A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed for pulsatile flows and particle transport to evaluate the possible thrombus trajectory in the feline aorta for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) heart conditions. An iterative target mass flow rate boundary condition is developed, and turbulent simulations with Lagrangian particle transport model are performed using up to 11M grids. The model is validated for human abdominal aorta flow, for which the results agree within 11.6% of the experimental data. The model is applied for flow predictions in a generalized feline aorta for healthy and HCM heart conditions. Results show that in the HCM case, the flow through the iliac arteries decreases by 50%, due to the large recirculation regions in the abdominal aorta compared to the healthy heart case. The flow recirculation also result in stronger vortices with slower decay, causing entrapment of particles in the thoracic aorta and trifurcation regions.

No description available.

The unsteady behavior of a tip leakage flow downstream of a simulated axial compressor rotor has been studied. The Virginia Tech low speed linear cascade wind tunnel was adapted to model the unsteady tip leakage flow produced by a rotor operating in the vortical wakes of a set of stator vanes. The cascade, consisting of 8 GE rotor B blades, has adjustable tip gap, inlet angle of 65.1 degrees, turning angle of 11.8 degrees and solidity of 1.076. The cascade Reynolds number, based on blade chord, was 393,000. A moving end wall was used to simulate the relative motion between rotor and casing, and vortex generators attached to the moving end wall were used to produce an idealized periodic unsteady vortical inflow similar to that shed by the junction of a row of inlet guide vanes. Measurements of the vortical inflow to the cascade produced by the generators and of the mean blade loading at the mid span are presented. The periodic and aperiodic behavior of the tip leakage flow downstream of the cascade, produced by this vortical disturbance, is also presented using phase and time averaged 3-component turbulence and pressure fluctuation measurements. These measurements are made for tip gap from 0.83% to 3.3% chord and streamwise locations from 0.772% to 1.117% blade spacing axially downstream of the cascade. The phase averaged inflow measurements reveal that the inflow produced by the vortex generators consists of a pair asymmetric counter-rotating vortices embedded in a thin (4.6% chord) endwall boundary layer. The vortices extend some 7.4% chord from the end wall. Their strength is about two orders smaller than the typical circulation of the tip leakage vortices produced by the cascade. Phase averaged single point three component hot-wire measurements downstream of the cascade reveal that the vortical inflow is, however, capable of producing significant large scale fluctuations in the size, strength, structure and position of the tip leakage vortex. These effects increase in magnitude with increase of tip gap. For small tip gaps these effects appear to be due to simple superposition between the inflow vortices and the tip leakage vortex. However for larger tip gaps these effects appear primarily a consequence of the inflow vortices interfering with the shedding of circulation from the blade tip. The fact that the circulation fluctuation is consistent with the inviscid unsteady loading prediction suggests that the inviscid response may be a major mechanism for generating the tip leakage unsteadiness. Although there is large periodic fluctuation in the tip leakage flow disturbed by the inflow, there is a larger aperiodic component. Two point correlation measurements and linear stochastic estimation are used to reveal the structure of this aperiodic part for a tip gap of 3.3% chord. The aperiodic fluctuation, containing most of the turbulence energy, is found appearing to be organized structures in large scale, and making the estimated instantaneous velocity field significantly different from the phase averaged periodic velocity field. Phase averaged pressure fluctuation measurements made using a microphone in the tip leakage vortex downstream of the cascade reveal that there are significant periodic fluctuating pressure waves and intense mean square fluctuation of the aperiodic fluctuating pressure. They are consistent with the measured periodic flow and aperiodic flow field respectively. These microphone measurements are validated using fluctuating pressure gradient estimates determined from the hot-wire measurements. / Ph. D.

The present research project is carried out at the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (Rhode-Saint-Genèse, Belgium) with the financial support of the European Space Agency. The first stage of spacecrafts (e.g. Ariane 5, Vega, Shuttle) generally consists of large solid propellant rocket motors (SRM), which often consist of segmented structure and incorporate a submerged nozzle. During the combustion, the regression of the solid propellant surrounding the nozzle integration part leads to the formation of a cavity around the nozzle lip. The propellant combustion generates liquefied alumina droplets coming from chemical reaction of the aluminum composing the propellant grain. The alumina droplets being carried away by the hot burnt gases are flowing towards the nozzle. Meanwhile the droplets may interact with the internal flow. As a consequence, some of the droplets are entrapped in the cavity forming an alumina puddle (slag) instead of being exhausted through the throat. This slag reduces the performances. The aim of the present study is to characterize the slag accumulation process in a simplified model of the MPS P230 motor using primarily optical experimental techniques. Therefore, a 2D-like cold-gas model is designed, which represents the main geometrical features of the real motor (presence of an inhibitor, nozzle and cavity) and allows to approximate non-dimensional parameters of the internal two-phase flow (e.g. Stokes number, volume fraction). The model is attached to a wind-tunnel that provides quasi-axial flow (air) injection. A water spray device in the stagnation chamber realizes the models of the alumina droplets, which are accumulating in the aft-end cavity of the motor. To be able to carry out experimental investigation, at first the the VKI Level Detection and Recording(LeDaR) and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurement techniques had to be adapted to the two-phase flow condition of the facility. A parametric liquid accumulation assessment is performed experimentally using the LeDaR technique to identify the influence of various parameters on the liquid deposition rate. The obstacle tip to nozzle tip distance (OT2NT) is identified to be the most relevant, which indicates how much a droplet passing just at the inhibitor tip should deviate transversally to leave through the nozzle and not to be entrapped in the cavity. As LeDaR gives no indication of the driving mechanisms, the flow field is analysed experimentally, which is supported by numerical simulations to understand the main driving forces of the accumulation process. A single-phase PIV measurement campaign provides detailed information about the statistical and instantaneous flow structures. The flow quantities are successfully compared to an equivalent 3D unsteady LES numerical model. Two-phase flow CFD simulations suggest the importance of the droplet diameter on the accumulation rate. This observation is confirmed by two-phase flow PIV experiments as well. Accordingly, the droplet entrapment process is described by two mechanisms. The smaller droplets (representing a short characteristic time) appear to follow closely the air-phase. Thus, they may mix with the air-phase of the recirculation region downstream the inhibitor and can be carried into the cavity. On the other hand, the large droplets (representing a long characteristic time) are not able to follow the air-phase motion. Consequently, a large mean velocity difference is found between the droplets and the air-phase using the two-phase flow measurement data. Therefore, due to the inertia of the large droplets, they may fall into the cavity in function of the OT2NT and their velocity vector at the level of the inhibitor tip. Finally, a third mechanism, dripping is identified as a contributor to the accumulation process. In the current quasi axial 2D-like set-up large drops are dripping from the inhibitor. In this configuration they are the main source of the accumulation process. Therefore, additional numerical simulations are performed to estimate the importance of dripping in more realistic configurations. The preliminary results suggest that dripping is not the main mechanism in the real slag accumulation process. However, it may still lead to a considerable contribution to the final amount of slag.

<p>The overall goal of the research presented in this thesis is to extend the physical understanding of the unsteady external aerodynamics associated with highly maneuverable delta-wing aircraft by using and developing novel, more efficient computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools. More specific, the main purpose is to simulate and better understand the basic fluid phenomena, such as vortex breakdown, that limit the performance of delta-wing aircraft. The problem is approached by going from the most simple aircraft configuration - a pure delta wing - to more complex configurations. As the flow computations of delta wings at high angle of attack have a variety of unusual aspects that make accurate predictions challenging, best practices for the CFD codes used are developed and documented so as to raise their technology readiness level when applied to this class of flows.</p><p>Initially, emphasis is put on subsonic steady-state CFD simulations of stand-alone delta wings to keep the phenomenon of vortex breakdown as clean as possible. For half-span models it is established that the essential characteristics of vortex breakdown are captured by a structured CFD code. The influence of viscosity on vortex breakdown is studied and numerical results for the aerodynamic coefficients, the surface pressure distribution and breakdown locations are compared to experimental data where possible.</p><p>In a second step, structured grid generation issues, numerical aspects of the simulation of this nonlinear type of flow and the interaction of a forebody with a delta wing are explored.</p><p>Then, on an increasing level of complexity, time-accurate numerical studies are performed to resolve the unsteady flow field over half and full-span, stationary delta wings at high angle of attack. Both Euler and Detached Eddy Simulations (DES) are performed to predict the streamwise oscillations of the vortex breakdown location about some mean position, asymmetry in the breakdown location due to the interaction between the left and right vortices, as well as the rotation of the spiral structure downstream of breakdown in a time-accurate manner. The computed flow-field solutions are visualized and analyzed in a virtual-reality environment.</p><p>Ultimately, steady-state and time-dependent simulations of a full-scale fighter-type aircraft configuration in steady flight are performed using the advanced turbulence models and the detached-eddy simulation capability of an edge-based, unstructured flow solver. The computed results are compared to flight-test data.</p><p>The thesis also addresses algorithmic efficiency and presents a novel implicit-explicit algorithm, the Recursive Projection Method (RPM), for computations of both steady and unsteady flows. It is demonstrated that RPM can accelerate such computations by up to 2.5 times.</p>

The overall goal of the research presented in this thesis is to extend the physical understanding of the unsteady external aerodynamics associated with highly maneuverable delta-wing aircraft by using and developing novel, more efficient computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools. More specific, the main purpose is to simulate and better understand the basic fluid phenomena, such as vortex breakdown, that limit the performance of delta-wing aircraft. The problem is approached by going from the most simple aircraft configuration - a pure delta wing - to more complex configurations. As the flow computations of delta wings at high angle of attack have a variety of unusual aspects that make accurate predictions challenging, best practices for the CFD codes used are developed and documented so as to raise their technology readiness level when applied to this class of flows. Initially, emphasis is put on subsonic steady-state CFD simulations of stand-alone delta wings to keep the phenomenon of vortex breakdown as clean as possible. For half-span models it is established that the essential characteristics of vortex breakdown are captured by a structured CFD code. The influence of viscosity on vortex breakdown is studied and numerical results for the aerodynamic coefficients, the surface pressure distribution and breakdown locations are compared to experimental data where possible. In a second step, structured grid generation issues, numerical aspects of the simulation of this nonlinear type of flow and the interaction of a forebody with a delta wing are explored. Then, on an increasing level of complexity, time-accurate numerical studies are performed to resolve the unsteady flow field over half and full-span, stationary delta wings at high angle of attack. Both Euler and Detached Eddy Simulations (DES) are performed to predict the streamwise oscillations of the vortex breakdown location about some mean position, asymmetry in the breakdown location due to the interaction between the left and right vortices, as well as the rotation of the spiral structure downstream of breakdown in a time-accurate manner. The computed flow-field solutions are visualized and analyzed in a virtual-reality environment. Ultimately, steady-state and time-dependent simulations of a full-scale fighter-type aircraft configuration in steady flight are performed using the advanced turbulence models and the detached-eddy simulation capability of an edge-based, unstructured flow solver. The computed results are compared to flight-test data. The thesis also addresses algorithmic efficiency and presents a novel implicit-explicit algorithm, the Recursive Projection Method (RPM), for computations of both steady and unsteady flows. It is demonstrated that RPM can accelerate such computations by up to 2.5 times. / QC 20101019

No description available.

The objective of this thesis is to accomplish the three dimensional parallel thin-layer Navier-Stokes solutions for low aspect ratio rectangular flat wings in compressible flow. Two block parallel Navier Stokes solutions of an aspect ratio 1.0 flat plate with sharp edges are obtained at different Mach numbers and angles of attack. Reynolds numbers are of the order of 1.0E5-3.0E5. Two different grid configurations, the coarse and the fine grids, are applied in order to speed up convergence. In coarse grid configuration, 92820 total grid points are used in two blocks, whereas it is 700,000 in fine grid. The flow field is dominated by the vortices and the separated flows. Baldwin Lomax turbulence model is used over the flat plate surface. For the regions dominated by the strong side edge vortices, turbulence model is modified using a polar coordinate system whose origin is at the minimum pressure point of the vortex. In addition, an algebraic wake-type turbulence model is used for the wake region behind the wing. The initial flow variables at the fine grid points are obtained by the interpolation based on the coarse grid results previously obtained for 40000 iterations. Iterations are continued with the fine grid about 20000-40000 more steps. Pressures of the top surface are predicted well with the exception of leading edge region, which may be due to unsuitable turbulence model and/or grid quality. The predictions of the side edge vortices and the size of the leading edge bubble are in good agreement with the experiment.

Bubbly turbulent flows occur in a variety of industrial, naval and geophysical problems. In these flows, the bubbles in the flow interact with turbulence and/or vortical structures present in the continuous phase, resulting in bubble motion and deformation, and at the same time modifying the turbulence and/or vortical structures. Despite the fact that this has been a subject of interest for some time, mechanisms of bubble break-up due to turbulence and turbulence modulation due to bubbles are not well understood. To help understand this two-way coupled problem, we study in this thesis, the interaction of single and multiple bubbles with vortical structures; the thesis being broadly divided in to three parts. In the first part, we study the interaction of a single bubble with a single vortical structure, namely a vortex ring, formed in the continuous phase (water). This may be thought of as a simplified case of the interaction of bubbles with vortical structures in any turbulent flow. We then increase the complexity and study the interaction of a single bubble with naturally occurring vortical structures present in a fully developed turbulent channel flow, and then finally to the case of a large number of bubbles injected in to a fully developed turbulent channel. The bubble motions and deformations in all three cases are directly imaged using high speed visualizations, while the flow field information is obtained using time-resolved Particle-Image Velocimetry (PIV) in the first two cases, and from pressure drop measurements within the channel in the latter case. The interaction of a single vortex ring with a bubble has been studied for a large range of vortex ring strengths, represented in terms of a Weber number (We). We find that in all cases, the bubble is first captured by the low pressure within the core of the ring, then stretched azimuthally within the core, and gradually broken up in to a number of smaller bubbles. Along with these bubble deformations, the vorticity within the core of the ring is also modified significantly due to bubble capture. In particular, at low We, we find that the core of the ring fragments as a result of the interaction resulting in a large reduction in the enstrophy of the ring and its convection speed. In the second part of the thesis, interaction of a single bubble with naturally occurring vortical structures present in a fully developed turbulent channel is studied. In this case, single bubbles of different sizes are injected either from bottom or top wall into a channel at Reynolds number of about 60,000. We study the trajectories of the single bubble, and also investigate the effect that such bubbles have on the naturally occurring vortical structures present in these flows. The injected bubble is found to have three broadly different types of bubble paths when injected from the bottom wall, which are sliding along the wall, bouncing motions and vertical escape from the vicinity of the wall. Even at the same bubble diameter Db and channel flow Re, we find that different realizations show considerable variations, with all three bubble paths being possible. PIV measurements of a bubble captured by a naturally occurring vortical structure in the flow, shows a more rapid decrease in enstrophy compared to naturally occurring structures in the absence of bubbles, as seen in the interaction of a bubble with a vortex ring. We also find that the bubble can interact with multiple vortical structures, depending on their strength and spatial distribution in the flow, resulting in a complex bouncing bubble motion. In the third part of the study, a large number of bubbles are injected in to the channel through porous plates fixed at the top and bottom channel walls. The main parameters here are the channel Re, bubble void fraction (α) and the orientation of injection. In this case, in addition to bubble visualizations, the pressure drop through the channel is measured at different vertical locations. These measurements show large vertical variations in the measured pressure drop due to the presence of bubbles. The overall drag reduction in these cases is obtained from an integral of the pressure drop variation along the vertical direction. The visualizations show a number of bubble dynamics regimes depending on the parameters, with possibilities of both increased and decreased drag compared to the reference no bubble case. From simultaneous measurements, we relate the variations in drag reduction to the different bubble dynamics regimes. We find that at the same void fraction (α), the drag reduction obtained can be very different due to changes in bubble dynamics regimes caused by changes in other parameters. Top wall injection is observed to give good drag reductions over a wide range of flow Re and α, but is seen to saturate beyond a threshold α. In contrast, the bottom wall injection case shows that drag reduction continuously increases with αat high Re. The present study shows a maximum of about 60% increase and a similar 60% reduction in wall drag over the entire range of conditions investigated.

Surface mean pressures, oil flow visualization, and 3-velocity-component laser-Doppler velocimeter measurements are presented for a turbulent boundary layer of momentum thickness Reynolds number, 7300 and thickness delta over two circular based axisymmetric bumps of height H = delta and 2delta and one rectangular based symmetric bump of H = 2delta. LDV data were obtained at one plane x/H ¥ 3.26 for each case. Complex vortical separations occur on the leeside and merge into large stream-wise mean vortices downstream for the 2 axisymmetric cases. The near-wall flow (y+ < 90) is dominated by the wall. For the axisymmetric cases, the vortices in the outer region produce large turbulence levels near the centerline and appear to have low frequency motions that contribute to turbulent diffusion. For the case with a narrower span-wise shape, there are sharper separation lines and lower turbulence intensities in the vortical downstream flow. Fine-spatial-resolution LDV measurements were also obtained on half of the leeside of an axisymmetric bump (H/delta = 2) in a turbulent boundary layer. Three-dimensional (3-D) separations occur on the leeside with one saddle separation on the centerline that is connected by a separation line to one focus separation on each side of the centerline. Downstream of the saddle point the mean backflow converges to the focal separation points in a thin region confined within about 0.15delta from the local bump surface. The mean backflow zone is supplied by the intermittent large eddies as well as by the near surface flow from the side of the bump. The separated flow has a higher turbulent kinetic energy and shows bimodal histograms in local and U and W, which appear to be due to highly unsteady turbulent motions. By the mode-averaged analysis of bimodal histograms, highly unsteady flow structures are estimated and unsteady 3-D separations seem to be occurring over a wide region on the bump leeside. The process of these separations has very complex dynamics having a large intermittent attached and detached flow region which is varying in time. These bimodal features with highly correlated local u and w fluctuating motions are the major source of large Reynolds stresses local u2, w2 and -uw. Because of the variation of the mean flow angle in the separation zones, the turbulent flow from different directions is non-correlated, resulting in lower shearing stresses. Farther from the wall, large stream-wise vortices form from flow around the sides of the bump. / Ph. D.