝐻𝑢 + 𝑎02𝑢2 (W) 𝑞(𝐻,𝑢) =𝑄/𝐻= 𝑎00𝐻-1 + 𝑎01𝐻-1𝑢 + 𝑎10 + 𝑎11𝑢 + 𝑎02𝐻-1𝑢2 (W/m2) For these relationships, polynomial coefficients 𝑎00, 𝑎01, 𝑎10, 𝑎11 and 𝑎02 are found for three temperature set-ups of system supply and return temperature at zero freestream velocity: 55/45, 45/35 and 35/25 (°C). These values are chosen as they correspond to standard temperatures for low-temperature heating set-ups. Model validation is successful for the case of natural convection (u = 0), whereas difficulties are encountered for the cases of mixed and forced convection. Reasons for these difficulties are discussed and it is concluded that there is a need for more experimental studies of flat vertical plates with non-isothermal wall temperature profiles.

A majority of the primary roadways in the United States are constructed using hot-mix asphalt (HMA) placed over a granular base material. The strength of this pavement system is strongly influenced by the local environmental conditions. Excessive moisture in a granular base layer can cause that layer to lose its structural contribution by reducing the area over which loading may be distributed. Excessive moisture and fine particles can be transported by hydrostatic pressure to the surface layers, thus reducing the strength of the overlying HMA by contamination. Moisture in the surface HMA layers can cause deterioration through stripping and raveling. In addition, as HMA is a viscoelastic material, it behaves more as a viscous fluid at high temperatures and as an elastic solid at low temperatures. Between these two temperature extremes, a combination of these properties is evident. Thus, understanding the environmental effects on flexible pavements allows better prediction of pavement performance and behavior under different environmental conditions. As part of the ongoing pavement research at the Virginia Smart Road, instrumentation was embedded during construction to monitor pavement response to loading and environment; moisture content of the granular base layers and temperature of the HMA layers were among the responses monitored. The Virginia Smart Road, constructed in Blacksburg, Virginia, is a pavement test facility is approximately 2.5km in length, of which 1.3km is flexible pavement that is divided into 12 sections of approximately 100m each. Each flexible pavement section is comprised of a multi-layer pavement system and possesses a unique structural configuration. The moisture content of aggregate subbase layers was measured utilizing two types of Time-Domain Reflectometry (TDR) probes that differed in their mode of operation. The temperature profile of the pavement was measured using thermocouples. Data for the moisture content determination was collected and results from two probe types were evaluated. In addition, the differences in the moisture content within the aggregate subbase layer due to pavement structural configuration and presence of a moisture barrier were investigated. It was shown that the two TDR probe types gave similar results following a calibration procedure. In addition to effects due to pavement structure and subgrade type, the presence of a moisture barrier appeared to reduce the variability in the moisture content caused by precipitation. Temperature profile data was collected on a continuous basis for the purpose of developing a pavement temperature prediction model. A linear relationship was observed between the temperature given by a thermocouple near the ground surface and the pavement temperature at various depths. Following this, multiple-linear regression models were developed to predict the daily maximum or minimum pavement temperature in the HMA layers regardless of binder type or nominal maximum particle size. In addition, the measured ambient temperature and calculated received daily solar radiation were incorporated into an additional set of models to predict daily pavement temperatures at any location. The predicted temperatures from all developed models were found to be in agreement with in-situ measured temperatures. / Ph. D.

Experimental data on SuperCritical-Water (SCW) cooled bundles are very limited. Major problems with performing such experiments are: 1) small number of operating SCW experimental setups and 2) difficulties in testing and experimental costs at very high pressures, temperatures and heat fluxes. However, SuperCritical Water-cooled nuclear Reactor (SCWRs) designs cannot be finalized without such data. Therefore, as a preliminary approach experiments in SCW-cooled bare tubes and in bundles cooled with SC modeling fluids can be used. One of the SC modeling fluids typically used is Freon-12 (R-12) where the critical pressure is 4.136 MPa and the critical temperature is 111.97ºC. These conditions correspond to a critical pressure of 22.064 MPa and critical temperature of 373.95ºC in water. A set of experimental data obtained in a Freon-12 cooled vertical bare bundle at the Institute of Physics and Power Engineering (IPPE, Obninsk, Russia) was analyzed. This set consisted of 20 cases of a vertically oriented 7-element bundle installed in a hexagonal flow channel. To secure the bundle in the flow channel 3 thin spacers were used. The dataset was obtained at equivalent parameters of the proposed SCWR concepts. Data was collected at pressures of about 4.65 MPa for several different combinations of wall and bulk-fluid temperatures that were below, at, or above the pseudocritical temperature. Heat fluxes ranged from 9 kW/m2 to 120 kW/m2 and mass fluxes ranged from 440 kg/m2s to 1320 kg/m2s. Also inlet temperatures ranged from 70ºC – 120ºC. The test section consisted of fuel elements that were 9.5 mm in diameter with the total heated length of 1 m. Bulk-fluid and wall temperature profiles were recorded using a combination of 8 different thermocouples.The data was analyzed with respect to its temperature profile and heat transfer coefficient along the heated length of the test section. In a previous study it was confirmed that there is the existence of three distinct regimes for forced convention with supercritical fluids. (1) Normal heat transfer; (2) Deteriorated heat transfer, characterized by higher than expected temperatures; and (3) Improved heat transfer, characterized by lower than expected temperatures. All three regions were observed for the 7 rod bundle experiments. This work compares the experimental data to predictions based upon current 1-D correlations for heat transfer in supercritical fluids. Results show that no current 1-D correlation was able to accurately predict heat transfer coefficients within ±50%. A parametric analysis of the data was also completed to determine if continuity in the experiment was present. Results of this study show that two distinct regions are present in the data. For cases with a mass flux below 1200 kg/m2s wall temperature profiles appear to be normal while in cases with mass flux above 1200 kg/m2s temperature given by the wall thermocouples were higher than normal. This phenomenon occurred regardless of heat flux-to-mass flux ratios. / UOIT

Diploma thesis mainly deals with temperature management and calculation of temperature profile in oven by using SMD packages (PLCC, 1206) of different thermal capacitance on testing PCB. Above all shows theoretical consecution of temperature profile calculation in oven by using known mathematical method like the lumped capacitance method or finite difference method. Theoretical solution and measured values are compared. Diploma thesis also deals with fixation methods of thermocouples K type on assembly, comparison methods based on known and subexperiment, determines the deficiencies of methods. This thesis can perform as theoretical as well as experimental resource to prediction of temperature profiles of PCB´s with different assembly density.

During the production of steel in the LD converter the refractory lining is exposed to high temperature emulsion of steel, slag and gas. It protects the steel body of the vessel to come in contact with the molten steel.The main purpose of this work was to observe the temperature distribution profile in converter refractory lining which is very important to understand the life of the refractory lining of the LD converter.In this study, a three dimensional (3D) heat transfer model for the refractory lining of converter was developed. The lining of the refractory material was considered as magnesite brick for inner lining, dolomite for intermediate lining and steel shell as outer part. In order to do the numerical modeling, the CFD software Ansys Fluent 13.0 was used. After considering the proper dimensions, meshing, properties of the lining material and boundary conditions, the modeling in Ansys was performed in two stages. In the first stage, the modeling was performed by assuming that the converter is already heated and the inside temperature of the furnace is 1923K and the outside temperature of the steel body is 300K. In the second stage, the temperature change of the molten steel, slag and the gas was considered as function of blowing time and slag height based on theories from different references. Firstly, the three dimensional (3D) heat transfer model was used for the refractory lining of the converter to show transient heat flow through the lining at different times. Secondly, 3D modeling results from fluent 13.0 was used to develop temperature distribution profile through the lining at different height for different time steps and at different positions with time and also along the converter height from the bottom to top. It has been noticed that refractories in the lining in contact with steel and slag must be of good quality for the reduction of wear cost and downtime and therefore the reduction of refractory cost per ton of steel production.

The thermal boundary condition to a fire exposed surface was quantified with a hybrid heat flux gage. Methods were developed to determine the net heat flux through the gage, incident heat flux, cold surface heat flux, convective heat transfer coefficient, adiabatic surface temperature, and the separated components of radiative and convective heat flux. Experiments were performed in a cone calorimeter with the hybrid gage flush mounted into UNIFRAX Duraboard LD ceramic board. The results were then compared to results obtained with a Schmidt-Boelter gage and a plate thermometer. The hybrid heat flux gage predicted a cold surface heat flux within 5% of cold surface heat fluxes measured with a Schmidt-Boelter gage. Adiabatic surface temperature measurements compared well with the plate thermometer measurements at steady state. Hybrid gage measurements were performed on flat plate samples of Aluminum 5083, Marinite P, and UNIFRAX Duraboard LD ceramic board. The gage and sample assemblies were exposed to mixed-mode heat transfer conditions in a cone calorimeter. Temperature measurements were performed at the top, center, bottom surfaces of the marinite and ceramic board samples. A single midpoint temperature was performed on the aluminum. Boundary condition details obtained with the hybrid gage were then input to the commercial finite element analysis package Abaqus. Abaqus was used to create the flat plate geometries of the sample and variable temperature dependent material properties were used for each material. Measured temperatures were then compared to the model predicted temperatures with good results. Hybrid gage measurements were verified using a new experimental apparatus. The apparatus consisted of an impinging jet assembly, a tungsten lamp, and a gage holster assembly. The impinging jet was used to expose the gage to isolated convection and the lamp was used to expose the gage to isolated radiation. The gage holster assembly was used to water cool the gage when desired. Measurements performed with the gage water cooled in isolated convection allowed for the convective heat transfer coefficient to be determined. Two methods were developed to determine the convective heat transfer coefficient in mixed-mode heat transfer conditions. These methods were then verified by comparison to the isolated heat transfer coefficient. Similarly, the incident radiation was isolated by water cooling the gage while only the lamp was on. The components of heat flux were then separated for mixed-mode comparisons and were verified against this isolated radiation. The hybrid gage predicted convective heat transfer coefficients within 10% of the isolated heat transfer coefficient and incident heat fluxes within 11% of the isolated radiation. / Master of Science

No / Extrusion is one of the major methods for processing polymeric materials and the thermal homogeneity of the process output is a major concern for manufacture of high quality extruded products. Therefore, accurate process thermal monitoring and control are important for product quality control. However, most industrial extruders use single point thermocouples for the temperature monitoring/control although their measurements are highly affected by the barrel metal wall temperature. Currently, no industrially established thermal profile measurement technique is available. Furthermore, it has been shown that the melt temperature changes considerably with the die radial position and hence point/bulk measurements are not sufficient for monitoring and control of the temperature across the melt flow. The majority of process thermal control methods are based on linear models which are not capable of dealing with process nonlinearities. In this work, the die melt temperature profile of a single screw extruder was monitored by a thermocouple mesh technique. The data obtained was used to develop a novel approach of modelling the extruder die melt temperature profile under dynamic conditions (i.e. for predicting the die melt temperature profile in real-time). These newly proposed models were in good agreement with the measured unseen data. They were then used to explore the effects of process settings, material and screw geometry on the die melt temperature profile. The results showed that the process thermal homogeneity was affected in a complex manner by changing the process settings, screw geometry and material. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.