CFD

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Terms modified by CFD

  • cfd analysis
  • cfd calculation
  • cfd code
  • cfd model
  • cfd modeling
  • cfd prediction
  • cfd simulation
  • cfd study

  • Selected Abstracts


    Introducing natural-convective chilling to food engineering undergraduate freshmen: Case studied assisted by CFD simulation and field visualization

    COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION, Issue 1 2009
    J. A. Rabi
    Abstract A computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-assisted didactic activity has been applied to Food Engineering freshmen aiming at introducing basic concepts of process modeling and simulation towards the food industry. Evoking natural convection, a relatively simple case study was proposed involving two initially room temperature porous samples (identified as two fruits) that were placed inside a refrigeration chamber. Three different configurations were suggested for placing such warmer samples so that students were asked to order them with respect to their chilling capability, that is, to their ability to chill samples as fast as possible. Freshmen's written answers were collected before CFD was used to simulate and visualize each distinct chilling scenario. Accordingly, a finite-volume FORTRAN simulator for transport phenomena in domains fully or partially filled up with porous matrix was used to help compare each chilling performance. Among all possible combinations, answer distribution is presented and discussed in the light of freshmen's scholar background as well as based on the way natural convection concepts were introduced. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 17: 34,43, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com); DOI 10.1002/cae20161 [source]


    Graphical user interfaces in an engineering educational environment

    COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION, Issue 1 2005
    Christopher Depcik
    Abstract Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) are being increasingly used in the classroom to provide users of computer simulations with a friendly and visual approach to specifying all input parameters and increased configuration flexibility. In this study, the authors first describe a number of software and language options that are available to build GUIs. Subsequently, a comprehensive comparative assessment of possible alternatives is undertaken in the light of a benchmark educational program used in a course on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) at the University of Michigan. For the GUIs presented, their educational value with respect to flexible data entry and post-processing of results has been demonstrated. In addition, the authors offer recommendations for pros and cons of available options in terms of platform independence, ease of programming, facilitation of interaction with students, and flexibility. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 13: 48,59, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com); DOI 10.1002/cae.20029 [source]


    CFD Sinflow Library: A framework to develop engineering educational codes in CFD and thermal sciences

    COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION, Issue 1 2004
    Romeu André Pieritz
    Abstract This work introduces the educational code development library "CFD Sinflow Library" specialized in 2D numerical methods in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and termal science. This library is for research, educational, and engineering purposes like an open and platform independent architecture. The library was developed with C++ standard programming language using an object-oriented approach allowing educators and graduation/undergraduation students to access the numerical methods in a simplified way. The numerical capabilities and results quality are evaluated, where comparisons are made with benchmark and analytical solutions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 12: 31,43, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com); DOI 10.1002/cae.10056 [source]


    Optimizing process allocation of parallel programs for heterogeneous clusters

    CONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 4 2009
    Shuichi Ichikawa
    Abstract The performance of a conventional parallel application is often degraded by load-imbalance on heterogeneous clusters. Although it is simple to invoke multiple processes on fast processing elements to alleviate load-imbalance, the optimal process allocation is not obvious. Kishimoto and Ichikawa presented performance models for high-performance Linpack (HPL), with which the sub-optimal configurations of heterogeneous clusters were actually estimated. Their results on HPL are encouraging, whereas their approach is not yet verified with other applications. This study presents some enhancements of Kishimoto's scheme, which are evaluated with four typical scientific applications: computational fluid dynamics (CFD), finite-element method (FEM), HPL (linear algebraic system), and fast Fourier transform (FFT). According to our experiments, our new models (NP-T models) are superior to Kishimoto's models, particularly when the non-negative least squares method is used for parameter extraction. The average errors of the derived models were 0.2% for the CFD benchmark, 2% for the FEM benchmark, 1% for HPL, and 28% for the FFT benchmark. This study also emphasizes the importance of predictability in clusters, listing practical examples derived from our study. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Application of High Current and Current Zero Simulations of High-Voltage Circuit Breakers

    CONTRIBUTIONS TO PLASMA PHYSICS, Issue 10 2006
    C. M. Franck
    Abstract This paper reports on the use of computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations to predict the interruption behaviour of high-voltage circuit breakers (HV-CB) using the self-blast principle. Two different levels of accuracy of the arc model are proven to be sufficiently accurate for simulating the high-current phase and the period around current zero (CZ). For the high-current phase, a simplified equivalent model of the arc is implemented to predict the pressure build-up, and even more important to accurately trace the hot gas from the arcing zone into the exhausts and the heating volume. A detailed analysis of the gas mixing in the heating volume for different arcing times and current amplitudes showed the optimum geometrical design of the heating volume. For the CZ phase, a more detailed arc model is needed including the effects of ohmic heating, radiative energy transfer, and turbulent cooling fully resolved in space and time. The validation with experiments was done and shows good agreement which justifies the use of the implemented model. With it, scaling laws varying only one parameter at a time (pressure and applied current slope) were derived and confirm previously found empirical laws. This is of particular interest, as it is very difficult to derive such scaling laws from experiments where the scatter is always very large and where it is impossible to vary only one parameter at a time. The influence of the most important geometrical parameters of the nozzle on the interruption performance is shown. In addition to previous experimental indications of this, the simulation reveals that turbulent cooling on the arc edge is the main reason for the difference in interruption performance. Moreover, the exact spatio-temporal build-up of arc resistance and with it the detailed understanding of the arc interruption process is possible and shown here for the first time. These simulations enable us to predict HV-CB performance and to minimise the number of development tests and are routinely used in new development projects. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


    Long-distance biological transport processes through the air: can nature's complexity be unfolded in silico?

    DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 2 2005
    Ran Nathan
    ABSTRACT Understanding and predicting complex biological systems are best accomplished through the synthesis and integration of information across relevant spatial, temporal and thematic scales. We propose that mechanistic transport models, which integrate atmospheric turbulence with information on relevant biological attributes, can effectively incorporate key elements of aerial transport processes at scales ranging from a few centimetres and fractions of seconds, to hundreds of kilometres and decades. This capability of mechanistic models is critically important for modelling the flow of organisms through the atmosphere because diverse aerial transport processes , such as pathogen spread, seed dispersal, spider ballooning and bird migration , are sensitive to the details of small-scale short-term turbulent deviations from the mean airflow. At the same time, all these processes are strongly influenced by the typical larger-scale variation in landscape structure, through its effects on wind flow patterns. We therefore highlight the useful coupling of detailed atmospheric models such as large eddy simulations (LES), which can provide a high-resolution description of turbulent airflow, with regional atmospheric models, which can capture the effects of landscape heterogeneity at various scales. Further progress in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) will enable rigorous exploration of transport processes in heterogeneous landscapes. [source]


    The effects of slope and slope position on local and upstream fluid threshold friction velocities

    EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 12 2008
    Ning Huang
    Abstract In deserts, dunes are common aeolian landforms, and parallel ridges are common in cultivated land. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is used to simulate a stable wind blowing over slope beds of varying height and coupled with the slope-compensating fluid threshold friction velocity formula. The model accurately reproduced patterns of flow deceleration at the slope toe and stoss flow acceleration. Based on the CFD-based model, quantitative analyses of slope gradient and particle position on the initiation of particle movement are performed. Results indicate that the slope has a great influence on particle saltation in the windward slope, and the initiation of particle movement is particularly sensitive to particle position with respect to the slope. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Computational fluid dynamics modelling of boundary roughness in gravel-bed rivers: an investigation of the effects of random variability in bed elevation

    EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 4 2001
    A.P. Nicholas
    Abstract Results from a series of numerical simulations of two-dimensional open-channel flow, conducted using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code FLUENT, are compared with data quantifying the mean and turbulent characteristics of open-channel flow over two contrasting gravel beds. Boundary roughness effects are represented using both the conventional wall function approach and a random elevation model that simulates the effects of supra-grid-scale roughness elements (e.g. particle clusters and small bedforms). Results obtained using the random elevation model are characterized by a peak in turbulent kinetic energy located well above the bed (typically at y/h,=,0·1,0·3). This is consistent with the field data and in contrast to the results obtained using the wall function approach for which maximum turbulent kinetic energy levels occur at the bed. Use of the random elevation model to represent supra-grid-scale roughness also allows a reduction in the height of the near-bed mesh cell and therefore offers some potential to overcome problems experienced by the wall function approach in flows characterized by high relative roughness. Despite these benefits, the results of simulations conducted using the random elevation model are sensitive to the horizontal and vertical mesh resolution. Increasing the horizontal mesh resolution results in an increase in the near-bed velocity gradient and turbulent kinetic energy, effectively roughening the bed. Varying the vertical resolution of the mesh has little effect on simulated mean velocity profiles, but results in substantial changes to the shape of the turbulent kinetic energy profile. These findings have significant implications for the application of CFD within natural gravel-bed channels, particularly with regard to issues of topographic data collection, roughness parameterization and the derivation of mesh-independent solutions. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Development of equine upper airway fluid mechanics model for Thoroughbred racehorses

    EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 3 2008
    V. RAKESH
    Summary Reason for performing study: Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models provide the means to evaluate airflow in the upper airways without requiring in vivo experiments. Hypothesis: The physiological conditions of a Thoroughbred racehorse's upper airway during exercise could be simulated. Methods: Computed tomography scanned images of a 3-year-old intact male Thoroughbred racehorse cadaver were used to simulate in vivo geometry. Airway pressure traces from a live Thoroughbred horse, during exercise was used to set the boundary condition. Fluid-flow equations were solved for turbulent flow in the airway during inspiratory and expiratory phases. The wall pressure turbulent kinetic energy and velocity distributions were studied at different cross-sections along the airway. This provided insight into the general flow pattern and helped identify regions susceptible to dynamic collapse. Results: The airflow velocity and static tracheal pressure were comparable to data of horses exercising on a high-speed treadmill reported in recent literature. The cross-sectional area of the fully dilated rima glottidis was 7% greater than the trachea. During inspiration, the area of highest turbulence (i.e. kinetic energy) was in the larynx, the rostral aspect of the nasopharynx was subjected to the most negative wall pressure and the highest airflow velocity is more caudal on the ventral aspect of the nasopharynx (i.e. the soft palate). During exhalation, the area of highest turbulence was in the rostral and mid-nasopharynx, the maximum positive pressure was observed at the caudal aspect of the soft palate and the highest airflow velocity at the front of the nasopharynx. Conclusions and clinical relevance: In the equine upper airway collapsible area, the floor of the rostral aspect of the nasopharynx is subjected to the most significant collapsing pressure with high average turbulent kinetic during inhalation, which may lead to palatal instability and explain the high prevalence of dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) in racehorses. Maximal abduction of the arytenoid cartilage may not be needed for optimal performance, since the trachea cross-sectional area is 7% smaller than the rima glottidis. [source]


    An echocardiographic and auscultation study of right heart responses to training in young National Hunt Thoroughbred horses

    EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue S36 2006
    G. LIGHTFOOT
    Summary Reasons for performing study: There are few data available to determine the effect of training on cardiac valve function. Objectives: To investigate the effect of commercial race training on right ventricular (RV) and tricuspid valve function in an untrained group of National Hunt Thoroughbreds (TB). Material and methods: Cardiac auscultation, guided M-mode echocardiography of the RV, and colour flow Doppler (CFD) tricuspid valve and right atrium were performed in 90 TB horses (age 2,7 years) 1998,2003. Forty horses were examined at least once and 48 horses were examined on at least 2 occasions. Examinations were then classified as: i) before commencement of race training, ii) after cantering exercise had been sustained for a period of 8,12 weeks and iii) at full race fitness. Tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR) murmurs were graded on a 1,6 scale and CFD echocardiography TR signals were graded on a 1,9 scale. Right ventricular internal diameter (RVID) in diastole and systole (RVIDd and RVIDs) was measured by guided M-mode. Associations between continuous RVID and TR measures and explanatory covariates of weight, age, heart rate, yard and stage of training were examined using general linear mixed models with horse-level random effects. Results: On average, RVIDd and RVIDs increased by 0.08 and 0.1 cm, respectively, per year increase in age (P=0.1 and 0.02) and by 0.3 and 0.4 cm, respectively between pre-training and race fitness (P = 0.07 and 0.005). Tricuspid regurgitation score by colour flow Doppler increased by 0.6/year with age (P<0.0001) and by 1.8 between pre-training and race fitness (P< 0.0001). No significant associations were found between any outcomes and weight, heart rate and training yard. Due to the high level of co-linearity between age and training, multivariable models including both terms were not interpretable. Conclusions and clinical relevance: Athletic training of horses exerts independent effects on both severity and prevalence of tricuspid valve incompetence. This effect should therefore be taken into account when examinations are performed. Dimensions of RV increase with age and training in TB horses in a manner that appears to be similar to that of the LV. [source]


    Predicting HCl concentrations in fire enclosures using an HCl decay model coupled to a CFD-based fire field model

    FIRE AND MATERIALS, Issue 7 2007
    Z. Wang
    Abstract The amount of atmospheric hydrogen chloride (HCl) within fire enclosures produced from the combustion of chloride-based materials tends to decay as the fire effluent is transported through the enclosure due to mixing with fresh air and absorption by solids. This paper describes an HCl decay model, typically used in zone models, which has been modified and applied to a computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based fire field model. While the modified model still makes use of some empirical formulations to represent the deposition mechanisms, these have been reduced from the original three to two through the use of the CFD framework. Furthermore, the effect of HCl flow to the wall surfaces on the time to reach equilibrium between HCl in the boundary layer and on wall surfaces is addressed by the modified model. Simulation results using the modified HCl decay model are compared with data from three experiments. The model is found to be able to reproduce the experimental trends and the predicted HCl levels are in good agreement with measured values. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Modeling and CFD prediction for diffusion and adsorption within room with various adsorption isotherms

    INDOOR AIR, Issue 2003
    S. Murakami
    Abstract This paper presents physical models that are used for analyzing numerically the transportation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from building materials in a room. The models are based on fundamental physicochemical principles of their diffusion and adsorption/desorption (hereafter simply sorption) both in building materials and in room air. The performance of the proposed physical models is examined numerically in a test room with a technique supported by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Two building materials are used in this study. One is a VOC emitting material for which the emission rate is mainly controlled by the internal diffusion of the material. The other is an adsorptive material that has no VOC source. It affects the room air concentration of VOCs with its sorption process. The floor is covered with an emission material made of polypropylene styrene,butadiene rubber (SBR). An adsorbent material made of coal-based activated carbon is spread over the sidewalls. The results of numerical prediction show that the physical models and their numerical simulations explain well the mechanism of the transportation of VOCs in a room. [source]


    Hemodynamic analysis of intracranial aneurysms with moving parent arteries: Basilar tip aneurysms

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 10 2010
    Daniel M. Sforza
    Abstract The effects of parent artery motion on the hemodynamics of basilar tip saccular aneurysms and its potential effect on aneurysm rupture were studied. The aneurysm and parent artery motions in two patients were determined from cine loops of dynamic angiographies. The oscillatory motion amplitude was quantified by registering the frames. Patient-specific computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of both aneurysms were constructed from 3D rotational angiography images. Two CFD calculations were performed for each patient, corresponding to static and moving models. The motion estimated from the dynamic images was used to move the surface grid points in the moving model. Visualizations from the simulations were compared for wall shear stress (WSS), velocity profiles, and streamlines. In both patients, a rigid oscillation of the aneurysm and basilar artery in the anterio-posterior direction was observed and measured. The distribution of WSS was nearly identical between the models of each patient, as well as major intra-aneurysmal flow structures, inflow jets, and regions of impingement. The motion observed in pulsating intracranial vasculature does not have a major impact on intra-aneurysmal hemodynamic variables. Parent artery motion is unlikely to be a risk factor for increased risk of aneurysmal rupture. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    On a multilevel preconditioning module for unstructured mesh Krylov solvers: two-level Schwarz

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 6 2002
    R. S. Tuminaro
    Abstract Multilevel methods offer the best promise to attain both fast convergence and parallel efficiency in the numerical solution of parabolic and elliptic partial differential equations. Unfortunately, they have not been widely used in part because of implementation difficulties for unstructured mesh solvers. To facilitate use, a multilevel preconditioner software module, ML, has been constructed. Several methods are provided requiring relatively modest programming effort on the part of the application developer. This report discusses the implementation of one method in the module: a two-level Krylov,Schwarz preconditioner. To illustrate the use of these methods in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) engineering applications, we present results for 2D and 3D CFD benchmark problems. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    A stabilized pseudo-shell approach for surface parametrization in CFD design problems

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 4 2002
    O. Soto
    Abstract A surface representation for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) shape design problems is presented. The surface representation is based on the solution of a simplified pseudo-shell problem on the surface to be optimized. A stabilized finite element formulation is used to perform this step. The methodology has the advantage of being completely independent of the CAD representation. Moreover, the user does not have to predefine any set of shape functions to parameterize the surface. The scheme uses a reasonable discretization of the surface to automatically build the shape deformation modes, by using the pseudo-shell approach and the design parameter positions. Almost every point of the surface grid can be chosen as design parameter, which leads to a very rich design space. Most of the design variables are chosen in an automatic way, which makes the scheme easy to use. Furthermore, the surface grid is not distorted through the design cycles which avoids remeshing procedures. An example is presented to demonstrate the proposed methodology. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Numerical analysis of Rayleigh,Plesset equation for cavitating water jets

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 7 2007
    H. Alehossein
    Abstract High-pressure water jets are used to cut and drill into rocks by generating cavitating water bubbles in the jet which collapse on the surface of the rock target material. The dynamics of submerged bubbles depends strongly on the surrounding pressure, temperature and liquid surface tension. The Rayleigh,Plesset (RF) equation governs the dynamic growth and collapse of a bubble under various pressure and temperature conditions. A numerical finite difference model is established for simulating the process of growth, collapse and rebound of a cavitation bubble travelling along the flow through a nozzle producing a cavitating water jet. A variable time-step technique is applied to solve the highly non-linear second-order differential equation. This technique, which emerged after testing four finite difference schemes (Euler, central, modified Euler and Runge,Kutta,Fehlberg (RKF)), successfully solves the Rayleigh,Plesset (RP) equation for wide ranges of pressure variation and bubble initial sizes and saves considerable computing time. Inputs for this model are the pressure and velocity data obtained from a CFD (computational fluid dynamics) analysis of the jet. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    CFD-based optimization of aerofoils using radial basis functions for domain element parameterization and mesh deformation

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 8 2008
    A. M. Morris
    Abstract A novel domain element shape parameterization method is presented for computational fluid dynamics-based shape optimization. The method is to achieve two aims: (1) provide a generic ,wrap-around' optimization tool that is independent of both flow solver and grid generation package and (2) provide a method that allows high-fidelity aerodynamic optimization of two- and three-dimensional bodies with a low number of design variables. The parameterization technique uses radial basis functions to transfer domain element movements into deformations of the design surface and corresponding aerodynamic mesh, thus allowing total independence from the grid generation package (structured or unstructured). Independence from the flow solver (either inviscid, viscous, aeroelastic) is achieved by obtaining sensitivity information for an advanced gradient-based optimizer (feasible sequential quadratic programming) by finite-differences. Results are presented for two-dimensional aerofoil inverse design and drag optimization problems. Inverse design results demonstrate that a large proportion of the design space is feasible with a relatively low number of design variables using the domain element parameterization. Heavily constrained (in lift, volume, and moment) two-dimensional aerofoil drag optimization has shown that significant improvements over existing designs can be achieved using this method, through the use of various objective functions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Sliding mesh algorithm for CFD analysis of helicopter rotor,fuselage aerodynamics

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 5 2008
    R. Steijl
    Abstract The study of rotor,fuselage interactional aerodynamics is central to the design and performance analysis of helicopters. However, regardless of its significance, rotor,fuselage aerodynamics has so far been addressed by very few authors. This is mainly due to the difficulties associated with both experimental and computational techniques when such complex configurations, rich in flow physics, are considered. In view of the above, the objective of this study is to develop computational tools suitable for rotor,fuselage engineering analysis based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD). To account for the relative motion between the fuselage and the rotor blades, the concept of sliding meshes is introduced. A sliding surface forms a boundary between a CFD mesh around the fuselage and a rotor-fixed CFD mesh which rotates to account for the movement of the rotor. The sliding surface allows communication between meshes. Meshes adjacent to the sliding surface do not necessarily have matching nodes or even the same number of cell faces. This poses a problem of interpolation, which should not introduce numerical artefacts in the solution and should have minimal effects on the overall solution quality. As an additional objective, the employed sliding mesh algorithms should have small CPU overhead. The sliding mesh methods developed for this work are demonstrated for both simple and complex cases with emphasis placed on the presentation of the inner workings of the developed algorithms. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Critical evaluation of CFD codes for interfacial simulation of bubble-train flow in a narrow channel

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 6 2007
    Furkan Özkan
    Abstract Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes that are able to describe in detail the dynamic evolution of the deformable interface in gas,liquid or liquid,liquid flows may be a valuable tool to explore the potential of multi-fluid flow in narrow channels for process intensification. In the present paper, a computational exercise for co-current bubble-train flow in a square vertical mini-channel is performed to investigate the performance of well-known CFD codes for this type of flows. The computations are based on the volume-of-fluid method (VOF) where the transport equation for the liquid volumetric fraction is solved either by the methods involving a geometrical reconstruction of the interface or by the methods that use higher-order difference schemes instead. The codes contributing to the present code-to-code comparison are an in-house code and the commercial CFD packages CFX, FLUENT and STAR-CD. Results are presented for two basic cases. In the first one, the flow is driven by buoyancy only, while in the second case the flow is additionally forced by an external pressure gradient. The results of the code-to-code comparison show that only the VOF method with interface reconstruction leads to physically sound and consistent results, whereas the use of difference schemes for the volume fraction equation shows some deficiencies. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Numerical simulation of flapping-wing insect hovering flight at unsteady flow

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 12 2007
    Decan Zuo
    Abstract A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was conducted to study the unsteady aerodynamics of a virtual flying bumblebee during hovering flight. The integrated geometry of bumblebee was established to define the shape of a three-dimensional virtual bumblebee model with beating its wings, accurately mimicking the three-dimensional movements of wings during hovering flight. The kinematics data of wings documented from the measurement to the bumblebee in normal hovering flight aided by the high-speed video. The Navier,Stokes equations are solved numerically. The solution provides the flow and pressure fields, from which the aerodynamic forces and vorticity wake structure are obtained. Insights into the unsteady aerodynamic force generation process are gained from the force and flow-structure information. The CFD analysis has established an overall understanding of the viscous and unsteady flow around the virtual flying bumblebee and of the time course of instantaneous force production, which reveals that hovering flight is dominated by the unsteady aerodynamics of both the instantaneous dynamics and also the past history of the wing. A coherent leading-edge vortex with axial flow and the attached wingtip vortex and trailing edge vortex were detected. The leading edge vortex, wing tip vortex and trailing edge vortex, which caused by the pressure difference between the upper and the lower surface of wings. The axial flow, which include the spanwise flow and chordwise flow, is derived from the spanwise pressure gradient and chordwise pressure gradient, will stabilize the vortex and gives it a characteristic spiral conical shape. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    CFD-based multi-objective optimization method for ship design

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 5 2006
    Yusuke Tahara
    Abstract This paper concerns development and demonstration of a computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based multi-objective optimization method for ship design. Three main components of the method, i.e. computer-aided design (CAD), CFD, and optimizer modules are functionally independent and replaceable. The CAD used in the present study is NAPA system, which is one of the leading CAD systems in ship design. The CFD method is FLOWPACK version 2004d, a Reynolds-averaged Navier,Stokes (RaNS) solver developed by the present authors. The CFD method is implemented into a self-propulsion simulator, where the RaNS solver is coupled with a propeller-performance program. In addition, a maneuvering simulation model is developed and applied to predict ship maneuverability performance. Two nonlinear optimization algorithms are used in the present study, i.e. the successive quadratic programming and the multi-objective genetic algorithm, while the former is mainly used to verify the results from the latter. For demonstration of the present method, a multi-objective optimization problem is formulated where ship propulsion and maneuverability performances are considered. That is, the aim is to simultaneously minimize opposite hydrodynamic performances in design tradeoff. In the following, an overview of the present method is given, and results are presented and discussed for tanker stern optimization problem including detailed verification work on the present numerical schemes. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    A method of coupling non-linear hyperbolic systems: examples in CFD and plasma physics

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 10-11 2005
    E. Godlewski
    Abstract This paper analyses a method of coupling systems of conservation laws with examples in two fluid flows. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Prediction of unsteady, separated boundary layer over a blunt body for laminar, turbulent, and transitional flow

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 12 2004
    D. Scott Holloway
    Abstract The focus of this paper is to study the ability of unsteady RANS-based CFD to predict separation over a blunt body for a wide range of Reynolds numbers particularly the ability to capture laminar-to-turbulent transition. A perfect test case to demonstrate this point is the cylinder-in-crossflow for which a comparison between experimental results from the open literature and a series of unsteady simulations is made. Reynolds number based on cylinder diameter is varied from 104 to 107 (subcritical through supercritical flow). Two methods are used to account for the turbulence in the simulations: currently available eddy,viscosity models, including standard and realizable forms of the k,, model; and a newly developed eddy,viscosity model capable of resolving boundary layer transition, which is absolutely necessary for the type and range of flow under consideration. The new model does not require user input or ,empirical' fixes to force transition. For the first time in the open literature, three distinct flow regimes and the drag crisis due to the downstream shift of the separation point are predicted using an eddy,viscosity based model with transition effects. Discrepancies between experimental and computational results are discussed, and difficulties for CFD prediction are highlighted. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Applications of patient-specific CFD in medicine and life sciences

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 6-7 2003
    Rainald Löhner
    Abstract Recent advances in medical image segmentation, grid generation, flow solvers, realistic boundary conditions, fluid,structure interaction, data reduction and visualization arc reviewed with special emphasis on patient-specific flow prediction. At the same time, present shortcomings in each one of these areas are identified. Several examples are given that show that this methodology is maturing rapidly, and may soon find widespread use in medicine. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Direct computation of thermodynamic properties of chemically reacting air with consideration to CFD

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 4 2003
    Joe IannelliArticle first published online: 2 SEP 200
    Abstract This paper details a two-equation procedure to calculate exactly mass and mole fractions, pressure, temperature, specific heats, speed of sound and the thermodynamic and jacobian partial derivatives of pressure and temperature for a five-species chemically reacting equilibrium air. The procedure generates these thermodynamic properties using as independent variables either pressure and temperature or density and internal energy, for CFD applications. An original element in this procedure consists in the exact physically meaningful solution of the mass-fraction and mass-action equations. Air-equivalent molecular masses for oxygen and nitrogen are then developed to account, within a mixture of only oxygen and nitrogen, for the presence of carbon dioxide, argon and the other noble gases within atmospheric air. The mathematical formulation also introduces a versatile system non-dimensionalization that makes the procedure uniformly applicable to flows ranging from shock-tube flows with zero initial velocity to aerothermodynamic flows with supersonic/hypersonic free-stream Mach numbers. Over a temperature range of more than 10000 K and pressure and density ranges corresponding to an increase in altitude in standard atmosphere of 30000 m above sea level, the predicted distributions of mole fractions, constant-volume specific heat, and speed of sound for the model five species agree with independently published results, and all the calculated thermodynamic properties, including their partial derivatives, remain continuous, smooth, and physically meaningful. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Simulating three-dimensional aeronautical flows on mixed block-structured/semi-structured/unstructured meshes

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 3 2002
    J. A. Shaw
    Abstract The design requirements of a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method for modelling high Reynolds number flows over complete aircraft are reviewed. It is found that the specifications are unlikely to be met by an approach based on the sole use of either structured or unstructured grids. Instead, it is proposed that a hybrid combination of these grids is appropriate. Techniques for developing such meshes are given and the process of establishing the data structure defining the meshes described. Details of a flow algorithm which operates on a hybrid mesh are presented. A description is given of the suitability and generation of hybrid grids for a number of examples, and results from flow simulations shown. Finally, issues still to be addressed in the practical use of these meshes are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    A simple reactive gasdynamic model for the computation of gas temperature and species concentrations behind reflected shock waves,

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL KINETICS, Issue 4 2008
    H. Li
    A simple gasdynamic model, called CHEMSHOCK, has been developed to predict the temporal evolution of combustion gas temperature and species concentrations behind reflected shock waves with significant energy release. CHEMSHOCK provides a convenient simulation method to study various sized combustion mechanisms over a wide range of conditions. The model consists of two successive suboperations that are performed on a control mass during each infinitesimal time step: (1) first the gas mixture is allowed to combust at constant internal energy and volume; (2) then the gas is isentropically expanded (or compressed) at frozen composition to the measured pressure. The CHEMSHOCK model is first validated against results from a one-dimensional reacting computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code for a representative case of heptane/O2/Ar mixture using a reduced mechanism. CHEMSHOCK is found to accurately reproduce the results of the CFD calculation with significantly reduced computational time. The CHEMSHOCK simulation results are then compared to experimental results, for gas temperature and water vapor concentration, obtained using a novel laser sensor based on fixed-wavelength absorption of two H2O rovibrational transitions near 1.4 ,m. Excellent agreement is found between CHEMSHOCK simulations and measurements in a progression of shock wave tests: (1) in H2O/Ar, with no energy release; (2) in H2/O2/Ar, with relatively small energy release; and (3) in heptane/O2/Ar, with large energy release. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 40: 189,198, 2008 [source]


    Simplification of analytical models and incorporation with CFD for the performance predication of closed-wet cooling towers

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 13 2002
    Ala Hasan
    Abstract Simplified analytical models are developed for evaluating the thermal performance of closed-wet cooling towers (CWCTs) for use with chilled ceilings in cooling of buildings. Two methods of simplification are used with regard to the temperature of spray water inside the tower. The results obtained from these models for a prototype cooling tower are very close to experimental measurements. The thermal performance of the cooling tower is evaluated under nominal conditions. The results show that the maximum difference in the calculated cooling water heat or air sensible heat between the two simplified methods and a general computational model is less than 3%. The analytical model distribution of the sensible heat along the tower is then incorporated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to assess the thermal performance of the tower. It is found that CFD results agree well with the analytical results when the air flow is simulated with air supply from the bottom of the tower, which represents a uniform air flow. CFD shows the importance of the uniform distribution of air and spray water to achieve optimum design. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    CFD modelling and experimental investigation of an ejector refrigeration system using methanol as the working fluid

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 2 2001
    S. B. Riffat
    Abstract This paper presents results of computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis and experimental investigation of an ejector refrigeration system using methanol as the working fluid. The CFD modelling was used to investigate the effect of the relative position of the primary nozzle exit within the mixing chamber on the performance of the ejector. The results of the CFD were used to obtain the optimum geometry of the ejector, which was then used to design, construct and test a small-scale experimental ejector refrigeration system. Methanol was used as the working fluid, as it has the advantage of being an ,environmentally friendly' refrigerant that does not contribute to global warming and ozone layer depletion. In addition, use of methanol allows the ejector refrigeration system to produce cooling at temperatures below the freezing point of the water, which of course would not be possible with a water ejector refrigeration system. CFD results showed that positioning the nozzle exit at least 0.21 length of the mixing chamber throat's diameter upstream of the entrance of the mixing chamber gave better performance than pushing it into the mixing chamber. Experimental values of coefficient of performance (COP) between 0.2 and 0.4 were obtained at operating conditions achievable using low-grade heat such as solar energy and waste heat. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Experimental and numerical research for fluidization behaviors in a gas,solid acoustic fluidized bed

    AICHE JOURNAL, Issue 7 2010
    Changqing Cao
    Abstract The effects of sound assistance on fluidization behaviors were systematically investigated in a gas,solid acoustic fluidized bed. A model modified from Syamlal,O'Brien drag model was established. The original solid momentum equation was developed and an acoustic model was also proposed. The radial particle volume fraction, axial root-mean-square of bed pressure drop, granular temperature, and particle velocity in gas,solid acoustic fluidized bed were simulated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code Fluent 6.2. The results showed that radial particle volume fraction increased using modified drag model compared with that using the original one. Radial particle volume fraction was revealed as a parabolic concentration profile. Axial particle volume fraction decreased with the increasing bed height. The granular temperature increased with increasing sound pressure level. It showed that simulation values using CFD code Fluent 6.2 were in agreement with the experimental data. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010 [source]