Volume fraction instability in an oscillating non-Brownian iso-dense suspension.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roht, Y. L.; Gauthier, G.; Hulin, J. P.; Salin, D.; Chertcoff, R.; Auradou, H.; Ippolito, I.

2017-06-01

The instability of an iso-dense non-Brownian suspension of polystyrene beads of diameter 40 μm dispersed in a water-glycerol mixture submitted to a periodic square wave oscillating flow in a Hele-Shaw cell is studied experimentally. The instability gives rise to stationary bead concentration waves transverse to the flow. It has been observed for average particle volume fractions between 0.25 and 0.4, for periods of the square wave flow variation between 0.4 and 10 s and in finite intervals of the amplitude of the fluid displacement. The study shows that the wavelength λ increases roughly linearly with the amplitude of the oscillatory flow; on the other hand, λ is independent of the particle concentration and of the period of oscillation of the flow although the minimum threshold amplitude for observing the instability increases with the period.

Using particle tracking to measure flow instabilities in an undergraduate laboratory experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelley, Douglas H.; Ouellette, Nicholas T.

2011-03-01

Much of the drama and complexity of fluid flow occurs because its governing equations lack unique solutions. The observed behavior depends on the stability of the multitude of solutions, which can change with the experimental parameters. Instabilities cause sudden global shifts in behavior. We have developed a low-cost experiment to study a classical fluid instability. By using an electromagnetic technique, students drive Kolmogorov flow in a thin fluid layer and measure it quantitatively with a webcam. They extract positions and velocities from movies of the flow using Lagrangian particle tracking and compare their measurements to several theoretical predictions, including the effect of the drive current, the spatial structure of the flow, and the parameters at which instability occurs. The experiment can be tailored to undergraduates at any level or to graduate students by appropriate emphasis on the physical phenomena and the sophisticated mathematics that govern them.

The Zombie Instability: Using Numerical Simulation to Design a Laboratory Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Meng; Pei, Suyang; Jiang, Chung-Hsiang; Hassanzadeh, Pedram; Marcus, Philip

2014-11-01

A new type of finite amplitude-instability has been found in numerical simulations of stratified, rotating, shear flows. The instability occurs via baroclinic critical layers that create linearly unstable vortex layers, which roll-up into vortices. Under the right conditions, those vortices can form a new generation of vortices, resulting in ``vortex self-replication'' that fills the fluid with vortices. Creating this instability in a laboratory would provide further evidence for the existence of the instability, which we first found in numerical simulations of protoplanetary disks. To design a laboratory experiment we need to know how the flow parameters-- shear, rotation and stratification, etc. affect the instability. To build an experiment economically, we also need to know how the finite-amplitude trigger of the instability scales with viscosity and the size of the domain. In this talk, we summarize our findings. We present a map, in terms of the experimentally controllable parameters, that shows where the instability occurs and whether the instability creates a few isolated transient vortices, a few long-lived vortices, or long-lived, self-replicating vortices that fill the entire flow.

Investigation on thermo-acoustic instability dynamic characteristics of hydrocarbon fuel flowing in scramjet cooling channel based on wavelet entropy method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zan, Hao; Li, Haowei; Jiang, Yuguang; Wu, Meng; Zhou, Weixing; Bao, Wen

2018-06-01

As part of our efforts to find ways and means to further improve the regenerative cooling technology in scramjet, the experiments of thermo-acoustic instability dynamic characteristics of hydrocarbon fuel flowing have been conducted in horizontal circular tubes at different conditions. The experimental results indicate that there is a developing process from thermo-acoustic stability to instability. In order to have a deep understanding on the developing process of thermo-acoustic instability, the method of Multi-scale Shannon Wavelet Entropy (MSWE) based on Wavelet Transform Correlation Filter (WTCF) and Multi-Scale Shannon Entropy (MSE) is adopted in this paper. The results demonstrate that the developing process of thermo-acoustic instability from noise and weak signals is well detected by MSWE method and the differences among the stability, the developing process and the instability can be identified. These properties render the method particularly powerful for warning thermo-acoustic instability of hydrocarbon fuel flowing in scramjet cooling channels. The mass flow rate and the inlet pressure will make an influence on the developing process of the thermo-acoustic instability. The investigation on thermo-acoustic instability dynamic characteristics at supercritical pressure based on wavelet entropy method offers guidance on the control of scramjet fuel supply, which can secure stable fuel flowing in regenerative cooling system.

Elastic instability in stratified core annular flow.

PubMed

Bonhomme, Oriane; Morozov, Alexander; Leng, Jacques; Colin, Annie

2011-06-01

We study experimentally the interfacial instability between a layer of dilute polymer solution and water flowing in a thin capillary. The use of microfluidic devices allows us to observe and quantify in great detail the features of the flow. At low velocities, the flow takes the form of a straight jet, while at high velocities, steady or advected wavy jets are produced. We demonstrate that the transition between these flow regimes is purely elastic--it is caused by the viscoelasticity of the polymer solution only. The linear stability analysis of the flow in the short-wave approximation supplemented with a kinematic criterion captures quantitatively the flow diagram. Surprisingly, unstable flows are observed for strong velocities, whereas convected flows are observed for low velocities. We demonstrate that this instability can be used to measure the rheological properties of dilute polymer solutions that are difficult to assess otherwise.

The effect of a dominant initial single mode on the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability evolution: New insights on previous experimental results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shimony, Assaf; Shvarts, Dov; Malamud, Guy

2016-04-12

This paper brings new insights on an experiment, measuring the Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) instability evolution, performed on the OMEGA-60 laser facility. Experimental radiographs show that the initial seed perturbations in the experiment are of multimode spectrum with a dominant single-mode of 16 μm wavelength. In single-mode-dominated KH instability flows, the mixing zone (MZ) width saturates to a constant value comparable to the wavelength. However, the experimental MZ width at late times has exceeded 100 μm, an order of magnitude larger. In this work, we use numerical simulations and a statistical model in order to investigate the vortex dynamics of the KHmore » instability for the experimental initial spectrum. Here, we conclude that the KH instability evolution in the experiment is dominated by multimode, vortex-merger dynamics, overcoming the dominant initial mode.« less

Observations on instabilities of cavitating inducers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braisted, D.; Brennen, C.

1978-01-01

Experimental observations of instability of cavitating inducers were made for two different inducers operating at different flow coefficients. In general, instability occurred just before head breakdown. Auto-oscillation and rotating cavitation were observed. Analysis of small-amplitude behavior of the inducer and hydraulic system is carried out, and analytical predictions of stability limits were compared with experiment.

The Effect of Acoustic Forcing on Instabilities and Breakdown in Swept-Wing Flow over a Backward-Facing Step

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eppink, Jenna L.; Shishkov, Olga; Wlezien, Richard W.; King, Rudolph A.; Choudhari, Meelan

2016-01-01

Instability interaction and breakdown were experimentally investigated in the flow over a swept backward-facing step. Acoustic forcing was used to excite the Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) instability and to acquire phase-locked results. The phase-averaged results illustrate the complex nature of the interaction between the TS and stationary cross flow instabilities. The weak stationary cross flow disturbance causes a distortion of the TS wavefront. The breakdown process is characterized by large positive and negative spikes in velocity. The positive spikes occur near the same time and location as the positive part of the TS wave. Higher-order spectral analysis was used to further investigate the nonlinear interactions between the TS instability and the traveling cross flow disturbances. The results reveal that a likely cause for the generation of the spikes corresponds to nonlinear interactions between the TS, traveling cross flow, and stationary cross flow disturbances. The spikes begin at low amplitudes of the unsteady and steady disturbances (2-4% U (sub e) (i.e. boundary layer edge velocity)) but can achieve very large amplitudes (20-30 percent U (sub e) (i.e. boundary layer edge velocity)) that initiate an early, though highly intermittent, breakdown to turbulence.

Investigation of hypersonic shock-induced combustion in a hydrogen-air system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahuja, J. K.; Tiwari, S. N.; Singh, D. J.

1992-01-01

A numerical study is conducted to simulate the ballistic range experiments at Mach 5.11 and 6.46. The flow field is found to be unsteady with periodic instabilities originating in the stagnation zone. The unsteadiness of the flow field decreased with increase in the Mach number, thus indicating that it is possible to stabilize such flow fields with a high degree of overdrive. The frequency of periodic instability is determined using Fourier power spectrum and is found to be in good agreement with the experimental data. The physics of the instability is explained by the wave interaction models available in the literature.

Subcritical Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in a Hele-Shaw cell.

PubMed

Meignin, L; Gondret, P; Ruyer-Quil, C; Rabaud, M

2003-06-13

We investigate experimentally the subcritical behavior of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability for a gas-liquid shearing flow in a Hele-Shaw cell. The subcritical curve separating the solutions of a stable plane interface and a fully saturated nonlinear wave train is determined. Experimental results are fitted by a fifth order complex Ginzburg-Landau equation whose linear coefficients are compared to theoretical ones.

Experimental evidence of symmetry-breaking supercritical transition in pipe flow of shear-thinning fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Chaofan; Poole, Robert J.; Willis, Ashley P.; Dennis, David J. C.

2017-03-01

Experimental results reveal that the asymmetric flow of shear-thinning fluid through a cylindrical pipe, which was previously associated with the laminar-turbulent transition process, appears to have the characteristics of a nonhysteretic, supercritical instability of the laminar base state. Contrary to what was previously believed, classical transition is found to be responsible for returning symmetry to the flow. An absence of evidence of the instability in simulations (either linear or nonlinear) suggests that an element of physics is lacking in the commonly used rheological model for inelastic shear-thinning fluids. These unexpected discoveries raise new questions regarding the stability of these practically important fluids and how they can be successfully modeled.

Dynamics and Instabilities of Vortex Pairs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leweke, Thomas; Le Dizès, Stéphane; Williamson, Charles H. K.

2016-01-01

This article reviews the characteristics and behavior of counter-rotating and corotating vortex pairs, which are seemingly simple flow configurations yet immensely rich in phenomena. Since the reviews in this journal by Widnall (1975) and Spalart (1998) , who studied the fundamental structure and dynamics of vortices and airplane trailing vortices, respectively, there have been many analytical, computational, and experimental studies of vortex pair flows. We discuss two-dimensional dynamics, including the merging of same-sign vortices and the interaction with the mutually induced strain, as well as three-dimensional displacement and core instabilities resulting from this interaction. Flows subject to combined instabilities are also considered, in particular the impingement of opposite-sign vortices on a ground plane. We emphasize the physical mechanisms responsible for the flow phenomena and clearly present the key results that are useful to the reader for predicting the dynamics and instabilities of parallel vortices.

Experimental study on rotating instability mode characteristics of axial compressor tip flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Jie; Yao, Dan; Wu, Yadong; Ouyang, Hua

2018-04-01

This paper investigates the rotating instabilities that occurred on the single-stage axial compressor designed for aerodynamic performance validation, which was tested with two sets of circumferential measuring points in combination. Circumferential mode characteristics of compressors are usually too high to be captured experimentally, and aliasing of the circumferential mode order occurs when not enough sensors are used. A calibration and prediction method to capture the higher circumferential mode of unsteady flow in a compressor was proposed. Unsteady pressure fluctuations near the tip region in an axial compressor were studied, and high circumferential mode characteristics were captured on both the blade passing frequency (BPF) and the rotational instability frequency (RIF) under different flow rate conditions based on this novel method. The characteristic RI spectrum with a broadband hump was present in a large range of flow conditions. Both the frequency range and the dominant circumferential mode order decreased as the flow rate decreased. Based on the calibrated mode characteristics, a rotating aerodynamic source model is used to explain the side-by-side peak of RIF spectrum and rotating characteristics of RI. The calibration and prediction method of the high circumferential mode is beneficial for the research of unsteady flow in an axial compressor.

Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instability induced flow, turbulence, and mixing. I

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Ye

2017-12-01

Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instabilities play an important role in a wide range of engineering, geophysical, and astrophysical flows. They represent a triggering event that, in many cases, leads to large-scale turbulent mixing. Much effort has been expended over the past 140 years, beginning with the seminal work of Lord Rayleigh, to predict the evolution of the instabilities and of the instability-induced mixing layers. The objective of Part I of this review is to provide the basic properties of the flow, turbulence, and mixing induced by RT, RM, and Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instabilities. Historical efforts to study these instabilities are briefly reviewed, and the significance of these instabilities is discussed for a variety of flows, particularly for astrophysical flows and for the case of inertial confinement fusion. Early experimental efforts are described, and analytical attempts to model the linear, and nonlinear regimes of these mixing layers are examined. These analytical efforts include models for both single-mode and multi-mode initial conditions, as well as multi-scale models to describe the evolution. Comparisons of these models and theories to experimental and simulation studies are then presented. Next, attention is paid to the issue of the influence of stabilizing mechanisms (e.g., viscosity, surface tension, and diffuse interface) on the evolution of these instabilities, as well as the limitations and successes of numerical methods. Efforts to study these instabilities and mixing layers using group-theoretic ideas, as well as more formal notions of turbulence cascade processes during the later stages of the induced mixing layers, are inspected. A key element of the review is the discussion of the late-time self-similar scaling for the RT and RM growth factors, α and θ. These parameters are influenced by the initial conditions and much of the observed variation can be explained by this. In some cases, these instabilities induced flows can transition to turbulence. Both the spatial and temporal criteria to achieve the transition to turbulence have been examined. Finally, a description of the energy-containing scales in the mixing layers, including energy "injection" and cascade processes are presented in greater detail. Part II of this review is designed to provide a much broader and in-depth understanding of this critical area of research (Zhou, 2017. Physics Reports, 723-725, 1-160).

Onset of turbulence in accelerated high-Reynolds-number flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Ye; Robey, Harry F.; Buckingham, Alfred C.

2003-05-01

A new criterion, flow drive time, is identified here as a necessary condition for transition to turbulence in accelerated, unsteady flows. Compressible, high-Reynolds-number flows initiated, for example, in shock tubes, supersonic wind tunnels with practical limitations on dimensions or reservoir capacity, and high energy density pulsed laser target vaporization experimental facilities may not provide flow duration adequate for turbulence development. In addition, for critical periods of the overall flow development, the driving background flow is often unsteady in the experiments as well as in the physical flow situations they are designed to mimic. In these situations transition to fully developed turbulence may not be realized despite achievement of flow Reynolds numbers associated with or exceeding stationary flow transitional criteria. Basically our transitional criterion and prediction procedure extends to accelerated, unsteady background flow situations the remarkably universal mixing transition criterion proposed by Dimotakis [P. E. Dimotakis, J. Fluid Mech. 409, 69 (2000)] for stationary flows. This provides a basis for the requisite space and time scaling. The emphasis here is placed on variable density flow instabilities initiated by constant acceleration Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) or impulsive (shock) acceleration Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI) or combinations of both. The significant influences of compressibility on these developing transitional flows are discussed with their implications on the procedural model development. A fresh perspective for predictive modeling and design of experiments for the instability growth and turbulent mixing transitional interval is provided using an analogy between the well-established buoyancy-drag model with applications of a hierarchy of single point turbulent transport closure models. Experimental comparisons with the procedural results are presented where use is made of three distinctly different types of acceleration driven instability experiments: (1) classical, relatively low speed, constant acceleration RTI experiments; (2) shock tube, shockwave driven RMI flow mixing experiments; (3) laser target vaporization RTI and RMI mixing experiments driven at very high energy density. These last named experiments are of special interest as they provide scaleable flow conditions simulating those of astrophysical magnitude such as shock-driven hydrodynamic mixing in supernova evolution research.

Crossflow Instability on a Wedge-Cone at Mach 3.5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beeler, George B.; Wilkinson, Stephen P.; Balakumar, P.; McDaniel, Keith S.

2012-01-01

As a follow-on activity to the HyBoLT flight experiment, a six degree half angle wedge-cone model at zero angle of attack has been employed to experimentally and computationally study the boundary layer crossflow instability at Mach 3.5 under low disturbance freestream conditions. Computed meanflow and linear stability analysis results are presented along with corresponding experimental Pitot probe data. Using a model-mounted probe survey apparatus, data acquired to date show a well defined stationary crossflow vortex pattern on the flat wedge surface. This effort paves the way for additional detailed, calibrated flow field measurements of the crossflow instability, both stationary and traveling modes, and transition-to-turbulence under quiet flow conditions as a means of validating existing stability theory and providing a foundation for dynamic flight instrumentation development.

Study of cavitating inducer instabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, W. E.; Murphy, R.; Reddecliff, J. M.

1972-01-01

An analytic and experimental investigation into the causes and mechanisms of cavitating inducer instabilities was conducted. Hydrofoil cascade tests were performed, during which cavity sizes were measured. The measured data were used, along with inducer data and potential flow predictions, to refine an analysis for the prediction of inducer blade suction surface cavitation cavity volume. Cavity volume predictions were incorporated into a linearized system model, and instability predictions for an inducer water test loop were generated. Inducer tests were conducted and instability predictions correlated favorably with measured instability data.

Transition scenario and transition control of the flow over a semi-infinite square leading-edge plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yadong; Zhou, Benmou; Tang, Zhaolie; Zhang, Fei

2017-07-01

In recent investigations of the flow over a square leading-edge flat plate, elliptic instability and transient growth of perturbations are proposed to explain the turbulent transition mechanism of the separating and reattaching flow reported in early experimental visualizations. An original transition scenario as well as a transition control method is presented by a detailed numerical study in this paper. The transient growth of perturbations in the separation bubble induces the primary instability that causes the 2D unsteady flow consisting of Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) vortices. The pairing instability of the KH vortices induces the subharmonic secondary instability, and then resonance transition occurs. The streamwise Lorentz force as the control input is applied in the recirculation region where the separation bubble generates. The maximum energy amplification magnitude of perturbations takes a linear attenuation with the interaction number; thus, the primary instability is reduced under control. The interaction number represents the strength of the streamwise Lorentz force relative to the inertial force of the fluid. The reduced primary instability is not strong enough to induce the secondary instability, so the flow is globally stable under control. Three-dimensional direct numerical simulation confirms the results of the linear stability analysis. Although the growth rate of the convectively unstable secondary instability is limited by the flow field scale, the feedback loop of the energy transfer promotes the resonance transition. However, as the separation bubble scale is reduced and the feedback loop is broken by the streamwise Lorentz force, the three-dimensional transition is suppressed and a skin-friction drag reduction is achieved.

The stability of a thin water layer over a rotating disk revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poncet, Sébastien

2014-08-01

The flow driven by a rotating disk of a thin fluid layer in a fixed cylindrical casing is studied by direct numerical simulation and experimental flow visualizations. The characteristics of the flow are first briefly discussed but the focus of this work is to understand the transition to the primary instability. The primary bifurcation is 3D and appears as spectacular sharp-cornered polygonal patterns located along the shroud. The stability diagram is established experimentally in a ( Re, G plane, where G is the aspect ratio of the cavity and Re the rotational Reynolds number and confirmed numerically. The number of vortices scales well with the Ekman number based on the water depth, which confirms the existence of a Stewartson layer along the external cylinder. The critical mixed Reynolds number is found to be constant as in other rotating flows involving a shear-layer instability. Hysteresis cycles are observed highlighting the importance of the spin-up and spin-down processes. In some particular cases, a crossflow instability appears under the form of high azimuthal wave number spiral patterns, similar to those observed in a rotor-stator cavity with throughflow and coexists with the polygons. The DNS calculations confirm the experimental results under the flat free surface hypothesis.

Coherent motion in excited free shear flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wygnanski, Israel J.; Petersen, Robert A.

1987-01-01

The application of the inviscid instability approach to externally excited turbulent free shear flows at high Reynolds numbers is explored. Attention is given to the cases of a small-deficit plane turbulent wake, a plane turbulent jet, an axisymmetric jet, the nonlinear evolution of instabilities in free shear flows, the concept of the 'preferred mode', vortex pairing in turbulent mixing layers, and experimental results for the control of free turbulent shear layers. The special features often attributed to pairing or to the preferred mode are found to be difficult to comprehend; the concept of feedback requires further substantiation in the case of incompressible flow.

Stability of a jet in confined pressure-driven biphasic flows at low reynolds numbers.

PubMed

Guillot, Pierre; Colin, Annie; Utada, Andrew S; Ajdari, Armand

2007-09-07

Motivated by its importance for microfluidic applications, we study the stability of jets formed by pressure-driven concentric biphasic flows in cylindrical capillaries. The specificity of this variant of the classical Rayleigh-Plateau instability is the role of the geometry which imposes confinement and Poiseuille flow profiles. We experimentally evidence a transition between situations where the flow takes the form of a jet and regimes where drops are produced. We describe this as the transition from convective to absolute instability, within a simple linear analysis using lubrication theory for flows at low Reynolds number, and reach remarkable agreement with the data.

Experimental Observations on a Low Strain Counter-Flow Diffusion Flame: Flow and Bouyancy Effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutula, J. A.; Torero, J. L.; Ezekoye, O. A.

1999-01-01

Diffusion flames are of great interest in fire safety and many industrial processes. The counter-flow configuration provides a constant strain flow, and therefore is ideal to study the structure of diffusion flames. Most studies have concentrated on the high velocity, high strain limit, since buoyantly induced instabilities will disintegrate the planar flame as the velocity decreases. Only recently, experimental studies in microgravity conditions have begun to explore the low strain regimes. Numerical work has shown the coupling between gas phase reaction rates, soot reaction rates, and radiation. For these programs, size, geometry and experimental conditions have been chosen to keep the flame unaffected by the physical boundaries. When the physical boundaries can not be considered infinitely far from the reaction zone discrepancies arise. A computational study that includes boundary effects and accounts for the deviations occurring when the major potential flow assumptions are relaxed was presented by Borlik et al. This development properly incorporates all heat loss terms and shows the possibility of extinction in the low strain regime. A major constraint of studying the low strain regime is buoyancy. Buoyant instabilities have been shown to have a significant effect on the nature of reactants and heat transport, and can introduce instabilities on the flow that result in phenomena such as flickering or fingering. The counter-flow configuration has been shown to provide a flame with no symmetry disrupting instabilities for inlet velocities greater than 50 mm/s. As the velocity approaches this limit, the characteristic length of the experiment has to be reduced to a few millimetres so as to keep the Rayleigh number (Ra(sub L) = (Beta)(g(sub 0))(L(exp 3) del T)/(alpha(v))) below 2000. In this work, a rectangular counter-flow burner was used to study a two-dimensional counter-flow diffusion flame. Flow visualisation and Particle Image Velocimetry served to describe the nature of the stagnation plane for strain rates smaller than 100 (1/s). These experiments were conducted with a non-reacting flow. Video images of a propane air diffusion flame were used to describe the behaviour of a diffusion flame in this regime. Flame geometry and pulsation frequency are described.

Review of subcooled flow boiling critical heat flux (CHF) and its application to fusion energy system components part II: microconvective, experimental and correlational aspects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boyd, R.D.

This paper reviews the present understanding of critical heat flux (CHF) in subcooled flow boiling and outlines research directions which will permit the accommodation of higher heat fluxes. This survey, which covers the last 30 years, is concerned only with CHF in the subcooled flow boiling regime and unless otherwise noted, all references to CHF will be confined to that regime. This paper (Part II) summarizes microconvective, instability, experimental and correlational aspects of CHF. Section II covers microconvection and instabilities, section III covers representative experimental work, and section IV summarizes and compares selected CHF correlations. Section V documents previous flowmore » visualization work and section VI contains conclusions and recommendations concerning problem areas and suggested research directions essential to the HHFCDP, which involves extending steady state and transient CHF towards 30 kW/cm/sup 2/.« less

Design and Construction of a Shock Tube Experiment for Multiphase Instability Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Middlebrooks, John; Black, Wolfgang; Avgoustopoulos, Constantine; Allen, Roy; Kathakapa, Raj; Guo, Qiwen; McFarland, Jacob

2016-11-01

Hydrodynamic instabilities are important phenomena that have a wide range of practical applications in engineering and physics. One such instability, the shock driven multiphase instability (SDMI), arises when a shockwave accelerates an interface between two particle-gas mixtures with differing multiphase properties. The SDMI is present in high energy explosives, scramjets, and supernovae. A practical way of studying shock wave driven instabilities is through experimentation in a shock tube laboratory. This poster presentation will cover the design and data acquisition process of the University of Missouri's Fluid Mixing Shock Tube Laboratory. In the shock tube, a pressure generated shockwave is passed through a multiphase interface, creating the SDMI instability. This can be photographed for observation using high speed cameras, lasers, and advance imaging techniques. Important experimental parameters such as internal pressure and temperature, and mass flow rates of gases can be set and recorded by remotely controlled devices. The experimental facility provides the University of Missouri's Fluid Mixing Shock Tube Laboratory with the ability to validate simulated experiments and to conduct further inquiry into the field of shock driven multiphase hydrodynamic instabilities. Advisor.

Electrokinetic instability in microchannel ferrofluid/water co-flows

PubMed Central

Song, Le; Yu, Liandong; Zhou, Yilong; Antao, Asher Reginald; Prabhakaran, Rama Aravind; Xuan, Xiangchun

2017-01-01

Electrokinetic instability refers to unstable electric field-driven disturbance to fluid flows, which can be harnessed to promote mixing for various electrokinetic microfluidic applications. This work presents a combined numerical and experimental study of electrokinetic ferrofluid/water co-flows in microchannels of various depths. Instability waves are observed at the ferrofluid and water interface when the applied DC electric field is beyond a threshold value. They are generated by the electric body force that acts on the free charge induced by the mismatch of ferrofluid and water electric conductivities. A nonlinear depth-averaged numerical model is developed to understand and simulate the interfacial electrokinetic behaviors. It considers the top and bottom channel walls’ stabilizing effects on electrokinetic flow through the depth averaging of three-dimensional transport equations in a second-order asymptotic analysis. This model is found accurate to predict both the observed electrokinetic instability patterns and the measured threshold electric fields for ferrofluids of different concentrations in shallow microchannels. PMID:28406228

Electrokinetic Particle Aggregation and Flow Instabilities in Non-Dilute Colloidal Suspensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navaneetham, Guru; Posner, Jonathan

2007-11-01

An experimental investigation of electrokinetic particle aggregation and flow instabilities of non-dilute colloidal suspensions in microfabricated channels is presented. The addition of charged colloidal particles can alter the solution's conductivity, permittivity as well as the average particle electrophoretic mobility. In this work, a colloid volume fraction gradient is achieved at the intersection of a Y-shaped PDMS microchannel. The solution conductivity and the particle mobility as a function of the particle (500 nm polystyrene) volume fraction are presented. The critical conditions required for particle aggregation and flow instability are given along with a scaling analysis which shows that the flow becomes unstable at a critical electric Rayleigh number for a wide range of applied electric fields and colloid volume fractions. Electrokinetic particle aggregation and instabilities of non-dilute colloidal suspensions may be important for applications such as the electrophoretic deposition of particles to form micropatterned colloidal assemblies, electrorheological devices, and on-chip, electrokinetic manipulation of colloids.

Mind the gap: a flow instability controlled by particle-surface distance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Driscoll, Michelle; Delmotte, Blaise; Youssef, Mena; Sacanna, Stefano; Donev, Aleksandar; Chaikin, Paul

2016-11-01

Does a rotating particle always spin in place? Not if that particle is near a surface: rolling leads to translational motion, as well as very strong flows around the particle, even quite far away. These large advective flows strongly couple the motion of neighboring particles, giving rise to strong collective effects in groups of rolling particles. Using a model experimental system, weakly magnetic colloids driven by a rotating magnetic field, we observe that driving a compact group of microrollers leads to a new kind of flow instability. First, an initially uniformly-distributed strip of particles evolves into a shock structure, and then it becomes unstable, emitting fingers with a well-defined wavelength. Using 3D large-scale simulations in tandem with our experiments, we find that the instability wavelength is controlled not by the driving torque or the fluid viscosity, but a geometric parameter: the microroller's distance above the container floor. Furthermore, we find that the instability dynamics can be reproduced using only one ingredient: hydrodynamic interactions near a no-slip boundary.

Viscoelastic Taylor-Couette instability as analog of the magnetorotational instability.

PubMed

Bai, Yang; Crumeyrolle, Olivier; Mutabazi, Innocent

2015-09-01

A linear stability analysis and an experimental study of a viscoelastic Taylor-Couette flow corotating in the Keplerian ratio allow us to elucidate the analogy between the viscoelastic instability and the magnetorotational instability (MRI). A generalized Rayleigh criterion allows us to determine the potentially unstable zone to pure-elasticity-driven perturbations. Experiments with a viscoelastic polymer solution yield four modes: one pure-elasticity mode and three elastorotational instability (ERI) modes that represent the MRI-analog modes. The destabilization by the polymer viscosity is evidenced for the ERI modes.

An Experimental and Numerical Study of Roughness-Induced Instabilities in a Mach 3.5 Boundary Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kegerise, Michael A.; King, Rudolph A.; Owens, Lewis R.; Choudhari, Meelan M.; Norris, Andrew T.; Li, Fei; Chang, Chau-Layn

2012-01-01

Progress on a joint experimental and numerical study of laminar-to-turbulent transition induced by an isolated roughness element in a high-speed laminar boundary layer is reported in this paper. The numerical analysis suggests that transition is driven by the instability of high- and low-speed streaks embedded in the wake of the isolated roughness element. In addition, spatial stability analysis revealed that the wake flow supports multiple modes (even and odd) of convective instabilities that experience strong enough growth to cause transition. The experimental measurements, which included hot-wire and pitot-probe surveys, confirmed the existence of embedded high- and low-speed streaks in the roughness wake. Furthermore, the measurements indicate the presence of both even and odd modes of instability, although their relative magnitude depends on the specifics of the roughness geometry and flow conditions (e.g., the value of Re(sub kk) or k/delta. For the two test cases considered in the measurements (Re(sub kk) values of 462 and 319), the even mode and the odd mode were respectively dominant and appear to play a primary role in the transition process.

Comprehensive experimental and numerical analysis of instability phenomena in pump turbines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gentner, Ch; Sallaberger, M.; Widmer, Ch; Bobach, B.-J.; Jaberg, H.; Schiffer, J.; Senn, F.; Guggenberger, M.

2014-03-01

The changes in the electricity market have led to changed requirements for the operation of pump turbines. Utilities need to change fast and frequently between pumping and generating modes and increasingly want to operate at off-design conditions for extended periods. Operation of the units in instable areas of the machine characteristic is not acceptable and may lead to self-excited vibration of the hydraulic system. In turbine operation of pump turbines unstable behaviour can occur at low load off-design operation close to runaway conditions (S-shape of the turbine characteristic). This type of instability may impede the synchronization of the machine in turbine mode and thus increase start-up and switch over times. A pronounced S-shaped instability can also lead to significant drop of discharge in the event of load rejection. Low pressure on the suction side and in the tail-race tunnel could cause dangerous separation of the water column. Understanding the flow features that lead to the instable behaviour of pump turbines is a prerequisite to the design of machines that can fulfil the growing requirements relating to operational flexibility. Flow simulation in these instability zones is demanding due to the complex and highly unsteady flow patterns. Only unsteady simulation methods are able to reproduce the governing physical effects in these operating regions. ANDRITZ HYDRO has been investigating the stability behaviour of pump turbines in turbine operation in cooperation with several universities using simulation and measurements. In order to validate the results of flow simulation of unstable operating points, the Graz University of Technology (Austria) performed detailed experimental investigations. Within the scope of a long term research project, the operating characteristics of several pump turbine runners have been measured and flow patterns in the pump turbine at speed no load and runaway have been examined by 2D Laser particle image velocimetry (PIV). For several wicket gate positions, the flow fields in the vane-less space at runner inlet observed in the experiment are compared with the results of unsteady CFD flow simulations. Physical phenomena are visualized and insight to flow phenomena is given. Analyses using both results of simulation and measurement allow deriving a consistent explanation of the fluid mechanical mechanisms leading to the S-shaped instability of pump turbines.

Sound generated by instability waves of supersonic flows. I Two-dimensional mixing layers. II - Axisymmetric jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tam, C. K. W.; Burton, D. E.

1984-01-01

An investigation is conducted of the phenomenon of sound generation by spatially growing instability waves in high-speed flows. It is pointed out that this process of noise generation is most effective when the flow is supersonic relative to the ambient speed of sound. The inner and outer asymptotic expansions corresponding to an excited instability wave in a two-dimensional mixing layer and its associated acoustic fields are constructed in terms of the inner and outer spatial variables. In matching the solutions, the intermediate matching principle of Van Dyke and Cole is followed. The validity of the theory is tested by applying it to an axisymmetric supersonic jet and comparing the calculated results with experimental measurements. Very favorable agreements are found both in the calculated instability-wave amplitude distribution (the inner solution) and the near pressure field level contours (the outer solution) in each case.

The Hagen-Poiseuille, Plane Couette and Poiseuille Flows Linear Instability and Rogue Waves Excitation Mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chefranov, Sergey; Chefranov, Alexander

2016-04-01

Linear hydrodynamic stability theory for the Hagen-Poiseuille (HP) flow yields a conclusion of infinitely large threshold Reynolds number, Re, value. This contradiction to the observation data is bypassed using assumption of the HP flow instability having hard type and possible for sufficiently high-amplitude disturbances. HP flow disturbance evolution is considered by nonlinear hydrodynamic stability theory. Similar is the case of the plane Couette (PC) flow. For the plane Poiseuille (PP) flow, linear theory just quantitatively does not agree with experimental data defining the threshold Reynolds number Re= 5772 ( S. A. Orszag, 1971), more than five-fold exceeding however the value observed, Re=1080 (S. J. Davies, C. M. White, 1928). In the present work, we show that the linear stability theory conclusions for the HP and PC on stability for any Reynolds number and evidently too high threshold Reynolds number estimate for the PP flow are related with the traditional use of the disturbance representation assuming the possibility of separation of the longitudinal (along the flow direction) variable from the other spatial variables. We show that if to refuse from this traditional form, conclusions on the linear instability for the HP and PC flows may be obtained for finite Reynolds numbers (for the HP flow, for Re>704, and for the PC flow, for Re>139). Also, we fit the linear stability theory conclusion on the PP flow to the experimental data by getting an estimate of the minimal threshold Reynolds number as Re=1040. We also get agreement of the minimal threshold Reynolds number estimate for PC with the experimental data of S. Bottin, et.al., 1997, where the laminar PC flow stability threshold is Re = 150. Rogue waves excitation mechanism in oppositely directed currents due to the PC flow linear instability is discussed. Results of the new linear hydrodynamic stability theory for the HP, PP, and PC flows are published in the following papers: 1. S.G. Chefranov, A.G. Chefranov, JETP, v.119, No.2, 331, 2014 2. S.G. Chefranov, A.G. Chefranov, Doklady Physics, vol.60, No.7, 327-332, 2015 3. S.G. Chefranov, A. G. Chefranov, arXiv: 1509.08910v1 [physics.flu-dyn] 29 Sep 2015 (accepted to JETP)

Influence of fluid temperature gradient on the flow within the shaft gap of a PLR pump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, W.; Rosic, B.; Zhang, Q.; Khanal, B.

2016-03-01

In nuclear power plants the primary-loop recirculation (PLR) pump circulates the high temperature/high-pressure coolant in order to remove the thermal energy generated within the reactor. The pump is sealed using the cold purge flow in the shaft seal gap between the rotating shaft and stationary casing, where different forms of Taylor-Couette flow instabilities develop. Due to the temperature difference between the hot recirculating water and the cold purge water (of order of 200 °C), the flow instabilities in the gap cause temperature fluctuations, which can lead to shaft or casing thermal fatigue cracks. The present work numerically investigated the influence of temperature difference and rotating speed on the structure and dynamics of the Taylor-Couette flow instabilities. The CFD solver used in this study was extensively validated against the experimental data published in the open literature. Influence of temperature difference on the fluid dynamics of Taylor vortices was investigated in this study. With large temperature difference, the structure of the Taylor vortices is greatly stretched at the interface region between the annulus gap and the lower recirculating cavity. Higher temperature difference and rotating speed induce lower fluctuating frequency and smaller circumferential wave number of Taylor vortices. However, the azimuthal wave speed remains unchanged with all the cases tested. The predicted axial location of the maximum temperature fluctuation on the shaft is in a good agreement with the experimental data, identifying the region potentially affected by the thermal fatigue. The physical understandings of such flow instabilities presented in this paper would be useful for future PLR pump design optimization.

Observation of single-mode, Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in a supersonic flow

DOE PAGES

Wan, W. C.; Malamud, Guy; Shimony, A.; ...

2015-10-01

This manuscript reports the first observations of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability evolving from well-characterized seed perturbations in a steady, supersonic flow. The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability occurs when two fluids move parallel to one another at different velocities, and contributes to an intermixing of fluids and transition to turbulence. It is ubiquitous in nature and engineering, including terrestrial systems such as cloud formations, astrophysical systems such as supernovae, and laboratory systems such as fusion experiments. In a supersonic flow, the growth rate of the instability is inhibited due to effects of compressibility. These effects are still not fully understood, and hold the motivationmore » for the current work. The data presented here were obtained by developing a novel experimental platform capable of sustaining a steady shockwave over a precision-machined interface for unprecedented durations. The chosen interface was a well-characterized, single-mode sine wave, allowing us to document the evolution of individual vortices at high resolution. Understanding the behavior of individual vortices is the first of two fundamental steps towards developing a comprehensive model for the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in a compressible flow. The results of this experiment were well reproduced with 2D hydrodynamic simulations. The platform has been extended to additional experiments, which study the evolution of different hydrodynamic instabilities in steady, supersonic flows.« less

Observation of single-mode, Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in a supersonic flow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wan, W. C.; Malamud, Guy; Shimony, A.

This manuscript reports the first observations of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability evolving from well-characterized seed perturbations in a steady, supersonic flow. The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability occurs when two fluids move parallel to one another at different velocities, and contributes to an intermixing of fluids and transition to turbulence. It is ubiquitous in nature and engineering, including terrestrial systems such as cloud formations, astrophysical systems such as supernovae, and laboratory systems such as fusion experiments. In a supersonic flow, the growth rate of the instability is inhibited due to effects of compressibility. These effects are still not fully understood, and hold the motivationmore » for the current work. The data presented here were obtained by developing a novel experimental platform capable of sustaining a steady shockwave over a precision-machined interface for unprecedented durations. The chosen interface was a well-characterized, single-mode sine wave, allowing us to document the evolution of individual vortices at high resolution. Understanding the behavior of individual vortices is the first of two fundamental steps towards developing a comprehensive model for the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in a compressible flow. The results of this experiment were well reproduced with 2D hydrodynamic simulations. The platform has been extended to additional experiments, which study the evolution of different hydrodynamic instabilities in steady, supersonic flows.« less

Experimental Evidence for Magnetorotational Instability in a Taylor-Couette Flow under the Influence of a Helical Magnetic Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefani, Frank; Gundrum, Thomas; Gerbeth, Gunter; Rüdiger, Günther; Schultz, Manfred; Szklarski, Jacek; Hollerbach, Rainer

2006-11-01

A recent Letter [R. Hollerbach and G. Rüdiger, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 124501 (2005)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.95.124501] has shown that the threshold for the onset of the magnetorotational instability in a Taylor-Couette flow is dramatically reduced if both axial and azimuthal magnetic fields are imposed. In agreement with this prediction, we present results of a Taylor-Couette experiment with the liquid metal alloy GaInSn, showing evidence for the existence of the magnetorotational instability at Reynolds numbers of order 1000 and Hartmann numbers of order 10.

Information flow dynamics in the brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabinovich, Mikhail I.; Afraimovich, Valentin S.; Bick, Christian; Varona, Pablo

2012-03-01

Timing and dynamics of information in the brain is a hot field in modern neuroscience. The analysis of the temporal evolution of brain information is crucially important for the understanding of higher cognitive mechanisms in normal and pathological states. From the perspective of information dynamics, in this review we discuss working memory capacity, language dynamics, goal-dependent behavior programming and other functions of brain activity. In contrast with the classical description of information theory, which is mostly algebraic, brain flow information dynamics deals with problems such as the stability/instability of information flows, their quality, the timing of sequential processing, the top-down cognitive control of perceptual information, and information creation. In this framework, different types of information flow instabilities correspond to different cognitive disorders. On the other hand, the robustness of cognitive activity is related to the control of the information flow stability. We discuss these problems using both experimental and theoretical approaches, and we argue that brain activity is better understood considering information flows in the phase space of the corresponding dynamical model. In particular, we show how theory helps to understand intriguing experimental results in this matter, and how recent knowledge inspires new theoretical formalisms that can be tested with modern experimental techniques.

Inertial instabilities in a mixing-separating microfluidic device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domingues, Allysson; Poole, Robert; Dennis, David

2017-11-01

Combining and separating fluids has many industrial and biomedical applications. This numerical and experimental study explores inertial instabilities in a so-called mixing-separating cell micro-geometry which could potentiality be used to enhance mixing. Our microfluidic mixing-separating cell consists of two straight square parallel channels with flow from opposite directions with a central gap that allows the streams to interact, mix or remain separate (often referred to as the `H' geometry). A stagnation point is generated at the centre of symmetry due to the two opposed inlets and outlets. Under creeping flow conditions (Reynolds number [ Re 0 ]) the flow is steady, two-dimensional and produces a sharp symmetric boundary between fluids stream entering the geometry from opposite directions. For Re > 30 , an inertial instability appears which leads to the generation of a central vortex and the breaking of symmetry, although the flow remains steady. As Re increases the central vortex divides into two vortices. Our experimental and numerical investigations both show the same phenomena. The results suggest that the effect observed can be exploited to enhance mixing in biomedical or other applications. Work supported by CNPq Grant 203195/2014-0.

The Role of Instability Waves in Predicting Jet Noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldstein, M. E.; Leib, S. J.

2004-01-01

There has been an ongoing debate about the role of linear instability waves in the prediction of jet noise. Parallel mean flow models, such as the one proposed by Lilley, usually neglect these waves because they cause the solution to become infinite. The resulting solution is then non-causal and can, therefore, be quite different from the true causal solution for the chaotic flows being considered here. The present paper solves the relevant acoustic equations for a non-parallel mean flow by using a vector Green s function approach and assuming the mean flow to be weakly non-parallel, i.e., assuming the spread rate to be small. It demonstrates that linear instability waves must be accounted for in order to construct a proper causal solution to the jet noise problem. . Recent experimental results (e.g., see Tam, Golebiowski, and Seiner,1996) show that the small angle spectra radiated by supersonic jets are quite different from those radiated at larger angles (say, at 90deg) and even exhibit dissimilar frequency scalings (i.e., they scale with Helmholtz number as opposed to Strouhal number). The present solution is (among other things )able to explain this rather puzzling experimental result.

An Experimental Investigation of Incompressible Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, J. W.; Niederhaus, C. E.

2002-01-01

Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instability occurs when two different density fluids are impulsively accelerated in the direction normal to their nearly planar interface. The instability causes small perturbations on the interface to grow and eventually become a turbulent flow. It is closely related to Rayleigh-Taylor instability, which is the instability of a planar interface undergoing constant acceleration, such as caused by the suspension of a heavy fluid over a lighter one in the earth's gravitational field. Like the well-known Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, RM instability is a fundamental hydrodynamic instability which exhibits many of the nonlinear complexities that transform simple initial conditions into a complex turbulent flow. Furthermore, the simplicity of RM instability (in that it requires very few defining parameters), and the fact that it can be generated in a closed container, makes it an excellent test bed to study nonlinear stability theory as well as turbulent transport in a heterogeneous system. However, the fact that RM instability involves fluids of unequal densities which experience negligible gravitational force, except during the impulsive acceleration, requires RM instability experiments to be carried out under conditions of microgravity. This experimental study investigates the instability of an interface between incompressible, miscible liquids with an initial sinusoidal perturbation. The impulsive acceleration is generated by bouncing a rectangular tank containing two different density liquids off a retractable vertical spring. The initial perturbation is produced prior to release by oscillating the tank in the horizontal direction to produce a standing wave. The instability evolves in microgravity as the tank travels up and then down the vertical rails of a drop tower until hitting a shock absorber at the bottom. Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) is employed to visualize the flow. PLIF images are captured by a video camera that travels with the tank. Figure 1 is as sequence of images showing the development of the instability from the initial sinusoidal disturbance far into the nonlinear regime which is characterized by the appearance of mushroom structures resulting from the coalescence of baroclinic vorticity produced by the impulsive acceleration. At later times in this sequence the vortex cores are observed to become unstable showing the beginnings of the transition to turbulence in this flow. The amplitude of the growing disturbance after the impulsive acceleration is measured and found to agree well with theoretical predictions. The effects of Reynolds number (based on circulation) on the development of the vortices and the transition to turbulence are also determined.

An experimental investigation on the subcritical instability in plane Poieseuille flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nishioka, T.; Honda, S.; Kamibayashi, S.

1981-01-01

The relationship between the three dimensional properties of the fundamental flow of a plane Poieseuille flow and subcritical stability was studied. An S-T wave was introduced into the flow and the three dimensional development of the wave observed. Results indicate that: (1) the T-S wave has three dimensional properties which are synchronous with the fundamental flow, but there is damping at microamplitude; (2) when the amplitude reaches a certain threshold, subcritical instability and peak valley bifurcation occur simultaneously and a peak valley structure is formed; (3) this threshold depends to a great extent on the frequency; and (4) after the peak valley bifurcation there is a transition to a turbulent flow by the process of laminar flow collapse identical to that in Blasius flow.

Patterns, Instabilities, Colors, and Flows in Vertical Foam Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yilixiati, Subinuer; Wojcik, Ewelina; Zhang, Yiran; Pearsall, Collin; Sharma, Vivek

2015-03-01

Foams find use in many applications in daily life, industry and biology. Examples include beverages, firefighting foam, cosmetics, foams for oil recovery and foams formed by pollutants. Foams are collection of bubbles separated by thin liquid films that are stabilized against drainage by the presence of surfactant molecules. Drainage kinetics and stability of the foam are strongly influenced by surfactant type, addition of particles, proteins and polymers. In this study, we utilize the thin film interference colors as markers for identifying patterns, instabilities and flows within vertical foam films. We experimentally study the emergence of thickness fluctuations near the borders and within thinning films, and study how buoyancy, capillarity and gravity driven instabilities and flows, are affected by variation in bulk and interfacial physicochemical properties dependent on the choice of constituents.

Can numerical simulations accurately predict hydrodynamic instabilities in liquid films?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denner, Fabian; Charogiannis, Alexandros; Pradas, Marc; van Wachem, Berend G. M.; Markides, Christos N.; Kalliadasis, Serafim

2014-11-01

Understanding the dynamics of hydrodynamic instabilities in liquid film flows is an active field of research in fluid dynamics and non-linear science in general. Numerical simulations offer a powerful tool to study hydrodynamic instabilities in film flows and can provide deep insights into the underlying physical phenomena. However, the direct comparison of numerical results and experimental results is often hampered by several reasons. For instance, in numerical simulations the interface representation is problematic and the governing equations and boundary conditions may be oversimplified, whereas in experiments it is often difficult to extract accurate information on the fluid and its behavior, e.g. determine the fluid properties when the liquid contains particles for PIV measurements. In this contribution we present the latest results of our on-going, extensive study on hydrodynamic instabilities in liquid film flows, which includes direct numerical simulations, low-dimensional modelling as well as experiments. The major focus is on wave regimes, wave height and wave celerity as a function of Reynolds number and forcing frequency of a falling liquid film. Specific attention is paid to the differences in numerical and experimental results and the reasons for these differences. The authors are grateful to the EPSRC for their financial support (Grant EP/K008595/1).

Elevator mode convection in flows with strong magnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Li; Zikanov, Oleg

2015-04-01

Instability modes in the form of axially uniform vertical jets, also called "elevator modes," are known to be the solutions of thermal convection problems for vertically unbounded systems. Typically, their relevance to the actual flow state is limited by three-dimensional breakdown caused by rapid growth of secondary instabilities. We consider a flow of a liquid metal in a vertical duct with a heated wall and strong transverse magnetic field and find elevator modes that are stable and, thus, not just relevant, but a dominant feature of the flow. We then explore the hypothesis suggested by recent experimental data that an analogous instability to modes of slow axial variation develops in finite-length ducts, where it causes large-amplitude fluctuations of temperature. The implications for liquid metal blankets for tokamak fusion reactors that potentially invalidate some of the currently pursued design concepts are discussed.

Elevator mode convection in flows with strong magnetic fields

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Li; Zikanov, Oleg, E-mail: zikanov@umich.edu

2015-04-15

Instability modes in the form of axially uniform vertical jets, also called “elevator modes,” are known to be the solutions of thermal convection problems for vertically unbounded systems. Typically, their relevance to the actual flow state is limited by three-dimensional breakdown caused by rapid growth of secondary instabilities. We consider a flow of a liquid metal in a vertical duct with a heated wall and strong transverse magnetic field and find elevator modes that are stable and, thus, not just relevant, but a dominant feature of the flow. We then explore the hypothesis suggested by recent experimental data that anmore » analogous instability to modes of slow axial variation develops in finite-length ducts, where it causes large-amplitude fluctuations of temperature. The implications for liquid metal blankets for tokamak fusion reactors that potentially invalidate some of the currently pursued design concepts are discussed.« less

Supersonic, shockwave-driven hydrodynamic instability experiments at OMEGA-EP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Willow

2016-10-01

Hydrodynamic instabilities play a dominant role in the transport of mass, momentum, and energy in nearly every plasma environment, governing the dynamics of natural and engineering systems such as solar convective zones, magnetospheric boundaries, and fusion experiments. In past decades, limitations in our understanding of hydrodynamic instabilities have led to discrepancies between observations and predictions. Since then, significant improvements have been made to our available experimental techniques, diagnostics, and simulation capabilities. Here, we present a novel experimental platform that can sustain a steady, supersonic flow across a precision-machined, well-characterized material interface for unprecedented durations We applied this platform to a series of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability experiments. The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability generates vortical structures and turbulence at an interface with shear flow. In a supersonic flow, the growth rate is inhibited and the instability structure is altered. The data were obtained at the OMEGA-EP facility by firing three laser beams in sequence to produce a 12 kJ, 28 ns stitched laser pulse. The ablation pressure sustained a steady shockwave for 70 ns over a foam-plastic, single-mode or dual-mode interface. A spherical crystal imager was used to measure the evolution of these modulations with high-resolution x-ray radiography using Cu Kα radiation at 8.0 keV. The observed structure was reproduced with 2D hydrodynamic simulations. Supported by the U.S. DOE, through NNSA Grants DE-NA0002956 (SSAA) and DE-NA0002719 (NLUF), by the LLE under DE-NA0001944, and by the LLNL under subcontract B614207 to DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Simultaneous density-field visualization and PIV of the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prestridge, Katherine; Rightley, Paul; Benjamin, Robert; Kurnit, Norman; Boxx, Isaac; Vorobieff, Peter

1999-11-01

We describe a highly-detailed experimental characterization of the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability. A vertical curtain of heavy gas (SF_6) flows into the test section of an air-filled, horizontal shock tube, and the instability evolves after the passage of a Mach 1.2 shock past the curtain. The evolution of the curtain is visualized by seeding the SF6 with small (d ≈ 0.5 μm) glycol/water droplets using a modified theatrical fog generator. Because the event lasts only 1 ms and the initial conditions vary from test to test, rapid and high-resolution (both spatial and temporal) data acquisition is required in order to characterize the initial and dynamic conditions for each experimental event. A customized, frequency-doubled, burst mode Nd:YAG laser and a commercial single-pulse laser are used for the implementation of simultaneous density-field imaging and PIV diagnostics. We have provided data about flow scaling and mixing through image analysis, and PIV data gives us further quantitative physical insight into the evolution of the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability.

Turbulent mixing noise from supersonic jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tam, Christopher K. W.; Chen, Ping

1994-01-01

There is now a substantial body of theoretical and experimental evidence that the dominant part of the turbulent noise of supersonic jets is generated directly by the large turbulence structures/instability waves of the jet flow. Earlier, Tam and Burton provided a description of the physical mechanism by which supersonically traveling instability waves can generate sound efficiently. They used the method of matched asymptotic expansions to construct an instability wave solution which is valid in the far field. The present work is an extension of the theory of Tam and Burton. It is argued that the instability wave spectrum of the jet may be regarded as generated by stochastic white noise excitation at the nozzle lip region. The reason why the excitation has white noise characteristics is that near the nozzle lip region the flow in the jet mixing layer has no intrinsic length and time scales. The present stochastic wave model theory of supersonic jet noise contains a single unknown multiplicative constant. Comparisons between the calculated noise directivities at selected Strouhal numbers and experimental measurements of a Mach 2 jet at different jet temperatures have been carried out. Favorable agreements are found.

Effect of Running Parameters on Flow Boiling Instabilities in Microchannels.

PubMed

Zong, Lu-Xiang; Xu, Jin-Liang; Liu, Guo-Hua

2015-04-01

Flow boiling instability (FBI) in microchannels is undesirable because they can induce the mechanical vibrations and disturb the heat transfer characteristics. In this study, the synchronous optical visualization experimental system was set up. The pure acetone liquid was used as the working fluid, and the parallel triangle silicon microchannel heat sink was designed as the experimental section. With the heat flux ranging from 0-450 kW/m2 the microchannel demand average pressure drop-heater length (Δp(ave)L) curve for constant low mass flux, and the demand pressure drop-mass flux (Δp(ave)G) curve for constant length on main heater surface were obtained and studied. The effect of heat flux (q = 188.28, 256.00, and 299.87 kW/m2), length of main heater surface (L = 4.5, 6.25, and 8.00 mm), and mass flux (G = 188.97, 283.45, and 377.94 kg/m2s) on pressure drops (Ap) and temperatures at the central point of the main heater surface (Twc) were experimentally studied. The results showed that, heat flux, length of the main heater surface, and mass flux were identified as the important parameters to the boiling instability process. The boiling incipience (TBI) and critical heat flux (CHF) were early induced for the lower mass flux or the main heater surface with longer length. With heat flux increasing, the pressure drops were linearly and slightly decreased in the single liquid region but increased sharply in the two phase flow region, in which the flow boiling instabilities with apparent amplitude and long period were more easily triggered at high heat flux. Moreover, the system pressure was increased with the increase of the heat flux.

Physical and numerical aspects of the high-speed unsteady flow around concave axisymmetric bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panaras, Argyris; Drikakis, Dimitris

2011-09-01

The axisymmetric concave body is a typical configuration about which shock/shock interactions appear. Various shapes of axisymmetric concave bodies are used in a variety of applications in aeronautics, for example, axisymmetric jet inlets with conical centerbody, ballistic missiles drag reduction by spike, plasma or hot gas injection, parachutes for pilot-ejection capsules. However, it is well known that two distinct modes of instability appear around a concave body in the high-speed flow regime for a certain range of geometric parameters. These instabilities can cause undesirable effects such as severe vibration of the structure, heating and pressure loads. According to the experimental evidence, the unsteady flow is characterised by periodic radial inflation and collapse of the conical separation bubble formed around the forebody (pulsation). Various explanations have been given for the driving mechanism of the instabilities. In the present, merging of the leading explanations is done, and basic rules for the passive suppression of the instabilities are applied, in order to enforce their proposed driving. In addition, the effect of the flow initialisation method on the flow structure predicted by numerical simulations is examined. For certain configurations, bifurcation of the time-dependent flow has been found. This behaviour is explained with recourse to the phenomenon of hysteresis, which is an inherent feature of the examined flows.

Nonlinear deformation and localized failure of bacterial streamers in creeping flows

PubMed Central

Biswas, Ishita; Ghosh, Ranajay; Sadrzadeh, Mohtada; Kumar, Aloke

2016-01-01

We investigate the failure of bacterial floc mediated streamers in a microfluidic device in a creeping flow regime using both experimental observations and analytical modeling. The quantification of streamer deformation and failure behavior is possible due to the use of 200 nm fluorescent polystyrene beads which firmly embed in the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) and act as tracers. The streamers, which form soon after the commencement of flow begin to deviate from an apparently quiescent fully formed state in spite of steady background flow and limited mass accretion indicating significant mechanical nonlinearity. This nonlinear behavior shows distinct phases of deformation with mutually different characteristic times and comes to an end with a distinct localized failure of the streamer far from the walls. We investigate this deformation and failure behavior for two separate bacterial strains and develop a simplified but nonlinear analytical model describing the experimentally observed instability phenomena assuming a necking route to instability. Our model leads to a power law relation between the critical strain at failure and the fluid velocity scale exhibiting excellent qualitative and quantitative agreeing with the experimental rupture behavior. PMID:27558511

Simulations of viscous and compressible gas-gas flows using high-order finite difference schemes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capuano, M.; Bogey, C.; Spelt, P. D. M.

2018-05-01

A computational method for the simulation of viscous and compressible gas-gas flows is presented. It consists in solving the Navier-Stokes equations associated with a convection equation governing the motion of the interface between two gases using high-order finite-difference schemes. A discontinuity-capturing methodology based on sensors and a spatial filter enables capturing shock waves and deformable interfaces. One-dimensional test cases are performed as validation and to justify choices in the numerical method. The results compare well with analytical solutions. Shock waves and interfaces are accurately propagated, and remain sharp. Subsequently, two-dimensional flows are considered including viscosity and thermal conductivity. In Richtmyer-Meshkov instability, generated on an air-SF6 interface, the influence of the mesh refinement on the instability shape is studied, and the temporal variations of the instability amplitude is compared with experimental data. Finally, for a plane shock wave propagating in air and impacting a cylindrical bubble filled with helium or R22, numerical Schlieren pictures obtained using different grid refinements are found to compare well with experimental shadow-photographs. The mass conservation is verified from the temporal variations of the mass of the bubble. The mean velocities of pressure waves and bubble interface are similar to those obtained experimentally.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Qiang, E-mail: cq0405@126.com; Luoyang Electronic Equipment Testing Center, Luoyang 471000; Chen, Bin, E-mail: emcchen@163.com

The Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instabilities are important hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) phenomena that are found in systems in high energy density physics and normal fluids. The formation and evolution of the R-T instability at channel boundary during back-flow of the lightning return stroke are analyzed using the linear perturbation theory and normal mode analysis methods, and the linear growth rate of the R-T instability in typical condition for lightning return stroke channel is obtained. Then, the R-T instability phenomena of lightning return stroke are simulated using a two-dimensional Eulerian finite volumes resistive radiation MHD code. The numerical results show that themore » evolution characteristics of the R-T instability in the early stage of back-flow are consistent with theoretical predictions obtained by linear analysis. The simulation also yields more evolution characteristics for the R-T instability beyond the linear theory. The results of this work apply to some observed features of the return stroke channel and further advance previous theoretical and experimental work.« less

Gravitational Effects on Flow Instability and Transition in Low Density Jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agrawal A. K.; Parthasarathy, K.; Pasumarthi, K.; Griffin, D. W.

2000-01-01

Recent experiments have shown that low-density gas jets injected into a high-density ambient gas undergo an instability mode, leading to highly-periodic oscillations in the flow-field for certain conditions. The transition from laminar to turbulent flow in these jets is abrupt, without the gradual change in scales. Even the fine scale turbulent structure repeats itself with extreme regularity from cycle to cycle. Similar observations were obtained in buoyancy-dominated and momentum-dominated jets characterized by the Richardson numbers, Ri = [gD(rho(sub a)-rho(sub j))/rho(sub j)U(sub j)(exp 2) ] where g is the gravitational acceleration, D is the jet diameter, rho(sub a) and rho(sub a) are, respectively, the free-stream and jet densities, and U(sub j) is the mean jet exit velocity. At high Richardson numbers, the instability is presumably caused by buoyancy since the flow-oscillation frequency (f) or the Strouhal number, St = [fD/U(sub j)] scales with Ri. In momentum-dominated jets, however, the Strouhal number of the oscillating flow is relatively independent of the Ri. In this case, a local absolute instability is predicted in the potential core of low-density jets with S [= rho(sub j)/rho(sub a)] < 0.7, which agrees qualitatively with experiments. Although the instability in gas jets of high Richardson numbers is attributed to buoyancy, direct physical evidence has not been acquired in experiments. If the instability is indeed caused by buoyancy, the near-field flow structure of the jet will change significantly when the buoyancy is removed, for example, in the microgravity environment. Thus, quantitative data on the spatial and temporal evolutions of the instability, length and time scale of the oscillating mode and its effects on the mean flow and breakdown of the potential core are needed in normal and microgravity to delineate gravitational effects in buoyant jets. In momentum dominated low-density jets, the instability is speculated to originate in the potential core. However, experiments have not succeeded in identifying the direct physical cause of the instability. For example, the theory predicts an oscillating mode for S<0.62 in the limit of zero momentum thickness, which contradicts with the experimental findings of Kyle and Sreenivasan. The analyses of momentum-dominated jets neglect buoyancy effects because of the small Richardson number. Although this assumption is appropriate in the potential core, the gravitational effects are important in the annular region surrounding the jet, where the density and velocity gradients are large. This reasoning provides basis for the hypothesis that the instability in low Richardosn number jets studied by Kyle and Sreenivasan and Monkewitz et al. is caused by buoyancy. The striking similarity in characteristics of the instability and virtually the identical conclusions reached by Subbarao and Cantwell in buoyant (Ri>0.5) helium jets on one hand and by Kyle and Sreenivasan in momentum-dominated (Ri<1x10(exp -3)) helium jets on the other support this hypothesis. However, quantitative experiments in normal and microgravity are necessary to obtain direct physical evidence of buoyancy effects on the flow instability and structure of momentum-dominated low-density jets. The primary objective of this new research project is to quantify how buoyancy affects the flow instability and structure in the near field of low-density jets. The flow will be described by the spatial and temporal evolutions of the instability, length and time scales of the oscillating mode, and the mean and fluctuating concentration fields. To meet this objective, concentration measurements will be obtained across the whole field using quantitative Rainbow Schlieren Deflectometry, providing spatial resolution of 0.1mm and temporal resolution of 0.017s to 1ms. The experimental effort will be supplemented with linear stability analysis of low-density jets by considering buoyancy. The first objective of this research is to investigate the effects of gravity on the flow instability and structure of low-density jets. The flow instability in these jets has been attributed to buoyancy. By removing buoyancy in our experiments, we seek to obtain the direct physical evidence of the instability mechanism. In the absence of the instability, the flow structure will undergo a significant change. We seek to quantify these changes by mapping the flow field (in terms of the concentration profiles) of these jets at non-buoyant conditions. Such information is presently lacking in the existing literature. The second objective of this research is to determine if the instability in momentum-driven, low-density jets is caused by buoyancy. At these conditions, the buoyancy effects are commonly ignored because of the small Richardson based on global parameters. By eliminating buoyancy in our experiments, globally as well as locally, we seek to examine the possibility that the instability mechanism in self-excited, buoyant or momentum-driven jets is the same. To meet this objective, we would quantify the jet flow in normal and microgravity, while systematically decreasing the Richardson number from buoyancy-driven to momentum driven flow regime. The third objective of this research is to perform a linear stability analysis of low-density gas jets by including the gravitational effects. The flow oscillations in these jets are attributed to an absolute instability, whereby the disturbance grows exponentially at the site to ultimately contaminate the entire flow field. We seek to study the characteristics of both convective and absolute instabilities and demarcate the boundary between them.

Highly elastic polymer solutions under shear: Polymer migration, viscoelastic instabilities, and anomalous rheology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MacDonald, M.J.; Muller, S.J.

1996-12-31

The use of highly elastic polymer solutions has been remarkably successful in elucidating the behavior of polymeric materials under flowing conditions. Here, we present the results of an extensive experimental study into the shear behavior of an athermal, dilute, binary polymer solution that is believed to be free of many of these effects. Under extended shearing, we observe the migration of polymer species: after shearing for several hundred hours, concentrations that are more than double the initial uniform value can be achieved. Although the solutions are well-described by dumbbell models in shear flows on short-time scales, theoretical predictions substantially underestimatemore » the rate of migration. Flow visualization and rheometric experiments suggest that the origin of this discrepancy could be the anomalous long-time rheology of these solutions. While these fluids display the well-known elastic instability in cone and plate flow above a critical Deborah number, extended shearing reveals that the toroidal secondary flow is eventually replaced by a purely azimuthal shearing flow. In addition, when sheared below the critical condition for the instability, the solutions exhibit a slow but reversible decay in normal stresses. The shear-induced migration of polymer species has been predicted by numerous theoretical studies. However, observations on the highly elastic polymer solutions that are most likely to show polymer migration, are complicated by a number of different physical processes that occur as a result of shearing. These phenomena, which include shear-induced phase separation, elastically-induced hydrodynamic instabilities, mixed solvent effects, shear-induced aggregation, and anomalous transient shear and normal stress behavior are often observed at times earlier than and at shear rates less than those where migration is predicted to occur; hence, the experimental detection of polymer migration has been thwarted by these other physical processes.« less

Identifying the Oscillatory Mechanism of the Glucose Oxidase-Catalase Coupled Enzyme System.

PubMed

Muzika, František; Jurašek, Radovan; Schreiberová, Lenka; Radojković, Vuk; Schreiber, Igor

2017-10-12

We provide experimental evidence of periodic and aperiodic oscillations in an enzymatic system of glucose oxidase-catalase in a continuous-flow stirred reactor coupled by a membrane with a continuous-flow reservoir supplied with hydrogen peroxide. To describe such dynamics, we formulate a detailed mechanism based on partial results in the literature. Finally, we introduce a novel method for estimation of unknown kinetic parameters. The method is based on matching experimental data at an oscillatory instability with stoichiometric constraints of the mechanism formulated by applying the stability theory of reaction networks. This approach has been used to estimate rate coefficients in the catalase part of the mechanism. Remarkably, model simulations show good agreement with the observed oscillatory dynamics, including apparently chaotic intermittent behavior. Our method can be applied to any reaction system with an experimentally observable dynamical instability.

MRI and Related Astrophysical Instabilities in the Lab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodman, Jeremy

2018-06-01

The dynamics of accretion in astronomical disks is only partly understood. Magnetorotational instability (MRI) is surely important but has been studied largely through linear analysis and numerical simulations rather than experiments. Also, it is unclear whether MRI is effective in protostellar disks, which are likely poor electrical conductors. Shear-driven hydrodynamic turbulence is very familiar in terrestrial flows, but simulations indicate that it is inhibited in disks. I summarize experimental progress and challenges relevant to both types of instability.

Numerical prediction of turbulent flame stability in premixed/prevaporized (HSCT) combustors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winowich, Nicholas S.

1990-01-01

A numerical analysis of combustion instabilities that induce flashback in a lean, premixed, prevaporized dump combustor is performed. KIVA-II, a finite volume CFD code for the modeling of transient, multidimensional, chemically reactive flows, serves as the principal analytical tool. The experiment of Proctor and T'ien is used as a reference for developing the computational model. An experimentally derived combustion instability mechanism is presented on the basis of the observations of Proctor and T'ien and other investigators of instabilities in low speed (M less than 0.1) dump combustors. The analysis comprises two independent procedures that begin from a calculated stable flame: The first is a linear increase of the equivalence ratio and the second is the linear decrease of the inflow velocity. The objective is to observe changes in the aerothermochemical features of the flow field prior to flashback. It was found that only the linear increase of the equivalence ratio elicits a calculated flashback result. Though this result did not exhibit large scale coherent vortices in the turbulent shear layer coincident with a flame flickering mode as was observed experimentally, there were interesting acoustic effects which were resolved quite well in the calculation. A discussion of the k-e turbulence model used by KIVA-II is prompted by the absence of combustion instabilities in the model as the inflow velocity is linearly decreased. Finally, recommendations are made for further numerical analysis that may improve correlation with experimentally observed combustion instabilities.

Experimental investigation of the dissolution of fractures. From early stage instability to phase diagram

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osselin, Florian; Budek, Agnieszka; Cybulski, Olgierd; Kondratiuk, Pawel; Garstecki, Piotr; Szymczak, Piotr

2016-04-01

Dissolution of natural rocks is a fundamental geological process and a key part of landscape formation and weathering processes. Moreover, in current hot topics like Carbon Capture and Storage or Enhanced Oil Recovery, mastering dissolution of the host rock is fundamental for the efficiency and the security of the operation. The basic principles of dissolution are well-known and the theory of the reactive infiltration instability has been extensively studied. However, the experimental aspect has proved very challenging because of the strong dependence of the outcome with pore network, chemical composition, flow rate... In this study we are trying to tackle this issue by using a very simple and efficient device consisting of a chip of pure gypsum inserted between two polycarbonate plates and subjected to a constant flow rate of pure water. Thanks to this device, we are able to control all parameters such as flow rate, fracture aperture, roughness of the walls... but also to observe in situ the progression of the dissolution thanks to the transparency of the polycarbonate which is impossible with 3D rocks. We have been using this experimental set-up to explore and investigate all aspects of the dissolution in a fracture, such as initial instability and phase diagram of different dissolution patterns, and to compare it with theory and simulations, yielding very good agreement and interesting feedbacks on the coupling between flow and chemistry in geological media

Experimental study on the instability of Pressure Balance Injection System (PBIS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Okamoto, Koji; Teshima, Hideyuki; Madarame, Haruki

1996-06-01

The Passive Safety Reactor has been developed to reduce the construction cost and to improve the safety. Japan Atomic Energy Research institute (JAERI) proposed the System-Integrated Pressurized Water Reactor (SPWR) as a Passive Safety Reactor. In the SPWR design, the Pressure Balanced Injection System (PBIS) was introduced for the passive safety concept. The water with boron in a containment vessel were passively injected into the core by the pressure difference between the containment vessel and reactor vessel at a severe accidental condition. However there are few studies on the thermo-hydraulic characteristics of the PBIS. In this study, the thermal hydraulicsmore » of the PBIS are experimentally investigated using the small scale model. The instability of the injected flow was observed in the adiabatic experiment. The instability was caused by the pressure balance between the two vessels. The mechanism of the instability are discussed, resulting in the good agreement with the experimental results. In the steam experiment, another instability was observed, which was caused by the heat balance in the main tank.« less

Modelisation de l'instabilite fluidelastique d'un faisceau de tubes soumis a un ecoulement diphasique transverse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawadogo, Teguewinde

This study focuses on the modeling of fluidelastic instability induced by two-phase cross-flow in tube bundles of steam generators. The steam generators in CANDU type nuclear power plants for e.g., designed in Canada by AECL and exploited worldwide, have thousands of tubes assembled in bundles that ensure the heat exchange between the internal circuit of heated heavy water coming from the reactor core and the external circuit of light water evaporated and directed toward the turbines. The main objective of this research project is to extend the theoretical models for fluidelastic instability to two-phase flow, validate the models and develop a computer program for simulating flow induced vibrations in tube bundles. The quasi-steady model has been investigated in scope of this research project. The time delay between the structure motion and the fluid forces generated thereby has been extensively studied in two-phase flow. The study was conducted for a rotated triangular tube array. Firstly, experimental measurements of unsteady and quasi-static fluid forces (in the lift direction) acting on a tube subject to two-phase flow were conducted. Quasi-static fluid force coefficients were measured at the same Reynolds number, Re = 2.8x104, for void fractions ranging from 0% to 80%. The derivative of the lift coefficient with respect to the quasi-static dimensionless displacement in the lift direction was deduced from the experimental measurements. This derivative is one of the most important parameters of the quasi-steady model because this parameter, in addition to the time delay, generates the fluid negative damping that causes the instability. This derivative was found to be positive in liquid flow and negative in two-phase flow. It seemed to vanish at 5% of void fraction, challenging the ability of the quasi-steady model to predict fluidelastic instability in this case. However, stability tests conducted at 5% void fraction clearly showed fluidelastic instability. Stability tests were conducted in the second stage of the project to validate the theoretical model. The two phase damping, the added mass and the critical velocity for fluidelastic instability were measured in two-phase flow. A viscoelastic damper was designed to vary the damping of the flexible tube and thus measure the critical velocity for a certain range of the mass-damping parameter. A new formulation of the added mass as a function of the void fraction was proposed. This formulation has a better agreement with the experimental results because it takes into account the reduction of the void fraction in the vicinity of the tubes in a rotated triangular tube array. The experimental data were used to validate the theoretical results of the quasi-steady model. The validity of the quasi-steady model for two-phase flow was confirmed by the good agreement between its results and the experimental data. The time delay parameter determined in the first stage of the project has improved significantly the theoretical results, especially for high void fractions (90%). However, the model could not be verified for void fractions lower or equal to 50% because of the limitation of the water pump capability. Further studies are consequently required to clarify this point. However, this model can be used to simulate the flow induced vibrations in steam generators' tube bundles as their most critical parts operate at high void fractions (≥ 60%). Having verified the quasi-steady model for high void fractions in two-phase flow, the third and final stage of the project was devoted to the development of a computer code for simulating flow induced vibrations of a steam generator tube subjected to fluidelastic and turbulence forces. This code was based on the ABAQUS finite elements code for solving the equation of motion of the fluid-structure system, and a development of a subroutine in which the fluid forces are calculated and applied to the tube. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Experimental characterization of 3-dimensional gravity-driven fingering in a porous medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalbe, Marie-Julie; Juanes, Ruben

2017-11-01

When water infiltrates a dry porous media, a gravity-driven instability can be observed. Water will penetrate the porous media along preferential paths, called fingers. This gravity-driven unstable multiphase flow has important implications for natural phenomena such as rainwater infiltration in soil and secondary oil migration in reservoir rocks. While several experimental and numerical studies have described the instability in 2-dimensional (2D) settings, fundamental questions remain on the morphodynamics of gravity fingering in 3D. We developed a 3D experimental set-up based on planar laser-induced fluorescence of index-matched fluids that allows us to image this phenomenon dynamically. We study the impact of some crucial parameters such as rainfall rate or grain size on the finger size and velocity. In addition, experiments in stratified media reveal interesting dynamics of finger flow across material interfaces, an essential aspect towards the understanding of water infiltration in soils.

Some Effects of Leading-Edge Sweep on Boundary-Layer Transition at Supersonic Speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, Gray T.

1961-01-01

The effects of crossflow and shock strength on transition of the laminar boundary layer behind a swept leading edge have been investigated analytically and with the aid of available experimental data. An approximate method of determining the crossflow Reynolds number on a leading edge of circular cross section at supersonic speeds is presented. The applicability of the critical crossflow criterion described by Owen and Randall for transition on swept wings in subsonic flow was examined for the case of supersonic flow over swept circular cylinders. A wide range of applicability of the subsonic critical values is indicated. The corresponding magnitude of crossflow velocity necessary to cause instability on the surface of a swept wing at supersonic speeds was also calculated and found to be small. The effects of shock strength on transition caused by Tollmien-Schlichting type of instability are discussed briefly. Changes in local Reynolds number, due to shock strength, were found analytically to have considerably more effect on transition caused by Tollmien-Schlichting instability than on transition caused by crossflow instability. Changes in the mechanism controlling transition from Tollmien-Schlichting instability to crossflow instability were found to be possible as a wing is swept back and to result in large reductions in the length of laminar flow.

High-frequency combustion instability control through acoustic modulation at the inlet boundary for liquid rocket engine applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennewitz, John William

This research investigation encompasses experimental tests demonstrating the control of a high-frequency combustion instability by acoustically modulating the propellant flow. A model rocket combustor burned gaseous oxygen and methane using a single-element, pentad-style injector. Flow conditions were established that spontaneously excited a 2430 Hz first longitudinal combustion oscillation at an amplitude up to p'/pc ≈ 6%. An acoustic speaker was placed at the base of the oxidizer supply to modulate the flow and alter the oscillatory behavior of the combustor. Two speaker modulation approaches were investigated: (1) Bands of white noise and (2) Pure sinusoidal tones. The first approach adjusted 500 Hz bands of white noise ranging from 0-500 Hz to 2000-2500 Hz, while the second implemented single-frequency signals with arbitrary phase swept from 500-2500 Hz. The results showed that above a modulation signal amplitude threshold, both approaches suppressed 95+% of the spontaneous combustion oscillation. By increasing the applied signal amplitude, a wider frequency range of instability suppression became present for these two acoustic modulation approaches. Complimentary to these experiments, a linear modal analysis was undertaken to investigate the effects of acoustic modulation at the inlet boundary on the longitudinal instability modes of a dump combustor. The modal analysis employed acoustically consistent matching conditions with a specific impedance boundary condition at the inlet to represent the acoustic modulation. From the modal analysis, a naturally unstable first longitudinal mode was predicted in the absence of acoustic modulation, consistent with the spontaneously excited 2430 Hz instability observed experimentally. Subsequently, a detailed investigation involving variation of the modulation signal from 0-2500 Hz and mean combustor temperature from 1248-1685 K demonstrated the unstable to stable transition of a 2300-2500 Hz first longitudinal mode. The model-predicted mode stability transition was consistent with experimental observations, supporting the premise that inlet acoustic modulation is a means to control high-frequency combustion instabilities. From the modal analysis, it may be deduced that the inlet impedance provides a damping mechanism for instability suppression. Combined, this work demonstrates the strategic application of acoustic modulation within an injector as a potential method to control high-frequency combustion instabilities for liquid rocket engine applications.

On the stability and control of a trailing vortex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edstrand, Adam M.

Trailing vortices are both a fundamental and practical problem of fluid mechanics. Fundamentally, they provide a canonical vortex flow that is pervasive in finite aspect ratio lifting bodies, practically producing many adverse effects across aeronautical and maritime applications. These adverse effects coupled with the broad range of applicability make their active control desirable; however, they remain robust to control efforts. Experimental baseline results provided an explanation of vortex wandering, the side-to-side motion often attributed to wind-tunnel unsteadiness or a vortex instability. We extracted the wandering motion and found striking similarities with the eigenmodes, growth rates, and frequencies from a stability analysis of the Batchelor vortex. After concluding that wandering is a result of a vortex instability, we applied control to the trailing vortex flow field through blowing from a slot at the wingtip. We experimentally obtained modest reductions in the metrics, but found the parameter space for optimization unwieldy. With the ultimate goal of designing control, we performed a physics-based stability analysis in the wake of a NACA0012 wing with an aspect ratio of 1.25 positioned at a geometric angle of attack of 5 degrees. Numerically computing the base flow at a chord Reynolds number of 1000, we perform a parallel temporal and spatial stability analysis three chords downstream of the trailing edge finding seven instabilities: three temporal, four spatial. The three temporal contain a wake instability, a vortex instability, and a mixed instability, which is a higher-order wake instability. The primary instability localized to the wake results from the two-dimensional wake, while the secondary instability is the mixed instability, containing higher-order spanwise structures in the wake. These instabilities imply that although it may be intuitive to place control at the wingtip, these results show that control may be more effective at the trailing edge, which would excite these instabilities that result with the eventual break up of the vortex. Further, by performing a wave-packet analysis, we found the wave packets contained directivity, coming inward toward the vortex above and below the wing, and traveling outward in the spanwise directions. We conjecture that this directivity can be translated to receptivity, with free-stream disturbances above and below the wing being more receptive than spanwise disturbances. With this, we provide two methods for instability excitation: utilizing control devices on the wing to excite near-field instabilities directly and utilizing free-stream disturbances to such as a speaker to excite near-field instabilities through receptivity.

Experimental Observation of Thin-shell Instability in a Collisionless Plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahmed, H.; Doria, D.; Sarri, G.

We report on the experimental observation of the instability of a plasma shell, which formed during the expansion of a laser-ablated plasma into a rarefied ambient medium. By means of a proton radiography technique, the evolution of the instability is temporally and spatially resolved on a timescale much shorter than the hydrodynamic one. The density of the thin shell exceeds that of the surrounding plasma, which lets electrons diffuse outward. An ambipolar electric field grows on both sides of the thin shell that is antiparallel to the density gradient. Ripples in the thin shell result in a spatially varying balancemore » between the thermal pressure force mediated by this field and the ram pressure force that is exerted on it by the inflowing plasma. This mismatch amplifies the ripples by the same mechanism that drives the hydrodynamic nonlinear thin-shell instability (NTSI). Our results thus constitute the first experimental verification that the NTSI can develop in colliding flows.« less

Experimental Observation of Thin-shell Instability in a Collisionless Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, H.; Doria, D.; Dieckmann, M. E.; Sarri, G.; Romagnani, L.; Bret, A.; Cerchez, M.; Giesecke, A. L.; Ianni, E.; Kar, S.; Notley, M.; Prasad, R.; Quinn, K.; Willi, O.; Borghesi, M.

2017-01-01

We report on the experimental observation of the instability of a plasma shell, which formed during the expansion of a laser-ablated plasma into a rarefied ambient medium. By means of a proton radiography technique, the evolution of the instability is temporally and spatially resolved on a timescale much shorter than the hydrodynamic one. The density of the thin shell exceeds that of the surrounding plasma, which lets electrons diffuse outward. An ambipolar electric field grows on both sides of the thin shell that is antiparallel to the density gradient. Ripples in the thin shell result in a spatially varying balance between the thermal pressure force mediated by this field and the ram pressure force that is exerted on it by the inflowing plasma. This mismatch amplifies the ripples by the same mechanism that drives the hydrodynamic nonlinear thin-shell instability (NTSI). Our results thus constitute the first experimental verification that the NTSI can develop in colliding flows.

Dynamics of flows, fluctuations, and global instability under electrode biasing in a linear plasma device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desjardins, T. R.; Gilmore, M.

2016-05-01

Grid biasing is utilized in a large-scale helicon plasma to modify an existing instability. It is shown both experimentally and with a linear stability analysis to be a hybrid drift-Kelvin-Helmholtz mode. At low magnetic field strengths, coherent fluctuations are present, while at high magnetic field strengths, the plasma is broad-band turbulent. Grid biasing is used to drive the once-coherent fluctuations to a broad-band turbulent state, as well as to suppress them. There is a corresponding change in the flow shear. When a high positive bias (10Te) is applied to the grid electrode, a large-scale ( n ˜/n ≈50 % ) is excited. This mode has been identified as the potential relaxation instability.

Direct Numerical Simulation of Pebble Bed Flows: Database Development and Investigation of Low-Frequency Temporal Instabilities

DOE PAGES

Fick, Lambert H.; Merzari, Elia; Hassan, Yassin A.

2017-02-20

Computational analyses of fluid flow through packed pebble bed domains using the Reynolds-averaged NavierStokes framework have had limited success in the past. Because of a lack of high-fidelity experimental or computational data, optimization of Reynolds-averaged closure models for these geometries has not been extensively developed. In the present study, direct numerical simulation was employed to develop a high-fidelity database that can be used for optimizing Reynolds-averaged closure models for pebble bed flows. A face-centered cubic domain with periodic boundaries was used. Flow was simulated at a Reynolds number of 9308 and cross-verified by using available quasi-DNS data. During the simulations,more » low-frequency instability modes were observed that affected the stationary solution. Furthermore, these instabilities were investigated by using the method of proper orthogonal decomposition, and a correlation was found between the time-dependent asymmetry of the averaged velocity profile data and the behavior of the highest energy eigenmodes.« less

Fluid-dynamically coupled solid propellant combustion instability - cold flow simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben-Reuven, M.

1983-10-01

The near-wall processes in an injected, axisymmetric, viscous flow is examined. Solid propellant rocket instability, in which cold flow simulation is evaluated as a tool to elucidate possible instability driving mechanisms is studied. One such prominent mechanism seems to be visco-acoustic coupling. The formulation is presented in terms of a singular boundary layer problem, with detail (up to second order) given only to the near wall region. The injection Reynolds number is assumed large, and its inverse square root serves as an appropriate small perturbation quantity. The injected Mach number is also small, and taken of the same order as the aforesaid small quantity. The radial-dependence of the inner solutions up to second order is solved, in polynominal form. This leaves the (x,t) dependence to much simpler partial differential equations. Particular results demonstrate the existence of a first order pressure perturbation, which arises due to the dissipative near wall processes. This pressure and the associated viscous friction coefficient are shown to agree very well with experimental injected flow data.

Direct Numerical Simulation of Pebble Bed Flows: Database Development and Investigation of Low-Frequency Temporal Instabilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fick, Lambert H.; Merzari, Elia; Hassan, Yassin A.

Computational analyses of fluid flow through packed pebble bed domains using the Reynolds-averaged NavierStokes framework have had limited success in the past. Because of a lack of high-fidelity experimental or computational data, optimization of Reynolds-averaged closure models for these geometries has not been extensively developed. In the present study, direct numerical simulation was employed to develop a high-fidelity database that can be used for optimizing Reynolds-averaged closure models for pebble bed flows. A face-centered cubic domain with periodic boundaries was used. Flow was simulated at a Reynolds number of 9308 and cross-verified by using available quasi-DNS data. During the simulations,more » low-frequency instability modes were observed that affected the stationary solution. Furthermore, these instabilities were investigated by using the method of proper orthogonal decomposition, and a correlation was found between the time-dependent asymmetry of the averaged velocity profile data and the behavior of the highest energy eigenmodes.« less

Flow instabilities due to the interfacial formation of surfactant-fatty acid material in a Hele-Shaw cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niroobakhsh, Zahra; Litman, Matthew; Belmonte, Andrew

2017-11-01

We present an experimental study of pattern formation during the penetration of an aqueous surfactant solution into a liquid fatty acid in a Hele-Shaw cell. When a solution of the cationic surfactant cetylpyridinium chloride is injected into oleic acid, a wide variety of fingering patterns are observed as a function of surfactant concentration and flow rate, which are strikingly different than the classic Saffman-Taylor (ST) instability. We observe evidence of interfacial material forming between the two liquids, causing these instabilities. Moreover, the number of fingers decreases with increasing flow rate Q , while the average finger width increases with Q , both trends opposite to the ST case. Bulk rheology on related mixtures indicates a gel-like state. Comparison of experiments using other oils indicates the importance of pH and the carboxylic head group in the formation of the surfactant-fatty acid material.

Experimental observation of the asymmetric instability of intermediate-reduced-volume vesicles in extensional flow.

PubMed

Dahl, Joanna B; Narsimhan, Vivek; Gouveia, Bernardo; Kumar, Sanjay; Shaqfeh, Eric S G; Muller, Susan J

2016-04-20

Vesicles provide an attractive model system to understand the deformation of living cells in response to mechanical forces. These simple, enclosed lipid bilayer membranes are suitable for complementary theoretical, numerical, and experimental analysis. A recent study [Narsimhan, Spann, Shaqfeh, J. Fluid Mech., 2014, 750, 144] predicted that intermediate-aspect-ratio vesicles extend asymmetrically in extensional flow. Upon infinitesimal perturbation to the vesicle shape, the vesicle stretches into an asymmetric dumbbell with a cylindrical thread separating the two ends. While the symmetric stretching of high-aspect-ratio vesicles in extensional flow has been observed and characterized [Kantsler, Segre, Steinberg, Phys. Rev. Lett., 2008, 101, 048101] as well as recapitulated in numerical simulations by Narsimhan et al., experimental observation of the asymmetric stretching has not been reported. In this work, we present results from microfluidic cross-slot experiments observing this instability, along with careful characterization of the flow field, vesicle shape, and vesicle bending modulus. The onset of this shape transition depends on two non-dimensional parameters: reduced volume (a measure of vesicle asphericity) and capillary number (ratio of viscous to bending forces). We observed that every intermediate-reduced-volume vesicle that extends forms a dumbbell shape that is indeed asymmetric. For the subset of the intermediate-reduced-volume regime we could capture experimentally, we present an experimental phase diagram for asymmetric vesicle stretching that is consistent with the predictions of Narsimhan et al.

Turbofan Engine Post-Instability Behavior - Computer Simulations, Test Validation, and Application of Simulations,

DTIC Science & Technology

COMPRESSORS, *AIR FLOW, TURBOFAN ENGINES , TRANSIENTS, SURGES, STABILITY, COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION, EXPERIMENTAL DATA, VALIDATION, DIGITAL SIMULATION, INLET GUIDE VANES , ROTATION, STALLING, RECOVERY, HYSTERESIS

Self-similarity in high Atwood number Rayleigh-Taylor experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikhaeil, Mark; Suchandra, Prasoon; Pathikonda, Gokul; Ranjan, Devesh

2017-11-01

Self-similarity is a critical concept in turbulent and mixing flows. In the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, theory and simulations have shown that the flow exhibits properties of self-similarity as the mixing Reynolds number exceeds 20000 and the flow enters the turbulent regime. Here, we present results from the first large Atwood number (0.7) Rayleigh-Taylor experimental campaign for mixing Reynolds number beyond 20000 in an effort to characterize the self-similar nature of the instability. Experiments are performed in a statistically steady gas tunnel facility, allowing for the evaluation of turbulence statistics. A visualization diagnostic is used to study the evolution of the mixing width as the instability grows. This allows for computation of the instability growth rate. For the first time in such a facility, stereoscopic particle image velocimetry is used to resolve three-component velocity information in a plane. Velocity means, fluctuations, and correlations are considered as well as their appropriate scaling. Probability density functions of velocity fields, energy spectra, and higher-order statistics are also presented. The energy budget of the flow is described, including the ratio of the kinetic energy to the released potential energy. This work was supported by the DOE-NNSA SSAA Grant DE-NA0002922.

Study on interfacial stability and internal flow of a droplet levitated by ultrasonic wave.

PubMed

Abe, Yutaka; Yamamoto, Yuji; Hyuga, Daisuke; Awazu, Shigeru; Aoki, Kazuyoshi

2009-04-01

For a microgravity environment, new and high-quality material is expected to be manufactured. However, the effect of surface instability and the internal flow become significant when the droplet becomes large. Elucidation of internal flow and surface instability on a levitated droplet is required for the quality improvement of new material manufacturing in a microgravity environment. The objectives of this study are to clarify the interfacial stability and internal flow of a levitated droplet. Surface instability and internal flow are investigated with a large droplet levitated by the ultrasonic acoustic standing wave. The experiment with a large droplet is conducted both under normal gravity and microgravity environments. In the experiment, at first, the characteristics of the levitated droplet are investigated; that is, the relationships among the levitated droplet diameter, the droplet aspect ratio, the displacement of the antinode of the standing wave, and the sound pressure are experimentally measured. As a result, it is clarified that the levitated droplet tends to be located at an optimal position with an optimal shape and diameter. Second, the border condition between the stable and the unstable levitation of the droplet is evaluated by using the existing stability theory. The experimental results qualitatively agree with the theory. It is suggested that the stability of the droplet can be evaluated with the stability theory. Finally, multidimensional visual measurement is conducted to investigate the internal flow structure in a levitated droplet. It is suggested that complex flow with the vortex is generated in the levitated droplet. Moreover, the effect of physical properties of the test fluid on the internal flow structure of the levitated droplet is investigated. As a result, the internal flow structure of the levitated droplet is affected by the surface tension and viscosity.

Contribution to study of interfaces instabilities in plane, cylindrical and spherical geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toque, Nathalie

1996-12-01

This thesis proposes several experiments of hydrodynamical instabilities which are studied, numerically and theoretically. The experiments are in plane and cylindrical geometry. Their X-ray radiographies show the evolution of an interface between two solid media crossed by a detonation wave. These materials are initially solid. They become liquide under shock wave or stay between two phases, solid and liquid. The numerical study aims at simulating with the codes EAD and Ouranos, the interfaces instabilities which appear in the experiments. The experimental radiographies and the numerical pictures are in quite good agreement. The theoretical study suggests to modelise a spatio-temporal part of the experiments to obtain the quantitative development of perturbations at the interfaces and in the flows. The models are linear and in plane, cylindrical and spherical geometry. They preceed the inoming study of transition between linear and non linear development of instabilities in multifluids flows crossed by shock waves.

Jetting of a shear banding fluid in rectangular ducts

PubMed Central

Salipante, Paul F.; Little, Charles A. E.; Hudson, Steven D.

2017-01-01

Non-Newtonian fluids are susceptible to flow instabilities such as shear banding, in which the fluid may exhibit a markedly discontinuous viscosity at a critical stress. Here we report the characteristics and causes of a jetting flow instability of shear banding wormlike micelle solutions in microfluidic channels with rectangular cross sections over an intermediate volumetric flow regime. Particle-tracking methods are used to measure the three-dimensional flow field in channels of differing aspect ratios, sizes, and wall materials. When jetting occurs, it is self-contained within a portion of the channel where the flow velocity is greater than the surroundings. We observe that the instability forms in channels with aspect ratio greater than 5, and that the location of the high-velocity jet appears to be sensitive to stress localizations. Jetting is not observed in a lower concentration solution without shear banding. Simulations using the Johnson-Segalman viscoelastic model show a qualitatively similar behavior to the experimental observations and indicate that compressive normal stresses in the cross-stream directions support the development of the jetting flow. Our results show that nonuniform flow of shear thinning fluids can develop across the wide dimension in rectangular microfluidic channels, with implications for microfluidic rheometry. PMID:28691108

Convective Electrokinetic Instability With Conductivity Gradients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chuan-Hua; Lin, Hao; Lele, Sanjiva; Santiago, Juan

2003-11-01

Electrokinetic flow instability has been experimentally identified and quantified in a glass T-junction microchannel system with a cross section of 11 um x 155 um. In this system, buffers of different conductivities were electrokinetically driven into a common mixing channel by a DC electric field. A convective instability was observed with a threshold electric field of 0.45 kV/cm for a 10:1 conductivity ratio. A physical model has been developed which consists of a modified Ohmic model formulation for electrolyte solutions and the Navier-Stokes equations with an electric body force term. The model and experiments show that bulk charge accumulation in regions of conductivity gradients is the key mechanism of such instabilities. A linear stability analysis was performed in a convective framework, and Briggs-Bers criteria were applied to determine the nature of instability. The analysis shows the instability is governed by two key parameters: the ratio of molecular diffusion to electroviscous time scale which governs the onset of instability, and the ratio of electroviscous to electroosmotic velocity which governs whether the instability is convective or absolute. The model predicted critical electric field, growth rate, wavelength, and phase speed which were comparable to experimental data.

Absolute versus convective helical magnetorotational instability in a Taylor-Couette flow.

PubMed

Priede, Jānis; Gerbeth, Gunter

2009-04-01

We analyze numerically the magnetorotational instability of a Taylor-Couette flow in a helical magnetic field [helical magnetorotational instability (HMRI)] using the inductionless approximation defined by a zero magnetic Prandtl number (Pr_{m}=0) . The Chebyshev collocation method is used to calculate the eigenvalue spectrum for small-amplitude perturbations. First, we carry out a detailed conventional linear stability analysis with respect to perturbations in the form of Fourier modes that corresponds to the convective instability which is not in general self-sustained. The helical magnetic field is found to extend the instability to a relatively narrow range beyond its purely hydrodynamic limit defined by the Rayleigh line. There is not only a lower critical threshold at which HMRI appears but also an upper one at which it disappears again. The latter distinguishes the HMRI from a magnetically modified Taylor vortex flow. Second, we find an absolute instability threshold as well. In the hydrodynamically unstable regime before the Rayleigh line, the threshold of absolute instability is just slightly above the convective one although the critical wavelength of the former is noticeably shorter than that of the latter. Beyond the Rayleigh line the lower threshold of absolute instability rises significantly above the corresponding convective one while the upper one descends significantly below its convective counterpart. As a result, the extension of the absolute HMRI beyond the Rayleigh line is considerably shorter than that of the convective instability. The absolute HMRI is supposed to be self-sustained and, thus, experimentally observable without any external excitation in a system of sufficiently large axial extension.

Direct experimental evidence of ion-ion co-stream instability excited in the sheath-presheath of Ar +He two-ion species plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kella, Vara Prasad; Ghosh, Joydeep; Chattopadhyay, Prabal; Sharma, Devendra; Saxena, Yogesh

2017-10-01

Recent experimental measurements of ion flow speeds near the sheath edge of two-ion species plasma shows that, the ions reach the sheath edge with common sound speed other than their individual Bohm speeds at nearly equal ion concentrations. Baalrud et al., explain these results on the basis of ion-ion two-stream instability enhanced collisional friction between the ions. Some authors stipulate the existence of the instability indirectly, by measuring the ion flow speeds near the sheath edge. In these experiments, the instability is directly observed from the floating potential fluctuations from Langmuir probe placed near the sheath edge and from grid in Ar +He plasma. The frequency spectra shows broad band peaks with central frequency in the range 150-200 kHz. The intensity of the instability maximizes in the plasma produced with approximately equal ion concentrations of both the ion species. The frequency and amplitude of the peak decreases as the He+ to Ar+ concentration ratio decreases from unity. The phase velocity of the wave is measured as 11 +/-2 km/s and identified to be twice the ion-sound speed in the bulk ( 6.3 km/s), which is good agreement with earlier results of IAWs. The measured wave number and frequencies are compared with the theoretical dispersion relations. These observations confirm the existence of ion-ion co-stream instability in sheath-presheath of two-ion species plasma.

Subcooled flow boiling critical heat flux (CHF) and its application to fusion energy components. Part II. A review of microconvective, experimental, and correlational aspects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boyd, R.D.

Microconvective, instability, experimental, and correlational aspects of subcooled flow boiling critical heat flux (CHF) are summarized. The present understanding of CHF in subcooled flow boiling is reviewed and research directions that will permit the accommodation of higher heat fluxes are outlined. This survey (Parts I and II), which contains a representative coverage of the literature over the last 30 years, is concerned only with CHF in the subcooled flow boiling regime, and unless otherwise noted, all references to CHF are confined to that regime.

Investigation of flame driving and flow turning in axial solid rocket instabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zinn, Ben T.; Daniel, Brady R.; Matta, Lawrence M.

1993-08-01

An understanding of the processes responsible for driving and damping acoustic oscillations in solid rocket motors is necessary for developing practical design methods that eliminate or reduce the occurrence combustion instabilities. While state of the art solid rocket stability prediction methods generally account for the flow turning loss, the magnitude and characteristics of this loss have never been fully investigated. Results of an investigation of the role of the flow turning loss in the stability of solid rockets and its dependence upon motor design and operating parameters are described. A one dimensional acoustic stability equation that verifies that the flow turning loss term is appropriately included in the one dimensional stability formulation was derived for a chamber with a constant mean temperature and pressure by an approach independent from that of Culick. This study was extended providing the background and expressions needed to guide an experimental study of the flow turning loss in the presence of mean temperature and density gradients. This allows the study of combustion systems in which mean temperature gradients and heat losses are significant. The relevant conservation equations were solved numerically for the experimental configuration in order to predict the behavior of the flow turning loss and to assist in the analysis of experimental results. Experiments performed, with and without combustion, showed that the flow turning loss strongly depends upon the propellant burning rate and the location of the flow turning region relative to the standing pressure wave.

Absolute/convective secondary instabilities and the role of confinement in free shear layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arratia, Cristóbal; Mowlavi, Saviz; Gallaire, François

2018-05-01

We study the linear spatiotemporal stability of an infinite row of equal point vortices under symmetric confinement between parallel walls. These rows of vortices serve to model the secondary instability leading to the merging of consecutive (Kelvin-Helmholtz) vortices in free shear layers, allowing us to study how confinement limits the growth of shear layers through vortex pairings. Using a geometric construction akin to a Legendre transform on the dispersion relation, we compute the growth rate of the instability in different reference frames as a function of the frame velocity with respect to the vortices. This approach is verified and complemented with numerical computations of the linear impulse response, fully characterizing the absolute/convective nature of the instability. Similar to results by Healey on the primary instability of parallel tanh profiles [J. Fluid Mech. 623, 241 (2009), 10.1017/S0022112008005284], we observe a range of confinement in which absolute instability is promoted. For a parallel shear layer with prescribed confinement and mixing length, the threshold for absolute/convective instability of the secondary pairing instability depends on the separation distance between consecutive vortices, which is physically determined by the wavelength selected by the previous (primary or pairing) instability. In the presence of counterflow and moderate to weak confinement, small (large) wavelength of the vortex row leads to absolute (convective) instability. While absolute secondary instabilities in spatially developing flows have been previously related to an abrupt transition to a complex behavior, this secondary pairing instability regenerates the flow with an increased wavelength, eventually leading to a convectively unstable row of vortices. We argue that since the primary instability remains active for large wavelengths, a spatially developing shear layer can directly saturate on the wavelength of such a convectively unstable row, by-passing the smaller wavelengths of absolute secondary instability. This provides a wavelength selection mechanism, according to which the distance between consecutive vortices should be sufficiently large in comparison with the channel width in order for the row of vortices to persist. We argue that the proposed wavelength selection criteria can serve as a guideline for experimentally obtaining plane shear layers with counterflow, which has remained an experimental challenge.

Active flow control for a blunt trailing edge profiled body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naghib Lahouti, Arash

Flow in the wake of nominally two-dimensional bluff bodies is dominated by vortex shedding, beyond a very small threshold Reynolds number. Vortex shedding poses challenges in the design of structures, due to its adverse effects such as cyclic aerodynamic loads and fatigue. The wake vortices are often accompanied by large- and small-scale secondary instabilities, which manifest as dislocations in the primary wake vortices, and/or pairs of counter-rotating streamwise vortices, depending on the dominant instability mode(s), which in turn depends on the profile geometry and Reynolds number. The secondary instabilities interact with the wake vortices through several mechanisms. Therefore, manipulation of the secondary instabilities can be used as a means to alter the wake vortices, in order to reduce their adverse effects. In the present study, flow in the wake of a blunt trailing edge profiled body, composed of an elliptical leading edge and a rectangular trailing edge, has been studied at Reynolds numbers ranging from Re(d) = 500 to 2150 where d is thickness of the body, to identify the secondary instabilities. Various tools, including numerical simulations, Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF), and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) have been used for this study. Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) has been applied to analyze the velocity field data. The results indicate the existence of small-scale instabilities with a spanwise wavelength of 2.0d to 2.5d in the near wake. The mechanism of the instability is similar to the Mode-A instability of a circular cylinder; however, it displays features that are specific to the blunt trailing edge profiled body. An active three-dimensional flow control mechanism based on the small-scale instabilities has been designed and evaluated. The mechanism comprises a series of trailing edge injection ports, with a spanwise spacing equal to the wavelength of the small-scale instabilities. Following preliminary evaluation of the control mechanism through numerical simulations, and experimental study of the effect of injection flow rate, extensive PIV experiments have been conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the flow control mechanism, and its effects on the wake flow structure, at Reynolds numbers ranging from Re(d ) = 700 to 1980. Measurements have been carried out at multiple spanwise locations, to establish a comprehensive image of the effect of the flow control mechanism on parameters such as drag force, wake width, and formation length. POD analysis and frequency spectrums are used to describe the process by which the mechanism affects the wake parameters and drag force. The results indicate that the flow control mechanism is able to reduce drag force by 10%. It is also shown that the best effectiveness in terms of suppression of the drag component resulting from velocity fluctuations is achieved when the flow control actuation wavelength closely matches the wavelength of the small-scale instabilities. KEYWORDS: Blunt Trailing Edge Profiled Body, Vortex Shedding, Wake Instability, Streamwise Vortex, Flow Control, Drag Reduction, Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF), Flow Visualization, Numerical Simulation

Scalar Measurements and Analysis of Helium Jets in Earth Gravity and Microgravity using Rainbow Schlieren Deflectometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yep, Tze Wing

2001-01-01

Recent experiments have shown that low-density gas jets injected into a high-density gas undergo an instability mode leading to highly periodic oscillations in the flow field. The transition from laminar to turbulent flow in these jets is abrupt, without a gradual change in scales. Although this type of instability at high Richardson numbers has been attributed to buoyancy, direct physical evidence was not acquired through experiments. In this study, several experiments were conducted in Earth gravity and microgravity to acquire qualitative data on near field flow structure of helium jets injected into air. Microgravity conditions were simulated in the 2.2-second drop tower at NASA Glenn Research Center. The operating parameters of this study included the tube inside diameter, the jet Reynolds number, and the jet Richardson number. Tubes with inside diameters of 19.05 mm and 31.75 mm were used in the experiments conducted in the drop tower. The jet flow was analyzed using quantitative rainbow schlieren deflectometry, a non-intrusive line of sight measurement technique for the whole field. The flow structure was characterized by distributions of angular deflection and the resulting helium mole fraction obtained from color schlieren images taken at 60 Hz. Three sets of experimental data with respect to three schlieren fields of view were acquired for each tube. Results show that the jet in microgravity was up to 70 percent wider than that in Earth gravity. The global jet flow oscillations observed in Earth gravity were absent in microgravity, providing direct experimental evidence that the flow instability in the low-density jet was buoyancy-induced. This study provides quantitative details of temporal flow evolution as the experiments undergo change in gravity in the drop tower.

An Experimental Study of Roughness-Induced Instabilities in a Supersonic Boundary Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kegerise, Michael A.; King, Rudolph A.; Choudhari, Meelan; Li, Fei; Norris, Andrew

2014-01-01

Progress on an experimental study of laminar-to-turbulent transition induced by an isolated roughness element in a supersonic laminar boundary layer is reported in this paper. Here, the primary focus is on the effects of roughness planform shape on the instability and transition characteristics. Four different roughness planform shapes were considered (a diamond, a circle, a right triangle, and a 45 degree fence) and the height and width of each one was held fixed so that a consistent frontal area was presented to the oncoming boundary layer. The nominal roughness Reynolds number was 462 and the ratio of the roughness height to the boundary layer thickness was 0.48. Detailed flow- field surveys in the wake of each geometry were performed via hot-wire anemometry. High- and low-speed streaks were observed in the wake of each roughness geometry, and the modified mean flow associated with these streak structures was found to support a single dominant convective instability mode. For the symmetric planform shapes - the diamond and circular planforms - the instability characteristics (mode shapes, growth rates, and frequencies) were found to be similar. For the asymmetric planform shapes - the right-triangle and 45 degree fence planforms - the mode shapes were asymmetrically distributed about the roughness-wake centerline. The instability growth rates for the asymmetric planforms were lower than those for the symmetric planforms and therefore, transition onset was delayed relative to the symmetric planforms.

Intermittent gravity-driven flow of grains through narrow pipes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez, Carlos A.; de Moraes Franklin, Erick

2017-01-01

Grain flows through pipes are frequently found in various settings, such as in pharmaceutical, chemical, petroleum, mining and food industries. In the case of size-constrained gravitational flows, density waves consisting of alternating high- and low-compactness regions may appear. This study investigates experimentally the dynamics of density waves that appear in gravitational flows of fine grains through vertical and slightly inclined pipes. The experimental device consisted of a transparent glass pipe through which different populations of glass spheres flowed driven by gravity. Our experiments were performed under controlled ambient temperature and relative humidity, and the granular flow was filmed with a high-speed camera. Experimental results concerning the length scales and celerities of density waves are presented, together with a one-dimensional model and a linear stability analysis. The analysis exhibits the presence of a long-wavelength instability, with the most unstable mode and a cut-off wavenumber whose values are in agreement with the experimental results.

Closure models for transitional blunt-body flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nance, Robert Paul

1998-12-01

A mean-flow modeling approach is proposed for the prediction of high-speed blunt-body wake flows undergoing transition to turbulence. This method couples the k- /zeta (Enstrophy) compressible turbulence model with a procedure for characterizing non-turbulent fluctuations upstream of transition. Two different instability mechanisms are examined in this study. In the first model, transition is brought about by streamwise disturbance modes, whereas the second mechanism considers instabilities in the free shear layer associated with the wake flow. An important feature of this combined approach is the ability to specify or predict the location of transition onset. Solutions obtained using the new approach are presented for a variety of perfect-gas hypersonic flows over blunt- cone configurations. These results are shown to provide better agreement with experimental heating data than earlier laminar predictions by other researchers. In addition, it is demonstrated that the free-shear-layer instability mechanism is superior to the streamwise mechanism in terms of comparisons with heating measurements. The favorable comparisons are a strong indication that transition to turbulence is indeed present in the flowfields considered. They also show that the present method is a useful predictive tool for transitional blunt-body wake flows.

TIME EVOLUTION OF KELVIN–HELMHOLTZ VORTICES ASSOCIATED WITH COLLISIONLESS SHOCKS IN LASER-PRODUCED PLASMAS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuramitsu, Y.; Moritaka, T.; Mizuta, A.

2016-09-10

We report experimental results on Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) instability and resultant vortices in laser-produced plasmas. By irradiating a double plane target with a laser beam, asymmetric counterstreaming plasmas are created. The interaction of the plasmas with different velocities and densities results in the formation of asymmetric shocks, where the shear flow exists along the contact surface and the KH instability is excited. We observe the spatial and temporal evolution of plasmas and shocks with time-resolved diagnostics over several shots. Our results clearly show the evolution of transverse fluctuations, wavelike structures, and circular features, which are interpreted as the KH instability andmore » resultant vortices. The relevant numerical simulations demonstrate the time evolution of KH vortices and show qualitative agreement with experimental results. Shocks, and thus the contact surfaces, are ubiquitous in the universe; our experimental results show general consequences where two plasmas interact.« less

Three-dimensional instability analysis of boundary layers perturbed by streamwise vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martín, Juan A.; Paredes, Pedro

2017-12-01

A parametric study is presented for the incompressible, zero-pressure-gradient flat-plate boundary layer perturbed by streamwise vortices. The vortices are placed near the leading edge and model the vortices induced by miniature vortex generators (MVGs), which consist in a spanwise-periodic array of small winglet pairs. The introduction of MVGs has been experimentally proved to be a successful passive flow control strategy for delaying laminar-turbulent transition caused by Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) waves. The counter-rotating vortex pairs induce non-modal, transient growth that leads to a streaky boundary layer flow. The initial intensity of the vortices and their wall-normal distances to the plate wall are varied with the aim of finding the most effective location for streak generation and the effect on the instability characteristics of the perturbed flow. The study includes the solution of the three-dimensional, stationary, streaky boundary layer flows by using the boundary region equations, and the three-dimensional instability analysis of the resulting basic flows by using the plane-marching parabolized stability equations. Depending on the initial circulation and positioning of the vortices, planar TS waves are stabilized by the presence of the streaks, resulting in a reduction in the region of instability and shrink of the neutral stability curve. For a fixed maximum streak amplitude below the threshold for secondary instability (SI), the most effective wall-normal distance for the formation of the streaks is found to also offer the most stabilization of TS waves. By setting a maximum streak amplitude above the threshold for SI, sinuous shear layer modes become unstable, as well as another instability mode that is amplified in a narrow region near the vortex inlet position.

Wing Wake Vortices and Temporal Vortex Pair Instabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williamson, C. H. K.; Leweke, T.; Miller, G. D.

In this presentation we include selected results which have originated from vortex dynamics studies conducted at Cornell, in collaboration with IRPHE, Marseille. These studies concern, in particular, the spatial development of delta wing trailing vortices, and the temporal development of counter-rotating vortex pairs. There are, as might be expected, similarities in the instabilities of both of these basic flows, as shown in our laboratory-scale studies. In the case of the spatial development of vortex pairs in the wake of a delta wing, either in free flight or towed from an XY carriage system in a towing tank, we have found three distinct instability length scales as the trailing vortex pair travels downstream. The first (smallest-scale) instability is found immediately behind the delta wing, and this scales on the thickness of the two shear layers separating from the wing trailing edge. The second (short-wave) instability, at an intermediate distance downstream, scales on the primary vortex core dimensions. The third (long-wave) instability far downstream represents the classical "Crow" instability (Crow, 1970), scaling on the distance between the two primary vortices. By imposing disturbances on the delta wing incident velocity, we find that the long-wave instability is receptive to a range of wavelengths. Our experimental measurements of instability growth rates are compared with theoretical predictions, which are based on the theory of Widnall et al. (1971), and which require, as input, DPIV measurements of axial and circumferential velocity profiles. This represents the first time that theoretical and experimental growth rates have been compared, without the imposition of ad-hoc assumptions regarding the vorticity distribution. The agreement with theory appears to be good. The ease with which a Delta wing may be flown in free flight was demonstrated at the Symposium, using a giant polystyrene triangular wing, launched from the back of the auditorium, and ably caught by Professor Sid Leibovich, in whose honour the Symposium was held. In the case of the temporal growth of vortex pairs, formed by the closing of a pair of long flaps underwater, we find two principal instabilities; namely, a longwavelength Crow instability, and a short-wavelength "elliptic" instability. Comparisons between experiment and theory for the growth rates of the long-wave instability, over a range of perturbed wavelengths, appears to be very good. The vortex pair "pinches off", or reconnects, to form vortex rings in the manner assumed to occur in contrails behind jet aircraft. We discover a symmetry-breaking phase relationship for the short wave disturbances growing in the two vortices, which we 380 C.H.K. Williamson et al. show to be consistent with a kinematic matching condition between the two disturbances. Further results demonstrate that this instability is a manifestation of an elliptic instability, which is here identified for the first time in a real open flow. We therefore refer to this flow as a "cooperative elliptic" instability. The long-term evolution of the flow involves the inception of secondary miniscule vortex pairs, which are perpendicular to the primary vortex pair.

Observation of the development of secondary features in a Richtmyer–Meshkov instability driven flow

DOE PAGES

Bernard, Tennille; Truman, C. Randall; Vorobieff, Peter; ...

2014-09-10

Richtmyer–Meshkov instability (RMI) has long been the subject of interest for analytical, numerical, and experimental studies. In comparing results of experiment with numerics, it is important to understand the limitations of experimental techniques inherent in the chosen method(s) of data acquisition. We discuss results of an experiment where a laminar, gravity-driven column of heavy gas is injected into surrounding light gas and accelerated by a planar shock. A popular and well-studied method of flow visualization (using glycol droplet tracers) does not produce a flow pattern that matches the numerical model of the same conditions, while revealing the primary feature ofmore » the flow developing after shock acceleration: the pair of counter-rotating vortex columns. However, visualization using fluorescent gaseous tracer confirms the presence of features suggested by the numerics; in particular, a central spike formed due to shock focusing in the heavy-gas column. Furthermore, the streamwise growth rate of the spike appears to exhibit the same scaling with Mach number as that of the counter-rotating vortex pair (CRVP).« less

Absolute & Convective Instabilities in the Boundary Layer on a Rotating Sphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garrett, Stephen; Peake, Nigel

2001-11-01

We are concerned with absolute (AI) and convective instabilities (CI) in the boundary-layer on a sphere rotating in an otherwise still fluid. Both AI and CI are found at every latitude within specific parameter spaces. The local Reynolds number at the predicted onset of AI matches experimental data well for the onset of turbulence at ψ =30^o from the axis of rotation, beyond this latitude the discrepancy increases but remains relatively small below ψ =70^o. We suggest that this AI may cause the onset of transition. The results of the CI analysis show that a crossflow instability mode is the most dangerous below ψ =66^o. Above this latitude a streamline-curvature mode is found to be the most dangerous, which coincides with the appearance of reverse flow in the radial component of the mean flow. Our predictions of the Reynolds number and vortex angle at the onset of CI are consistent with existing experimental measurements. Close to the pole the predictions of each stability analysis are seen to approach those of existing rotating disk investigations.

Microscale electrokinetic transport and stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chuan-Hua

Electrokinetics is a leading mechanism for transport and separation of biochemical samples in microdevices due to its favorable scaling at small scales. However, electrokinetic systems can become highly unstable, and this instability adversely affects key processes such as sample stacking and electrophoretic separation. This dissertation deals with two major topics: a novel planar micropump exploiting the favorable scaling of electroosmosis at the microscale, and a fundamental study of electrokinetic flow instabilities induced by electrical conductivity gradients. Electroosmotic micropumps use field-induced ion drag to drive liquids and achieve high pressures in a compact design with no moving parts. An analytical model applicable to planar, etched-structure micropumps was developed to guide the geometrical design and working fluid selection. Standard microlithography and wet etching techniques were used to fabricate a pump 1 mm long along the flow direction and 0.9 mum by 38 mm in cross section. The pump produced a maximum pressure of 0.33 atm and a maximum flow rate of 15 mul/min at 1 kV applied potential with deionized water as working fluid. The pump performance agreed well with the theoretical model. Electrokinetic flow instabilities occur under high electric field in the presence of electrical conductivity gradients. In a microfluidic T-junction 11 mum by 155 mum in cross section, aqueous electrolytes of 10:1 conductivity ratio were electrokinetically driven into a common mixing channel. Convectively unstable waves were observed at 0.5 kV/cm, and upstream propagating waves at 1.5 kV/cm. A physical model for this instability has been developed. A linear stability analysis of the governing equations in the thin-layer limit predicts both qualitative trends and quantitative features that agree well with experimental data. Briggs-Bers criteria were applied to select physically unstable modes and determine the nature of instability. Conductivity gradients and bulk charge accumulation are a crucial factor in the instability. The role of electroosmotic flow is mainly as a convecting medium. The instability is governed by two key controlling parameters: the ratio of dynamic to dissipative forces which determines the onset of instability, and the ratio of electroviscous to electroosmotic velocities which governs the convective versus absolute nature of instability.

On the question of instabilities upstream of cylindrical bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morkovin, M. V.

1979-01-01

In an attempt to understand the unsteady vortical phenomena in perturbed stagnation regions of cylindrical bodies, a critical review of the theoretical and experimental evidence was made. Current theory is revealed to be incomplete, incorrect, or inapplicable to the phenomena observed experimentally. The formalistic approach via the principle of exchange of instabilities should most likely be replaced by a forced-disturbance approach. Also, many false conclusions were reached by ignoring that treatment of the base and perturbed flows in Hiemenz coordinate eta is asymptotic in nature. Almost surely the techniques of matched asymptotic expansions are expected to be used to capture correctly the diffusive and vorticity amplifying processes of the disturbances regarding the mean-flow boundary layer and outer potential field as eta and y/diameter approach infinity. The serious uncertainties in the experiments are discussed in detail.

Numerical simulation of liquid-layer breakup on a moving wall due to an impinging jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Taejong; Moon, Hojoon; You, Donghyun; Kim, Dokyun; Ovsyannikov, Andrey

2014-11-01

Jet wiping, which is a hydrodynamic method for controlling the liquid film thickness in coating processes, is constrained by a rather violent film instability called splashing. The instability is characterized by the ejection of droplets from the runback flow and results in an explosion of the film. The splashing phenomenon degrades the final coating quality. In the present research, a volume-of-fluid (VOF)-based method, which is developed at Cascade Technologies, is employed to simulate the air-liquid multiphase flow dynamics. The present numerical method is based on an unstructured-grid unsplit geometric VOF scheme and guarantees strict conservation of mass of two-phase flow, The simulation results are compared with experimental measurements such as the liquid-film thickness before and after the jet wiping, wall pressure and shear stress distributions. The trajectories of liquid droplets due to the fluid motion entrained by the gas-jet operation, are also qualitatively compared with experimental visualization. Physical phenomena observed during the liquid-layer breakup due to an impinging jet is characterized in order to develop ideas for controlling the liquid-layer instability and resulting splash generation and propagation. Supported by the Grant NRF-2012R1A1A2003699, the Brain Korea 21+ program, POSCO, and 2014 CTR Summer Program.

Investigation of the flow turning loss in unstable solid propellant rocket motors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matta, Lawrence Mark

The goal of this study was to improve the understanding of the flow turning loss, which contributes to the damping of axial acoustic instabilities in solid propellant rocket motors. This understanding is needed to develop practical methods for designing motors that do not exhibit such instabilities. The flow turning loss results from the interaction of the flow of combustion products leaving the surface of the propellant with the acoustic field in an unstable motor. While state of the art solid rocket stability models generally account for the flow turning loss, its magnitude and characteristics have never been fully investigated. This thesis describes a combined theoretical, numerical, and experimental investigation of the flow turning loss and its dependence upon various motor design and operating parameters. First, a one dimensional acoustic stability equation that verifies the existence of the flow turning loss was derived for a chamber with constant mean pressure and temperature. The theoretical development was then extended to include the effects of mean temperature gradients to accommodate combustion systems in which mean temperature gradients and heat losses are significant. These analyses provided the background and expressions necessary to guide an experimental study. The relevant equations were then solved for the developed experimental setup to predict the behavior of the flow turning loss and the other terms of the developed acoustic stability equation. This was followed by and experimental study in which the flow turning region of an unstable solid propellant rocket motor was simulated. The setup was used, with and without combustion, to determine the dependence of the flow turning loss upon operating conditions. These studies showed that the flow turning loss strongly depends upon the gas velocity at the propellant surface and the location of the flow turning region relative to the standing acoustic wave. The flow turning loss measured in the experiment was found to be small relative to other mechanisms. This, however, was characteristic of the experimental setup and is not representative of actual rocket motors, in which the flow turning loss is often a significant part of the overall stability.

Numerical investigation of heat transfer in parallel channels with water at supercritical pressure.

PubMed

Shitsi, Edward; Kofi Debrah, Seth; Yao Agbodemegbe, Vincent; Ampomah-Amoako, Emmanuel

2017-11-01

Thermal phenomena such as heat transfer enhancement, heat transfer deterioration, and flow instability observed at supercritical pressures as a result of fluid property variations have the potential to affect the safety of design and operation of Supercritical Water-cooled Reactor SCWR, and also challenge the capabilities of both heat transfer correlations and Computational Fluid Dynamics CFD physical models. These phenomena observed at supercritical pressures need to be thoroughly investigated. An experimental study was carried out by Xi to investigate flow instability in parallel channels at supercritical pressures under different mass flow rates, pressures, and axial power shapes. Experimental data on flow instability at inlet of the heated channels were obtained but no heat transfer data along the axial length was obtained. This numerical study used 3D numerical tool STAR-CCM+ to investigate heat transfer at supercritical pressures along the axial lengths of the parallel channels with water ahead of experimental data. Homogeneous axial power shape HAPS was adopted and the heating powers adopted in this work were below the experimental threshold heating powers obtained for HAPS by Xi. The results show that the Fluid Centre-line Temperature FCLT increased linearly below and above the PCT region, but flattened at the PCT region for all the system parameters considered. The inlet temperature, heating power, pressure, gravity and mass flow rate have effects on WT (wall temperature) values in the NHT (normal heat transfer), EHT (enhanced heat transfer), DHT (deteriorated heat transfer) and recovery from DHT regions. While variation of all other system parameters in the EHT and PCT regions showed no significant difference in the WT and FCLT values respectively, the WT and FCLT values respectively increased with pressure in these regions. For most of the system parameters considered, the FCLT and WT values obtained in the two channels were nearly the same. The numerical study was not quantitatively compared with experimental data along the axial lengths of the parallel channels, but it was observed that the numerical tool STAR-CCM+ adopted was able to capture the trends for NHT, EHT, DHT and recovery from DHT regions. The heating powers used for the various simulations were below the experimentally observed threshold heating powers, but heat transfer deterioration HTD was observed, confirming the previous finding that HTD could occur before the occurrence of unstable behavior at supercritical pressures. For purposes of comparing the results of numerical simulations with experimental data, the heat transfer data on temperature oscillations obtained at the outlet of the heated channels and instability boundary results obtained at the inlet of the heated channels were compared. The numerical results obtained quite well agree with the experimental data. This work calls for provision of experimental data on heat transfer in parallel channels at supercritical pressures for validation of similar numerical studies.

Current Issues in Unsteady Turbomachinery Flows (Images)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Povinelli, Louis

2004-01-01

Among the numerous causes for unsteadiness in turbo machinery flows are turbulence and flow environment, wakes from stationary and rotating vanes, boundary layer separation, boundary layer/shear layer instabilities, presence of shock waves and deliberate unsteadiness for flow control purposes. These unsteady phenomena may lead to flow-structure interactions such as flutter and forced vibration as well as system instabilities such as stall and surge. A major issue of unsteadiness relates to the fact that a fundamental understanding of unsteady flow physics is lacking and requires continued attention. Accurate simulations and sufficient high fidelity experimental data are not available. The Glenn Research Center plan for Engine Component Flow Physics Modeling is part of the NASA 21st Century Aircraft Program. The main components of the plan include Low Pressure Turbine National Combustor Code. The goals, technical output and benefits/impacts of each element are described in the presentation. The specific areas selected for discussion in this presentation are blade wake interactions, flow control, and combustor exit turbulence and modeling.

An experimental investigation of bending wave instability modes in a generic four-vortex wake

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Babie, Brian M.; Nelson, Robert C.

2010-07-15

An experimental study of a planar wake consisting of four vortices that simulate the trailing vortex wakes generated by transport airplanes in either takeoff or landing configurations is presented. The objective of this study was to examine naturally occurring wake instabilities. Specifically, the focus of the study was centered on bending wave instabilities of which the Crow instability represents a particular case. A unique method of generating a four-vortex wake was developed for this study. The four-vortex wake generating device permitted direct variation of the spacing between vortices as well as control over the vortex circulation strength. Two quantitative flowmore » visualization experiments were instrumental in identifying wake configurations that were conducive to the rapid growth of bending wave modes and in the identification of the long-wavelength mode. Detailed experiments were also conducted to examine the flow structure in the near-field or roll-up region using a four sensor, hot-wire probe that could measure all three velocity components in the wake simultaneously. The results of both the flow visualization and hot-wire experiments indicate that the long-wavelength mode and the first short-wavelength mode likely dominate the far-field wake physics and may potentially be utilized in a wake control strategy.« less

Flute Instability of Expanding Plasma Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dudnikova, Galina; Vshivkov, Vitali

2000-10-01

The expansion of plasma against a magnetized background where collisions play no role is a situation common to many plasma phenomena. The character of interaction between expanding plasma and background plasma is depending of the ratio of the expansion velocity to the ambient Alfven velocity. If the expansion speed is greater than the background Alfven speed (super-Alfvenic flows) a collisionless shock waves are formed in background plasma. It is originally think that if the expansion speed is less than Alfvenic speed (sub-Alfvenic flows) the interaction of plasma flows will be laminar in nature. However, the results of laboratory experiments and chemical releases in magnetosphere have shown the development of flute instability on the boundary of expanding plasma (Rayleigh-Taylor instability). A lot of theoretical and experimental papers have been devoted to study the Large Larmor Flute Instability (LLFI) of plasma expanding into a vacuum magnetic field. In the present paper on the base of computer simulation of plasma cloud expansion in magnetizied background plasma the regimes of development and stabilization LLFI for super- and sub-Alfvenic plasma flows are investigated. 2D hybrid numerical model is based on kinetic Vlasov equation for ions and hydrodynamic approximation for electrons. The similarity parameters characterizing the regimes of laminar flows are founded. The stabilization of LLFI takes place with the transition from sub- to super-Alfvenic plasma cloud expansion. The results of the comparision between computer simulation and laboratory simulation are described.

Experimental studies of laminar-turbulent transition on a body of revolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dovgal, A. V.; Zanin, B. Yu; Sorokin, A. M.

2017-10-01

The focus of the present paper is hydrodynamic stability and transition to turbulence on an axisymmetric body. The objective is to trace the evolution of perturbed flow close to the surface of experimental model with increase of the angle of attack starting with zero incidence. In what follows, we briefly summarize our wind-tunnel data on this topic which were obtained at low subsonic velocities through hot-wire measurements and flow visualization. As is found, in conditions of laminar boundary-layer separation and flow instability, even small variations of the body incidence may have a profound effect on the flow pattern.

Laser driven supersonic flow over a compressible foam surface on the Nike lasera)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harding, E. C.; Drake, R. P.; Aglitskiy, Y.; Plewa, T.; Velikovich, A. L.; Gillespie, R. S.; Weaver, J. L.; Visco, A.; Grosskopf, M. J.; Ditmar, J. R.

2010-05-01

A laser driven millimeter-scale target was used to generate a supersonic shear layer in an attempt to create a Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) unstable interface in a high-energy-density (HED) plasma. The KH instability is a fundamental fluid instability that remains unexplored in HED plasmas, which are relevant to the inertial confinement fusion and astrophysical environments. In the experiment presented here the Nike laser [S. P. Obenschain et al., Phys. Plasmas 3, 2098 (1996)] was used to create and drive Al plasma over a rippled foam surface. In response to the supersonic Al flow (Mach=2.6±1.1) shocks should form in the Al flow near the perturbations. The experimental data were used to infer the existence and location of these shocks. In addition, the interface perturbations show growth that has possible contributions from both KH and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities. Since compressible shear layers exhibit smaller growth, it is important to use the KH growth rate derived from the compressible dispersion relation.

Stripes instability of an oscillating non-Brownian iso-dense suspension of spheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roht, Y. L.; Ippolito, I.; Hulin, J. P.; Salin, D.; Gauthier, G.

2018-03-01

We analyze experimentally the behavior of a non-Brownian, iso-dense suspension of spheres submitted to periodic square wave oscillations of the flow in a Hele-Shaw cell of gap H. We do observe an instability of the initially homogeneous concentration in the form of concentration variation stripes transverse to the flow. The wavelength of these regular spatial structures scales roughly as the gap of the cell and is independent of the particle concentration and of the period of oscillation. This instability requires large enough particle volume fractions φ≥ 0.25 and a gap large enough compared to the sphere diameter (H/d ≥ 8) . Mapping the domain of the existence of this instability in the space of the control parameters shows that it occurs only in a limited range of amplitudes of the fluid displacement. The analysis of the concentration distribution across the gap supports a scenario of particle migration towards the wall followed by an instability due to a particle concentration gradient with a larger concentration at the walls. In order to account for the main features of this stripes instability, we use the theory of longitudinal instability due to normal stresses difference and recent observations of a dependence of the first normal stresses difference on the particle concentration.

Transition Delay in Hypersonic Boundary Layers via Optimal Perturbations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paredes, Pedro; Choudhari, Meelan M.; Li, Fei

2016-01-01

The effect of nonlinear optimal streaks on disturbance growth in a Mach 6 axisymmetric flow over a 7deg half-angle cone is investigated in an e ort to expand the range of available techniques for transition control. Plane-marching parabolized stability equations are used to characterize the boundary layer instability in the presence of azimuthally periodic streaks. The streaks are observed to stabilize nominally planar Mack mode instabilities, although oblique Mack mode disturbances are destabilized. Experimentally measured transition onset in the absence of any streaks correlates with an amplification factor of N = 6 for the planar Mack modes. For high enough streak amplitudes, the transition threshold of N = 6 is not reached by the Mack mode instabilities within the length of the cone, but subharmonic first mode instabilities, which are destabilized by the presence of the streaks, reach N = 6 near the end of the cone. These results suggest a passive flow control strategy of using micro vortex generators to induce streaks that would delay transition in hypersonic boundary layers.

Investigation of Ion Acoustic Wave Instabilities Near Positive Electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hood, Ryan; Chu, Feng; Baalrud, Scott; Merlino, Robert; Skiff, Fred

2017-10-01

Electron sheaths occur when an electrode is biased above the plasma potential, most often during the electron saturation portion of a Langmuir probe trace. Through the presheath, electrons are accelerated to velocities exceeding the electron thermal speed at the sheath edge, while ions do not develop any appreciable flow. PIC simulations have shown that ion acoustic instabilities are excited by the differential flow between ions and electrons in the presheath region of a low temperature plasma. We present the first experimental measurements investigating these instabilities using Laser-Induced Fluorescence diagnostics in a multidipole argon plasma. The plasma dispersion relation is measured from the power spectra of the imaged LIF signal and compared to the simulation results. In addition, optical pumping is measured using time-resolved LIF measurements and fit to a model in order to determine the diffusion rate, which may be enhanced due to the instability. This research was supported by the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences at the U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-AC04-94SL85000.

Theoretical and experimental studies in support of the geophysical fluid flow experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hart, J.; Toomre, J.; Gilman, P.

1984-01-01

Computer programming was completed for digital acquisition of temperature and velocity data generated by the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell (GFFC) during the upcoming Spacelab 3 mission. A set of scenarios was developed which covers basic electro-hydrodynamic instability, highly supercritical convection with isothermal boundaries, convection with imposed thermal forcing, and some stably stratified runs to look at large-scale thermohaline ocean circulations. The extent to which the GFFC experimental results apply to more complicated circumstances within the Sun or giant planets was assessed.

Theoretical and experimental design studies for the Atmospheric General Circulation Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fowlis, W. W.; Hathaway, D. H.; Miller, T. L.; Roberts, G. O.; Kopecky, K. J.

1985-01-01

The major criterion for the Atmospheric General Circulation Experiment (AGCE) design is that it be possible to realize strong baroclinic instability in the spherical configuration chosen. A configuration was selected in which a hemispherical shell of fluid is subjected to latitudinal temperature gradients on its spherical boundaries and the latitudinal boundaries are insulators. Work in the laboratory with a cylindrical version of this configuration revealed more instabilities than baroclinic instability. Since researchers fully expect these additional instabilities to appear in the spherical configuration also, they decided to continue the laboratory cylindrical annulus studies. Four flow regimes were identified: an axisymmetric Hadley circulation, boundary layer convection, baroclinic waves and deep thermal convection. Regime diagrams were prepared.

Characterization and Simulation of the Thermoacoustic Instability Behavior of an Advanced, Low Emissions Combustor Prototype

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLaat, John C.; Paxson, Daniel E.

2008-01-01

Extensive research is being done toward the development of ultra-low-emissions combustors for aircraft gas turbine engines. However, these combustors have an increased susceptibility to thermoacoustic instabilities. This type of instability was recently observed in an advanced, low emissions combustor prototype installed in a NASA Glenn Research Center test stand. The instability produces pressure oscillations that grow with increasing fuel/air ratio, preventing full power operation. The instability behavior makes the combustor a potentially useful test bed for research into active control methods for combustion instability suppression. The instability behavior was characterized by operating the combustor at various pressures, temperatures, and fuel and air flows representative of operation within an aircraft gas turbine engine. Trends in instability behavior versus operating condition have been identified and documented, and possible explanations for the trends provided. A simulation developed at NASA Glenn captures the observed instability behavior. The physics-based simulation includes the relevant physical features of the combustor and test rig, employs a Sectored 1-D approach, includes simplified reaction equations, and provides time-accurate results. A computationally efficient method is used for area transitions, which decreases run times and allows the simulation to be used for parametric studies, including control method investigations. Simulation results show that the simulation exhibits a self-starting, self-sustained combustion instability and also replicates the experimentally observed instability trends versus operating condition. Future plans are to use the simulation to investigate active control strategies to suppress combustion instabilities and then to experimentally demonstrate active instability suppression with the low emissions combustor prototype, enabling full power, stable operation.

Characterization and Simulation of Thermoacoustic Instability in a Low Emissions Combustor Prototype

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLaat, John C.; Paxson, Daniel E.

2008-01-01

Extensive research is being done toward the development of ultra-low-emissions combustors for aircraft gas turbine engines. However, these combustors have an increased susceptibility to thermoacoustic instabilities. This type of instability was recently observed in an advanced, low emissions combustor prototype installed in a NASA Glenn Research Center test stand. The instability produces pressure oscillations that grow with increasing fuel/air ratio, preventing full power operation. The instability behavior makes the combustor a potentially useful test bed for research into active control methods for combustion instability suppression. The instability behavior was characterized by operating the combustor at various pressures, temperatures, and fuel and air flows representative of operation within an aircraft gas turbine engine. Trends in instability behavior vs. operating condition have been identified and documented. A simulation developed at NASA Glenn captures the observed instability behavior. The physics-based simulation includes the relevant physical features of the combustor and test rig, employs a Sectored 1-D approach, includes simplified reaction equations, and provides time-accurate results. A computationally efficient method is used for area transitions, which decreases run times and allows the simulation to be used for parametric studies, including control method investigations. Simulation results show that the simulation exhibits a self-starting, self-sustained combustion instability and also replicates the experimentally observed instability trends vs. operating condition. Future plans are to use the simulation to investigate active control strategies to suppress combustion instabilities and then to experimentally demonstrate active instability suppression with the low emissions combustor prototype, enabling full power, stable operation.

Porosity localizing instability in a compacting porous layer in a pure shear flow and the evolution of porosity band wavelength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, S. L.

2010-09-01

A porosity localizing instability occurs in compacting porous media that are subjected to shear if the viscosity of the solid matrix decreases with porosity ( Stevenson, 1989). This instability may have significant consequences for melt transport in regions of partial melt in the mantle and may significantly modify the effective viscosity of the asthenosphere ( Kohlstedt and Holtzman, 2009). Most analyses of this instability have been carried out assuming an imposed simple shear flow (e.g., Spiegelman, 2003; Katz et al., 2006; Butler, 2009). Pure shear can be realized in laboratory experiments and studying the instability in a pure shear flow allows us to test the generality of some of the results derived for simple shear and the flow pattern for pure shear more easily separates the effects of deformation from rotation. Pure shear flows may approximate flows near the tops of mantle plumes near earth's surface and in magma chambers. In this study, we present linear theory and nonlinear numerical model results for a porosity and strain-rate weakening compacting porous layer subjected to pure shear and we investigate the effects of buoyancy-induced oscillations. The linear theory and numerical model will be shown to be in excellent agreement. We will show that melt bands grow at the same angles to the direction of maximum compression as in simple shear and that buoyancy-induced oscillations do not significantly inhibit the porosity localizing instability. In a pure shear flow, bands parallel to the direction of maximum compression increase exponentially in wavelength with time. However, buoyancy-induced oscillations are shown to inhibit this increase in wavelength. In a simple shear flow, bands increase in wavelength when they are in the orientation for growth of the porosity localizing instability. Because the amplitude spectrum is always dominated by bands in this orientation, band wavelengths increase with time throughout simple shear simulations until the wavelength becomes similar to one compaction length. Once the wavelength becomes similar to one compaction length, the growth of the amplitude of the band slows and shorter wavelength bands that are increasing in amplitude at a greater rate take over. This may provide a mechanism to explain the experimental observation that band spacing is controlled by the compaction length ( Kohlstedt and Holtzman, 2009).

Stability analysis of shallow wake flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolyshkin, A. A.; Ghidaoui, M. S.

2003-11-01

Experimentally observed periodic structures in shallow (i.e. bounded) wake flows are believed to appear as a result of hydrodynamic instability. Previously published studies used linear stability analysis under the rigid-lid assumption to investigate the onset of instability of wakes in shallow water flows. The objectives of this paper are: (i) to provide a preliminary assessment of the accuracy of the rigid-lid assumption; (ii) to investigate the influence of the shape of the base flow profile on the stability characteristics; (iii) to formulate the weakly nonlinear stability problem for shallow wake flows and show that the evolution of the instability is governed by the Ginzburg Landau equation; and (iv) to establish the connection between weakly nonlinear analysis and the observed flow patterns in shallow wake flows which are reported in the literature. It is found that the relative error in determining the critical value of the shallow wake stability parameter induced by the rigid-lid assumption is below 10% for the practical range of Froude number. In addition, it is shown that the shape of the velocity profile has a large influence on the stability characteristics of shallow wakes. Starting from the rigid-lid shallow-water equations and using the method of multiple scales, an amplitude evolution equation for the most unstable mode is derived. The resulting equation has complex coefficients and is of Ginzburg Landau type. An example calculation of the complex coefficients of the Ginzburg Landau equation confirms the existence of a finite equilibrium amplitude, where the unstable mode evolves with time into a limit-cycle oscillation. This is consistent with flow patterns observed by Ingram & Chu (1987), Chen & Jirka (1995), Balachandar et al. (1999), and Balachandar & Tachie (2001). Reasonable agreement is found between the saturation amplitude obtained from the Ginzburg Landau equation under some simplifying assumptions and the numerical data of Grubi[sbreve]ic et al. (1995). Such consistency provides further evidence that experimentally observed structures in shallow wake flows may be described by the nonlinear Ginzburg Landau equation. Previous works have found similar consistency between the Ginzburg Landau model and experimental data for the case of deep (i.e. unbounded) wake flows. However, it must be emphasized that much more information is required to confirm the appropriateness of the Ginzburg Landau equation in describing shallow wake flows.

Experimental Investigations in a Reactor Cavity Cooling System with Advanced Instrumentation for the Study of Instabilities, Oscillations, and Transients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tompkins, Casey A.

A research team at University of Wisconsin - Madison designed and constructed a 1/4 height scaled experimental facility to study two-phase natural circulation cooling in a water-based reactor cavity cooling system (WRCCS) for decay heat removal in an advanced high temperature reactor. The facility is capable of natural circulation operation scaled for simulated decay heat removal (up to 28.5 kW m-2 (45 kW) input power, which is equivalent to 14.25 kW m-2 (6.8 MW) at full scale) and pressurized up to 2 bar. The UW-WRCCS facility has been used to study instabilities and oscillations observed during natural circulation flow due to evaporation of the water inventory. During two-phase operation, the system exhibits flow oscillations and excursions, which cause thermal oscillations in the structure. This can cause degradation in the mechanical structure at welds and limit heat transfer to the coolant. The facility is equipped with wire mesh sensors (WMS) that enable high-resolution measurements of the void fraction and steam velocities in order to study the instability's and oscillation's growth and decay during transient operation. Multiple perturbations to the system's operating point in pressure and inlet throttling have shown that the oscillatory behavior present under normal two-phase operating conditions can be damped and removed. Furthermore, with steady-state modeling it was discovered that a flow regime transition instability is the primary cause of oscillations in the UW-WRCCS facility under unperturbed conditions and that proper orifice selection can move the system into a stable operating regime.

Simulations of the Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability with experimentally measured volumetric initial conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferguson, Kevin; Sewell, Everest; Krivets, Vitaliy; Greenough, Jeffrey; Jacobs, Jeffrey

2016-11-01

Initial conditions for the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI) are measured in three dimensions in the University of Arizona Vertical Shock Tube using a moving magnet galvanometer system. The resulting volumetric data is used as initial conditions for the simulation of the RMI using ARES at Lawrence-Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The heavy gas is sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), and the light gas is air. The perturbations are generated by harmonically oscillating the gasses vertically using two loudspeakers mounted to the shock tube which cause Faraday resonance, producing a random short wavelength perturbation on the interface. Planar Mie scattering is used to illuminate the flow field through the addition of propylene glycol particles seeded in the heavy gas. An M=1.2 shock impulsively accelerates the interface, initiating instability growth. Images of the initial condition and instability growth are captured at a rate of 6 kHz using high speed cameras. Comparisons between experimental and simulation results, mixing diagnostics, and mixing zone growth are presented.

A systems approach to theoretical fluid mechanics: Fundamentals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anyiwo, J. C.

1978-01-01

A preliminary application of the underlying principles of the investigator's general system theory to the description and analyses of the fluid flow system is presented. An attempt is made to establish practical models, or elements of the general fluid flow system from the point of view of the general system theory fundamental principles. Results obtained are applied to a simple experimental fluid flow system, as test case, with particular emphasis on the understanding of fluid flow instability, transition and turbulence.

Hydrodynamic Instabilities in High-Energy-Density Settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smalyuk, Vladimir

2016-10-01

Our understanding of hydrodynamic instabilities, such as the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT), Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM), and Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instabilities, in high-energy-density (HED) settings over past two decades has progressed enormously. The range of conditions where hydrodynamic instabilities are experimentally observed now includes direct and indirect drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF) where surprises continue to emerge, linear and nonlinear regimes, classical interfaces vs. stabilized ablation fronts, tenuous ideal plasmas vs. high density Fermi degenerate plasmas, bulk fluid interpenetration vs. mixing down to the atomic level, in the presence of magnetic fields and/or intense radiation, and in solid state plastic flow at high pressures and strain rates. Regimes in ICF can involve extreme conditions of matter with temperatures up to kilovolts, densities of a thousand times solid densities, and time scales of nanoseconds. On the other hand, scaled conditions can be generated that map to exploding stars (supernovae) with length and time scales of millions of kilometers and hours to days or even years of instability evolution, planetary formation dynamics involving solid-state plastic flow which severely modifies the RT growth and continues to challenge reliable theoretical descriptions. This review will look broadly at progress in probing and understanding hydrodynamic instabilities in these very diverse HED settings, and then will examine a few cases in more depth to illustrate the detailed science involved. Experimental results on large-scale HED facilities such as the Omega, Nike, Gekko, and Shenguang lasers will be reviewed and the latest developments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) and Z machine will be covered. Finally, current overarching questions and challenges will be summarized to motivate research directions for future. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Fingering instability of Bingham fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghadge, Shilpa; Myers, Tim

2005-11-01

Contact line instabilities have been extensively studied and many useful results obtained for industrial applications. Our research in this area is to explore these instabilities for non-Newtonian fluids which has wide scope in geological, biological as well as industrial areas. In this talk, we will present an analysis of fingering instability near a contact line of the thin sheet of fluid flowing down on a moderately inclined plane. This instability has been well studied for Newtonian fluids. We explore the effect of a yield strength of the fluid on this instability. We have conveniently assumed the presence of the precussor film of small thickness ahead of the fluid film to avoid some mathematical singularities. Using a lubrication-type approximation, we perform a linear stability analysis of a straight contact line. We will show comparison with some experimental results using suspensions of kaolin in silicone oil as a yield strength fluid.

Supersonic jet noise generated by large scale instabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seiner, J. M.; Mclaughlin, D. K.; Liu, C. H.

1982-01-01

The role of large scale wavelike structures as the major mechanism for supersonic jet noise emission is examined. With the use of aerodynamic and acoustic data for low Reynolds number, supersonic jets at and below 70 thousand comparisons are made with flow fluctuation and acoustic measurements in high Reynolds number, supersonic jets. These comparisons show that a similar physical mechanism governs the generation of sound emitted in he principal noise direction. These experimental data are further compared with a linear instability theory whose prediction for the axial location of peak wave amplitude agrees satisfactorily with measured phased averaged flow fluctuation data in the low Reynolds number jets. The agreement between theory and experiment in the high Reynolds number flow differs as to the axial location for peak flow fluctuations and predicts an apparent origin for sound emission far upstream of the measured acoustic data.

Dynamic Control of Aerodynamic Instabilities in Gas Turbine Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greitzer, E. M.; Epstein, A. H.; Guenette, G. R.; Gysling, D. L.; Haynes, J.; Hendricks, G. J.; Paduano, J.; Simon, J. S.; Valavani, L.

1992-01-01

This lecture discusses the use of closed loop control at the component level to enhance the performance of gas turbine engines. The general theme is the suppression of flow instabilities (rotating stall and surge) through use of feedback, either actively or by means of the aeromechanical coupling provided by tailored structures. The basic concepts that underlie active control of turbomachinery instability, and their experimental demonstration, are first described for a centrifugal compressor. It is shown that the mechanism for stabilization is associated with damping of unsteady perturbations in the compression system, and the steady-state performance can thus remain virtually unaltered. Control of instability using a tailored structure is then discussed, along with experimental results illustrating the flow range extension achievable using this technique. A considerably more complex problem is presented by active control or rotating stall where the multi-dimensional features mean that distributed sensing and actuation are required. In addition, there are basic questions concerning unsteady fluid mechanics; these imply the need to resolve issues connected with identification of suitable signals as well as with definition of appropriate wave launchers for implementing the feedback. These issues are discussed and the results of initial successful demonstrations of active control of rotating stall in a single-stage and a three-stage axial compressor are presented. The lecture concludes with suggestions for future research on dynamic control of gas turbine engines.

Experiments on two- and three-dimensional vortex flows in lid-driven cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siegmann-Hegerfeld, Tanja; Albensoeder, Stefan; Kuhlmann, Hendrik C.

2009-11-01

Vortex flows in one-sided lid-driven cavities with different cross-sectional aspect ratios (γ = 0.26 up to γ = 6.3) are investigated experimentally. In all cases the spanwise aspect ratio λ>>γ is very large and much larger than most previous experiments. Flow-structure visualizations will be presented together with quantitative LDA and PIV measurements. The experimental results are in good agreement with the critical data from numerical stability analyses and with nonlinear simulations. Experimentally, we find four different three-dimensional instabilities. Particular attention is paid to the so-called C4 mode which arises at large cross-sectional aspect ratios. When the spanwise aspect ratio is small the first bifurcation of the C4 mode is strongly imperfect.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sen, Amiya K.

The goal of this grant has been to study the basic physics of various sources of anomalous transport in tokamaks. Anomalous transport in tokamaks continues to be one of the major problems in magnetic fusion research. As a tokamak is not a physics device by design, direct experimental observation and identification of the instabilities responsible for transport, as well as physics studies of the transport in tokamaks, have been difficult and of limited value. It is noted that direct experimental observation, identification and physics study of microinstabilities including ITG, ETG, and trapped electron/ion modes in tokamaks has been very difficultmore » and nearly impossible. The primary reasons are co-existence of many instabilities, their broadband fluctuation spectra, lack of flexibility for parameter scans and absence of good local diagnostics. This has motivated us to study the suspected tokamak instabilities and their transport consequences in a simpler, steady state Columbia Linear Machine (CLM) with collisionless plasma and the flexibility of wide parameter variations. Earlier work as part of this grant was focused on both ITG turbulence, widely believed to be a primary source of ion thermal transport in tokamaks, and the effects of isotope scaling on transport levels. Prior work from our research team has produced and definitively identified both the slab and toroidal branches of this instability and determined the physics criteria for their existence. All the experimentally observed linear physics corroborate well with theoretical predictions. However, one of the large areas of research dealt with turbulent transport results that indicate some significant differences between our experimental results and most theoretical predictions. Latter years of this proposal were focused on anomalous electron transport with a special focus on ETG. There are several advanced tokamak scenarios with internal transport barriers (ITB), when the ion transport is reduced to neoclassical values by combined mechanisms of ExB and diamagnetic flow shear suppression of the ion temperature gradient (ITG) instabilities. However, even when the ion transport is strongly suppressed, the electron transport remains highly anomalous. The most plausible physics scenario for the anomalous electron transport is based on electron temperature gradient (ETG) instabilities. This instability is an electron analog of and nearly isomorphic to the ITG instability, which we had studied before extensively. However, this isomorphism is broken nonlinearily. It is noted that as the typical ETG mode growth rates are larger (in contrast to ITG modes) than ExB shearing rates in usual tokamaks, the flow shear suppression of ETG modes is highly unlikely. This motivated a broader range of investigations of other physics scenarios of nonlinear saturation and transport scaling of ETG modes.« less

Experimental investigation on thermo-magnetic convection inside cavities.

PubMed

Gontijo, R G; Cunha, F R

2012-12-01

This paper presents experimental results on thermo-magnetic convection inside cavities. We examine the flow induced by convective currents inside a cavity with aspect ratio near the unity and the heat transfer rates measurements inside a thin cavity with aspect ratio equal to twelve. The convective unstable currents are formed when a magnetic suspension is subjected to a temperature gradient combined with a gradient of an externally imposed magnetic field. Under these conditions, stratifications in the suspension density and susceptibility are both important effects to the convective motion. We show a comparison between flow patterns of magnetic and gravitational convections. The impact of the presence of a magnetic field on the amount of heat extracted from the system when magnetic and gravitational effects are combined inside the test cell is evaluated. The convection state is largely affected by new instability modes produced by stratification in susceptibility. The experiments reveal that magnetic field enhances the instability in the convective flow leading to a more effective mixing and consequently to a more statistically homogenous temperature distribution inside the test cell. The experimental results allow the validation of the scaling law proposed in a previous theoretical work that has predicted that the Nusselt number scales with the magnetic Rayleigh number to the power of 1/3, in the limit in which magnetic force balances viscous force in the convective flow.

Measurements in a Transitioning Cone Boundary Layer at Freestream Mach 3.5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Rudolph A.; Chou, Amanda; Balakumar, Ponnampalam; Owens, Lewis R.; Kegerise, Michael A.

2016-01-01

An experimental study was conducted in the Supersonic Low-Disturbance Tunnel to investigate naturally-occurring instabilities in a supersonic boundary layer on a 7 deg half- angle cone. All tests were conducted with a nominal freestream Mach number of M(sub infinity) = 3:5, total temperature of T(sub 0) = 299:8 K, and unit Reynolds numbers of Re(sub infinity) x 10(exp -6) = 9:89, 13.85, 21.77, and 25.73 m(exp -1). Instability measurements were acquired under noisy- ow and quiet- ow conditions. Measurements were made to document the freestream and the boundary-layer edge environment, to document the cone baseline flow, and to establish the stability characteristics of the transitioning flow. Pitot pressure and hot-wire boundary- layer measurements were obtained using a model-integrated traverse system. All hot- wire results were single-point measurements and were acquired with a sensor calibrated to mass ux. For the noisy-flow conditions, excellent agreement for the growth rates and mode shapes was achieved between the measured results and linear stability theory (LST). The corresponding N factor at transition from LST is N 3:9. The stability measurements for the quiet-flow conditions were limited to the aft end of the cone. The most unstable first-mode instabilities as predicted by LST were successfully measured, but this unstable first mode was not the dominant instability measured in the boundary layer. Instead, the dominant instabilities were found to be the less-amplified, low-frequency disturbances predicted by linear stability theory, and these instabilities grew according to linear theory. These low-frequency unstable disturbances were initiated by freestream acoustic disturbances through a receptivity process that is believed to occur near the branch I locations of the cone. Under quiet-flow conditions, the boundary layer remained laminar up to the last measurement station for the largest Re1, implying a transition N factor of N greater than 8:5.

Experimental study of mixing mechanisms in stably stratified Taylor-Couette flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Augier, Pierre; Caulfield, Colm-Cille; Dalziel, Stuart

2014-11-01

We consider experimentally the mechanisms of mixing in stably stratified Taylor-Couette (TC) flow in a TC apparatus for which both cylinders can rotate independently. In the case for which only the inner cylinder rotates, centrifugal instability rapidly splits an initially linear density profile into an array of thin nearly homogeneous layers. Shadowgraph, PIV and density profiles measured by a moving conductivity probe allow us to characterise this process and the resulting flow. In particular, we observe turbulent intrusions of mixed fluid propagating relatively slowly around the tank at the interfaces between the layers, leading to a time-dependent variation in the sharpness and turbulent activity at these interfaces, whose period scales with (but is much larger than) the rotation period. Interestingly, the turbulent intrusions are anti-correlated between adjacent interfaces leading to snake-skin-like patterns in the spatio-temporal diagrams of the density profiles. We also explore how the presence of a density stratification modifies end effects at the top and bottom of the cylinders, in both the presence and absence of primary centrifugal instability.

Experimental analysis of the flow pattern of a pump turbine model in pump mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guggenberger, Mark; Senn, Florian; Jaberg, Helmut; Gehrer, Arno; Sallaberger, Manfred; Widmer, Christian

2016-11-01

Reversible pump turbines are the only means to store primary energy in an highly efficient way. Within a short time their operation can be switched between the different operational regimes thus enhancing the stabilization of the electric grid. These qualities in combination with the operation even at off-design conditions offer a high flexibility to the energy market. However, pump turbines pass through operational regimes where their behaviour becomes unstable. One of these effects occurs when the flowrate is decreased continuously down to a minimum. This point is the physical limitation of the pump operation and is very difficult to predict properly by numerical design without a model test. The purpose of the present study is to identify the fluid mechanical phenomena leading to the occurrence of instabilities of pump turbines in pump mode. A reduced scale model of a ANDRITZ pump turbine was installed on a 4-quadrant test rig for the experimental investigation of unstable conditions in pump mode. The performed measurements are based on the IEC60193-standard. Characteristic measurements at a single guide vane opening were carried out to get a detailed insight into the instabilities in pump mode. The interaction between runner and guide vane was analysed by Particle Image Velocimetry. Furthermore, high-speed visualizations of the suction side part load flow and the suction recirculation were performed. Like never before the flow pattern in the draft tube cone became visible with the help of a high-speed camera by intentionally caused cavitation effects which allow a qualitative view on the flow pattern in the draft tube cone. Suction recirculation is observed in form of single vortices separating from each runner blade and stretching into the draft tube against the main flow direction. To find an explanation for the flow phenomena responsible for the appearance of the unstable head curve also characteristic velocity distributions on the pressure side were combined with high-speed visualizations on the suction side of the pump turbine model. The results enhance the comprehension of the physical background leading to the instability and improve the numerical predictability of the instability in pump mode.

Regimes of Two-Phase Flow in Short Rectangular Channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chinnov, Evgeny A.; Guzanov, Vladimir V.; Cheverda, Vyacheslav; Markovich, Dmitry M.; Kabov, Oleg A.

2009-08-01

Experimental study of two-phase flow in the short rectangular horizontal channel with height 440 μm has been performed. Characteristics of liquid motion inside the channel have been registered and measured by the Laser Induced Fluorescence technique. New information has allowed determining more precisely the characteristics of churn regime and boundaries between different regimes of two-phase flow. It was shown that formation of some two-phase flow regimes and transitions between them are determined by instability of the flow in the lateral parts of the channel.

The premixed flame in uniform straining flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Durbin, P. A.

1982-01-01

Characteristics of the premixed flame in uniform straining flow are investigated by the technique of activation-energy asymptotics. An inverse method is used, which avoids some of the restrictions of previous analyses. It is shown that this method recovers known results for adiabatic flames. New results for flames with heat loss are obtained, and it is shown that, in the presence of finite heat loss, straining can extinguish flames. A stability analysis shows that straining can suppress the cellular instability of flames with Lewis number less than unity. Strain can produce instability of flames with Lewis number greater than unity. A comparison shows quite good agreement between theoretical deductions and experimental observations of Ishizuka, Miyasaka & Law (1981).

A numerical study of variable density flow and mixing in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Yin; Kahawita, René

1994-10-01

A numerical study of a negatively buoyant plume intruding into a neutrally stratified porous medium has been undertaken using finite different methods. Of particular interest has been to ascertain whether the experimentally observed gravitational instabilities that form along the lower edge of the plume are reproduced in the numerical model. The model has been found to faithfully reproduce the mean flow as well as the gravitational instabilities in the intruding plume. A linear stability analysis has confirmed the fact that the negatively buoyant plume is in fact gravitationally unstable and that the stability depends on two parameters: a concentration Rayleigh number and a characteristic length scale which is dependent on the transverse dispersivity.

Microscopic theory of traffic-flow instability governing traffic breakdown at highway bottlenecks: Growing wave of increase in speed in synchronized flow.

PubMed

Kerner, Boris S

2015-12-01

We have revealed a growing local speed wave of increase in speed that can randomly occur in synchronized flow (S) at a highway bottleneck. The development of such a traffic flow instability leads to free flow (F) at the bottleneck; therefore, we call this instability an S→F instability. Whereas the S→F instability leads to a local increase in speed (growing acceleration wave), in contrast, the classical traffic flow instability introduced in the 1950s-1960s and incorporated later in a huge number of traffic flow models leads to a growing wave of a local decrease in speed (growing deceleration wave). We have found that the S→F instability can occur only if there is a finite time delay in driver overacceleration. The initial speed disturbance of increase in speed (called "speed peak") that initiates the S→F instability occurs usually at the downstream front of synchronized flow at the bottleneck. There can be many speed peaks with random amplitudes that occur randomly over time. It has been found that the S→F instability exhibits a nucleation nature: Only when a speed peak amplitude is large enough can the S→F instability occur; in contrast, speed peaks of smaller amplitudes cause dissolving speed waves of a local increase in speed (dissolving acceleration waves) in synchronized flow. We have found that the S→F instability governs traffic breakdown-a phase transition from free flow to synchronized flow (F→S transition) at the bottleneck: The nucleation nature of the S→F instability explains the metastability of free flow with respect to an F→S transition at the bottleneck.

Microscopic theory of traffic-flow instability governing traffic breakdown at highway bottlenecks: Growing wave of increase in speed in synchronized flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerner, Boris S.

2015-12-01

We have revealed a growing local speed wave of increase in speed that can randomly occur in synchronized flow (S) at a highway bottleneck. The development of such a traffic flow instability leads to free flow (F) at the bottleneck; therefore, we call this instability an S →F instability. Whereas the S →F instability leads to a local increase in speed (growing acceleration wave), in contrast, the classical traffic flow instability introduced in the 1950s-1960s and incorporated later in a huge number of traffic flow models leads to a growing wave of a local decrease in speed (growing deceleration wave). We have found that the S →F instability can occur only if there is a finite time delay in driver overacceleration. The initial speed disturbance of increase in speed (called "speed peak") that initiates the S →F instability occurs usually at the downstream front of synchronized flow at the bottleneck. There can be many speed peaks with random amplitudes that occur randomly over time. It has been found that the S →F instability exhibits a nucleation nature: Only when a speed peak amplitude is large enough can the S →F instability occur; in contrast, speed peaks of smaller amplitudes cause dissolving speed waves of a local increase in speed (dissolving acceleration waves) in synchronized flow. We have found that the S →F instability governs traffic breakdown—a phase transition from free flow to synchronized flow (F →S transition) at the bottleneck: The nucleation nature of the S →F instability explains the metastability of free flow with respect to an F →S transition at the bottleneck.

Mode switching and linear stability analysis of resonant acoustic flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panickar, Praveen

Resonant acoustic flows occur in a wide variety of practical, aerospace-related applications and are a rich source of complex flow-physics. The primary concern associated with these types of flows is the high-amplitude fluctuating pressures associated with the resonant tones that could lead to sonic fatigue failure of sensitive components in the vicinity of such flows. However, before attempting to devise methods to suppress the resonant tones, it is imperative to understand the physics governing these flows in the hope that such an understanding will lead to more robust and effective suppression techniques. To this end, an in-depth study of various resonant acoustic flows was undertaken in this thesis, the main aim being to bring about a better understanding of such flows by revealing physically relevant information. Starting with the resonant acoustic mechanism in underexpanded jets from two-dimensional nozzles, it was shown that, for a variety of flow situations (geometries, shock-cell structures and orientations) in such jets, the nonlinear interaction density acted as a faithful precursor to a, hitherto unpredictable, spanwise instability mode switch. Following this, a study of the occurrence of, previously undocumented and theoretically unexpected, helical instabilities in subsonic impinging jets was undertaken. Using metrics from linear stability analysis, it was shown that the presence of the helical modes was justified. The results from this study on impinging jets are directly applicable to modern Stationary Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft that have twin, closely spaced exhausts. Finally, a novel technique that yielded dramatic suppression of resonant acoustic tones using high frequency excitation, in subsonic flows over open cavities, was investigated. Linear stability calculations of the experimentally measured baseline and excited velocity profiles showed that the instability of the high frequency excitation corresponded to a spatially decaying mode, which in turn lead to the resonance suppression associated with this mechanism. The experimental results showed good agreement with linear stability calculations for the measured mean velocity profiles. It is hoped that the work presented in this thesis will further the understanding of resonant acoustic flows and provide insights that can lead to better control techniques in the future.

Linear instability of plane Couette and Poiseuille flows

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chefranov, S. G., E-mail: schefranov@mail.ru; Chefranov, A. G., E-mail: Alexander.chefranov@emu.edu.tr

2016-05-15

It is shown that linear instability of plane Couette flow can take place even at finite Reynolds numbers Re > Re{sub th} ≈ 139, which agrees with the experimental value of Re{sub th} ≈ 150 ± 5 [16, 17]. This new result of the linear theory of hydrodynamic stability is obtained by abandoning traditional assumption of the longitudinal periodicity of disturbances in the flow direction. It is established that previous notions about linear stability of this flow at arbitrarily large Reynolds numbers relied directly upon the assumed separation of spatial variables of the field of disturbances and their longitudinal periodicitymore » in the linear theory. By also abandoning these assumptions for plane Poiseuille flow, a new threshold Reynolds number Re{sub th} ≈ 1035 is obtained, which agrees to within 4% with experiment—in contrast to 500% discrepancy for the previous estimate of Re{sub th} ≈ 5772 obtained in the framework of the linear theory under assumption of the “normal” shape of disturbances [2].« less

Basic experimental study of the coupling between flow instabilities and incident sound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahuja, K. K.

1984-03-01

Whether a solid trailing edge is required to produce efficient coupling between sound and instability waves in a shear layer was investigated. The differences found in the literature on the theoretical notions about receptivity, and a need to resolve them by way of well-planned experiments are discussed. Instability waves in the shear layer of a subsonic jet, excited by a point sound source located external to the jet, were first visualized using an ensemble averaging technique. Various means were adopted to shield the sound reaching the nozzle lip. It was found that the low frequency sound couples more efficiently at distances downstream of the nozzle. To substantiate the findings further, a supersonic screeching jet was tested such that it passed through a small opening in a baffle placed parallel to the exit plane. The measured feedback or screech frequencies and also the excited flow disturbances changed drastically on traversing the baffle axially thus providing a strong indication that a trailing edge is not necessary for efficient coupling between sound and flow.

Basic experimental study of the coupling between flow instabilities and incident sound

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahuja, K. K.

1984-01-01

Whether a solid trailing edge is required to produce efficient coupling between sound and instability waves in a shear layer was investigated. The differences found in the literature on the theoretical notions about receptivity, and a need to resolve them by way of well-planned experiments are discussed. Instability waves in the shear layer of a subsonic jet, excited by a point sound source located external to the jet, were first visualized using an ensemble averaging technique. Various means were adopted to shield the sound reaching the nozzle lip. It was found that the low frequency sound couples more efficiently at distances downstream of the nozzle. To substantiate the findings further, a supersonic screeching jet was tested such that it passed through a small opening in a baffle placed parallel to the exit plane. The measured feedback or screech frequencies and also the excited flow disturbances changed drastically on traversing the baffle axially thus providing a strong indication that a trailing edge is not necessary for efficient coupling between sound and flow.

Stability of two layers dielectric-electrolyte microflow subjected to an alternating external electric field.

PubMed

Demekhin, Evgeny A; Ganchenko, Georgy S; Gorbacheva, Ekaterina V; Amiroudine, Sakir

2018-04-16

The stability of the electroosmotic flow of the two-phase system electrolyte-dielectric with a free interface in the microchannel under an external electric field is examined theoretically. The mathematical model includes the Nernst-Plank equations for the ion concentrations. The linear stability of the 1D nonstationary solution with respect to the small, periodic perturbations along the channel, is studied. Two types of instability have been highlighted. The first is known as the long-wave instability and is connected with the distortion of the free charge on the interface. In the long-wave area, the results are in good agreement with the ones obtained theoretically and experimentally in the literature. The second type of instability is a short-wave and mostly connected with the disturbance of the electrolyte conductivity. The short-wave type of instability has not been found previously in the literature and constitutes the basis and the strength of the present work. It is revealed that with the increase of the external electric field frequency, the 1D flow is stabilized. The dependence of the flow on the other parameters of the system is qualitatively the same as for the constant electric field. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Instabilities and pattern formation on the pore scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juel, Anne

What links a baby's first breath to adhesive debonding, enhanced oil recovery, or even drop-on-demand devices? All these processes involve moving or expanding bubbles displacing fluid in a confined space, bounded by either rigid or elastic walls. In this talk, we show how spatial confinement may either induce or suppress interfacial instabilities and pattern formation in such flows. We demonstrate that a simple change in the bounding geometry can radically alter the behaviour of a fluid-displacing air finger both in rigid and elastic vessels. A rich array of propagation modes, including steady and oscillatory fingers, is uncovered when air displaces oil from axially uniform tubes that have local variations in flow resistance within their cross-sections. Moreover, we show that the experimentally observed states can all be captured by a two-dimensional depth-averaged model for bubble propagation through wide channels. Viscous fingering in Hele-Shaw cells is a classical and widely studied fluid-mechanical instability: when air is injected into the narrow, liquid-filled gap between parallel rigid plates, the axisymmetrically expanding air-liquid interface tends to be unstable to non-axisymmetric disturbances. We show how the introduction of wall elasticity (via the replacement of the upper bounding plate by an elastic membrane) can weaken or even suppress the fingering instability by allowing changes in cell confinement through the flow-induced deflection of the boundary. The presence of a deformable boundary also makes the system prone to additional solid-mechanical instabilities, and these wrinkling instabilities can in turn enhance viscous fingering. The financial support of EPSRC and the Leverhulme Trust is gratefully acknowledged.

On the stability of an infinite swept attachment line boundary layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, P.; Mallik, M. R.; Poll, D. I. A.

1984-01-01

The instability of an infinite swept attachment line boundary layer is considered in the linear regime. The basic three dimensional flow is shown to be susceptible to travelling wave disturbances which propagate along the attachment line. The effect of suction on the instability is discussed and the results suggest that the attachment line boundary layer on a swept wing can be significantly stabilized by extremely small amounts of suction. The results obtained are in excellent agreement with the available experimental observations.

Inertial Wave Turbulence Driven by Elliptical Instability.

PubMed

Le Reun, Thomas; Favier, Benjamin; Barker, Adrian J; Le Bars, Michael

2017-07-21

The combination of elliptical deformation of streamlines and vorticity can lead to the destabilization of any rotating flow via the elliptical instability. Such a mechanism has been invoked as a possible source of turbulence in planetary cores subject to tidal deformations. The saturation of the elliptical instability has been shown to generate turbulence composed of nonlinearly interacting waves and strong columnar vortices with varying respective amplitudes, depending on the control parameters and geometry. In this Letter, we present a suite of numerical simulations to investigate the saturation and the transition from vortex-dominated to wave-dominated regimes. This is achieved by simulating the growth and saturation of the elliptical instability in an idealized triply periodic domain, adding a frictional damping to the geostrophic component only, to mimic its interaction with boundaries. We reproduce several experimental observations within one idealized local model and complement them by reaching more extreme flow parameters. In particular, a wave-dominated regime that exhibits many signatures of inertial wave turbulence is characterized for the first time. This regime is expected in planetary interiors.

Inertial Wave Turbulence Driven by Elliptical Instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Reun, Thomas; Favier, Benjamin; Barker, Adrian J.; Le Bars, Michael

2017-07-01

The combination of elliptical deformation of streamlines and vorticity can lead to the destabilization of any rotating flow via the elliptical instability. Such a mechanism has been invoked as a possible source of turbulence in planetary cores subject to tidal deformations. The saturation of the elliptical instability has been shown to generate turbulence composed of nonlinearly interacting waves and strong columnar vortices with varying respective amplitudes, depending on the control parameters and geometry. In this Letter, we present a suite of numerical simulations to investigate the saturation and the transition from vortex-dominated to wave-dominated regimes. This is achieved by simulating the growth and saturation of the elliptical instability in an idealized triply periodic domain, adding a frictional damping to the geostrophic component only, to mimic its interaction with boundaries. We reproduce several experimental observations within one idealized local model and complement them by reaching more extreme flow parameters. In particular, a wave-dominated regime that exhibits many signatures of inertial wave turbulence is characterized for the first time. This regime is expected in planetary interiors.

Combustion-transition interaction in a jet flame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yule, A. J.; Chigier, N. A.; Ralph, S.; Boulderstone, R.; Ventura, J.

1980-01-01

The transition between laminar and turbulent flow in a round jet flame is studied experimentally. Comparison is made between transition in non-burning and burning jets and between jet flames with systematic variation in initial Reynolds number and equivalence ratio. Measurements are made using laser anemometry, miniature thermocouples, ionization probes, laser-schlieren and high speed cine films. Compared with the cold jet, the jet flame has a longer potential core, undergoes a slower transition to turbulence, has lower values of fluctuating velocity near the burner but higher values further downstream, contains higher velocity gradients in the mixing layer region although the total jet width does not alter greatly in the first twenty diameters. As in the cold jet, transitional flow in the flame contains waves and vortices and these convolute and stretch the initially laminar interface burning region. Unlike the cold jet, which has Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, the jet flame can contain at least two initial instabilities; an inner high frequency combustion driven instability and an outer low frequency instability which may be influenced by buoyancy forces.

Numerical Prediction of the Onset of the Magnetorotational Instability in the Princeton MRI Apparatus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilson, Erik; Caspary, Kyle; Ebrahimi, Fatima; Goodman, Jeremy; Ji, Hantao; Nuñez, Tahiri; Wei, Xing

2016-10-01

The liquid metal magnetorotational instability experiment at PPPL is designed to search for the MRI in a controlled laboratory setup. MRI is thought to be the primary mechanism behind turbulence in accretion disks, leading to an enhanced effective viscosity that can explain observed fast accretion rates. The apparatus has several key differences from an accretion disk. The top and bottom surfaces of the vessel exert stresses on the surfaces of the working fluid. There are no surface stresses on an accretion disk, but rather a free-surface. To interpret experimental results, the Spectral Finite Element Maxwell and Navier Stokes (SFEMaNS) code (Guermond et al., 2009) has been used to simulate experiments in the MRI apparatus and study MRI onset in the presence of residual flows induced by the boundaries. These Ekman flows lead to the generation of radial magnetic fields that can obfuscate the MRI signal. Simulation results are presented that show the full spatial distribution of the velocity field and the magnetic field over a range of experimental operating parameters, including both above and below the expected MRI threshold. Both the residual flow and the radial magnetic field at the location of the diagnostics are computed for comparisons with experimental results. This research is supported by DOE, NSF, and NASA.

Experimental study of the laminar-turbulent transition of a concave wall in a parallel flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bippes, H.

1978-01-01

The instability of the laminar boundary layer flow along a concave wall was studied. Observations of these three-dimensional boundary layer phenomena were made using the hydrogen-bubble visualization technique. With the application of stereo-photogrammetric methods in the air-water system it was possible to investigate the flow processes qualitatively and quantitatively. In the case of a concave wall of sufficient curvature, a primary instability occurs first in the form of Goertler vortices with wave lengths depending upon the boundary layer thickness and the wall curvature. At the onset the amplification rate is in agreement with the linear theory. Later, during the non-linear amplification stage, periodic spanwise vorticity concentrations develop in the low velocity region between the longitudinal vortices. Then a meandering motion of the longitudinal vortex streets subsequently ensues, leading to turbulence.

Effects of thermoacoustic oscillations on spray combustion dynamics with implications for lean direct injection systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chishty, Wajid Ali

Thermoacoustic instabilities in modern high-performance, low-emission gas turbine engines are often observable as large amplitude pressure oscillations and can result in serious performance and structural degradations. These acoustic oscillations can cause oscillations in combustor through-flows and given the right phase conditions, can also drive unsteady heat release. To curb the potential harms caused by the existence of thermoacoustic instabilities, recent efforts have focused on the active suppression of these instabilities. Intuitively, development of effective active combustion control methodologies is strongly dependent on the knowledge of the onset and sustenance of thermoacoustic instabilities. Specially, non-premixed spray combustion environment pose additional challenges due to the inherent unstable dynamics of sprays. The understanding of the manner in which the combustor acoustics affect the spray characteristics, which in turn result in heat release oscillation, is therefore, of paramount importance. The experimental investigations and the modeling studies conducted towards achieving this knowledge have been presented in this dissertation. Experimental efforts comprise both reacting and non-reacting flow studies. Reacting flow experiments were conducted on a overall lean direct injection, swirl-stabilized combustor rig. The investigations spanned combustor characterization and stability mapping over the operating regime. The onset of thermoacoustic instability and the transition of the combustor to two unstable regimes were investigated via phase-locked chemiluminescence imaging and measurement and phase-locked acoustic characterization. It was found that the onset of the thermoacoustic instability is a function of the energy gain of the system, while the sustenance of instability is due to the in-phase relationship between combustor acoustics and unsteady heat release driven by acoustic oscillations. The presence of non-linearities in the system between combustor acoustic and heat release and also between combustor acoustics and air through-flow were found to exist. The impact of high amplitude limit-cycle pressure on droplet breakdown under very low mean airflow and the localized effects of forced primary fuel modulations on heat release were also investigated. The non-reacting flow experiments were conducted to study the spray behavior under the presence of an acoustic field. An isothermal acoustic rig was specially fabricated, where the pressure oscillations were generated using an acoustic driver. Phase Doppler Anemometry was used to measure the droplet velocities and sizes under varying acoustic forcing conditions and spray feed pressures. Measurements made at different locations in the spray were related to these variations in mean and unsteady inputs. The droplet velocities were found to show a second order response to acoustic forcing with the cut-off frequency equal to the relaxation time corresponding to mean droplet size. It was also found that under acoustic forcing the droplets migrate radially away from the spray centerline and show oscillatory excursions in their movement. Modeling efforts were undertaken to gain physical insights of spray dynamics under the influence of acoustic forcing and to explain the experimental findings. The radial migration of droplets and their oscillatory movement were validated. The flame characteristics in the two unstable regimes and the transition between them were explained. It was found that under certain acoustic and mean air-flow condition, bands of high droplet densities were formed which resulted in diffusion type group burning of droplets. It was also shown that very high acoustic amplitudes cause secondary breakup of droplets.

Clustering of Magnetic Swimmers in a Poiseuille Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Fanlong; Matsunaga, Daiki; Golestanian, Ramin

2018-05-01

We investigate the collective behavior of magnetic swimmers, which are suspended in a Poiseuille flow and placed under an external magnetic field, using analytical techniques and Brownian dynamics simulations. We find that the interplay between intrinsic activity, external alignment, and magnetic dipole-dipole interactions leads to longitudinal structure formation. Our work sheds light on a recent experimental observation of a clustering instability in this system.

Instabilities of mixed convection flows adjacent to inclined plates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abu-Mulaweh, H.I.; Armaly, B.F.; Chen, T.S.

1987-11-01

The measurements by Sparrow and Husar and by Lloyd and Sparrow established that the onset of instability (transition from laminar to turbulent) in free convection boundary layer flow above an inclined heated plate is predominated by the wave mode of instability for inclination angles less than 14 deg, as measured from the vertical, and by the vortex mode of instability for angles greater than 17 deg. The transition Grashof number deceased as the angle of inclination increased. The predictions of Chen and Tzuoo for this flow provide trends that are similar to measured values, but the predicted critical Grashof numbersmore » deviate significantly (three orders of magnitude smaller) from measured values. The instability of mixed convection boundary layer flow adjacent to inclined heated plates have also been treated numerically by Chen and Mucoglu for wave instability and by Chen et al. for vortex instability. Comparisons with measurements of instability in mixed convection flow adjacent to inclined plates were not available in the literature. It is anticipated, however, that these predictions will underestimate the actual onset of instability, as in the free convection case. The lack of measurements in this flow domain for this geometry has motivated the present study. The onset of instability in mixed convection flow adjacent to an isothermally heated inclined plate was determined in this study through flow visualization. The buoyancy-assisting and buoyancy-opposing flow cases were examined for the flow both above and below the heated plate. The critical Grashof-Reynolds number relationships for the onset of instability in this flow domain are reported in this paper.« less

Experimental Investigation of Cavitation Induced Feedline Instability from an Orifice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hitt, Matthew A.; Lineberry, David M.; Ahuja, Vineet; Frederick, Robert A,

2012-01-01

This paper details the results of an experimental investigation into the cavitation instabilities created by a circular orifice conducted at the University of Alabama in Huntsville Propulsion Research Center. This experiment was conducted in concert with a computational simulation to serve as a reference point for the simulation. Testing was conducted using liquid nitrogen as a cryogenic propellant simulant. A 1.06 cm diameter thin orifice with a rounded inlet was tested in an approximately 1.25 kg/s flow with inlet pressures ranging from 504.1 kPa to 829.3 kPa. Pressure fluctuations generated by the orifice were measured using a high frequency pressure sensor located 0.64 tube diameters downstream of the orifice. Fast Fourier Transforms were performed on the high frequency data to determine the instability frequency. Shedding resulted in a primary frequency with a cavitation related subharmonic frequency. For this experiment, the cavitation instability ranged from 153 Hz to 275 Hz. Additionally, the strength of the cavitation occur red as a function of cavitation number. At lower cavitation numbers, the strength of the cavitation instability ranged from 2.4 % to 7 % of the inlet pressure. However, at higher cavitation numbers, the strength of the cavitation instability ranged from 0.6 % to 1 % of the inlet pressure.

Taylor instability in rhyolite lava flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baum, B. A.; Krantz, W. B.; Fink, J. H.; Dickinson, R. E.

1989-01-01

A refined Taylor instability model is developed to describe the surface morphology of rhyolite lava flows. The effect of the downslope flow of the lava on the structures resulting from the Taylor instability mechanism is considered. Squire's (1933) transformation is developed for this flow in order to extend the results to three-dimensional modes. This permits assessing why ridges thought to arise from the Taylor instability mechanism are preferentially oriented transverse to the direction of lava flow. Measured diapir and ridge spacings for the Little and Big Glass Mountain rhyolite flows in northern California are used in conjunction with the model in order to explore the implications of the Taylor instability for flow emplacement. The model suggests additional lava flow features that can be measured in order to test whether the Taylor instability mechanism has influenced the flows surface morphology.

The Inhibition of the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability by Rotation.

PubMed

Baldwin, Kyle A; Scase, Matthew M; Hill, Richard J A

2015-07-01

It is well-established that the Coriolis force that acts on fluid in a rotating system can act to stabilise otherwise unstable flows. Chandrasekhar considered theoretically the effect of the Coriolis force on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, which occurs at the interface between a dense fluid lying on top of a lighter fluid under gravity, concluding that rotation alone could not stabilise this system indefinitely. Recent numerical work suggests that rotation may, nevertheless, slow the growth of the instability. Experimental verification of these results using standard techniques is problematic, owing to the practical difficulty in establishing the initial conditions. Here, we present a new experimental technique for studying the Rayleigh-Taylor instability under rotation that side-steps the problems encountered with standard techniques by using a strong magnetic field to destabilize an otherwise stable system. We find that rotation about an axis normal to the interface acts to retard the growth rate of the instability and stabilise long wavelength modes; the scale of the observed structures decreases with increasing rotation rate, asymptoting to a minimum wavelength controlled by viscosity. We present a critical rotation rate, dependent on Atwood number and the aspect ratio of the system, for stabilising the most unstable mode.

The Inhibition of the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability by Rotation

PubMed Central

Baldwin, Kyle A.; Scase, Matthew M.; Hill, Richard J. A.

2015-01-01

It is well-established that the Coriolis force that acts on fluid in a rotating system can act to stabilise otherwise unstable flows. Chandrasekhar considered theoretically the effect of the Coriolis force on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, which occurs at the interface between a dense fluid lying on top of a lighter fluid under gravity, concluding that rotation alone could not stabilise this system indefinitely. Recent numerical work suggests that rotation may, nevertheless, slow the growth of the instability. Experimental verification of these results using standard techniques is problematic, owing to the practical difficulty in establishing the initial conditions. Here, we present a new experimental technique for studying the Rayleigh-Taylor instability under rotation that side-steps the problems encountered with standard techniques by using a strong magnetic field to destabilize an otherwise stable system. We find that rotation about an axis normal to the interface acts to retard the growth rate of the instability and stabilise long wavelength modes; the scale of the observed structures decreases with increasing rotation rate, asymptoting to a minimum wavelength controlled by viscosity. We present a critical rotation rate, dependent on Atwood number and the aspect ratio of the system, for stabilising the most unstable mode. PMID:26130005

The Dynamics of Miscible Interfaces: Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meiburg, Eckart

2005-01-01

This research project focuses on the dynamics of interfacial regions between miscible fluids. While much attention has focused on immiscible interfaces in the past, miscible interfaces have been explored to a much lesser degree, so that there are many open questions regarding their dynamics at this time. Among the more pressing issues is the role that nonconventional stresses can play in such interfacial regions. Such stresses are typically not accounted for in efforts to model the dynamics of miscible flows. Our research aims to clarify under which circumstances these stresses do have to be taken into account, and what quantitative approaches are most suitable in this regard. In order to address these issues, we have focused on conducting linear stability analyses and nonlinear simulations for capillary tube and Hele-Shaw flows, and to compare the results with corresponding experiments performed in the labs of our co-investigators Prof. Maxworthy at USC, and Dr. Balasubramaniam at NASA. Over the duration of the project we have, among other things, focused on the effects of variable diffusion coefficients in such flows, and specifically on their influence in the growth of instabilities. Furthermore, our three-dimensional spectral element simulations have made good progress, so that we have come to a point where we can conduct more detailed comparisons with experimental observations. We are currently focusing our efforts on reproducing the tip-splitting instability observed by Maxworthy. Finally, we have discovered a new core-annular flow instability in the Stokes flow regime during the last year. This represents a significant finding, as this instability does not have an immiscible counterpart.

Propeller flow visualization techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stefko, G. L.; Paulovich, F. J.; Greissing, J. P.; Walker, E. D.

1982-01-01

Propeller flow visualization techniques were tested. The actual operating blade shape as it determines the actual propeller performance and noise was established. The ability to photographically determine the advanced propeller blade tip deflections, local flow field conditions, and gain insight into aeroelastic instability is demonstrated. The analytical prediction methods which are being developed can be compared with experimental data. These comparisons contribute to the verification of these improved methods and give improved capability for designing future advanced propellers with enhanced performance and noise characteristics.

Laboratory modeling of multiple zonal jets on the polar beta-plane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afanasyev, Y.

2011-12-01

Zonal jets observed in the oceans and atmospheres of planets are studied in a laboratory rotating tank. The fluid layer in the rotating tank has parabolic free surface and dynamically simulates the polar beta-plane where the Coriolis parameter varies quadratically with distance from the pole. Velocity and surface elevation fields are measured with an optical altimetry method (Afanasyev et al., Exps Fluids 2009). The flows are induced by a localized buoyancy source along radial direction. The baroclinic flow consisting of a field of eddies propagates away from the source due West and forms zonal jets (Fig. 1). Barotropic jets ahead of the baroclinic flow are formed by radiation of beta plumes. Inside the baroclinic flow the jets flow between the chains of eddies. Experimental evidence of so-called noodles (baroclinic instability mode with motions in the radial, North-South direction) theoretically predicted by Berloff et al. (JFM, JPO 2009) was found in our experiments. Beta plume radiation mechanism and the mechanism associated with the instability of noodles are likely to contribute to formation of jets in the baroclinic flow.

Turbulent mixing induced by Richtmyer-Meshkov instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krivets, V. V.; Ferguson, K. J.; Jacobs, J. W.

2017-01-01

Richtmyer-Meshkov instability is studied in shock tube experiments with an Atwood number of 0.7. The interface is formed in a vertical shock tube using opposed gas flows, and three-dimensional random initial interface perturbations are generated by the vertical oscillation of gas column producing Faraday waves. Planar Laser Mie scattering is used for flow visualization and for measurements of the mixing process. Experimental image sequences are recorded at 6 kHz frequency and processed to obtain the time dependent variation of the integral mixing layer width. Measurements of the mixing layer width are compared with Mikaelian's [1] model in order to extract the growth exponent θ where a fairly wide range of values is found varying from θ ≈ 0.2 to 0.6.

Control of Flowing Liquid Films by Electrostatic Fields in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffing, E. M.; Bankoff, S. G.; Schluter, R. A.; Miksis, M. J.

1999-01-01

The interaction of a spacially varying electric field and a flowing thin liquid film is investigated experimentally for the design of a proposed light weight space radiator. Electrodes are utilized to create a negative pressure at the bottom of a fluid film and suppress leaks if a micrometeorite punctures the radiator surface. Experimental pressure profiles under a vertical falling film, which passes under a finite electrode, show that fields of sufficient strength can be used safely in such a device. Leak stopping experiments demonstrate that leaks can be stopped with an electric field in earth gravity. A new type of electrohydrodynamic instability causes waves in the fluid film to develop into 3D cones and touch the electrode at a critical voltage. Methods previously used to calculate critical voltages for non moving films are shown to be inappropriate for this situation. The instability determines a maximum field which may be utilized in design, so the possible dependence of critical voltage on electrode length, height above the film, and fluid Reynolds number is discussed.

Experimental viscous fingering in a tapered radial Hele-Shaw cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bongrand, Gregoire; Tsai, Peichun Amy; Complex Fludis Group Team

2017-11-01

The fluid-fluid displacement in porous media is a common process that finds direct applications in various fields, such as enhanced oil recovery and geological CO2 sequestration. In this work, we experimentally investigate the influence of converging cells on viscous fingering instabilities using a radially-tapered cell. For air displacing oil, in contrast to the classical Saffman-Taylor fingering, our results show that a converging gradient in a radial propagation can provide a stabilizing effect and hinder fingering. For a fixed gap gradient and thickness, with increasing injection rates we find a stable displacement under small flow rates, whereas unstable fingering occurs above a certain threshold. We further investigate this critical flow rate delineating the stable and unstable regimes for different gap gradients. These results reveal that the displacement efficiency not only depends on the fluid properties but also on the interfacial velocity and channel structure. The latter factors provide a useful and convenient control to either trigger or inhibit fingering instability. NSERC Discovery, Accelerator, and CRC programs.

The effect of convection and shear on the damping and propagation of pressure waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiel, Barry Vincent

Combustion instability is the positive feedback between heat release and pressure in a combustion system. Combustion instability occurs in the both air breathing and rocket propulsion devices, frequently resulting in high amplitude spinning waves. If unchecked, the resultant pressure fluctuations can cause significant damage. Models for the prediction of combustion instability typically include models for the heat release, the wave propagation and damping. Many wave propagation models for propulsion systems assume negligible flow, resulting in the wave equation. In this research the effect of flow on wave propagation was studied both numerically and experimentally. Two experiential rigs were constructed, one with axial flow to study the longitudinal waves, the other with swirling flow to study circumferential waves. The rigs were excited with speakers and the resultant pressure was measured simultaneously at many locations. Models of the rig were also developed. Equations for wave propagation were derived from the Euler Equations. The resultant resembled the wave equation with three additional terms, two for the effect of the convection and a one for the effect of shear of the mean flow on wave propagation. From the experimental and numerical data several conclusions were made. First, convection and shear both act as damping on the wave propagation, reducing the magnitude of the Frequency Response Function and the resonant frequency of the modes. Second, the energy extracted from the mean flow as a result of turbulent shear for a given condition is frequency dependent, decreasing with increasing frequency. The damping of the modes, measured for the same shear flow, also decreased with frequency. Finally, the two convective terms cause the anti-nodes of the modes to no longer be stationary. For both the longitudinal and circumferential waves, the anti-nodes move through the domain even for mean flow Mach numbers less than 0.10. It was concluded that convection causes the spinning waves documented in inlets and exhausts of gas turbine engines, rocket combustion chambers, and afterburner chambers. As a result, the effects of shear must be included when modeling wave propagation, even for mean flows less than < Mach 0.10.

Growth rates of the buoyancy-driven instability of an autocatalytic reaction front in a narrow cell

PubMed

Bockmann; Muller

2000-09-18

Experimental studies were performed on the buoyancy-driven instability of an autocatalytic reaction front in a quasi-2D cell. The unstable density stratification at an ascending front leads to convection that results in a fingerlike front deformation. The growth rates of the spatial modes of the instability are determined at the initial stage. A stabilization is found at higher wave numbers, while the system is unstable against low wave number perturbations. Whereas comparison with a reported model governed by Hele-Shaw flow fails, a two-dimensional Navier-Stokes model yields more satisfactory results. Still, present deviations suggest the presence of an additional mechanism that suppresses the growth.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andronov, V.A.; Zhidov, I.G.; Meskov, E.E.

This report describes an extensive program of investigations conducted at Arzamas-16 in Russia over the past several decades. The focus of the work is on material interface instability and the mixing of two materials. Part 1 of the report discusses analytical and computational studies of hydrodynamic instabilities and turbulent mixing. The EGAK codes are described and results are illustrated for several types of unstable flow. Semiempirical turbulence transport equations are derived for the mixing of two materials, and their capabilities are illustrated for several examples. Part 2 discusses the experimental studies that have been performed to investigate instabilities and turbulentmore » mixing. Shock-tube and jelly techniques are described in considerable detail. Results are presented for many circumstances and configurations.« less

Two-layer displacement flow of miscible fluids with viscosity ratio: Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Etrati, Ali; Alba, Kamran; Frigaard, Ian A.

2018-05-01

We investigate experimentally the density-unstable displacement flow of two miscible fluids along an inclined pipe. This means that the flow is from the top to bottom of the pipe (downwards), with the more dense fluid above the less dense. Whereas past studies have focused on iso-viscous displacements, here we consider viscosity ratios in the range 1/10-10. Our focus is on displacements where the degree of transverse mixing is low-moderate, and thus a two-layer, stratified flow is observed. A wide range of parameters is covered in order to observe the resulting flow regimes and to understand the effect of the viscosity contrast. The inclination of the pipe (β) is varied from near horizontal β = 85° to near vertical β = 10°. At each angle, the flow rate and viscosity ratio are varied at fixed density contrast. Flow regimes are mapped in the (Fr, Re cos β/Fr)-plane, delineated in terms of interfacial instability, front dynamics, and front velocity. Amongst the many observations, we find that viscosifying the less dense fluid tends to significantly destabilize the flow. Different instabilities develop at the interface and in the wall-layers.

Instability modes excited by natural screech tones in a supersonic rectangular jet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raman, Ganesh; Rice, Edward J.

1993-01-01

The evolution of hydrodynamic instability modes self-excited by harmonically related natural screech tones was experimentally investigated. A convergent rectangular nozzle with an aspect ratio of 9.63 was used to produce a supersonic shock containing jet. Measurements in the flow-field were made using standard hot-film probes positioned only in the subsonic (outer) portions of the flow. The hydrodynamic instability mode observed in the shear layer at the screech frequency was observed to be antisymmetric (sinuous) about the smaller dimension of the jet, whereas its harmonic was observed to be symmetric (varicose). In addition, the near-field noise measurements indicated that the radiated screech tone noise was out of phase on either side of the small jet dimension whereas its harmonic was in phase over the same region. To our knowledge such an observation on the nature of the harmonic has thus far gone unreported and therefore is the focus of the present work. The hydrodynamic instability modes occurring at the screech frequency and its harmonic satisfied the conditions for resonance. Detailed measurements of the coherent wave evolution in the streamwise and spanwise directions indicated that strong spanwise variations were present beyond x/h = 8. Details of the screech noise radiated by the coherent instability modes are also presented in this paper.

Experimental Observation of a Current-Driven Instability in a Neutral Electron-Positron Beam.

PubMed

Warwick, J; Dzelzainis, T; Dieckmann, M E; Schumaker, W; Doria, D; Romagnani, L; Poder, K; Cole, J M; Alejo, A; Yeung, M; Krushelnick, K; Mangles, S P D; Najmudin, Z; Reville, B; Samarin, G M; Symes, D D; Thomas, A G R; Borghesi, M; Sarri, G

2017-11-03

We report on the first experimental observation of a current-driven instability developing in a quasineutral matter-antimatter beam. Strong magnetic fields (≥1  T) are measured, via means of a proton radiography technique, after the propagation of a neutral electron-positron beam through a background electron-ion plasma. The experimentally determined equipartition parameter of ε_{B}≈10^{-3} is typical of values inferred from models of astrophysical gamma-ray bursts, in which the relativistic flows are also expected to be pair dominated. The data, supported by particle-in-cell simulations and simple analytical estimates, indicate that these magnetic fields persist in the background plasma for thousands of inverse plasma frequencies. The existence of such long-lived magnetic fields can be related to analog astrophysical systems, such as those prevalent in lepton-dominated jets.

Experimental Observation of a Current-Driven Instability in a Neutral Electron-Positron Beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warwick, J.; Dzelzainis, T.; Dieckmann, M. E.; Schumaker, W.; Doria, D.; Romagnani, L.; Poder, K.; Cole, J. M.; Alejo, A.; Yeung, M.; Krushelnick, K.; Mangles, S. P. D.; Najmudin, Z.; Reville, B.; Samarin, G. M.; Symes, D. D.; Thomas, A. G. R.; Borghesi, M.; Sarri, G.

2017-11-01

We report on the first experimental observation of a current-driven instability developing in a quasineutral matter-antimatter beam. Strong magnetic fields (≥1 T ) are measured, via means of a proton radiography technique, after the propagation of a neutral electron-positron beam through a background electron-ion plasma. The experimentally determined equipartition parameter of ɛB≈10-3 is typical of values inferred from models of astrophysical gamma-ray bursts, in which the relativistic flows are also expected to be pair dominated. The data, supported by particle-in-cell simulations and simple analytical estimates, indicate that these magnetic fields persist in the background plasma for thousands of inverse plasma frequencies. The existence of such long-lived magnetic fields can be related to analog astrophysical systems, such as those prevalent in lepton-dominated jets.

Dynamic stability analysis for capillary channel flow: One-dimensional and three-dimensional computations and the equivalent steady state technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grah, Aleksander; Dreyer, Michael E.

2010-01-01

Spacecraft technology provides a series of applications for capillary channel flow. It can serve as a reliable means for positioning and transport of liquids under low gravity conditions. Basically, capillary channels provide liquid paths with one or more free surfaces. A problem may be flow instabilities leading to a collapse of the liquid surfaces. A result is undesired gas ingestion and a two phase flow which can in consequence cause several technical problems. The presented capillary channel consists of parallel plates with two free liquid surfaces. The flow rate is established by a pump at the channel outlet, creating a lower pressure within the channel. Owing to the pressure difference between the liquid phase and the ambient gas phase the free surfaces bend inwards and remain stable as long as they are able to resist the steady and unsteady pressure effects. For the numerical prediction of the flow stability two very different models are used. The one-dimensional unsteady model is mainly based on the Bernoulli equation, the continuity equation, and the Gauss-Laplace equation. For three-dimensional evaluations an open source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool is applied. For verifications the numerical results are compared with quasisteady and unsteady data of a sounding rocket experiment. Contrary to previous experiments this one results in a significantly longer observation sequence. Furthermore, the critical point of the steady flow instability could be approached by a quasisteady technique. As in previous experiments the comparison to the numerical model evaluation shows a very good agreement for the movement of the liquid surfaces and for the predicted flow instability. The theoretical prediction of the flow instability is related to the speed index, based on characteristic velocities of the capillary channel flow. Stable flow regimes are defined by stability criteria for steady and unsteady flow. The one-dimensional computation of the speed index is based on the technique of the equivalent steady system, which is published for the first time in the present paper. This approach assumes that for every unsteady state an equivalent steady state with a special boundary condition can be formulated. The equivalent steady state technique enables a reformulation of the equation system and an efficient and reliable speed index computation. Furthermore, the existence of the numerical singularity at the critical point of the steady flow instability, postulated in previous publication, is demonstrated in detail. The numerical singularity is related to the stability criterion for steady flow and represents the numerical consequence of the liquid surface collapse. The evaluation and generation of the pressure diagram is demonstrated in detail with a series of numerical dynamic flow studies. The stability diagram, based on one-dimensional computation, gives a detailed overview of the stable and instable flow regimes. This prediction is in good agreement with the experimentally observed critical flow conditions and results of three-dimensional CFD computations.

Instability-driven frequency decoupling between structure dynamics and wake fluctuations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Yaqing; Kim, Jin-Tae; Chamorro, Leonardo P.

2018-04-01

Flow-induced dynamics of flexible structures is, in general, significantly modulated by periodic vortex shedding. Experiments and numerical simulations suggest that the frequencies associated with the dominant motions of structures are highly coupled with those of the wake under low-turbulence uniform flow. Here we present experimental evidence that demonstrates a significant decoupling between the dynamics of simple structures and wake fluctuations for various geometries, Reynolds numbers, and mass ratios. High-resolution particle tracking velocimetry and hot-wire anemometry are used to quantitatively characterize the dynamics of the structures and wake fluctuations; a complementary planar particle image velocimetry measurement is conducted to illustrate distinctive flow patterns. Results show that for structures with directional stiffness, von Kármán vortex shedding might dominate the wake of bodies governed by natural-frequency motion. This phenomenon can be a consequence of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, where the structural characteristics of the body dominate the oscillations.

High-Strain-Rate Material Behavior and Adiabatic Material Instability in Impact of Micron-Scale Al-6061 Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Qiyong; Alizadeh, Arash; Xie, Wanting; Wang, Xuemei; Champagne, Victor; Gouldstone, Andrew; Lee, Jae-Hwang; Müftü, Sinan

2018-04-01

Impact of spherical particles onto a flat sapphire surface was investigated in 50-950 m/s impact speed range experimentally and theoretically. Material parameters of the bilinear Johnson-Cook model were determined based on comparison of deformed particle shapes from experiment and simulation. Effects of high-strain-rate plastic flow, heat generation due to plasticity, material damage, interfacial friction and heat transfer were modeled. Four distinct regions were identified inside the particle by analyzing temporal variation of material flow. A relatively small volume of material near the impact zone becomes unstable due to plasticity-induced heating, accompanied by severe drop in the flow stress for impact velocity that exceeds 500 m/s. Outside of this region, flow stress is reduced due to temperature effects without the instability. Load carrying capacity of the material degrades and the material expands horizontally leading to jetting. The increase in overall plastic and frictional dissipation with impact velocity was found to be inherently lower than the increase in the kinetic energy at high speeds, leading to the instability. This work introduces a novel method to characterize HSR (109 s-1) material properties and also explains coupling between HSR material behavior and mechanics that lead to extreme deformation.

Hypersonic Boundary-Layer Stability Experiments on a Flared-Cone Model at Angle of Attack in a Quiet Wind Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doggett, Glen P.; Chokani, Ndaona

1996-01-01

An experimental investigation of the effects of angle of attack on hypersonic boundary-layer stability on a flared-cone model was conducted in the low-disturbance Mach-6 Nozzle-Test Chamber Facility at NASA Langley Research Center. This unique facility provided a 'quiet' flow test environment which is well suited for stability experiments because the low levels of freestream 'noise' minimize artificial stimulation of flow-disturbance growth. Surface pressure and temperature measurements documented the adverse-pressure gradient and transition-onset location. Hot-wire anemometry diagnostics were applied to identify the instability mechanisms which lead to transition. In addition, the mean flow over the flared-cone geometry was modeled by laminar Navier-Stokes computations. Results show that the boundary layer becomes more stable on the windward ray and less stable on the leeward ray relative to the zero-degree angle-of-attack case. The second-mode instability dominates the transition process at a zero-degree angle of attack, however, on the windward ray at an angle of attack this mode was completely stabilized. The less-dominant first-mode instability was slightly destabilized on the windward ray. Non-linear mechanisms such as saturation and harmonic generation are identified from the flow-disturbance bispectra.

Origins of Folding Instabilities on Polycrystalline Metal Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beckmann, N.; Romero, P. A.; Linsler, D.; Dienwiebel, M.; Stolz, U.; Moseler, M.; Gumbsch, P.

2014-12-01

Wear and removal of material from polycrystalline metal surfaces is inherently connected to plastic flow. Here, plowing-induced unconstrained surface plastic flow on a nanocrystalline copper surface has been studied by massive molecular dynamics simulations and atomic force microscopy scratch experiments. In agreement with experimental findings, bulges in front of a model asperity develop into vortexlike fold patterns that mark the disruption of laminar flow. We identify dislocation-mediated plastic flow in grains with suitably oriented slip systems as the basic mechanism of bulging and fold formation. The observed folding can be fundamentally explained by the inhomogeneity of plasticity on polycrystalline surfaces which favors bulge formation on grains with suitably oriented slip system. This process is clearly distinct from Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities in fluids, which have been previously suggested to resemble the formed surface fold patterns. The generated prow grows into a rough chip with stratified lamellae that are identified as the precursors of wear debris. Our findings demonstrate the importance of surface texture and grain structure engineering to achieve ultralow wear in metals.

Fingering, Fracturing and Dissolution in Granular Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juanes, R.; Cueto-Felgueroso, L.; Trojer, M.; Zhao, B.; Fu, X.

2014-12-01

The displacement of one fluid by another in a porous medium give rise to a rich variety of hydrodynamic instabilities. Beyond their scientific value as fascinating models of pattern formation, unstable porous-media flows are essential to understanding many natural and man-made processes, including water infiltration in the vadose zone, carbon dioxide injection and storage in deep saline aquifers, and hydrocarbon recovery. Here, we review the pattern-selection mechanisms of a wide spectrum of porous-media flows that develop hydrodynamic instabilities, discuss their origin and the mathematical models that have been used to describe them. We point out many challenges that remain to be resolved in the context of multiphase flows, and suggest modeling approaches that may offer new quantitative understanding. In particular, I will present experimental, theoretical and computational results for: (1) fluid spreading under partial wetting; (2) the impact of wettability on viscously unstable multiphase flow in porous media; (3) capillary fracturing in granular media; and (4) rock dissolution during convective mixing in porous media.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vaezi, P.; Holland, C.; Thakur, S. C.

The Controlled Shear Decorrelation Experiment (CSDX) linear plasma device provides a unique platform for investigating the underlying physics of self-regulating drift-wave turbulence/zonal flow dynamics. A minimal model of 3D drift-reduced nonlocal cold ion fluid equations which evolves density, vorticity, and electron temperature fluctuations, with proper sheath boundary conditions, is used to simulate dynamics of the turbulence in CSDX and its response to changes in parallel boundary conditions. These simulations are then carried out using the BOUndary Turbulence (BOUT++) framework and use equilibrium electron density and temperature profiles taken from experimental measurements. The results show that density gradient-driven drift-waves are themore » dominant instability in CSDX. However, the choice of insulating or conducting endplate boundary conditions affects the linear growth rates and energy balance of the system due to the absence or addition of Kelvin-Helmholtz modes generated by the sheath-driven equilibrium E × B shear and sheath-driven temperature gradient instability. Moreover, nonlinear simulation results show that the boundary conditions impact the turbulence structure and zonal flow formation, resulting in less broadband (more quasi-coherent) turbulence and weaker zonal flow in conducting boundary condition case. These results are qualitatively consistent with earlier experimental observations.« less

Consequences of viscous anisotropy for melt localization in a deforming, two-phase aggregate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takei, Y.; Katz, R. F.

2012-12-01

Melt localization in the deforming, partially molten mantle has been of interest because it affects the melt extraction rate, mantle deformability, and chemical interaction between the melt and host rock. Experimental studies have reported the spontaneous segregation of melt into melt-rich bands in samples deformed under simple shear and torsion (Holtzman et al, 2003, King et al, 2010). Efforts to clarify the instability mechanism have so far revealed that rheological properties of partially molten rocks control the occurrence of instability. Porosity-weakening viscosity, empirically written as exp(- λ × f) with porosity f and constant λ(= 25-45), plays an essential role in the destabilization of porosity perturbation in the shear flow of a two-phase aggregate (eg., pure shear flow, simple shear flow): the perturbation growth rate is proportional to the product of shear strain rate and the factor λ (Stevenson, 1989). The stress exponent n of the viscosity affects the angle of the perturbation plane with maximum growthrate, where n=3-6 (power-law creep) explains the experimentally observed low angle to the shear plane (Katz et al, 2006). However, in-situ experimental measurements of n indicate that it takes values as low as unity without affecting the observed orientation of melt bands. Viscous anisotropy provides an alternative explanation for the observed band angles. It is produced by the stress-induced microstructural anisotropy (Daines and Kohlstedt, 1997; Zimmermann et al., 1999; Takei, 2010), and it enhances the coupling between melt migration and matrix shear deformation (Takei and Holtzman, 2009). Even without any porosity perturbation, viscous anisotropy destabilizes simple patterns of two-phase flow with a stress/strain gradient (eg., Poiseuille flow, torsional flow) and gives rise to shear-induced melt localization: the growth rate of this mechanism depends on the shear strain rate and the compaction length relative to the spatial scale of the gradient. When a porosity perturbation is added to the anisotropic system, both localization mechanisms work simultaneously, where the dominant angle of perturbation is decreased by the viscous anisotropy, similarly to the effect of n. Although viscous anisotropy plays an important role in melt localization, previous studies were limited to some simple or linearized cases (Takei and Holtzman, 2009, Butler 2012). Using linearised stability analysis and numerical simulation, we perform a systematic study of viscous anisotropy for behavior of partially molten rocks under forced deformation. Fully nonlinear solutions are obtained for melt localization under simple shear flow, 2D Poiseuille flow, and torsional flow. We show that Poiseuille flow causes melt-lubrication instability, but torsional flow does not. Results for simple shear and torsional flow are compared to the experimental results. Through the comparison between model predictions and experiments, we can test the validity of current theory, ascertain its deficiencies, and refine it to better describe the natural system.

Analytical and experimental studies of flow-induced vibration of SSME components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, S. S.; Jendrzejczyk, J. A.; Wambsganss, M. W.

1987-01-01

Components of the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs) are subjected to a severe environment that includes high-temperature, high-velocity flows. Such flows represent a source of energy that can induce and sustain large-amplitude vibratory stresses and/or result in fluidelastic instabilities. Three components are already known to have experienced failures in evaluation tests as a result of flow-induced structural motion. These components include the liquid-oxygen (LOX) posts, the fuel turbine bellows shield, and the internal inlet tee splitter vane. Researchers considered the dynamic behavior of each of these components with varying degrees of effort: (1) a theoretical and experimental study of LOX post vibration excited by a fluid flow; (2) an assessment of the internal inlet tee splitter vane vibration (referred to as the 4000-Hz vibration problem); and (3) a preliminary consideration of the bellows shield problem. Efforts to resolve flow-induced vibration problems associated with the SSMEs are summarized.

Linear Instability of a Uni-Directional Transversely Sheared Mean Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wundrow, David W.

1996-01-01

The effect of spanwise-periodic mean-flow distortions (i.e. streamwise-vortex structures) on the evolution of small-amplitude, single-frequency instability waves in an otherwise two-dimensional shear flow is investigated. The streamwise-vortex structures are taken to be just weak enough so that the spatially growing instability waves behave (locally) like linear perturbations about a uni-directional transversely sheared mean flow. Numerical solutions are computed and discussed for both the mean flow and the instability waves. The influence of the streamwise-vortex wavelength on the properties of the most rapidly growing instability wave is also discussed.

High Frequency Adaptive Instability Suppression Controls in a Liquid-Fueled Combustor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kopasakis, George

2003-01-01

This effort extends into high frequency (>500 Hz), an earlier developed adaptive control algorithm for the suppression of thermo-acoustic instabilities in a liquidfueled combustor. The earlier work covered the development of a controls algorithm for the suppression of a low frequency (280 Hz) combustion instability based on simulations, with no hardware testing involved. The work described here includes changes to the simulation and controller design necessary to control the high frequency instability, augmentations to the control algorithm to improve its performance, and finally hardware testing and results with an experimental combustor rig developed for the high frequency case. The Adaptive Sliding Phasor Averaged Control (ASPAC) algorithm modulates the fuel flow in the combustor with a control phase that continuously slides back and forth within the phase region that reduces the amplitude of the instability. The results demonstrate the power of the method - that it can identify and suppress the instability even when the instability amplitude is buried in the noise of the combustor pressure. The successful testing of the ASPAC approach helped complete an important NASA milestone to demonstrate advanced technologies for low-emission combustors.

Convective Instabilities in Liquid Foams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Veretennikov, Igor; Glazier, James A.

2004-01-01

The main goal of this work is to better understand foam behavior both on the Earth and in microgravity conditions and to determine the relation between a foam's structure and wetness and its rheological properties. Our experiments focused on the effects of the bubble size distribution (BSD) on the foam behavior under gradual or stepwise in the liquid flow rate and on the onset of the convective instability. We were able to show experimentally, that the BSD affects foam rheology very strongly so any theory must take foam texture into account.

In situ Pressure Fluctuations of Polymer Melt Flow Instabilities: Experimental Evidence about their Origin and Dynamics.

PubMed

Palza, Humberto; Naue, Ingo F C; Wilhelm, Manfred

2009-11-02

Despite the practical importance of polymer melt instabilities, there is still a lack of experiments able to characterize in situ the origin and behavior of these phenomena. In this context, a new set-up consisting of high sensitive pressure transducers located inside a slit-die and an advanced mathematical framework to process in situ measurements of polymer melt instabilities, are developed and applied. Our results show for the first time that pressure oscillations can actually be detected inside the die under sharkskin conditions. This originates from a factor of 10(3) and 10(2) improvement in terms of time and pressure resolution. Furthermore, new evidence towards the propagation of the slip phenomena along the die in spurt instabilities are found. Copyright © 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Experimental Characterization of the Jet Wiping Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendez, Miguel Alfonso; Enache, Adriana; Gosset, Anne; Buchlin, Jean-Marie

2018-06-01

This paper presents an experimental characterization of the jet wiping process, used in continuous coating applications to control the thickness of a liquid coat using an impinging gas jet. Time Resolved Particle Image Velocimetry (TR-PIV) is used to characterize the impinging gas flow, while an automatic interface detection algorithm is developed to track the liquid interface at the impact. The study of the flow interaction is combined with time resolved 3D thickness measurements of the liquid film remaining after the wiping, via Time Resolved Light Absorption (TR-LAbs). The simultaneous frequency analysis of liquid and gas flows allows to correlate their respective instability, provide an experimental data set for the validation of numerical studies and allows for formulating a working hypothesis on the origin of the coat non-uniformity encountered in many jet wiping processes.

Stability analysis applied to the early stages of viscous drop breakup by a high-speed gas stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padrino, Juan C.; Longmire, Ellen K.

2013-11-01

The instability of a liquid drop suddenly exposed to a high-speed gas stream behind a shock wave is studied by considering the gas-liquid motion at the drop interface. The discontinuous velocity profile given by the uniform, parallel flow of an inviscid, compressible gas over a viscous liquid is considered, and drop acceleration is included. Our analysis considers compressibility effects not only in the base flow, but also in the equations of motion for the perturbations. Recently published high-resolution images of the process of drop breakup by a passing shock have provided experimental evidence supporting the idea that a critical gas dynamic pressure can be found above which drop piercing by the growth of acceleration-driven instabilities gives way to drop breakup by liquid entrainment resulting from the gas shearing action. For a set of experimental runs from the literature, results show that, for shock Mach numbers >= 2, a band of rapidly growing waves forms in the region well upstream of the drop's equator at the location where the base flow passes from subsonic to supersonic, in agreement with experimental images. Also, the maximum growth rate can be used to predict the transition of the breakup mode from Rayleigh-Taylor piercing to shear-induced entrainment. The authors acknowledge support of the NSF (DMS-0908561).

Analytical interpretation of arc instabilities in a DC plasma spray torch: the role of pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rat, V.; Coudert, J. F.

2016-06-01

Arc instabilities in a plasma spray torch are investigated experimentally and theoretically thanks to a linear simplified analytical model. The different parameters that determine the useful properties of the plasma jet at the torch exit, such as specific enthalpy and speed, but also pressure inside the torch and time variations of the flow rate are studied. The work is particularly focused on the link between the recorded arc voltage and the pressure in the cathode cavity. A frequency analysis of the recorded voltage and pressure allows the separation of different contributions following their spectral characteristics and highlights a resonance effect due to Helmholtz oscillations; these oscillations are responsible for the large amplitude fluctuations of all the parameters investigated. The influence of heat transfer, friction forces and residence time of the plasma in the nozzle are taken into account, thanks to different characteristics’ times. The volume of the cathode cavity in which the cold gas is stored before entering the arc region appears to be of prime importance for the dynamics of instabilities, particularly for the non-intuitive effect that induces flow-rate fluctuations in spite of the fact that the torch is fed at a constant flow rate.

Prediction of fingering in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhi; Feyen, Jan; Elrick, David E.

1998-09-01

Immiscible displacement, involving two fluids in a porous medium, can be unstable and fingered under certain conditions. In this paper, the original linear instability criterion of Chuoke et al. [1959] is generalized, considering wettability of two immiscible fluids to the porous medium. This is then used to predict 24 specific flow and porous medium conditions for the onset of wetting front instability in the subsurface. Wetting front instability is shown to be a function of the driving fluid wettability to the medium, differences in density and viscosity of the fluids, the magnitude of the interfacial tension, and the direction of flow with respect to gravity. Scenarios of water and nonaqueous-phase liquid infiltration into the vadose zone are examined to predict preferential flow and contamination of groundwater. The mechanisms of finger formation, propagation, and persistence in the vadose zone are reviewed, and the existing equations for calculating the size, the number and velocity of fingers are simplified for field applications. The analyses indicate that fingers initiate and propagate according to spatial and temporal distribution of the dynamic breakthrough (water- or air-entry) pressures in the porous medium. The predicted finger size and velocity are in close agreement with the experimental results.

Nonlinear evolution of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in the double current sheet configuration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mao, Aohua; Li, Jiquan, E-mail: lijq@energy.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Kishimoto, Yasuaki

2016-03-15

The nonlinear evolution of the Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability driven by a radially antisymmetric shear flow in the double current sheet configuration is numerically investigated based on a reduced magnetohydrodynamic model. Simulations reveal different nonlinear fate of the KH instability depending on the amplitude of the shear flow, which restricts the strength of the KH instability. For strong shear flows far above the KH instability threshold, the linear electrostatic-type KH instability saturates and achieves a vortex flow dominated quasi-steady state of the electromagnetic (EM) KH turbulence with large-amplitude zonal flows as well as zonal fields. The magnetic surfaces are twisted significantlymore » due to strong vortices but without the formation of magnetic islands. However, for the shear flow just over the KH instability threshold, a weak EM-type KH instability is saturated and remarkably damped by zonal flows through modifying the equilibrium shear flow. Interestingly, a secondary double tearing mode (DTM) is excited subsequently in highly damped KH turbulence, behaving as a pure DTM in a flowing plasma as described in Mao et al. [Phys. Plasmas 21, 052304 (2014)]. However, the explosive growth phenomenon is replaced by a gradually growing oscillation due to the extremely twisted islands. As a result, the release of the magnetic energy becomes slow and the global magnetic reconnection tends to be gentle. A complex nonlinear interaction between the EM KH turbulence and the DTMs occurs for the medium shear flows above the KH instability threshold, turbulent EM fluctuations experience oscillatory nonlinear growth of the DTMs, finally achieves a quasi-steady state with the interplay of the fluctuations between the DTMs and the EM KH instability.« less

The acoustic characteristics of turbomachinery cavities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucas, M. J.; Noreen, R.; Southerland, L. D.; Cole, J., III; Junger, M.

1995-01-01

Internal fluid flows are subject not only to self-sustained oscillations of the purely hydrodynamic type but also to the coupling of the instability with the acoustic mode of the surrounding cavity. This situation is common to turbomachinery, since flow instabilities are confined within a flow path where the acoustic wavelength is typically smaller than the dimensions of the cavity and flow speeds are low enough to allow resonances. When acoustic coupling occurs, the fluctuations can become so severe in amplitude that it may induce structural failure of engine components. The potential for catastrophic failure makes identifying flow-induced noise and vibration sources a priority. In view of the complexity of these types of flows, this report was written with the purpose of presenting many of the methods used to compute frequencies for self-sustained oscillations. The report also presents the engineering formulae needed to calculate the acoustic resonant modes for ducts and cavities. Although the report is not a replacement for more complex numerical or experimental modeling techniques, it is intended to be used on general types of flow configurations that are known to produce self-sustained oscillations. This report provides a complete collection of these models under one cover.

Topology and stability of a water-soybean-oil swirling flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrión, Luis; Herrada, Miguel A.; Shtern, Vladimir N.

2017-02-01

This paper reveals and explains the flow topology and instability hidden in an experimental study by Tsai et al. [Tsai et al., Phys. Rev. E 92, 031002(R) (2015)], 10.1103/PhysRevE.92.031002. Water and soybean oil fill a sealed vertical cylindrical container. The rotating top disk induces the meridional circulation and swirl of both fluids. The experiment shows a flattop interface shape and vortex breakdown in the oil flow developing as the rotation strength R eo increases. Our numerical study shows that vortex breakdown occurs in the water flow at R eo=300 and in the oil flow at R eo=941 . As R eo increases, the vortex breakdown cell occupies most of the water domain and approaches the interface at R eo around 600. The rest of the (countercirculating) water separates from the axis as the vortex breakdown cells in the oil and water meet at the interface-axis intersection. This topological transformation of water flow significantly contributes to the development of the flattop shape. It is also shown that the steady axisymmetric flow suffers from shear-layer instability, which emerges in the water domain at R eo=810 .

Nonlinear dynamics and intermittency in a turbulent reacting wake with density ratio as bifurcation parameter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suresha, Suhas; Sujith, R. I.; Emerson, Benjamin; Lieuwen, Tim

2016-10-01

The flame or flow behavior of a turbulent reacting wake is known to be fundamentally different at high and low values of flame density ratio (ρu/ρb ), as the flow transitions from globally stable to unstable. This paper analyzes the nonlinear dynamics present in a bluff-body stabilized flame, and identifies the transition characteristics in the wake as ρu/ρb is varied over a Reynolds number (based on the bluff-body lip velocity) range of 1000-3300. Recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) of the experimentally obtained time series of the flame edge fluctuations reveals that the time series is highly aperiodic at high values of ρu/ρb and transitions to increasingly correlated or nearly periodic behavior at low values. From the RQA of the transverse velocity time series, we observe that periodicity in the flame oscillations are related to periodicity in the flow. Therefore, we hypothesize that this transition from aperiodic to nearly periodic behavior in the flame edge time series is a manifestation of the transition in the flow from globally stable, convective instability to global instability as ρu/ρb decreases. The recurrence analysis further reveals that the transition in periodicity is not a sudden shift; rather it occurs through an intermittent regime present at low and intermediate ρu/ρb . During intermittency, the flow behavior switches between aperiodic oscillations, reminiscent of a globally stable, convective instability, and periodic oscillations, reminiscent of a global instability. Analysis of the distribution of the lengths of the periodic regions in the intermittent time series and the first return map indicate the presence of type-II intermittency.

Using Growth and Arrest of Richtmyer-Meshkov Instabilities and Lagrangian Simulations to Study High-Rate Material Strength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prime, Michael; Vaughan, Diane; Preston, Dean; Oro, David; Buttler, William

2013-06-01

Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities have been widely used to study the deviatoric (flow) strength of solids at high strain rates. More recently, experiments applying a supported shock through mating surfaces (Atwood number = 1) with geometrical perturbations have been proposed for studying strength at strain rates up to 107/sec using Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instabilities. Buttler et al. [J. Fluid Mech., 2012] recently reported experimental results for RM instability growth but with an unsupported shock applied by high explosives and the geometrical perturbations on the opposite free surface (Atwood number = -1). This novel configuration allowed detailed experimental observation of the instability growth and arrest. We present results and detailed interpretation from numerical simulations of the Buttler experiments on copper. Highly-resolved, two-dimensional simulations were performed using a Lagrangian hydrocode and the Preston-Tonks-Wallace (PTW) strength model. The model predictions show good agreement with the data in spite of the PTW model being calibrated on lower strain rate data. The numerical simulations are used to 1) examine various assumptions previously made in an analytical model, 2) to estimate the sensitivity of such experiments to material strength and 3) to explore the possibility of extracting meaningful strength information in the face of complicated spatial and temporal variations of stress, pressure, and temperature during the experiments.

Elastic instabilities in planar elongational flow of monodisperse polymer solutions

PubMed Central

Haward, Simon J.; McKinley, Gareth H.; Shen, Amy Q.

2016-01-01

We investigate purely elastic flow instabilities in the almost ideal planar stagnation point elongational flow field generated by a microfluidic optimized-shape cross-slot extensional rheometer (OSCER). We use time-resolved flow velocimetry and full-field birefringence microscopy to study the behavior of a series of well-characterized viscoelastic polymer solutions under conditions of low fluid inertia and over a wide range of imposed deformation rates. At low deformation rates the flow is steady and symmetric and appears Newtonian-like, while at high deformation rates we observe the onset of a flow asymmetry resembling the purely elastic instabilities reported in standard-shaped cross-slot devices. However, for intermediate rates, we observe a new type of elastic instability characterized by a lateral displacement and time-dependent motion of the stagnation point. At the onset of this new instability, we evaluate a well-known dimensionless criterion M that predicts the onset of elastic instabilities based on geometric and rheological scaling parameters. The criterion yields maximum values of M which compare well with critical values of M for the onset of elastic instabilities in viscometric torsional flows. We conclude that the same mechanism of tension acting along curved streamlines governs the onset of elastic instabilities in both extensional (irrotational) and torsional (rotational) viscoelastic flows. PMID:27616181

Experimental investigation of recirculating cells in laminar coaxial jets.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Warpinski, N. R.; Nagib, H. M.; Lavan, Z.

1972-01-01

Utilizing several unique means of introducing smoke into the flow field for careful visualization in addition to hot-wire techniques, experiments are performed in a specially designed facility producing laminar flows up to considerably high Reynolds numbers. Characteristics of the cells and the flow conditions that bring them about are documented by smoke photographs in the Reynolds number velocity ratio plane and the results are compared to previous analytical predictions. The cells are found to fall into three categories with different flow characteristics involving unsteadiness in position, and shear layer instabilities which result in higher mixing with the outer streams.-

Experimental design to generate strong shear layers in a high-energy-density plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harding, E. C.; Drake, R. P.; Aglitskiy, Y.; Gillespie, R. S.; Grosskopf, M. J.; Weaver, J. L.; Velikovich, A. L.; Visco, A.; Ditmar, J. R.

2010-06-01

The development of a new experimental system for generating a strong shear flow in a high-energy-density plasma is described in detail. The targets were designed with the goal of producing a diagnosable Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability, which plays an important role in the transition turbulence but remains relatively unexplored in the high-energy-density regime. To generate the shear flow the Nike laser was used to drive a flow of Al plasma over a low-density foam surface with an initial perturbation. The interaction of the Al and foam was captured with a spherical crystal imager using 1.86 keV X-rays. The selection of the individual targets components is discussed and results are presented.

Numerical Study of Tip Vortex Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dacles-Mariani, Jennifer; Hafez, Mohamed

1998-01-01

This paper presents an overview and summary of the many different research work related to tip vortex flows and wake/trailing vortices as applied to practical engineering problems. As a literature survey paper, it outlines relevant analytical, theoretical, experimental and computational study found in literature. It also discusses in brief some of the fundamental aspects of the physics and its complexities. An appendix is also included. The topics included in this paper are: 1) Analytical Vortices; 2) Experimental Studies; 3) Computational Studies; 4) Wake Vortex Control and Management; 5) Wake Modeling; 6) High-Lift Systems; 7) Issues in Numerical Studies; 8) Instabilities; 9) Related Topics; 10) Visualization Tools for Vertical Flows; 11) Further Work Needed; 12) Acknowledgements; 13) References; and 14) Appendix.

Vortex rope instabilities in a model of conical draft tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skripkin, Sergey; Tsoy, Mikhail; Kuibin, Pavel; Shtork, Sergey

2017-10-01

We report on experimental studies of the formation of vortex ropes in a laboratory simplified model of hydroturbine draft tube. Work is focused on the observation of various flow patterns at the different rotational speed of turbine runner at fixed flow rate. The measurements involve high-speed visualization and pressure pulsations recordings. Draft tube wall pressure pulsations are registered by pressure transducer for different flow regimes. Vortex rope precession frequency were calculated using FFT transform. The experiments showed interesting features of precessing vortex rope like twin spiral and formation of vortex ring.

Acrivos Award Talk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Datta, Sujit Sankar

2015-11-01

Filtering water and brewing coffee are familiar examples of forcing a fluid through a porous material. Such flows are also crucial to many technological applications, including oil recovery, groundwater remediation, waste CO2 sequestration, and even transporting nutrients through mammalian tissues. I will present an experimental approach by which we directly visualize flow within a disordered 3D porous medium over a broad range of length scales, from the scale of individual pores to that of the entire medium. I will describe how we use this approach to learn about fluctuations and instabilities in single-phase and multi-phase flows.

Investigation of the Flow Field and Performances of a Centrifugal Pump at Part Load

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prunières, R.; Inoue, Y.; Nagahara, T.

2016-11-01

Centrifugal pump performance curve instability, characterized by a local dent at part load, can be the consequence of flow instabilities in rotating or stationary parts. Such flow instabilities often result in abnormal operating conditions which can damage both the pump and the system. In order for the pump to have reliable operation over a wide flow rate range, it is necessary to achieve a design free of instability. The present paper focuses on performance curve instability of a centrifugal pump of mid specific speed (ωs = 0.65) for which instability was observed at part load during tests. The geometry used for this research consist of the first stage of a multi-stage centrifugal pump and is composed of a suction bend, a closed-type impeller, a vaned diffuser and return guide vanes. In order to analyse the instability phenomenon, PIV and CFD analysis were performed. Both methods qualitatively agree relatively well. It appears that the main difference before and after head drop is an increase of reverse flow rate at the diffuser passage inlet on the hub side. This reverse flow decreases the flow passing area at the diffuser passage inlet, disallowing effective flow deceleration and impairing static pressure recovery.

Experimental Observation of a Current-Driven Instability in a Neutral Electron-Positron Beam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Warwick, J.; Dzelzainis, T.; Dieckmann, M. E.

Here, we report on the first experimental observation of a current-driven instability developing in a quasineutral matter-antimatter beam. Strong magnetic fields (≥ 1T) are measured, via means of a proton radiography technique, after the propagation of a neutral electron-positron beam through a background electron-ion plasma. The experimentally determined equipartition parameter of ε B ≈ 10 -3 is typical of values inferred from models of astrophysical gamma-ray bursts, in which the relativistic flows are also expected to be pair dominated. The data, supported by particle-in-cell simulations and simple analytical estimates, indicate that these magnetic fields persist in the background plasma formore » thousands of inverse plasma frequencies. The existence of such long-lived magnetic fields can be related to analog astrophysical systems, such as those prevalent in lepton-dominated jets.« less

Experimental Observation of a Current-Driven Instability in a Neutral Electron-Positron Beam

DOE PAGES

Warwick, J.; Dzelzainis, T.; Dieckmann, M. E.; ...

2017-11-03

Here, we report on the first experimental observation of a current-driven instability developing in a quasineutral matter-antimatter beam. Strong magnetic fields (≥ 1T) are measured, via means of a proton radiography technique, after the propagation of a neutral electron-positron beam through a background electron-ion plasma. The experimentally determined equipartition parameter of ε B ≈ 10 -3 is typical of values inferred from models of astrophysical gamma-ray bursts, in which the relativistic flows are also expected to be pair dominated. The data, supported by particle-in-cell simulations and simple analytical estimates, indicate that these magnetic fields persist in the background plasma formore » thousands of inverse plasma frequencies. The existence of such long-lived magnetic fields can be related to analog astrophysical systems, such as those prevalent in lepton-dominated jets.« less

Vortex Dynamics and Shear-Layer Instability in High-Intensity Cyclotrons.

PubMed

Cerfon, Antoine J

2016-04-29

We show that the space-charge dynamics of high-intensity beams in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field in cyclotrons is described by the two-dimensional Euler equations for an incompressible fluid. This analogy with fluid dynamics gives a unified and intuitive framework to explain the beam spiraling and beam breakup behavior observed in experiments and in simulations. Specifically, we demonstrate that beam breakup is the result of a classical instability occurring in fluids subject to a sheared flow. We give scaling laws for the instability and predict the nonlinear evolution of beams subject to it. Our work suggests that cyclotrons may be uniquely suited for the experimental study of shear layers and vortex distributions that are not achievable in Penning-Malmberg traps.

Purely-elastic flow instabilities and elastic turbulence in microfluidic cross-slot devices

PubMed Central

Sousa, P. C.; Pinho, F. T.

2018-01-01

We experimentally investigate the dynamics of viscoelastic fluid flows in cross-slot microgeometries under creeping flow conditions. We focus on the unsteady flow regime observed at high Weissenberg numbers (Wi) with the purpose of understanding the underlying flow signature of elastic turbulence. The effects of the device aspect ratio and fluid rheology on the unsteady flow state are investigated. Visualization of the flow patterns and time-resolved micro-particle image velocimetry were carried out to study the fluid flow behavior for a wide range of Weissenberg numbers. A periodic flow behavior is observed at low Weissenberg numbers followed by a more complex dynamics as Wi increases, eventually leading to the onset of elastic turbulence for very high Weissenberg numbers. PMID:29376533

Kinetics of gravity-driven water channels under steady rainfall.

PubMed

Cejas, Cesare M; Wei, Yuli; Barrois, Remi; Frétigny, Christian; Durian, Douglas J; Dreyfus, Rémi

2014-10-01

We investigate the formation of fingered flow in dry granular media under simulated rainfall using a quasi-two-dimensional experimental setup composed of a random close packing of monodisperse glass beads. Using controlled experiments, we analyze the finger instabilities that develop from the wetting front as a function of fundamental granular (particle size) and fluid properties (rainfall, viscosity). These finger instabilities act as precursors for water channels, which serve as outlets for water drainage. We look into the characteristics of the homogeneous wetting front and channel size as well as estimate relevant time scales involved in the instability formation and the velocity of the channel fingertip. We compare our experimental results with that of the well-known prediction developed by Parlange and Hill [D. E. Hill and J. Y. Parlange, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 36, 697 (1972)]. This model is based on linear stability analysis of the growth of perturbations arising at the interface between two immiscible fluids. Results show that, in terms of morphology, experiments agree with the proposed model. However, in terms of kinetics we nevertheless account for another term that describes the homogenization of the wetting front. This result shows that the manner we introduce the fluid to a porous medium can also influence the formation of finger instabilities. The results also help us to calculate the ideal flow rate needed for homogeneous distribution of water in the soil and minimization of runoff, given the grain size, fluid density, and fluid viscosity. This could have applications in optimizing use of irrigation water.

Streak instability and generation of hairpin-vortices by a slotted jet in channel crossflow: Experiments and linear stability analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philip, Jimmy; Karp, Michael; Cohen, Jacob

2016-01-01

Streaks and hairpin-vortices are experimentally generated in a laminar plane Poiseuille crossflow by injecting a continuous jet through a streamwise slot normal to the crossflow, with air as the working media. Small disturbances form stable streaks, however, higher disturbances cause the formation of streaks which undergo instability leading to the generation of hairpin vortices. Particular emphasis is placed on the flow conditions close to the generation of hairpin-vortices. Measurements are carried out in the cases of natural and phase-locked disturbance employing smoke visualisation, particle image velocimetry, and hot-wire anemometry, which include, the dominant frequency, wavelength, and the disturbance shape (or eigenfunctions) associated with the coherent part of the velocity field. A linear stability analysis for both one- and two-dimensional base-flows is carried out to understand the mechanism of instability and good agreement of wavelength and eigenfunctions are obtained when compared to the experimental data, and a slight under-prediction of the growth-rates by the linear stability analysis consistent with the final nonlinear stages in transitional flows. Furthermore, an energy analysis for both the temporal and spatial stability analysis revels the dominance of the symmetric varicose mode, again, in agreement with the experiments, which is found to be governed by the balance of the wallnormal shear and dissipative effects rather than the spanwise shear. In all cases the anti-symmetric sinuous modes governed by the spanwise shear are found to be damped both in analysis and in our experiments.

Absolute and convective instabilities in combined Couette-Poiseuille flow past a neo-Hookean solid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patne, Ramkarn; Shankar, V.

2017-12-01

Temporal and spatio-temporal stability analyses are carried out to characterize the occurrence of convective and absolute instabilities in combined Couette-Poiseuille flow of a Newtonian fluid past a deformable, neo-Hookean solid layer in the creeping-flow limit. Plane Couette flow of a Newtonian fluid past a neo-Hookean solid becomes temporally unstable in the inertia-less limit when the parameter Γ = V η/(GR) exceeds a critical value. Here, V is the velocity of the top plate, η is the fluid viscosity, G is the shear modulus of the solid layer, and R is the fluid layer thickness. The Kupfer-Bers method is employed to demarcate regions of absolute and convective instabilities in the Γ-H parameter space, where H is the ratio of solid to fluid thickness in the system. For certain ranges of the thickness ratio H, we find that the flow could be absolutely unstable, and the critical Γ required for absolute instability is very close to that for temporal instability, thus making the flow absolutely unstable at the onset of temporal instability. In some cases, there is a gap in the parameter Γ between the temporal and absolute instability boundaries. The present study thus shows that absolute instabilities are possible, even at very low Reynolds numbers in flow past deformable solid surfaces. The presence of absolute instabilities could potentially be exploited in the enhancement of mixing at low Reynolds numbers in flow through channels with deformable solid walls.

Studies of fluid instabilities in flows of lava and debris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fink, Jonathan H.

1987-01-01

At least two instabilities have been identified and utilized in lava flow studies: surface folding and gravity instability. Both lead to the development of regularly spaced structures on the surfaces of lava flows. The geometry of surface folds have been used to estimate the rheology of lava flows on other planets. One investigation's analysis assumed that lava flows have a temperature-dependent Newtonian rheology, and that the lava's viscosity decreased exponentially inward from the upper surface. The author reviews studies by other investigators on the analysis of surface folding, the analysis of Taylor instability in lava flows, and the effect of surface folding on debris flows.

Minimal model for a hydrodynamic fingering instability in microroller suspensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delmotte, Blaise; Donev, Aleksandar; Driscoll, Michelle; Chaikin, Paul

2017-11-01

We derive a minimal continuum model to investigate the hydrodynamic mechanism behind the fingering instability recently discovered in a suspension of microrollers near a floor [M. Driscoll et al., Nat. Phys. 13, 375 (2017), 10.1038/nphys3970]. Our model, consisting of two continuous lines of rotlets, exhibits a linear instability driven only by hydrodynamic interactions and reproduces the length-scale selection observed in large-scale particle simulations and in experiments. By adjusting only one parameter, the distance between the two lines, our dispersion relation exhibits quantitative agreement with the simulations and qualitative agreement with experimental measurements. Our linear stability analysis indicates that this instability is caused by the combination of the advective and transverse flows generated by the microrollers near a no-slip surface. Our simple model offers an interesting formalism to characterize other hydrodynamic instabilities that have not been well understood, such as size scale selection in suspensions of particles sedimenting adjacent to a wall, or the recently observed formations of traveling phonons in systems of confined driven particles.

Challenges in Scale-Resolving Simulations of turbulent wake flows with coherent structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, Filipe S.; Eça, Luís; Vaz, Guilherme; Girimaji, Sharath S.

2018-06-01

The objective of this work is to investigate the challenges encountered in Scale-Resolving Simulations (SRS) of turbulent wake flows driven by spatially-developing coherent structures. SRS of practical interest are expressly intended for efficiently computing such flows by resolving only the most important features of the coherent structures and modelling the remainder as stochastic field. The success of SRS methods depends upon three important factors: i) ability to identify key flow mechanisms responsible for the generation of coherent structures; ii) determine the optimum range of resolution required to adequately capture key elements of coherent structures; and iii) ensure that the modelled part is comprised nearly exclusively of fully-developed stochastic turbulence. This study considers the canonical case of the flow around a circular cylinder to address the aforementioned three key issues. It is first demonstrated using experimental evidence that the vortex-shedding instability and flow-structure development involves four important stages. A series of SRS computations of progressively increasing resolution (decreasing cut-off length) are performed. An a priori basis for locating the origin of the coherent structures development is proposed and examined. The criterion is based on the fact that the coherent structures are generated by the Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability. The most important finding is that the key aspects of coherent structures can be resolved only if the effective computational Reynolds number (based on total viscosity) exceeds the critical value of the KH instability in laminar flows. Finally, a quantitative criterion assessing the nature of the unresolved field based on the strain-rate ratio of mean and unresolved fields is examined. The two proposed conditions and rationale offer a quantitative basis for developing "good practice" guidelines for SRS of complex turbulent wake flows with coherent structures.

Longitudinal instabilities of the experimentally generated laser accelerated ion beam relevant to fast ignition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khoshbinfar, S.

2017-11-01

The advent of laser-assisted ion acceleration technology promises an alternative candidate to conventional accelerator drivers used in inertial confinement fusion. The experimental generation of quasi-monoenergetic heavier ion species i.e. carbon and aluminum, applicable to fast ignition studies has been recently reported. The propagation of these energetic ions may impact on the proper ignition phase through growing of micro-instabilities of beam-plasma system. The growth of flow-aligned instabilities is much more important for heavier ions transport in the dense plasma. Here, we have presented a general non-relativistic one-dimensional dispersion relation of cold fluid model as well as corresponding kinetic theory of incident ion beam with atomic number, Zb enters into a fast ignition DT plasma. The longitudinal instabilities of some selected average energies of experimentally generated C6+ (EC=50, 100 and 200 MeV with δE/E ∼ 10 %) and Al11+ (EAl=150 and 300 MeV with δE/E ∼25%) quasi-monoenergetic beams were examined and beam-plasma system stable configuration have been then derived. It has been shown that in the kinetic theory framework, carbon and aluminum ions may be completely stabilized by the combination of beam to plasma density ratio (αb) and plasma temperature (Tp) of ignition phase parameters. Moreover, in complete stabilization, αb parameter of aluminum beam is an order of magnitude lower than carbon.

Rayleigh–Taylor and Richtmyer–Meshkov instability induced flow, turbulence, and mixing. I

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Ye

Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) and Richtmyer–Meshkov (RM) instabilities play an important role in a wide range of engineering, geophysical, and astrophysical flows. They represent a triggering event that, in many cases, leads to large-scale turbulent mixing. Much effort has been expended over the past 140 years, beginning with the seminal work of Lord Rayleigh, to predict the evolution of the instabilities and of the instability-induced mixing layers. Furthermore, the objective of Part I of this review is to provide the basic properties of the flow, turbulence, and mixing induced by RT, RM, and Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) instabilities. Historical efforts to study these instabilitiesmore » are briefly reviewed, and the significance of these instabilities is discussed for a variety of flows, particularly for astrophysical flows and for the case of inertial confinement fusion.« less

Rayleigh–Taylor and Richtmyer–Meshkov instability induced flow, turbulence, and mixing. I

DOE PAGES

Zhou, Ye

2017-09-06

Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) and Richtmyer–Meshkov (RM) instabilities play an important role in a wide range of engineering, geophysical, and astrophysical flows. They represent a triggering event that, in many cases, leads to large-scale turbulent mixing. Much effort has been expended over the past 140 years, beginning with the seminal work of Lord Rayleigh, to predict the evolution of the instabilities and of the instability-induced mixing layers. Furthermore, the objective of Part I of this review is to provide the basic properties of the flow, turbulence, and mixing induced by RT, RM, and Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) instabilities. Historical efforts to study these instabilitiesmore » are briefly reviewed, and the significance of these instabilities is discussed for a variety of flows, particularly for astrophysical flows and for the case of inertial confinement fusion.« less

The fluid transport in inkjet-printed liquid rivulets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singler, Timothy; Liu, Liang; Sun, Xiaoze; Pei, Yunheng; Microfluidic; Interfacial Transport Lab Team

2017-11-01

Inkjet printing holds significant potential for the controlled deposition of solution-processed functional materials spanning applications from microelectronics to biomedical sciences. Although theoretical and experimental investigations addressing the stability criteria of the inkjet-printed liquid rivulets have been discussed in the literature, the associated transport phenomena have received little attention. This study focuses on the experimental investigation of printed rivulets, stable with respect to Rayleigh-Plateau, but exhibiting bulge instability. The morphological evolution and the depth-resolved flow field of the rivulets were assessed via high-speed imaging in conjunction with micro-PIV. We discuss in detail effects of repetitive wave motion induced by periodic drop impact at the leading edge and the associated pulsatile flow, as well as the persistent nonuniform mass distribution in the ridge region of the rivulet. The results provide an experimental foundation for more detailed theoretical modelling of printed rivulet flows.

The Growth of Instabilities in Annular Liquid Sheets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duke, Daniel J.; Honnery, Damon R; Soria, Julio

An annular liquid sheet surrounded by parallel co-flowing gas is an effective atomiser. However, the initial instabilities which determine the primary break-up of the liquid sheet are not well understood. Lack of agreement on the influence of the boundary conditions and the non-dimension scaling of the initial instability persists between theoretical stability analyses and experiments. To address this matter, we have undertaken an experimental parametric study of an aerodynamically-driven, non-swirling annular water sheet. The effects of sheet thickness, inner and outer gas-liquid momentum ratio were investigated over an order of magnitude variation in Reynolds and Weber number. From high-speed imagemore » correlation measurements in the near-nozzle region, we propose new empirical correlations for the frequency of the instability as a function of the total gas-liquid momentum ratio, with good non-dimensional collapse. From analysis of the instability velocity probability densities, we find two persistent and distinct superimposed instabilities with different growth rates. The first is a short-lived, rapidly saturating sawtooth-like instability. The second is a slower-growing stochastic instability which persists through the break-up of the sheet. The presence of multiple instabilities whose growth rates do not strongly correlate with the shear velocities may explain some of the discrepancies between experiments and stability analyses.« less

Dusty Plasma Experimental (DPEx) device for complex plasma experiments with flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaiswal, S.; Bandyopadhyay, P.; Sen, A.

2015-11-01

A versatile table-top dusty plasma experimental device to study flow induced excitations of linear and nonlinear waves/structures in a complex plasma is presented. In this Π-shaped apparatus, a DC glow discharge plasma is produced between a disc shaped anode and a grounded long cathode tray by applying a high voltage DC in the background of a neutral gas (argon) and subsequently a dusty plasma is created by introducing micron sized dust particles that get charged and levitated in the sheath region. A flow of the dust particles is induced in a controlled manner by adjusting the pumping speed and the gas flow rate into the device. A full characterisation of the plasma, using Langmuir and emissive probe data, and that of the dusty plasma using particle tracking data with the help of an idl based (super) Particle Identification and Tracking (sPIT) code is reported. Experimental results on the variation of the dust flow velocity as a function of the neutral pressure and the gas flow rate are given. The neutral drag force acting on the particles and the Epstein coefficient are estimated from the initial acceleration of the particles. The potential experimental capabilities of the device for conducting fundamental studies of flow induced instabilities are discussed.

Thin film instabilities: Rayleigh-Taylor with thermocapillarity and Kolmogorov flow in a soap film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgess, John Matthew

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability occurs when a more dense fluid layer is suspended above a less dense fluid layer in a gravitational field. The horizontal interface between the two fluids is unstable to infinitesimal deformations and the dense fluid falls. To counteract the destabilizing effects of gravity on the interface between two thin fluid layers, we apply a vertical temperature gradient, heating from below. The dependence of surface tension on temperature (``thermocapillarity'') can cause spatially-varying interfacial forces between two immiscible fluid layers if a variation in temperature along the interface is introduced. With an applied vertical temperature gradient, the deforming interface spontaneously develops temperature variations which locally adjust the surface tension to restore a flat interface. We find that these surface tension gradients can stabilize a more dense thin fluid layer (silicone oil, 0.015 cm thick) above a less dense thin fluid layer (air, 0.025 cm thick) in a gravitational field, in qualitative agreement with linear stability analysis. This is the first experimental observation of the stabilization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability by thermocapillary forces. We also examine the instability of a soap film flow driven by a time-independent force that is spatially periodic in the direction perpendicular to the forcing (Kolmogorov flow). The film is in the x- y plane, where the forcing approximates a shape sin (y)x̂. Linear stability analysis of an idealized model of this flow predicts a critical Reynolds number Rc~2 . In our soap film experiment, we find a critical value Rc~70 . This discrepancy can be ascribed to frictional effects from viscous coupling of gas to the film, which is neglected in the idealized model. The kinematic viscosity of the surrounding gas and the thickness of gas layers on each side of the soap film are varied in the experiments to better understand these frictional effects. We conclude that flows in soap films cannot be decoupled from flows in the surrounding gas.

Instability and associated roll structure of Marangoni convection in high Prandtl number liquid bridge with large aspect ratio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yano, T.; Nishino, K.; Kawamura, H.; Ueno, I.; Matsumoto, S.

2015-02-01

This paper reports the experimental results on the instability and associated roll structures (RSs) of Marangoni convection in liquid bridges formed under the microgravity environment on the International Space Station. The geometry of interest is high aspect ratio (AR = height/diameter ≥ 1.0) liquid bridges of high Prandtl number fluids (Pr = 67 and 207) suspended between coaxial disks heated differentially. The unsteady flow field and associated RSs were revealed with the three-dimensional particle tracking velocimetry. It is found that the flow field after the onset of instability exhibits oscillations with azimuthal mode number m = 1 and associated RSs traveling in the axial direction. The RSs travel in the same direction as the surface flow (co-flow direction) for 1.00 ≤ AR ≤ 1.25 while they travel in the opposite direction (counter-flow direction) for AR ≥ 1.50, thus showing the change of traveling directions with AR. This traveling direction for AR ≥ 1.50 is reversed to the co-flow direction when the temperature difference between the disks is increased to the condition far beyond the critical one. This change of traveling directions is accompanied by the increase of the oscillation frequency. The characteristics of the RSs for AR ≥ 1.50, such as the azimuthal mode of oscillation, the dimensionless oscillation frequency, and the traveling direction, are in reasonable agreement with those of the previous sounding rocket experiment for AR = 2.50 and those of the linear stability analysis of an infinite liquid bridge.

Experimental studies on the stability and transition of 3-dimensional boundary layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nitschke-Kowsky, P.

1987-01-01

Three-dimensional unstable boundary layers were investigated as to their characteristic instabilities, leading to turbulence. Standing cross-flow instabilities and traveling waves preceding the transition were visualized with the hydrogen bubble technique in the boundary layer above the wall of a swept cylinder. With the sublimation method and hot film technique, a model consisting of a swept flat plate with a pressure-inducing displacement body in the 1 m wind tunnel was studied. Standing waves and traveling waves in a broad frequency are observed. The boundary layer of this model is close to the assumptions of the theory.

Time-resolved PIV measurements of the flow field in a stenosed, compliant arterial model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geoghegan, P. H.; Buchmann, N. A.; Soria, J.; Jermy, M. C.

2013-05-01

Compliant (flexible) structures play an important role in several biological flows including the lungs, heart and arteries. Coronary heart disease is caused by a constriction in the artery due to a build-up of atherosclerotic plaque. This plaque is also of major concern in the carotid artery which supplies blood to the brain. Blood flow within these arteries is strongly influenced by the movement of the wall. To study these problems experimentally in vitro, especially using flow visualisation techniques, can be expensive due to the high-intensity and high-repetition rate light sources required. In this work, time-resolved particle image velocimetry using a relatively low-cost light-emitting diode illumination system was applied to the study of a compliant flow phantom representing a stenosed (constricted) carotid artery experiencing a physiologically realistic flow wave. Dynamic similarity between in vivo and in vitro conditions was ensured in phantom construction by matching the distensibility and the elastic wave propagation wavelength and in the fluid system through matching Reynolds ( Re) and Womersley number ( α) with a maximum, minimum and mean Re of 939, 379 and 632, respectively, and a α of 4.54. The stenosis had a symmetric constriction of 50 % by diameter (75 % by area). Once the flow rate reached a critical value, Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities were observed to occur in the shear layer between the main jet exiting the stenosis and a reverse flow region that occurred at a radial distance of 0.34 D from the axis of symmetry in the region on interest 0-2.5 D longitudinally downstream from the stenosis exit. The instability had an axis-symmetric nature, but as peak flow rate was approached this symmetry breaks down producing instability in the flow field. The characteristics of the vortex train were sensitive not only to the instantaneous flow rate, but also to whether the flow was accelerating or decelerating globally.

Experimental Studies of the Interaction Between a Parallel Shear Flow and a Directionally-Solidifying Front

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhang, Meng; Maxworthy, Tony

1999-01-01

It has long been recognized that flow in the melt can have a profound influence on the dynamics of a solidifying interface and hence the quality of the solid material. In particular, flow affects the heat and mass transfer, and causes spatial and temporal variations in the flow and melt composition. This results in a crystal with nonuniform physical properties. Flow can be generated by buoyancy, expansion or contraction upon phase change, and thermo-soluto capillary effects. In general, these flows can not be avoided and can have an adverse effect on the stability of the crystal structures. This motivates crystal growth experiments in a microgravity environment, where buoyancy-driven convection is significantly suppressed. However, transient accelerations (g-jitter) caused by the acceleration of the spacecraft can affect the melt, while convection generated from the effects other than buoyancy remain important. Rather than bemoan the presence of convection as a source of interfacial instability, Hurle in the 1960s suggested that flow in the melt, either forced or natural convection, might be used to stabilize the interface. Delves considered the imposition of both a parabolic velocity profile and a Blasius boundary layer flow over the interface. He concluded that fast stirring could stabilize the interface to perturbations whose wave vector is in the direction of the fluid velocity. Forth and Wheeler considered the effect of the asymptotic suction boundary layer profile. They showed that the effect of the shear flow was to generate travelling waves parallel to the flow with a speed proportional to the Reynolds number. There have been few quantitative, experimental works reporting on the coupling effect of fluid flow and morphological instabilities. Huang studied plane Couette flow over cells and dendrites. It was found that this flow could greatly enhance the planar stability and even induce the cell-planar transition. A rotating impeller was buried inside the sample cell, driven by an outside rotating magnet, in order to generate the flow. However, it appears that this was not a well-controlled flow and may also have been unsteady. In the present experimental study, we want to study how a forced parallel shear flow in a Hele-Shaw cell interacts with the directionally solidifying crystal interface. The comparison of experimental data show that the parallel shear flow in a Hele-Shaw cell has a strong stabilizing effect on the planar interface by damping the existing initial perturbations. The flow also shows a stabilizing effect on the cellular interface by slightly reducing the exponential growth rate of cells. The left-right symmetry of cells is broken by the flow with cells tilting toward the incoming flow direction. The tilting angle increases with the velocity ratio. The experimental results are explained through the parallel flow effect on lateral solute transport. The phenomenon of cells tilting against the flow is consistent with the numerical result of Dantzig and Chao.

Experimental study on ablative stabilization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability of laser-irradiated targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shigemori, Keisuke; Sakaiya, Tatsuhiko; Otani, Kazuto; Fujioka, Shinsuke; Nakai, Mitsuo; Azechi, Hiroshi; Shiraga, Hiroyuki; Tamari, Yohei; Okuno, Kazuki; Sunahara, Atsushi; Nagatomo, Hideo; Murakami, Masakatsu; Nishihara, Katsunobu; Izawa, Yasukazu

2004-09-01

Hydrodynamic instabilities are key issues of the physics of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) targets. Among the instabilities, Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability is the most important because it gives the largest growth factor in the ICF targets. Perturbations on the laser irradiated surface grow exponentially, but the growth rate is reduced by ablation flow. The growth rate γ is written as Takabe-Betti formula: γ = [kg/(1+kL)]1/2-βkm/pa, where k is wave number of the perturbation, g is acceleration, L is density scale-length, β is a coefficient, m is mass ablation rate per unit surface, and ρa is density at the ablation front. We experimentally measured all the parameters in the formula for polystyrene (CH) targets. Experiments were done on the HIPER laser facility at Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University. We found that the β value in the formula is ~ 1.7, which is in good agreements with the theoretical prediction, whereas the β for certain perturbation wavelengths are larger than the prediction. This disagreement between the experiment and the theory is mainly due to the deformation of the cutoff surface, which is created by non-uniform ablation flow from the ablation surface. We also found that high-Z doped plastic targets have multiablation structure, which can reduce the RT growth rate. When a low-Z target with high-Z dopant is irradiated by laser, radiation due to the high-Z dopant creates secondary ablation front deep inside the target. Since, the secondary ablation front is ablated by x-rays, the mass ablation rate is larger than the laser-irradiated ablation surface, that is, further reduction of the RT growth is expected. We measured the RT growth rate of Br-doped polystyrene targets. The experimental results indicate that of the CHBr targets show significantly small growth rate, which is very good news for the design of the ICF targets.

Understanding the impact of insulating and conducting endplate boundary conditions on turbulence in CSDX through nonlocal simulations

DOE PAGES

Vaezi, P.; Holland, C.; Thakur, S. C.; ...

2017-04-01

The Controlled Shear Decorrelation Experiment (CSDX) linear plasma device provides a unique platform for investigating the underlying physics of self-regulating drift-wave turbulence/zonal flow dynamics. A minimal model of 3D drift-reduced nonlocal cold ion fluid equations which evolves density, vorticity, and electron temperature fluctuations, with proper sheath boundary conditions, is used to simulate dynamics of the turbulence in CSDX and its response to changes in parallel boundary conditions. These simulations are then carried out using the BOUndary Turbulence (BOUT++) framework and use equilibrium electron density and temperature profiles taken from experimental measurements. The results show that density gradient-driven drift-waves are themore » dominant instability in CSDX. However, the choice of insulating or conducting endplate boundary conditions affects the linear growth rates and energy balance of the system due to the absence or addition of Kelvin-Helmholtz modes generated by the sheath-driven equilibrium E × B shear and sheath-driven temperature gradient instability. Moreover, nonlinear simulation results show that the boundary conditions impact the turbulence structure and zonal flow formation, resulting in less broadband (more quasi-coherent) turbulence and weaker zonal flow in conducting boundary condition case. These results are qualitatively consistent with earlier experimental observations.« less

Kinetic instability of electrostatic ion cyclotron waves in inter-penetrating plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bashir, M. F.; Ilie, R.; Murtaza, G.

2018-05-01

The Electrostatic Ion Cyclotron (EIC) instability that includes the effect of wave-particle interaction is studied owing to the free energy source through the flowing velocity of the inter-penetrating plasmas. It is shown that the origin of this current-less instability is different from the classical current driven EIC instability. The threshold conditions applicable to a wide range of plasma parameters and the estimate of the growth rate are determined as a function of the normalized flowing velocity ( u0/vt f e ), the temperature ( Tf/Ts ) and the density ratios ( nf 0/ns 0 ) of flowing component to static one. The EIC instability is driven by either flowing electrons or flowing ions, depending upon the different Doppler shifted frequency domains. It is found that the growth rate for electron-driven instability is higher than the ion-driven one. However, in both cases, the denser (hotter) is the flowing plasma, the lesser (greater) is the growth rate. The possible applications related to the terrestrial solar plasma environment are also discussed.

Magnetically Induced Rotating Rayleigh-Taylor Instability.

PubMed

Scase, Matthew M; Baldwin, Kyle A; Hill, Richard J A

2017-03-03

Classical techniques for investigating the Rayleigh-Taylor instability include using compressed gasses 1 , rocketry 2 or linear electric motors 3 to reverse the effective direction of gravity, and accelerate the lighter fluid toward the denser fluid. Other authors e.g. 4 , 5 , 6 have separated a gravitationally unstable stratification with a barrier that is removed to initiate the flow. However, the parabolic initial interface in the case of a rotating stratification imposes significant technical difficulties experimentally. We wish to be able to spin-up the stratification into solid-body rotation and only then initiate the flow in order to investigate the effects of rotation upon the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The approach we have adopted here is to use the magnetic field of a superconducting magnet to manipulate the effective weight of the two liquids to initiate the flow. We create a gravitationally stable two-layer stratification using standard flotation techniques. The upper layer is less dense than the lower layer and so the system is Rayleigh-Taylor stable. This stratification is then spun-up until both layers are in solid-body rotation and a parabolic interface is observed. These experiments use fluids with low magnetic susceptibility, |χ| ~ 10 -6 - 10 -5 , compared to a ferrofluids. The dominant effect of the magnetic field applies a body-force to each layer changing the effective weight. The upper layer is weakly paramagnetic while the lower layer is weakly diamagnetic. When the magnetic field is applied, the lower layer is repelled from the magnet while the upper layer is attracted towards the magnet. A Rayleigh-Taylor instability is achieved with application of a high gradient magnetic field. We further observed that increasing the dynamic viscosity of the fluid in each layer, increases the length-scale of the instability.

Topology changes in a water-oil swirling flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrión, Luis; Herrada, Miguel A.; Shtern, Vladimir N.

2017-03-01

This paper reveals the flow topology hidden in the experimental study by Fujimoto and Takeda ["Topology changes of the interface between two immiscible liquid layers by a rotating lid," Phys. Rev. E 80, 015304(R) (2009)]. Water and silicone oil fill a sealed vertical cylindrical container. The rotating top disk induces the meridional circulation and swirl of both fluids. As the rotation strength Reo increases, the interface takes shapes named, by the authors, hump, cusp, Mt. Fuji, and bell. Our numerical study reproduces the interface geometry and discloses complicated flow patterns. For example at Reo = 752, where the interface has the "Mt. Fuji" shape, the water motion has three bulk cells and the oil motion has two bulk cells. This topology helps explain the interface geometry. In addition, our study finds that the steady axisymmetric flow suffers from the shear-layer instability for Reo > 324, i.e., before the interface becomes remarkably deformed. The disturbance energy is concentrated in the water depth. This explains why the instability does not significantly affect the interface shape in the experiment.

Secondary instability in boundary-layer flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nayfeh, A. H.; Bozatli, A. N.

1979-01-01

The stability of a secondary Tollmien-Schlichting wave, whose wavenumber and frequency are nearly one half those of a fundamental Tollmien-Schlichting instability wave is analyzed using the method of multiple scales. Under these conditions, the fundamental wave acts as a parametric exciter for the secondary wave. The results show that the amplitude of the fundamental wave must exceed a critical value to trigger this parametric instability. This value is proportional to a detuning parameter which is the real part of k - 2K, where k and K are the wavenumbers of the fundamental and its subharmonic, respectively. For Blasius flow, the critical amplitude is approximately 29% of the mean flow, and hence many other secondary instabilities take place before this parametric instability becomes significant. For other flows where the detuning parameter is small, such as free-shear layer flows, the critical amplitude can be small, thus the parametric instability might play a greater role.

Thermomagnetic convective flows in a vertical layer of ferrocolloid: perturbation energy analysis and experimental study.

PubMed

Suslov, Sergey A; Bozhko, Alexandra A; Sidorov, Alexander S; Putin, Gennady F

2012-07-01

Flow patterns arising in a vertical differentially heated layer of nonconducting ferromagnetic fluid placed in an external uniform transverse magnetic field are studied experimentally and discussed from the point of view of the perturbation energy balance. A quantitative criterion for detecting the parametric point where the dominant role in generating a flow instability is transferred between the thermogravitational and thermomagnetic mechanisms is suggested, based on the disturbance energy balance analysis. A comprehensive experimental study of various flow patterns is undertaken, and the existence is demonstrated of oblique thermomagnetic waves theoretically predicted by Suslov [Phys. Fluids 20, 084101 (2008)] and superposed onto the stationary magnetoconvective pattern known previously. It is found that the wave number of the detected convection patterns depends sensitively on the temperature difference across the layer and on the applied magnetic field. In unsteady regimes its value varies periodically by a factor of almost 2, indicating the appearance of two different competing wave modes. The wave numbers and spatial orientation of the observed dominant flow patterns are found to be in good agreement with theoretical predictions.

Self-sustained oscillations of a sinusoidally-deformed plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muriel, Diego F.; Cowen, Edwin A.

2015-11-01

Motivated by energy harvesting, the oscillatory motion of a deformed elastic material with aspect ratio Length/Width=2, immerse in an incompressible flow is studied experimentally. To induce the wave-like deformation a polycarbonate sheet is placed under longitudinal compression with external forcing provided by equispaced tension lines anchored in a frame. No additional constrains are placed in the material. Based on quantitative image-based edge detection, ADV, and PIV measurements, we document the existence of three natural states of motion. Bellow a critical velocity, a stable state presents a sinusoidal-like deformation with weak small perturbations. Above a critical velocity, instability appears in the form of a traveling wave with predictable dominant frequency accompanied by higher-order harmonics. As the flow velocity increases the instability converges faster to its limit cycle in the phase plane (e.g., vertical velocity and position), until the stable oscillatory mode transitions to chaos showing a broad energy spectrum and unstable limit cycle. The underlying objective is to induce the onset of the instability at lower critical velocities for higher bending rigidities, promoting possible energy extraction and increasing the range at which stable oscillations appear.

Buckling instability in ordered bacterial colonies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyer, Denis; Mather, William; Mondragón-Palomino, Octavio; Orozco-Fuentes, Sirio; Danino, Tal; Hasty, Jeff; Tsimring, Lev S.

2011-04-01

Bacterial colonies often exhibit complex spatio-temporal organization. This collective behavior is affected by a multitude of factors ranging from the properties of individual cells (shape, motility, membrane structure) to chemotaxis and other means of cell-cell communication. One of the important but often overlooked mechanisms of spatio-temporal organization is direct mechanical contact among cells in dense colonies such as biofilms. While in natural habitats all these different mechanisms and factors act in concert, one can use laboratory cell cultures to study certain mechanisms in isolation. Recent work demonstrated that growth and ensuing expansion flow of rod-like bacteria Escherichia coli in confined environments leads to orientation of cells along the flow direction and thus to ordering of cells. However, the cell orientational ordering remained imperfect. In this paper we study one mechanism responsible for the persistence of disorder in growing cell populations. We demonstrate experimentally that a growing colony of nematically ordered cells is prone to the buckling instability. Our theoretical analysis and discrete-element simulations suggest that the nature of this instability is related to the anisotropy of the stress tensor in the ordered cell colony.

Demonstration Tokamak Hybrid Reactor (DTHR) blanket design study, December 1978

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1978-01-01

This work represents only the second iteration of the conceptual design of a DTHR blanket; consequently, a number of issues important to a detailed blanket design have not yet been evaluated. The most critical issues identified are those of two-phase flow maldistribution, flow instabilities, flow stratification for horizontal radial inflow of boiling water, fuel rod vibrations, corrosion of clad and structural materials by high quality steam, fretting and cyclic loads. Approaches to minimizing these problems are discussed and experimental testing with flow mock-ups is recommended. These implications on a commercial blanket design are discussed and critical data needs are identified.

Acoustic response of Helmholtz dampers in the presence of hot grazing flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ćosić, B.; Wassmer, D.; Terhaar, S.; Paschereit, C. O.

2015-01-01

Thermoacoustic instabilities are high amplitude instabilities of premixed gas turbine combustors. Cooled passive dampers are used to attenuate or suppress these instabilities in the combustion chamber. For the first time, the influence of temperature differences between the grazing flow in the combustor and the cross-flow emanating from the Helmholtz damper is comprehensively investigated in the linear and nonlinear amplitude regime. The flow field inside the resonator and in the vicinity of the neck is measured with high-speed particle image velocimetry for various amplitudes and at different momentum-flux ratios of grazing and purging flow. Seeding is used as a tracer to qualitatively assess the mixing of the grazing and purging flow as well as the ingestion into the neck of the resonator. Experimentally, the acoustic response for various temperature differences between grazing and purging flow is investigated. The multi-microphone method, in combination with two microphones flush-mounted in the resonator volume and two microphones in the plane of the resonator entrance, is used to determine the impedance of the Helmholtz resonator in the linear and nonlinear amplitude regime for various temperatures and different momentum-flux ratios. Additionally, a thermocouple was used to measure the temperature in the neck. The acoustic response and the temperature measurements are used to obtain the virtual neck length and the effective area jump from a detailed impedance model. This model is extended to include the observed acoustic energy dissipation caused by the density gradients at the neck vicinity. A clear correlation between temperature differences and changes of the mass end-correction is confirmed. The capabilities of the impedance model are demonstrated.

Receptivity of Hypersonic Boundary Layers Due to Acoustic Disturbances over Blunt Cone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kara, K.; Balakumar, P.; Kandil, O. A.

2007-01-01

The transition process induced by the interaction of acoustic disturbances in the free-stream with boundary layers over a 5-degree straight cone and a wedge with blunt tips is numerically investigated at a free-stream Mach number of 6.0. To compute the shock and the interaction of shock with the instability waves the Navier-Stokes equations are solved in axisymmetric coordinates. The governing equations are solved using the 5th -order accurate weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) scheme for space discretization and using third-order total-variation-diminishing (TVD) Runge-Kutta scheme for time integration. After the mean flow field is computed, acoustic disturbances are introduced at the outer boundary of the computational domain and unsteady simulations are performed. Generation and evolution of instability waves and the receptivity of boundary layer to slow and fast acoustic waves are investigated. The mean flow data are compared with the experimental results. The results show that the instability waves are generated near the leading edge and the non-parallel effects are stronger near the nose region for the flow over the cone than that over a wedge. It is also found that the boundary layer is much more receptive to slow acoustic wave (by almost a factor of 67) as compared to the fast wave.

Application of cross recurrence plot for identification of temperature fluctuations synchronization in parallel minichannels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grzybowski, H.; Mosdorf, R.

2016-09-01

The temperature fluctuations occurring in flow boiling in parallel minichannels with diameter of 1 mm have been experimentally investigated and analysed. The wall temperature was recorded at each minichannel outlet by thermocouple with 0.08 mm diameter probe. The time series where recorded during dynamic two-phase flow instabilities which are accompanied by chaotic temperature fluctuations. Time series were denoised using wavelet decomposition and were analysed using cross recurrence plots (CRP) which enables the study of two time series synchronization.

Premixed Flames Under Microgravity and Normal Gravity Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krikunova, Anastasia I.; Son, Eduard E.

2018-03-01

Premixed conical CH4-air flames were studied experimentally and numerically under normal straight, reversed gravity conditions and microgravity. Low-gravity experiments were performed in Drop tower. Classical Bunsen-type burner was used to find out features of gravity influence on the combustion processes. Mixture equivalence ratio was varied from 0.8 to 1.3. Wide range of flow velocity allows to study both laminar and weakly turbulized flames. High-speed flame chemoluminescence video-recording was used as diagnostic. The investigations were performed at atmospheric pressure. As results normalized flame height, laminar flame speed were measured, also features of flame instabilities were shown. Low- and high-frequency flame-instabilities (oscillations) have a various nature as velocity fluctuations, preferential diffusion instability, hydrodynamic and Rayleigh-Taylor ones etc., that was explored and demonstrated.

Granular Rayleigh-Taylor instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vinningland, Jan Ludvig; Johnsen, Oistein; Flekkoey, Eirik G.

2009-06-18

A granular instability driven by gravity is studied experimentally and numerically. The instability arises as grains fall in a closed Hele-Shaw cell where a layer of dense granular material is positioned above a layer of air. The initially flat front defined by the grains subsequently develops into a pattern of falling granular fingers separated by rising bubbles of air. A transient coarsening of the front is observed right from the start by a finger merging process. The coarsening is later stabilized by new fingers growing from the center of the rising bubbles. The structures are quantified by means of Fouriermore » analysis and quantitative agreement between experiment and computation is shown. This analysis also reveals scale invariance of the flow structures under overall change of spatial scale.« less

On the tertiary instability formalism of zonal flows in magnetized plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rath, F.; Peeters, A. G.; Buchholz, R.; Grosshauser, S. R.; Seiferling, F.; Weikl, A.

2018-05-01

This paper investigates the so-called tertiary instabilities driven by the zonal flow in gyro-kinetic tokamak core turbulence. The Kelvin Helmholtz instability is first considered within a 2D fluid model and a threshold in the zonal flow wave vector kZF>kZF,c for instability is found. This critical scale is related to the breaking of the rotational symmetry by flux-surfaces, which is incorporated into the modified adiabatic electron response. The stability of undamped Rosenbluth-Hinton zonal flows is then investigated in gyro-kinetic simulations. Absolute instability, in the sense that the threshold zonal flow amplitude tends towards zero, is found above a zonal flow wave vector kZF,cρi≈1.3 ( ρi is the ion thermal Larmor radius), which is comparable to the 2D fluid results. Large scale zonal flows with kZF

An investigation into inflection-point instability in the entrance region of a pulsating pipe flow

PubMed Central

Wang, R. H.; Jian, T. W.; Hsu, Y. T.

2017-01-01

This paper investigates the inflection-point instability that governs the flow disturbance initiated in the entrance region of a pulsating pipe flow. Under such a flow condition, the flow instability grows within a certain phase region in a pulsating cycle, during which the inflection point in the unsteady mean flow lifts away from the viscous effect-dominated region known as the Stokes layer. The characteristic frequency of the instability is found to be in agreement with that predicted by the mixing-layer model. In comparison with those cases not falling in this category, it is further verified that the flow phenomenon will take place only if the inflection point lifts away sufficiently from the Stokes layer. PMID:28265188

Experimental investigation of detonation waves instabilities in liquid high explosives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sosikov, V. A.; Torunov, S. I.; Utkin, A. V.; Mochalova, V. M.; Rapota, D. Yu

2018-01-01

Experimental investigation of unstable detonation front structure in mixtures of liquid high explosives (nitromethane and FEFO—bis-(2-fluor-2.2-dinitroethyl)-formal) with inert diluents (acetone, methanol, DETA—diethylene triamine) has been carried out. Inhomogeneities have been registered by electro-optical camera NANOGATE 4BP allowing to make 4 frames with the exposure time 10 ns. According to experimental results the detonation front in nitromethane-acetone mixture is unstable. It is evident that pulsations on detonation front do not form spatial periodic structure and their dimensions differ several times. But mean longitudinal size of pulsation is about 500 μm at 20 wt% of acetone concentration. This means that the typical size of cell equals to reaction zone width. The same structure of cellular front have been registered in 70/30 FEFO-methanol mixture. Second kind of instability, failure waves, was observed in neat nitromethane at the free surface. In this case the stability loss result in turbulent flow which is clearly detected in the shots obtained. Adding small amount of DETA (0.5 wt%) results in disappearance of the failure waves and flow stabilization. The effect is caused by the fact that DETA sharply accelerates initial rate of chemical reaction because it is sensitizer for nitromethane.

Stability and sensitivity analysis of hypersonic flow past a blunt cone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nichols, Joseph W.; Cook, David; Brock, Joseph M.; Candler, Graham V.

2017-11-01

We investigate the effects of nosetip bluntness and low-level distributed roughness on instabilities leading to transition on a 7 degree half-angle blunt cone at Mach 10. To study the sensitivity of boundary layer instabilities to bluntness and roughness, we numerically extract Jacobian matrices directly from the unstructured hypersonic flow solver US3D. These matrices govern the dynamics of small perturbations about otherwise laminar base flows. We consider the frequency response of the resulting linearized dynamical system between different input and output locations along the cone, including close to the nosetip. Using adjoints, our method faithfully captures effects of complex geometry such as strong curvature and roughness that lead to flow acceleration and localized heating in this region. These effects violate the assumption of a slowly-varying base flow that underpins traditional linear stability analyses. We compare our results, which do not rely upon this assumption, to experimental measurements of a Mach 10 blunt cone taken at the AEDC Hypervelocity Ballistic Range G facility. In particular, we assess whether effects of complex geometry can explain discrepancies previously noted between traditional stability analysis and observations. This work is supported by the Office of Naval Research through Grant Number N00014-17-1-2496.

Pre-Stall Behavior of a Transonic Axial Compressor Stage via Time-Accurate Numerical Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Jen-Ping; Hathaway, Michael D.; Herrick, Gregory P.

2008-01-01

CFD calculations using high-performance parallel computing were conducted to simulate the pre-stall flow of a transonic compressor stage, NASA compressor Stage 35. The simulations were run with a full-annulus grid that models the 3D, viscous, unsteady blade row interaction without the need for an artificial inlet distortion to induce stall. The simulation demonstrates the development of the rotating stall from the growth of instabilities. Pressure-rise performance and pressure traces are compared with published experimental data before the study of flow evolution prior to the rotating stall. Spatial FFT analysis of the flow indicates a rotating long-length disturbance of one rotor circumference, which is followed by a spike-type breakdown. The analysis also links the long-length wave disturbance with the initiation of the spike inception. The spike instabilities occur when the trajectory of the tip clearance flow becomes perpendicular to the axial direction. When approaching stall, the passage shock changes from a single oblique shock to a dual-shock, which distorts the perpendicular trajectory of the tip clearance vortex but shows no evidence of flow separation that may contribute to stall.

Kelvin-Helmholtz versus Hall magnetoshear instability in astrophysical flows.

PubMed

Gómez, Daniel O; Bejarano, Cecilia; Mininni, Pablo D

2014-05-01

We study the stability of shear flows in a fully ionized plasma. Kelvin-Helmholtz is a well-known macroscopic and ideal shear-driven instability. In sufficiently low-density plasmas, also the microscopic Hall magnetoshear instability can take place. We performed three-dimensional simulations of the Hall-magnetohydrodynamic equations where these two instabilities are present, and carried out a comparative study. We find that when the shear flow is so intense that its vorticity surpasses the ion-cyclotron frequency of the plasma, the Hall magnetoshear instability is not only non-negligible, but it actually displays growth rates larger than those of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability.

Flow Enhancement due to Elastic Turbulence in Channel Flows of Shear Thinning Fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bodiguel, Hugues; Beaumont, Julien; Machado, Anaïs; Martinie, Laetitia; Kellay, Hamid; Colin, Annie

2015-01-01

We explore the flow of highly shear thinning polymer solutions in straight geometry. The strong variations of the normal forces close to the wall give rise to an elastic instability. We evidence a periodic motion close the onset of the instability, which then evolves towards a turbulentlike flow at higher flow rates. Strikingly, we point out that this instability induces genuine drag reduction due to the homogenization of the viscosity profile by the turbulent flow.

Flow enhancement due to elastic turbulence in channel flows of shear thinning fluids.

PubMed

Bodiguel, Hugues; Beaumont, Julien; Machado, Anaïs; Martinie, Laetitia; Kellay, Hamid; Colin, Annie

2015-01-16

We explore the flow of highly shear thinning polymer solutions in straight geometry. The strong variations of the normal forces close to the wall give rise to an elastic instability. We evidence a periodic motion close the onset of the instability, which then evolves towards a turbulentlike flow at higher flow rates. Strikingly, we point out that this instability induces genuine drag reduction due to the homogenization of the viscosity profile by the turbulent flow.

Investigation of Flame Driving and Flow Turning in Axial Solid Rocket Instabilities

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-08-31

theoretically sound. it is hard to cor.elate 0 first end order quantities with meassured experimental dR (16) data. Therefore, a naw theore"ia formulation...a porous plate that turning loss, an analysis was developed that allows for behaves as an acoustically ’ hard ’ termination. The the expansion of all

Modeling of flow-dominated MHD instabilities at WiPPAL using NIMROD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flanagan, K.; McCollam, K. J.; Milhone, J.; Mirnov, V. V.; Nornberg, M. D.; Peterson, E. E.; Siller, R.; Forest, C. B.

2017-10-01

Using the NIMROD (non-ideal MHD with rotation - open discussion) code developed at UW-Madison, we model two different flow scenarios to study the onset of MHD instabilities in flow-dominated plasmas in the Big Red Ball (BRB) and the Plasma Couette Experiment (PCX). Both flows rely on volumetric current drive, where a large current is drawn through the plasma across a weak magnetic field, injecting J × B torque across the whole volume. The first scenario uses a vertical applied magnetic field and a mostly radial injected current to create Couette-like flows which may excite the magnetorotational instability (MRI). In the other scenario, a quadrupolar field is applied to create counter-rotating von Karman-like flow that demonstrates a dynamo-like instability. For both scenarios, the differences between Hall and MHD Ohm's laws are explored. The implementation of BRB geometry in NIMROD, details of the observed flows, and instability results are shown. This work was funded by DoE and NSF.

Numerical analysis of flow instability in the water wall of a supercritical CFB boiler with annular furnace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Beibei; Yang, Dong; Xie, Haiyan; Nie, Xin; Liu, Wanyu

2016-08-01

In order to expand the study on flow instability of supercritical circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler, a new numerical computational model considering the heat storage of the tube wall metal was presented in this paper. The lumped parameter method was proposed for wall temperature calculation and the single channel model was adopted for the analysis of flow instability. Based on the time-domain method, a new numerical computational program suitable for the analysis of flow instability in the water wall of supercritical CFB boiler with annular furnace was established. To verify the code, calculation results were respectively compared with data of commercial software. According to the comparisons, the new code was proved to be reasonable and accurate for practical engineering application in analysis of flow instability. Based on the new program, the flow instability of supercritical CFB boiler with annular furnace was simulated by time-domain method. When 1.2 times heat load disturbance was applied on the loop, results showed that the inlet flow rate, outlet flow rate and wall temperature fluctuated with time eventually remained at constant values, suggesting that the hydrodynamic flow was stable. The results also showed that in the case of considering the heat storage, the flow in the water wall is easier to return to stable state than without considering heat storage.

Applications of Analytical Self-Similar Solutions of Reynolds-Averaged Models for Instability-Induced Turbulent Mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartland, Tucker; Schilling, Oleg

2017-11-01

Analytical self-similar solutions to several families of single- and two-scale, eddy viscosity and Reynolds stress turbulence models are presented for Rayleigh-Taylor, Richtmyer-Meshkov, and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability-induced turbulent mixing. The use of algebraic relationships between model coefficients and physical observables (e.g., experimental growth rates) following from the self-similar solutions to calibrate a member of a given family of turbulence models is shown. It is demonstrated numerically that the algebraic relations accurately predict the value and variation of physical outputs of a Reynolds-averaged simulation in flow regimes that are consistent with the simplifying assumptions used to derive the solutions. The use of experimental and numerical simulation data on Reynolds stress anisotropy ratios to calibrate a Reynolds stress model is briefly illustrated. The implications of the analytical solutions for future Reynolds-averaged modeling of hydrodynamic instability-induced mixing are briefly discussed. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Investigation of MHD Instabilities in Jets and Bubbles Using a Compact Coaxial Plasma Gun in a Background Magnetized Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y.; Fisher, D. M.; Wallace, B.; Gilmore, M.; Hsu, S. C.

2016-10-01

A compact coaxial plasma gun is employed for experimental investigation of launching plasma into a lower density background magnetized plasma. Experiments are being conducted in the linear device HelCat at UNM. Four distinct operational regimes with qualitatively different dynamics are identified by fast CCD camera images. For regime I plasma jet formation, a global helical magnetic configuration is determined by a B-dot probe array data. Also the m =1 kink instability is observed and verified. Furthermore, when the jet is propagating into background magnetic field, a longer length and lifetime jet is formed. Axial shear flow caused by the background magnetic tension force contributes to the increased stability of the jet body. In regime II, a spheromak-like plasma bubble formation is identified when the gun plasma is injected into vacuum. In contrast, when the bubble propagates into a background magnetic field, the closed magnetic field configuration does not hold anymore and a lateral side, Reilgh-Taylor instability develops. Detailed experimental data and analysis will be presented for these cases.

Non-thermal plasma instabilities induced by deformation of the electron energy distribution function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyatko, N. A.; Kochetov, I. V.; Napartovich, A. P.

2014-08-01

Non-thermal plasma is a key component in gas lasers, microelectronics, medical applications, waste gas cleaners, ozone generators, plasma igniters, flame holders, flow control in high-speed aerodynamics and others. A specific feature of non-thermal plasma is its high sensitivity to variations in governing parameters (gas composition, pressure, pulse duration, E/N parameter). This sensitivity is due to complex deformations of the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) shape induced by variations in electric field strength, electron and ion number densities and gas excitation degree. Particular attention in this article is paid to mechanisms of instabilities based on non-linearity of plasma properties for specific conditions: gas composition, steady-state and decaying plasma produced by the electron beam, or by an electric current pulse. The following effects are analyzed: the negative differential electron conductivity; the absolute negative electron mobility; the stepwise changes of plasma properties induced by the EEDF bi-stability; thermo-current instability and the constriction of the glow discharge column in rare gases. Some of these effects were observed experimentally and some of them were theoretically predicted and still wait for experimental confirmation.

Combustion dynamics in cryogenic rocket engines: Research programme at DLR Lampoldshausen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardi, Justin S.; Traudt, Tobias; Bombardieri, Cristiano; Börner, Michael; Beinke, Scott K.; Armbruster, Wolfgang; Nicolas Blanco, P.; Tonti, Federica; Suslov, Dmitry; Dally, Bassam; Oschwald, Michael

2018-06-01

The Combustion Dynamics group in the Rocket Propulsion Department at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Lampoldshausen, strives to advance the understanding of dynamic processes in cryogenic rocket engines. Leveraging the test facilities and experimental expertise at DLR Lampoldshausen, the group has taken a primarily experimental approach to investigating transient flows, ignition, and combustion instabilities for over one and a half decades. This article provides a summary of recent achievements, and an overview of current and planned research activities.

Experiments on the Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability of Incompressible Fluids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, J.; Niederhaus, C.

2000-01-01

Richtmyer-Meshkov (R-M) instability occurs when two different density fluids are impulsively accelerated in the direction normal to their nearly planar interface. The instability causes small perturbations on the interface to grow and possibly become turbulent given the proper initial conditions. R-M instability is similar to the Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability, which is generated when the two fluids undergo a constant acceleration. R-M instability is a fundamental fluid instability that is important to fields ranging from astrophysics to high-speed combustion. For example, R-M instability is currently the limiting factor in achieving a net positive yield with inertial confinement fusion. The experiments described here utilize a novel technique that circumvents many of the experimental difficulties previously limiting the study of the R-M instability. A Plexiglas tank contains two unequal density liquids and is gently oscillated horizontally to produce a controlled initial fluid interface shape. The tank is mounted to a sled on a high speed, low friction linear rail system, constraining the main motion to the vertical direction. The sled is released from an initial height and falls vertically until it bounces off of a movable spring, imparting an impulsive acceleration in the upward direction. As the sled travels up and down the rails, the spring retracts out of the way, allowing the instability to evolve in free-fall until impacting a shock absorber at the end of the rails. The impulsive acceleration provided to the system is measured by a piezoelectric accelerometer mounted on the tank, and a capacitive accelerometer measures the low-level drag of the bearings. Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence is used for flow visualization, which uses an Argon ion laser to illuminate the flow and a CCD camera, mounted to the sled, to capture images of the interface. This experimental study investigates the instability of an interface between incompressible, miscible liquids with an initial sinusoidal perturbation. The amplitude of the disturbance during the experiment is measured and compared to theory. The results show good agreement (within 10%) with linear stability theory up to nondimensional amplitude ka = 0.7 (wavenumber x amplitude). These results hold true for an initial ka (before acceleration) of -0.7 less than ka less than -0.06, while the linear theory was developed for absolute value of ka much less than 1. In addition, a third order weakly nonlinear perturbation theory is shown to be accurate for amplitudes as large as ka = 1.3, even though the interface becomes double-valued at ka = 1.1. As time progresses, the vorticity on the interface concentrates, and the interface spirals around the alternating sign vortex centers to form a mushroom pattern. At higher Reynolds Number (based on circulation), an instability of the vortex cores has been observed. While time limitations of the apparatus prevent determination of a critical Reynolds Number, the lowest Reynolds Number this vortex instability has been observed at is 5000.

Determination and characterization by numerical simulations of flow mixing due to electrokinetic instabilities in cross-shaped microchannels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerrero, Esteban; Chen, Daming; Hageman, Logan; Guzman, Amador

2017-11-01

This article describes a computational study of flow mixing in microchannels due to electrokinetic instabilities that are compared to experimental results obtained in a cross- microchannel with an ionic solution of potassium chloride with two different ionic concentrations, with the purpose of determining the parameter combinations to produce the onset of flow mixing and its characteristics. For the numerical simulation process carried out using a finite element method-based commercial code, we applied a typical zeta potential used in other articles as a boundary condition for the microchannel walls. For the experiments, we used a commercial silicon glass (Caliper NS95) microchannel. For determining a flow mixing regime, we use the concept of ``mixing index'' established by (Fu et al., 2005) for an electrical conductivity ratio range of 18 to 52 with an electric field range of 1100 to 1900 V/cm. From our numerical simulation results we have found a threshold for the electrical Rayleigh number for starting a flow mixing regime, and a minimum microchannel characteristic length for achieving a 90% of flow mixing that will allow us to significantly reduce the mixing time. Vicerrectoria de Investigacion y Departamento de Ingeniera Mecánica y Metalúrgica Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile.

Experimental investigation of Rayleigh Taylor instability in elastic-plastic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haley, Aaron Alan; Banerjee, Arindam

2010-11-01

The interface of an elastic-plastic plate accelerated by a fluid of lower density is Rayleigh Taylor (RT) unstable, the growth being mitigated by the mechanical strength of the plate. The instability is observed when metal plates are accelerated by high explosives, in explosive welding, and in volcanic island formation due to the strength of the inner crust. In contrast to the classical case involving Newtonian fluids, RT instability in accelerated solids is not well understood. The difficulties for constructing a theory for the linear growth phase in solids is essentially due to the character of elastic-plastic constitutive properties which has a nonlinear dependence on the magnitude of the rate of deformation. Experimental investigation of the phenomena is difficult due to the exceedingly small time scales (in high energy density experiments) and large measurement uncertainties of material properties. We performed experiments on our Two-Wheel facility to study the linear stage of the incompressible RT instability in elastic-plastic materials (yogurt) whose properties were well characterized. Rotation of the wheels imparted a constant centrifugal acceleration on the material interface that was cut with a small sinusoidal ripple. The controlled initial conditions and precise acceleration amplitudes are levied to investigate transition from elastic to plastic deformation and allow accurate and detailed measurements of flow properties.

Flow morphologies after oblique shock acceelration of a cylindrical density interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wayne, Patrick; Simons, Dylan; Olmstead, Dell; Truman, C. Randall; Vorobieff, Peter; Kumar, Sanjay

2015-11-01

We present an experimental study of instabilities developing after an oblique shock interaction with a heavy gas column. The heavy gas in our experiments is sulfur hexafluoride infused with 11% acetone by mass. A misalignment of the pressure and density gradients results in three-dimensional vorticity deposition on the gaseous interface, dtriggering the onset of Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI). Shortly thereafter, other instabilities develop along the interface, including a shear-driven instability that presents itself on the leading (with respect to the shock) and trailing edges of the column. This leads to the development of rows of co-rotating ``cat's eye'' vortices, characteristic of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI). Characteristics of the KHI, such as growth rate and wavelength, depend on several factors including the Mach number of the shock, the shock tube angle of inclination α (equal to the angle between the axis of the column and the plane of the shock), and the Atwood number. This work is supported by the US National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) via grant DE-NA0002913.

Numerical simulation and parametric analysis of selective laser melting process of AlSi10Mg powder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pei, Wei; Zhengying, Wei; Zhen, Chen; Junfeng, Li; Shuzhe, Zhang; Jun, Du

2017-08-01

A three-dimensional numerical model was developed to investigate effects of laser scanning speed, laser power, and hatch spacing on the thermodynamic behaviors of the molten pool during selective laser melting of AlSi10Mg powder. A randomly distributed packed powder bed was achieved using discrete element method (DEM). The powder bed can be treated as a porous media with interconnected voids in the simulation. A good agreement between numerical results and experimental results establish the validity of adopted method. The numerical results show that the Marangoni flow within the molten pool was significantly affected by the processing parameters. An intense Marangoni flow leads to a perturbation within the molten pool. In addition, a relatively high scanning speed tends to cause melt instability. The perturbation or the instability within the molten pool results in the formation of pores during SLM, which have a direct influence on the densification level.

Navier-Stokes simulation of the crossflow instability in swept-wing flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, Helen L.

1989-01-01

The computational modeling of the transition process characteristic of flows over swept wings are described. Specifically, the crossflow instability and crossflow/T-S wave interactions are analyzed through the numerical solution of the full three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations including unsteadiness, curvature, and sweep. This approach is chosen because of the complexity of the problem and because it appears that linear stability theory is insufficient to explain the discrepancies between different experiments and between theory and experiments. The leading edge region of a swept wing is considered in a three-dimensional spatial simulation with random disturbances as the initial conditions. The work has been closely coordinated with the experimental program of Professor William Saric, examining the same problem. Comparisons with NASA flight test data and the experiments at Arizona State University were a necessary and an important integral part of this work.

Use of an electric field in an electrostatic liquid film radiator.

PubMed

Bankoff, S G; Griffing, E M; Schluter, R A

2002-10-01

Experimental and numerical work was performed to further the understanding of an electrostatic liquid film radiator (ELFR) that was originally proposed by Kim et al.(1) The ELFR design utilizes an electric field that exerts a normal force on the interface of a flowing film. The field lowers the pressure under the film in a space radiator and, thereby, prevents leakage through a puncture in the radiator wall. The flowing film is subject to the Taylor cone instability, whereby a cone of fluid forms underneath an electrode and sharpens until a jet of fluid is pulled toward the electrode and disintegrates into droplets. The critical potential for the instability is shown to be as much as an order of magnitude higher than that used in previous designs.(2) Furthermore, leak stoppage experiments indicate that the critical field is adequate to stop leaks in a working radiator.

Experimental Investigation of the Electrothermal Instability on Planar Foil Ablation Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steiner, Adam; Patel, Sonal; Yager-Elorriaga, David; Jordan, Nicholas; Gilgenbach, Ronald; Lau, Y. Y.

2014-10-01

The electrothermal instability (ETI) is an important early-time physical effect on pulsed power foil ablation experiments due to its ability to seed the destructive magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability. ETI occurs whenever electrical resistivity has temperature dependence; when resistivity increases with temperature, as with solid metal liners or foils, ETI forms striation structures perpendicular to current flow. These striations provide an initial perturbation for the MRT instability, which is the dominant late-time instability in planar foil ablations. The MAIZE linear transformer driver was used to drive current pulses of approximately 600 kA into 400 nm-thick aluminum foils in order to study ETI in planar geometry. Shadowgraph images of the aluminum plasmas were taken for multiple shots at various times within approximately 50 ns of current start. Fourier analysis extracted the approximate wavelengths of the instability structures on the plasma-vacuum interface. Surface metrology of pre-shot foils was performed to provide a comparison between surface roughness features and resulting plasma structure. This work was supported by US DoE. S.G. Patel and A.M. Steiner supported by NPSC funded by Sandia. D.A. Yager supported by NSF fellowship Grant # DGE 1256260.

Instability study for LOFT for L2-1, L2-2, and L2-3 pretest steady-state operating conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eide, S.A.

The results are presented of a thermal-hydrodynamic flow instability study of the LOFT reactor for the L2-1, L2-2, and L2-3 pretest steady-state operating conditions. Comparison is made between the LOFT reactor and a typical PWR, and the effects on stability of differences in operating parameters and geometry are discussed. Results indicate that the LOFT reactor will be thermal-hydrodynamically stable for nominal and worst case operating conditions. The study supports the LOFT Experimental Safety Analyses for the L2-1, L2-2, and L2-3 tests.

Dynamic strain aging and plastic instabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mesarovic, Sinisa Dj.

1995-05-01

A constitutive model proposed by McCormick [(1988) Theory of flow localization due to dynamic strain ageing. Acta. Metall.36, 3061-3067] based on dislocation-solute interaction and describing dynamic strain aging behavior, is analyzed for the simple loading case of uniaxial tension. The model is rate dependent and includes a time-varying state variable, representing the local concentration of the impurity atoms at dislocations. Stability of the system and its post-instability behavior are considered. The methods used include analytical and numerical stability and bifurcation analysis with a numerical continuation technique. Yield point behavior and serrated yielding are found to result for well defined intervals of temperature and strain rate. Serrated yielding emerges as a branch of periodic solutions of the relaxation oscillation type, similar to frictional stick-slip. The distinction between the temporal and spatial (loss of homogeneity of strain) instability is emphasized. It is found that a critical machine stiffness exists above which a purely temporal instability cannot occur. The results are compared to the available experimental data.

Instabilities of Internal Gravity Wave Beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dauxois, Thierry; Joubaud, Sylvain; Odier, Philippe; Venaille, Antoine

2018-01-01

Internal gravity waves play a primary role in geophysical fluids: They contribute significantly to mixing in the ocean, and they redistribute energy and momentum in the middle atmosphere. Until recently, most studies were focused on plane wave solutions. However, these solutions are not a satisfactory description of most geophysical manifestations of internal gravity waves, and it is now recognized that internal wave beams with a confined profile are ubiquitous in the geophysical context. We discuss the reason for the ubiquity of wave beams in stratified fluids, which is related to the fact that they are solutions of the nonlinear governing equations. We focus more specifically on situations with a constant buoyancy frequency. Moreover, in light of recent experimental and analytical studies of internal gravity beams, it is timely to discuss the two main mechanisms of instability for those beams: (a) the triadic resonant instability generating two secondary wave beams and (b) the streaming instability corresponding to the spontaneous generation of a mean flow.

Mechanism of nonlinear flow pattern selection in moderately non-Boussinesq mixed convection.

PubMed

Suslov, Sergey A

2010-02-01

Nonlinear (non-Boussinesq) variations in fluid's density, viscosity, and thermal conductivity caused by a large temperature gradient in a flow domain lead to a wide variety of instability phenomena in mixed convection channel flow of a simple gas such as air. It is known that in strongly nonisothermal flows, the instabilities and the resulting flow patterns are caused by competing buoyancy and shear effects [see S. A. Suslov and S. Paolucci, J. Fluid Mech. 302, 91 (1995)]. However, as is the case in the Boussinesq limit of small temperature gradients, in moderately non-Boussinesq regimes, only a shear instability mechanism is active. Yet in contrast to Boussinesq flows, multiple instability modes are still detected. By reducing the system of full governing Navier-Stokes equations to a dynamical system of coupled Landau-type disturbance amplitude equations we compute a comprehensive parametric map of various shear-driven instabilities observed in a representative moderately non-Boussinesq regime. Subsequently, we analyze nonlinear interaction of unstable modes and reveal physical reasons for their appearance.

Onset of the sharkskin phenomenon in polymer extrusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molenaar, J.; Koopmans, R. J.; den Doelder, C. F. J.

1998-10-01

A specific form of melt flow instabilities associated with surface defects for polymer extrudates, and commonly referred to as the ``sharkskin effect'', is modeled. When this effect occurs, a more or less regular pattern of ridges on the surface is observed resembling the skin of a shark if bent. It is shown that the relaxation oscillation model of Molenaar and Koopmans [J. Rheol. 38, 99 (1994)] developed to describe ``spurt'' defects - in this perturbation not only the surface but the extrudate as a whole shows distortions - can be expanded to include a description for the dynamics of surface defect appearance. By introducing a nonlinear viscoelastic constitutive equation (Kaye-Bernstein-Kearsly-Zapas model) into the relaxation oscillation model a boundary layer can develop which shows oscillating behavior. Explicit criteria for the onset of this behavior are derived. The relations between these criteria and experimental parameters are pointed out. This allows for an experimental verification of the supposition that this kind of solution is the origin of the sharkskin effect. The current macroscopic approach may form the basis for the reconciliation of the debate on the origin of melt flow instabilities as either a ``slip at the wall'' or a nonmonotone ``constitutive equation'' phenomenon.

Buoyancy Effects on Flow Structure and Instability of Low-Density Gas Jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pasumarthi, Kasyap Sriramachandra

2004-01-01

A low-density gas jet injected into a high-density ambient gas is known to exhibit self-excited global oscillations accompanied by large vortical structures interacting with the flow field. The primary objective of the proposed research is to study buoyancy effects on the origin and nature of the flow instability and structure in the near-field of low-density gas jets. Quantitative rainbow schlieren deflectometry, Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and Linear stability analysis were the techniques employed to scale the buoyancy effects. The formation and evolution of vortices and scalar structure of the flow field are investigated in buoyant helium jets discharged from a vertical tube into quiescent air. Oscillations at identical frequency were observed throughout the flow field. The evolving flow structure is described by helium mole percentage contours during an oscillation cycle. Instantaneous, mean, and RMS concentration profiles are presented to describe interactions of the vortex with the jet flow. Oscillations in a narrow wake region near the jet exit are shown to spread through the jet core near the downstream location of the vortex formation. The effects of jet Richardson number on characteristics of vortex and flow field are investigated and discussed. The laminar, axisymmetric, unsteady jet flow of helium injected into air was simulated using CFD. Global oscillations were observed in the flow field. The computed oscillation frequency agreed qualitatively with the experimentally measured frequency. Contours of helium concentration, vorticity and velocity provided information about the evolution and propagation of vortices in the oscillating flow field. Buoyancy effects on the instability mode were evaluated by rainbow schlieren flow visualization and concentration measurements in the near-field of self-excited helium jets undergoing gravitational change in the microgravity environment of 2.2s drop tower at NASA John H. Glenn Research Center. The jet Reynolds number was varied from 200 to 1500 and jet Richardson number was varied from 0.72 to 0.002. Power spectra plots generated from Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analysis of angular deflection data acquired at a temporal resolution of 1000Hz reveal substantial damping of the oscillation amplitude in microgravity at low Richardson numbers (0.002). Quantitative concentration data in the form of spatial and temporal evolutions of the instability data in Earth gravity and microgravity reveal significant variations in the jet flow structure upon removal of buoyancy forces. Radial variation of the frequency spectra and time traces of helium concentration revealed the importance of gravitational effects in the jet shear layer region. Linear temporal and spatio-temporal stability analyses of a low-density round gas jet injected into a high-density ambient gas were performed by assuming hyper-tan mean velocity and density profiles. The flow was assumed to be non parallel. Viscous and diffusive effects were ignored. The mean flow parameters were represented as the sum of the mean value and a small normal-mode fluctuation. A second order differential equation governing the pressure disturbance amplitude was derived from the basic conservation equations. The effects of the inhomogeneous shear layer and the Froude number (signifying the effects of gravity) on the temporal and spatio-temporal results were delineated. A decrease in the density ratio (ratio of the density of the jet to the density of the ambient gas) resulted in an increase in the temporal amplification rate of the disturbances. The temporal growth rate of the disturbances increased as the Froude number was reduced. The spatio-temporal analysis performed to determine the absolute instability characteristics of the jet yield positive absolute temporal growth rates at all Fr and different axial locations. As buoyancy was removed (Fr . 8), the previously existing absolute instability disappeared at all locations establhing buoyancy as the primary instability mechanism in self-excited low-density jets.

Current Results and Proposed Activities in Microgravity Fluid Dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polezhaev, V. I.

1996-01-01

The Institute for Problems in Mechanics' Laboratory work in mathematical and physical modelling of fluid mechanics develops models, methods, and software for analysis of fluid flow, instability analysis, direct numerical modelling and semi-empirical models of turbulence, as well as experimental research and verification of these models and their applications in technological fluid dynamics, microgravity fluid mechanics, geophysics, and a number of engineering problems. This paper presents an overview of the results in microgravity fluid dynamics research during the last two years. Nonlinear problems of weakly compressible and compressible fluid flows are discussed.

OPEN PROBLEM: Turbulence transition in pipe flow: some open questions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eckhardt, Bruno

2008-01-01

The transition to turbulence in pipe flow is a longstanding problem in fluid dynamics. In contrast to many other transitions it is not connected with linear instabilities of the laminar profile and hence follows a different route. Experimental and numerical studies within the last few years have revealed many unexpected connections to the nonlinear dynamics of strange saddles and have considerably improved our understanding of this transition. The text summarizes some of these insights and points to some outstanding problems in areas where valuable contributions from nonlinear dynamics can be expected.

Emergence of power-law scalings in shock-driven mixing transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vorobieff, Peter; Wayne, Patrick; Olmstead, Dell; Simons, Dylan; Truman, C. Randall; Kumar, Sanjay

2016-11-01

We present an experimental study of transition to turbulence due to shock-driven instability evolving on an initially cylindrical, diffuse density interface between air and a mixture of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and acetone. The plane of the shock is at an initial angle θ with the axis of the heavy-gas cylinder. We present the cases of planar normal (θ = 0) and oblique (θ =20°) shock interaction with the initial conditions. Flow is visualized in two perpendicular planes with planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) triggered in acetone with a pulsed ultraviolet laser. Statistics of the flow are characterized in terms of the second-order structure function of the PLIF intensity. As instabilities in the flow evolve, the structure functions begin to develop power-law scalings, at late times manifesting over a range of scales spanning more than two orders of magnitude. We discuss the effects of the initial conditions on the emergence of these scalings, comparing the fully three-dimensional case (oblique shock interaction) with the quasi-two-dimensional case (planar normal shock interaction). We also discuss the flow anisotropy apparent in statistical differences in data from the two visualization planes. This work is funded by NNSA Grant DE-NA0002913.

Parametres pour l'instabilite fluidelastique: Derivees de stabilite et amortissement diphasique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charreton, Constant

Heat exchangers and steam generators are crucial components in nuclear power plants. Water heated by nuclear fission is flowing through thousands of tubes inside a steam generator. Heat is transmitted to a second water network, external to the tubes. Steam is generated from the water of the secondary to power the turbines that produce electrical power. In this process, two-phase cross flow across the tubes causes several excitation phenomena. Vibration induced on the tubes can compromise the structural integrity of the steam generator, and can lead to power plant shutdowns. Better understanding of parameters at stake would lead to improved power plant safety and reliability. Fluidelastic instability is without doubt one of the most destructive vibration phenomena. It causes the steam generator tubes to collide against one another. This can lead to premature wear on the tubes, cracks due to fatigue and eventually, leaks leading to radioactive water contamination. Therefore, predicting conditions leading to fluidelastic instability would allow to control the damage on the tubes. In this thesis, we aim at identifying the key parameters to predict fluidelastic instability. To do so, a theoretical approach is based on the quasi-steady model. It is shown that the equation used to predict fluidelastic instability comprises two parameters that are hard to characterize. There is, on one hand, the derivative of the lift coefficient on a cylinder, and damping on the other hand. The main objective of this project is to measure these parameters experimentally. Knowing that the sign of the lift coefficient derivative is a sufficient indicator of fluidelastic instability, this derivative was measured. The experiments were carried out on the center tube of an array. The flow is single-phase and values of Reynolds number are low to moderate, thus filling a gap in the literature. Indeed, the lift coefficient derivative is known for high values of the Reynolds number only. Meanwhile, numerical methods are developed. They are based on the direct resolution of Navier-Stokes equations with the finite-element method, and on potential flow theory. Results for the lift coefficient derivative are compared to the measurements. Furthermore, the influence of geometric parameters of the array are investigated. The trend in the results show that the derivative of the lift coefficient becomes Reynolds independent for high values. From the literature and the measurements, a relationship is proposed for the lift coefficient derivative with respect to the Reynolds number. Values are injected in the quasi-steady model to predict the critical velocity for the onset of instability of a single flexible tube. Stability maps for various Reynolds numbers are proposed, using typical values for the tube damping. However, the maps do not compare well with critical velocities found in the literature for high values of the Reynolds number. Stability tests would be necessary to confirm the validity of the maps for low Reynolds, as fluidelastic has never been investigated in this range of Reynolds number. Yet, for high values of the Reynolds number, it seems like the quasi-steady model fails to predict the behavior of the experiments. An accurate value for the total damping of a tube is required to locate instability results on a map. However, in steam generators subjected to two-phase flow, damping on a tube is much more important than for single-phase flow. Yet, its origin is unknown. Therefore, we measured two-phase damping for internal flow using a specific test section. Indeed, a few studies on two-phase flow suggest that the damping mechanism is the same for a tube in cross-flow and for a tube subjected to internal flow. The present study focuses on the physics underlying the two-phase damping mechanism. The test bench consists of a sliding rigid tube subjected to upward internal two-phase flow. It essentially is a mass-spring system subjected to a transverse sinusoidal force. The damping is extracted from the frequency response function of the tube. Meanwhile, gas phase motion is characterized through video processing of the oscillating tube. The relative amplitude of the gas phase is related to two-phase flow damping values via a model of the forces acting on the bubbles. Varying excitation parameters such as frequency and excitation force confirms that two-phase damping is a viscous (velocity dependent) dissipation mechanism. Its direct relation with flow pattern transitions was confirmed. Furthermore, the combination of the videos and the analytical model suggests that the power dissipated by the drag force on the bubbles is significant in the two-phase damping mechanism. However, the model over-predicts the amplitude of the gas phase. This suggests that pseudo-turbulence generated by the motion of the tube is to be considered. The results of this study form an experimental database that can be used as input for fluidelastic instability models. Particularly, two-phase flow experiments will eventually help validating numerical methods, regarding the damping as well as the behavior of the gas phase. This work contributes to modeling and understanding two-phase flow induced vibration.

Inertioelastic Flow Instability at a Stagnation Point

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burshtein, Noa; Zografos, Konstantinos; Shen, Amy Q.; Poole, Robert J.; Haward, Simon J.

2017-10-01

A number of important industrial applications exploit the ability of small quantities of high molecular weight polymer to suppress instabilities that arise in the equivalent flow of Newtonian fluids, a particular example being turbulent drag reduction. However, it can be extremely difficult to probe exactly how the polymer acts to, e.g., modify the streamwise near-wall eddies in a fully turbulent flow. Using a novel cross-slot flow configuration, we exploit a flow instability in order to create and study a single steady-state streamwise vortex. By quantitative experiment, we show how the addition of small quantities (parts per million) of a flexible polymer to a Newtonian solvent dramatically affects both the onset conditions for this instability and the subsequent growth of the axial vorticity. Complementary numerical simulations with a finitely extensible nonlinear elastic dumbbell model show that these modifications are due to the growth of polymeric stress within specific regions of the flow domain. Our data fill a significant gap in the literature between the previously reported purely inertial and purely elastic flow regimes and provide a link between the two by showing how the instability mode is transformed as the fluid elasticity is varied. Our results and novel methods are relevant to understanding the mechanisms underlying industrial uses of weakly elastic fluids and also to understanding inertioelastic instabilities in more confined flows through channels with intersections and stagnation points.

Hydrodynamic Stability Analysis on Sheared Stratified Flow in a Convective Flow Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Yuan; Lin, Wenxian; Armfiled, Steven; Kirkpatrick, Michael; He, Yinghe; Fluid Dynamics Research Group, James Cook University Team; Fluid Dynamics Research Group, University of Sydney Team

2014-11-01

A hydrodynamic stability analysis on the convective sheared boundary layer (SCBL) flow, where a sheared stratified flow and a thermally convective flow coexist, is carried out in this study. The linear unstable stratifications representing the convective flow are included in the TaylorGoldstein equations as an unstable factor Jb. A new unstable region corresponding to the convective instability, which is not present in pure sheared stratified flows, is found with the analysis. It is also found that the boundaries of the convective instability regions expand with increasing Jb and interact with the sheared stratified instability region. More results will be presented at the conference

Development and Application of Plasma Actuators for Active Control of High-Speed and High Reynolds Number Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sammy, Mo

2010-01-01

Active flow control is often used to manipulate flow instabilities to achieve a desired goal (e.g. prevent separation, enhance mixing, reduce noise, etc.). Instability frequencies normally scale with flow velocity scale and inversely with flow length scale (U/l). In a laboratory setting for such flow experiments, U is high, but l is low, resulting in high instability frequency. In addition, high momentum and high background noise & turbulence in the flow necessitate high amplitude actuation. Developing a high amplitude and high frequency actuator is a major challenge. Ironically, these requirements ease up in application (but other issues arise).

Studies on Equatorial Shock Formation During Plasmaspheric Refilling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Nagendra

1995-01-01

During the grant period from August 1, 1994 to October 31, 1995 we have continued to investigate the effects of plasma wave instabilities on the early stage plasmaspheric refilling. Since ion beams are the primary feature of the interhemispheric plasma flows during the early stage refilling, ion-beam driven instabilities and associated waves are of primary interest. The major findings of this research are briefly summarized here. After a systematic examination of the relevant plasma instabilities, we realized that when the interhemispheric plasma flows begin to interpenetrate at the equator, the most relevant plasma instability is the electrostatic ion cyclotron wave instability. Only at later stages the ion-acoustic instability may be affecting the plasma flow. An interesting property of the electrostatic ion cyclotron wave is that it heats ions perpendicular to the magnetic field. When the ions in the field-aligned flows are transversely heated, they are trapped in the magnetic flux tube, thus affecting the refilling process. The eic wave instability is a microprocess with scale length of the order of ion Larmor radius and the corresponding time scale is the ion cyclotron period. We have attempted to tackle the problem for the plasmaspheric refilling by incorporating the effects of eic wave instability on the mesoscale plasma flow when the properties of the latter exceeds the critical conditions for the former. We have compared the results on refilling from the model with and without the eic instability effects.

Experimental determination of gap flow-conditioned forces at turbine stages and their effect on the running stability of simple rotors. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wohlrab, R.

1983-01-01

Instabilities in turbine operation can be caused by forces which are produced in connection with motions involving the oil film in the bearings. An experimental investigation regarding the characteristics of such forces in the case of three typical steam turbine stages is conducted, taking into account the effect of various parameters. Supplementary kinetic tests are carried out to obtain an estimate of the flow forces which are proportional to the velocity. The measurements are based on the theoretical study of the damping characteristics of a vibrational model. A computational analysis of the effect of the measured fluid forces on the stability characteristics of simple rotor model is also conducted.

Hub vortex helical instability as the origin of wake meandering in the lee of a model wind-turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viola, Francesco; Iungo, Giacomo Valerio; Camarri, Simone; Porte-Agel, Fernando; Gallaire, Francois

2012-11-01

Wind tunnel measurements were performed for the wake produced by a three-bladed wind turbine immersed in uniform flow. These tests show the presence of a vorticity structure in the near wake region mainly oriented along the streamwise direction, which is denoted as hub vortex. The hub vortex is characterized by oscillations with frequencies lower than the one connected to the rotational velocity of the rotor, which are ascribed to wake meandering by previous works. This phenomenon consists in transversal oscillations of the wind turbine wake, which are excited by the shedding of vorticity structures from the rotor disc acting as a bluff body. In this work temporal and spatial linear stability analyses of a wind turbine wake are performed on a base flow obtained through time-averaged wind tunnel velocity measurements. This study shows that the low frequency spectral component detected experimentally is the result of a convective instability of the hub vortex, which is characterized by a counter-winding single-helix structure. Simultaneous hot-wire measurements confirm the presence of a helicoidal unstable mode of the hub vortex with a streamwise wavenumber roughly equal to the one predicted from the linear instability analysis.

Slipping and tangential discontinuity instabilities in quasi-one-dimensional planar and cylindrical flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzelev, M. V.

2017-09-01

An analytical linear theory of instability of an electron beam with a nonuniform directional velocity (slipping instability) against perturbations with wavelengths exceeding the transverse beam size is offered. An analogy with hydrodynamic instabilities of tangential discontinuity of an incompressible liquid flow is drawn. The instability growth rates are calculated for particular cases and in a general form in planar and cylindrical geometries. The stabilizing effect of the external magnetic field is analyzed.

Velocity-jump instabilities in Hele-Shaw flow of associating polymer solutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vlad, D.H.; Ignes-Mullol, J.; Maher, J.V.

We study fracturelike flow instabilities that arise when water is injected into a Hele-Shaw cell filled with aqueous solutions of associating polymers. We explore various polymer architectures, molecular weights, and solution concentrations. Simultaneous measurements of the finger tip velocity and of the pressure at the injection point allow us to describe the dynamics of the finger in terms of the {open_quotes}finger mobility,{close_quotes} which relates the velocity to the pressure gradient. The flow discontinuities, characterized by jumps in the finger tip velocity, which are observed in experiments with some of the polymer solutions, can be modeled by using a nonmonotonic dependencemore » between a characteristic shear stress and the shear rate at the tip of the finger. A simple model, which is based on a viscosity function containing both a Newtonian and a non-Newtonian component, and which predicts nonmonotonic regions when the non-Newtonian component of the viscosity dominates, is shown to agree with the experimental data. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}« less

The Caltech experimental investigation of fast 3D non-equilbrium dynamics: an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellan, Paul; Shikama, Taiichi; Chai, Kilbyoung; Ha, Bao; Chaplin, Vernon; Kendall, Mark; Moser, Auna; Stenson, Eve; Tobin, Zachary; Zhai, Xiang

2012-10-01

The formation and dynamics of writhing, plasma-filled, twisted open magnetic flux tubes is being investigated using pulsed-power laboratory experiments. This work is relevant to solar corona loops, astrophysical jets, spheromak formation, and open field lines in tokamaks and RFP's. MHD forces have been observed to drive fast axial plasma flows into the flux tube from the boundary it intercepts. These flows fill the flux tube with plasma while simultaneously injecting linked frozen-in azimuthal flux; helicity injection is thus associated with mass injection. Recent results include observation of a secondary instability (Rayleigh-Taylor driven by the effective gravity of an exponentially growing kink mode), color-coded plasmas manifesting bidirectional axial flows in a geometry similar to a solar corona loop, and spectroscopic measurements of the internal vector magnetic field. Experiments underway include investigating how an external magnetic field straps down a solar loop, investigation of the details of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, development of a fast EUV movie camera, increasing the jet velocity, excitation of Alfven waves, and investigating 3D magnetic reconnection.

Hot Deformation Behavior and Intrinsic Workability of Carbon Nanotube-Aluminum Reinforced ZA27 Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yang; Geng, Cong; Zhu, Yunke; Peng, Jinfeng; Xu, Junrui

2017-04-01

Using a controlled thermal simulator system, hybrid carbon nanotube-aluminum reinforced ZA27 composites were subjected to hot compression testing in the temperature range of 473-523 K with strain rates of 0.01-10 s-1. Based on experimental results, a developed-flow stress model was established using a constitutive equation coupled with strain to describe strain softening arising from dynamic recrystallization. The intrinsic workability was further investigated by constructing three-dimensional (3D) processing maps aided by optical observations of microstructures. The 3D processing maps were constructed based on a dynamic model of materials to delineate variations in the efficiency of power dissipation and flow instability domains. The instability domains exhibited adiabatic shear band and flow localization, which need to be prevented during hot processing. The recommended domain is predicated to be within the temperature range 550-590 K and strain rate range 0.01-0.35 s-1. In this state, the main softening mechanism is dynamic recrystallization. The results from processing maps agree well with the microstructure observations.

On the stability of von Kármán rotating-disk boundary layers with radial anisotropic surface roughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garrett, S. J.; Cooper, A. J.; Harris, J. H.; Özkan, M.; Segalini, A.; Thomas, P. J.

2016-01-01

We summarise results of a theoretical study investigating the distinct convective instability properties of steady boundary-layer flow over rough rotating disks. A generic roughness pattern of concentric circles with sinusoidal surface undulations in the radial direction is considered. The goal is to compare predictions obtained by means of two alternative, and fundamentally different, modelling approaches for surface roughness for the first time. The motivating rationale is to identify commonalities and isolate results that might potentially represent artefacts associated with the particular methodologies underlying one of the two modelling approaches. The most significant result of practical relevance obtained is that both approaches predict overall stabilising effects on type I instability mode of rotating disk flow. This mode leads to transition of the rotating-disk boundary layer and, more generally, the transition of boundary-layers with a cross-flow profile. Stabilisation of the type 1 mode means that it may be possible to exploit surface roughness for laminar-flow control in boundary layers with a cross-flow component. However, we also find differences between the two sets of model predictions, some subtle and some substantial. These will represent criteria for establishing which of the two alternative approaches is more suitable to correctly describe experimental data when these become available.

Predicted and experimental steady and unsteady transonic flows about a biconvex airfoil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levy, L. L., Jr.

1981-01-01

Results of computer code time dependent solutions of the two dimensional compressible Navier-Stokes equations and the results of independent experiments are compared to verify the Mach number range for instabilities in the transonic flow field about a 14 percent thick biconvex airfoil at an angle of attack of 0 deg and a Reynolds number of 7 million. The experiments were conducted in a transonic, slotted wall wind tunnel. The computer code included an algebraic eddy viscosity turbulence model developed for steady flows, and all computations were made using free flight boundary conditions. All of the features documented experimentally for both steady and unsteady flows were predicted qualitatively; even with the above simplifications, the predictions were, on the whole, in good quantitative agreement with experiment. In particular, predicted time histories of shock wave position, surface pressures, lift, and pitching moment were found to be in very good agreement with experiment for an unsteady flow. Depending upon the free stream Mach number for steady flows, the surface pressure downstream of the shock wave or the shock wave location was not well predicted.

Magnetothermal instability in cooling flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loewenstein, Michael

1990-01-01

The effect of magnetic fields on thermal instability in cooling flows is investigated using linear, Eulerian perturbation analysis. As contrasted with the zero magnetic-field case, hydromagnetic stresses support perturbations against acceleration caused by buoyancy - comoving evolution results and global growth rates are straightforward to obtain for a given cooling flow entropy distribution. In addition, background and induced magnetic fields ensure that conductive damping of thermal instability is greatly reduced.

Development of an algebraic stress/two-layer model for calculating thrust chamber flow fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, C. P.; Shang, H. M.; Huang, J.

1993-01-01

Following the consensus of a workshop in Turbulence Modeling for Liquid Rocket Thrust Chambers, the current effort was undertaken to study the effects of second-order closure on the predictions of thermochemical flow fields. To reduce the instability and computational intensity of the full second-order Reynolds Stress Model, an Algebraic Stress Model (ASM) coupled with a two-layer near wall treatment was developed. Various test problems, including the compressible boundary layer with adiabatic and cooled walls, recirculating flows, swirling flows and the entire SSME nozzle flow were studied to assess the performance of the current model. Detailed calculations for the SSME exit wall flow around the nozzle manifold were executed. As to the overall flow predictions, the ASM removes another assumption for appropriate comparison with experimental data, to account for the non-isotropic turbulence effects.

Turbulence modelling of flow fields in thrust chambers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, C. P.; Kim, Y. M.; Shang, H. M.

1993-01-01

Following the consensus of a workshop in Turbulence Modelling for Liquid Rocket Thrust Chambers, the current effort was undertaken to study the effects of second-order closure on the predictions of thermochemical flow fields. To reduce the instability and computational intensity of the full second-order Reynolds Stress Model, an Algebraic Stress Model (ASM) coupled with a two-layer near wall treatment was developed. Various test problems, including the compressible boundary layer with adiabatic and cooled walls, recirculating flows, swirling flows, and the entire SSME nozzle flow were studied to assess the performance of the current model. Detailed calculations for the SSME exit wall flow around the nozzle manifold were executed. As to the overall flow predictions, the ASM removes another assumption for appropriate comparison with experimental data to account for the non-isotropic turbulence effects.

Elongational flow of polymer melts at constant strain rate, constant stress and constant force

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Manfred H.; Rolón-Garrido, Víctor H.

2013-04-01

Characterization of polymer melts in elongational flow is typically performed at constant elongational rate or rarely at constant tensile stress conditions. One of the disadvantages of these deformation modes is that they are hampered by the onset of "necking" instabilities according to the Considère criterion. Experiments at constant tensile force have been performed even more rarely, in spite of the fact that this deformation mode is free from necking instabilities and is of considerable industrial relevance as it is the correct analogue of steady fiber spinning. It is the objective of the present contribution to present for the first time a full experimental characterization of a long-chain branched polyethylene melt in elongational flow. Experiments were performed at constant elongation rate, constant tensile stress and constant tensile force by use of a Sentmanat Extensional Rheometer (SER) in combination with an Anton Paar MCR301 rotational rheometer. The accessible experimental window and experimental limitations are discussed. The experimental data are modelled by using the Wagner I model. Predictions of the steady-start elongational viscosity in constant strain rate and creep experiments are found to be identical, albeit only by extrapolation of the experimental data to Hencky strains of the order of 6. For constant stress experiments, a minimum in the strain rate and a corresponding maximum in the elongational viscosity is found at a Hencky strain of the order of 3, which, although larger than the steady-state value, follows roughly the general trend of the steady-state elongational viscosity. The constitutive analysis also reveals that constant tensile force experiments indicate a larger strain hardening potential than seen in constant elongation rate or constant tensile stress experiments. This may be indicative of the effect of necking under constant elongation rate or constant tensile stress conditions according to the Considère criterion.

Rayleigh-Taylor mixing in supernova experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swisher, N. C.; Abarzhi, S. I., E-mail: snezhana.abarzhi@gmail.com; Kuranz, C. C.

We report a scrupulous analysis of data in supernova experiments that are conducted at high power laser facilities in order to study core-collapse supernova SN1987A. Parameters of the experimental system are properly scaled to investigate the interaction of a blast-wave with helium-hydrogen interface, and the induced Rayleigh-Taylor instability and Rayleigh-Taylor mixing of the denser and lighter fluids with time-dependent acceleration. We analyze all available experimental images of the Rayleigh-Taylor flow in supernova experiments and measure delicate features of the interfacial dynamics. A new scaling is identified for calibration of experimental data to enable their accurate analysis and comparisons. By properlymore » accounting for the imprint of the experimental conditions, the data set size and statistics are substantially increased. New theoretical solutions are reported to describe asymptotic dynamics of Rayleigh-Taylor flow with time-dependent acceleration by applying theoretical analysis that considers symmetries and momentum transport. Good qualitative and quantitative agreement is achieved of the experimental data with the theory and simulations. Our study indicates that in supernova experiments Rayleigh-Taylor flow is in the mixing regime, the interface amplitude contributes substantially to the characteristic length scale for energy dissipation; Rayleigh-Taylor mixing keeps order.« less

Instabilities in a staircase stratified shear flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponetti, G.; Balmforth, N. J.; Eaves, T. S.

2018-01-01

We study stratified shear flow instability where the density profile takes the form of a staircase of interfaces separating uniform layers. Internal gravity waves riding on density interfaces can resonantly interact due to a background shear flow, resulting in the Taylor-Caulfield instability. The many steps of the density profile permit a multitude of interactions between different interfaces, and a rich variety of Taylor-Caulfield instabilities. We analyse the linear instability of a staircase with piecewise-constant density profile embedded in a background linear shear flow, locating all the unstable modes and identifying the strongest. The interaction between nearest-neighbour interfaces leads to the most unstable modes. The nonlinear dynamics of the instabilities are explored in the long-wavelength, weakly stratified limit (the defect approximation). Unstable modes on adjacent interfaces saturate by rolling up the intervening layer into a distinctive billow. These nonlinear structures coexist when stacked vertically and are bordered by the sharp density gradients that are the remnants of the steps of the original staircase. Horizontal averages remain layer-like.

Instability in Rotating Machinery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

The proceedings contain 45 papers on a wide range of subjects including flow generated instabilities in fluid flow machines, cracked shaft detection, case histories of instability phenomena in compressors, turbines, and pumps, vibration control in turbomachinery (including antiswirl techniques), and the simulation and estimation of destabilizing forces in rotating machines. The symposium was held to serve as an update on the understanding and control of rotating machinery instability problems.

Pearling Instabilities of a Viscoelastic Thread

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deblais, A.; Velikov, K. P.; Bonn, D.

2018-05-01

Pearling instabilities of slender viscoelastic threads have received much attention, but remain incompletely understood. We study the instabilities in polymer solutions subject to uniaxial elongational flow. Two distinctly different instabilites are observed: beads on a string and blistering. The beads-on-a-string structure arises from a capillary instability whereas the blistering instability has a different origin: it is due to a coupling between stress and polymer concentration. By varying the temperature to change the solution properties we elucidate the interplay between flow and phase separation.

Instabilities in rapid directional solidification under weak flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kowal, Katarzyna N.; Davis, Stephen H.; Voorhees, Peter W.

2017-12-01

We examine a rapidly solidifying binary alloy under directional solidification with nonequilibrium interfacial thermodynamics viz. the segregation coefficient and the liquidus slope are speed dependent and attachment-kinetic effects are present. Both of these effects alone give rise to (steady) cellular instabilities, mode S , and a pulsatile instability, mode P . We examine how weak imposed boundary-layer flow of magnitude |V | affects these instabilities. For small |V | , mode S becomes a traveling and the flow stabilizes (destabilizes) the interface for small (large) surface energies. For small |V | , mode P has a critical wave number that shifts from zero to nonzero giving spatial structure. The flow promotes this instability and the frequencies of the complex conjugate pairs each increase (decrease) with flow for large (small) wave numbers. These results are obtained by regular perturbation theory in powers of V far from the point where the neutral curves cross, but requires a modified expansion in powers of V1 /3 near the crossing. A uniform composite expansion is then obtained valid for all small |V | .

A Hydrodynamic Instability Is Used to Create Aesthetically Appealing Patterns in Painting

PubMed Central

Zetina, Sandra; Godínez, Francisco A.; Zenit, Roberto

2015-01-01

Painters often acquire a deep empirical knowledge of the way in which paints and inks behave. Through experimentation and practice, they can control the way in which fluids move and deform to create textures and images. David Alfaro Siqueiros, a recognized Mexican muralist, invented an accidental painting technique to create new and unexpected textures. By pouring layers of paint of different colors on a horizontal surface, the paints infiltrate into each other creating patterns of aesthetic value. In this investigation, we reproduce the technique in a controlled manner. We found that for the correct color combination, the dual viscous layer becomes Rayleigh-Taylor unstable: the density mismatch of the two color paints drives the formation of a spotted pattern. Experiments and a linear instability analysis were conducted to understand the properties of the process. We also argue that this flow configuration can be used to study the linear properties of this instability. PMID:25942586

An experimental description of the flow in a centrifugal compressor from alternate stall to surge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moënne-Loccoz, V.; Trébinjac, I.; Benichou, E.; Goguey, S.; Paoletti, B.; Laucher, P.

2017-08-01

The present paper gives the experimental results obtained in a centrifugal compressor stage designed and built by SAFRAN Helicopter Engines. The compressor is composed of inlet guide vanes, a backswept splittered unshrouded impeller, a splittered vaned radial diffuser and axial outlet guide vanes. Previous numerical simulations revealed a particular S-shape pressure rise characteristic at partial rotation speed and predicted an alternate flow pattern in the vaned radial diffuser at low mass flow rate. This alternate flow pattern involves two adjacent vane passages. One passage exhibits very low momentum and a low pressure recovery, whereas the adjacent passage has very high momentum in the passage inlet and diffuses efficiently. Experimental measurements confirm the S-shape of the pressure rise characteristic even if the stability limit experimentally occurs at higher mass flow than numerically predicted. At low mass flow the alternate stall pattern is confirmed thanks to the data obtained by high-frequency pressure sensors. As the compressor is throttled the path to instability has been registered and a first scenario of the surge inception is given. The compressor first experiences a steady alternate stall in the diffuser. As the mass flow decreases, the alternate stall amplifies and triggers the mild surge in the vaned diffuser. An unsteady behavior results from the interaction of the alternate stall and the mild surge. Finally, when the pressure gradient becomes too strong, the alternate stall blows away and the compressor enters into deep surge.

Aeroacoustics Computation for Nearly Fully Expanded Supersonic Jets Using the CE/SE Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loh, Ching Y.; Hultgren, Lennart S.; Wang, Xiao Y.; Chang, Sin-Chung; Jorgenson, Philip C. E.

2000-01-01

In this paper, the space-time conservation element solution element (CE/SE) method is tested in the classical axisymmetric jet instability problem, rendering good agreement with the linear theory. The CE/SE method is then applied to numerical simulations of several nearly fully expanded axisymmetric jet flows and their noise fields and qualitative agreement with available experimental and theoretical results is demonstrated.

Transient disturbance growth in flows over convex surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karp, Michael; Hack, M. J. Philipp

2017-11-01

Flows over curved surfaces occur in a wide range of applications including airfoils, compressor and turbine vanes as well as aerial, naval and ground vehicles. In most of these applications the surface has convex curvature, while concave surfaces are less common. Since monotonic boundary-layer flows over convex surfaces are exponentially stable, they have received considerably less attention than flows over concave walls which are destabilized by centrifugal forces. Non-modal mechanisms may nonetheless enable significant disturbance growth which can make the flow susceptible to secondary instabilities. A parametric investigation of the transient growth and secondary instability of flows over convex surfaces is performed. The specific conditions yielding the maximal transient growth and strongest instability are identified. The effect of wall-normal and spanwise inflection points on the instability process is discussed. Finally, the role and significance of additional parameters, such as the geometry and pressure gradient, is analyzed.

Modelling of hydrothermal instabilities in a capillary bridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pillai, Dipin; Wray, Alex; Narayanan, Ranga

2017-11-01

We examine the behaviour of a capillary bridge/boat suspended between two heated plates. Such systems are common in many physical situations such as crystal growth processes. However, as shown experimentally by Messmer et al., the system exhibits a complex array of behaviours driven by a Marangoni instability. While qualitative arguments have been advanced for these behaviours in the past, we develop a complete low-order model to elucidate the mechanisms at work. The model takes into account viscosity, surface tension, Marangoni stress and inertia as well as a full convection-diffusion equation for the thermal effects. Detailed comparisons of flow fields and thermal distributions are made with experiments. NASA NNX17AL27G and NSF 0968313.

Mixing driven by transient buoyancy flows. I. Kinematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duval, W. M. B.; Zhong, H.; Batur, C.

2018-05-01

Mixing of two miscible liquids juxtaposed inside a cavity initially separated by a divider, whose buoyancy-driven motion is initiated via impulsive perturbation of divider motion that can generate the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability, is investigated experimentally. The measured Lagrangian history of interface motion that contains the continuum mechanics of mixing shows self-similar nearly Gaussian length stretch distribution for a wide range of control parameters encompassing an approximate Hele-Shaw cell to a three-dimensional cavity. Because of the initial configuration of the interface which is parallel to the gravitational field, we show that at critical initial potential energy mixing occurs through the stretching of the interface, which shows frontogenesis, and folding, owing to an overturning motion that results in unstable density stratification and produces an ideal condition for the growth of the single wavelength Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The initial perturbation of the interface and flow field generates the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability and causes kinks at the interface, which grow into deep fingers during overturning motion and unfold into local whorl structures that merge and self-organize into the Rayleigh-Taylor morphology (RTM) structure. For a range of parametric space that yields two-dimensional flows, the unfolding of the instability through a supercritical bifurcation yields an asymmetric pairwise structure exhibiting smooth RTM that transitions to RTM fronts with fractal structures that contain small length scales for increasing Peclet numbers. The late stage of the RTM structure unfolds into an internal breakwave that breaks down through wall and internal collision and sets up the condition for self-induced sloshing that decays exponentially as the two fluids become stably stratified with a diffusive region indicating local molecular diffusion.

Wave models for turbulent free shear flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liou, W. W.; Morris, P. J.

1991-01-01

New predictive closure models for turbulent free shear flows are presented. They are based on an instability wave description of the dominant large scale structures in these flows using a quasi-linear theory. Three model were developed to study the structural dynamics of turbulent motions of different scales in free shear flows. The local characteristics of the large scale motions are described using linear theory. Their amplitude is determined from an energy integral analysis. The models were applied to the study of an incompressible free mixing layer. In all cases, predictions are made for the development of the mean flow field. In the last model, predictions of the time dependent motion of the large scale structure of the mixing region are made. The predictions show good agreement with experimental observations.

Hydrodynamics of pedestrians' instability in floodwaters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arrighi, Chiara; Oumeraci, Hocine; Castelli, Fabio

2017-01-01

People's safety is the first objective to be fulfilled by flood risk mitigation measures, and according to existing reports on the causes of casualties, most of the fatalities are due to inappropriate behaviour such as walking or driving in floodwaters. Currently available experimental data on people instability in floodwaters suffer from a large dispersion primarily depending on the large variability of the physical characteristics of the subjects. This paper introduces a dimensionless mobility parameter θP for people partly immersed in flood flows, which accounts for both flood and subject characteristics. The parameter θP is capable of identifying a unique threshold of instability depending on a Froude number, thus reducing the scatter of existing experimental data. Moreover, a three-dimensional (3-D) numerical model describing the detailed geometry of a human body and reproducing a selection of critical pairs of water depth and velocity is presented. The numerical results in terms of hydrodynamic forces and force coefficients are analysed and discussed. Both the mobility parameter θP and the numerical results hint at the crucial role of the Froude number and relative submergence as the most relevant dimensionless numbers to interpret the loss of stability. Finally, the mobility parameter θP is compared with an analogous dimensionless parameter for vehicles' instability in floodwaters, providing a new contribution to support flood risk management and educating people.

Laboratory Study of Magnetorotational Instability and Hydrodynamic Stability at Large Reynolds Numbers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ji, H.; Burin, M.; Schartman, E.; Goodman, J.; Liu, W.

2006-01-01

Two plausible mechanisms have been proposed to explain rapid angular momentum transport during accretion processes in astrophysical disks: nonlinear hydrodynamic instabilities and magnetorotational instability (MRI). A laboratory experiment in a short Taylor-Couette flow geometry has been constructed in Princeton to study both mechanisms, with novel features for better controls of the boundary-driven secondary flows (Ekman circulation). Initial results on hydrodynamic stability have shown negligible angular momentum transport in Keplerian-like flows with Reynolds numbers approaching one million, casting strong doubt on the viability of nonlinear hydrodynamic instability as a source for accretion disk turbulence.

Unsteady forces on a circular cylinder at critical Reynolds numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehmkuhl, O.; Rodríguez, I.; Borrell, R.; Chiva, J.; Oliva, A.

2014-12-01

It is well known that the flow past a circular cylinder at critical Reynolds number combines flow separation, turbulence transition, reattachment of the flow, and further turbulent separation of the boundary layer. The transition to turbulence in the boundary layer causes the delaying of the separation point and an important reduction of the drag force on the cylinder surface known as the drag crisis. In the present work, large-eddy simulations of the flow past a cylinder at Reynolds numbers in the range 2.5 × 105-6.5 × 105 are performed. It is shown how the pressure distribution changes as the Reynolds number increases in an asymmetric manner, occurring first on one side of the cylinder and then on the other side to complete the drop in the drag up to 0.23 at Re = 6.5 × 105. These variations in the pressure profile are accompanied by the presence of a small recirculation bubble, observed as a small plateau in the pressure, and located around ϕ = 105∘ (measured from the stagnation point). This small recirculation bubble anticipated by the experimental measurements is here well captured by the present computations and its position and size measured at every Reynolds number. The changes in the wake configuration as the Reynolds number increases are also shown and their relation to the increase in the vortex shedding frequency is discussed. The power spectra for the velocity fluctuations are computed. The analysis of the resulting spectrum showed the footprint of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities in the whole range. It is found that the ratio of these instabilities frequency to the primary vortex shedding frequency matches quite well the scaling proposed by Prasad and Williamson ["The instability of the separated shear layer from a bluff body," Phys. Fluids 8, 1347 (1996); "The instability of the shear layer separating from a bluff body," J. Fluid Mech. 333, 375-492 (1997)] (fKH/fvs ∝ Re0.67).

Modeling self-excited combustion instabilities using a combination of two- and three-dimensional simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvazinski, Matthew Evan

Self-excited combustion instabilities have been studied using a combination of two- and three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. This work was undertaken to assess the ability of CFD simulations to generate the high-amplitude resonant combustion dynamics without external forcing or a combustion response function. Specifically, detached eddy simulations (DES), which allow for significantly coarser grid resolutions in wall bounded flows than traditional large eddy simulations (LES), were investigated for their capability of simulating the instability. A single-element laboratory rocket combustor which produces self-excited longitudinal instabilities is used for the configuration. The model rocket combustor uses an injector configuration based on practical oxidizer-rich staged-combustion devices; a sudden expansion combustion section; and uses decomposed hydrogen peroxide as the oxidizer and gaseous methane as the fuel. A better understanding of the physics has been achieved using a series of diagnostics. Standard CFD outputs like instantaneous and time averaged flowfield outputs are combined with other tools, like the Rayleigh index to provide additional insight. The Rayleigh index is used to identify local regions in the combustor which are responsible for driving and damping the instability. By comparing the Rayleigh index to flowfield parameters it is possible to connect damping and driving to specific flowfield conditions. A cost effective procedure to compute multidimensional local Rayleigh index was developed. This work shows that combustion instabilities can be qualitatively simulated using two-dimensional axisymmetric simulations for fuel rich operating conditions. A full three-dimensional simulation produces a higher level of instability which agrees quite well with the experimental results. In addition to matching the level of instability the three-dimensional simulation also predicts the harmonic nature of the instability that is observed in experiments. All fuel rich simulations used a single step global reaction for the chemical kinetic model. A fuel lean operating condition is also studied and has a lower level of instability. The two-dimensional results are unable to provide good agreement with experimental results unless a more expensive four-step chemical kinetic model is used. The three-dimensional simulation is able to predict the harmonic behavior but fails to capture the amplitude of the instability observed in the companion experiment, instead predicting lower amplitude oscillations. A detailed analysis of the three-dimensional results on a single cycle shows that the periodic heat release commonly associated with combustion instability can be interpreted to be a result of the time lag between the instant the fuel is injected and when it is burned. The time lag is due to two mechanisms. First, methane present near the backstep can become trapped and transported inside shed vortices to the point of combustion. The second aspect of the time lag arises due to the interaction of the fuel with upstream-running pressure waves. As the wave moves past the injection point the flow is temporarily disrupted, reducing the fuel flow into the combustor. A comparison between the fuel lean and fuel rich cases shows several differences. Whereas both cases can produce instability, the fuel-rich case is measurably more unstable. Using the tools developed differences in the location of the damping, and driving regions are evident. By moving the peak driving area upstream of the damping region the level of instability is lower in the fuel lean case. The location of the mean heat release is also important; locating the mean heat release adjacent to the vortex impingement point a higher level of instability is observed for the fuel rich case. This research shows that DES instability modeling has the ability to be a valuable tool in the study of combustion instability. The lower grid size requirement makes the use of DES based modeling a potential candidate in the modeling of full-scale rocket engines. Whereas three-dimensional simulations may be necessary for very good agreement, two-dimensional simulations allow efficient parametric investigation and tool development. The insights obtained from the simulations offer the possibility that their results can be used in the design of future engines to exploit damping and reduce driving.

Simulation of spiral instabilities in wide-gap spherical Couette flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbas, Suhail; Yuan, Li; Shah, Abdullah

2018-04-01

We numerically study the wide-gap spherical Couette flow between two concentric spheres with the inner sphere rotating and the outer one stationary. Two wide-gap clearance ratios, β =({R}2-{R}1)/{R}1=0.33 and 0.50, are chosen to investigate the transition scenarios of the spiral instabilities with increasing Reynolds number ({{Re}}). For β =0.33, we first obtain the steady 1-vortex flow at {{Re}} = 700 by using the 1-vortex flow for a medium gap β =0.18 at {{Re}} = 700 as the initial condition. The 1-vortex flow for β =0.33 exists for {Re} \\in [450,2050] and it collapses back to the basic flow when {Re} > 2050. We then detect spiral instabilities by increasing the Reynolds number gradually. The basic flow becomes unstable at {{Re}}{{c}1} = 2900 where spiral waves of wavenumber m = 6 appear first. Increasing the Reynolds number further, the wavenumber decreases to 5 and 4 at {{Re}}{{c}2} = 3000 and {{Re}}{{c}3} = 4000 respectively. The flow becomes turbulent when {Re} > 4500. For β =0.50, no Taylor vortices are found. The basic flow becomes unstable at {{Re}}{{c}1} = 1280 where spiral waves of wavenumber m = 5 occur first. As the Reynolds number is increased, the wavenumber becomes 4 at {{Re}}{{c}2} = 1700, 5 again at {{Re}}{{c}3} = 1800, 4 at {{Re}}{{c}4} = 2000, and becomes 3 at {{Re}}{{c}5} = 2200 while the flow becomes turbulent for {Re} > 2200. The computed rotational frequencies as a function of the Reynolds number for spiral waves of wavenumber m = 5, 4 and 3 are in good agreement with previous experimental results. The present transition scenario of the spiral wavenumber with increasing Reynolds number for β =0.33 is the same as that of Egbers and Rath (1995 Acta Mech. 111 125-40), while for β =0.50, it is only partially similar to those of Wulf et al (1999 Phys. Fluids 11 1359-72) and Egbers and Rath (1995 Acta Mech. 111 125-40).

Analytical studies on the instabilities of heterogeneous intelligent traffic flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngoduy, D.

2013-10-01

It has been widely reported in literature that a small perturbation in traffic flow such as a sudden deceleration of a vehicle could lead to the formation of traffic jams without a clear bottleneck. These traffic jams are usually related to instabilities in traffic flow. The applications of intelligent traffic systems are a potential solution to reduce the amplitude or to eliminate the formation of such traffic instabilities. A lot of research has been conducted to theoretically study the effect of intelligent vehicles, for example adaptive cruise control vehicles, using either computer simulation or analytical method. However, most current analytical research has only applied to single class traffic flow. To this end, the main topic of this paper is to perform a linear stability analysis to find the stability threshold of heterogeneous traffic flow using microscopic models, particularly the effect of intelligent vehicles on heterogeneous (or multi-class) traffic flow instabilities. The analytical results will show how intelligent vehicle percentages affect the stability of multi-class traffic flow.

Study of the Transition from MRI to Magnetic Turbulence via Parasitic Instability by a High-order MHD Simulation Code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirai, Kenichiro; Katoh, Yuto; Terada, Naoki; Kawai, Soshi

2018-02-01

Magnetic turbulence in accretion disks under ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) conditions is expected to be driven by the magneto-rotational instability (MRI) followed by secondary parasitic instabilities. We develop a three-dimensional ideal MHD code that can accurately resolve turbulent structures, and carry out simulations with a net vertical magnetic field in a local shearing box disk model to investigate the role of parasitic instabilities in the formation process of magnetic turbulence. Our simulations reveal that a highly anisotropic Kelvin–Helmholtz (K–H) mode parasitic instability evolves just before the first peak in turbulent stress and then breaks large-scale shear flows created by MRI. The wavenumber of the enhanced parasitic instability is larger than the theoretical estimate, because the shear flow layers sometimes become thinner than those assumed in the linear analysis. We also find that interaction between antiparallel vortices caused by the K–H mode parasitic instability induces small-scale waves that break the shear flows. On the other hand, at repeated peaks in the nonlinear phase, anisotropic wavenumber spectra are observed only in the small wavenumber region and isotropic waves dominate at large wavenumbers unlike for the first peak. Restructured channel flows due to MRI at the peaks in nonlinear phase seem to be collapsed by the advection of small-scale shear structures into the restructured flow and resultant mixing.

On thermal instability and hydrostatic equilibrium in cooling flows. [of intracluster gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balbus, Steven A.

1988-01-01

The nature of thermal instability in cluster cooling flows is investigated. The radial modes of a spherical static system are discussed, and it is shown that only the acoustical modes are present at short wavelengths and that there are no isobaric thermal instabilities. The analysis is expanded to include nonradial modes, and it is demonstrated that there are azimuthal high wavenumber thermal modes which can indeed become unstable according to the classical Field (1965) criterion. A new convective instability criterion is derived, and thermal instability and its limitations are briefly discussed.

Transverse electron-scale instability in relativistic shear flows.

PubMed

Alves, E P; Grismayer, T; Fonseca, R A; Silva, L O

2015-08-01

Electron-scale surface waves are shown to be unstable in the transverse plane of a sheared flow in an initially unmagnetized collisionless plasma, not captured by (magneto)hydrodynamics. It is found that these unstable modes have a higher growth rate than the closely related electron-scale Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in relativistic shears. Multidimensional particle-in-cell simulations verify the analytic results and further reveal the emergence of mushroomlike electron density structures in the nonlinear phase of the instability, similar to those observed in the Rayleigh Taylor instability despite the great disparity in scales and different underlying physics. This transverse electron-scale instability may play an important role in relativistic and supersonic sheared flow scenarios, which are stable at the (magneto)hydrodynamic level. Macroscopic (≫c/ωpe) fields are shown to be generated by this microscopic shear instability, which are relevant for particle acceleration, radiation emission, and to seed magnetohydrodynamic processes at long time scales.

Gravitational Effects on Near Field Flow Structure of Low Density Gas Jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffin, D. W.; Yep, T. W.; Agrawal, A. K.

2005-01-01

Experiments were conducted in Earth gravity and microgravity to acquire quantitative data on near field flow structure of helium jets injected into air. Microgravity conditions were simulated in the 2.2- second drop tower at NASA Glenn Research Center. The jet flow was observed by quantitative rainbow schlieren deflectometry, a non-intrusive line of site measurement technique for the whole field. The flow structure was characterized by distributions of angular deflection and helium mole percentage obtained from color schlieren images taken at 60 Hz. Results show that the jet in microgravity was up to 70 percent wider than that in Earth gravity. The global jet flow oscillations observed in Earth gravity were absent in microgravity, providing direct experimental evidence that the flow instability in the low density jet was buoyancy induced. The paper provides quantitative details of temporal flow evolution as the experiment undergoes change in gravity in the drop tower.

Experimental research on the structural instability mechanism and the effect of multi-echelon support of deep roadways in a kilometre-deep well

PubMed Central

Peng, Rui; Zhao, Guangming; Li, Yingming; Zhu, Jianming

2018-01-01

We study the structural instability mechanism and effect of a multi-echelon support in very-deep roadways. We conduct a scale model test for analysing the structural failure mechanism and the effect of multi-echelon support of roadways under high horizontal stress. Mechanical bearing structures are classified according to their secondary stress distribution and the strength degradation of the surrounding rock after roadway excavation. A new method is proposed by partitioning the mechanical bearing structure of the surrounding rock into weak, key and main coupling bearing stratums. In the surrounding rock, the main bearing stratum is the plastic reshaping and flowing area. The weak bearing stratum is the peeling layer or the caving part. And the key bearing stratum is the shearing and yielding area. The structural fracture mechanism of roadways is considered in analysing the bearing structure instability of the surrounding rock, and multi-echelon support that considers the structural characteristics of roadway bearings is proposed. Results of the experimental study indicate that horizontal pressure seriously influences the stability of the surrounding rock, as indicated by extension of the weak bearing area and the transfer of the main and key bearing zones. The falling roof, rib spalling, and floor heave indicate the decline of the bearing capacity of surrounding rock, thereby causing roadway structural instability. Multi-echelon support is proposed according to the mechanical bearing structure of the surrounding rock without support. The redesigned support can reduce the scope of the weak bearing area and limit the transfer of the main and key bearing areas. Consequently, kilometre-deep roadway disasters, such as wedge roof caving, floor heave, and rib spalling, can be avoided to a certain degree, and plastic flow in the surrounding rock is relieved. The adverse effect of horizontal stress on the vault, spandrel and arch foot decreases. The stability of the soft rock surrounding the roadways is maintained. PMID:29447180

Impact of drag reducing polymers on the onset of instability in a pipe with reverse flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shashank, H. J.; Sreenivas, K. R.

2014-11-01

The objective of this study is to understand the mechanism by which drag reducing polymer (DRP) additives modify turbulent flow, so as to reduce turbulent drag. Reverse flow in a pipe occurs when the fluid close to the wall moves in an opposite direction to that of the core fluid. Reverse flow is established by using a piston-cylinder mechanism, the programmed motion of which imparts a known impulse to the fluid. When the piston is stopped at the end of the stroke, fluid inertia makes the core of the flow to continue in the same direction. In order to conserve mass, reverse flow is established close to the wall. An inflection point is thus formed, leading to flow instability above a critical Reynolds number. Dye and streak flow visualization experiments are performed to highlight the impact of DRP additives (polyethylene oxide, PEO, dissolved in water). The time of onset of the instability and the wavelength of the observed instability are studied in systems with and without DRP additives. This study will provide further insight into the phenomenon of turbulent polymer drag reduction.

Spontaneous Contractility-Mediated Cortical Flow Generates Cell Migration in Three-Dimensional Environments

PubMed Central

Hawkins, Rhoda J.; Poincloux, Renaud; Bénichou, Olivier; Piel, Matthieu; Chavrier, Philippe; Voituriez, Raphaël

2011-01-01

We present a model of cell motility generated by actomyosin contraction of the cell cortex. We identify, analytically, dynamical instabilities of the cortex and show that they yield steady-state cortical flows, which, in turn, can induce cell migration in three-dimensional environments. This mechanism relies on the regulation of contractility by myosin, whose transport is explicitly taken into account in the model. Theoretical predictions are compared to experimental data of tumor cells migrating in three-dimensional matrigel and suggest that this mechanism could be a general mode of cell migration in three-dimensional environments. PMID:21889440

Stability investigations of airfoil flow by global analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morzynski, Marek; Thiele, Frank

1992-01-01

As the result of global, non-parallel flow stability analysis the single value of the disturbance growth-rate and respective frequency is obtained. This complex value characterizes the stability of the whole flow configuration and is not referred to any particular flow pattern. The global analysis assures that all the flow elements (wake, boundary and shear layer) are taken into account. The physical phenomena connected with the wake instability are properly reproduced by the global analysis. This enhances the investigations of instability of any 2-D flows, including ones in which the boundary layer instability effects are known to be of dominating importance. Assuming fully 2-D disturbance form, the global linear stability problem is formulated. The system of partial differential equations is solved for the eigenvalues and eigenvectors. The equations, written in the pure stream function formulation, are discretized via FDM using a curvilinear coordinate system. The complex eigenvalues and corresponding eigenvectors are evaluated by an iterative method. The investigations performed for various Reynolds numbers emphasize that the wake instability develops into the Karman vortex street. This phenomenon is shown to be connected with the first mode obtained from the non-parallel flow stability analysis. The higher modes are reflecting different physical phenomena as for example Tollmien-Schlichting waves, originating in the boundary layer and having the tendency to emerge as instabilities for the growing Reynolds number. The investigations are carried out for a circular cylinder, oblong ellipsis and airfoil. It is shown that the onset of the wake instability, the waves in the boundary layer, the shear layer instability are different solutions of the same eigenvalue problem, formulated using the non-parallel theory. The analysis offers large potential possibilities as the generalization of methods used till now for the stability analysis.

Boundary-layer instability & transition on a flared cone in a Mach 6 quiet wind tunnel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofferth, Jerrod; Saric, William

2011-11-01

Measurements of boundary-layer transition location and instability growth on a sharp-tipped 5°-half-angle flared cone were conducted in a low-disturbance Mach 6 wind tunnel at a freestream unit Reynolds number of 10 × 106/m. Under quiet flow at these conditions, the boundary layer becomes transitional near the base of the cone, where significant second-mode instability growth is evident. Transition location is determined using an array of embedded thermocouples, and instability development is observed in mean and fluctuating mass flux data using hotwire anemometry. The present work seeks to reproduce and build upon previous experiments which used the same test article and similar diagnostics in the facility's former installation at NASA Langley. Together with comprehensive measurements of the freestream disturbance environment, these baseline cone data characterize the facility's performance relative to that in its previous installation. In addition, the current campaign establishes experimental readiness for future research, which will study the effects of periodic surface roughness and controlled-input disturbances. AFOSR/NASA National Center for Hypersonic Research in Laminar-Turbulent Transition; Grant FA9550-09-1-0341.

Effect of thermal diffusion on the stability of strongly tilted mantle plume tails

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerr, R. C.; MéRiaux, C.; Lister, J. R.

2008-09-01

The effect of thermal diffusion on the stability of strongly tilted mantle plume tails is explored by investigating experimentally and numerically the gravitational instability of a rising horizontal cylindrical region of buoyant viscous fluid. At large viscosity ratios, we find that the instability is unaffected by diffusion when the Rayleigh number Ra is greater than about 300. When Ra is less than 300, diffusion significantly increases the time for instability, as the rising fluid region needs to grow substantially by entrainment before it becomes unstable. When Ra is less than about 140 and the rise height available H is less than about 40 times the cylinder radius, the rising region of fluid is unable to grow sufficiently and instability is prevented. When our results are applied to the Earth, we predict that thermal diffusion will stabilize plume tails in both the upper and lower mantle. We also predict that some of the buoyancy flux in mantle plumes is lost during ascent to form downstream thermal wakes in any larger-scale mantle flow.

Ion-temperature-gradient sensitivity of the hydrodynamic instability caused by shear in the magnetic-field-aligned plasma flow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mikhailenko, V. V., E-mail: vladimir@pusan.ac.kr; Mikhailenko, V. S.; Faculty of Transportation Systems, Kharkiv National Automobile and Highway University, 61002 Kharkiv

2014-07-15

The cross-magnetic-field (i.e., perpendicular) profile of ion temperature and the perpendicular profile of the magnetic-field-aligned (parallel) plasma flow are sometimes inhomogeneous for space and laboratory plasma. Instability caused either by a gradient in the ion-temperature profile or by shear in the parallel flow has been discussed extensively in the literature. In this paper, (1) hydrodynamic plasma stability is investigated, (2) real and imaginary frequency are quantified over a range of the shear parameter, the normalized wavenumber, and the ratio of density-gradient and ion-temperature-gradient scale lengths, and (3) the role of inverse Landau damping is illustrated for the case of combinedmore » ion-temperature gradient and parallel-flow shear. We find that increasing the ion-temperature gradient reduces the instability threshold for the hydrodynamic parallel-flow shear instability, also known as the parallel Kelvin-Helmholtz instability or the D'Angelo instability. We also find that a kinetic instability arises from the coupled, reinforcing action of both free-energy sources. For the case of comparable electron and ion temperature, we illustrate analytically the transition of the D'Angelo instability to the kinetic instability as (a) the shear parameter, (b) the normalized wavenumber, and (c) the ratio of density-gradient and ion-temperature-gradient scale lengths are varied and we attribute the changes in stability to changes in the amount of inverse ion Landau damping. We show that near a normalized wavenumber k{sub ⊥}ρ{sub i} of order unity (i) the real and imaginary values of frequency become comparable and (ii) the imaginary frequency, i.e., the growth rate, peaks.« less

Effects of planar shear on the three-dimensional instability in flow past a circular cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Doohyun; Yang, Kyung-Soo

2018-03-01

A Floquet stability analysis has been carried out in order to investigate how a planar shear in wake flow affects the three-dimensional (3D) instability in the near-wake region. We consider a circular cylinder immersed in a freestream with planar shear. The cylinder was implemented in a Cartesian grid system by means of an immersed boundary method. Planar shear tends to promote the primary instability, known as Hopf bifurcation where steady flow bifurcates into time-periodic flow, in the sense that its critical Reynolds number decreases with increasing planar shear. The effects of planar shear on the 3D instability are different depending on the type of 3D instability. The flow asymmetry caused by the planar shear suppresses a QP-type mode but generates a C-type mode. The conventional A and B modes are stabilized by the planar shear, whereas mode C is intensified with increasing shear. The criticality of each 3D mode is discussed, and the neutral stability curves for each 3D mode are presented. The current Floquet results have been validated by using direct numerical simulation for some selected cases of flow parameters.

Safety studies on vacuum insulated liquid helium cryostats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, C.; Henriques, A.; Zoller, C.; Grohmann, S.

2017-12-01

The loss of insulating vacuum is often considered as a reasonable foreseeable accident for the dimensioning of cryogenic safety relief devices (SRD). The cryogenic safety test facility PICARD was designed at KIT to investigate such events. In the course of first experiments, discharge instabilities of the spring loaded safety relief valve (SRV) occurred, the so-called chattering and pumping effects. These instabilities reduce the relief flow capacity, which leads to impermissible over-pressures in the system. The analysis of the process dynamics showed first indications for a smaller heat flux than the commonly assumed 4W/cm2. This results in an oversized discharge area for the reduced relief flow rate, which corresponds to the lower heat flux. This paper presents further experimental investigations on the venting of the insulating vacuum with atmospheric air under variation of the set pressure (p set) of the SRV. Based on dynamic process analysis, the results are discussed with focus on effective heat fluxes and operating characteristics of the spring-loaded SRV.

Wavelet analysis methods for radiography of multidimensional growth of planar mixing layers

DOE PAGES

Merritt, Elizabeth Catherine; Doss, Forrest William

2016-07-06

The counter-propagating shear campaign is examining instability growth and its transition to turbulence in the high-energy-density physics regime using a laser-driven counter-propagating flow platform. In these experiments, we observe consistent complex break-up of and structure growth in a tracer layer placed at the shear flow interface during the instability growth phase. We present a wavelet-transform based analysis technique capable of characterizing the scale- and directionality-resolved average intensity perturbations in static radiographs of the experiment. This technique uses the complete spatial information available in each radiograph to describe the structure evolution. We designed this analysis technique to generate a two-dimensional powermore » spectrum for each radiograph from which we can recover information about structure widths, amplitudes, and orientations. Lastly, the evolution of the distribution of power in the spectra for an experimental series is a potential metric for quantifying the structure size evolution as well as a system’s evolution towards isotropy.« less

Instabilities and patterns in an active nematic film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Pragya; Marchetti, Cristina

2015-03-01

Experiments on microtubule bundles confined to an oil-water interface have motivated extensive theoretical studies of two-dimensional active nematics. Theoretical models taking into account the interplay between activity, flow and order have remarkably reproduced several experimentally observed features of the defect-dynamics in these ``living'' nematics. Here, we derive minimal description of a two-dimensional active nematic film confined between walls. At high friction, we eliminate the flow to obtain closed equations for the nematic order parameter, with renormalized Frank elastic constants. Active processes can render the ``Frank'' constants negative, resulting in the instability of the uniformly ordered nematic state. The minimal model yields emergent patterns of growing complexity with increasing activity, including bands and turbulent dynamics with a steady density of topological defects, as obtained with the full hydrodynamic equations. We report on the scaling of the length scales of these patterns and of the steady state number of defects with activity and system size. National Science Foundation grant DMR-1305184 and Syracuse Soft Matter Program.

Wavelet analysis methods for radiography of multidimensional growth of planar mixing layers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Merritt, E. C., E-mail: emerritt@lanl.gov; Doss, F. W.

2016-07-15

The counter-propagating shear campaign is examining instability growth and its transition to turbulence in the high-energy-density physics regime using a laser-driven counter-propagating flow platform. In these experiments, we observe consistent complex break-up of and structure growth in a tracer layer placed at the shear flow interface during the instability growth phase. We present a wavelet-transform based analysis technique capable of characterizing the scale- and directionality-resolved average intensity perturbations in static radiographs of the experiment. This technique uses the complete spatial information available in each radiograph to describe the structure evolution. We designed this analysis technique to generate a two-dimensional powermore » spectrum for each radiograph from which we can recover information about structure widths, amplitudes, and orientations. The evolution of the distribution of power in the spectra for an experimental series is a potential metric for quantifying the structure size evolution as well as a system’s evolution towards isotropy.« less

The minimum or natural rate of flow and droplet size ejected by Taylor cone-jets: physical symmetries and scaling laws

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gañán-Calvo, A. M.; Rebollo-Muñoz, N.; Montanero, J. M.

2013-03-01

We aim to establish the scaling laws for both the minimum rate of flow attainable in the steady cone-jet mode of electrospray, and the size of the resulting droplets in that limit. Use is made of a small body of literature on Taylor cone-jets reporting precise measurements of the transported electric current and droplet size as a function of the liquid properties and flow rate. The projection of the data onto an appropriate non-dimensional parameter space maps a region bounded by the minimum rate of flow attainable in the steady state. To explain these experimental results, we propose a theoretical model based on the generalized concept of physical symmetry, stemming from the system time invariance (steadiness). A group of symmetries rising at the cone-to-jet geometrical transition determines the scaling for the minimum flow rate and related variables. If the flow rate is decreased below that minimum value, those symmetries break down, which leads to dripping. We find that the system exhibits two instability mechanisms depending on the nature of the forces arising against the flow: one dominated by viscosity and the other by the liquid polarity. In the former case, full charge relaxation is guaranteed down to the minimum flow rate, while in the latter the instability condition becomes equivalent to the symmetry breakdown by charge relaxation or separation. When cone-jets are formed without artificially imposing a flow rate, a microjet is issued quasi-steadily. The flow rate naturally ejected this way coincides with the minimum flow rate studied here. This natural flow rate determines the minimum droplet size that can be steadily produced by any electrohydrodynamic means for a given set of liquid properties.

Unsteady sedimentation of a sphere in wormlike micellar fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yiran; Muller, Susan J.

2018-04-01

The unsteady sedimentation of a sphere in wormlike micellar fluids is studied experimentally through shear and extensional rheometry, sphere trajectory tracking, and particle image velocimetry. Unsteady sphere sedimentation characterized by fluctuations in the sphere settling velocity was observed for a range of sphere size and density in two non-shear-banding wormlike micellar solutions, a cetylpyridinium chloride (CpCl)-sodium salicylate (NaSal) solution and a cetyltrimethylammonium p-toluenesulfonate (CTAT)-NaCl solution. The onset of the transition from steady to unsteady sphere motion is characterized by an extensional Deborah number, D eext , defined locally in the negative wake of the falling sphere. This instability criterion is in agreement with previous findings by Mohammadigoushki and Muller [J. Rheol. 60, 587 (2016), 10.1122/1.4948800] in the wormlike micelle system of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and NaSal, and appears to be universally valid independent of micelle chemistry or solution rheology (e.g., shear banding or not). Moreover, the frequency at which the sphere velocity fluctuates is found to be linearly correlated with an average shear Deborah number D es , which is a measure of the overall flow strength. This suggests that a constant critical strain is accumulated before the flow instability takes place in each velocity oscillation. The velocity fluctuations are found to become increasingly disordered with increasing elastic Mach number, M ae , indicating that the interactions between the flow instability and elastic wave propagation result in more chaotic velocity fluctuations.

Taylor-Goertler instabilities of Tollmien-Schlichting waves and other flows governed by the interactive boundary-layer equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Philip; Bennett, James

1986-01-01

The Taylor-Goertler vortex instability equations are formulated for steady and unsteady interacting boundary-layer flows. The effective Goertler number is shown to be a function of the wall shape in the boundary layer and the possibility of both steady and unsteady Taylor-Goertler modes exists. As an example the steady flow in a symmetrically constricted channel is considered and it is shown that unstable Goertler vortices exist before the boundary layers at the wall develop the Goldstein singularity discussed by Smith and Daniels (1981). As an example of an unsteady spatially varying basic state, it is considered the instability of high-frequency large-amplitude two- and three-dimensional Tollmien-Schlichting waves in a curved channel. It is shown that they are unstable in the first 'Stokes-layer stage' of the hierarchy of nonlinear states discussed by Smith and Burggraf (1985). This instability of Tollmien-Schlichting waves in an internal flow can occur in the presence of either convex or concave curvature. Some discussion of this instability in external flows is given.

Stability of boundary layer flow based on energy gradient theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dou, Hua-Shu; Xu, Wenqian; Khoo, Boo Cheong

2018-05-01

The flow of the laminar boundary layer on a flat plate is studied with the simulation of Navier-Stokes equations. The mechanisms of flow instability at external edge of the boundary layer and near the wall are analyzed using the energy gradient theory. The simulation results show that there is an overshoot on the velocity profile at the external edge of the boundary layer. At this overshoot, the energy gradient function is very large which results in instability according to the energy gradient theory. It is found that the transverse gradient of the total mechanical energy is responsible for the instability at the external edge of the boundary layer, which induces the entrainment of external flow into the boundary layer. Within the boundary layer, there is a maximum of the energy gradient function near the wall, which leads to intensive flow instability near the wall and contributes to the generation of turbulence.

Relativistic centrifugal instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gourgouliatos, Konstantinos N.; Komissarov, Serguei S.

2018-03-01

Near the central engine, many astrophysical jets are expected to rotate about their axis. Further out they are expected to go through the processes of reconfinement and recollimation. In both these cases, the flow streams along a concave surface and hence, it is subject to the centrifugal force. It is well known that such flows may experience the centrifugal instability (CFI), to which there are many laboratory examples. The recent computer simulations of relativistic jets from active galactic nuclei undergoing the process of reconfinement show that in such jets CFI may dominate over the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability associated with velocity shear (Gourgouliatos & Komissarov). In this letter, we generalize the Rayleigh criterion for CFI in rotating fluids to relativistic flows using a heuristic analysis. We also present the results of computer simulations which support our analytic criterion for the case of an interface separating two uniformly rotating cylindrical flows. We discuss the difference between CFI and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in flows with curved streamlines.

New Departure from Nucleate Boiling model relying on first principle energy balance at the boiling surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demarly, Etienne; Baglietto, Emilio

2017-11-01

Predictions of Departure from Nucleate Boiling have been a longstanding challenge when designing heat exchangers such as boilers or nuclear reactors. Many mechanistic models have been postulated over more than 50 years in order to explain this phenomenon but none is able to predict accurately the conditions which trigger the sudden change of heat transfer mode. This work aims at demonstrating the pertinence of a new approach for detecting DNB by leveraging recent experimental insights. The new model proposed departs from all the previous models by making the DNB inception come from an energy balance instability at the heating surface rather than a hydrodynamic instability of the bubbly layer above the surface (Zuber, 1959). The main idea is to modulate the amount of heat flux being exchanged via the nucleate boiling mechanism by the wetted area fraction on the surface, thus allowing a completely automatic trigger of DNB that doesn't require any parameter prescription. This approach is implemented as a surrogate model in MATLAB in order to validate the principles of the model in a simple and controlled geometry. Good agreement is found with the experimental data leveraged from the MIT Flow Boiling at various flow regimes. Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL).

Navier-Stokes Entropy Controlled Combustion Instability Analysis for Liquid Propellants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chung, T. J.; Yoon, W. S.

1990-01-01

Navier-Stokes solutions are used to calculate oscillatory components of pressure, velocity, and density, which in turn provide necessary data to compute energy growth factors to determine combustion instability. It is shown that wave instabilities are associated with changes in entropy and the space and time averages of oscillatory components of pressure, velocity and density, together with the mean flow field in the energy equation. Compressible laminar and turbulent flows and reacting flows with hydrogen/oxygen combustion are considered. The SSME combustion/thrust chamber is used for illustration of the theory. The analysis shows that the increase of mean pressure and disturbances consistently results in the increase of instability. It is shown that adequate combustion instability analysis requires at least third order nonlinearity in energy growth or decay.

Comparison of the PLTEMP code flow instability predictions with measurements made with electrically heated channels for the advanced test reactor.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feldman, E.

When the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) was designed in the 1960s the potential for fuel element burnout by a phenomenon referred to at that time as 'autocatalytic vapor binding' was of serious concern. This type of burnout was observed to occur at power levels considerably lower than those that were known to cause critical heat flux. The conversion of the MURR from HEU fuel to LEU fuel will probably require significant design changes, such as changes in coolant channel thicknesses, that could affect the thermal-hydraulic behavior of the reactor core. Therefore, the redesign of the MURR to accommodatemore » an LEU core must address the same issues of fuel element burnout that were of concern in the 1960s. The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) was designed at about the same time as the MURR and had similar concerns with regard to fuel element burnout. These concerns were addressed in the ATR by two groups of thermal-hydraulic tests that employed electrically heated simulated fuel channels. The Croft (1964), Reference 1, tests were performed at ANL. The Waters (1966), Reference 2, tests were performed at Hanford Laboratories in Richland Washington. Since fuel element surface temperatures rise rapidly as burnout conditions are approached, channel surface temperatures were carefully monitored in these experiments. For self-protection, the experimental facilities were designed to cut off the electric power when rapidly increasing surface temperatures were detected. In both the ATR reactor and in the tests with electrically heated channels, the heated length of the fuel plate was 48 inches, which is about twice that of the MURR. Whittle and Forgan (1967) independently conducted tests with electrically heated rectangular channels that were similar to the tests by Croft and by Walters. In the Whittle and Forgan tests the heated length of the channel varied among the tests and was between 16 and 24 inches. Both Waters and Whittle and Forgan show that the cause of the fuel element burnout is due to a form of flow instability. Whittle and Forgan provide a formula that predicts when this flow instability will occur. This formula is included in the PLTEMP/ANL code.Error! Reference source not found. Olson has shown that the PLTEMP/ANL code accurately predicts the powers at which flow instability occurs in the Whittle and Forgan experiments. He also considered the electrically heated tests performed in the ANS Thermal-Hydraulic Test Loop at ORNL and report by M. Siman-Tov et al. The purpose of this memorandum is to demonstrate that the PLTEMP/ANL code accurately predicts the Croft and the Waters tests. This demonstration should provide sufficient confidence that the PLTEMP/ANL code can adequately predict the onset of flow instability for the converted MURR. The MURR core uses light water as a coolant, has a 24-inch active fuel length, downward flow in the core, and an average core velocity of about 7 m/s. The inlet temperature is about 50 C and the peak outlet is about 20 C higher than the inlet for reactor operation at 10 MW. The core pressures range from about 4 to about 5 bar. The peak heat flux is about 110 W/cm{sup 2}. Section 2 describes the mechanism that causes flow instability. Section 3 describes the Whittle and Forgan formula for flow instability. Section 4 briefly describes both the Croft and the Waters experiments. Section 5 describes the PLTEMP/ANL models. Section 6 compares the PLTEMP/ANL predictions based on the Whittle and Forgan formula with the Croft measurements. Section 7 does the same for the Waters measurements. Section 8 provides the range of parameters for the Whittle and Forgan tests. Section 9 discusses the results and provides conclusions. In conclusion, although there is no single test that by itself closely matches the limiting conditions in the MURR, the preponderance of measured data and the ability of the Whittle and Forgan correlation, as implemented in PLTEMP/ANL, to predict the onset of flow instability for these tests leads one to the conclusion that the same method should be able to predict the onset of flow instability in the MURR reasonably well.« less

Experimental study of streaming flows associated with ultrasonic levitators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trinh, E. H.; Robey, J. L.

1994-11-01

Steady-state acoustic streaming flow patterns have been observed during the operation of a variety of resonant single-axis ultrasonic levitators in a gaseous environment and in the 20-37 kHz frequency range. Light sheet illumination and scattering from smoke particles have revealed primary streaming flows which display different characteristics at low and high sound pressure levels. Secondary macroscopic streaming cells around levitated samples are superimposed on the primary streaming flow pattern generated by the standing wave. These recorded flows are quite reproducible, and are qualitatively the same for a variety of levitator physical geometries. An onset of flow instability can also be recorded in nonisothermal systems, such as levitated spot-heated samples when the resonance conditions are not exactly satisfied. A preliminary qualitative interpretation of these experimental results is presented in terms of the superposition of three discrete sets of circulation cells operating on different spatial scales. These relevant length scales are the acoustic wavelength, the levitated sample size, and finally the acoustic boundary layer thickness. This approach fails, however, to explain the streaming flow-field morphology around liquid drops levitated on Earth. Observation of the interaction between the flows cells and the levitated samples also suggests the existence of a steady-state torque induced by the streaming flows.

Relativistic thermal electron scale instabilities in sheared flow plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Evan D.; Rogers, Barrett N.

2016-04-01

> The linear dispersion relation obeyed by finite-temperature, non-magnetized, relativistic two-fluid plasmas is presented, in the special case of a discontinuous bulk velocity profile and parallel wave vectors. It is found that such flows become universally unstable at the collisionless electron skin-depth scale. Further analyses are performed in the limits of either free-streaming ions or ultra-hot plasmas. In these limits, the system is highly unstable in the parameter regimes associated with either the electron scale Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (ESKHI) or the relativistic electron scale sheared flow instability (RESI) recently highlighted by Gruzinov. Coupling between these modes provides further instability throughout the remaining parameter space, provided both shear flow and temperature are finite. An explicit parameter space bound on the highly unstable region is found.

Development of core ion temperature gradients and edge sheared flows in a helicon plasma device investigated by laser induced fluorescence measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thakur, S. C.; Tynan, G. R.; Center for Energy Research, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California 92093

2016-08-15

We report experimental observation of ion heating and subsequent development of a prominent ion temperature gradient in the core of a linear magnetized plasma device, and the controlled shear de-correlation experiment. Simultaneously, we also observe the development of strong sheared flows at the edge of the device. Both the ion temperature and the azimuthal velocity profiles are quite flat at low magnetic fields. As the magnetic field is increased, the core ion temperature increases, producing centrally peaked ion temperature profiles and therefore strong radial gradients in the ion temperature. Similarly, we observe the development of large azimuthal flows at themore » edge, with increasing magnetic field, leading to strong radially sheared plasma flows. The ion velocities and temperatures are derived from laser induced fluorescence measurements of Doppler resolved velocity distribution functions of argon ions. These features are consistent with the previous observations of simultaneously existing radially separated multiple plasma instabilities that exhibit complex plasma dynamics in a very simple plasma system. The ion temperature gradients in the core and the radially sheared azimuthal velocities at the edge point to mechanisms that can drive the multiple plasma instabilities, that were reported earlier.« less

The role of density discontinuity in the inviscid instability of two-phase parallel flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behzad, M.; Ashgriz, N.

2014-02-01

We re-examine the inviscid instability of two-phase parallel flows with piecewise linear velocity profiles. Although such configuration has been theoretically investigated, we employ the concept of waves resonance to physically interpret the instability mechanism as well as the essential role of density discontinuity in the flow. Upon performing linear stability analysis, we demonstrate the existence of neutrally stable "density" and "density-vorticity" waves which are emerged due to the density jump in the flow, in addition to the well-known vorticity waves. Such waves are capable of resonating with each other to form unstable modes in the flow. Although unstable modes in this study are classified as the "shear instability" type, we demonstrate that they are not necessarily of the Rayleigh type. The results also show that the density can have both stabilizing and destabilizing effects on the flow stability. We verify that the difference in the resonating pair of neutral waves leads to such distinct behavior of the density variation.

Instability in extensional microflow of aqueous gel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryce, Robert; Freeman, Mark

2007-03-01

Microfluidic devices are typically characterized by laminar flows, often leading to diffusion limited mixing. Recently it has been demonstrated that the addition of polymer to fluids can lead to elastic instabilities and, under some conditions, turbulence at arbitrarily low Reynolds numbers in mechanically driven flows [1]. We investigated electroosmotic driven extensional flow of an aqueous polymer gel. Microchannels with 100 micron width and 20 micron depth with the characteristic ``D'' chemical etch cross section were formed in glass. A Y-channel geometry with two input channels and a single output created extensional flow at the channel intersection. Instabilities where observed in the extensional region by fluorescently tagging one input stream. Instabilities were characterized by 1/f spectra in laser induced fluorescent brightness profiles. Due to the simple geometry of extensional flow and the importance of electroosmotic flows for integrated applications and in scaling, this is of interest for device applications. [1] A. Groisman and V. Steinberg, Nature 405, 53-55, 2000.

Transient growth analysis of the flow past a circular cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdessemed, N.; Sharma, A. S.; Sherwin, S. J.; Theofilis, V.

2009-04-01

We apply direct transient growth analysis in complex geometries to investigate its role in the primary and secondary bifurcation/transition process of the flow past a circular cylinder. The methodology is based on the singular value decomposition of the Navier-Stokes evolution operator linearized about a two-dimensional steady or periodic state which leads to the optimal growth modes. Linearly stable and unstable steady flow at Re=45 and 50 is considered first, where the analysis demonstrates that strong two-dimensional transient growth is observed with energy amplifications of order of 103 at U∞τ/D≈30. Transient growth at Re=50 promotes the linear instability which ultimately saturates into the well known von-Kármán street. Subsequently we consider the transient growth upon the time-periodic base state corresponding to the von-Kármán street at Re=200 and 300. Depending upon the spanwise wavenumber the flow at these Reynolds numbers are linearly unstable due to the so-called mode A and B instabilities. Once again energy amplifications of order of 103 are observed over a time interval of τ /T=2, where T is the time period of the base flow shedding. In all cases the maximum energy of the optimal initial conditions are located within a diameter of the cylinder in contrast to the spatial distribution of the unstable eigenmodes which extend far into the downstream wake. It is therefore reasonable to consider the analysis as presenting an accelerator to the existing modal mechanism. The rapid amplification of the optimal growth modes highlights their importance in the transition process for flow past circular cylinder, particularly when comparing with experimental results where these types of convective instability mechanisms are likely to be activated. The spatial localization, close to the cylinder, of the optimal initial condition may be significant when considering strategies to promote or control shedding.

Prediction of plastic instabilities under thermo-mechanical loadings in tension and simple shear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manach, P. Y.; Mansouri, L. F.; Thuillier, S.

2016-08-01

Plastic instabilities like Portevin-Le Châtelier were quite thoroughly investigated experimentally in tension, under a large range of strain rates and temperatures. Such instabilities are characterized both by a jerky flow and a localization of the strain in bands. Similar phenomena were also recorded for example in simple shear [1]. Modelling of this phenomenon is mainly performed at room temperature, taking into account the strain rate sensitivity, though an extension of the classical Estrin-Kubin-McCormick was proposed in the literature, by making some of the material parameters dependent on temperature. A similar approach is considered in this study, furthermore extended for anisotropic plasticity with Hill's 1948 yield criterion. Material parameters are identified at 4 different temperatures, ranging from room temperature up to 250°C. The identification procedure is split in 3 steps, related to the elasticity, the average stress level and the magnitude of the stress drops. The anisotropy is considered constant in this temperature range, as evidenced by experimental results [2]. The model is then used to investigate the temperature dependence of the critical strain, as well as its capability to represent the propagation of the bands. Numerical predictions of the instabilities in tension and simple shear at room temperature and up to 250°C are compared with experimental results [3]. In the case of simple shear, a monotonic loading followed by unloading and reloading in the reverse direction (“Bauschinger-type” test) is also considered, showing that (i) kinematic hardening should be taken into account to fully describe the transition at re-yielding (ii) the modelling of the critical strain has to be improved.

Interaction of gusts with forest edges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruck, Bodo; Tischmacher, Michael

2012-05-01

Experimental investigations in an atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel were carried out in order to study the interaction of gusts with forest edges. Summarizing the state of knowledge in the field of forest damages generated by extreme storms, there is a strong indication that in many cases, windthrow of trees starts near the forest edge from where it spreads into the stand. The high-transient interaction between gusts and (porous) forest edges produce unsteady flow phenomena not known so far. From a fluid mechanical point of view, the flow type resembles a forward-facing porous step flow, which is significantly influenced by the characteristics of the oncoming atmospheric boundary layer flow and the shape and `porous properties' of the forest edge. The paper reports systematic investigations on the interaction of artificially generated gusts and forest edge models in an atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel. The experimental investigations were carried out with a laser-based time-resolved PIV-system and high speed photography. Different flow phenomena like gust streching, vortex formation, Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities or wake production of turbulence could be measured or visualized contributing to the understanding of the complex flow perfomance over the forest edge.

Zonal flows and turbulence in fluids and plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, Jeffrey Bok-Cheung

In geophysical and plasma contexts, zonal flows are well known to arise out of turbulence. We elucidate the transition from statistically homogeneous turbulence without zonal flows to statistically inhomogeneous turbulence with steady zonal flows. Starting from the Hasegawa--Mima equation, we employ both the quasilinear approximation and a statistical average, which retains a great deal of the qualitative behavior of the full system. Within the resulting framework known as CE2, we extend recent understanding of the symmetry-breaking 'zonostrophic instability'. Zonostrophic instability can be understood in a very general way as the instability of some turbulent background spectrum to a zonally symmetric coherent mode. As a special case, the background spectrum can consist of only a single mode. We find that in this case the dispersion relation of zonostrophic instability from the CE2 formalism reduces exactly to that of the 4-mode truncation of generalized modulational instability. We then show that zonal flows constitute pattern formation amid a turbulent bath. Zonostrophic instability is an example of a Type I s instability of pattern-forming systems. The broken symmetry is statistical homogeneity. Near the bifurcation point, the slow dynamics of CE2 are governed by a well-known amplitude equation, the real Ginzburg-Landau equation. The important features of this amplitude equation, and therefore of the CE2 system, are multiple. First, the zonal flow wavelength is not unique. In an idealized, infinite system, there is a continuous band of zonal flow wavelengths that allow a nonlinear equilibrium. Second, of these wavelengths, only those within a smaller subband are stable. Unstable wavelengths must evolve to reach a stable wavelength; this process manifests as merging jets. These behaviors are shown numerically to hold in the CE2 system, and we calculate a stability diagram. The stability diagram is in agreement with direct numerical simulations of the quasilinear system. The use of statistically-averaged equations and the pattern formation methodology provide a path forward for further systematic investigations of zonal flows and their interactions with turbulence.

Near Stall Flow Analysis in the Transonic Fan of the RTA Propulsion System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hah, Chunill

2010-01-01

Turbine-based propulsion systems for access to space have been investigated at NASA Glenn Research center. A ground demonstrator engine for validation testing has been developed as a part of the program. The demonstrator, the Revolutionary Turbine Accelerator (RTA-1), is a variable cycle turbofan ramjet designed to transition from an augmented turbofan to a ramjet that produces the thrust required to accelerate the vehicle to Mach 4. The RTA-1 is designed to accommodate a large variation in bypass ratio from sea level static to Mach 4 flight condition. A key component of this engine is a new fan stage that accommodates these large variations in bypass ratio and flow ranges. In the present study, unsteady flow behavior in the fan of the RTA-1 is studied in detail with large eddy simulation (LES) and the numerical results are compared with measured data. During the experimental study of the fan stage, humming sound was detected at 100 % speed near stall operation. The main purpose of the study is to investigate details of the unsteady flow behavior at near stall operation and to identify a possible cause of the hum. The large eddy simulation of the current flow field reproduces main features of the measured flow very well. The LES simulation indicates that non-synchronous flow instability develops as the fan operates toward the stall limit. The FFT analysis of the calculated wall pressure shows that the rotating flow instability has the characteristic frequency that is about 50% of the blade passing frequency.

Viscous near-wall flow in a wake of circular cylinder at moderate Reynolds numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okhotnikov, D. I.; Molochnikov, V. M.; Mazo, A. B.; Malyukov, A. V.; Goltsman, A. E.; Saushin, I. I.

2017-11-01

Here we present the results of experimental investigation of a cross flow around a circular cylinder mounted near the wall of a channel with rectangular cross section. The experiments were carried out in the range of Reynolds numbers corresponding to the transition to turbulence in a wake of the cylinder. Flow visualization and SIV-measurements of instantaneous velocity fields were carried out. Evolution of the flow pattern behind the cylinder and formation of the regular vortex structures were analyzed. It is shown that in the case of flow around the cylinder, there is no spiral motion of fluid from the side walls of the channel towards its symmetry plane, typical of the flow around a spanwise rib located on the channel wall. The laminar-turbulent transition in the wake of the cylinder is caused by the shear layer instability.

Predicting Transition from Laminar to Turbulent Flow over a Surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rajnarayan, Dev (Inventor); Sturdza, Peter (Inventor)

2016-01-01

A prediction of whether a point on a computer-generated surface is adjacent to laminar or turbulent flow is made using a transition prediction technique. A plurality of instability modes are obtained, each defined by one or more mode parameters. A vector of regressor weights is obtained for the known instability growth rates in a training dataset. For an instability mode in the plurality of instability modes, a covariance vector is determined. A predicted local instability growth rate at the point is determined using the covariance vector and the vector of regressor weights. Based on the predicted local instability growth rate, an n-factor envelope at the point is determined.

Comparison of entrainment in constant volume and constant flux dense currents over sloping bottoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhaganagar, K.; Nayamatullah, M.; Cenedese, C.

2014-12-01

Three dimensional high resolution large eddy simulations (LES) are employed to simulate lock-exchange and constant flux dense flows over inclined surface with the aim of investigating, visualizing and describing the turbulent structure and the evolution of bottom-propagating compositional density current at the channel bottom. The understanding of dynamics of density current is largely determined by the amount of interfacial mixing or entrainment between the ambient and dense fluids. No previous experimental or numerical studies have been done to estimate entrainment in classical lock-exchange system. The differences in entrainment between the lock-exchange and constant flux are explored. Comparing the results of flat bed with inclined surface results, flow exhibits significant differences near the leading edge or nose of the front of the density currents due to inclination of surface. Further, the instabilities are remarkably enhanced resulting Kelvin-Helmholtz and lobe-cleft type of instabilities arises much earlier in time. In this study, a brief analysis of entrainment on lock-exchange density current is presented using different bed slopes and a set of reduced gravity values (g'). We relate the entrainment value with different flow parameters such as Froude number (Fr) and Reynolds number (Re).

Numerical Computations of Hypersonic Boundary-Layer over Surface Irregularities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Chau-Lyan; Choudhari, Meelan M.; Li, Fei

2010-01-01

Surface irregularities such as protuberances inside a hypersonic boundary layer may lead to premature transition on the vehicle surface. Early transition in turn causes large localized surface heating that could damage the thermal protection system. Experimental measurements as well as numerical computations aimed at building a knowledge base for transition Reynolds numbers with respect to different protuberance sizes and locations have been actively pursued in recent years. This paper computationally investigates the unsteady wake development behind large isolated cylindrical roughness elements and the scaled wind-tunnel model of the trip used in a recent flight measurement during the reentry of space shuttle Discovery. An unstructured mesh, compressible flow solver based on the space-time conservation element, solution element (CESE) method is used to perform time-accurate Navier-Stokes calculations for the flow past a roughness element under several wind-tunnel conditions. For a cylindrical roughness element with a height to the boundary-layer thickness ratio from 0.8 to 2.5, the wake flow is characterized by a mushroom-shaped centerline streak and horse-shoe vortices. While time-accurate solutions converged to a steady-state for a ratio of 0.8, strong flow unsteadiness is present for a ratio of 1.3 and 2.5. Instability waves marked by distinct disturbance frequencies were found in the latter two cases. Both the centerline streak and the horse-shoe vortices become unstable downstream. The oscillatory vortices eventually reach an early breakdown stage for the largest roughness element. Spectral analyses in conjunction with the computed root mean square variations suggest that the source of the unsteadiness and instability waves in the wake region may be traced back to possible absolute instability in the front-side separation region.

A new method for the prediction of combustion instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flanagan, Steven Meville

This dissertation presents a new approach to the prediction of combustion instability in solid rocket motors. Previous attempts at developing computational tools to solve this problem have been largely unsuccessful, showing very poor agreement with experimental results and having little or no predictive capability. This is due primarily to deficiencies in the linear stability theory upon which these efforts have been based. Recent advances in linear instability theory by Flandro have demonstrated the importance of including unsteady rotational effects, previously considered negligible. Previous versions of the theory also neglected corrections to the unsteady flow field of the first order in the mean flow Mach number. This research explores the stability implications of extending the solution to include these corrections. Also, the corrected linear stability theory based upon a rotational unsteady flow field extended to first order in mean flow Mach number has been implemented in two computer programs developed for the Macintosh platform. A quasi one-dimensional version of the program has been developed which is based upon an approximate solution to the cavity acoustics problem. The three-dimensional program applies Greens's Function Discretization (GFD) to the solution for the acoustic mode shapes and frequency. GFD is a recently developed numerical method for finding fully three dimensional solutions for this class of problems. The analysis of complex motor geometries, previously a tedious and time consuming task, has also been greatly simplified through the development of a drawing package designed specifically to facilitate the specification of typical motor geometries. The combination of the drawing package, improved acoustic solutions, and new analysis, results in a tool which is capable of producing more accurate and meaningful predictions than have been possible in the past.

Tomographic reconstruction of heat release rate perturbations induced by helical modes in turbulent swirl flames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moeck, Jonas P.; Bourgouin, Jean-François; Durox, Daniel; Schuller, Thierry; Candel, Sébastien

2013-04-01

Swirl flows with vortex breakdown are widely used in industrial combustion systems for flame stabilization. This type of flow is known to sustain a hydrodynamic instability with a rotating helical structure, one common manifestation of it being the precessing vortex core. The role of this unsteady flow mode in combustion is not well understood, and its interaction with combustion instabilities and flame stabilization remains unclear. It is therefore important to assess the structure of the perturbation in the flame that is induced by this helical mode. Based on principles of tomographic reconstruction, a method is presented to determine the 3-D distribution of the heat release rate perturbation associated with the helical mode. Since this flow instability is rotating, a phase-resolved sequence of projection images of light emitted from the flame is identical to the Radon transform of the light intensity distribution in the combustor volume and thus can be used for tomographic reconstruction. This is achieved with one stationary camera only, a vast reduction in experimental and hardware requirements compared to a multi-camera setup or camera repositioning, which is typically required for tomographic reconstruction. Different approaches to extract the coherent part of the oscillation from the images are discussed. Two novel tomographic reconstruction algorithms specifically tailored to the structure of the heat release rate perturbations related to the helical mode are derived. The reconstruction techniques are first applied to an artificial field to illustrate the accuracy. High-speed imaging data acquired in a turbulent swirl-stabilized combustor setup with strong helical mode oscillations are then used to reconstruct the 3-D structure of the associated perturbation in the flame.

Numerical simulation of polyester coextrusion: Influence of the thermal parameters and the die geometry on interfacial instabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahdaoui, O.; Agassant, J.-F.; Laure, P.; Valette, R.; Silva, L.

2007-04-01

The polymer coextrusion process is a new method of sheet metal lining. It allows to substitute lacquers for steel protection in food packaging industry. The coextrusion process may exhibit flow instabilities at the interface between the two polymer layers. The objective of this study is to check the influence of processing and rheology parameters on the instabilities. Finite elements numerical simulations of the coextrusion allow to investigate various stable and instable flow configurations.

Study of Plasma Flow Modes in Imploding Nested Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitrofanov, K. N.; Aleksandrov, V. V.; Gritsuk, A. N.; Branitsky, A. V.; Frolov, I. N.; Grabovski, E. V.; Sasorov, P. V.; Ol'khovskaya, O. G.; Zaitsev, V. I.

2018-02-01

Results from experimental studies of implosion of nested wire and fiber arrays at currents of up to 4 MA at the Angara-5-1 facility are presented. Depending on the ratio between the radii of the inner and outer arrays, different modes of the plasma flow in the space between the inner and outer arrays were implemented: the sub-Alfvénic ( V r < V A ) and super-Alfvénic ( V r > V A ) modes and a mode with the formation of the transition shock wave (SW) region between the cascades. By varying the material of the outer array (tungsten wires or kapron fibers), it is shown that the plasma flow mode between the inner and outer arrays depends on the ratio between the plasma production rates ṁ in / ṁ out in the inner and outer arrays. The obtained experimental results are compared with the results of one-dimensional MHD simulation of the plasma flow between the arrays. Stable implosion of the inner array plasma was observed in experiments with combined nested arrays consisting of a fiber outer array and a tungsten inner array. The growth rates of magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability in the inner array plasma at different numbers of fibers in the outer array and different ratios between the radii of the inner and outer arrays are compared. Suppression of MRT instability during the implosion of the inner array plasma results in the formation of a stable compact Z-pinch and generation of a soft X-ray pulse. A possible scenario of interaction between the plasmas of the inner and outer arrays is offered. The stability of the inner array plasma in the stage of final compression depends on the character of interaction of plasma jets from the outer array with the magnetic field of the inner array.

Computational Study of Laminar Flow Control on a Subsonic Swept Wing Using Discrete Roughness Elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Fei; Choudhari, Meelan M.; Chang, Chau-Lyan; Streett, Craig L.; Carpenter, Mark H.

2011-01-01

A combination of parabolized stability equations and secondary instability theory has been applied to a low-speed swept airfoil model with a chord Reynolds number of 7.15 million, with the goals of (i) evaluating this methodology in the context of transition prediction for a known configuration for which roughness based crossflow transition control has been demonstrated under flight conditions and (ii) of analyzing the mechanism of transition delay via the introduction of discrete roughness elements (DRE). Roughness based transition control involves controlled seeding of suitable, subdominant crossflow modes, so as to weaken the growth of naturally occurring, linearly more unstable crossflow modes. Therefore, a synthesis of receptivity, linear and nonlinear growth of stationary crossflow disturbances, and the ensuing development of high frequency secondary instabilities is desirable to understand the experimentally observed transition behavior. With further validation, such higher fidelity prediction methodology could be utilized to assess the potential for crossflow transition control at even higher Reynolds numbers, where experimental data is currently unavailable.

Hydrodynamic instabilities of flows involving melting in under-saturated porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sajjadi, M.; Azaiez, J.

2016-03-01

The process of melting in partially saturated porous media is modeled for flow displacements prone to hydrodynamic instabilities due to adverse mobility ratios. The effects of the development of instabilities on the melting process are investigated through numerical simulations as well as analytical solution to unravel the physics of the flow. The effects of melting parameters, namely, the melting potential of the fluid, the rate of heat transfer to the frozen phase, and the saturation of the frozen material along with the parameters defining the viscous forces, i.e., the thermal and solutal log mobility ratios are examined. Results are presented for different scenarios and the enhancement or attenuation of instabilities are discussed based on the dominant physical mechanisms. Beside an extensive qualitative analysis, the performance of different displacement scenarios is compared with respect to the melt production and the extent of contribution of instability to the enhancement of melting. It is shown that the hydrodynamic instabilities tend in general to enhance melting but the rate of enhancement depends on the interplay between the instabilities and melting at the thermal front. A larger melting potential and a smaller saturation of the frozen material tend to increase the contribution of instability to melting.

Flow around circular cylinder oscillating at low Keulegan-Carpenter number

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sunahara, Shunji; Kinoshita, Takeshi

1994-12-31

This paper shows experimental results of hydrodynamic forces acting on a vertical circular cylinder oscillating sinusoidally at low frequencies in the still water and results of the flow visualization, to examine the flow around a circular cylinder, particularly the lift forces at low Keulegan-Carpenter number Kc. The instability of streaked flow of which section is mushroom shape is observed by flow visualization, and the flows are asymmetrical in some cases. The asymmetrical streaked flow may have a close relationship to the lift force at low Kc, Kc {le} 4 or 5. Asymmetrical mushroom vortex ring is visible for Kc {le}more » 1. The mushroom vortex ring is symmetrical, or the streaks of the rings arrange themselves alternately for 1 {le} Kc {le} 1.5. A clear ring of mushroom vortices is not formed due to diffusion of dye sheets, though a flow streaked with mushroom vortices is visible for 1.5 {le} Kc {le} 2.5 and for Kc {ge} 2.5 the flow is almost turbulent.« less

Some observations of a sheared Rayleigh-Taylor/Benard instability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Humphrey, J. A. C.; Marcus, D. L.

1987-01-01

An account is provided of preliminary flow visualization observations made in an unstably stratified flow with shear superimposed. The structures observed appear to be the superposition of a Rayleigh-Taylor/Benard instability and a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. Aside from its intrinsic fundamental value, the study of these structures is of special interest to theoreticians developing nonlinear stability calculation methodologies.

Connections between centrifugal, stratorotational, and radiative instabilities in viscous Taylor-Couette flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leclercq, Colin; Nguyen, Florian; Kerswell, Rich R.

2016-10-01

The "Rayleigh line" μ =η2 , where μ =Ωo/Ωi and η =ri/ro are respectively the rotation and radius ratios between inner (subscript i ) and outer (subscript o ) cylinders, is regarded as marking the limit of centrifugal instability (CI) in unstratified inviscid Taylor-Couette flow, for both axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric modes. Nonaxisymmetric stratorotational instability (SRI) is known to set in for anticyclonic rotation ratios beyond that line, i.e., η2<μ <1 for axially stably stratified Taylor-Couette flow, but the competition between CI and SRI in the range μ <η2 has not yet been addressed. In this paper, we establish continuous connections between the two instabilities at finite Reynolds number Re, as previously suggested by Le Bars and Le Gal [Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 064502 (2007), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.064502], making them indistinguishable at onset. Both instabilities are also continuously connected to the radiative instability at finite Re. These results demonstrate the complex impact viscosity has on the linear stability properties of this flow. Several other qualitative differences with inviscid theory were found, among which are the instability of a nonaxisymmetric mode localized at the outer cylinder without stratification and the instability of a mode propagating against the inner cylinder rotation with stratification. The combination of viscosity and stratification can also lead to a "collision" between (axisymmetric) Taylor vortex branches, causing the axisymmetric oscillatory state already observed in past experiments. Perhaps more surprising is the instability of a centrifugal-like helical mode beyond the Rayleigh line, caused by the joint effects of stratification and viscosity. The threshold μ =η2 seems to remain, however, an impassable instability limit for axisymmetric modes, regardless of stratification, viscosity, and even disturbance amplitude.

Fast flows, ULF waves, firehose instability and their association in the Earth's mid-tail current sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, C. P.; Xing, X.

2017-12-01

Ultra-Low Frequency (ULF) plasma waves with frequency range between 1 mHz to 10 Hz are widely observed in the Earth's magnetosphere and on the ground. In particular, Pi2 and Pc4 waves have been found to be closely related to many important dynamic processes in the magnetotail, e.g., fast flows (V > 300 km/s). Observations have shown Pi2 waves in association with fast flows in the near-Earth plasma sheet (X>-30 RE). However, in the mid-tail region, where fast flows are more frequently observed than those in the near-Earth magnetotail, this association has not been evaluated. Our preliminary study using ARTEMIS probes in the mid-tail region (X -60 RE) shows close association between Pi2 and Pc4 waves with the presence of fast flows. Strong connection between mid-tail Pi2 pulsations and high-latitude ground Pi2 signatures are also observed. Among many proposed theories for Pi2 wave, ballooning and firehose instabilities are plausible mechanisms in leading to the generation of plasma waves around Pi2 frequency band. Ballooning instability is widely admitted for fast flow associated Pi2 pulsations in the near-Earth region. However, firehose instability is expected to occur more easily in mid-tail and beyond due to the specific pressure anisotropy in that region. We examined the pressure anisotropy conditions and evaluated firehose instability condition for both Pi2 and Pc4 events in mid-tail. It is found that the plasma is unstable against firehose instability in association with the initiation of Pi2 and Pc4 waves. These may suggest that firehose instability can be a wave generation mechanism in the mid-tail region.

Topographic-driven instabilities in terrestrial bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vantieghem, S.; Cebron, D.; Herreman, W.; Lacaze, L.

2013-12-01

Models of internal planetary fluid layers (core flows, subsurface oceans) commonly assume that these fluid envelopes have a spherical shape. This approximation however entails a serious restriction from the fluid dynamics point of view. Indeed, in the presence of mechanical forcings (precession, libration, nutation or tides) due to gravitational interaction with orbiting partners, boundary topography (e.g. of the core-mantle boundary) may excite flow instabilities and space-filling turbulence. These phenomena may affect heat transport and dissipation at the main order. Here, we focus on instabilities driven by longitudinal libration. Using a suite of theoretical tools and numerical simulations, we are able to discern a parameter range for which instability may be excited. We thereby consider deformations of different azimuthal order. This study gives the first numerical evidence of the tripolar instability. Furthermore, we explore the non-linear regime and investigate the amplitude as well as the dissipation of the saturated instability. Indeed, these two quantities control the torques on the solid layers and the thermal transport. Furthermore, based on this results, we address the issue of magnetic field generation associated with these flows (by induction or by dynamo process). This instability mechanism applies to both synchronized as non-synchronized bodies. As such, our results show that a tripolar instability might be present in various terrestrial bodies (Early Moon, Gallilean moons, asteroids, etc.), where it could participate in dynamo action. Simulation of a libration-driven tripolar instability in a deformed spherical fluid layer: snapshot of the velocity magnitude, where a complex 3D flow pattern is established.

Experimental and analytical study of stability characteristics of natural circulation boiling water reactors during startup transient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woo, Kyoungsuk

Two-phase natural circulation loops are unstable at low pressure operating conditions. New reactor design relying on natural circulation for both normal and abnormal core cooling is susceptible to different types of flow instabilities. In contrast to forced circulation boiling water reactor (BWR), natural circulation BWR is started up without recirculation pumps. The tall chimney placed on the top of the core makes the system susceptible to flashing during low pressure start-up. In addition, the considerable saturation temperature variation may induce complicated dynamic behavior driven by thermal non-equilibrium between the liquid and steam. The thermal-hydraulic problems in two-phase natural circulation systems at low pressure and low power conditions are investigated through experimental methods. Fuel heat conduction, neutron kinetics, flow kinematics, energetics and dynamics that govern the flow behavior at low pressure, are formulated. A dimensionless analysis is introduced to obtain governing dimensionless groups which are groundwork of the system scaling. Based on the robust scaling method and start-up procedures of a typical natural circulation BWR, the simulation strategies for the transient with and without void reactivity feedback is developed. Three different heat-up rates are applied to the transient simulations to study characteristics of the stability during the start-up. Reducing heat-up rate leads to increase in the period of flashing-induced density wave oscillation and decrease in the system pressurization rate. However, reducing the heat-up rate is unable to completely prevent flashing-induced oscillations. Five characteristic regions of stability are discovered at low pressure conditions. They are stable single-phase, flashing near the separator, intermittent oscillation, sinusoidal oscillation and low subcooling stable regions. Stability maps were acquired for system pressures ranging 100 kPa to 400 kPa. According to experimental investigation, the flow becomes stable below a certain heat flux regardless of the inlet subcooling at the core and system pressure. At higher heat flux, unstable phenomena were indentified within a certain range of inlet subcooling. The unstable region diminishes as the system pressure increases. In natural circulation BWRs, the significant gravitational pressure drop over the tall chimney section induces a Type-I instability. The Type-I instability becomes especially important during low power and pressure conditions during reactor start-up. Under these circumstances the effect of pressure variations on the saturation enthalpy becomes significant. An experimental study shows that the flashing phenomenon in the adiabatic chimney section is dominant during the start-up of a natural circulation BWR. Since flashing occurs outside the core, nuclear feedback effects on the stability are small. Furthermore, the thermal-hydraulic oscillation period is much longer than power fluctuation period caused by void reactivity feedback. In the natural circulation system increasing the inlet restriction reduces the natural circulation flow rate, shifting the unstable region to higher inlet subcooling.

Tricritical spiral vortex instability in cross-slot flow.

PubMed

Haward, Simon J; Poole, Robert J; Alves, Manuel A; Oliveira, Paulo J; Goldenfeld, Nigel; Shen, Amy Q

2016-03-01

We examine fluid flow through cross-slot devices with various depth to width ratios α. At low Reynolds number, Re, flow is symmetric and a sharp boundary exists between the two incoming fluid streams. Above an α-dependent critical value, Re(c)(α), a steady symmetry-breaking bifurcation occurs and a spiral vortex structure develops. Order parameters characterizing the instability grow according to a sixth-order Landau potential, and show a progression from second- to first-order transitions as α increases beyond a tricritical value of α ≈ 0.55. Flow simulations indicate the instability is driven by vortex stretching at the stagnation point.

New full velocity difference model considering the driver’s heterogeneity of the disturbance risk preference for car-following theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, You-Zhi; Zhang, Ning

2016-12-01

This paper proposes a new full velocity difference model considering the driver’s heterogeneity of the disturbance risk preference for car-following theory to investigate the effects of the driver’s heterogeneity of the disturbance risk preference on traffic flow instability when the driver reacts to the relative velocity. We obtain traffic flow instability condition and the calculation method of the unstable region headway range and the probability of traffic congestion caused by a small disturbance. The analysis shows that has important effects the driver’s heterogeneity of the disturbance risk preference on traffic flow instability: (1) traffic flow instability is independent of the absolute size of the driver’s disturbance risk preference coefficient and depends on the ratio of the preceding vehicle driver’s disturbance risk preference coefficient to the following vehicle driver’s disturbance risk preference coefficient; (2) the smaller the ratio of the preceding vehicle driver’s disturbance risk preference coefficient to the following vehicle driver’s disturbance risk preference coefficient, the smaller traffic flow instability and vice versa. It provides some viable ideas to suppress traffic congestion.

Formation of localized sand patterns downstream from a vertical cylinder under steady flows: Experimental and theoretical study.

PubMed

Auzerais, Anthony; Jarno, Armelle; Ezersky, Alexander; Marin, François

2016-11-01

The generation of localized, spatially periodic patterns on a sandy bottom is experimentally and theoretically studied. Tests are performed in a hydrodynamic flume where patterns are produced downstream from a vertical cylinder under a steady current. It is found that patterns appear as a result of a subcritical instability of the water-sand bottom interface. A dependence of the area shape occupied by the patterns on the flow velocity and the cylinder diameter is investigated. It is shown that the patterns' characteristics can be explained using the Swift-Hohenberg equation. Numerical simulations point out that for a correct description of the patterns, an additional term which takes into account the impact of vortices on the sandy bottom in the wake of a cylinder must be added in the Swift-Hohenberg equation.

Experimental investigation of the limits of ethanol combustion in the boundary layer behind an obstacle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyarshinov, B. F.

2018-01-01

Experimental data on the flow structure and mass transfer near the boundaries of the region existence of the laminar and turbulent boundary layers with combustion are considered. These data include the results of in-vestigation on reacting flow stability at mixed convection, mass transfer during ethanol evaporation "on the floor" and "on the ceiling", when the flame surface curves to form the large-scale cellular structures. It is shown with the help of the PIV equipment that when Rayleigh-Taylor instability manifests, the mushroom-like structures are formed, where the motion from the flame front to the wall and back alternates. The cellular flame exists in a narrow range of velocities from 0.55 to 0.65 m/s, and mass transfer is three times higher than its level in the standard laminar boundary layer.

Time Resolved Stereo Particle Image Velocimetry Measurements of the Instabilities Downstream of a Backward-Facing Step in a Swept-Wing Boundary Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eppink, Jenna L.; Yao, Chung-Sheng

2017-01-01

Time-resolved particle image velocimetry (TRPIV) measurements are performed down-stream of a swept backward-facing step, with a height of 49% of the boundary-layer thickness. The results agree well qualitatively with previously reported hotwire measurements, though the amplitudes of the fluctuating components measured using TRPIV are higher. Nonetheless, the low-amplitude instabilities in the flow are fairly well resolved using TR- PIV. Proper orthogonal decomposition is used to study the development of the traveling cross flow and Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) instabilities downstream of the step and to study how they interact to form the large velocity spikes that ultimately lead to transition. A secondary mode within the traveling cross flow frequency band develops with a wavelength close to that of the stationary cross flow instability, so that at a certain point in the phase, it causes an increase in the spanwise modulation initially caused by the stationary cross flow mode. This increased modulation leads to an increase in the amplitude of the TS mode, which, itself, is highly modulated through interactions with the stationary cross flow. When the traveling cross flow and TS modes align in time and space, the large velocity spikes occur. Thus, these three instabilities, which are individually of low amplitude when the spikes start to occur (U'rms/Ue <0.03), interact and combine to cause a large flow disturbance that eventually leads to transition.

Computational Analysis of Gravitational Effects in Low-Density Gas Jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Satti, Rajani P.; Agrawal, Ajay K.

2004-01-01

This study deals with the computational analysis of buoyancy-induced instability in the nearfield of an isothermal helium jet injected into quiescent ambient air environment. Laminar, axisymmetric, unsteady flow conditions were considered for the analysis. The transport equations of helium mass fraction coupled with the conservation equations of mixture mass and momentum were solved using a staggered grid finite volume method. The jet Richardson numbers of 1.5 and 0.018 were considered to encompass both buoyant and inertial jet flow regimes. Buoyancy effects were isolated by initiating computations in Earth gravity and subsequently, reducing gravity to simulate the microgravity conditions. Computed results concur with experimental observations that the periodic flow oscillations observed in Earth gravity subside in microgravity.

Wavelength selection in injection-driven Hele-Shaw flows: A maximum amplitude criterion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dias, Eduardo; Miranda, Jose

2013-11-01

As in most interfacial flow problems, the standard theoretical procedure to establish wavelength selection in the viscous fingering instability is to maximize the linear growth rate. However, there are important discrepancies between previous theoretical predictions and existing experimental data. In this work we perform a linear stability analysis of the radial Hele-Shaw flow system that takes into account the combined action of viscous normal stresses and wetting effects. Most importantly, we introduce an alternative selection criterion for which the selected wavelength is determined by the maximum of the interfacial perturbation amplitude. The effectiveness of such a criterion is substantiated by the significantly improved agreement between theory and experiments. We thank CNPq (Brazilian Sponsor) for financial support.

Evolution of sausage and helical modes in magnetized thin-foil cylindrical liners driven by a Z-pinch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yager-Elorriaga, D. A.; Lau, Y. Y.; Zhang, P.; Campbell, P. C.; Steiner, A. M.; Jordan, N. M.; McBride, R. D.; Gilgenbach, R. M.

2018-05-01

In this paper, we present experimental results on axially magnetized (Bz = 0.5 - 2.0 T), thin-foil (400 nm-thick) cylindrical liner-plasmas driven with ˜600 kA by the Michigan Accelerator for Inductive Z-Pinch Experiments, which is a linear transformer driver at the University of Michigan. We show that: (1) the applied axial magnetic field, irrespective of its direction (e.g., parallel or anti-parallel to the flow of current), reduces the instability amplitude for pure magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modes [defined as modes devoid of the acceleration-driven magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability]; (2) axially magnetized, imploding liners (where MHD modes couple to MRT) generate m = 1 or m = 2 helical modes that persist from the implosion to the subsequent explosion stage; (3) the merging of instability structures is a mechanism that enables the appearance of an exponential instability growth rate for a longer than expected time-period; and (4) an inverse cascade in both the axial and azimuthal wavenumbers, k and m, may be responsible for the final m = 2 helical structure observed in our experiments. These experiments are particularly relevant to the magnetized liner inertial fusion program pursued at Sandia National Laboratories, where helical instabilities have been observed.

Numerical Investigation of Double-Cone Flows with High Enthalpy Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nompelis, I.; Candler, G. V.

2009-01-01

A numerical study of shock/shock and shock/boundary layer interactions generated by a double-cone model that is placed in a hypersonic free-stream is presented. Computational results are compared with the experimental measurements made at the CUBRC LENS facility for nitrogen flows at high enthalpy conditions. The CFD predictions agree well with surface pressure and heat-flux measurements for all but one of the double-cone cases that have been studied by the authors. Unsteadiness is observed in computations of one of the LENS cases, however for this case the experimental measurements show that the flowfield is steady. To understand this discrepancy, several double-cone experiments performed in two different facilities with both air and nitrogen as the working gas are examined in the present study. Computational results agree well with measurements made in both the AEDC tunnel 9 and the CUBRC LENS facility for double-cone flows at low free-stream Reynolds numbers where the flow is steady. It is shown that at higher free- stream pressures the double-cone simulations develop instabilities that result in an unsteady separation.

Experimental and analytical investigation of 0 G condensation in a mechanical refrigeration system application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keshock, E. G.

1975-01-01

Basic equations of momentum and energy are presented and discussed with respect to heat transfer and pressure drop for forced flow condensation in horizontal tubes under 1-g and 0-g conditions. Some experimental results are presented for condensing refrigerant-12 in a system of three parallel-connected quartz tubes (3-mm inside diameter, G = 1.037 to 3.456 x 105 lbm/hr-sq. ft). From high speed photographs, measurements were obtained of film thickness, phase velocities, disturbance wavelengths, and flow regimes and their transitions. Based upon these measurements various dimensionless force ratios (flow and instability parameters) were calculated. Under 0-g conditions a uniformly thick redistribution of liquid condensate about the tube walls was found to result in a lowered heat transfer coefficient as compared with 1-g conditions, based upon fundamental heat transfer theory. A model is proposed that takes into account the difference in heat transfer due to condensate distribution under 1-g and 0-g conditions.

A self-contained, automated methodology for optimal flow control validated for transition delay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joslin, Ronald D.; Gunzburger, Max D.; Nicolaides, R. A.; Erlebacher, Gordon; Hussaini, M. Yousuff

1995-01-01

This paper describes a self-contained, automated methodology for flow control along with a validation of the methodology for the problem of boundary layer instability suppression. The objective of control is to match the stress vector along a portion of the boundary to a given vector; instability suppression is achieved by choosing the given vector to be that of a steady base flow, e.g., Blasius boundary layer. Control is effected through the injection or suction of fluid through a single orifice on the boundary. The present approach couples the time-dependent Navier-Stokes system with an adjoint Navier-Stokes system and optimality conditions from which optimal states, i.e., unsteady flow fields, and control, e.g., actuators, may be determined. The results demonstrate that instability suppression can be achieved without any a priori knowledge of the disturbance, which is significant because other control techniques have required some knowledge of the flow unsteadiness such as frequencies, instability type, etc.

Buckling Instability Causes Inertial Thrust for Spherical Swimmers at All Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djellouli, Adel; Marmottant, Philippe; Djeridi, Henda; Quilliet, Catherine; Coupier, Gwennou

2017-12-01

Microswimmers, and among them aspirant microrobots, generally have to cope with flows where viscous forces are dominant, characterized by a low Reynolds number (Re). This implies constraints on the possible sequences of body motion, which have to be nonreciprocal. Furthermore, the presence of a strong drag limits the range of resulting velocities. Here, we propose a swimming mechanism which uses the buckling instability triggered by pressure waves to propel a spherical, hollow shell. With a macroscopic experimental model, we show that a net displacement is produced at all Re regimes. An optimal displacement caused by nontrivial history effects is reached at intermediate Re. We show that, due to the fast activation induced by the instability, this regime is reachable by microscopic shells. The rapid dynamics would also allow high-frequency excitation with standard traveling ultrasonic waves. Scale considerations predict a swimming velocity of order 1 cm /s for a remote-controlled microrobot, a suitable value for biological applications such as drug delivery.

BOW SHOCK FRAGMENTATION DRIVEN BY A THERMAL INSTABILITY IN LABORATORY ASTROPHYSICS EXPERIMENTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suzuki-Vidal, F.; Lebedev, S. V.; Pickworth, L. A.

The role of radiative cooling during the evolution of a bow shock was studied in laboratory-astrophysics experiments that are scalable to bow shocks present in jets from young stellar objects. The laboratory bow shock is formed during the collision of two counterstreaming, supersonic plasma jets produced by an opposing pair of radial foil Z-pinches driven by the current pulse from the MAGPIE pulsed-power generator. The jets have different flow velocities in the laboratory frame, and the experiments are driven over many times the characteristic cooling timescale. The initially smooth bow shock rapidly develops small-scale nonuniformities over temporal and spatial scalesmore » that are consistent with a thermal instability triggered by strong radiative cooling in the shock. The growth of these perturbations eventually results in a global fragmentation of the bow shock front. The formation of a thermal instability is supported by analysis of the plasma cooling function calculated for the experimental conditions with the radiative packages ABAKO/RAPCAL.« less

Gravitational Effects on Near Field Flow Structure of Low Density Gas Jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yep, Tze-Wing; Agrawal, Ajay K.; Griffin, DeVon; Salzman, Jack (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Experiments were conducted in Earth gravity and microgravity to acquire quantitative data on near field flow structure of helium jets injected into air. Microgravity conditions were simulated in the 2.2-second drop tower at NASA Glenn Research Center. The jet flow was observed by quantitative rainbow schlieren deflectometry, a non-intrusive line of site measurement technique for the whole field. The flow structure was characterized by distributions of angular deflection and helium mole percentage obtained from color schlieren images taken at 60 Hz. Results show that the jet flow was significantly influenced by the gravity. The jet in microgravity was up to 70 percent wider than that in Earth gravity. The jet flow oscillations observed in Earth gravity were absent in microgravity, providing direct experimental evidence that the flow instability in the low density jet was buoyancy induced. The paper provides quantitative details of temporal flow evolution as the experiment undergoes a change in gravity in the drop tower.

Predicting Transition from Laminar to Turbulent Flow over a Surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sturdza, Peter (Inventor); Rajnarayan, Dev (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A prediction of whether a point on a computer-generated surface is adjacent to laminar or turbulent flow is made using a transition prediction technique. A plurality of boundary-layer properties at the point are obtained from a steady-state solution of a fluid flow in a region adjacent to the point. A plurality of instability modes are obtained, each defined by one or more mode parameters. A vector of regressor weights is obtained for the known instability growth rates in a training dataset. For each instability mode in the plurality of instability modes, a covariance vector is determined, which is the covariance of a predicted local growth rate with the known instability growth rates. Each covariance vector is used with the vector of regressor weights to determine a predicted local growth rate at the point. Based on the predicted local growth rates, an n-factor envelope at the point is determined.

Lattice Boltzmann methods for global linear instability analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez, José Miguel; Aguilar, Alfonso; Theofilis, Vassilis

2017-12-01

Modal global linear instability analysis is performed using, for the first time ever, the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to analyze incompressible flows with two and three inhomogeneous spatial directions. Four linearization models have been implemented in order to recover the linearized Navier-Stokes equations in the incompressible limit. Two of those models employ the single relaxation time and have been proposed previously in the literature as linearization of the collision operator of the lattice Boltzmann equation. Two additional models are derived herein for the first time by linearizing the local equilibrium probability distribution function. Instability analysis results are obtained in three benchmark problems, two in closed geometries and one in open flow, namely the square and cubic lid-driven cavity flow and flow in the wake of the circular cylinder. Comparisons with results delivered by classic spectral element methods verify the accuracy of the proposed new methodologies and point potential limitations particular to the LBM approach. The known issue of appearance of numerical instabilities when the SRT model is used in direct numerical simulations employing the LBM is shown to be reflected in a spurious global eigenmode when the SRT model is used in the instability analysis. Although this mode is absent in the multiple relaxation times model, other spurious instabilities can also arise and are documented herein. Areas of potential improvements in order to make the proposed methodology competitive with established approaches for global instability analysis are discussed.

Solutal convection induced by dissolution. Influence on erosion dynamics and interface shaping.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berhanu, Michael; Philippi, Julien; Cohen, Caroline; Derr, Julien; Courrech du Pont, Sylvain

2017-04-01

Rock fractures invaded by a water flow, are often subjected to dissolution, which let grow and evolve the initial fracture network, by evacuating the eroded minerals under a solute form. In the case of fast kinetic of dissolution, local erosion rate is set by the advection of the solute. The erosion velocity decreases indeed with the solute concentration at the interface and vanishes when this concentration reaches the saturation value. Even in absence of an imposed or external flow, advection can drive the dissolution, when buoyancy effects due to gravity induce a solutal convection flow, which controls the erosive dynamics and modifies the shape of the dissolving interface. Here, we investigate using model experiments with fast dissolving materials and numerical simulations in simplified situations, solutal convection induced by dissolution. Results are interpreted regarding a linear stability analysis of the corresponding solutal Rayleigh-Benard instability. A dissolving surface is suspended above a water height, initially at rest. In a first step, solute flux is transported through a growing diffusion layer. Then after an onset time, once the layer exceeds critical width, convection flow starts under the form of falling plumes. A dynamic equilibrium results in average from births and deaths of intermittent plumes, setting the size of the solute concentration boundary layer at the interface and thus the erosion velocity. Solutal convection can also induce a pattern on the dissolving interface. We show experimentally with suspended and inclined blocks of salt and sugar, that in a linear stage, the first wavelength of the dissolution pattern corresponds to the wavelength of the convection instability. Then pattern evolves to more complex shapes due to non-linear interactions between the flow and the eroded interface. More generally, we inquire what are the conditions to observe a such solutal convection instability in geological situations and if the properties of dissolution patterns can be related to the characteristic of the convective flow. C. Oltéan, F. Golfier and M.A. Buès, Numerical and experimental investigation of buoyancy-driven dissolution in vertical fracture, J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth, 118(5), 2038-2048 (2013) C. Cohen, M. Berhanu, J. Derr and S. Courrech du Pont, Erosion patterns on dissolving and melting bodies (2015 Gallery of Fluid motion), Phys. Rev. Fluids, 1, 050508 (2016) T. S. Sullivan, Y. Liu, and R. E. Ecke, Turbulent solutal convection and surface patterning in solid dissolution, Phys. Rev. E 54, 486 (1996)

Theoretical regime diagrams for thermally driven flows in a beta-plane channel. [in atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geisler, J. E.; Fowlis, W. W.

1979-01-01

It is noted that thermally driven flows in rotating laboratory containers with cylindrical geometry can be axially symmetric or wavelike depending on the experimental parameters. In anticipation that rotating fluid experiments might soon be done in spherical shell geometry, Barcilon's model has been extended to a beta-plane channel in order to gain a rough understanding of the effects of rotating spherical geometry. An incompressible fluid version of the Charney (1947) model of baroclinic instability, modified to include Ekman pumping at rigid horizontal boundaries is used. With this model, stability boundaries are mapped out for individual zonal wavenumbers in the parameter space used by Barcilon.

The formation and dissipation of electrostatic shock waves: the role of ion–ion acoustic instabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wen-shuai; Cai, Hong-bo; Zhu, Shao-ping

2018-05-01

The role of ion–ion acoustic instabilities in the formation and dissipation of collisionless electrostatic shock waves driven by counter-streaming supersonic plasma flows has been investigated via two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The nonlinear evolution of unstable waves and ion velocity distributions has been analyzed in detail. It is found that for electrostatic shocks driven by moderate-velocity flows, longitudinal and oblique ion–ion acoustic instabilities can be excited in the downstream and upstream regions, which lead to thermalization of the transmitted and reflected ions, respectively. For high-velocity flows, oblique ion–ion acoustic instabilities can develop in the overlap layer during the shock formation process and impede the shock formation.

Shear-Flow Instability Saturation by Stable Modes: Hydrodynamics and Gyrokinetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fraser, Adrian; Pueschel, M. J.; Terry, P. W.; Zweibel, E. G.

2017-10-01

We present simulations of shear-driven instabilities, focusing on the impact of nonlinearly excited, large-scale, linearly stable modes on the nonlinear cascade, momentum transport, and secondary instabilities. Stable modes, which have previously been shown to significantly affect instability saturation [Fraser et al. PoP 2017], are investigated in a collisionless, gyrokinetic, periodic zonal flow using the Gene code by projecting the results of nonlinear simulations onto a basis of linear eigenmodes that includes both stable and unstable modes. Benchmarking growth rates against previous gyrokinetic studies and an equivalent fluid system demonstrates comparable linear dynamics in the fluid and gyrokinetic systems. Cases of driven and decaying shear-flow turbulence are compared in Gene by using a Krook operator as an effective forcing. For comparison with existing hydrodynamic and MHD shear-flow instability studies, we present results for the shear layer obtained by similar means with the code Dedalus. Supported by U.S. DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-89ER53291, the NSF, and UW-Madison.

An enstrophy-based linear and nonlinear receptivity theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sengupta, Aditi; Suman, V. K.; Sengupta, Tapan K.; Bhaumik, Swagata

2018-05-01

In the present research, a new theory of instability based on enstrophy is presented for incompressible flows. Explaining instability through enstrophy is counter-intuitive, as it has been usually associated with dissipation for the Navier-Stokes equation (NSE). This developed theory is valid for both linear and nonlinear stages of disturbance growth. A previously developed nonlinear theory of incompressible flow instability based on total mechanical energy described in the work of Sengupta et al. ["Vortex-induced instability of an incompressible wall-bounded shear layer," J. Fluid Mech. 493, 277-286 (2003)] is used to compare with the present enstrophy based theory. The developed equations for disturbance enstrophy and disturbance mechanical energy are derived from NSE without any simplifying assumptions, as compared to other classical linear/nonlinear theories. The theory is tested for bypass transition caused by free stream convecting vortex over a zero pressure gradient boundary layer. We explain the creation of smaller scales in the flow by a cascade of enstrophy, which creates rotationality, in general inhomogeneous flows. Linear and nonlinear versions of the theory help explain the vortex-induced instability problem under consideration.

Continuum approaches for describing solid-gas and solid-liquid flow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Diamond, P.; Harvey, J.; Levine, H.

Two-phase continuum models have been used to describe the multiphase flow properties of solid-gas and solid-liquid mixtures. The approach is limited in that it requires many fitting functions and parameters to be determined empirically, and it does not provide natural explanations for some of the qualitative behavior of solid-fluid flow. In this report, we explore a more recent single-phase continuum model proposed by Jenkins and Savage to describe granular flow. Jenkins and McTigue have proposed a modified model to describe the flow of dense suspensions, and hence, many of our results can be straight-forwardly extended to this flow regime asmore » well. The solid-fluid mixture is treated as a homogeneous, compressible fluid in which the particle fluctuations about the mean flow are described in terms of an effective temperature. The particle collisions are treated as inelastic. After an introduction in which we briefly comment on the present status of the field, we describe the details of the single-phase continuum model and analyze the microscopic and macroscopic flow conditions required for the approach to be valid. We then derive numerous qualitative predictions which can be empirically verified in small-scale experiments: The flow profiles are computed for simple boundary conditions, plane Couette flow and channel flow. Segregaion effects when there are two (or more) particle size are considered. The acoustic dispersion relation is derived and shown to predict that granular flow is supersonic. We point out that the analysis of flow instabilities is complicated by the finite compressibility of the solid-fluid mixture. For example, the large compressibility leads to interchange (Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities) in addition to the usual angular momentum interchange in standard (cylindrical) Couette flow. We conclude by describing some of the advantages and limitations of experimental techniques that might be used to test predictions for solid-fluid flow. 19 refs.« less

Slow dynamics at Re =108 in turbulent Helium flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burguete, Javier; Roche, Philippe; Rousset, Bernard

2014-11-01

The presence of slow dynamics is a recurrent feature of many turbulent flows. This behaviour can be created by instabilities of the mean flow or by other mechanisms. In this work we analyze the behavior of a highly turbulent flow (maximum Reynolds number Re =108 , with a Reynolds based on the Taylor microscale Reλ = 2000). The experimental cell consists on a closed cavity filled with liquid Helium (330 liters) close to the lambda point (between 1.8 and 2.5 K) where two inhomogeneous and strongly turbulent flows collide in a thin region. The cylindrical cavity has a diameter of 78cm and two impellers rotate in opposite directions with rotation frequencies up to 2 Hz. The distance between the propellers is 70 cm. Different experimental runs have been performed, both in the normal and superfluid phases. We have performed velocity measurements using home-made Pitot tubes. Here we would like to present preliminary results on this configuration. The analysis of the data series reveals that below the injection frequencies there are different dynamical regimes with time scales two orders of magnitude below the injection scale. We acknowledge support from the EuHIT network and the SHREK Collaboration.

Transient Convection Due to Imposed Heat Flux: Application to Liquid-Acquisition Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duval, Walter M. B.; Chato, David J.; Doherty, Michael P.

2014-01-01

A model problem is considered that addresses the effect of heat load from an ambient laboratory environment on the temperature rise of liquid nitrogen inside an enclosure. This model has applications to liquid acquisition devices inside the cryogenic storage tanks used to transport vapor-free propellant to the main engine. We show that heat loads from Q = 0.001 to 10 W, with corresponding Rayleigh numbers from Ra = 109 to 1013, yield a range of unsteady convective states and temperature rise in the liquid. The results show that Q = 1 to 10 W (Ra = 1012 to 1013) yield temperature distributions along the enclosure height that are similar in trend to experimental measurements. Unsteady convection, which shows selfsimilarity in its planforms, is predicted for the range of heat-load conditions. The onset of convection occurs from a free-convection-dominated base flow that becomes unstable against convective instability generated at the bottom of the enclosure while the top of the enclosure is convectively stable. A number of modes are generated with small-scale thermals at the bottom of the enclosure in which the flow selforganizes into two symmetric modes prior to the onset of the propagation of the instability. These symmetric vertical modes transition to asymmetric modes that propagate as a traveling-wave-type motion of convective modes and are representative of the asymptotic convective state of the flow field. Intense vorticity production is created in the core of the flow field due to the fact that there is shear instability between the vertical and horizontal modes. For the higher Rayleigh numbers, 1012 to 1013, there is a transition from a stationary to a nonstationary response time signal of the flow and temperature fields with a mean value that increases with time over various time bands and regions of the enclosure.

Characterization of flame stabilization technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bush, Scott Matthew

To experimentally explore and characterize a V-gutter stabilized flame, this research study developed a Combustion Wind Tunnel Test Facility capable of effectively simulating the freestream Mach #'s and temperatures achieved within the back end of a gas turbine jet engine. After validating this facility, it was then used to gain a better understanding of the flow dynamics and combustion dynamics associated with the V-gutter configuration. The motivation for studying the V-gutter stabilized flame is due to the concern in industry today with combustion instabilities that are encountered in military aircraft. To gain a better understanding of the complex flow field associated with the V-gutter stabilized flame, this research study utilized Particle Image Velocimetry to capture both non-reacting and reacting instantaneous and mean flow structures formed in the wake region of the three dimensional V-gutter bluff body. The results of this study showed significant differences between the non-reacting and reacting flow fields. The non-reacting case resulted in asymmetric shedding of large scale vortices from the V-gutter edges while the reacting case resulted in a combination of both symmetric and asymmetric shedding of smaller scale vortical structures. A comparison of the mean velocity components shows that the reacting case results in a larger region of reversed flow, experiences an acceleration of the freestream flow due to combustion, and results in a slower dissipation of the wake region. Simultaneous dynamic pressure and CH* chemiluminescence measurements were also recorded to determine the coupling between the flow dynamics and combustion dynamics. The results of this study showed that only low frequency combustion instabilities were encountered at various conditions within the envelope of stable operation because of the interaction between longitudinal acoustic waves and unsteady heat release. When approaching rich blow out, rms pressure amplitudes were as high as 2 psi, and approaching lean blow out lead to rms pressure amplitudes around 0.2 psi. These studies also showed the instability frequency increasing with increases in either inlet temperature or inlet Mach #. Additionally, increasing the inlet velocity or the DeZubay parameter reduced the stability limits of operation for the V-gutter stabilized flame.

Directional Solidification of a Binary Alloy into a Cellular Convective Flow: Localized Morphologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Y.- J.; Davis, S. H.

1999-01-01

A steady, two dimensional cellular convection modifies the morphological instability of a binary alloy that undergoes directional solidification. When the convection wavelength is far longer than that of the morphological cells, the behavior of the moving front is described by a slow, spatial-temporal dynamics obtained through a multiple-scale analysis. The resulting system has a "parametric-excitation" structure in space, with complex parameters characterizing the interactions between flow, solute diffusion, and rejection. The convection stabilizes two dimensional disturbances oriented with the flow, but destabilizes three dimensional disturbances in general. When the flow is weak, the morphological instability behaves incommensurably to the flow wavelength, but becomes quantized and forced to fit into the flow-box as the flow gets stronger. At large flow magnitudes the instability is localized, confined in narrow envelopes with cells traveling with the flow. In this case the solutions are discrete eigenstates in an unbounded space. Their stability boundary and asymptotics are obtained by the WKB analysis.

The strong nonlinear interaction of Tollmien-Schlichting waves and Taylor-Goertler vortices in curved channel flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, J.; Hall, P.; Smith, F. T.

1988-01-01

Viscous fluid flows with curved streamlines can support both centrifugal and viscous traveling wave instabilities. Here the interaction of these instabilities in the context of the fully developed flow in a curved channel is discussed. The viscous (Tollmein-Schlichting) instability is described asymptotically at high Reynolds numbers and it is found that it can induce a Taylor-Goertler flow even at extremely small amplitudes. In this interaction, the Tollmein-Schlichting wave can drive a vortex state with wavelength either comparable with the channel width or the wavelength of lower branch viscous modes. The nonlinear equations which describe these interactions are solved for nonlinear equilibrium states.

Non-convex dissipation potentials in multiscale non-equilibrium thermodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janečka, Adam; Pavelka, Michal

2018-04-01

Reformulating constitutive relation in terms of gradient dynamics (being derivative of a dissipation potential) brings additional information on stability, metastability and instability of the dynamics with respect to perturbations of the constitutive relation, called CR-stability. CR-instability is connected to the loss of convexity of the dissipation potential, which makes the Legendre-conjugate dissipation potential multivalued and causes dissipative phase transitions that are not induced by non-convexity of free energy, but by non-convexity of the dissipation potential. CR-stability of the constitutive relation with respect to perturbations is then manifested by constructing evolution equations for the perturbations in a thermodynamically sound way (CR-extension). As a result, interesting experimental observations of behavior of complex fluids under shear flow and supercritical boiling curve can be explained.

Blowing magnetic skyrmion bubbles

DOE PAGES

Jiang, Wanjun; Upadhyaya, Pramey; Zhang, Wei; ...

2015-06-11

The formation of soap bubbles from thin films is accompanied by topological transitions. In this paper, we show how a magnetic topological structure, a skyrmion bubble, can be generated in a solid-state system in a similar manner. Using an inhomogeneous in-plane current in a system with broken inversion symmetry, we experimentally “blow” magnetic skyrmion bubbles from a geometrical constriction. The presence of a spatially divergent spin-orbit torque gives rise to instabilities of the magnetic domain structures that are reminiscent of Rayleigh-Plateau instabilities in fluid flows. We determine a phase diagram for skyrmion formation and reveal the efficient manipulation of thesemore » dynamically created skyrmions, including depinning and motion. Finally, the demonstrated current-driven transformation from stripe domains to magnetic skyrmion bubbles could lead to progress in skyrmion-based spintronics.« less

Investigations of the Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov Instabilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Riccardo Bonazza; Mark Anderson; Jason Oakley

2008-03-14

The present program is centered on the experimental study of shock-induced interfacial fluid instabilities. Both 2-D (near-sinusoids) and 3-D (spheres) initial conditions are studied in a large, vertical square shock tube facility. The evolution of the interface shape, its distortion, the modal growth rates and the mixing of the fluids at the interface are all objectives of the investigation. In parallel to the experiments, calculations are performed using the Raptor code, on platforms made available by LLNL. These flows are of great relevance to both ICF and stockpile stewardship. The involvement of four graduate students is in line with themore » national laboratories' interest in the education of scientists and engineers in disciplines and technologies consistent with the labs' missions and activities.« less

Investigation of the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Riccardo Bonazza; Mark Anderson; Jason Oakley

2008-12-22

The present program is centered on the experimental study of shock-induced interfacial fluid instabilities. Both 2-D (near-sinusoids) and 3-D (spheres) initial conditions are studied in a large, vertical square shock tube facility. The evolution of the interface shape, its distortion, the modal growth rates and the mixing of the fluids at the interface are all objectives of the investigation. In parallel to the experiments, calculations are performed using the Raptor code, on platforms made available by LLNL. These flows are of great relevance to both ICF and stockpile stewardship. The involvement of three graduate students is in line with themore » national laboratories' interest in the education of scientists and engineers in disciplines and technologies consistent with the labs' missions and activities.« less

Investigation of flow-induced numerical instability in a mixed semi-implicit, implicit leapfrog time discretization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Jacob; Kruger, Scott

2017-10-01

Flow can impact the stability and nonlinear evolution of range of instabilities (e.g. RWMs, NTMs, sawteeth, locked modes, PBMs, and high-k turbulence) and thus robust numerical algorithms for simulations with flow are essential. Recent simulations of DIII-D QH-mode [King et al., Phys. Plasmas and Nucl. Fus. 2017] with flow have been restricted to smaller time-step sizes than corresponding computations without flow. These computations use a mixed semi-implicit, implicit leapfrog time discretization as implemented in the NIMROD code [Sovinec et al., JCP 2004]. While prior analysis has shown that this algorithm is unconditionally stable with respect to the effect of large flows on the MHD waves in slab geometry [Sovinec et al., JCP 2010], our present Von Neumann stability analysis shows that a flow-induced numerical instability may arise when ad-hoc cylindrical curvature is included. Computations with the NIMROD code in cylindrical geometry with rigid rotation and without free-energy drive from current or pressure gradients qualitatively confirm this analysis. We explore potential methods to circumvent this flow-induced numerical instability such as using a semi-Lagrangian formulation instead of time-centered implicit advection and/or modification to the semi-implicit operator. This work is supported by the DOE Office of Science (Office of Fusion Energy Sciences).

Zonal Flows and Turbulence in Fluids and Plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parker, Jeffrey

2014-09-01

In geophysical and plasma contexts, zonal flows are well known to arise out of turbulence. We elucidate the transition from statistically homogeneous turbulence without zonal flows to statistically inhomogeneous turbulence with steady zonal flows. Starting from the Hasegawa--Mima equation, we employ both the quasilinear approximation and a statistical average, which retains a great deal of the qualitative behavior of the full system. Within the resulting framework known as CE2, we extend recent understanding of the symmetry-breaking `zonostrophic instability'. Zonostrophic instability can be understood in a very general way as the instability of some turbulent background spectrum to a zonally symmetricmore » coherent mode. As a special case, the background spectrum can consist of only a single mode. We find that in this case the dispersion relation of zonostrophic instability from the CE2 formalism reduces exactly to that of the 4-mode truncation of generalized modulational instability. We then show that zonal flows constitute pattern formation amid a turbulent bath. Zonostrophic instability is an example of a Type Is instability of pattern-forming systems. The broken symmetry is statistical homogeneity. Near the bifurcation point, the slow dynamics of CE2 are governed by a well-known amplitude equation, the real Ginzburg-Landau equation. The important features of this amplitude equation, and therefore of the CE2 system, are multiple. First, the zonal flow wavelength is not unique. In an idealized, infinite system, there is a continuous band of zonal flow wavelengths that allow a nonlinear equilibrium. Second, of these wavelengths, only those within a smaller subband are stable. Unstable wavelengths must evolve to reach a stable wavelength; this process manifests as merging jets. These behaviors are shown numerically to hold in the CE2 system, and we calculate a stability diagram. The stability diagram is in agreement with direct numerical simulations of the quasilinear system. The use of statistically-averaged equations and the pattern formation methodology provide a path forward for further systematic investigations of zonal flows and their interactions with turbulence.« less

Experimental Study of Nonassociated Flow and Instability of Frictional Materials. Attachment No. 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-01

pressure range of 0.25 to 68.9 MPa. One-dimensional compression tests up to 900 MPa axial stress level were also performed. U Strain localization was studied... range of confining pressures. Vesic and Clough (1968) performed a series of drained, triaxial compression tests on Chattahoochee River sand at confining...realization resulted in many investigators developing cubical triaxial testing apparatus, in which the full range of the effect of the intermediate I principal

Coupled Experimental and Theoretical Investigations of Instability, Chaos and Turbulence in an Axisymmetric Jet Flow

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-07-01

performed using two of the available methods, due respectively to Wolf et al. 8, and...FiueS1 270 Paper in progress to be submitted to: Phys. Fluids. ECOLE CENTRALE DES ARTS ET MANUFACTURES RAPPORT DE STAGE DE FIN D’ETUDES EXCITATION D’UN JET...disposition et de la souplesse dont ii a fait preuve. Je tiens dgalement & remercier tout particuliirement Patrick Reisenthel de toute 1’attention et

Mode selection in swirling jet experiments: a linear stability analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallaire, François; Chomaz, Jean-Marc

2003-11-01

The primary goal of the study is to identify the selection mechanism responsible for the appearance of a double-helix structure in the pre-breakdown stage of so-called screened swirling jets for which the circulation vanishes away from the jet. The family of basic flows under consideration combines the azimuthal velocity profiles of Carton & McWilliams (1989) and the axial velocity profiles of Monkewitz (1988). This model satisfactorily represents the nozzle exit velocity distributions measured in the swirling jet experiment of Billant et al. (1998). Temporal and absolute/convective instability properties are directly retrieved from numerical simulations of the linear impulse response for different swirl parameter settings. A large range of negative helical modes, winding with the basic flow, are destabilized as swirl is increased, and their characteristics for large azimuthal wavenumbers are shown to agree with the asymptotic analysis of Leibovich & Stewartson (1983). However, the temporal study fails to yield a clear selection principle. The absolute/convective instability regions are mapped out in the plane of the external axial flow and swirl parameters. The absolutely unstable domain is enhanced by rotation and it remains open for arbitrarily large swirl. The swirling jet with zero external axial flow is found to first become absolutely unstable to a mode of azimuthal wavenumber m {=} {-}2, winding with the jet. It is suggested that this selection mechanism accounts for the experimental observation of a double-helix structure.

Rheology at the Interface and the Role of the Interphase in Reactive Functionalized Multilayer Polymers in Coextrusion Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamnawar, Khalid; Maazouz, Abderrahim

2008-07-01

Coextrusion technologies are commonly used to produce multilayered composite sheets or films for a large range of applications from food packaging to optics. The contrast of rheological properties between layers can lead to interfacial instabilities during flow. Important theoretical and experimental advances regarding the stability of compatible and incompatible polymers have, during the last decades, been made using a mechanical approach. However, few research efforts have been dedicated to the physicochemical affinity between the neighboring layers. The present study deals with the influence of this affinity on interfacial instabilities for functionalized incompatible polymers. Polyamide (PA6)/polyethylene grafted with glycidyl methacrylate (PE-GMA) was used as a reactive system and PE/PA6 as a non reactive one. Two grades of polyamide (PA6) were used in order to change the viscosity and elasticity ratios between PE (or PE-GMA) and PA6. It was experimentally confirmed, in this case, that weak disturbance can be predicted by considering an interphase of non-zero thickness (corresponding to an interdiffusion/reaction zone) instead of a purely geometrical interface between the two reactive layers. According to the rheological investigations from previous work which the interphase effect can be probed, an experimental strategy was here formulated to optimize the process by listing the parameters that controlled the stability of the reactive multilayer flows. Hence, based on this analysis, guidelines for a stable coextrusion of reactive functionalized polymers can be provided coupling the classical parameters (viscosity, elasticity and layer ratios) and the physicochemical affinity at the polymer/polymer interface.

DNS of Laminar-Turbulent Transition in Swept-Wing Boundary Layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duan, L.; Choudhari, M.; Li, F.

2014-01-01

Direct numerical simulation (DNS) is performed to examine laminar to turbulent transition due to high-frequency secondary instability of stationary crossflow vortices in a subsonic swept-wing boundary layer for a realistic natural-laminar-flow airfoil configuration. The secondary instability is introduced via inflow forcing and the mode selected for forcing corresponds to the most amplified secondary instability mode that, in this case, derives a majority of its growth from energy production mechanisms associated with the wall-normal shear of the stationary basic state. An inlet boundary condition is carefully designed to allow for accurate injection of instability wave modes and minimize acoustic reflections at numerical boundaries. Nonlinear parabolized stability equation (PSE) predictions compare well with the DNS in terms of modal amplitudes and modal shape during the strongly nonlinear phase of the secondary instability mode. During the transition process, the skin friction coefficient rises rather rapidly and the wall-shear distribution shows a sawtooth pattern that is analogous to the previously documented surface flow visualizations of transition due to stationary crossflow instability. Fully turbulent features are observed in the downstream region of the flow.

Tertiary instability of zonal flows within the Wigner-Moyal formulation of drift turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Hongxuan; Ruiz, D. E.; Dodin, I. Y.

2017-10-01

The stability of zonal flows (ZFs) is analyzed within the generalized-Hasegawa-Mima model. The necessary and sufficient condition for a ZF instability, which is also known as the tertiary instability, is identified. The qualitative physics behind the tertiary instability is explained using the recently developed Wigner-Moyal formulation and the corresponding wave kinetic equation (WKE) in the geometrical-optics (GO) limit. By analyzing the drifton phase space trajectories, we find that the corrections proposed in Ref. to the WKE are critical for capturing the spatial scales characteristic for the tertiary instability. That said, we also find that this instability itself cannot be adequately described within a GO formulation in principle. Using the Wigner-Moyal equations, which capture diffraction, we analytically derive the tertiary-instability growth rate and compare it with numerical simulations. The research was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Simulations of Instabilities in Complex Valve and Feed Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahuja, Vineet; Hosangadi, Ashvin; Shipman, Jeremy; Cavallo, Peter A.

2006-01-01

CFD analyses are playing an increasingly important role in identifying and characterizing flow induced instabilities in rocket engine test facilities and flight systems. In this paper, we analyze instability mechanisms that range from turbulent pressure fluctuations due to vortex shedding in structurally complex valve systems to flow resonance in plug cavities to large scale pressure fluctuations due to collapse of cavitation induced vapor clouds. Furthermore, we discuss simulations of transient behavior related to valve motion that can serve as guidelines for valve scheduling. Such predictions of valve response to varying flow conditions is of crucial importance to engine operation and testing.

Cold-Flow Study of Low Frequency Pressure Instability in Hybrid Rocket Motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenkins, Rhonald M.

1997-01-01

Past experience with hybrid rockets has shown that certain motor operating conditions are conducive to the formation of low frequency pressure oscillations, or flow instabilities, within the motor. Both past and present work in the hybrid propulsion community acknowledges deficiencies in the understanding of such behavior, though it seems probable that the answer lies in an interaction between the flow dynamics and the combustion heat release. Knowledge of the fundamental flow dynamics is essential to the basic understanding of the overall stability problem. A first step in this direction was a study conducted at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), centered around a laboratory-scale two dimensional water flow model of a hybrid rocket motor. Principal objectives included: (1) visualization of flow and measurement of flow velocity distributions: (2) assessment of the importance of shear layer instabilities in driving motor pressure oscillations; (3) determination of the interactions between flow induced shear layers with the mainstream flow, the secondary (wall) throughflow, and solid boundaries; (4) investigation of the interactions between wall flow oscillations and the mainstream flow pressure distribution.

On the 'flip-flop' instability of Bondi-Hoyle accretion flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Livio, Mario; Soker, Noam; Matsuda, Takuya; Anzer, Ulrich

1991-01-01

A simple physical interpretation is advanced by means of an analysis of the shock cone in the accretion flows past a compact object and with an examination of the accretion-line stability analyses. The stability of the conical shock is examined against small angular deflections with attention given to several simplifying assumptions. A line instability is identified in the Bondi-Hoyle accretion flows that leads to the formation of a large opening-angle shock. When the opening angle becomes large the instability becomes irregular oscillation. The analytical methodology is compared to previous numerical configurations that demonstrate different shock morphologies. The Bondi-Hoyle accretion onto a compact object is concluded to generate a range of nonlinear instabilities in both homogeneous and inhomogeneous cases with a quasiperiodic oscillation in the linear regime.

On radiating baroclinic instability of zonally varying flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finley, Catherine A.; Nathan, Terrence R.

1993-01-01

A quasi-geostrophic, two-layer, beta-plane model is used to study the baroclinic instability characteristics of a zonally inhomogeneous flow. It is assumed that the disturbance varied slowly in the cross-stream direction, and the stability problem was formulated as a 1D initial value problem. Emphasis is placed on determining how the vertically averaged wind, local maximum in vertical wind shear, and length of the locally supercritical region combine to yield local instabilities. Analysis of the local disturbance energetics reveals that, for slowly varying basic states, the baroclinic energy conversion predominates within the locally unstable region. Using calculations of the basic state tendencies, it is shown that the net effect of the local instabilities is to redistribute energy from the baroclinic to the barotropic component of the basic state flow.

Effects of Nose Bluntness on Hypersonic Boundary-Layer Receptivity and Stability Over Cones

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kara, Kursat; Balakumar, Ponnampalam; Kandil, Osama A.

2011-01-01

The receptivity to freestream acoustic disturbances and the stability properties of hypersonic boundary layers are numerically investigated for boundary-layer flows over a 5 straight cone at a freestream Mach number of 6.0. To compute the shock and the interaction of the shock with the instability waves, the Navier-Stokes equations in axisymmetric coordinates were solved. In the governing equations, inviscid and viscous flux vectors are discretized using a fifth-order accurate weighted-essentially-non-oscillatory scheme. A third-order accurate total-variation-diminishing Runge-Kutta scheme is employed for time integration. After the mean flow field is computed, disturbances are introduced at the upstream end of the computational domain. The appearance of instability waves near the nose region and the receptivity of the boundary layer with respect to slow mode acoustic waves are investigated. Computations confirm the stabilizing effect of nose bluntness and the role of the entropy layer in the delay of boundary-layer transition. The current solutions, compared with experimental observations and other computational results, exhibit good agreement.

The effect of a crosslinking chemical reaction on pattern formation in viscous fingering of miscible fluids in a Hele-Shaw cell.

PubMed

Bunton, Patrick H; Tullier, Michael P; Meiburg, Eckart; Pojman, John A

2017-10-01

Viscous fingering can occur in fluid motion whenever a high mobility fluid displaces a low mobility fluid in a Darcy type flow. When the mobility difference is primarily attributable to viscosity (e.g., flow between the two horizontal plates of a Hele-Shaw cell), viscous fingering (VF) occurs, which is sometimes termed the Saffman-Taylor instability. Alternatively, in the presence of differences in density in a gravity field, buoyancy-driven convection can occur. These instabilities have been studied for decades, in part because of their many applications in pollutant dispersal, ocean currents, enhanced petroleum recovery, and so on. More recent interest has emerged regarding the effects of chemical reactions on fingering instabilities. As chemical reactions change the key flow parameters (densities, viscosities, and concentrations), they may have either a destabilizing or stabilizing effect on the flow. Hence, new flow patterns can emerge; moreover, one can then hope to gain some control over flow instabilities through reaction rates, flow rates, and reaction products. We report effects of chemical reactions on VF in a Hele-Shaw cell for a reactive step-growth cross-linking polymerization system. The cross-linked reaction product results in a non-monotonic viscosity profile at the interface, which affects flow stability. Furthermore, three-dimensional internal flows influence the long-term pattern that results.

The effect of a crosslinking chemical reaction on pattern formation in viscous fingering of miscible fluids in a Hele-Shaw cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bunton, Patrick H.; Tullier, Michael P.; Meiburg, Eckart; Pojman, John A.

2017-10-01

Viscous fingering can occur in fluid motion whenever a high mobility fluid displaces a low mobility fluid in a Darcy type flow. When the mobility difference is primarily attributable to viscosity (e.g., flow between the two horizontal plates of a Hele-Shaw cell), viscous fingering (VF) occurs, which is sometimes termed the Saffman-Taylor instability. Alternatively, in the presence of differences in density in a gravity field, buoyancy-driven convection can occur. These instabilities have been studied for decades, in part because of their many applications in pollutant dispersal, ocean currents, enhanced petroleum recovery, and so on. More recent interest has emerged regarding the effects of chemical reactions on fingering instabilities. As chemical reactions change the key flow parameters (densities, viscosities, and concentrations), they may have either a destabilizing or stabilizing effect on the flow. Hence, new flow patterns can emerge; moreover, one can then hope to gain some control over flow instabilities through reaction rates, flow rates, and reaction products. We report effects of chemical reactions on VF in a Hele-Shaw cell for a reactive step-growth cross-linking polymerization system. The cross-linked reaction product results in a non-monotonic viscosity profile at the interface, which affects flow stability. Furthermore, three-dimensional internal flows influence the long-term pattern that results.

Passive broadband targeted energy transfers and control of self-excited vibrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Young S.

This work consists of the three main parts---Nonlinear energy pumping (that is, passive broadband targeted energy transfers---TETs), and its applications to theoretical and experimental suppression of aeroelastic instabilities. In the first part, nonlinear energy pumping (or TETs) in coupled oscillators is studied. The system is composed of a primary linear subsystem coupled through an essentially nonlinear stiffness and a linear viscous damper to an additional mass (which is called, as a whole, a nonlinear energy sink---NES). By considering the linear damping as a perturbation to the system, periodic solutions of the underlying Hamiltonian system are formulated by means of the non-smooth temporal transformation and solved numerically by a shooting method. The special periodic orbits, which are corresponding to the impulsive initial conditions for the primary subsystem, bear their importance as baits for initiating localized transfers of a significant portion of energy to the NES. The second part theoretically deals with suppression of limit cycle oscillations (LCOs) in self-excited systems by means of passive energy localizations. As a pilot scheme, suppression or even complete elimination of the LCO in a van der Pol (VDP) oscillator coupled with two types of NESS---grounded and ungrounded---is studied. Computational parametric study proves the efficacy of LCO elimination by means of passive nonlinear energy pumping from the VDP oscillator to appropriately designed NESs. The numerical study of the transient dynamics of the system showed that the dynamical mechanism for LCO suppression is a series of 1:1 and 1:3 transient resonance captures, with the damped transient dynamics following closely corresponding resonant manifolds of the underlying Hamiltonian system. It is through the TRCs that energy gets transferred from the VDP oscillator to the NES, thus causing LCO suppression. By performing an additional bifurcation analysis of the steady state responses through a numerical continuation of equilibria and periodic solutions, the parameter dependence and bifurcations of the steady-state solutions are examined. It is also proved that a Hopf bifurcation is the global dynamical mechanism for generation and elimination of the LCOs in the configurations considered. The bifurcation analysis revealed that it is possible to design grounded or ungrounded NESs that robustly and completely eliminate the LCO instability of the system. This should be possible when the system parameters are chosen such that a subcritical Hopf bifurcation occurs, thus assuring the existence of a unique global trivial attractor of the dynamics in the parameter ranges of interest. Then, triggering mechanisms of aeroelastic instability is investigated for a two-DOF rigid wing model in subsonic flow with cubic nonlinear stiffnesses at the support. Based on the observation of the instability triggering, a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) NES is applied to the wing model. The NES is attached at an offset from the elastic axis for its additional interaction with the pitch mode, as well as being parallel with the heave mode, primarily to hinder initial triggering of the heave mode by the flow. It is shown that it is feasible to partially or even completely suppress aeroelastic instabilities of the wing by passively transferring vibration energy from the wing to the NES in a one-way irreversible fashion. Moreover, this aeroelastic instability suppression is performed by partially or completely eliminating the triggering mechanists for aeroelastic suppression. Through numerical parametric studies three main mechanisms for suppressing aeroelastic instability are identified: (i) Recurring burst-out and suppression; (ii) intermediate suppression; (iii) complete elimination of instability. In general, the relative occurrence of one of the two limit point cycle (LPC) bifurcations with respect to the Hopf bifurcation decides whether or not the suppression mechanisms are robust. In order to improve robustness of instability suppression, several types of multi-DOF NES configurations are introduced. In the last part, experimental suppression of aeroelastic instability by means of targeted energy transfers is investigated. In order to gain insights into the experiments, theoretical triggering mechanism of the aeroelastic instability in the nonlinear aeroelastic test apparatus (NATA) in a low-speed wind tunnel at Texas A&M University is studied. Finally, experimental results are presented in connection to the theoretical investigation, and all the predictions on the instability suppression mechanisms are demonstrated experimentally. It is also revealed that the dry friction affects only the robustness of an instability suppression by changing the unstable trivial equilibrium into an equilibrium set. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

The Influence of Individual Driver Characteristics on Congestion Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lanjun; Zhang, Hao; Meng, Huadong; Wang, Xiqin

Previous works have pointed out that one of the reasons for the formation of traffic congestion is instability in traffic flow. In this study, we investigate theoretically how the characteristics of individual drivers influence the instability of traffic flow. The discussions are based on the optimal velocity model, which has three parameters related to individual driver characteristics. We specify the mappings between the model parameters and driver characteristics in this study. With linear stability analysis, we obtain a condition for when instability occurs and a constraint about how the model parameters influence the unstable traffic flow. Meanwhile, we also determine how the region of unstable flow densities depends on these parameters. Additionally, the Langevin approach theoretically validates that under the constraint, the macroscopic characteristics of the unstable traffic flow becomes a mixture of free flows and congestions. All of these results imply that both overly aggressive and overly conservative drivers are capable of triggering traffic congestion.

Mixed Convection Flow in Horizontal CVD Reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiu, Wilson K. S.; Richards, Cristy J.; Jaluria, Yogesh

1998-11-01

Increasing demands for high quality films and production rates are challenging current Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) technology. Since film quality and deposition rates are strongly dependent on gas flow and heat transfer (W.K.S. Chiu and Y. Jaluria, ASME HTD-Vol. 347, pp. 293-311, 1997.), process improvement is obtained through the study of mixed convection flow and temperature distribution in a CVD reactor. Experimental results are presented for a CVD chamber with a horizontal or inclined resistance heated susceptor. Vaporized glycol solution illuminated by a light sheet is used for flow visualization. Temperature measurements are obtained by inserting thermocouple probes into the gas stream or embedding probes into the reactor walls. Flow visualization and temperature measurements show predominantly two dimensional flow and temperature distributions along the streamwise direction under forced convection conditions. Natural convection dominates under large heating rates and low flow rates. Over the range of parameters studied, several distinct flow regimes, characterized by instability, separation, and turbulence, are evident. Different flow regimes alter the flow pattern and temperature distribution, and in consequence, significantly modify deposition rates and uniformity.

Localized modelling and feedback control of linear instabilities in 2-D wall bounded shear flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tol, Henry; Kotsonis, Marios; de Visser, Coen

2016-11-01

A new approach is presented for control of instabilities in 2-D wall bounded shear flows described by the linearized Navier-Stokes equations (LNSE). The control design accounts both for spatially localized actuators/sensors and the dominant perturbation dynamics in an optimal control framework. An inflow disturbance model is proposed for streamwise instabilities that drive laminar-turbulent transition. The perturbation modes that contribute to the transition process can be selected and are included in the control design. A reduced order model is derived from the LNSE that captures the input-output behavior and the dominant perturbation dynamics. This model is used to design an optimal controller for suppressing the instability growth. A 2-D channel flow and a 2-D boundary layer flow over a flat plate are considered as application cases. Disturbances are generated upstream of the control domain and the resulting flow perturbations are estimated/controlled using wall shear measurements and localized unsteady blowing and suction at the wall. It will be shown that the controller is able to cancel the perturbations and is robust to unmodelled disturbances.

Self-Contained Automated Methodology for Optimal Flow Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joslin, Ronald D.; Gunzburger, Max D.; Nicolaides, Roy A.; Erlebacherl, Gordon; Hussaini, M. Yousuff

1997-01-01

This paper describes a self-contained, automated methodology for active flow control which couples the time-dependent Navier-Stokes system with an adjoint Navier-Stokes system and optimality conditions from which optimal states, i.e., unsteady flow fields and controls (e.g., actuators), may be determined. The problem of boundary layer instability suppression through wave cancellation is used as the initial validation case to test the methodology. Here, the objective of control is to match the stress vector along a portion of the boundary to a given vector; instability suppression is achieved by choosing the given vector to be that of a steady base flow. Control is effected through the injection or suction of fluid through a single orifice on the boundary. The results demonstrate that instability suppression can be achieved without any a priori knowledge of the disturbance, which is significant because other control techniques have required some knowledge of the flow unsteadiness such as frequencies, instability type, etc. The present methodology has been extended to three dimensions and may potentially be applied to separation control, re-laminarization, and turbulence control applications using one to many sensors and actuators.

Experimental Study of Flow in a Bifurcation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fresconi, Frank; Prasad, Ajay

2003-11-01

An instability known as the Dean vortex occurs in curved pipes with a longitudinal pressure gradient. A similar effect is manifest in the flow in a converging or diverging bifurcation, such as those found in the human respiratory airways. The goal of this study is to characterize secondary flows in a bifurcation. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) experiments were performed in a clear, plastic model. Results show the strength and migration of secondary vortices. Primary velocity features are also presented along with dispersion patterns from dye visualization. Unsteadiness, associated with a hairpin vortex, was also found at higher Re. This work can be used to assess the dispersion of particles in the lung. Medical delivery systems and pollution effect studies would profit from such an understanding.

Experimental characterization of broadband electrostatic noise due to plasma compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubois, Ami M.; Thomas, Edward, Jr.; Amatucci, William E.; Ganguli, Gurudas

2015-11-01

For a wide variety of laboratory and space plasma environments, theory states that plasmas are unstable to transverse shear flows over a very broad frequency range, where the shear scale length (LE) compared to the ion gyro-radius (ρi) determines the character of the shear-driven instability that may prevail. During active periods in the Earth's magnetosphere, such sheared flows are intensified and broadband electrostatic noise (BEN) is often observed by satellites traversing natural boundary layers. An interpenetrating magnetized plasma configuration is used to create a transverse velocity shear profile similar to that found at natural space plasma boundary layers. The continuous variation and the associated transition of the instability regimes driven by the shear flow mechanism are demonstrated in a single laboratory experiment. For the first time, broadband wave emission, which is correlated to increasing/decreasing stress (i.e., ρi/LE) on a plasma boundary layer, is found under controlled and repeatable conditions. This result provides evidence that the compression/relaxation of a plasma boundary layer leads to a BEN signature and holds out the promise for understanding the cause and effect of the in situ observation of BEN by satellites. This project was supported with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, and NRL Base Funds.

PREFACE: The 15th International Couette-Taylor Worskhop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mutabazi, Innocent; Crumeyrolle, Olivier

2008-07-01

The 15th International Couette-Taylor Worskhop (ICTW15) was held in Le Havre, France from 9-12 July 2007. This regular international conference started in 1979 in Leeds, UK when the research interest in simple models of fluid flows was revitalized by systematic investigation of Rayleigh-Bénard convection and the Couette-Taylor flow. These two flow systems are good prototypes for the study of the transition to chaos and turbulence in closed flows. The workshop themes have been expanded from the original Couette-Taylor flow to include other centrifugal instabilities (Dean, Görtler, Taylor-Dean), spherical Couette flows, thermal convection instabilities, MHD, nonlinear dynamics and chaos, transition to turbulence, development of numerical and experimental techniques. The impressive longevity of the ICTW is due to the close interaction and fertile exchanges between international research groups from different disciplines: Physics and Astrophysics, Applied Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering. The present workshop was attended by 100 participants, the program included over 83 contributions with 4 plenary lectures, 68 oral communications and 17 posters. The topics include, besides the classical Couette-Taylor flows, the centrifugal flows with longitudinal vortices, the shear flows, the thermal convection in curved geometries, the spherical Couette-Taylor flow, the geophysical flows, the magneto-hydrodynamic effects including the dynamo effect, the complex flows (viscoelasticity, immiscible fluids, bubbles and migration). Selected papers have been processed through the peer review system and are published in this issue of the Journal of Physics: Conference Series. The Workshop has been sponsored by Le Havre University, the Region Council of Haute-Normandie, Le Havre City Council, CNRS (ST2I, GdR-DYCOEC), and the European Space Agency through GEOFLOW program. The French Ministry of Defense (DGA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Research and the University Association of Mechanics have provided some support. Innocent Mutabazi and Olivier Crumeyrolle Proceedings editors Le Havre, France 15 July 2008

Modeling of classical swirl injector dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismailov, Maksud M.

The knowledge of the dynamics of a swirl injector is crucial in designing a stable liquid rocket engine. Since the swirl injector is a complex fluid flow device in itself, not much work has been conducted to describe its dynamics either analytically or by using computational fluid dynamics techniques. Even the experimental observation is limited up to date. Thus far, there exists an analytical linear theory by Bazarov [1], which is based on long-wave disturbances traveling on the free surface of the injector core. This theory does not account for variation of the nozzle reflection coefficient as a function of disturbance frequency, and yields a response function which is strongly dependent on the so called artificial viscosity factor. This causes an uncertainty in designing an injector for the given operational combustion instability frequencies in the rocket engine. In this work, the author has studied alternative techniques to describe the swirl injector response, both analytically and computationally. In the analytical part, by using the linear small perturbation analysis, the entire phenomenon of unsteady flow in swirl injectors is dissected into fundamental components, which are the phenomena of disturbance wave refraction and reflection, and vortex chamber resonance. This reveals the nature of flow instability and the driving factors leading to maximum injector response. In the computational part, by employing the nonlinear boundary element method (BEM), the author sets the boundary conditions such that they closely simulate those in the analytical part. The simulation results then show distinct peak responses at frequencies that are coincident with those resonant frequencies predicted in the analytical part. Moreover, a cold flow test of the injector related to this study also shows a clear growth of instability with its maximum amplitude at the first fundamental frequency predicted both by analytical methods and BEM. It shall be noted however that Bazarov's theory does not predict the resonant peaks. Overall this methodology provides clearer understanding of the injector dynamics compared to Bazarov's. Even though the exact value of response is not possible to obtain at this stage of theoretical, computational, and experimental investigation, this methodology sets the starting point from where the theoretical description of reflection/refraction, resonance, and their interaction between each other may be refined to higher order to obtain its more precise value.

Precession of the Earth as the Cause of Geomagnetism: Experiments lend support to the proposal that precessional torques drive the earth's dynamo.

PubMed

Malkus, W V

1968-04-19

I have proposed that the precessional torques acting on the earth can sustain a turbulent hydromagnetic flow in the molten core. A gross balance of the Coriolis force, the Lorentz force, and the precessional force in the core fluid provided estimates of the fluid velocity and the interior magnetic field characteristic of such flow. Then these numbers and a balance of the processes responsible for the decay and regeneration of the magnetic field provided an estimate of the magnetic field external to the core. This external field is in keeping with the observations, but its value is dependent upon the speculative value for the electrical conductivity of core material. The proposal that turbulent flow due to precession can occur in the core was tested in a study of nonmagnetic laboratory flows induced by the steady precession of fluid-filled rotating spheroids. It was found that these flows exhibit both small wavelike instabilities and violent finite-amplitude instability to turbulent motion above critical values of the precession rate. The observed critical parameters indicate that a laminar flow in the core, due to the earth's precession, would have weak hydrodynamic instabilities at most, but that finite-amplitude hydromagnetic instability could lead to fully turbulent flow.

Stereo Particle Image Velocimetry Measurements of Transition Downstream of a Backward-Facing Step in a Swept-Wing Boundary Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eppink, Jenna L.; Yao, Chung-Sheng

2017-01-01

Stereo particle image velocimetry measurements were performed downstream of a backward-facing step in a stationary-cross flow dominated flow. The PIV measurements exhibit excellent quantitative and qualitative agreement with the previously acquired hotwire data. Instantaneous PIV snapshots reveal new information about the nature and cause of the \\spikes" that occurred prior to breakdown in both the hotwire and PIV data. The PIV snapshots show that the events occur simultaneously across multiple stationary cross flow wavelengths, indicating that this is not simply a local event, but is likely caused by the 2D Tollmien-Schlichting instability that is introduced by the step. While the TS instability is a 2D instability, it is also modulated in the spanwise direction due to interactions with the stationary cross flow, as are the other unsteady disturbances present. Because of this modulation, the "spike" events cause an instantaneous increase of the spanwise modulation of the streamwise and spanwise velocity initially caused by the stationary cross flow. Breakdown appears to be caused by this instantaneous modulation, possibly due to a high-frequency secondary instability similar to a traveling-cross flow breakdown scenario. These results further illuminate the respective roles of the stationary cross flow and unsteady disturbances in transition downstream of a backward-facing step.

Kinetic effects on the velocity-shear-driven instability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Z.; Pritchett, P. L.; Ashour-Abdalla, M.

1992-01-01

A comparison is made between the properties of the low-frequency long-wavelength velocity-shear-driven instability in kinetic theory and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The results show that the removal of adiabaticity along the magnetic field line in kinetic theory leads to modifications in the nature of the instability. Although the threshold for the instability in the two formalisms is the same, the kinetic growth rate and the unstable range in wave-number space can be larger or smaller than the MHD values depending on the ratio between the thermal speed, Alfven speed, and flow speed. When the thermal speed is much larger than the flow speed and the flow speed is larger than the Alfven speed, the kinetic formalism gives a larger maximum growth rate and broader unstable range in wave-number space. In this regime, the normalized wave number for instability can be larger than unity, while in MHD it is always less than unity. The normal mode profile in the kinetic case has a wider spatial extent across the shear layer.

Robustness of the filamentation instability as shock mediator in arbitrarily oriented magnetic field

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bret, A.; Alvaro, E. Perez

2011-08-15

The filamentation instability (sometimes also referred to as ''Weibel'') is a key process in many astrophysical scenario. In the Fireball model for gamma ray bursts, this instability is believed to mediate collisionless shock formation from the collision of two plasma shells. It has been known for long that a flow aligned magnetic field can completely cancel this instability. We show here that in the general case where there is an angle between the field and the flow, the filamentation instability can never be stabilized, regardless of the field strength. The presented model analyzes the stability of two symmetric counter-streaming coldmore » electron/proton plasma shells. Relativistic effects are accounted for, and various exact analytical results are derived. This result guarantees the occurrence of the instability in realistic settings fulfilling the cold approximation.« less

Surfactants and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of Couette type flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frenkel, A. L.; Halpern, D.; Schweiger, A. S.

2011-11-01

We study the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of slow Couette- type flows in the presence of insoluble surfactants. It is known that with zero gravity, the surfactant makes the flow unstable to longwave disturbances in certain regions of the parameter space; while in other parametric regions, it reinforces the flow stability (Frenkel and Halpern 2002). Here, we show that in the latter parametric sectors, and when the (gravity) Bond number Bo is below a certain threshold value, the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is completely stabilized for a finite interval of Ma, the (surfactant) Marangoni number: MaL Ma2, and also for MaL

Manipulation and control of instabilities for surfactant-laden liquid film flowing down an inclined plane using a deformable solid layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomar, Dharmendra S.; Sharma, Gaurav

2018-01-01

We analyzed the linear stability of surfactant-laden liquid film with a free surface flowing down an inclined plane under the action of gravity when the inclined plane is coated with a deformable solid layer. For a flow past a rigid incline and in the presence of inertia, the gas-liquid (GL) interface is prone to the free surface instability and the presence of surfactant is known to stabilize the free surface mode when the Marangoni number increases above a critical value. The rigid surface configuration also admits a surfactant induced Marangoni mode which remains stable for film flows with a free surface. This Marangoni mode was observed to become unstable for a surfactant covered film flow past a flexible inclined plane in a creeping flow limit when the wall is made sufficiently deformable. In view of these observations, we investigate the following two aspects. First, what is the effect of inertia on Marangoni mode instability induced by wall deformability? Second, and more importantly, whether it is possible to use a deformable solid coating to obtain stable flow for the surfactant covered film for cases when the Marangoni number is below the critical value required for stabilization of free surface instability. In order to explore the first question, we continued the growth rates for the Marangoni mode from the creeping flow limit to finite Reynolds numbers (Re) and observed that while the increase in Reynolds number has a small stabilizing effect on growth rates, the Marangoni mode still remains unstable for finite Reynolds numbers as long as the wall is sufficiently deformable. The Marangoni mode remains the dominant mode for zero and small Reynolds numbers until the GL mode also becomes unstable with the increase in Re. Thus, for a given set of parameters and beyond a critical Re, there is an exchange of dominant mode of instability from the Marangoni to free surface GL mode. With respect to the second important aspect, our results clearly demonstrate that for cases when the stabilizing contribution of surfactant is not sufficient for suppressing GL mode instability, a deformable solid coating could be employed to suppress free surface instability without triggering Marangoni or liquid-solid interfacial modes. Specifically, we have shown that for a given solid thickness, as the shear modulus of the solid layer decreases (i.e., the solid becomes more deformable) the GL mode instability is suppressed. With further decrease in shear modulus, the Marangoni and liquid-solid interfacial modes become unstable. Thus, there exists a stability window in terms of shear modulus where the surfactant-laden film flow remains stable even when the Marangoni number is below the critical value required for free surface instability suppression. Further, when the Marangoni number is greater than the critical value so that the GL mode remains stable in the rigid limit or with the deformable wall, the increase in wall deformability or solid thickness triggers Marangoni mode instability and, thus, renders a stable flow configuration into an unstable one. Thus, we show that the soft solid layer can be used to manipulate and control the stability of surfactant-laden film flows.

Elastic Instability of Slender Rods in Steady Shear Flow Yields Positive First Normal Stress Differences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, Leif E.; Shelley, Michael J.

2000-11-01

First normal stress differences in shear flow are a fundamental property of Non-Newtonian fluids. Experiments involving dilute suspensions of slender fibers exhibit a sharp transition to non-zero normal stress differences beyond a critical shear rate, but existing continuum theories for rigid rods predict neither this transition nor the corresponding magnitude of this effect. We present the first conclusive evidence that elastic instabilities are predominantly responsible for observed deviations from the dilute suspension theory of rigid rods. Our analysis is based on slender body theory and the equilibrium equations of elastica. A straight slender body executing its Jeffery orbit in Couette flow is subject to axial fluid forcing, alternating between compression and tension. We present a stability analysis showing that elastic instabilities are possible for strong flows. Simulations give the fully non-linear evolution of this shape instability, and show that flexibility of the fibers alone is sufficient to cause both shear-thinning and significant first normal stress differences.

Analysis of Instabilities in Non-Axisymmetric Hypersonic Boundary Layers Over Cones

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Fei; Choudhari, Meelan M.; Chang, Chau-Lyan; White, Jeffery A.

2010-01-01

Hypersonic flows over circular cones constitute one of the most important generic configurations for fundamental aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic studies. In this paper, numerical computations are carried out for Mach 6 flows over a 7-degree half-angle cone with two different flow incidence angles and a compression cone with a large concave curvature. Instability wave and transition-related flow physics are investigated using a series of advanced stability methods ranging from conventional linear stability theory (LST) and a higher-fidelity linear and nonlinear parabolized stability equations (PSE), to the 2D eigenvalue analysis based on partial differential equations. Computed N factor distribution pertinent to various instability mechanisms over the cone surface provides initial assessments of possible transition fronts and a guide to corresponding disturbance characteristics such as frequency and azimuthal wave numbers. It is also shown that strong secondary instability that eventually leads to transition to turbulence can be simulated very efficiently using a combination of advanced stability methods described above.

Long waves in parallel flow in Hele-Shaw cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zeybek, M.; Yortsos, Y.C.

During the past several years the flow of immiscible flow in Hele-Shaw cells and porous media has been investigated extensively. Of particular interest to most studies has been frontal displacement, specifically viscous fingering instabilities and finger growth. The practical ramifications regarding oil recovery, as well as many other industrial processes in porous media, have served as the primary driving force for most of these investigations. By contrast, little attention has been paid to the motion of lateral fluid interface, which are parallel to the main flow direction. Parallel flow is an often encountered, although much overlooked regime. The evolution ofmore » fluid interfaces in parallel flow in Hele-Shaw cells is studied both theoretically and experimentally in the large capillary number limit. It is shown that such interfaces support wave motion, the amplitude of which for long waves is governed by the KdV equation. Experiments are conducted in a long Hele-Shaw cell that validate the theory in the symmetric case. 35 refs., 16 figs.« less

Discrete-vortex simulation of pulsating flow on a turbulent leading-edge separation bubble

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sung, Hyung Jin; Rhim, Jae Wook; Kiya, Masaru

1992-01-01

Studies are made of the turbulent separation bubble in a two-dimensional semi-infinite blunt plate aligned to a uniform free stream with a pulsating component. The discrete-vortex method is applied to simulate this flow situation because this approach is effective for representing the unsteady motions of the turbulent shear layer and the effect of viscosity near the solid surface. The numerical simulation provides reasonable predictions when compared with the experimental results. A particular frequency with a minimum reattachment is related to the drag reduction. The most effective frequency is dependent on the amplified shedding frequency. The turbulent flow structure is scrutinized. This includes the time-mean and fluctuations of the velocity and the surface pressure, together with correlations between the fluctuating components. A comparison between the pulsating flow and the non-pulsating flow at the particular frequency of the minimum reattachment length of the separation bubble suggests that the large-scale vortical structure is associated with the shedding frequency and the flow instabilities.

Study of the Stability of Compressible Couette Flow.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Girard, Jeffrey John

This study is concerned with a two-dimensional disturbance of plane Couette flow. All reviewed analyses of the basic problem have led to the conclusion that the flow is unconditionally stable. All of the literature assumed the fluid was incompressible. The assumption that a fluid is incompressible neglects solutions to the problem. The motivation of the analysis presented herein is a hypothesis that some of the acoustic disturbances in the fluid, usually neglected, may interact with the mean vorticity to produce more sound. This hypothesis was discussed by Vaidya (1988). The fluid considered herein has been a viscous, heat-conducting, ideal gas. For the cases investigated in this study, most solutions exhibited stability. There were found, however, solutions at somewhat unrealistically high Mach numbers which exhibited unstable nature. Further, it was found that for even low Mach number flows, the sound solution was the least stable solution. It is thought that the interaction between the sound perturbation and the mean flow has fed energy to the disturbance from the mean flow. Enough energy was transferred to balance some of the viscous dissipation. At low Mach numbers, for the investigated cases, not enough energy was transferred to tip the flow to instability. The established theory has been challenged. All previous analysis of the basic infinitesimal perturbation problem has suggested unconditional stability. This work has shown some unstable regimes. This keeps the hope alive that analysis may one day explain the experimental evidence (which is at much lower Mach numbers). The future work should concentrate on the sound solution for this problem. It has been shown to be the least stable, though it is usually neglected. An attempt should be made to investigate the possibility of reducing the lowest Mach number for instability. Suggestions for this have been provided in Chapter 4.

Magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in radiative flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaghoobi, Asiyeh; Shadmehri, Mohsen

2018-06-01

We present a linear analysis of the radiative Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability in the presence of magnetic field for both optically thin and thick regimes. When the flow is optically thin, magnetic field not only stabilizes perturbations with short wavelengths, but also growth rate of the instability at long wavelengths is reduced compared to a non-magnetized case. Then, we extend our analysis to the optically thick flows with a conserved total specific entropy, and properties of the unstable perturbations are investigated in detail. Growth rate of the instability at short wavelengths is suppressed due to the presence of the magnetic field; however, growth rate is nearly constant at long wavelengths because of the radiation field. Since the radiative bubbles around massive protostars are subject to the RT instability, we also explore implications of our results in this context. In the non-magnetized case, the growth time-scale of the instability for a typical bubble is found to be less than 1000 yr, which is very short compared to the typical star formation time-scale. Magnetic field with a reasonable strength significantly increases the growth time-scale to more than hundreds of thousand years. The instability, furthermore, is more efficient at large wavelengths, whereas in the non-magnetized case, growth rate at short wavelengths is more significant.

Micromixer based on viscoelastic flow instability at low Reynolds number.

PubMed

Lam, Y C; Gan, H Y; Nguyen, N T; Lie, H

2009-03-30

We exploited the viscoelasticity of biocompatible dilute polymeric solutions, namely, dilute poly(ethylene oxide) solutions, to significantly enhance mixing in microfluidic devices at a very small Reynolds number, i.e., Re approximately 0.023, but large Peclet and elasticity numbers. With an abrupt contraction microgeometry (8:1 contraction ratio), two different dilute poly(ethylene oxide) solutions were successfully mixed with a short flow length at a relatively fast mixing time of <10 mus. Microparticle image velocimetry was employed in our investigations to characterize the flow fields. The increase in velocity fluctuation with an increase in flow rate and Deborah number indicates the increase in viscoelastic flow instability. Mixing efficiency was characterized by fluorescent concentration measurements. Our results showed that enhanced mixing can be achieved through viscoelastic flow instability under situations where molecular-diffusion and inertia effects are negligible. This approach bypasses the laminar flow limitation, usually associated with a low Reynolds number, which is not conducive to mixing.

Micromixer based on viscoelastic flow instability at low Reynolds number

PubMed Central

Lam, Y. C.; Gan, H. Y.; Nguyen, N. T.; Lie, H.

2009-01-01

We exploited the viscoelasticity of biocompatible dilute polymeric solutions, namely, dilute poly(ethylene oxide) solutions, to significantly enhance mixing in microfluidic devices at a very small Reynolds number, i.e., Re≈0.023, but large Peclet and elasticity numbers. With an abrupt contraction microgeometry (8:1 contraction ratio), two different dilute poly(ethylene oxide) solutions were successfully mixed with a short flow length at a relatively fast mixing time of <10 μs. Microparticle image velocimetry was employed in our investigations to characterize the flow fields. The increase in velocity fluctuation with an increase in flow rate and Deborah number indicates the increase in viscoelastic flow instability. Mixing efficiency was characterized by fluorescent concentration measurements. Our results showed that enhanced mixing can be achieved through viscoelastic flow instability under situations where molecular-diffusion and inertia effects are negligible. This approach bypasses the laminar flow limitation, usually associated with a low Reynolds number, which is not conducive to mixing. PMID:19693399

The role of zonal flows in disc gravito-turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanon, R.

2018-07-01

The work presented here focuses on the role of zonal flows in the self-sustenance of gravito-turbulence in accretion discs. The numerical analysis is conducted using a bespoke pseudo-spectral code in fully compressible, non-linear conditions. The disc in question, which is modelled using the shearing sheet approximation, is assumed to be self-gravitating, viscous, and thermally diffusive; a constant cooling time-scale is also considered. Zonal flows are found to emerge at the onset of gravito-turbulence and they remain closely linked to the turbulent state. A cycle of zonal flow formation and destruction is established, mediated by a slow mode instability (which allows zonal flows to grow) and a non-axisymmetric instability (which disrupts the zonal flow), which is found to repeat numerous times. It is in fact the disruptive action of the non-axisymmetric instability to form new leading and trailing shearing waves, allowing energy to be extracted from the background flow and ensuring the self-sustenance of the gravito-turbulent regime.

The role of zonal flows in disc gravito-turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanon, R.

2018-04-01

The work presented here focuses on the role of zonal flows in the self-sustenance of gravito-turbulence in accretion discs. The numerical analysis is conducted using a bespoke pseudo-spectral code in fully compressible, non-linear conditions. The disc in question, which is modelled using the shearing sheet approximation, is assumed to be self-gravitating, viscous, and thermally diffusive; a constant cooling timescale is also considered. Zonal flows are found to emerge at the onset of gravito-turbulence and they remain closely linked to the turbulent state. A cycle of zonal flow formation and destruction is established, mediated by a slow mode instability (which allows zonal flows to grow) and a non-axisymmetric instability (which disrupts the zonal flow), which is found to repeat numerous times. It is in fact the disruptive action of the non-axisymmetric instability to form new leading and trailing shearing waves, allowing energy to be extracted from the background flow and ensuring the self-sustenance of the gravito-turbulent regime.

Global Instability on Laminar Separation Bubbles-Revisited

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Theofilis, Vassilis; Rodriquez, Daniel; Smith, Douglas

2010-01-01

In the last 3 years, global linear instability of LSB has been revisited, using state-of-the-art hardware and algorithms. Eigenspectra of LSB flows have been understood and classified in branches of known and newly-discovered eigenmodes. Major achievements: World-largest numerical solutions of global eigenvalue problems are routinely performed. Key aerodynamic phenomena have been explained via critical point theory, applied to our global mode results. Theoretical foundation for control of LSB flows has been laid. Global mode of LSB at the origin of observable phenomena. U-separation on semi-infinite plate. Stall cells on (stalled) airfoil. Receptivity/Sensitivity/AFC feasible (practical?) via: Adjoint EVP solution. Direct/adjoint coupling (the Crete connection). Minor effect of compressibility on global instability in the subsonic compressible regime. Global instability analysis of LSB in realistic supersonic flows apparently quite some way down the horizon.

Impact Cratering Calculations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahrens, Thomas J.

2001-01-01

This research is computational /theoretical and complements the Caltech experimental program. We have developed an understanding of the basic physical processes and produced computational models and implemented these into Eulerian and Lagrangian finite element codes. The key issues we have addressed include the conditions required for: faulting (strain localization), elastic moduli weakening, dynamic weakening (layering elastic instabilities and fluidization), bulking (creation of porosity at zero pressure) and compaction of pores, frictional melting (creation of pseudotachylytes), partial and selective devolatilization of materials (e.g. CaCO3, water/ice mixtures), and debris flows.

Coherent synchrotron radiation for laminar flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmekel, Bjoern S.; Lovelace, Richard V. E.

2006-11-01

We investigate the effect of shear in the flow of charged particle equilibria that are unstable to the coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR) instability. Shear may act to quench this instability because it acts to limit the size of the region with a fixed phase relation between emitters. The results are important for the understanding of astrophysical sources of coherent radiation where shear in the flow is likely.

Boundary layer stability on a yawed spinning body of revolution and its effect on the magnus force and moment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobson, I. D.; Morton, J. B.

1972-01-01

The parameters are established which are important to the stability of a boundary layer flow over a yawed spinning cylinder in a uniform stream. It is shown that transition occurs asymmetrically in general and this asymmetry can be important for the prediction of aerodynamic forces and moments (e.g., the Magnus effect). Instability of the steady-state boundary layer flow is determined using small disturbance theory. Although the approach is strictly valid only for the calculation of the conditions for stability in the small, experimental data indicate that in many problems, it provides a good estimate for the transition to turbulence.

Stabilizing effect of elasticity on the inertial instability of submerged viscoelastic liquid jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keshavarz, Bavand; McKinley, Gareth

2017-11-01

The stability of submerged Newtonian and viscoelastic liquid jets is studied experimentally using flow visualization. Precise control of the amplitude and frequency of the imposed linear perturbations is achieved through a piezoelectric actuator attached to the nozzle. By illuminating the jet with a strobe light driven at a frequency slightly less than the frequency of the perturbation we slow down the apparent motion by large factors ( 100 , 000) and capture the phenomena with high temporal and spatial resolution. Newtonian liquid jets become unstable at moderate Reynolds numbers (Rej 150) and sinuous or varicose patterns emerge and grow in amplitude. As the jet moves downstream, the varicose waves gradually pile up in the sinuous ones due to the difference in their corresponding wave speeds, leading to a unique chevron-like morphology. Experiments with model viscoelastic polymer solutions show that this inertial instability is fully stabilized sufficiently large levels of elasticity. We compare our experimental results with the theoretical predictions of an elastic Rayleigh equation for an axisymmetric jet and show that the presence of streamline tension is indeed the stabilizing effect for inertioelastic jets.

High-Speed Boundary-Layer Transition Induced by an Isolated Roughness Element

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kegerise, Michael A.; Owens, Lewis R.; King, Rudolph A.

2010-01-01

Progress on an experimental effort to quantify the instability mechanisms associated with roughness-induced transition in a high-speed boundary layer is reported in this paper. To simulate the low-disturbance environment encountered during high-altitude flight, the experimental study was performed in the NASA-Langley Mach 3.5 Supersonic Low-Disturbance Tunnel. A flat plate trip sizing study was performed first to identify the roughness height required to force transition. That study, which included transition onset measurements under both quiet and noisy freestream conditions, confirmed the sensitivity of roughness-induced transition to freestream disturbance levels. Surveys of the laminar boundary layer on a 7deg half-angle sharp-tipped cone were performed via hot-wire anemometry and pitot-pressure measurements. The measured mean mass-flux and Mach-number profiles agreed very well with computed mean-flow profiles. Finally, surveys of the boundary layer developing downstream of an isolated roughness element on the cone were performed. The measurements revealed an instability in the far wake of the roughness element that grows exponentially and has peak frequencies in the 150 to 250 kHz range.

Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Turbulent Transport Control via Shaping of Radial Plasma Flow Profiles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gilmore, Mark Allen

Turbulence, and turbulence-driven transport are ubiquitous in magnetically confined plasmas, where there is an intimate relationship between turbulence, transport, instability driving mechanisms (such as gradients), plasma flows, and flow shear. Though many of the detailed physics of the interrelationship between turbulence, transport, drive mechanisms, and flow remain unclear, there have been many demonstrations that transport and/or turbulence can be suppressed or reduced via manipulations of plasma flow profiles. This is well known in magnetic fusion plasmas [e.g., high confinement mode (H-mode) and internal transport barriers (ITB’s)], and has also been demonstrated in laboratory plasmas. However, it may be that themore » levels of particle transport obtained in such cases [e.g. H-mode, ITB’s] are actually lower than is desirable for a practical fusion device. Ideally, one would be able to actively feedback control the turbulent transport, via manipulation of the flow profiles. The purpose of this research was to investigate the feasibility of using both advanced model-based control algorithms, as well as non-model-based algorithms, to control cross-field turbulence-driven particle transport through appropriate manipulation of radial plasma flow profiles. The University of New Mexico was responsible for the experimental portion of the project, while our collaborators at the University of Montana provided plasma transport modeling, and collaborators at Lehigh University developed and explored control methods.« less

Slope instability in complex 3D topography promoted by convergent 3D groundwater flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reid, M. E.; Brien, D. L.

2012-12-01

Slope instability in complex topography is generally controlled by the interaction between gravitationally induced stresses, 3D strengths, and 3D pore-fluid pressure fields produced by flowing groundwater. As an example of this complexity, coastal bluffs sculpted by landsliding commonly exhibit a progression of undulating headlands and re-entrants. In this landscape, stresses differ between headlands and re-entrants and 3D groundwater flow varies from vertical rainfall infiltration to lateral groundwater flow on lower permeability layers with subsequent discharge at the curved bluff faces. In plan view, groundwater flow converges in the re-entrant regions. To investigate relative slope instability induced by undulating topography, we couple the USGS 3D limit-equilibrium slope-stability model, SCOOPS, with the USGS 3D groundwater flow model, MODFLOW. By rapidly analyzing the stability of millions of potential failures, the SCOOPS model can determine relative slope stability throughout the 3D domain underlying a digital elevation model (DEM), and it can utilize both fully 3D distributions of pore-water pressure and material strength. The two models are linked by first computing a groundwater-flow field in MODFLOW, and then computing stability in SCOOPS using the pore-pressure field derived from groundwater flow. Using these two models, our analyses of 60m high coastal bluffs in Seattle, Washington showed augmented instability in topographic re-entrants given recharge from a rainy season. Here, increased recharge led to elevated perched water tables with enhanced effects in the re-entrants owing to convergence of groundwater flow. Stability in these areas was reduced about 80% compared to equivalent dry conditions. To further isolate these effects, we examined groundwater flow and stability in hypothetical landscapes composed of uniform and equally spaced, oscillating headlands and re-entrants with differing amplitudes. The landscapes had a constant slope for both headlands and re-entrants to minimize slope effects on stability. Despite these equal slopes, our analyses, given dry conditions, illustrated that the headlands can be 5-7% less stable than the re-entrants, owing to the geometry of the 3D failure mass with the lowest stability. We then simulated groundwater flow in these landscapes; flow was caused by recharge perching on a horizontal low permeability layer with discharge at the bluff faces. By systematically varying recharge, hydraulic conductivity of the material, and conductance at the bluffs, we created different 3D pore-pressure fields. Recharge rates and hydraulic conductivities controlled the height of the water table, whereas bluff conductance influenced the gradient of the water table near the bluff face. Given elevated water tables with steep gradients, bluffs in the re-entrants became unstable where flow converged. Thus, with progressively stronger effects from water flow, overall instability evolved from relatively unstable headlands to more uniform stability to relatively unstable re-entrants. Larger re-entrants led to more 3D flow convergence and greater localized instability. One- or two-dimensional models cannot fully characterize slope instability in complex topography.

The fluid mechanics of continuous flow electrophoresis in perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saville, D. A.

1980-01-01

Buoyancy alters the flow in continuous flow electrophoresis chambers through the mechanism of hydrodynamic instability and, when the instability is supressed by careful cooling of the chamber boundaries, by restructuring the axial flow. The expanded roles of buoyancy follow upon adapting the size of the chamber and the electric field so as to fractionate certain sorts of cell populations. Scale-up problems, hydrodynamic stability and the altered flow fields are discussed to show how phenomena overlooked in the design and operations of narrow-gap devices take on an overwhelming importance in wide-gap chambers

Experimental analysis of thermo-acoustic instabilities in a generic gas turbine combustor by phase-correlated PIV, chemiluminescence, and laser Raman scattering measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arndt, Christoph M.; Severin, Michael; Dem, Claudiu; Stöhr, Michael; Steinberg, Adam M.; Meier, Wolfgang

2015-04-01

A gas turbine model combustor for partially premixed swirl flames was equipped with an optical combustion chamber and operated with CH4 and air at atmospheric pressure. The burner consisted of two concentric nozzles for separately controlled air flows and a ring of holes 12 mm upstream of the nozzle exits for fuel injection. The flame described here had a thermal power of 25 kW, a global equivalence ratio of 0.7, and exhibited thermo-acoustic instabilities at a frequency of approximately 400 Hz. The phase-dependent variations in the flame shape and relative heat release rate were determined by OH* chemiluminescence imaging; the flow velocities by stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (PIV); and the major species concentrations, mixture fraction, and temperature by laser Raman scattering. The PIV measurements showed that the flow field performed a "pumping" mode with varying inflow velocities and extent of the inner recirculation zone, triggered by the pressure variations in the combustion chamber. The flow field oscillations were accompanied by variations in the mixture fraction in the inflow region and at the flame root, which in turn were mainly caused by the variations in the CH4 concentration. The mean phase-dependent changes in the fluxes of CH4 and N2 through cross-sectional planes of the combustion chamber at different heights above the nozzle were estimated by combining the PIV and Raman data. The results revealed a periodic variation in the CH4 flux by more than 150 % in relation to the mean value, due to the combined influence of the oscillating flow velocity, density variations, and CH4 concentration. Based on the experimental results, the feedback mechanism of the thermo-acoustic pulsations could be identified as a periodic fluctuation of the equivalence ratio and fuel mass flow together with a convective delay for the transport of fuel from the fuel injector to the flame zone. The combustor and the measured data are well suited for the validation of numerical combustion simulations.

Stabilization of Hypersonic Boundary Layers by Linear and Nonlinear Optimal Perturbations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paredes, Pedro; Choudhari, Meelan M.; Li, Fei

2017-01-01

The effect of stationary, finite-amplitude, linear and nonlinear optimal perturbations on the modal disturbance growth in a Mach 6 axisymmetric flow over a 7 deg. half-angle cone with 0:126 mm nose radius and 0:305 m length is investigated. The freestream parameters (M = 6, Re(exp 1) = 18 x 10(exp. 6) /m) are selected to match the flow conditions of a previous experiment in the VKI H3 hypersonic tunnel. Plane-marching parabolized stability equations are used in conjunction with a partial-differential equation based planar eigenvalue analysis to characterize the boundary layer instability in the presence of azimuthally periodic streaks. The streaks are observed to stabilize nominally planar Mack mode instabilities, although oblique Mack mode and first-mode disturbances are destabilized. Experimentally measured transition onset in the absence of any streaks correlates with an amplification factor of N = 6 for the planar Mack modes. For high enough streak amplitudes, the transition threshold of N = 6 is not reached by the Mack mode instabilities within the length of the cone; however, subharmonic first-mode instabilities, which are destabilized by the presence of the streaks, do reach N = 6 near the end of the cone. The highest stabilization is observed at streak amplitudes of approximately 20 percent of the freestream velocity. Because the use of initial disturbance profiles based on linear optimal growth theory may yield suboptimal control in the context of nonlinear streaks, the computational predictions are extended to nonlinear optimal growth theory. Results show that by using nonlinearly optimal perturbation leads to slightly enhanced stabilization of plane Mack mode disturbances as well as reduced destabilization of subharmonic first-mode disturbances.

First Simulations of a Collisional Two-Stream Instability in the Chromosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oppenheim, Meers; Dimant, Yakov; Madsen, Chad Allen; Fontenla, Juan

2014-06-01

Observations and modeling shows that immediately above the temperature minimum in the solar atmosphere, a steep rise from below 4,000 K to over 6,000K occurs. Recent papers show that a collisional two-stream plasma instability called the Farley-Buneman Instability can develop at the altitudes where this increase occurs. This instability may play an important role in transferring energy from turbulent neutral flows originating in the photosphere to the mid-chromosphere in the form of heat. Plasma turbulence resulting from this instability could account for some or most of this intense chromospheric heating. This paper presents a set of simulations showing the development and evolution of the Farley-Buneman Instability (FBI) applicable to the chromosphere. It compares these results with the better-understood ionospheric FBI. It examines the linear behavior and the dependence of growth rates for a range of altitudes and driving flows. It also presents the first study of FBI driven plasma nonlinearities and turbulence in the chromosphere. This research should help us evaluate the FBI as a mechanism to convert neutral flow and turbulence energy into electron thermal energy in the quiet Sun.

Development and Breakdown of Goertler Vortices in High Speed Boundary Layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Fei; Choudhari, Meelan; Chang, Chau-Lyan; Wu, Minwei; Greene, Ptrick T.

2010-01-01

The nonlinear development of G rtler instability over a concave surface gives rise to a highly distorted stationary flow in the boundary layer that has strong velocity gradients in both spanwise and wall-normal directions. This distorted flow is susceptible to strong, high frequency secondary instability that leads to the onset of transition. For high Mach number flows, the boundary layer is also subject to the second mode instability. The nonlinear development of G rtler vortices and the ensuing growth and breakdown of secondary instability, the G rtler vortex interactions with second mode instabilities as well as oblique second mode interactions are examined in the context of both internal and external hypersonic configurations using nonlinear parabolized stability equations, 2-D eigenvalue analysis and direct numerical simulation. For G rtler vortex development inside the Purdue Mach 6 Ludwieg tube wind tunnel, multiple families of unstable secondary eigenmodes are identified and their linear and nonlinear evolution is examined. The computation of secondary instability is continued past the onset of transition to elucidate the physical mechanisms underlying the laminar breakdown process. Nonlinear breakdown scenarios associated with transition over a Mach 6 compression cone configuration are also explored.

Collective Interaction of a Compressible Periodic Parallel Jet Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miles, Jeffrey Hilton

1997-01-01

A linear instability model for multiple spatially periodic supersonic rectangular jets is solved using Floquet-Bloch theory. The disturbance environment is investigated using a two dimensional perturbation of a mean flow. For all cases large temporal growth rates are found. This work is motivated by an increase in mixing found in experimental measurements of spatially periodic supersonic rectangular jets with phase-locked screech. The results obtained in this paper suggests that phase-locked screech or edge tones may produce correlated spatially periodic jet flow downstream of the nozzles which creates a large span wise multi-nozzle region where a disturbance can propagate. The large temporal growth rates for eddies obtained by model calculation herein are related to the increased mixing since eddies are the primary mechanism that transfer energy from the mean flow to the large turbulent structures. Calculations of growth rates are presented for a range of Mach numbers and nozzle spacings corresponding to experimental test conditions where screech synchronized phase locking was observed. The model may be of significant scientific and engineering value in the quest to understand and construct supersonic mixer-ejector nozzles which provide increased mixing and reduced noise.

Experiments of the highly non-linear Rayleigh-Taylor instability regime and dependence on Atwood Number

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elgin, L.; Handy, T.; Malamud, G.; Huntington, C. M.; Trantham, M. R.; Klein, S. R.; Kuranz, C. C.; Drake, R. P.; Shvarts, D.

2017-10-01

Potential flow models predict that a Rayleigh-Taylor unstable system will reach a terminal velocity (and constant Froude number) at low Atwood numbers. Numerical simulations predict a re-acceleration phase of Rayleigh-Taylor Instability (RTI) and higher Froude number at late times. To observe this effect, we are conducting a series of experiments at OMEGA 60 to measure single-mode RTI growth at low and high Atwood numbers and late times. X-ray radiographs spanning 40 + ns capture the evolution of these systems. Experimental design challenges and initial results are discussed here. This work is funded by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under subcontract B614207, and was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Erosion patterns on dissolving blocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Courrech du Pont, Sylvain; Cohen, Caroline; Derr, Julien; Berhanu, Michael

2016-04-01

Patterns in nature are shaped under water flows and wind action, and the understanding of their morphodynamics goes through the identification of the physical mechanisms at play. When a dissoluble body is exposed to a water flow, typical patterns with scallop-like shapes may appear [1,2]. These shapes are observed on the walls of underground rivers or icebergs. We experimentally study the erosion of dissolving bodies made of salt, caramel or ice into water solutions without external flow. The dissolving mixture, which is created at the solid/liquid interface, undergoes a buoyancy-driven instability comparable to a Rayleigh-Bénard instability so that the dissolving front destabilizes into filaments. This mechanism yields to spatial variations of solute concentration and to differential dissolution of the dissolving block. We first observe longitudinal stripes with a well defined wavelength, which evolve towards chevrons and scallops that interact and move again the dissolving current. Thanks to a careful analysis of the competing physical mechanisms, we propose scaling laws, which account for the characteristic lengths and times of the early regime in experiments. The long-term evolution of patterns is understood qualitatively. A close related mechanism has been proposed to explain structures observed on the basal boundary of ice cover on brakish lakes [3] and we suggest that our experiments are analogous and explain the scallop-like patterns on iceberg walls. [1] P. Meakin and B. Jamtveit, Geological pattern formation by growth and dissolution in aqueous systems, Proc. R. Soc. A 466, 659-694 (2010). [2] P.N. Blumberg and R.L. Curl, Experimental and theoretical studies of dissolution roughness, J. Fluid Mech. 65, 735-751 (1974). [3] L. Solari and G. Parker, Morphodynamic modelling of the basal boundary of ice cover on brakish lakes, J.G.R. 118, 1432-1442 (2013).

Instability of Navier slip flow of liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, A. Kwang-Hua

2004-11-01

We investigate the stability problem related to the basic slip flows of liquids in plane microchannels by using the Navier slip concept. We found that if the Navier slip parameter ( N) equals 0.06, the critical Reynolds number ( Re) becomes 213.6. There are short-wave instabilities, however, when we further increase N to 0.07 or 0.08. Re becomes 132.9 for N=0.08 if we neglect the short-wave instability. To cite this article: A.K.-H. Chu, C. R. Mecanique 332 (2004).

A Note on the Wave Action Density of a Viscous Instability Mode on a Laminar Free-shear Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balsa, Thomas F.

1994-01-01

Using the assumptions of an incompressible and viscous flow at large Reynolds number, we derive the evolution equation for the wave action density of an instability wave traveling on top of a laminar free-shear flow. The instability is considered to be viscous; the purpose of the present work is to include the cumulative effect of the (locally) small viscous correction to the wave, over length and time scales on which the underlying base flow appears inhomogeneous owing to its viscous diffusion. As such, we generalize our previous work for inviscid waves. This generalization appears as an additional (but usually non-negligible) term in the equation for the wave action. The basic structure of the equation remains unaltered.

Instability evolution of the viscous elliptic liquid jet in the Rayleigh regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Shibo; Wang, Lipo; Hung, David L. S.

2017-06-01

For jet flow emanating from noncircular orifices, an unbalanced surface tension force leads to capillary instability, which is independent of influence from the ambient air in the Rayleigh regime. In the present article, the dynamic behavior of incompressible elliptical jets in the Rayleigh regime is investigated. Theoretically, with the consideration of the fluid viscosity, the solution of the Cosserat equation consists of a particular solution and a complementary solution. For the complementary solution the wave number of disturbance modes has two complex conjugate roots, which are responsible for the jet breakup. To match the nonzero particular solution, a spatial wave needs to be introduced, which is independent of external perturbations. Physically, such a spatial wave is interpreted as the axis-switching phenomenon. The predicted features of the axis-switching wavelength and the damping effect from the fluid viscosity have been successfully verified by experimental results. Moreover, the dispersion relations from the present theory suggest that the growth rate of spatial instability is influenced by orifice eccentricity, the Weber number, and the Ohnesorge number.

Instability evolution of the viscous elliptic liquid jet in the Rayleigh regime.

PubMed

Gu, Shibo; Wang, Lipo; Hung, David L S

2017-06-01

For jet flow emanating from noncircular orifices, an unbalanced surface tension force leads to capillary instability, which is independent of influence from the ambient air in the Rayleigh regime. In the present article, the dynamic behavior of incompressible elliptical jets in the Rayleigh regime is investigated. Theoretically, with the consideration of the fluid viscosity, the solution of the Cosserat equation consists of a particular solution and a complementary solution. For the complementary solution the wave number of disturbance modes has two complex conjugate roots, which are responsible for the jet breakup. To match the nonzero particular solution, a spatial wave needs to be introduced, which is independent of external perturbations. Physically, such a spatial wave is interpreted as the axis-switching phenomenon. The predicted features of the axis-switching wavelength and the damping effect from the fluid viscosity have been successfully verified by experimental results. Moreover, the dispersion relations from the present theory suggest that the growth rate of spatial instability is influenced by orifice eccentricity, the Weber number, and the Ohnesorge number.

Boundary Layer Transition over Blunt Hypersonic Vehicles Including Effects of Ablation-Induced Out-Gassing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Fei; Choudhari, Meelan; Chang, Chau-Lyan; White, Jeffery

2011-01-01

Computations are performed to study the boundary layer instability mechanisms pertaining to hypersonic flow over blunt capsules. For capsules with ablative heat shields, transition may be influenced both by out-gassing associated with surface pyrolysis and the resulting modification of surface geometry including the formation of micro-roughness. To isolate the effects of out-gassing, this paper examines the stability of canonical boundary layer flows over a smooth surface in the presence of gas injection into the boundary layer. For a slender cone, the effects of out-gassing on the predominantly second mode instability are found to be stabilizing. In contrast, for a blunt capsule flow dominated by first mode instability, out-gassing is shown to be destabilizing. Analogous destabilizing effects of outgassing are also noted for both stationary and traveling modes of crossflow instability over a blunt sphere-cone configuration at angle of attack.

On the interaction of jet noise with a nearby flexible structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgreevy, J. L.; Bayliss, A.; Maestrello, L.

1994-01-01

The model of the interaction of the noise from a spreading subsonic jet with a panel-stringer assembly is studied numerically in two dimensions. The radiation resulting from this flow/acoustic/structure coupling is computed and analyzed in both the time and frequency domains. The jet is initially excited by a pulse-like source inserted into the flow field. The pulse triggers instabilities associated with the inviscid instability of the jet mean flow shear layer. These instabilities in turn generate sound which provides the primary loading for the panels. The resulting structural vibration and radiation depends strongly on their placement relative to the jet/nozzle configuration. Results are obtained for the panel responses as well as the transmitted and incident pressure. The effect of the panels is to act as a narrow filter, converting the relatively broad band forcing, heavily influenced by jet instabilities, into radiation concentrated in narrow spectral bands.

Can Hall effect trigger Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in sub-Alfvénic flows?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, B. P.

2018-05-01

In the Hall magnetohydrodynamics, the onset condition of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is solely determined by the Hall effect and is independent of the nature of shear flows. In addition, the physical mechanism behind the super- and sub-Alfvénic flows becoming unstable is quite different: the high-frequency right circularly polarized whistler becomes unstable in the super-Alfvénic flows whereas low-frequency, left circularly polarized ion-cyclotron wave becomes unstable in the presence of sub-Alfvénic shear flows. The growth rate of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in the super-Alfvénic case is higher than the corresponding ideal magnetohydrodynamic rate. In the sub-Alfvénic case, the Hall effect opens up a new, hitherto inaccessible (to the magnetohydrodynamics) channel through which the partially or fully ionized fluid can become Kelvin-Helmholtz unstable. The instability growth rate in this case is smaller than the super-Alfvénic case owing to the smaller free shear energy content of the flow. When the Hall term is somewhat smaller than the advection term in the induction equation, the Hall effect is also responsible for the appearance of a new overstable mode whose growth rate is smaller than the purely growing Kelvin-Helmholtz mode. On the other hand, when the Hall diffusion dominates the advection term, the growth rate of the instability depends only on the Alfvén -Mach number and is independent of the Hall diffusion coefficient. Further, the growth rate in this case linearly increases with the Alfvén frequency with smaller slope for sub-Alfvénic flows.

Experimental Study on Ice Forming Process of Cryogenic Liquid Releasing underwater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Bin; Wu, Wanqing; Zhang, Xingdong; Zhang, Yi; Zhang, Chuanlin; Zhang, Haoran; Wang, Peng

2017-11-01

Cryogenic liquid releasing into water would be a process combines hyperactive boiling with ice forming. There are still few researches on the experimental study on the environmental conditions for deciding ice forming speed and liquid surviving state. In this paper, to advance our understanding of ice forming deciding factors in the process of LN2 releasing underwater, a visualization experimental system is built. The results show that the pressure difference significantly influences the ice forming speed and liquid surviving distance, which is observed by the experiment and theoretically analysed by Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. Adding nucleating agent is helpful to provide ice nucleus which can accelerate the ice forming speed. Water flowing has some effect on changing pressure difference, which can affect the ice forming speed and liquid surviving distance.

Instability of a cantilevered flexible plate in viscous channel flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balint, T. S.; Lucey, A. D.

2005-10-01

The stability of a flexible cantilevered plate in viscous channel flow is studied as a representation of the dynamics of the human upper airway. The focus is on instability mechanisms of the soft palate (flexible plate) that cause airway blockage during sleep. We solve the Navier Stokes equations for flow with Reynolds numbers up to 1500 fully coupled with the dynamics of the plate motion solved using finite-differences. The study is 2-D and based upon linearized plate mechanics. When both upper and lower airways are open, the plate is found to lose its stability through a flutter mechanism and a critical Reynolds number exists. When one airway is closed, the plate principally loses its stability through a divergence mechanism and a critical flow speed exists. However, below the divergence-onset flow speed, flutter can exist for low levels of structural damping in the flexible plate. Our results serve to extend understanding of flow-induced instability of cantilevered flexible plates and will ultimately improve the diagnosis and treatment of upper-airway disorders.

Flow-driven instabilities during pattern formation of Dictyostelium discoideum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gholami, A.; Steinbock, O.; Zykov, V.; Bodenschatz, E.

2015-06-01

The slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum is a well known model system for the study of biological pattern formation. In the natural environment, aggregating populations of starving Dictyostelium discoideum cells may experience fluid flows that can profoundly change the underlying wave generation process. Here we study the effect of advection on the pattern formation in a colony of homogeneously distributed Dictyostelium discoideum cells described by the standard Martiel-Goldbeter model. The external flow advects the signaling molecule cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) downstream, while the chemotactic cells attached to the solid substrate are not transported with the flow. The evolution of small perturbations in cAMP concentrations is studied analytically in the linear regime and by corresponding numerical simulations. We show that flow can significantly influence the dynamics of the system and lead to a flow-driven instability that initiate downstream traveling cAMP waves. We also show that boundary conditions have a significant effect on the observed patterns and can lead to a new kind of instability.

The temporal evolution of the resistive pressure-gradient-driven turbulence and anomalous transport in shear flow across the magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hae June; Mikhailenko, Vladmir; Mikhailenko, Vladimir

2017-10-01

The temporal evolution of the resistive pressure-gradient-driven mode in the sheared flow is investigated by employing the shearing modes approach. It reveals an essential difference in the processes, which occur in the case of the flows with velocity shearing rate less than the growth rate of the instability in the steady plasmas, and in the case of the flows with velocity shear larger than the instability growth rate in steady plasmas. It displays the physical content of the empirical ``quench rule'' which predicts the suppression of the turbulence in the sheared flows when the velocity shearing rate becomes larger than the maximum growth rate of the possible instability. We found that the distortion of the perturbations by the sheared flow with such velocity shear introduces the time dependencies into the governing equations, which prohibits the application of the eigenmodes formalism and requires the solution of the initial value problem.

Flow simulations on an organ pipe foot model.

PubMed

Vaik, István; Paál, György

2013-02-01

The present paper shows numerical simulations of the flow responsible for the sound generation in an organ pipe. Only the foot model of the organ pipe (i.e., with the resonator detached) is investigated by two-dimensional incompressible CFD simulations. It is shown that in spite of the moderately high Reynolds number (Re≈2350) no turbulence modeling is necessary. Free jet simulation (foot model without the upper lip) showed that the jet oscillates due to its natural instability. The velocity profile, the centerline and the width of the jet is determined at different heights above the flue. Edge tone simulations (foot model with the upper lip) were carried out having the upper lip at a constant height but at different x positions. It was found that the strongest and most stable edge tone oscillation occurs if the lower left corner of the upper lip is in the centerline of the jet (optimum position). When the upper lip is far from its optimum position the oscillation of the jet is rather due to the natural instability of the jet than the edge tone phenomenon. The results agree well with the experimental results of Außerlechner et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 126, 878-886 (2009)] and Außerlechner (Ph.D. thesis, Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany) and with former results of the authors [Paál and Vaik, Int. J. Heat Fluid Flow 28, 575-586 (2007); Paál and Vaik, in Conference on Modelling Fluid Flow (CMFF'09), Budapest, Hungary].

Apparatus and method for combusting low quality fuel

DOEpatents

Brushwood, John Samuel; Pillsbury, Paul; Foote, John; Heilos, Andreas

2003-11-04

A gas turbine (12) capable of combusting a low quality gaseous fuel having a ratio of flammability limits less than 2, or a heat value below 100 BTU/SCF. A high quality fuel is burned simultaneously with the low quality fuel to eliminate instability in the combustion flame. A sensor (46) is used to monitor at least one parameter of the flame indicative of instability. A controller (50) having the sensor signal (48) as input is programmed to control the relative flow rates of the low quality and high quality fuels. When instability is detected, the flow rate of high quality fuel is automatically increased in relation to the flow rate of low quality fuel to restore stability.

Ion sound instability driven by the ion flows

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koshkarov, O., E-mail: koshkarov.alexandr@usask.ca; Smolyakov, A. I.; National Research Centre

2015-05-15

Ion sound instabilities driven by the ion flow in a system of a finite length are considered by analytical and numerical methods. The ion sound waves are modified by the presence of stationary ion flow resulting in negative and positive energy modes. The instability develops due to coupling of negative and positive energy modes mediated by reflections from the boundary. It is shown that the wave dispersion due to deviation from quasineutrality is crucial for the stability. In finite length system, the dispersion is characterized by the length of the system measured in units of the Debye length. The instabilitymore » is studied analytically and the results are compared with direct, initial value numerical simulations.« less

Improving the performance of galloping micro-power generators by passively manipulating the trailing edge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noel, J.; Yadav, R.; Li, G.; Daqaq, M. F.

2018-02-01

Recent trends in distributed sensing networks have generated significant interest in the design of scalable micro-power generators. One such device exploits the galloping oscillations of a prism to harness energy from a moving fluid. Performance of galloping harvester's depends on the flow patterns around the prism, which, in turn, depend on its geometry and the Reynolds number of the flow. In this letter, we demonstrate that the useful range of the galloping instability can be extended by attaching a rigid splitter plate to the rear face of the prism. The plate provides a secondary flow reattachment point, which serves to improve the oscillation amplitude and power output of the generator. Experimental results demonstrate as much as 67% power enhancement for some prism geometries and a significant reduction in the cut-in wind speed of the generator.

Wave number selection in the presence of noise: Experimental results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhilenko, Dmitry; Krivonosova, Olga; Gritsevich, Maria; Read, Peter

2018-05-01

In this study, we consider how the wave number selection in spherical Couette flow, in the transition to azimuthal waves after the first instability, occurs in the presence of noise. The outer sphere was held stationary, while the inner sphere rotational speed was increased linearly from a subcritical flow to a supercritical one. In a supercritical flow, one of two possible flow states, each with different azimuthal wave numbers, can appear depending upon the initial and final Reynolds numbers and the acceleration value. Noise perturbations were added by introducing small disturbances into the rotational speed signal. With an increasing noise amplitude, a change in the dominant wave number from m to m ± 1 was found to occur at the same initial and final Reynolds numbers and acceleration values. The flow velocity measurements were conducted by using laser Doppler anemometry. Using these results, the role of noise as well as the behaviour of the amplitudes of the competing modes in their stages of damping and growth were determined.

Feedback between intracellular flow, signaling and active stresses in Physarum plasmodial fragments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shun; Guy, Robert; Del Alamo, Juan Carlos

2016-11-01

Physarum polycephalum is a multinucleated slime mold whose endoplasm flows periodically driven by the contraction of its ectoplasm, a dense shell of F-actin cross-linked by myosin molecular motors and attached to the cell membrane. Ectoplasm contractions are regulated by calcium ions whose propagation is in turn governed by the flow. We study experimentally how this feedback leads to auto-oscillation by simultaneously measuring endoplasmic flow speed and rheological properties, the traction stresses between the ectoplasm and its substratum and the distribution of endoplasmic free calcium ions. We find that physarum fragments smaller than 100 microns remain round and stay in place. However, larger fragments break symmetry leading to sustained forward locomotion, in process that is reminiscent of an interfacial instability that seems to settle around two different limit cycles (traveling waves and standing waves). By using different adhesive coatings in the substratum we investigate the role of substratum friction in the emergence of coherent endoplasmic flow patterns and overall physarum fragment locomotion.

Optimal Transient Growth of Submesoscale Baroclinic Instabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Brian; Zemskova, Varvara; Passaggia, Pierre-Yves

2016-11-01

Submesoscale instabilities are analyzed using a transient growth approach to determine the optimal perturbation for a rotating Boussinesq fluid subject to baroclinic instabilities. We consider a base flow with uniform shear and stratification and consider the non-normal evolution over finite-time horizons of linear perturbations in an ageostrophic, non-hydrostatic regime. Stone (1966, 1971) showed that the stability of the base flow to normal modes depends on the Rossby and Richardson numbers, with instabilities ranging from geostrophic (Ro -> 0) and ageostrophic (finite Ro) baroclinic modes to symmetric (Ri < 1 , Ro > 1) and Kelvin-Helmholtz (Ri < 1 / 4) modes. Non-normal transient growth, initiated by localized optimal wave packets, represents a faster mechanism for the growth of perturbations and may provide an energetic link between large-scale flows in geostrophic balance and dissipation scales via submesoscale instabilities. Here we consider two- and three-dimensional optimal perturbations by means of direct-adjoint iterations of the linearized Boussinesq Navier-Stokes equations to determine the form of the optimal perturbation, the optimal energy gain, and the characteristics of the most unstable perturbation.

Investigation of instability of displacement front in non-isothermal flow problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syulyukina, Natalia; Pergament, Anna

2012-11-01

In this paper, we investigate the issues of front instability arising in non-isothermal flow displacement processes. The problem of two-phase flow of immiscible fluids, oil and water, is considered, including sources and dependence of viscosity on temperature. Three-dimensional problem with perturbation close to the injection well was considered to find the characteristic scale of the instability. As a result of numerical calculations, theoretical studies on the development of the instability due to the fact that the viscosity of the displacing fluid is less than the viscosity of the displaced have been confirmed. The influence of temperature on the evolution of the instability was considered. For this purpose, the dependence of oil viscosity on temperature has been added to the problem. Numerical calculations were carried out for different values of temperature and it was shown that with increasing of production rate. Thus, it has been demonstrated that the selection of the optimal temperature for injected fluids a possible way for stimulation of oil production also delaying the field water-flooding. This work was supporting by the RFBR grant 12-01-00793-a.

Collective Interaction in a Linear Array of Supersonic Rectangular Jets: A Linear Spatial Instability Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miles, Jeffrey Hilton

1999-01-01

A linear spatial instability model for multiple spatially periodic supersonic rectangular jets is solved using Floquet-Bloch theory. It is assumed that in the region of interest a coherent wave can propagate. For the case studied large spatial growth rates are found. This work is motivated by an increase in mixing found in experimental measurements of spatially periodic supersonic rectangular jets with phase-locked screech and edge tone feedback locked subsonic jets. The results obtained in this paper suggests that phase-locked screech or edge tones may produce correlated spatially periodic jet flow downstream of the nozzles which creates a large span wise multi-nozzle region where a coherent wave can propagate. The large spatial growth rates for eddies obtained by model calculation herein are related to the increased mixing since eddies are the primary mechanism that transfer energy from the mean flow to the large turbulent structures. Calculations of spacial growth rates will be presented for a set of relative Mach numbers and spacings for which experimental measurements have been made. Calculations of spatial growth rates are presented for relative Mach numbers from 1.25 to 1.75 with ratios of nozzle spacing to nozzle width ratios from s/w(sub N) = 4 to s/w(sub N) = 13.7. The model may be of significant scientific and engineering value in the quest to understand and construct supersonic mixer-ejector nozzles which provide increased mixing and reduced noise.

Multi-resolution Delta-plus-SPH with tensile instability control: Towards high Reynolds number flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, P. N.; Colagrossi, A.; Marrone, S.; Antuono, M.; Zhang, A. M.

2018-03-01

It is well known that the use of SPH models in simulating flow at high Reynolds numbers is limited because of the tensile instability inception in the fluid region characterized by high vorticity and negative pressure. In order to overcome this issue, the δ+-SPH scheme is modified by implementing a Tensile Instability Control (TIC). The latter consists of switching the momentum equation to a non-conservative formulation in the unstable flow regions. The loss of conservation properties is shown to induce small errors, provided that the particle distribution is regular. The latter condition can be ensured thanks to the implementation of a Particle Shifting Technique (PST). The novel variant of the δ+-SPH is proved to be effective in preventing the onset of tensile instability. Several challenging benchmark tests involving flows past bodies at large Reynolds numbers have been used. Within this a simulation characterized by a deforming foil that resembles a fish-like swimming body is used as a practical application of the δ+-SPH model in biological fluid mechanics.

Simulating the frontal instability of lock-exchange density currents with dissipative particle dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yanggui; Geng, Xingguo; Wang, Heping; Zhuang, Xin; Ouyang, Jie

2016-06-01

The frontal instability of lock-exchange density currents is numerically investigated using dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) at the mesoscopic particle level. For modeling two-phase flow, the “color” repulsion model is adopted to describe binary fluids according to Rothman-Keller method. The present DPD simulation can reproduce the flow phenomena of lock-exchange density currents, including the lobe-and-cleft instability that appears at the head, as well as the formation of coherent billow structures at the interface behind the head due to the growth of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. Furthermore, through the DPD simulation, some small-scale characteristics can be observed, which are difficult to be captured in macroscopic simulation and experiment.

Numerical aspects in modeling high Deborah number flow and elastic instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, Youngdon

2014-05-01

Investigating highly nonlinear viscoelastic flow in 2D domain, we explore problem as well as property possibly inherent in the streamline upwinding technique (SUPG) and then present various results of elastic instability. The mathematically stable Leonov model written in tensor-logarithmic formulation is employed in the framework of finite element method for spatial discretization of several representative problem domains. For enhancement of computation speed, decoupled integration scheme is applied for shear thinning and Boger-type fluids. From the analysis of 4:1 contraction flow at low and moderate values of the Deborah number (De) the solution with SUPG method does not show noticeable difference from the one by the computation without upwinding. On the other hand, in the flow regime of high De, especially in the state of elastic instability the SUPG significantly distorts the flow field and the result differs considerably from the solution acquired straightforwardly. When the strength of elastic flow and thus the nonlinearity further increase, the computational scheme with upwinding fails to converge and evolutionary solution does not become available any more. All this result suggests that extreme care has to be taken on occasions where upwinding is applied, and one has to first of all prove validity of this algorithm in the case of high nonlinearity. On the contrary, the straightforward computation with no upwinding can efficiently model representative phenomena of elastic instability in such benchmark problems as 4:1 contraction flow, flow over a circular cylinder and flow over asymmetric array of cylinders. Asymmetry of the flow field occurring in the symmetric domain, enhanced spatial and temporal fluctuation of dynamic variables and flow effects caused by extension hardening are properly described in this study.

Wake Instabilities Behind Discrete Roughness Elements in High Speed Boundary Layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choudhari, Meelan; Li, Fei; Chang, Chau-Lyan; Norris, Andrew; Edwards, Jack

2013-01-01

Computations are performed to study the flow past an isolated, spanwise symmetric roughness element in zero pressure gradient boundary layers at Mach 3.5 and 5.9, with an emphasis on roughness heights of less than 55 percent of the local boundary layer thickness. The Mach 5.9 cases include flow conditions that are relevant to both ground facility experiments and high altitude flight ("cold wall" case). Regardless of the Mach number, the mean flow distortion due to the roughness element is characterized by long-lived streamwise streaks in the roughness wake, which can support instability modes that did not exist in the absence of the roughness element. The higher Mach number cases reveal a variety of instability mode shapes with velocity fluctuations concentrated in different localized regions of high base flow shear. The high shear regions vary from the top of a mushroom shaped structure characterizing the centerline streak to regions that are concentrated on the sides of the mushroom. Unlike the Mach 3.5 case with nearly same values of scaled roughness height k/delta and roughness height Reynolds number Re(sub kk), the odd wake modes in both Mach 5.9 cases are significantly more unstable than the even modes of instability. Additional computations for a Mach 3.5 boundary layer indicate that the presence of a roughness element can also enhance the amplification of first mode instabilities incident from upstream. Interactions between multiple roughness elements aligned along the flow direction are also explored.

Zonostrophic instability driven by discrete particle noise

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

St-Onge, D. A.; Krommes, J. A.

The consequences of discrete particle noise for a system possessing a possibly unstable collective mode are discussed. It is argued that a zonostrophic instability (of homogeneous turbulence to the formation of zonal flows) occurs just below the threshold for linear instability. The scenario provides a new interpretation of the random forcing that is ubiquitously invoked in stochastic models such as the second-order cumulant expansion or stochastic structural instability theory; neither intrinsic turbulence nor coupling to extrinsic turbulence is required. A representative calculation of the zonostrophic neutral curve is made for a simple two-field model of toroidal ion-temperature-gradient-driven modes. To themore » extent that the damping of zonal flows is controlled by the ion-ion collision rate, the point of zonostrophic instability is independent of that rate. Published by AIP Publishing.« less

Zonostrophic instability driven by discrete particle noise

DOE PAGES

St-Onge, D. A.; Krommes, J. A.

2017-04-01

The consequences of discrete particle noise for a system possessing a possibly unstable collective mode are discussed. It is argued that a zonostrophic instability (of homogeneous turbulence to the formation of zonal flows) occurs just below the threshold for linear instability. The scenario provides a new interpretation of the random forcing that is ubiquitously invoked in stochastic models such as the second-order cumulant expansion or stochastic structural instability theory; neither intrinsic turbulence nor coupling to extrinsic turbulence is required. A representative calculation of the zonostrophic neutral curve is made for a simple two-field model of toroidal ion-temperature-gradient-driven modes. To themore » extent that the damping of zonal flows is controlled by the ion-ion collision rate, the point of zonostrophic instability is independent of that rate. Published by AIP Publishing.« less

High energy density Z-pinch plasmas using flow stabilization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shumlak, U., E-mail: shumlak@uw.edu; Golingo, R. P., E-mail: shumlak@uw.edu; Nelson, B. A., E-mail: shumlak@uw.edu

The ZaP Flow Z-Pinch research project[1] at the University of Washington investigates the effect of sheared flows on MHD instabilities. Axially flowing Z-pinch plasmas are produced that are 100 cm long with a 1 cm radius. The plasma remains quiescent for many radial Alfvén times and axial flow times. The quiescent periods are characterized by low magnetic mode activity measured at several locations along the plasma column and by stationary visible plasma emission. Plasma evolution is modeled with high-resolution simulation codes – Mach2, WARPX, NIMROD, and HiFi. Plasma flow profiles are experimentally measured with a multi-chord ion Doppler spectrometer. Amore » sheared flow profile is observed to be coincident with the quiescent period, and is consistent with classical plasma viscosity. Equilibrium is determined by diagnostic measurements: interferometry for density; spectroscopy for ion temperature, plasma flow, and density[2]; Thomson scattering for electron temperature; Zeeman splitting for internal magnetic field measurements[3]; and fast framing photography for global structure. Wall stabilization has been investigated computationally and experimentally by removing 70% of the surrounding conducting wall to demonstrate no change in stability behavior.[4] Experimental evidence suggests that the plasma lifetime is only limited by plasma supply and current waveform. The flow Z-pinch concept provides an approach to achieve high energy density plasmas,[5] which are large, easy to diagnose, and persist for extended durations. A new experiment, ZaP-HD, has been built to investigate this approach by separating the flow Z-pinch formation from the radial compression using a triaxial-electrode configuration. This innovation allows more detailed investigations of the sheared flow stabilizing effect, and it allows compression to much higher densities than previously achieved on ZaP by reducing the linear density and increasing the pinch current. Experimental results and scaling analyses will be presented. In addition to studying fundamental plasma science and high energy density physics, the ZaP and ZaP-HD experiments can be applied to laboratory astrophysics.« less

Enhancement of wall jet transport properties

DOEpatents

Claunch, Scott D.; Farrington, Robert B.

1997-01-01

By enhancing the natural instabilities in the boundary layer and in the free shear layer of a wall jet, the boundary is minimized thereby increasing the transport of heat and mass. Enhancing the natural instabilities is accomplished by pulsing the flow of air that creates the wall jet. Such pulsing of the flow of air can be accomplished by sequentially occluding and opening a duct that confines and directs the flow of air, such as by rotating a disk on an axis transverse to the flow of air in the duct.

Enhancement of wall jet transport properties

DOEpatents

Claunch, S.D.; Farrington, R.B.

1997-02-04

By enhancing the natural instabilities in the boundary layer and in the free shear layer of a wall jet, the boundary is minimized thereby increasing the transport of heat and mass. Enhancing the natural instabilities is accomplished by pulsing the flow of air that creates the wall jet. Such pulsing of the flow of air can be accomplished by sequentially occluding and opening a duct that confines and directs the flow of air, such as by rotating a disk on an axis transverse to the flow of air in the duct. 17 figs.

Hydrodynamics of flood impact on urban mobility: critical conditions for vehicles carry-off

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arrighi, Chiara; Alcèrreca Huerta, Juan Carlos; Oumeraci, Hocine; Castelli, Fabio

2015-04-01

The street networks are a critical infrastructure during flood events in urban areas, on one hand because they allow the flood propagation in the urban environment, on the other hand because they ensure capillary rescue activities during and after the event. At present, the vehicle instability during an urban flood is recognized as being one of the most exacerbating factor for flood risk. In fact roads can be clogged by vehicles debris, which is also particularly dangerous for people's safety. In this work the incipient motion conditions of flooded vehicles are investigated and discussed. A mobility parameter θV is introduced as a function of the Froude number of the flow. The flow for different regimes past a specific vehicle geometry is modelled using a 3-dimensional numerical approach. The results of the numerical model clarify the contribution of drag and lift forces to the incipient motion conditions. The numerical results are compared with recent experimental data found in literature on partially submerged scale 1:18 vehicle models. The estimated force coefficients and instability conditions may provide a useful tool for flood risk assessment and management in urban areas.

A novel scenario of aperiodical impacts appearance in the turbine draft tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alekseenko, S. V.; Kuibin, P. A.; Shtork, S. I.; Skripkin, S. G.; Sonin, V. I.; Tsoy, M. A.; Ustimenko, A. S.

2016-11-01

The swirling flow in the discharge cone of hydroturbine is characterized by various self-induced instabilities and associated low frequency phenomena when the turbine is operated far from the best efficiency point. In particular, the precessing vortex rope develops at part-load regimes in the draft tube. This rope can serve a reason of the periodical low- frequency pressure oscillations in the whole hydrodynamical system. During the experimental research of flow structure in the discharge cone in a regime of free runner new interesting phenomenon was discovered. Due to instability some coils of helical vortex close to each other and reconnection appears with generation of a vortex ring. The experiments were fulfilled at the cavitational conditions when a cavity arises in the vortex core. So the phenomenon was registered with help of visualization by the high speed video recording. The vortex ring after the reconnection moves apart from the main vortex rope toward the wall and downstream. When it reaches the area with high pressure the cavity collapses with generation of pressure impact. The mechanism of cavitational vortex rings generation and their further collapse can serve as a prototype of the aperiodical pressure impacts inside the turbine draft tube.

Flow instabilities of magnetic flux tubes. IV. Flux storage in the solar overshoot region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Işık, E.; Holzwarth, V.

2009-12-01

Context: Flow-induced instabilities of magnetic flux tubes are relevant to the storage of magnetic flux in the interiors of stars with outer convection zones. The stability of magnetic fields in stellar interiors is of importance to the generation and transport of solar and stellar magnetic fields. Aims: We consider the effects of material flows on the dynamics of toroidal magnetic flux tubes located close to the base of the solar convection zone, initially within the overshoot region. The problem is to find the physical conditions in which magnetic flux can be stored for periods comparable to the dynamo amplification time, which is of the order of a few years. Methods: We carry out nonlinear numerical simulations to investigate the stability and dynamics of thin flux tubes subject to perpendicular and longitudinal flows. We compare the simulations with the results of simplified analytical approximations. Results: The longitudinal flow instability induced by the aerodynamic drag force is nonlinear in the sense that the growth rate depends on the perturbation amplitude. This result is consistent with the predictions of linear theory. Numerical simulations without friction show that nonlinear Parker instability can be triggered below the linear threshold of the field strength, when the difference in superadiabaticity along the tube is sufficiently large. A localised downflow acting on a toroidal tube in the overshoot region leads to instability depending on the parameters describing the flow, as well as the magnetic field strength. We determined ranges of the flow parameters for which a linearly Parker-stable magnetic flux tube is stored in the middle of the overshoot region for a period comparable to the dynamo amplification time. Conclusions: The longitudinal flow instability driven by frictional interaction of a flux tube with its surroundings is relevant to determining the storage time of magnetic flux in the solar overshoot region. The residence time for magnetic flux tubes with 2 × 1021 Mx in the convective overshoot layer can be comparable to the dynamo amplification time, provided that the average speed and the duration of an external downflow do not exceed about 50 m s -1 and 100 days, respectively, and that the lateral extension of the flow is smaller than about 10°. Appendix C and movies are only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Damping parameter study of a perforated plate with bias flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazdeh, Alireza

One of the main impediments to successful operation of combustion systems in industrial and aerospace applications including gas turbines, ramjets, rocket motors, afterburners (augmenters) and even large heaters/boilers is the dynamic instability also known as thermo-acoustic instability. Concerns with this ongoing problem have grown with the introduction of Lean Premixed Combustion (LPC) systems developed to address the environmental concerns associated with the conventional combustion systems. The most common way to mitigate thermo-acoustic instability is adding acoustic damping to the combustor using acoustic liners. Recently damping properties of bias flow initially introduced to liners only for cooling purposes have been recognized and proven to be an asset in enhancing the damping effectiveness of liners. Acoustic liners are currently being designed using empirical design rules followed by build-test-improve steps; basically by trial and error. There is growing concerns on the lack of reliability associated with the experimental evaluation of the acoustic liners with small size apertures. The development of physics-based tools in assisting the design of such liners has become of great interest to practitioners recently. This dissertation focuses primarily on how Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) or similar techniques such as Scaled Adaptive Simulation (SAS) can be used to characterize damping properties of bias flow. The dissertation also reviews assumptions made in the existing analytical, semi-empirical, and numerical models, provides a criteria to rank order the existing models, and identifies the best existing theoretical model. Flow field calculations by LES provide good insight into the mechanisms that led to acoustic damping. Comparison of simulation results with empirical and analytical studies shows that LES simulation is a viable alternative to the empirical and analytical methods and can accurately predict the damping behavior of liners. Currently the role of LES for research studies concerned with damping properties of liners is limited to validation of other empirical or theoretical approaches. This research has shown that LES can go beyond that and can be used for performing parametric studies to characterize the sensitivity of acoustic properties of multi--perforated liners to the changes in the geometry and flow conditions and be used as a tool to design acoustic liners. The conducted research provides an insightful understanding about the contribution of different flow and geometry parameters such as perforated plate thickness, aperture radius, porosity factors and bias flow velocity. While the study agrees with previous observations obtained by analytical or experimental methods, it also quantifies the impact from these parameters on the acoustic impedance of perforated plate, a key parameter to determine the acoustic performance of any system. The conducted study has also explored the limitations and capabilities of commercial tool when are applied for performing simulation studies on damping properties of liners. The overall agreement between LES results and previous studies proves that commercial tools can be effectively used for these applications under certain conditions.

Enstrophy-based proper orthogonal decomposition of flow past rotating cylinder at super-critical rotating rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sengupta, Tapan K.; Gullapalli, Atchyut

2016-11-01

Spinning cylinder rotating about its axis experiences a transverse force/lift, an account of this basic aerodynamic phenomenon is known as the Robins-Magnus effect in text books. Prandtl studied this flow by an inviscid irrotational model and postulated an upper limit of the lift experienced by the cylinder for a critical rotation rate. This non-dimensional rate is the ratio of oncoming free stream speed and the surface speed due to rotation. Prandtl predicted a maximum lift coefficient as CLmax = 4π for the critical rotation rate of two. In recent times, evidences show the violation of this upper limit, as in the experiments of Tokumaru and Dimotakis ["The lift of a cylinder executing rotary motions in a uniform flow," J. Fluid Mech. 255, 1-10 (1993)] and in the computed solution in Sengupta et al. ["Temporal flow instability for Magnus-robins effect at high rotation rates," J. Fluids Struct. 17, 941-953 (2003)]. In the latter reference, this was explained as the temporal instability affecting the flow at higher Reynolds number and rotation rates (>2). Here, we analyze the flow past a rotating cylinder at a super-critical rotation rate (=2.5) by the enstrophy-based proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) of direct simulation results. POD identifies the most energetic modes and helps flow field reconstruction by reduced number of modes. One of the motivations for the present study is to explain the shedding of puffs of vortices at low Reynolds number (Re = 60), for the high rotation rate, due to an instability originating in the vicinity of the cylinder, using the computed Navier-Stokes equation (NSE) from t = 0 to t = 300 following an impulsive start. This instability is also explained through the disturbance mechanical energy equation, which has been established earlier in Sengupta et al. ["Temporal flow instability for Magnus-robins effect at high rotation rates," J. Fluids Struct. 17, 941-953 (2003)].

Emergent kink stability of a magnetized plasma jet injected into a transverse background magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yue; Gilmore, Mark; Hsu, Scott C.; Fisher, Dustin M.; Lynn, Alan G.

2017-11-01

We report experimental results on the injection of a magnetized plasma jet into a transverse background magnetic field in the HelCat linear plasma device at the University of New Mexico [M. Gilmore et al., J. Plasma Phys. 81(1), 345810104 (2015)]. After the plasma jet leaves the plasma-gun muzzle, a tension force arising from an increasing curvature of the background magnetic field induces in the jet a sheared axial-flow gradient above the theoretical kink-stabilization threshold. We observe that this emergent sheared axial flow stabilizes the n = 1 kink mode in the jet, whereas a kink instability is observed in the jet when there is no background magnetic field present.

Conservation laws in baroclinic inertial-symmetric instabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grisouard, Nicolas; Fox, Morgan B.; Nijjer, Japinder

2017-04-01

Submesoscale oceanic density fronts are structures in geostrophic and hydrostatic balance, but are more prone to instabilities than mesoscale flows. As a consequence, they are believed to play a large role in air-sea exchanges, near-surface turbulence and dissipation of kinetic energy of geostrophically and hydrostatically balanced flows. We will present two-dimensional (x, z) Boussinesq numerical experiments of submesoscale baroclinic fronts on the f-plane. Instabilities of the mixed inertial and symmetric types (the actual name varies across the literature) develop, with the absence of along-front variations prohibiting geostrophic baroclinic instabilities. Two new salient facts emerge. First, contrary to pure inertial and/or pure symmetric instability, the potential energy budget is affected, the mixed instability extracting significant available potential energy from the front and dissipating it locally. Second, in the submesoscale regime, the growth rate of this mixed instability is sufficiently large that significant radiation of near-inertial internal waves occurs. Although energetically small compared to e.g. local dissipation within the front, this process might be a significant source of near-inertial energy in the ocean.

Prediction of slug-to-annular flow pattern transition (STA) for reducing the risk of gas-lift instabilities and effective gas/liquid transport from low-pressure reservoirs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Toma, P.R.; Vargas, E.; Kuru, E.

Flow-pattern instabilities have frequently been observed in both conventional gas-lifting and unloading operations of water and oil in low-pressure gas and coalbed reservoirs. This paper identifies the slug-to-annular flow-pattern transition (STA) during upward gas/liquid transportation as a potential cause of flow instability in these operations. It is recommended that the slug-flow pattern be used mainly to minimize the pressure drop and gas compression work associated with gas-lifting large volumes of oil and water. Conversely, the annular flow pattern should be used during the unloading operation to produce gas with relatively small amounts of water and condensate. New and efficient artificialmore » lifting strategies are required to transport the liquid out of the depleted gas or coalbed reservoir level to the surface. This paper presents held data and laboratory measurements supporting the hypothesis that STA significantly contributes to flow instabilities and should therefore be avoided in upward gas/liquid transportation operations. Laboratory high-speed measurements of flow-pressure components under a broad range of gas-injection rates including STA have also been included to illustrate the onset of large STA-related flow-pressure oscillations. The latter body of data provides important insights into gas deliquification mechanisms and identifies potential solutions for improved gas-lifting and unloading procedures. A comparison of laboratory data with existing STA models was performed first. Selected models were then numerically tested in field situations. Effective field strategies for avoiding STA occurrence in marginal and new (offshore) field applications (i.e.. through the use of a slug or annular flow pattern regimen from the bottomhole to wellhead levels) are discussed.« less

A note concerning the onset of three dimensionality and time dependence in Goertler vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bassom, Andrew P.; Seddougui, Sharon O.

1989-01-01

Recently Hall and Seddougui (1989) considered the secondary instability of large amplitude Goertler vortices in a growing boundary layer evolving into a three-dimensional flow with wavy vortex boundaries. They obtained a pair of coupled, linear ordinary differential equations for this instability which constituted an eigenproblem for the wavelength and frequency of this wavy mode. Investigations into the nonlinear version of this problem by Seddougui and Bassom have revealed several omissions in the numerical work of Hall and Seddougui. These issues are addressed in this note. In particular, it is found that many neutrally stable modes are possible. The properties of such modes are derived in a high wavenumber limit and it is shown that the combination of the results of Hall and Seddougui and the modifications made here lead to conclusions which are consistent with the available experimental observations.

Reduced Order Modeling of Combustion Instability in a Gas Turbine Model Combustor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnold-Medabalimi, Nicholas; Huang, Cheng; Duraisamy, Karthik

2017-11-01

Hydrocarbon fuel based propulsion systems are expected to remain relevant in aerospace vehicles for the foreseeable future. Design of these devices is complicated by combustion instabilities. The capability to model and predict these effects at reduced computational cost is a requirement for both design and control of these devices. This work focuses on computational studies on a dual swirl model gas turbine combustor in the context of reduced order model development. Full fidelity simulations are performed utilizing URANS and Hybrid RANS-LES with finite rate chemistry. Following this, data decomposition techniques are used to extract a reduced basis representation of the unsteady flow field. These bases are first used to identify sensor locations to guide experimental interrogations and controller feedback. Following this, initial results on developing a control-oriented reduced order model (ROM) will be presented. The capability of the ROM will be further assessed based on different operating conditions and geometric configurations.

Secondary Instability of Stationary Crossflow Vortices in Mach 6 Boundary Layer Over a Circular Cone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Fei; Choudhari, Meelan M.; Paredes-Gonzalez, Pedro; Duan, Lian

2015-01-01

Hypersonic boundary layer flows over a circular cone at moderate incidence can support strong crossflow instability. Due to more efficient excitation of stationary crossflow vortices by surface roughness, such boundary layer flows may transition to turbulence via rapid amplification of the high-frequency secondary instabilities of finite amplitude stationary crossflow vortices. The amplification characteristics of these secondary instabilities are investigated for crossflow vortices generated by an azimuthally periodic array of roughness elements over a 7-degree half-angle circular cone in a Mach 6 free stream. Depending on the local amplitude of the stationary crossflow mode, the most unstable secondary disturbances either originate from the second (i.e., Mack) mode instabilities of the unperturbed boundary layer or correspond to genuine secondary instabilities that reduce to stable disturbances at sufficiently small amplitudes of the stationary crossflow vortex. The predicted frequencies of dominant secondary disturbances are similar to those measured during wind tunnel experiments at Purdue University and the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany.

Fluid-elastic instability in tube arrays subjected to air-water and steam-water cross-flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitra, D.; Dhir, V. K.; Catton, I.

2009-10-01

Flow induced vibrations in heat exchanger tubes have led to numerous accidents and economic losses in the past. Efforts have been made to systematically study the cause of these vibrations and develop remedial design criteria for their avoidance. In this research, experiments were systematically carried out with air-water and steam-water cross-flow over horizontal tubes. A normal square tube array of pitch-to-diameter ratio of 1.4 was used in the experiments. The tubes were suspended from piano wires and strain gauges were used to measure the vibrations. Tubes made of aluminum; stainless steel and brass were systematically tested by maintaining approximately the same stiffness in the tube-wire systems. Instability was clearly seen in single phase and two-phase flow and the critical flow velocity was found to be proportional to tube mass. The present study shows that fully flexible arrays become unstable at a lower flow velocity when compared to a single flexible tube surrounded by rigid tubes. It is also found that tubes are more stable in steam-water flow as compared to air-water flow. Nucleate boiling on the tube surface is also found to have a stabilizing effect on fluid-elastic instability.

Instability of water-ice interface under turbulent flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izumi, Norihiro; Naito, Kensuke; Yokokawa, Miwa

2015-04-01

It is known that plane water-ice interface becomes unstable to evolve into a train of waves. The underside of ice formed on the water surface of rivers are often observed to be covered with ice ripples. Relatively steep channels which discharge melting water from glaciers are characterized by beds covered with a series of steps. Though the flowing agent inducing instability is not water but gas including water vapor, a similar train of steps have been recently observed on the Polar Ice Caps on Mars (Spiral Troughs). They are expected to be caused by the instability of water-ice interface induced by flowing fluid on ice. There have been some studies on this instability in terms of linear stability analysis. Recently, Caporeale and Ridolfi (2012) have proposed a complete linear stability analysis in the case of laminar flow, and found that plane water-ice interface is unstable in the range of sufficiently large Reynolds numbers, and that the important parameters are the Reynolds number, the slope angle, and the water surface temperature. However, the flow inducing instability on water-ice interface in the field should be in the turbulent regime. Extension of the analysis to the case of fully developed turbulent flow with larger Reynolds numbers is needed. We have performed a linear stability analysis on the instability of water-ice interface under turbulent flow conditions with the use of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations with the mixing length turbulent model, the continuity equation of flow, the diffusion/dispersion equation of heat, and the Stefan equation. In order to reproduce the accurate velocity distribution and the heat transfer in the vicinity of smooth walls with the use of the mixing length model, it is important to take into account of the rapid decrease in the mixing length in the viscous sublayer. We employ the Driest model (1956) to the formulation. In addition, as the thermal boundary condition at the water surface, we describe the continuity of the heat fluxes from inside of water to the water surface and from the water surface to the surrounding air with the use of the heat transfer coefficient. The boundary condition then becomes the Robin boundary condition. It is found from the analysis, that the instability takes place in the range of large Froude numbers and small wavenumbers in the wavenumber-Froude number plane. It is also found that the unstable region does not show a significant difference when the Reynolds number is larger than somewhere around 5,000.

Viscoelastic fluid-structure interactions between a flexible cylinder and wormlike micelle solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dey, Anita A.; Modarres-Sadeghi, Yahya; Rothstein, Jonathan P.

2018-06-01

It is well known that when a flexible or flexibly mounted structure is placed perpendicular to the flow of a Newtonian fluid, it can oscillate due to the shedding of separated vortices at high Reynolds numbers. Unlike Newtonian fluids, the flow of viscoelastic fluids can become unstable even at infinitesimal Reynolds numbers due to a purely elastic flow instability that can occur at large Weissenberg numbers. Recent work has shown that these elastic flow instabilities can drive the motion of flexible sheets. The fluctuating fluid forces exerted on the structure from the elastic flow instabilities can lead to a coupling between an oscillatory structural motion and the state of stress in the fluid flow. In this paper, we present the results of an investigation into the flow of a viscoelastic wormlike micelle solution past a flexible circular cylinder. The time variation of the flow field and the state of stress in the fluid are shown using a combination of particle image tracking and flow-induced birefringence images. The static and dynamic responses of the flexible cylinder are presented for a range of flow velocities. The nonlinear dynamics of the structural motion is studied to better understand an observed transition from a symmetric to an asymmetric structural deformation and oscillation behavior.

Three-dimensional short-wavelength instabilities in the near-wake of a circular cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jethani, Yogesh; Kumar, Kamal; Sameen, A.; Mathur, Manikandan

2017-11-01

We perform local stability analysis of the near-wake region of two-dimensional flow past a circular cylinder for Reynolds number in the range Re ∈ [ 10 , 300 ] . The local stability equations that govern the leading-order amplitude of short-wavelength perturbations are solved along closed fluid particle trajectories in the numerically simulated flow-fields for both the steady (Re <= 45) and unsteady vortex-shedding (Re > 45) regimes; the study is further complemented with analysis on time-averaged flows for 50 <= Re <= 300 . For steady and time-averaged flow, the inviscidly most unstable regions occur either at the core or at the edge of the separation bubble, with elliptic instability as the dominant mode for all Re . The effectiveness of viscous damping in eliminating the inviscid instabilities and the validity of the WKBJ approximation in the present context are studied. In the unsteady vortex-shedding regime, two types (I and II) of closed trajectories are identified for all Re and the inviscid growth rates as a function of Re are plotted for both. For type I trajectory, a bifurcation occurs at Re 250 . Potential relevance of our results in understanding the transition from steady flow to vortex-shedding and the subsequent secondary instabilities are discussed.

Experimental study of the flow over a backward-facing rounded ramp

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duriez, Thomas; Aider, Jean-Luc; Wesfreid, Jose Eduardo

2010-11-01

The backward-facing rounded ramp (BFR) is a very simple geometry leading to boundary layer separation, close to the backward facing step (BFS) flow. The main difference with the BFS flow is that the separation location depends on the incoming flow while it is fixed to the step edge for the BFS flow. Despite the simplicity of the geometry, the flow is complex and the transition process still has to be investigated. In this study we investigate the BFR flow using time-resolved PIV. For Reynolds number ranging between 300 and 12 000 we first study the time averaged properties such as the positions of the separation and reattachment, the recirculation length and the shear layer thickness. The time resolution also gives access to the characteristic frequencies of the time-dependant flow. An appropriate Fourier filtering of the flow field, around each frequency peak in the global spectrum, allows an investigation of each mode in order to extract its wavelength, phase velocity, and spatial distribution. We then sort the spectral content and relate the main frequencies to the most amplified Kelvin-Helmholtz instability mode and its harmonics, the vortex pairing, the low frequency recirculation bubble oscillation and the interactions between all these phenomena.

On the secondary instability of the most dangerous Goertler vortex

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otto, S. R.; Denier, James P.

1993-01-01

Recent studies have demonstrated the most unstable Goertler vortex mode is found in flows, both two and three-dimensional, with regions of (moderately) large body curvature and these modes reside within a thin layer situated at the base of the conventional boundary layer. Further work concerning the nonlinear development of the most dangerous mode demonstrates that the flow results in a self induced flow reversal. However, prior to the point at which flow reversal is encountered, the total streamwise velocity profile is found to be highly inflectional in nature. Previous work then suggests that the nonlinear vortex state will become unstable to secondary, inviscid, Rayleigh wave instabilities prior to the point of flow reversal. Our concern is with the secondary instability of the nonlinear vortex states, which result from the streamwise evolution of the most unstable Goertler vortex mode, with the aim of determining whether such modes can induce a transition to a fully turbulent state before separation is encountered.

Flow and acoustic properties of low Reynolds number supersonic underexpanded jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hu, T. F.; Mclaughlin, D. K.

1981-01-01

Flow and acoustic measurements are made of cold model jets exhausting from a choked nozzle at pressure conditions corresponding to those of Mach 1.4 and 2.1 jets to investigate noise production properties of underexpanded supersonic jets. Mean flow measurements are made using pitot and static pressure probes, with flow fluctuation measurements made with a hot-wire probe and acoustic measurements made with a transversing microphone. Two convergent nozzles with exit diameters of 7.0 and 7.9 mm are used with an exciter consisting of a 0.8 mm tungsten electrode positioned 2 mm from the exit. Shock structure is observed as having a significant effect on the development of the flow field, while large-scale instabilities have higher growth rates in the shock containing underexpanded jets. The role of the asymmetric n = + or - 1 sinusoidal instability is clarified, and results suggest that the broadband shock associated noise of conventional high Reynolds number jets is not related to large-scale jet instability.

A PURE HYDRODYNAMIC INSTABILITY IN SHEAR FLOWS AND ITS APPLICATION TO ASTROPHYSICAL ACCRETION DISKS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nath, Sujit Kumar; Mukhopadhyay, Banibrata, E-mail: sujitkumar@physics.iisc.ernet.in, E-mail: bm@physics.iisc.ernet.in

2016-10-20

We provide a possible resolution for the century-old problem of hydrodynamic shear flows, which are apparently stable in linear analysis but shown to be turbulent in astrophysically observed data and experiments. This mismatch is noticed in a variety of systems, from laboratory to astrophysical flows. There are so many uncountable attempts made so far to resolve this mismatch, beginning with the early work of Kelvin, Rayleigh, and Reynolds toward the end of the nineteenth century. Here we show that the presence of stochastic noise, whose inevitable presence should not be neglected in the stability analysis of shear flows, leads tomore » pure hydrodynamic linear instability therein. This explains the origin of turbulence, which has been observed/interpreted in astrophysical accretion disks, laboratory experiments, and direct numerical simulations. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first solution to the long-standing problem of hydrodynamic instability of Rayleigh-stable flows.« less