Wettability control on fluid-fluid displacements in patterned microfluidics and porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juanes, Ruben; Trojer, Mathias; Zhao, Benzhong

2014-11-01

While it is well known that the wetting properties are critical in two-phase flows in porous media, the effect of wettability on fluid displacement continues to challenge our microscopic and macroscopic descriptions. Here we study this problem experimentally, starting with the classic experiment of two-phase flow in a capillary tube. We image the shape of the meniscus and measure the associated capillary pressure for a wide range of capillary numbers. We synthesize new observations on the dependence of the dynamic capillary pressure on wetting properties (contact angle) and flow conditions (viscosity contrast and capillary number). We then conduct experiments on a planar microfluidic device patterned with vertical posts. We track the evolution of the fluid-fluid interface and elucidate the impact of wetting on the cooperative nature of fluid displacement during pore invasion events. We use the insights gained from the capillary tube and patterned microfluidics experiments to elucidate the effect of wetting properties on viscous fingering and capillary fingering in a Hele-Shaw cell filled with glass beads, where we observe a contact-angle-dependent stabilizing behavior for the emerging flow instabilities, as the system transitions from drainage to imbibition.

Sheared bioconvection in a horizontal tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croze, O. A.; Ashraf, E. E.; Bees, M. A.

2010-12-01

The recent interest in using microorganisms for biofuels is motivation enough to study bioconvection and cell dispersion in tubes subject to imposed flow. To optimize light and nutrient uptake, many microorganisms swim in directions biased by environmental cues (e.g. phototaxis in algae and chemotaxis in bacteria). Such taxes inevitably lead to accumulations of cells, which, as many microorganisms have a density different to the fluid, can induce hydrodynamic instabilites. The large-scale fluid flow and spectacular patterns that arise are termed bioconvection. However, the extent to which bioconvection is affected or suppressed by an imposed fluid flow and how bioconvection influences the mean flow profile and cell transport are open questions. This experimental study is the first to address these issues by quantifying the patterns due to suspensions of the gravitactic and gyrotactic green biflagellate alga Chlamydomonas in horizontal tubes subject to an imposed flow. With no flow, the dependence of the dominant pattern wavelength at pattern onset on cell concentration is established for three different tube diameters. For small imposed flows, the vertical plumes of cells are observed merely to bow in the direction of flow. For sufficiently high flow rates, the plumes progressively fragment into piecewise linear diagonal plumes, unexpectedly inclined at constant angles and translating at fixed speeds. The pattern wavelength generally grows with flow rate, with transitions at critical rates that depend on concentration. Even at high imposed flow rates, bioconvection is not wholly suppressed and perturbs the flow field.

Study on Controls of Fluids in Nanochannel via Hybrid Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Ziran

This thesis contributes to the investigation of controls of nanofluidic fluids by utilizing hybrid surface patterns in nanochannel. Nanofluidics is a core and interdisciplinary research field which manipulates, controls and analyzes fluids in nanoscale and develop potential bio/chemical applications. This thesis studies the surface-induced phenomena in nanofluidics, we use surface decoration on nanochannel walls to investigate the influences on fluid motion and further explore the fundamental physical principle of this behavior. To begin with, we designed and fabricated the nanofluidic mixer for the first time, which comprised hybrid surface patterns with different wettabilities on both top and bottom walls of nanochannel. Although microfluidic mixers have been intensively investigated, nanofluidic mixer has never been reported. Without any inside geometric structure of nanochannel, the mixing phenomenon can be achieved by the surface patterns and the mixing length can be significantly shortened comparing with micromixer. We attribute this achievement to the chaotic flows of two fluids induced by the patterned surface. The surface-related phenomena may not be so prominent on large scale, however, it is pronounced when the scale shrinks down to nanometer due to the large surface-to-volume ratio in nanochannel. In the second part of this work, based on the technology of nanofabrication and similar principle, we built up another novel method to control the speed of capillary flow in nanochannel in a quantitative manner. Surface patterns were fabricated on the nanochannel walls to slow down the capillary flow. The flow speed can be precisely controlled by modifying hydrophobicity ratio. Under the extreme surface-to-volume ratio in nanochannel, the significant surface effect on the fluid effectively reduced the speed of capillary flow without any external energy source and equipment. Such approach may be adopted for a wide variety of nanofluidicsbased biochemical analysis systems.

Hydromechanical Modeling of Fluid Flow in the Lower Crust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connolly, J.

2011-12-01

The lower crust lies within an ambiguous rheological regime between the brittle upper crust and ductile sub-lithospheric mantle. This ambiguity has allowed two schools of thought to develop concerning the nature of fluid flow in the lower crust. The classical school holds that lower crustal rocks are inviscid and that any fluid generated by metamorphic devolatilization is squeezed out of rocks as rapidly as it is produced. According to this school, permeability is a dynamic property and fluid flow is upward. In contrast, the modern school uses concepts from upper crustal hydrology that presume implicitly, if not explicitly, that rocks are rigid or, at most, brittle. For the modern school, the details of crustal permeability determine fluid flow and as these details are poorly known almost anything is possible. Reality, to the extent that it is reflected by inference from field studies, offers some support to both schools. In particular, evidence of significant lateral and channelized fluid flow are consistent with flow in rigid media, while evidence for short (104 - 105 y) grain-scale fluid-rock interaction during much longer metamorphic events, suggests that reaction-generated grain-scale permeability is sealed rapidly by compaction; a phenomenon that is also essential to prevent extensive retrograde metamorphism. These observations provide a compelling argument for recognizing in conceptual models of lower crustal fluid flow that rocks are neither inviscid nor rigid, but compact by viscous mechanisms on a finite time-scale. This presentation will review the principle consequences of, and obstacles to, incorporating compaction in such models. The role of viscous compaction in the lower crust is extraordinarily uncertain, but ignoring this uncertainty in models of lower crustal fluid flow does not make the models any more certain. Models inevitably invoke an initial steady state hydraulic regime. This initial steady state is critical to model outcomes because it determines the compaction time and length scales and, thereby, the response of the system to perturbations. Unfortunately, because metamorphic devolatilization is the most probable source of lower crustal fluids, the assumption of an initial steady state leaves much to be desired. In truth, in the modeling of lower crustal fluid flow, less is known about the initial state than is known about possible perturbations to it, e.g., metamorphic fluid production. Compaction is a bad and good news story. The bad news is that local flow patterns may be influenced by unknowable details; the good news is that compaction-driven fluid flow has a tendency to self-organize. Self-organization eliminates the dependence on details that are present on spatial or temporal scales that are smaller than the compaction length and time scales. Porosity waves are the mechanism for this self-organization, through which dilational deformation is localized in time and space to create pathways for fluid expulsion. The resulting flow patterns are sensitive to material properties and initial state, thus, inversion of natural flow patterns offers the greatest hope for constraining the compaction scales. Knowledge of these scales is also important because they limit the influence of external forcings on flow patterns, e.g., a shear zone may induce lateral or downward fluid flow, but only on the compaction time and length scales.

Cerebrospinal fluid flow abnormalities in patients with neoplastic meningitis. An evaluation using /sup 111/In-DTPA ventriculography

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

Grossman, S.A.; Trump, D.L.; Chen, D.C.

1982-11-01

Cerebrospinal fluid flow dynamics were evaluated by /sup 111/In-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (/sup 111/In-DTPA) ventriculography in 27 patients with neoplastic meningitis. Nineteen patients (70 percent) had evidence of cerebrospinal fluid flow disturbances. These occurred as ventricular outlet obstructions, abnormalities of flow in the spinal canal, or flow distrubances over the cortical convexities. Tumor histology, physical examination, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, myelograms, and computerized axial tomographic scans were not sufficient to predict cerebrospinal fluid flow patterns. These data indicate that cerebrospinal fluid flow abnormalities are common in patients with neoplastic meningitis and that /sup 111/In-DTPA cerebrospinal fluid flow imaging is useful in characterizingmore » these abnormalities. This technique provides insight into the distribution of intraventricularly administered chemotherapy and may provide explanations for treatment failure and drug-induced neurotoxicity in patients with neoplastic meningitis.« less

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.

Irrigant flow within a prepared root canal using various flow rates: a Computational Fluid Dynamics study.

PubMed

Boutsioukis, C; Lambrianidis, T; Kastrinakis, E

2009-02-01

To study using computer simulation the effect of irrigant flow rate on the flow pattern within a prepared root canal, during final irrigation with a syringe and needle. Geometrical characteristics of a side-vented endodontic needle and clinically realistic flow rate values were obtained from previous and preliminary studies. A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model was created using FLUENT 6.2 software. Calculations were carried out for five selected flow rates (0.02-0.79 mL sec(-1)) and velocity and turbulence quantities along the domain were evaluated. Irrigant replacement was limited to 1-1.5 mm apical to the needle tip for all flow rates tested. Low-Reynolds number turbulent flow was detected near the needle outlet. Irrigant flow rate affected significantly the flow pattern within the root canal. Irrigation needles should be placed to within 1 mm from working length to ensure fluid exchange. Turbulent flow of irrigant leads to more efficient irrigant replacement. CFD represents a powerful tool for the study of irrigation.

Nonlinear hydrodynamic stability and transition; Proceedings of the IUTAM Symposium, Nice, France, Sept. 3-7, 1990

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Theoretical and experimental research on nonlinear hydrodynamic stability and transition is presented. Bifurcations, amplitude equations, pattern in experiments, and shear flows are considered. Particular attention is given to bifurcations of plane viscous fluid flow and transition to turbulence, chaotic traveling wave covection, chaotic behavior of parametrically excited surface waves in square geometry, amplitude analysis of the Swift-Hohenberg equation, traveling wave convection in finite containers, focus instability in axisymmetric Rayleigh-Benard convection, scaling and pattern formation in flowing sand, dynamical behavior of instabilities in spherical gap flows, and nonlinear short-wavelength Taylor vortices. Also discussed are stability of a flow past a two-dimensional grid, inertia wave breakdown in a precessing fluid, flow-induced instabilities in directional solidification, structure and dynamical properties of convection in binary fluid mixtures, and instability competition for convecting superfluid mixtures.

A qualitative and quantitative laser-based computer-aided flow visualization method. M.S. Thesis, 1992 Final Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Canacci, Victor A.; Braun, M. Jack

1994-01-01

The experimental approach presented here offers a nonintrusive, qualitative and quantitative evaluation of full field flow patterns applicable in various geometries in a variety of fluids. This Full Flow Field Tracking (FFFT) Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique, by means of particle tracers illuminated by a laser light sheet, offers an alternative to Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV), and intrusive systems such as Hot Wire/Film Anemometry. The method makes obtainable the flow patterns, and allows quantitative determination of the velocities, accelerations, and mass flows of an entire flow field. The method uses a computer based digitizing system attached through an imaging board to a low luminosity camera. A customized optical train allows the system to become a long distance microscope (LDM), allowing magnifications of areas of interest ranging up to 100 times. Presented in addition to the method itself, are studies in which the flow patterns and velocities were observed and evaluated in three distinct geometries, with three different working fluids. The first study involved pressure and flow analysis of a brush seal in oil. The next application involved studying the velocity and flow patterns in a cowl lip cooling passage of an air breathing aircraft engine using water as the working fluid. Finally, the method was extended to a study in air to examine the flows in a staggered pin arrangement located on one side of a branched duct.

Controlling flows in microchannels with patterned surface charge and topography.

PubMed

Stroock, Abraham D; Whitesides, George M

2003-08-01

This Account reviews two procedures for controlling the flow of fluids in microchannels. The first procedure involves patterning the density of charge on the inner surfaces of a channel. These patterns generate recirculating electroosmotic flows in the presence of a steady electric field. The second procedure involves patterning topography on an inner surface of a channel. These patterns generate recirculation in the cross-section of steady, pressure-driven flows. This Account summarizes applications of these flow to mixing and to controlling dispersion (band broadening).

Permeability generation and resetting of tracers during metamorphic fluid flow: implications for advection-dispersion models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartwright, Ian

Advection-dispersion fluid flow models implicitly assume that the infiltrating fluid flows through an already fluid-saturated medium. However, whether rocks contain a fluid depends on their reaction history, and whether any initial fluid escapes. The behaviour of different rocks may be illustrated using hypothetical marble compositions. Marbles with diverse chemistries (e.g. calcite + dolomite + quartz) are relatively reactive, and will generally produce a fluid during heating. By contrast, marbles with more restricted chemistries (e.g. calcite + quartz or calcite-only) may not. If the rock is not fluid bearing when fluid infiltration commences, mineralogical reactions may produce a reaction-enhanced permeability in calcite + dolomite + quartz or calcite + quartz, but not in calcite-only marbles. The permeability production controls the pattern of mineralogical, isotopic, and geochemical resetting during fluid flow. Tracers retarded behind the mineralogical fronts will probably be reset as predicted by the advection-dispersion models; however, tracers that are expected to be reset ahead of the mineralogical fronts cannot progress beyond the permeability generating reaction. In the case of very unreactive lithologies (e.g. pure calcite marbles, cherts, and quartzites), the first reaction to affect the rocks may be a metasomatic one ahead of which there is little pervasive resetting of any tracer. Centimetre-scale layering may lead to the formation of self-perpetuating fluid channels in rocks that are not fluid saturated due to the juxtaposition of reactants. Such layered rocks may show patterns of mineralogical resetting that are not predicted by advection-dispersion models. Patterns of mineralogical and isotopic resetting in marbles from a number of terrains, for example: Chillagoe, Marulan South, Reynolds Range (Australia); Adirondack Mountains, Old Woman Mountains, Notch Peak (USA); and Stephen Cross Quarry (Canada) vary as predicted by these models.

Two-dimensional patterns in bacterial veils arise from self-generated, three-dimensional fluid flows.

PubMed

Cogan, N G; Wolgemuth, C W

2011-01-01

The behavior of collections of oceanic bacteria is controlled by metabolic (chemotaxis) and physical (fluid motion) processes. Some sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, such as Thiovulum majus, unite these two processes via a material interface produced by the bacteria and upon which the bacteria are transiently attached. This interface, termed a bacterial veil, is formed by exo-polymeric substances (EPS) produced by the bacteria. By adhering to the veil while continuing to rotate their flagella, the bacteria are able to exert force on the fluid surroundings. This behavior induces a fluid flow that, in turn, causes the bacteria to aggregate leading to the formation of a physical pattern in the veil. These striking patterns are very similar in flavor to the classic convection instability observed when a shallow fluid is heated from below. However, the physics are very different since the flow around the veil is mediated by the bacteria and affects the bacterial densities. In this study, we extend a model of a one-dimensional veil in a two-dimensional fluid to the more realistic two-dimensional veil in a three-dimensional fluid. The linear stability analysis indicates that the Peclet number serves as a bifurcation parameter, which is consistent with experimental observations. We also solve the nonlinear problem numerically and are able to obtain patterns that are similar to those observed in the experiments.

Effect of viscoelasticity on the flow pattern and the volumetric flow rate in electroosmotic flows through a microchannel.

PubMed

Park, H M; Lee, W M

2008-07-01

Many lab-on-a-chip based microsystems process biofluids such as blood and DNA solutions. These fluids are viscoelastic and show extraordinary flow behaviors, not existing in Newtonian fluids. Adopting appropriate constitutive equations these exotic flow behaviors can be modeled and predicted reasonably using various numerical methods. In the present paper, we investigate viscoelastic electroosmotic flows through a rectangular straight microchannel with and without pressure gradient. It is shown that the volumetric flow rates of viscoelastic fluids are significantly different from those of Newtonian fluids under the same external electric field and pressure gradient. Moreover, when pressure gradient is imposed on the microchannel there appear appreciable secondary flows in the viscoelastic fluids, which is never possible for Newtonian laminar flows through straight microchannels. The retarded or enhanced volumetric flow rates and secondary flows affect dispersion of solutes in the microchannel nontrivially.

Random network peristalsis in Physarum polycephalum organizes fluid flows across an individual

PubMed Central

Alim, Karen; Amselem, Gabriel; Peaudecerf, François; Brenner, Michael P.; Pringle, Anne

2013-01-01

Individuals can function as integrated organisms only when information and resources are shared across a body. Signals and substrates are commonly moved using fluids, often channeled through a network of tubes. Peristalsis is one mechanism for fluid transport and is caused by a wave of cross-sectional contractions along a tube. We extend the concept of peristalsis from the canonical case of one tube to a random network. Transport is maximized within the network when the wavelength of the peristaltic wave is of the order of the size of the network. The slime mold Physarum polycephalum grows as a random network of tubes, and our experiments confirm peristalsis is used by the slime mold to drive internal cytoplasmic flows. Comparisons of theoretically generated contraction patterns with the patterns exhibited by individuals of P. polycephalum demonstrate that individuals maximize internal flows by adapting patterns of contraction to size, thus optimizing transport throughout an organism. This control of fluid flow may be the key to coordinating growth and behavior, including the dynamic changes in network architecture seen over time in an individual. PMID:23898203

Random network peristalsis in Physarum polycephalum organizes fluid flows across an individual.

PubMed

Alim, Karen; Amselem, Gabriel; Peaudecerf, François; Brenner, Michael P; Pringle, Anne

2013-08-13

Individuals can function as integrated organisms only when information and resources are shared across a body. Signals and substrates are commonly moved using fluids, often channeled through a network of tubes. Peristalsis is one mechanism for fluid transport and is caused by a wave of cross-sectional contractions along a tube. We extend the concept of peristalsis from the canonical case of one tube to a random network. Transport is maximized within the network when the wavelength of the peristaltic wave is of the order of the size of the network. The slime mold Physarum polycephalum grows as a random network of tubes, and our experiments confirm peristalsis is used by the slime mold to drive internal cytoplasmic flows. Comparisons of theoretically generated contraction patterns with the patterns exhibited by individuals of P. polycephalum demonstrate that individuals maximize internal flows by adapting patterns of contraction to size, thus optimizing transport throughout an organism. This control of fluid flow may be the key to coordinating growth and behavior, including the dynamic changes in network architecture seen over time in an individual.

Analysis of dynamic characteristics of fluid force induced by labyrinth seal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iwatsubo, T.; Kawai, R.; Kagawa, N.; Kakiuchi, T.; Takahara, K.

1984-01-01

Flow patterns of the labyrinth seal are experimentally investigated for making a mathematical model of labyrinth seal and to obtain the flow induced force of the seal. First, the flow patterns in the labyrinth chamber are studied on the circumferential flow using bubble and on the cross section of the seal chamber using aluminum powder as tracers. And next, the fluid force and its phase angle are obtained from the measured pressure distribution in the chamber and the fluid force coefficients are derived from the fluid force and the phase angle. Those are similar to the expression of oil film coefficients. As a result, it is found that the vortices exist in the labyrinth chambers and its center moves up and down periodically. The pressure drop is biggest in the first stage of chambers and next in the last stage of chambers.

Numerical Temperature And Fluid-Flow Modelling For The Topographic Effects On Hydrothermal Circulation; A case study in Lucy Strike Vent Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erçetin, Engin; Düşünür Doǧan, Doǧa

2017-04-01

The aim of the study is to present a numerical temperature and fluid-flow modelling for the topographic effects on hydrothermal circulation. Bathymetry can create a major disturbance on fluid flow pattern. ANSYS Fluent Computational fluid dynamics software is used for simulations. Coupled fluid flow and temperature quations are solved using a 2-Dimensional control volume finite difference approach. Darcy's law is assumed to hold, the fluid is considered to be anormal Boussinesq incompressible fluid neglecting inertial effects. Several topographic models were simulated and both temperature and fluid flow calculations obtained for this study. The preliminary simulations examine the effect of a ingle bathymetric high on a single plume and the secondary study of simulations investigates the effect of multiple bathymetric highs on multiple plume. The simulations were also performed for the slow spreading Lucky Strike segment along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR), one of the best studied regions along the MAR, where a 3.4 km deep magma chamber extending 6 km along-axis is found at its center. The Lucky Strike segment displays a transitional morphology between that of the FAMOUS - North FAMOUS segments, which are characterized by well-developed axial valleys typical of slow-spreading segments, and that of the Menez Gwen segment, characterized by an axial high at the segment center. Lucky Strike Segment hosts a central volcano and active vent field located at the segment center and thus constitutes an excellent case study to simulate the effects of bathymetry on fluid flow. Results demonstrate that bathymetric relief has an important influence on hydrothermal flow. Subsurface pressure alterations can be formed by bathymetric highs, for this reason, bathymetric relief ought to be considered while simulating hydrothermal circulation systems. Results of this study suggest the dominant effect of bathymetric highs on fluid flow pattern and Darcy velocities will be presented. Keywords: Hydrothermal Circulation, Lucky Strike, Bathymetry - Topography, Vent Location, Fluid Flow, Numerical Modelling

Destabilization of confined granular packings due to fluid flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monloubou, Martin; Sandnes, Bjørnar

2016-04-01

Fluid flow through granular materials can cause fluidization when fluid drag exceeds the frictional stress within the packing. Fluid driven failure of granular packings is observed in both natural and engineered settings, e.g. soil liquefaction and flowback of proppants during hydraulic fracturing operations. We study experimentally the destabilization and flow of an unconsolidated granular packing subjected to a point source fluid withdrawal using a model system consisting of a vertical Hele-Shaw cell containing a water-grain mixture. The fluid is withdrawn from the cell at a constant rate, and the emerging flow patterns are imaged in time-lapse mode. Using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), we show that the granular flow gets localized in a narrow channel down the center of the cell, and adopts a Gaussian velocity profile similar to those observed in dry grain flows in silos. We investigate the effects of the experimental parameters (flow rate, grain size, grain shape, fluid viscosity) on the packing destabilization, and identify the physical mechanisms responsible for the observed complex flow behaviour.

Possible effects of two-phase flow pattern on the mechanical behavior of mudstones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goto, H.; Tokunaga, T.; Aichi, M.

2016-12-01

To investigate the influence of two-phase flow pattern on the mechanical behavior of mudstones, laboratory experiments were conducted. In the experiment, air was injected from the bottom of the water-saturated Quaternary Umegase mudstone sample under hydrostatic external stress condition. Both axial and circumferential strains at half the height of the sample and volumetric discharge of water at the outlet were monitored during the experiment. Numerical simulation of the experiment was tried by using a simulator which can solve coupled two-phase flow and poroelastic deformation assuming the extended-Darcian flow with relative permeability and capillary pressure as functions of the wetting-phase fluid saturation. In the numerical simulation, the volumetric discharge of water was reproduced well while both strains were not. Three dimensionless numbers, i.e., the viscosity ratio, the Capillary number, and the Bond number, which characterize the two-phase flow pattern (Lenormand et al., 1988; Ewing and Berkowitz, 1998) were calculated to be 2×10-2, 2×10-11, and 7×10-11, respectively, in the experiment. Because the Bond number was quite small, it was possible to apply Lenormand et al. (1988)'s diagram to evaluate the flow regime, and the flow regime was considered to be capillary fingering. While, in the numerical simulation, air moved uniformly upward with quite low non-wetting phase saturation conditions because the fluid flow obeyed the two-phase Darcy's law. These different displacement patterns developed in the experiment and assumed in the numerical simulation were considered to be the reason why the deformation behavior observed in the experiment could not be reproduced by numerical simulation, suggesting that the two-phase flow pattern could affect the changes of internal fluid pressure patterns during displacement processes. For further studies, quantitative analysis of the experimental results by using a numerical simulator which can solve the coupled processes of two-phase flow through preferential flow paths and deformation of porous media is needed. References: Ewing R. P., and B. Berkowitz (1998), Water Resour. Res., 34, 611-622. Lenormand, R., E. Touboul, and C. Zarcone (1988), J. Fluid Mech., 189, 165-187.

Yield-stress fluids foams: flow patterns and controlled production in T-junction and flow-focusing devices.

PubMed

Laborie, Benoit; Rouyer, Florence; Angelescu, Dan E; Lorenceau, Elise

2016-11-23

We study the formation of yield-stress fluid foams in millifluidic flow-focusing and T-junction devices. First, we provide a phase diagram for the unsteady operating regimes of bubble production when the gas pressure and the yield-stress fluid flow rate are imposed. Three regimes are identified: a co-flow of gas and yield-stress fluid, a transient production of bubble and a flow of yield-stress fluid only. Taking wall slip into account, we provide a model for the pressure at the onset of bubble formation. Then, we detail and compare two simple methods to ensure steady bubble production: regulation of the gas pressure or flow-rate. These techniques, which are easy to implement, thus open pathways for controlled production of dry yield-stress fluid foams as shown at the end of this article.

Fluid-dynamics modelling of the human left ventricle with dynamic mesh for normal and myocardial infarction: preliminary study.

PubMed

Khalafvand, S S; Ng, E Y K; Zhong, L; Hung, T K

2012-08-01

Pulsating blood flow patterns in the left ventricular (LV) were computed for three normal subjects and three patients after myocardial infarction (MI). Cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) images were obtained, segmented and transformed into 25 frames of LV for a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study. Multi-block structure meshes were generated for 25 frames and 75 intermediate grids. The complete LV cycle was modelled by using ANSYS-CFX 12. The flow patterns and pressure drops in the LV chamber of this study provided some useful information on intra-LV flow patterns with heart diseases. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical models of caldera deformation: Effects of multiphase and multicomponent hydrothermal fluid flow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hutnak, M.; Hurwitz, S.; Ingebritsen, S.E.; Hsieh, P.A.

2009-01-01

Ground surface displacement (GSD) in large calderas is often interpreted as resulting from magma intrusion at depth. Recent advances in geodetic measurements of GSD, notably interferometric synthetic aperture radar, reveal complex and multifaceted deformation patterns that often require complex source models to explain the observed GSD. Although hydrothermal fluids have been discussed as a possible deformation agent, very few quantitative studies addressing the effects of multiphase flow on crustal mechanics have been attempted. Recent increases in the power and availability of computing resources allow robust quantitative assessment of the complex time-variant thermal interplay between aqueous fluid flow and crustal deformation. We carry out numerical simulations of multiphase (liquid-gas), multicomponent (H 2O-CO2) hydrothermal fluid flow and poroelastic deformation using a range of realistic physical parameters and processes. Hydrothermal fluid injection, circulation, and gas formation can generate complex, temporally and spatially varying patterns of GSD, with deformation rates, magnitudes, and geometries (including subsidence) similar to those observed in several large calderas. The potential for both rapid and gradual deformation resulting from magma-derived fluids suggests that hydrothermal fluid circulation may help explain deformation episodes at calderas that have not culminated in magmatic eruption.

Verification of capillary pressure functions and relative permeability equations for gas production

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

Jang, Jaewon

The understanding of multiphase fluid flow in porous media is of great importance in many fields such as enhanced oil recovery, hydrology, CO 2 sequestration, contaminants cleanup and natural gas production from hydrate bearing sediments. However, there are many unanswered questions about the key parameters that characterize gas and water flows in porous media. The characteristics of multiphase fluid flow in porous media such as water retention curve, relative permeability, preferential fluid flow patterns and fluid-particle interaction should be taken into consideration for a fundamental understanding of the behavior of pore scale systems.

Thermal inertia and reversing buoyancy in flow in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menand, Thierry; Raw, Alan; Woods, Andrew W.

2003-03-01

The displacement of fluids through porous rocks is fundamental for the recharge of geothermal and hydrocarbon reservoirs [Grant et al., 1982; Lake, 1989], for contaminant dispersal through the groundwater [Bear, 1972] and in controlling mineral reactions in permeable rocks [Phillips, 1991]. In many cases, the buoyancy force associated with density differences between the formation fluid and the displacing fluid controls the rate and pattern of flow through the permeable rock [Phillips, 1991; Barenblatt, 1996; Turcotte and Schubert, 2002]. Here, using new laboratory experiments, we establish that a striking range of different flow patterns may develop depending on whether this density contrast is associated with differences in temperature and/or composition between the two fluids. Owing to the effects of thermal inertia in a porous rock, thermal fronts lag behind compositional fronts [Woods and Fitzgerald, 1993; Turcotte and Schubert, 2002], so that two zones of different density develop in the region flooded with injected fluid. This can lead to increasing, decreasing or even reversing buoyancy in the injected liquid; in the latter case it may then form a double-flood front, spreading along both the upper and lower boundary of the rock. Recognition of these different flow regimes is key for predicting sweep efficiency and dispersal patterns in natural and engineered flows, and offers new opportunities for the enhanced recovery of natural resources in porous rocks.

Influence of initial conditions on the flow patterns of a shock-accelerated thin fluid layer

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

Budzinski, J.M.; Benjamin, R.F.; Jacobs, J.W.

1994-11-01

Previous observations of three flow patterns generated by shock acceleration of a thin perturbed, fluid layer are now correlated with asymmetries in the initial conditions. Using a different diagnostic (planar laser Rayleigh scattering) than the previous experiments, upstream mushrooms, downstream mushrooms, and sinuous patterns are still observed. For each experiment the initial perturbation amplitude on one side of the layer can either be larger, smaller, or the same as the amplitude on the other side, as observed with two images per experiment, and these differences lead to the formation of the different patterns.

Understanding Angiography-Based Aneurysm Flow Fields through Comparison with Computational Fluid Dynamics.

PubMed

Cebral, J R; Mut, F; Chung, B J; Spelle, L; Moret, J; van Nijnatten, F; Ruijters, D

2017-06-01

Hemodynamics is thought to be an important factor for aneurysm progression and rupture. Our aim was to evaluate whether flow fields reconstructed from dynamic angiography data can be used to realistically represent the main flow structures in intracranial aneurysms. DSA-based flow reconstructions, obtained during interventional treatment, were compared qualitatively with flow fields obtained from patient-specific computational fluid dynamics models and quantitatively with projections of the computational fluid dynamics fields (by computing a directional similarity of the vector fields) in 15 cerebral aneurysms. The average similarity between the DSA and the projected computational fluid dynamics flow fields was 78% in the parent artery, while it was only 30% in the aneurysm region. Qualitatively, both the DSA and projected computational fluid dynamics flow fields captured the location of the inflow jet, the main vortex structure, the intrasaccular flow split, and the main rotation direction in approximately 60% of the cases. Several factors affect the reconstruction of 2D flow fields from dynamic angiography sequences. The most important factors are the 3-dimensionality of the intrasaccular flow patterns and inflow jets, the alignment of the main vortex structure with the line of sight, the overlapping of surrounding vessels, and possibly frame rate undersampling. Flow visualization with DSA from >1 projection is required for understanding of the 3D intrasaccular flow patterns. Although these DSA-based flow quantification techniques do not capture swirling or secondary flows in the parent artery, they still provide a good representation of the mean axial flow and the corresponding flow rate. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Flow Pattern Phenomena in Two-Phase Flow in Microchannels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keska, Jerry K.; Simon, William E.

2004-02-01

Space transportation systems require high-performance thermal protection and fluid management techniques for systems ranging from cryogenic fluid management devices to primary structures and propulsion systems exposed to extremely high temperatures, as well as for other space systems such as cooling or environment control for advanced space suits and integrated circuits. Although considerable developmental effort is being expended to bring potentially applicable technologies to a readiness level for practical use, new and innovative methods are still needed. One such method is the concept of Advanced Micro Cooling Modules (AMCMs), which are essentially compact two-phase heat exchangers constructed of microchannels and designed to remove large amounts of heat rapidly from critical systems by incorporating phase transition. The development of AMCMs requires fundamental technological advancement in many areas, including: (1) development of measurement methods/systems for flow-pattern measurement/identification for two-phase mixtures in microchannels; (2) development of a phenomenological model for two-phase flow which includes the quantitative measure of flow patterns; and (3) database development for multiphase heat transfer/fluid dynamics flows in microchannels. This paper focuses on the results of experimental research in the phenomena of two-phase flow in microchannels. The work encompasses both an experimental and an analytical approach to incorporating flow patterns for air-water mixtures flowing in a microchannel, which are necessary tools for the optimal design of AMCMs. Specifically, the following topics are addressed: (1) design and construction of a sensitive test system for two-phase flow in microchannels, one which measures ac and dc components of in-situ physical mixture parameters including spatial concentration using concomitant methods; (2) data acquisition and analysis in the amplitude, time, and frequency domains; and (3) analysis of results including evaluation of data acquisition techniques and their validity for application in flow pattern determination.

Numerical simulation of heat transfer and fluid flow during double-sided laser beam welding of T-joints for aluminum aircraft fuselage panels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zhibin; Tao, Wang; Li, Liqun; Chen, Yanbin; Shi, Chunyuan

2017-06-01

In comparison with conventional laser beam welding, double-sided laser beam welding has two laser heat sources simultaneously and symmetrically loaded from both sides makes it to be a more complicated coupled heat transport and fluid flow process. In this work, in order to understand the heat transfer and fluid flow, a three-dimensional model was developed and validated with the experimental results. The temperature field, fluid flow field, and keyhole characteristic were calculated using the developed model by FLUENT software. Calculated results indicated that the temperature and fluid flow fields were bilateral symmetry along the stringer center, and the molten pool maximum length was located near the keyhole intersection position. The skin side had higher temperature and faster cooling speed. Several characteristic flow patterns in the weld pool cross section, including the vortexes flows near the keyhole opening position, the convection flows above the keyhole intersection location, the regularity downward flows at the molten pool bottom. And in the lengthwise section, a distinct vortex flow below the keyhole, and the liquid metal behind the keyhole first flowed to near the molten pool maximum length location and then to the molten pool surface. Perpendicular to and along welding direction the keyhole liquid metal flowed to the weld molten pool surface and around the keyhole, respectively. The special temperature fields and fluid flow patterns were closely related to the effects of the double sides' laser energy coupling and enhancement. The calculated weld pool geometry basically in good agreement with the experimental results indicated that the developed model was validity and reasonable.

Metals Electroprocessing in Molten Salts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sadoway, D. R.

1985-01-01

The present study seeks to explain the poor quality of solid electrodeposits in molten salts through a consideration of the effects of fluid flow of the electrolyte. Transparent cells allow observation of electrolyte circulation by a laser schlieren optical technique during the electrodeposition of solid zinc from the molten salt electrolyte, ZnCl2 - LiCl-KCl. Experimental variables are current, density, electrolyte composition, and cell geometry. Based on the results of earlier electrodeposition studies as well as reports in the literature, these parameters are identified as having the primary influence on cell performance and deposit quality. Experiments are conducted to measure the fluid flow patterns and the electrochemical cell characteristics, and to correlate this information with the morphology of the solid electrodeposit produced. Specifically, cell voltage, cell current, characteristic time for dendrite evolution, and dendrite growth directions are noted. Their relationship to electrolyte flow patterns and the morphology of the resulting electrodeposit are derived. Results to date indicate that laser schlieren imaging is capable of revealing fluid flow patterns in a molten salt electrolyte.

Fault and fracture patterns in low porosity chalk and their potential influence on sub-surface fluid flow-A case study from Flamborough Head, UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sagi, D. A.; De Paola, N.; McCaffrey, K. J. W.; Holdsworth, R. E.

2016-10-01

To better understand fault zone architecture and fluid flow in mesoscale fault zones, we studied normal faults in chalks with displacements up to 20 m, at two representative localities in Flamborough Head (UK). At the first locality, chalk contains cm-thick, interlayered marl horizons, whereas at the second locality marl horizons were largely absent. Cm-scale displacement faults at both localities display ramp-flat geometries. Mesoscale fault patterns in the marl-free chalk, including a larger displacement fault (20 m) containing multiple fault strands, show widespread evidence of hydraulically-brecciated rocks, whereas clays smears along fault planes, and injected into open fractures, and a simpler fault zone architecture is observed where marl horizons are present. Hydraulic brecciation and veins observed in the marl-free chalk units suggest that mesoscale fault patterns acted as localized fault conduit allowing for widespread fluid flow. On the other hand, mesoscale fault patterns developed in highly fractured chalk, which contains interlayered marl horizons can act as localized barriers to fluid flow, due to the sealing effect of clays smears along fault planes and introduced into open fractures in the damage zone. To support our field observations, quantitative analyses carried out on the large faults suggest a simple fault zone in the chalk with marl units with fracture density/connectivity decreasing towards the protolith. Where marls are absent, density is high throughout the fault zone, while connectivity is high only in domains nearest the fault core. We suggest that fluid flow in fractured chalk is especially influenced by the presence of marls. When present, it can smear onto fault planes, forming localised barriers. Fluid flow along relatively large displacement faults is additionally controlled by the complexity of the fault zone, especially the size/geometry of weakly and intensely connected damage zone domains.

Initial temperatures effect on the mixing efficiency and flow modes in T-shaped micromixer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lobasov, A. S.; Shebeleva, A. A.

2017-09-01

Flow patterns and mixing of liquids with different initial temperatures in T-shaped micromixers are numerically investigated on the Reynolds number range from 1 to 250. The temperature of the one of mixing media was set equal to 20°C, while the temperature of the another mixing media was varied from 10°C to 50°C its effect on the flow structure and the mixing was studied. The dependences of the mixing efficiency and the pressure difference in this mixer on the difference in initial temperatures of miscible fluids and the Reynolds number were obtained. It was shown that the presence of a difference in initial temperatures of miscible fluids leads to a shift of flow regimes and the flow and mixing of two fluids with different initial temperatures can be considered as self-similar pattern with regard to the reduced Reynolds number.

Real-Time Maps of Fluid Flow Fields in Porous Biomaterials

PubMed Central

Mack, Julia J.; Youssef, Khalid; Noel, Onika D.V.; Lake, Michael P.; Wu, Ashley; Iruela-Arispe, M. Luisa; Bouchard, Louis-S.

2013-01-01

Mechanical forces such as fluid shear have been shown to enhance cell growth and differentiation, but knowledge of their mechanistic effect on cells is limited because the local flow patterns and associated metrics are not precisely known. Here we present real-time, noninvasive measures of local hydrodynamics in 3D biomaterials based on nuclear magnetic resonance. Microflow maps were further used to derive pressure, shear and fluid permeability fields. Finally, remodeling of collagen gels in response to precise fluid flow parameters was correlated with structural changes. It is anticipated that accurate flow maps within 3D matrices will be a critical step towards understanding cell behavior in response to controlled flow dynamics. PMID:23245922

Control Theoretic Modeling and Generated Flow Patterns of a Fish-Tail Robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massey, Brian; Morgansen, Kristi; Dabiri, Dana

2003-11-01

Many real-world engineering problems involve understanding and manipulating fluid flows. One of the challenges to further progress in the area of active flow control is the lack of appropriate models that are amenable to control-theoretic studies and algorithm design and also incorporate reasonably realistic fluid dynamic effects. We focus here on modeling and model-verification of bio-inspired actuators (fish-fin type structures) used to control fluid dynamic artifacts that will affect speed, agility, and stealth of Underwater Autonomous Vehicles (UAVs). Vehicles using fish-tail type systems are more maneuverable, can turn in much shorter and more constrained spaces, have lower drag, are quieter and potentially more efficient than those using propellers. We will present control-theoretic models for a simple prototype coupled fluid and mechanical actuator where fluid effects are crudely modeled by assuming only lift, drag, and added mass, while neglecting boundary effects. These models will be tested with different control input parameters on an experimental fish-tail robot with the resulting flow captured with DPIV. Relations between the model, the control function choices, the obtained thrust and drag, and the corresponding flow patterns will be presented and discussed.

Nanoscale wicking methods and devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhou, Jijie (Inventor); Bronikowski, Michael (Inventor); Noca, Flavio (Inventor); Sansom, Elijah B. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A fluid transport method and fluid transport device are disclosed. Nanoscale fibers disposed in a patterned configuration allow transport of a fluid in absence of an external power source. The device may include two or more fluid transport components having different fluid transport efficiencies. The components may be separated by additional fluid transport components, to control fluid flow.

AC Electric-Field-Induced Fluid Flow in Microelectrodes.

PubMed

Ramos; Morgan; Green; Castellanos

1999-09-15

During the AC electrokinetic manipulation of particles in suspension on microelectrode structures, strong frequency-dependent fluid flow is observed. The fluid movement is predominant at frequencies below the reciprocal charge relaxation time, with a reproducible pattern occurring close to and across the electrode surface. This paper reports measurements of the fluid velocity as a function of frequency and position across the electrode. Evidence is presented indicating that the flow occurs due to electroosmotic stress arising from the interaction of the electric field and the electrical double layer on the electrodes. The electrode polarization plays a significant role in controlling the frequency dependence of the flow. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Wettability Control on Fluid-Fluid Displacements in Patterned Microfluidics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2014-12-01

Two-phase flow in porous media is important in many natural and industrial processes like geologic CO2 sequestration, enhanced oil recovery, and water infiltration in soil. While it is well known that the wetting properties of porous media can vary drastically depending on the type of media and the pore fluids, the effect of wettability on fluid displacement continues to challenge our microscopic and macroscopic descriptions. Here we study this problem experimentally, starting with the classic experiment of two-phase flow in a capillary tube. We image the shape of the meniscus and measure the associated capillary pressure for a wide range of capillary numbers. We confirm that wettability exerts a fundamental control on meniscus deformation, and synthesize new observations on the dependence of the dynamic capillary pressure on wetting properties (contact angle) and flow conditions (viscosity contrast and capillary number). We compare our experiments to a macroscopic phase-field model of two-phase flow. We use the insights gained from the capillary tube experiments to explore the viscous fingering instability in the Hele-Shaw geometry in the partial-wetting regime. A key difference between a Hele-Shaw cell and a porous medium is the existence of micro-structures (i.e. pores and pore throats). To investigate how these micro-structrues impact fluid-fluid displacement, we conduct experiments on a planar microfluidic device patterned with vertical posts. We track the evolution of the fluid-fluid interface and elucidate the impact of wetting on the cooperative nature of fluid displacement during pore invasion events. We use the insights gained from the capillary tube and patterned microfluidics experiments to elucidate the effect of wetting properties on viscous fingering and capillary fingering in a Hele-Shaw cell filled with glass beads, where we observe a contact-angle-dependent stabilizing behavior for the emerging flow instabilities, as the system transitions from drainage to imbibition.

Three-dimensional particle tracking in concave structures made by ultraviolet nanoimprint via total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and refractive-index-matching method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujinami, Taku; Kigami, Hiroshi; Unno, Noriyuki; Taniguchi, Jun; Satake, Shin-ichi

2018-06-01

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) is a promising method for measuring fluid flow close to a wall with nanoscale resolution in a process that is termed "multilayer nanoparticle image velocimetry" (MnPIV). TIRFM uses evanescent light that is generated on a substrate (typically a glass slide) by total internal reflection of light. Many researchers have previously studied x- y- z (3D) flows of water close to flat glass slides using MnPIV. On the other hand, a fluid flow close to a structured surface is also important. To measure flows of water near micro-patterns, we previously developed an MnPIV technique that uses a refractive-index-matching method. In previous study, the micropattern is made of a thermoplastic material with a refractive index that closely matches that of water. In this study, ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography was used for fabricating the appropriate micro-patterns because this technique can fabricate a pattern with a high resolution. As a result, we succeeded in performing MnPIV in water with a circular hole array pattern made by ultraviolet nanoimprint using a refractive-index-matching method. We believe that this technique will be helpful in elucidating fluid flows around microstructures.

Three-dimensional particle tracking in concave structures made by ultraviolet nanoimprint via total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and refractive-index-matching method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujinami, Taku; Kigami, Hiroshi; Unno, Noriyuki; Taniguchi, Jun; Satake, Shin-ichi

2018-03-01

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) is a promising method for measuring fluid flow close to a wall with nanoscale resolution in a process that is termed "multilayer nanoparticle image velocimetry" (MnPIV). TIRFM uses evanescent light that is generated on a substrate (typically a glass slide) by total internal reflection of light. Many researchers have previously studied x-y-z (3D) flows of water close to flat glass slides using MnPIV. On the other hand, a fluid flow close to a structured surface is also important. To measure flows of water near micro-patterns, we previously developed an MnPIV technique that uses a refractive-index-matching method. In previous study, the micropattern is made of a thermoplastic material with a refractive index that closely matches that of water. In this study, ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography was used for fabricating the appropriate micro-patterns because this technique can fabricate a pattern with a high resolution. As a result, we succeeded in performing MnPIV in water with a circular hole array pattern made by ultraviolet nanoimprint using a refractive-index-matching method. We believe that this technique will be helpful in elucidating fluid flows around microstructures.

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.

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

Pattern formation and three-dimensional instability in rotating flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christensen, Erik A.; Aubry, Nadine; Sorensen, Jens N.

1997-03-01

A fluid flow enclosed in a cylindrical container where fluid motion is created by the rotation of one end wall as a centrifugal fan is studied. Direct numerical simulations and spatio-temporal analysis have been performed in the early transition scenario, which includes a steady-unsteady transition and a breakdown of axisymmetric to three-dimensional flow behavior. In the early unsteady regime of the flow, the central vortex undergoes a vertical beating motion, accompanied by axisymmetric spikes formation on the edge of the breakdown bubble. As traveling waves, the spikes move along the central vortex core toward the rotating end-wall. As the Reynolds number is increased further, the flow undergoes a three-dimensional instability. The influence of the latter on the previous patterns is studied.

Internal flow patterns on heat transfer characteristics of a closed-loop oscillating heat-pipe with check valves using ethanol and a silver nano-ethanol mixture

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

Bhuwakietkumjohn, N.; Rittidech, S.

The aim of this research was to investigate the internal flow patterns and heat transfer characteristics of a closed-loop oscillating heat-pipe with check valves (CLOHP/CV). The ratio of number of check valves to meandering turns was 0.2. Ethanol and a silver nano-ethanol mixture were used as working fluids with a filling ratio of 50% by total volume of tube. The CLOHP/CV was made of a glass tube with an inside diameter of 2.4 mm. The evaporator section was 50 mm and 100 mm in length and there were 10 meandering turns. An inclination angle of 90 from horizontal axis wasmore » established. The evaporator section was heated by an electric heater and the condenser section was cooled by distilled water. Temperature at the evaporator section was controlled at 85 C, 105 C and 125 C. The inlet and outlet temperatures were measured. A digital camera and video camera were used to observe the flow patterns at the evaporator. The silver nano-ethanol mixture gave higher heat flux than ethanol. When the temperature at the evaporator section was increased from 85 C to 105 C and 125 C. It was found that, the flow patterns occurred as annular flow + slug flow, slug flow + bubble flow and dispersed bubble flow + bubble flow respectively. The main regime of each flow pattern can be determined from the flow pattern map ethanol and a silver nano-ethanol mixture. Each of the two working fluids gave corresponding flow patterns. (author)« less

Dissolved CO2 Increases Breakthrough Porosity in Natural Porous Materials.

PubMed

Yang, Y; Bruns, S; Stipp, S L S; Sørensen, H O

2017-07-18

When reactive fluids flow through a dissolving porous medium, conductive channels form, leading to fluid breakthrough. This phenomenon is caused by the reactive infiltration instability and is important in geologic carbon storage where the dissolution of CO 2 in flowing water increases fluid acidity. Using numerical simulations with high resolution digital models of North Sea chalk, we show that the breakthrough porosity is an important indicator of dissolution pattern. Dissolution patterns reflect the balance between the demand and supply of cumulative surface. The demand is determined by the reactive fluid composition while the supply relies on the flow field and the rock's microstructure. We tested three model scenarios and found that aqueous CO 2 dissolves porous media homogeneously, leading to large breakthrough porosity. In contrast, solutions without CO 2 develop elongated convective channels known as wormholes, with low breakthrough porosity. These different patterns are explained by the different apparent solubility of calcite in free drift systems. Our results indicate that CO 2 increases the reactive subvolume of porous media and reduces the amount of solid residual before reactive fluid can be fully channelized. Consequently, dissolved CO 2 may enhance contaminant mobilization near injection wellbores, undermine the mechanical sustainability of formation rocks and increase the likelihood of buoyance driven leakage through carbonate rich caprocks.

Nonlinear dynamics and rheology of active fluids: simulations in two dimensions.

PubMed

Fielding, S M; Marenduzzo, D; Cates, M E

2011-04-01

We report simulations of a continuum model for (apolar, flow aligning) active fluids in two dimensions. Both free and anchored boundary conditions are considered, at parallel confining walls that are either static or moving at fixed relative velocity. We focus on extensile materials and find that steady shear bands, previously shown to arise ubiquitously in one dimension for the active nematic phase at small (or indeed zero) shear rate, are generally replaced in two dimensions by more complex flow patterns that can be stationary, oscillatory, or apparently chaotic. The consequences of these flow patterns for time-averaged steady-state rheology are examined. ©2011 American Physical Society

Circular flow patterns induced by ciliary activity in reconstituted human bronchial epithelium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viallat, Annie; Khelloufi, Kamel; Gras, Delphine; Chanez, Pascal; Aix Marseille Univ., CNRS, CINaM, Marseille, France Team; Aix Marseille Univ., CNRS, Inserm, LAI, Marseille, France Team

2016-11-01

Mucociliary clearance is the transport at the surface of airways of a complex fluid layer, the mucus, moved by the beats of microscopic cilia present on epithelial ciliated cells. We explored the coupling between the spatial organisation and the activity of cilia and the transport of surface fluids on reconstituted cultures of human bronchial epithelium at air-liquid interface, obtained by human biopsies. We reveal the existence of stable local circular surface flow patterns of mucus or Newtonian fluid at the epithelium surface. We find a power law over more than 3 orders of magnitude showing that the average ciliated cell density controls the size of these flow patterns, and, therefore the distance over which mucus can be transported. We show that these circular flow patterns result from the radial linear increase of the local propelling forces (due to ciliary beats) on each flow domain. This linear increase of local forces is induced by a fine self-regulation of both cilia density and orientation of ciliary beats. Local flow domains grow and merge during ciliogenesis to provide macroscopic mucus transport. This is possible only when the viscoelastic mucus continuously exerts a shear stress on beating cilia, revealing a mechanosensitive function of cilia. M. K. Khelloufi thanks the society MedBioMed for financial support. This work was supported by the ANR MUCOCIL project, Grant ANR-13-BSV5-0015 of the French Agence Nationale de la Recherche.

Study of secondary-flow patterns in an annular cascade of turbine nozzle blades with vortex design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rohlik, Harold E; Allen, Hubert W; Herzig, Howard Z

1953-01-01

In order to increase understanding of the origin of losses in a turbine, the secondary-flow components in the boundary layers and the blade wakes of an annular cascade of turbine nozzle blades (vortex design) was investigated. A detailed study was made of the total-pressure contours and, particularly, of the inner-wall loss cores downstream of the blades. The inner-wall loss core associated with a blade of the turbine-nozzle cascade is largely the accumulation of low-momentum fluids originating elsewhere in the cascade. This accumulation is effected by a secondary-flow mechanism which acts to transport the low-momentum fluids across the channels on the walls and radially in the blade wakes and boundary layers. The patterns of secondary flow were determined by use of hydrogen sulfide traces, paint, flow fences, and total pressure surveys. At one flow condition investigated, the radial transport of low-momentum fluid in the blade wake and on the suction surface near the trailing edge accounted for 65 percent of the loss core; 30 percent resulted from flow in the thickened boundary layer on the suction surface and 35 percent from flow in the blade wake.

Assembly of ordered colloidal aggregrates by electric-field-induced fluid flow

PubMed Central

Yeh, Syun-Ru; Seul, Michael; Shraiman, Boris I.

2017-01-01

Suspensions of colloidal particles form a variety of ordered planar structures at an interface in response to an a.c. or d.c. electric field applied normal to the interface1–3. This field-induced pattern formation can be useful, for example, in the processing of materials. Here we explore the origin of the ordering phenomenon. We present evidence suggesting that the long-ranged attraction between particles which causes aggregation is mediated by electric-field-induced fluid flow. We have imaged an axially symmetric flow field around individual particles on a uniform electrode surface. The flow is induced by distortions in the applied electric field owing to inhomogeneities in the ‘double layer’ of ions and counterions at the electrode surface. The beads themselves can create these inhomogeneities, or alternatively, we can modify the electrode surfaces by lithographic patterning so as to introduce specified patterns into the aggregated structures. PMID:28943661

On Application of the Ostwald-de Waele Model to Description of Non-Newtonian Fluid Flow in the Nip of Counter-Rotating Rolls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shapovalov, V. M.

2018-05-01

The accuracy of the Ostwald-de Waele model in solving the problem of roll flow has been assessed by comparing with the "reference" solution for an Ellis fluid. As a result of the analysis, it has been shown that the model based on a power-law equation leads to substantial distortions of the flow pattern.

Optimizing Micromixer Surfaces To Deter Biofouling.

PubMed

Waters, James T; Liu, Ya; Li, Like; Balazs, Anna C

2018-03-07

Using computational modeling, we show that the dynamic interplay between a flowing fluid and the appropriately designed surface relief pattern can inhibit the fouling of the substrate. We specifically focus on surfaces that are decorated with three-dimensional (3D) chevron or sawtooth "micromixer" patterns and model the fouling agents (e.g., cells) as spherical microcapsules. The interaction between the imposed shear flow and the chevrons on the surface generates 3D vortices in the system. We pinpoint a range of shear rates where the forces from these vortices can rupture the bonds between the two mobile microcapsules near the surface. Notably, the patterned surface offers fewer points of attachment than a flat substrate, and the shear flows readily transport the separated capsules away from the layer. We contrast the performance of surfaces that encompass rectangular posts, chevrons, and asymmetric sawtooth patterns and thereby identify the geometric factors that cause the sawtooth structure to be most effective at disrupting the bonding between the capsules. By breaking up nascent clusters of contaminant cells, these 3D relief patterns can play a vital role in disrupting the biofouling of surfaces immersed in flowing fluids.

Pressure driven laminar flow of a power-law fluid in a T-channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyakova, O. A.; Frolov, O. Yu

2017-10-01

Planar flow of a non-Newtonian fluid in a T-channel is investigated. The viscosity is determined by the Ostwald-de Waele power law. Motion of the fluid is caused by pressure drop given in boundary sections of the T-channel. On the solid walls, the no slip boundary condition is used. The problem is numerically solved with using a finite difference method based on the SIMPLE procedure. As a result of this study, characteristic flow regimes have been found. Influence of main parameters on the flow pattern has been demonstrated. Criteria dependences describing basic characteristics of the flow under conditions of the present work have been shown.

Inertial Effects on Flow and Transport in Heterogeneous Porous Media.

PubMed

Nissan, Alon; Berkowitz, Brian

2018-02-02

We investigate the effects of high fluid velocities on flow and tracer transport in heterogeneous porous media. We simulate fluid flow and advective transport through two-dimensional pore-scale matrices with varying structural complexity. As the Reynolds number increases, the flow regime transitions from linear to nonlinear; this behavior is controlled by the medium structure, where higher complexity amplifies inertial effects. The result is, nonintuitively, increased homogenization of the flow field, which leads in the context of conservative chemical transport to less anomalous behavior. We quantify the transport patterns via a continuous time random walk, using the spatial distribution of the kinetic energy within the fluid as a characteristic measure.

Lattice Boltzmann computation of creeping fluid flow in roll-coating applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajan, Isac; Kesana, Balashanker; Perumal, D. Arumuga

2018-04-01

Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) has advanced as a class of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods used to solve complex fluid systems and heat transfer problems. It has ever-increasingly attracted the interest of researchers in computational physics to solve challenging problems of industrial and academic importance. In this current study, LBM is applied to simulate the creeping fluid flow phenomena commonly encountered in manufacturing technologies. In particular, we apply this novel method to simulate the fluid flow phenomena associated with the "meniscus roll coating" application. This prevalent industrial problem encountered in polymer processing and thin film coating applications is modelled as standard lid-driven cavity problem to which creeping flow analysis is applied. This incompressible viscous flow problem is studied in various speed ratios, the ratio of upper to lower lid speed in two different configurations of lid movement - parallel and anti-parallel wall motion. The flow exhibits interesting patterns which will help in design of roll coaters.

Convective flows in enclosures with vertical temperature or concentration gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, L. W.; Chai, A. T.; Sun, D. J.

1988-01-01

The transport process in the fluid phase during the growth of a crystal has a profound influence on the structure and quality of the solid phase. In vertical growth techniques the fluid phase is often subjected to vertical temperature and concentration gradients. The main objective is to obtain more experimental data on convective flows in enclosures with vertical temperature or concentration gradients. Among actual crystal systems the parameters vary widely. The parametric ranges studied for mass transfer are mainly dictated by the electrochemical system employed to impose concentration gradients. Temperature or concentration difference are maintained between two horizontal end walls. The other walls are kept insulated. Experimental measurements and observations were made of the heat transfer or mass transfer, flow patterns, and the mean and fluctuating temperature distribution. The method used to visualize the flow pattern in the thermal cases is an electrochemical pH-indicator method. Laser shadowgraphs are employed to visualize flow patterns in the solutal cases.

Convective flows in enclosures with vertical temperature or concentration gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, L. W.; Chai, A. T.; Sun, D. J.

1989-01-01

The transport process in the fluid phase during the growth of a crystal has a profound influence on the structure and quality of the solid phase. In vertical growth techniques the fluid phase is often subjected to vertical temperature and concentration gradients. The main objective is to obtain more experimental data on convective flows in enclosures with vertical temperature or concentration gradients. Among actual crystal systems the parameters vary widely. The parametric ranges studied for mass transfer are mainly dictated by the electrochemical system employed to impose concentration gradients. Temperature or concentration difference are maintained between two horizontal end walls. The other walls are kept insulated. Experimental measurements and observations were made of the heat transfer or mass transfer, flow patterns, and the mean and fluctuating temperature distribution. The method used to visualize the flow pattern in the thermal cases is an electrochemical pH-indicator method. Laser shadowgraphs are employed to visualize flow patterns in the solutal cases.

Swarming in viscous fluids: three-dimensional patterns in swimmer- and force-induced flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuang, Yao-Li; D'Orsogna, Maria R.; Chou, Tom

Mathematical models of self-propelled interacting particles have reproduced various fascinating ``swarming'' patterns observed in natural and artificial systems. The formulation of such models usually ignores the influence of the surrounding medium in which the particles swarm. Here we develop from first principles a three-dimensional theory of swarming particles in a viscous fluid environment and investigate how the hydrodynamic coupling among the particles may affect their collective behavior. Specifically, we examine the hydrodynamic coupling among self-propelled particles interacting through ``social'' or ``mechanical'' forces. We discover that new patterns arise as a consequence of different interactions and self-propulsion mechanisms. Examples include flocks with prolate or oblate shapes, intermittent mills, recirculating peloton-like structures, and jet-like fluid flows that kinetically destabilize mill-like structures. Our results reveal possible mechanisms for three-dimensional swarms to kinetically control their collective behaviors in fluids. Supported by NSF DMS 1021818 & 1021850, ARO W1911NF-14-1-0472, ARO MURI W1911NF-11-10332.

Patterning flows and polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stroock, Abraham Duncan

This thesis presents the use of patterned surfaces for controlling fluid dynamics on a sub-millimeter scale, and for fabricating a new class of polymeric materials. In chapters 1--4, chemical and mechanical structures were used to control the form of flows of fluids in microchannels. This work was done in the context of the development of microfluidic technology for performing chemical tasks in portable, integrated devices. Chapter 1 reviews this work for an audience of chemists who are potential users of these techniques in the development of micro-analytical and micro-synthetic devices. Appendix 1 contains a more general review of microfluidics. Chapter 2 presents experimental results on the use of patterned surface charge density to create new electroosmotic (EO) flows in microchannels; the chapter includes a successful model of the observed flows. In Chapter 3, patterns of topography on the wall of a microchannel were used to generate recirculation in pressure-driven flows. The design and characterization of an efficient mixer based on these flows is presented. A theoretical treatment of these flows is given in Appendix 2. The experimental methods used for the work with both EO and pressure-driven flows are presented in Chapter 4. In Chapter 5, a pattern of asymmetrical grooves in a heated plate was used to perturb Marangoni-Benard (M-B) convection, a dynamic system that spontaneously forms patterned flows. The interaction of the imposed pattern and the inherent pattern of the M-B convection led to a net flow in the plane of convecting layer of fluid. The direction of this flow depended on the orientation of the asymmetrical grooves, the temperature difference across the layer, and the thickness of the layer. A phenomenological model is presented to explain this ratchet effect in which local recirculation was coupled into a global flow. In Chapter 6, surfaces patterned by microcontact printing were used as a workbench on which to build molecularly thin polymer films of well-defined lateral size and shape for subsequent release into solution; the released structures are referred to as two-dimensional (2D) polymers. This type of structure has been a theoretical curiosity and an experimental challenge for several decades. The key element of this method was the use of hydrophobic interactions as a "switchable" adhesive that attached the films to the surface during growth in water and then allowed the completed films to be removed in air. The structure and chemical composition of the films was characterized.

Diagnosis at a glance of biological non-Newtonian fluids with Film Interference Flow Imaging (FIFI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hidema, R.; Yamada, N.; Furukawa, H.

2012-04-01

In the human body, full of biological non-Newtonian fluids exist. For example, synovial fluids exist in our joints, which contain full of biopolymers, such as hyaluronan and mucin. It is thought that these polymers play critical roles on the smooth motion of the joint. Indeed, luck of biopolymers in synovial fluid cause joint pain. Here we study the effects of polymer in thin liquid layer by using an original experimental method called Film Interference Flow Imaging (FIFI). A vertically flowing soap film containing polymers is made as two-dimensional flow to observe turbulence. The thickness of water layer is about 4 μm sandwiched between surfactant mono-layers. The interference pattern of the soap film is linearly related to the flow velocity in the water layer through the change in the thickness of the film. Thus the flow velocity is possibly analyzed by the single image analysis of the interference pattern, that is, FIFI. The grid turbulence was made in the flowing soap films containing the long flexible polymer polyethyleneoxide (PEO, Mw=3.5x106), and rigid polymer hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC, Mw > 1.0 x106). The decaying process of the turbulence is affected by PEO and HPC at several concentrations. The effects of PEO are sharply seen even at low concentrations, while the effects of HPC are gradually occurred at much higher concentration compared to the PEO. It is assumed that such a difference between PEO and HPC is due to the polymer stretching or polymer orientation under turbulence, which is observed and analyzed by FIFI. We believe the FIFI will be applied in the future to examine biological fluids such as synovial fluids quickly and quantitatively.

Geometric effects on bilayer convection in cylindrical containers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Duane Thomas

The study of convection in two immiscible fluid layers is of interest for reasons both theoretical as well as applied. Recently, bilayer convection has been used as a model of convection in the earth's mantle. It is also an interesting system to use in the study of pattern formation. Bilayer convection also occurs in a process known as liquid encapsulated crystal growth, which is used to grow compound semiconductors. It is the last application which motivates this study. To analyze bilayer convection, theoretical models, numerical calculations and experiments were used. One theoretical model involves the derivation of the Navier- Stokes and energy equation for two immiscible fluid layers, using the Boussinesq approximation. A weakly nonlinear analysis was also performed to study the behavior of the system slightly beyond the onset of convection. Numerical calculations were necessary to solve both models. The experiments involved a single liquid layer of silicone oil, superposed by a layer of air. The radius and height of each fluid layer were changed to observe different flow patterns at the onset of convection. From the experiments and theory, two major discoveries were made as well as several interesting observations. The first discovery is the existence of codimension-two points-particular aspect ratios where two flow patterns coexist-in cylindrical containers. At these points, dynamic switching between different flow patterns was observed. The second discovery was the effect of air convection on the flow pattern in silicone oil. Historically, air has been considered a passive medium that has no effect on the lower fluid. However, experiments were done to show that for large air heights, convection in the air can cause radial temperature gradients at the liquid interface. These temperature gradients then cause surface tension gradient-driven flows. It was also shown that changing the radius of the container can change the driving force of convection from a surface tension gradient-driven to buoyancy-driven and back again. Finally, the weakly nonlinear analysis was able to give a qualitative description of codimension-two points as well as the change in flow patterns due to the convecting air layer.

Flow pattern changes influenced by variation of viscosities of a heterogeneous gas-liquid mixture flow in a vertical channel

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

Keska, Jerry K.; Hincapie, Juan; Jones, Richard

In the steady-state flow of a heterogeneous mixture such as an air-liquid mixture, the velocity and void fraction are space- and time-dependent parameters. These parameters are the most fundamental in the analysis and description of a multiphase flow. The determination of flow patterns in an objective way is extremely critical, since this is directly related to sudden changes in spatial and temporal changes of the random like characteristic of concentration. Flow patterns can be described by concentration signals in time, amplitude, and frequency domains. Despite the vital importance and countless attempts to solve or incorporate the flow pattern phenomena intomore » multiphase models, it has still been a very challenging topic in the scientific community since the 1940's and has not yet reached a satisfactory solution. This paper reports the experimental results of the impact of fluid viscosity on flow patterns for two-phase flow. Two-phase flow was created in laboratory equipment using air and liquid as phase medium. The liquid properties were changed by using variable concentrations of glycerol in water mixture which generated a wide-range of dynamic viscosities ranging from 1 to 1060 MPa s. The in situ spatial concentration vs. liquid viscosity and airflow velocity of two-phase flow in a vertical ID=50.8 mm pipe were measured using two concomitant computer-aided measurement systems. After acquiring data, the in situ special concentration signals were analyzed in time (spatial concentration and RMS of spatial concentration vs. time), amplitude (PDF and CPDF), and frequency (PSD and CPSD) domains that documented broad flow pattern changes caused by the fluid viscosity and air velocity changes. (author)« less

The potential for free and mixed convection in sedimentary basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Raffensperger, Jeff P.; Vlassopoulos, D.

1999-01-01

Free thermal convection and mixed convection are considered as potential mechanisms for mass and heat transport in sedimentary basins. Mixed convection occurs when horizontal flows (forced convection) are superimposed on thermally driven flows. In cross section, mixed convection is characterized by convection cells that migrate laterally in the direction of forced convective flow. Two-dimensional finite-element simulations of variable-density groundwater flow and heat transport in a horizontal porous layer were performed to determine critical mean Rayleigh numbers for the onset of free convection, using both isothermal and semi-conductive boundaries. Additional simulations imposed a varying lateral fluid flux on the free-convection pattern. Results from these experiments indicate that forced convection becomes dominant, completely eliminating buoyancy-driven circulation, when the total forced-convection fluid flux exceeds the total flux possible due to free convection. Calculations of the thermal rock alteration index (RAI=q????T) delineate the patterns of potential diagenesis produced by fluid movement through temperature gradients. Free convection produces a distinct pattern of alternating positive and negative RAIs, whereas mixed convection produces a simpler layering of positive and negative values and in general less diagenetic alteration. ?? Springer-Verlag.

MEANS FOR VISUALIZING FLUID FLOW PATTERNS

DOEpatents

Lynch, F.E.; Palmer, L.D.; Poppendick, H.F.; Winn, G.M.

1961-05-16

An apparatus is given for determining both the absolute and relative velocities of a phosphorescent fluid flowing through a transparent conduit. The apparatus includes a source for exciting a narrow trsnsverse band of the fluid to phosphorescence, detecting means such as a camera located downstream from the exciting source to record the shape of the phosphorescent band as it passes, and a timer to measure the time elapsed between operation of the exciting source and operation of the camera.

Numerical modeling of multidimensional flow in seals and bearings used in rotating machinery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hendricks, R. C.; Tam, L. T.; Przekwas, A.; Muszynska, A.; Braun, M. J.; Mullen, R. L.

1988-01-01

The rotordynamic behavior of turbomachinery is critically dependent on fluid dynamic rotor forces developed by various types of seals and bearings. The occurrence of self-excited vibrations often depends on the rotor speed and load. Misalignment and rotor wobbling motion associated with differential clearance were often attributed to stability problems. In general, the rotative character of the flowfield is a complex three dimensional system with secondary flow patterns that significantly alter the average fluid circumferential velocity. A multidimensional, nonorthogonal, body-fitted-grid fluid flow model is presented that describes the fluid dynamic forces and the secondary flow pattern development in seals and bearings. Several numerical experiments were carried out to demonstrate the characteristics of this complex flowfield. Analyses were performed by solving a conservation form of the three dimensional Navier-Stokes equations transformed to those for a rotating observer and using the general-purpose computer code PHOENICS with the assumptions that the rotor orbit is circular and that static eccentricity is zero. These assumptions have enabled a precise steady-state analysis to be used. Fluid injection from ports near the seal or bearing center increased fluid-film direct dynamic stiffness and, in some cases, significantly increased quadrature dynamic stiffness. Injection angle and velocity could be used for active rotordynamic control; for example, injection, when compared with no injection, increased direct dynamic stiffness, which is an important factor for hydrostatic bearings.

Exploration of microfluidic devices based on multi-filament threads and textiles: A review

PubMed Central

Nilghaz, A.; Ballerini, D. R.; Shen, W.

2013-01-01

In this paper, we review the recent progress in the development of low-cost microfluidic devices based on multifilament threads and textiles for semi-quantitative diagnostic and environmental assays. Hydrophilic multifilament threads are capable of transporting aqueous and non-aqueous fluids via capillary action and possess desirable properties for building fluid transport pathways in microfluidic devices. Thread can be sewn onto various support materials to form fluid transport channels without the need for the patterned hydrophobic barriers essential for paper-based microfluidic devices. Thread can also be used to manufacture fabrics which can be patterned to achieve suitable hydrophilic-hydrophobic contrast, creating hydrophilic channels which allow the control of fluids flow. Furthermore, well established textile patterning methods and combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic threads can be applied to fabricate low-cost microfluidic devices that meet the low-cost and low-volume requirements. In this paper, we review the current limitations and shortcomings of multifilament thread and textile-based microfluidics, and the research efforts to date on the development of fluid flow control concepts and fabrication methods. We also present a summary of different methods for modelling the fluid capillary flow in microfluidic thread and textile-based systems. Finally, we summarized the published works of thread surface treatment methods and the potential of combining multifilament thread with other materials to construct devices with greater functionality. We believe these will be important research focuses of thread- and textile-based microfluidics in future. PMID:24086179

STRUCTURAL HETEROGENEITIES AND PALEO FLUID FLOW IN AN ANALOG SANDSTONE RESERVOIR 2001-2004

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

Pollard, David; Aydin, Atilla

2005-02-22

Fractures and faults are brittle structural heterogeneities that can act both as conduits and barriers with respect to fluid flow in rock. This range in the hydraulic effects of fractures and faults greatly complicates the challenges faced by geoscientists working on important problems: from groundwater aquifer and hydrocarbon reservoir management, to subsurface contaminant fate and transport, to underground nuclear waste isolation, to the subsurface sequestration of CO2 produced during fossil-fuel combustion. The research performed under DOE grant DE-FG03-94ER14462 aimed to address these challenges by laying a solid foundation, based on detailed geological mapping, laboratory experiments, and physical process modeling, onmore » which to build our interpretive and predictive capabilities regarding the structure, patterns, and fluid flow properties of fractures and faults in sandstone reservoirs. The material in this final technical report focuses on the period of the investigation from July 1, 2001 to October 31, 2004. The Aztec Sandstone at the Valley of Fire, Nevada, provides an unusually rich natural laboratory in which exposures of joints, shear deformation bands, compaction bands and faults at scales ranging from centimeters to kilometers can be studied in an analog for sandstone aquifers and reservoirs. The suite of structures there has been documented and studied in detail using a combination of low-altitude aerial photography, outcrop-scale mapping and advanced computational analysis. In addition, chemical alteration patterns indicative of multiple paleo fluid flow events have been mapped at outcrop, local and regional scales. The Valley of Fire region has experienced multiple episodes of fluid flow and this is readily evident in the vibrant patterns of chemical alteration from which the Valley of Fire derives its name. We have successfully integrated detailed field and petrographic observation and analysis, process-based mechanical modeling, and numerical simulation of fluid flow to study a typical sandstone aquifer/reservoir at a variety of scales. We have produced many tools and insights which can be applied to active subsurface flow systems and practical problems of pressing global importance.« less

Wettability control on fluid-fluid displacements in patterned microfluidics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, B.; MacMinn, C. W.; Juanes, R.

2015-12-01

Two-phase flow in porous media is important in many natural and industrial processes like geologic CO2 sequestration, enhanced oil recovery, and water infiltration in soil. While it is well known that the wetting properties of porous media can vary drastically depending on the type of media and the pore fluids, the effect of wettability on fluid displacement continues to challenge our microscopic and macroscopic descriptions. Here we conduct two-phase flow experiments via radial displacement of viscous silicone oil by water, in planar microfluidic devices patterned with vertical posts. These devices allow for visualization of flow through a complex but well-defined microstructure. In addition, the surface energy of the devices can be tuned over a wide range of contact angles, allowing us to access different wettability conditions. We use a fluorescent dye to measure the in-plane water saturation. We perform constant-rate injection experiments with highly unfavorable mobility contrast (viscosity of injected water is 350 times less than the displaced silicone oil) at injection rates over four orders of magnitude. We focus on three particular wetting conditions: drainage (θ=120°), weak imbibition (θ=60°), and strong imbibition (θ=7°). In drainage, we observe a transition from viscous fingering at high capillary numbers to a morphology that, in contrast with conventional knowledge, is different from capillary fingering. In weak imbibition, we observe an apparent stabilization of flow instabilities, as a result of cooperative invasion at the pore scale. In strong imbibition, we find that the flow behavior is heavily influenced by a precursor front that emanates from the main imbibition front. The nature of the precursor front depends on the capillary number. At intermediate capillary numbers, the precursor front consists primarily of corner flow that connects the surface of neighboring posts, forming ramified fingers. The progress of corner flow is overtaken by the spreading of precursor film (~1 um thick) at lower capillary numbers. The ensuing main imbibition front preferentially invades areas already coated by the precursor film, forming a more compact invasion pattern. Our work demonstrates the important, yet intricate, impact of wettability on the morphology of fluid-fluid displacement in porous media.

Assessment of Different Turbulence Models for the Motion of Non-metallic Inclusion in Induction Crucible Furnace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barati, H.; Wu, M.; Kharicha, A.; Ludwig, A.

2016-07-01

Turbulent fluid flow due to the electromagnetic forces in induction crucible furnace (ICF) is modeled using k-ɛ, k-ω SST and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) turbulence models. Fluid flow patterns calculated by different turbulence models and their effects on the motion of non-metallic inclusions (NMI) in the bulk melt have been investigated. Results show that the conventional k-ɛ model cannot solve the transient flow in ICF properly. With k-ω model transient flow and oscillation behavior of the flow pattern can be solved, and the motion of NMI can be tracked fairly well. LES model delivers the best modeling result on both details of the transient flow pattern and motion trajectories of NMI without the limitation of NMI size. The drawback of LES model is the long calculation time. Therefore, for general purpose to estimate the dynamic behavior of NMI in ICF both k-ω SST and LES are recommended. For the precise calculation of the motion of NMI smaller than 10 μm only LES model is appropriate.

Extensional flow of blood analog solutions in microfluidic devices

PubMed Central

Sousa, P. C.; Pinho, F. T.; Oliveira, M. S. N.; Alves, M. A.

2011-01-01

In this study, we show the importance of extensional rheology, in addition to the shear rheology, in the choice of blood analog solutions intended to be used in vitro for mimicking the microcirculatory system. For this purpose, we compare the flow of a Newtonian fluid and two well-established viscoelastic blood analog polymer solutions through microfluidic channels containing both hyperbolic and abrupt contractions∕expansions. The hyperbolic shape was selected in order to impose a nearly constant strain rate at the centerline of the microchannels and achieve a quasihomogeneous and strong extensional flow often found in features of the human microcirculatory system such as stenoses. The two blood analog fluids used are aqueous solutions of a polyacrylamide (125 ppm w∕w) and of a xanthan gum (500 ppm w∕w), which were characterized rheologically in steady-shear flow using a rotational rheometer and in extension using a capillary breakup extensional rheometer (CaBER). Both blood analogs exhibit a shear-thinning behavior similar to that of whole human blood, but their relaxation times, obtained from CaBER experiments, are substantially different (by one order of magnitude). Visualizations of the flow patterns using streak photography, measurements of the velocity field using microparticle image velocimetry, and pressure-drop measurements were carried out experimentally for a wide range of flow rates. The experimental results were also compared with the numerical simulations of the flow of a Newtonian fluid and a generalized Newtonian fluid with shear-thinning behavior. Our results show that the flow patterns of the two blood analog solutions are considerably different, despite their similar shear rheology. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the elastic properties of the fluid have a major impact on the flow characteristics, with the polyacrylamide solution exhibiting a much stronger elastic character. As such, these properties must be taken into account in the choice or development of analog fluids that are adequate to replicate blood behavior at the microscale. PMID:21483662

Generalized elastica patterns in a curved rotating Hele-Shaw cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandão, Rodolfo; Miranda, José A.

2017-08-01

We study a family of generalized elasticalike equilibrium shapes that arise at the interface separating two fluids in a curved rotating Hele-Shaw cell. This family of stationary interface solutions consists of shapes that balance the competing capillary and centrifugal forces in such a curved flow environment. We investigate how the emerging interfacial patterns are impacted by changes in the geometric properties of the curved Hele-Shaw cell. A vortex-sheet formalism is used to calculate the two-fluid interface curvature, and a gallery of possible shapes is provided to highlight a number of peculiar morphological features. A linear perturbation theory is employed to show that the most prominent aspects of these complex stationary patterns can be fairly well reproduced by the interplay of just two interfacial modes. The connection of these dominant modes to the geometry of the curved cell, as well as to the fluid dynamic properties of the flow, is discussed.

Geometry-dependent viscosity reduction in sheared active fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Słomka, Jonasz; Dunkel, Jörn

2017-04-01

We investigate flow pattern formation and viscosity reduction mechanisms in active fluids by studying a generalized Navier-Stokes model that captures the experimentally observed bulk vortex dynamics in microbial suspensions. We present exact analytical solutions including stress-free vortex lattices and introduce a computational framework that allows the efficient treatment of higher-order shear boundary conditions. Large-scale parameter scans identify the conditions for spontaneous flow symmetry breaking, geometry-dependent viscosity reduction, and negative-viscosity states amenable to energy harvesting in confined suspensions. The theory uses only generic assumptions about the symmetries and long-wavelength structure of active stress tensors, suggesting that inviscid phases may be achievable in a broad class of nonequilibrium fluids by tuning confinement geometry and pattern scale selection.

Modeling of Propagation of Interacting Cracks Under Hydraulic Pressure Gradient

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

Huang, Hai; Mattson, Earl Douglas; Podgorney, Robert Karl

A robust and reliable numerical model for fracture initiation and propagation, which includes the interactions among propagating fractures and the coupling between deformation, fracturing and fluid flow in fracture apertures and in the permeable rock matrix, would be an important tool for developing a better understanding of fracturing behaviors of crystalline brittle rocks driven by thermal and (or) hydraulic pressure gradients. In this paper, we present a physics-based hydraulic fracturing simulator based on coupling a quasi-static discrete element model (DEM) for deformation and fracturing with conjugate lattice network flow model for fluid flow in both fractures and porous matrix. Fracturingmore » is represented explicitly by removing broken bonds from the network to represent microcracks. Initiation of new microfractures and growth and coalescence of the microcracks leads to the formation of macroscopic fractures when external and/or internal loads are applied. The coupled DEM-network flow model reproduces realistic growth pattern of hydraulic fractures. In particular, simulation results of perforated horizontal wellbore clearly demonstrate that elastic interactions among multiple propagating fractures, fluid viscosity, strong coupling between fluid pressure fluctuations within fractures and fracturing, and lower length scale heterogeneities, collectively lead to complicated fracturing patterns.« less

Analysis of intra-uterine fluid motion induced by uterine contractions.

PubMed

Eytan, O; Elad, D

1999-03-01

Evaluation of the fluid flow pattern in a non-pregnant uterus is important for understanding embryo transport in the uterus. Fertilization occurs in the fallopian tube and the embryo (fertilized ovum) enters the uterine cavity within 3 days of ovulation. In the uterus, the embryo is conveyed by the uterine fluid for another 3 to 4 days to a successful implantation site at the upper part of the uterus. Fluid movements within the uterus may be induced by several mechanisms, but they seem to be dominated by myometrial contractions. Intra-uterine fluid transport in a sagittal cross-section of the uterus was simulated by a model of wall-induced fluid motion within a two-dimensional channel. The time-dependent fluid pattern was studied by employing the lubrication theory. A comprehensive analysis of peristaltic transport resulting from symmetric and asymmetric contractions is presented for various displacement waves on the channel walls. The results provide information on the flow field and possible trajectories by which an embryo may be transported before implantation at the uterine wall.

GPU accelerated simulations of three-dimensional flow of power-law fluids in a driven cube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, K.; Vanka, S. P.; Agarwal, R. K.; Thomas, B. G.

2017-01-01

Newtonian fluid flow in two- and three-dimensional cavities with a moving wall has been studied extensively in a number of previous works. However, relatively a fewer number of studies have considered the motion of non-Newtonian fluids such as shear thinning and shear thickening power law fluids. In this paper, we have simulated the three-dimensional, non-Newtonian flow of a power law fluid in a cubic cavity driven by shear from the top wall. We have used an in-house developed fractional step code, implemented on a Graphics Processor Unit. Three Reynolds numbers have been studied with power law index set to 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5. The flow patterns, viscosity distributions and velocity profiles are presented for Reynolds numbers of 100, 400 and 1000. All three Reynolds numbers are found to yield steady state flows. Tabulated values of velocity are given for the nine cases studied, including the Newtonian cases.

Diffractive Optic Fluid Shear Stress Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, D.; Scalf, J.; Forouhar, S.; Muller, R.; Taugwalder, F.; Gharib, M.; Fourguette, D.; Modarress, D.

2000-01-01

Light scattering off particles flowing through a two-slit interference pattern can be used to measure the shear stress of the fluid. We have designed and fabricated a miniature diffractive optic sensor based on this principle.

Assessing Airflow Sensitivity to Healthy and Diseased Lung Conditions in a Computational Fluid Dynamics Model Validated In Vitro.

PubMed

Sul, Bora; Oppito, Zachary; Jayasekera, Shehan; Vanger, Brian; Zeller, Amy; Morris, Michael; Ruppert, Kai; Altes, Talissa; Rakesh, Vineet; Day, Steven; Robinson, Risa; Reifman, Jaques; Wallqvist, Anders

2018-05-01

Computational models are useful for understanding respiratory physiology. Crucial to such models are the boundary conditions specifying the flow conditions at truncated airway branches (terminal flow rates). However, most studies make assumptions about these values, which are difficult to obtain in vivo. We developed a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of airflows for steady expiration to investigate how terminal flows affect airflow patterns in respiratory airways. First, we measured in vitro airflow patterns in a physical airway model, using particle image velocimetry (PIV). The measured and computed airflow patterns agreed well, validating our CFD model. Next, we used the lobar flow fractions from a healthy or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) subject as constraints to derive different terminal flow rates (i.e., three healthy and one COPD) and computed the corresponding airflow patterns in the same geometry. To assess airflow sensitivity to the boundary conditions, we used the correlation coefficient of the shape similarity (R) and the root-mean-square of the velocity magnitude difference (Drms) between two velocity contours. Airflow patterns in the central airways were similar across healthy conditions (minimum R, 0.80) despite variations in terminal flow rates but markedly different for COPD (minimum R, 0.26; maximum Drms, ten times that of healthy cases). In contrast, those in the upper airway were similar for all cases. Our findings quantify how variability in terminal and lobar flows contributes to airflow patterns in respiratory airways. They highlight the importance of using lobar flow fractions to examine physiologically relevant airflow characteristics.

Refining the Subseafloor Circulation Model of the Middle Valley Hydrothermal System Using Fluid Geochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inderbitzen, K. E.; Wheat, C. G.; Baker, P. A.; Fisher, A. T.

2014-12-01

Currently, fluid circulation patterns and the evolution of rock/fluid compositions as circulation occurs in subseafloor hydrothermal systems are poorly constrained. Sedimented spreading centers provide a unique opportunity to study subsurface flow because sediment acts as an insulating blanket that traps heat from the cooling magma body and limits: (a) potential flow paths for seawater to recharge the aquifer in permeable upper basaltic basement and (b) points of altered fluid egress. This also allows for a range of thermal and geochemical gradients to exist near the sediment-water interface. Models of fluid circulation patterns in this type of hydrologic setting have been generated (eg. Stein and Fisher, 2001); however fluid chemistry datasets have not previously been used to test the model's viability. We address this issue by integrating the existing circulation model with fluid compositional data collected from sediment pore waters and high temperature hydrothermal vents located in Middle Valley on the Juan de Fuca Ridge. Middle Valley hosts a variety of hydrologic regimes: including areas of fluid recharge (Site 855), active venting (Site 858/1036; Dead Dog vent field), recent venting (Site 856/1035; Bent Hill Massive Sulfide deposit) and a section of heavily sedimented basement located between recharge and discharge sites (Site 857). We will present new results based on thermal and geochemical data from the area of active venting (Sites 858 and 1036), that was collected during Ocean Drilling Program Legs 139 and 169 and a subsequent heat flow/gravity coring effort. These results illuminate fine scale controls on secondary recharge and fluid flow within the sediment section at Site 858/1036. The current status of high temperature vents in this area (based on observations made in July, 2014) will also be outlined.

Irrigation of human prepared root canal – ex vivo based computational fluid dynamics analysis

PubMed Central

Šnjarić, Damir; Čarija, Zoran; Braut, Alen; Halaji, Adelaida; Kovačević, Maja; Kuiš, Davor

2012-01-01

Aim To analyze the influence of the needle type, insertion depth, and irrigant flow rate on irrigant flow pattern, flow velocity, and apical pressure by ex-vivo based endodontic irrigation computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. Methods Human upper canine root canal was prepared using rotary files. Contrast fluid was introduced in the root canal and scanned by computed tomography (CT) providing a three-dimensional object that was exported to the computer-assisted design (CAD) software. Two probe points were established in the apical portion of the root canal model for flow velocity and pressure measurement. Three different CAD models of 27G irrigation needles (closed-end side-vented, notched open-end, and bevel open-end) were created and placed at 25, 50, 75, and 95% of the working length (WL). Flow rates of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 mL/s were simulated. A total of 60 irrigation simulations were performed by CFD fluid flow solver. Results Closed-end side-vented needle required insertion depth closer to WL, regarding efficient irrigant replacement, compared to open-end irrigation needle types, which besides increased velocity produced increased irrigant apical pressure. For all irrigation needle types and needle insertion depths, the increase of flow rate was followed by an increased irrigant apical pressure. Conclusions The human root canal shape obtained by CT is applicable in the CFD analysis of endodontic irrigation. All the analyzed values –irrigant flow pattern, velocity, and pressure – were influenced by irrigation needle type, as well as needle insertion depth and irrigant flow rate. PMID:23100209

Irrigation of human prepared root canal--ex vivo based computational fluid dynamics analysis.

PubMed

Snjaric, Damir; Carija, Zoran; Braut, Alen; Halaji, Adelaida; Kovacevic, Maja; Kuis, Davor

2012-10-01

To analyze the influence of the needle type, insertion depth, and irrigant flow rate on irrigant flow pattern, flow velocity, and apical pressure by ex-vivo based endodontic irrigation computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. Human upper canine root canal was prepared using rotary files. Contrast fluid was introduced in the root canal and scanned by computed tomography (CT) providing a three-dimensional object that was exported to the computer-assisted design (CAD) software. Two probe points were established in the apical portion of the root canal model for flow velocity and pressure measurement. Three different CAD models of 27G irrigation needles (closed-end side-vented, notched open-end, and bevel open-end) were created and placed at 25, 50, 75, and 95% of the working length (WL). Flow rates of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 mL/s were simulated. A total of 60 irrigation simulations were performed by CFD fluid flow solver. Closed-end side-vented needle required insertion depth closer to WL, regarding efficient irrigant replacement, compared to open-end irrigation needle types, which besides increased velocity produced increased irrigant apical pressure. For all irrigation needle types and needle insertion depths, the increase of flow rate was followed by an increased irrigant apical pressure. The human root canal shape obtained by CT is applicable in the CFD analysis of endodontic irrigation. All the analyzed values -irrigant flow pattern, velocity, and pressure - were influenced by irrigation needle type, as well as needle insertion depth and irrigant flow rate.

Physics and (patho)physiology in confined flows: from colloidal patterns to cytoplasmic rheology and sickle cell anemia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahadevan, L.

2015-03-01

I will discuss a few problems that involve the interaction of fluids and solids in confined spaces. (i) Jamming in pressure-driven suspension flows that show a transition from Stokes flows to Darcy flows as the solids start to lock, as in evaporative patterning in colloids (e.g. coffee stain formation) .(ii) Jamming and clogging of red blood cells, as in sickle-cell pathophysiology, with implications for other diseases that involve jamming. (iii) The mechanical response of crowded networks of filaments bathed in a fluid, as in the cytoskeleton, that can be described by poroelasticity theory. In each case, I will show how simple theories of multiphase flow and deformation can be used to explain a range of experimental observations, while failing to account for others, along with some thoughts on how to improve them.

Mechanical Control of Tissue Morphogenesis

PubMed Central

Patwari, Parth; Lee, Richard T.

2008-01-01

Mechanical forces participate in morphogenesis from the level of individual cells to whole organism patterning. This manuscript reviews recent research that has identified specific roles for mechanical forces in important developmental events. One well-defined example is that dynein-driven cilia create fluid flow that determines left-right patterning in the early mammalian embryo. Fluid flow is also important for vasculogenesis, and evidence suggests that fluid shear stress rather than fluid transport is primarily required for remodeling the early vasculature. Contraction of the actin cytoskeleton, driven by nonmuscle myosins and regulated by the Rho family GTPases, is a recurring mechanism for controlling morphogenesis throughout development, from gastrulation to cardiogenesis. Finally, novel experimental approaches suggest critical roles for the actin cytoskeleton and the mechanical environment in determining differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. Insights into the mechanisms linking mechanical forces to cell and tissue differentiation pathways are important for understanding many congenital diseases and for developing regenerative medicine strategies. PMID:18669930

Pulsatile flow in ventricular catheters for hydrocephalus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giménez, Á.; Galarza, M.; Thomale, U.; Schuhmann, M. U.; Valero, J.; Amigó, J. M.

2017-05-01

The obstruction of ventricular catheters (VCs) is a major problem in the standard treatment of hydrocephalus, the flow pattern of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) being one important factor thereof. As a first approach to this problem, some of the authors studied previously the CSF flow through VCs under time-independent boundary conditions by means of computational fluid dynamics in three-dimensional models. This allowed us to derive a few basic principles which led to designs with improved flow patterns regarding the obstruction problem. However, the flow of the CSF has actually a pulsatile nature because of the heart beating and blood flow. To address this fact, here we extend our previous computational study to models with oscillatory boundary conditions. The new results will be compared with the results for constant flows and discussed. It turns out that the corrections due to the pulsatility of the CSF are quantitatively small, which reinforces our previous findings and conclusions. This article is part of the themed issue `Mathematical methods in medicine: neuroscience, cardiology and pathology'.

Hydrothermal Circulation Within and Between Basement Outcrops on a Young Ridge Flank: Numerical Models and Thermal Constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutnak, M.; Fisher, A. T.; Stauffer, P.; Gable, C. W.

2005-12-01

We use two-dimensional, finite-element models of coupled heat and fluid flow to investigate local and large-scale heat and fluid transport around and between basement outcrops on a young ridge flank. System geometries and properties are based on observations and measurements on the 3.4-3.6 Ma eastern flank of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. A small area of basement exposure (Baby Bare outcrop) experiences focused hydrothermal discharge, whereas a much larger feature (Grizzly Bare outcrop) 50 km to the south is a site of hydrothermal recharge. Observations of seafloor heat flow, subseafloor pressures, and basement fluid geochemistry at and near these outcrops constrain acceptable model results. Single-outcrop simulations suggest that local convection alone (represented by a high Nusselt number proxy) cannot explain the near-outcrop heat flow patterns; rapid through-flow is required. Venting of at least 5 L/s through the smaller outcrop, a volumetric flow rate consistent with earlier estimates based on plume and outcrop measurements, is needed to match seafloor heat flow patterns. Heat flow patterns are more variable and complex near the larger, recharging outcrop. Simulations that include 5-20 L/s of recharge through this feature can replicate first-order trends in the data, but small-scale variations are likely to result from heterogeneous flow paths and vigorous, local convection. Two-outcrop simulations started with a warm hydrostatic initial condition, based on a conductive model, result in rapid fluid flow from the smaller outcrop to the larger outcrop, inconsistent with observations. Flow can be sustained in the opposite (correct) direction if it is initially forced, which generates a hydrothermal siphon between the two features. Free flow simulations maintain rapid circulation at rates consistent with observations (specific discharge of m/yr to tens of m/yr), provided basement permeability is on the order of 10-10 m2 or greater. Lateral flow rates scale inversely with the thickness of the permeable basement layer. The differential pressure needed to drive this circulation, created by the siphon, is on the order of tens to hundreds of kPa, with greater differential pressure needed when basement permeability is lower.

Finite-time barriers to reaction front propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Locke, Rory; Mahoney, John; Mitchell, Kevin

2015-11-01

Front propagation in advection-reaction-diffusion systems gives rise to rich geometric patterns. It has been shown for time-independent and time-periodic fluid flows that invariant manifolds, termed burning invariant manifolds (BIMs), serve as one-sided dynamical barriers to the propagation of reaction front. More recently, theoretical work has suggested that one-sided barriers, termed burning Lagrangian Coherent structures (bLCSs), exist for fluid velocity data prescribed over a finite time interval, with no assumption on the time-dependence of the flow. In this presentation, we use a time-varying fluid ``wind'' in a double-vortex channel flow to demonstrate that bLCSs form the (locally) most attracting or repelling fronts.

3D nanomolding and fluid mixing in micromixers with micro-patterned microchannel walls.

PubMed

Farshchian, Bahador; Amirsadeghi, Alborz; Choi, Junseo; Park, Daniel S; Kim, Namwon; Park, Sunggook

2017-01-01

Microfluidic devices where the microchannel walls were decorated with micro and nanostructures were fabricated using 3D nanomolding. Using 3D molded microfluidic devices with microchannel walls decorated with microscale gratings, the fluid mixing behavior was investigated through experiments and numerical simulation. The use of microscale gratings in the micromixer was predicated by the fact that large obstacles in a microchannel enhances the mixing performance. Slanted ratchet gratings on the channel walls resulted in a helical flow along the microchannel, thus increasing the interfacial area between fluids and cutting down the diffusion length. Increasing the number of walls decorated with continuous ratchet gratings intensified the strength of the helical flow, enhancing mixing further. When ratchet gratings on the surface of the top cover plate were aligned in a direction to break the continuity of gratings from the other three walls, a stack of two helical flows was formed one above each other. This work concludes that the 3D nanomolding process can be a cost-effective tool for scaling-up the fabrication of microfluidic mixers with improved mixing efficiencies.Graphical abstractIn this paper we show that a micromixer with patterned walls can be fabricated using 3D nanomolding and solvent-assisted bonding to manipulate the flow patterns to improve mixing.

Inertial Waves and Steady Flows in a Liquid Filled Librating Cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subbotin, Stanislav; Dyakova, Veronika

2018-05-01

The fluid flow in a non-uniformly rotating (librating) cylinder about a horizontal axis is experimentally studied. In the absence of librations the fluid performs a solid-body rotation together with the cavity. Librations lead to the appearance of steady zonal flow in the whole cylinder and the intensive steady toroidal flows near the cavity corners. If the frequency of librations is twice lower than the mean rotation rate the inertial waves are excited. The oscillating motion associated with the propagation of inertial wave in the fluid bulk leads to the appearance of an additional steady flow in the Stokes boundary layers on the cavity side wall. In this case the heavy particles of the visualizer are assembled on the side wall into ring structures. The patterns are determined by the structure of steady flow, which in turn depends on the number of reflections of inertial wave beams from the cavity side wall. For some frequencies, inertial waves experience spatial resonance, resulting in inertial modes, which are eigenmodes of the cavity geometry. The resonance of the inertial modes modifies the steady flow structure close to the boundary layer that is manifested in the direct rebuilding of patterns. It is shown that the intensity of zonal flow, as well as the intensity of steady flows excited by inertial waves, is proportional to the square of the amplitude of librations.

A fast numerical method for ideal fluid flow in domains with multiple stirrers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasser, Mohamed M. S.; Green, Christopher C.

2018-03-01

A collection of arbitrarily-shaped solid objects, each moving at a constant speed, can be used to mix or stir ideal fluid, and can give rise to interesting flow patterns. Assuming these systems of fluid stirrers are two-dimensional, the mathematical problem of resolving the flow field—given a particular distribution of any finite number of stirrers of specified shape and speed—can be formulated as a Riemann-Hilbert (R-H) problem. We show that this R-H problem can be solved numerically using a fast and accurate algorithm for any finite number of stirrers based around a boundary integral equation with the generalized Neumann kernel. Various systems of fluid stirrers are considered, and our numerical scheme is shown to handle highly multiply connected domains (i.e. systems of many fluid stirrers) with minimal computational expense.

A prediction of cell differentiation and proliferation within a collagen-glycosaminoglycan scaffold subjected to mechanical strain and perfusive fluid flow.

PubMed

Stops, A J F; Heraty, K B; Browne, M; O'Brien, F J; McHugh, P E

2010-03-03

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation can be influenced by biophysical stimuli imparted by the host scaffold. Yet, causal relationships linking scaffold strain magnitudes and inlet fluid velocities to specific cell responses are thus far underdeveloped. This investigation attempted to simulate cell responses in a collagen-glycosaminoglycan (CG) scaffold within a bioreactor. CG scaffold deformation was simulated using micro-computed tomography (CT) and an in-house finite element solver (FEEBE/linear). Similarly, the internal fluid velocities were simulated using the afore-mentioned microCT dataset with a computational fluid dynamics solver (ANSYS/CFX). From the ensuing cell-level mechanics, albeit octahedral shear strain or fluid velocity, the proliferation and differentiation of the representative cells were predicted from deterministic functions. Cell proliferation patterns concurred with previous experiments. MSC differentiation was dependent on the level of CG scaffold strain and the inlet fluid velocity. Furthermore, MSC differentiation patterns indicated that specific combinations of scaffold strains and inlet fluid flows cause phenotype assemblies dominated by single cell types. Further to typical laboratory procedures, this predictive methodology demonstrated loading-specific differentiation lineages and proliferation patterns. It is hoped these results will enhance in-vitro tissue engineering procedures by providing a platform from which the scaffold loading applications can be tailored to suit the desired tissue. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A simulation of streaming flows associated with acoustic levitators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rednikov, A.; Riley, N.

2002-04-01

Steady-state acoustic streaming flow patterns have been observed by Trinh and Robey [Phys. Fluids 6, 3567 (1994)], during the operation of a variety of single axis ultrasonic levitators in a gaseous environment. Microstreaming around levitated samples is superimposed on the streaming flow which is observed in the levitator even in the absence of any particle therein. In this paper, by physical arguments, numerical and analytical simulations we provide entirely satisfactory interpretations of the observed flow patterns in both isothermal and nonisothermal situations.

Spontaneous flow in polar active fluids: the effect of a phenomenological self propulsion-like term.

PubMed

Bonelli, Francesco; Gonnella, Giuseppe; Tiribocchi, Adriano; Marenduzzo, Davide

2016-01-01

We present hybrid lattice Boltzmann simulations of extensile and contractile active fluids where we incorporate phenomenologically the tendency of active particles such as cell and bacteria, to move, or swim, along the local orientation. Quite surprisingly, we show that the interplay between alignment and activity can lead to completely different results, according to geometry (periodic boundary conditions or confinement between flat walls) and nature of the activity (extensile or contractile). An interesting generic outcome is that the alignment interaction can transform stationary active patterns into continuously moving ones: the dynamics of these evolving patterns can be oscillatory or chaotic according to the strength of the alignment term. Our results suggest that flow-polarisation alignment can have important consequences on the collective dynamics of active fluids and active gel.

Variability of computational fluid dynamics solutions for pressure and flow in a giant aneurysm: the ASME 2012 Summer Bioengineering Conference CFD Challenge.

PubMed

Steinman, David A; Hoi, Yiemeng; Fahy, Paul; Morris, Liam; Walsh, Michael T; Aristokleous, Nicolas; Anayiotos, Andreas S; Papaharilaou, Yannis; Arzani, Amirhossein; Shadden, Shawn C; Berg, Philipp; Janiga, Gábor; Bols, Joris; Segers, Patrick; Bressloff, Neil W; Cibis, Merih; Gijsen, Frank H; Cito, Salvatore; Pallarés, Jordi; Browne, Leonard D; Costelloe, Jennifer A; Lynch, Adrian G; Degroote, Joris; Vierendeels, Jan; Fu, Wenyu; Qiao, Aike; Hodis, Simona; Kallmes, David F; Kalsi, Hardeep; Long, Quan; Kheyfets, Vitaly O; Finol, Ender A; Kono, Kenichi; Malek, Adel M; Lauric, Alexandra; Menon, Prahlad G; Pekkan, Kerem; Esmaily Moghadam, Mahdi; Marsden, Alison L; Oshima, Marie; Katagiri, Kengo; Peiffer, Véronique; Mohamied, Yumnah; Sherwin, Spencer J; Schaller, Jens; Goubergrits, Leonid; Usera, Gabriel; Mendina, Mariana; Valen-Sendstad, Kristian; Habets, Damiaan F; Xiang, Jianping; Meng, Hui; Yu, Yue; Karniadakis, George E; Shaffer, Nicholas; Loth, Francis

2013-02-01

Stimulated by a recent controversy regarding pressure drops predicted in a giant aneurysm with a proximal stenosis, the present study sought to assess variability in the prediction of pressures and flow by a wide variety of research groups. In phase I, lumen geometry, flow rates, and fluid properties were specified, leaving each research group to choose their solver, discretization, and solution strategies. Variability was assessed by having each group interpolate their results onto a standardized mesh and centerline. For phase II, a physical model of the geometry was constructed, from which pressure and flow rates were measured. Groups repeated their simulations using a geometry reconstructed from a micro-computed tomography (CT) scan of the physical model with the measured flow rates and fluid properties. Phase I results from 25 groups demonstrated remarkable consistency in the pressure patterns, with the majority predicting peak systolic pressure drops within 8% of each other. Aneurysm sac flow patterns were more variable with only a few groups reporting peak systolic flow instabilities owing to their use of high temporal resolutions. Variability for phase II was comparable, and the median predicted pressure drops were within a few millimeters of mercury of the measured values but only after accounting for submillimeter errors in the reconstruction of the life-sized flow model from micro-CT. In summary, pressure can be predicted with consistency by CFD across a wide range of solvers and solution strategies, but this may not hold true for specific flow patterns or derived quantities. Future challenges are needed and should focus on hemodynamic quantities thought to be of clinical interest.

Wettability control on fluid-fluid displacements in patterned microfluidics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Benzhong; MacMinn, Christopher; Juanes, Ruben

2015-11-01

Two-phase flow in porous media is important in many natural and industrial processes. While it is well known the wetting properties of porous media can vary drastically depending on the media and the pore fluids, their effect continues to challenge our microscopic and macroscopic descriptions. We conduct experiments via radial displacement of silicone oil by water in microfluidic devices patterned with vertical posts. These devices allow for flow visualization in a complex but well-defined microstructure. Additionally, the surface energy of the devices can be tuned over a wide range of contact angles. We perform injection experiments with highly unfavorable mobility contrast at rates over four orders of magnitude. We focus on three wetting conditions: drainage θ = 120°, weak imbibition θ = 60°, and strong imbibition θ = 7°. In drainage, we see a transition from viscous fingering at high capillary numbers to a morphology that differs from capillary fingering. In weak imbibition, we observe stabilization of flow due to cooperative invasion at the pore scale. In strong imbibition, we find the flow is heavily influenced by a precursor front that emanates from the main imbibition front. Our work shows the important, yet intricate, impact of wettability on immiscible flow in porous media.

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.

Simulation of air velocity in a vertical perforated air distributor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngu, T. N. W.; Chu, C. M.; Janaun, J. A.

2016-06-01

Perforated pipes are utilized to divide a fluid flow into several smaller streams. Uniform flow distribution requirement is of great concern in engineering applications because it has significant influence on the performance of fluidic devices. For industrial applications, it is crucial to provide a uniform velocity distribution through orifices. In this research, flow distribution patterns of a closed-end multiple outlet pipe standing vertically for air delivery in the horizontal direction was simulated. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), a tool of research for enhancing and understanding design was used as the simulator and the drawing software SolidWorks was used for geometry setup. The main purpose of this work is to establish the influence of size of orifices, intervals between outlets, and the length of tube in order to attain uniformity of exit flows through a multi outlet perforated tube. However, due to the gravitational effect, the compactness of paddy increases gradually from top to bottom of dryer, uniform flow pattern was aimed for top orifices and larger flow for bottom orifices.

Motion through a non-homogeneous porous medium: Hydrodynamic permeability of a membrane composed of cylindrical particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, Pramod Kumar

2018-01-01

The present problem is concerned with the flow of a viscous steady incompressible fluid through a non-homogeneous porous medium. Here, the non-homogeneous porous medium is a membrane built up by cylindrical particles. The flow outside the membrane is governed by the Stokes equation and the flow through the non-homogeneous porous membrane composed by cylindrical particles is governed by Darcy's law. In this work, we discussed the effect of various fluid parameters like permeability parameter k0, discontinuity coefficient at fluid-non homogeneous porous interface, viscosity ratio of viscous incompressible fluid region and non-homogeneous porous region, etc. on hydrodynamic permeability of a membrane, stress and on velocity profile. The comparative study for hydrodynamic permeability of membrane built up by non-homogeneous porous cylindrical particles and porous cylindrical shell enclosing a cylindrical cavity has been studied. The effects of various fluid parameters on the streamlines flow patterns are also discussed.

An Experimental and Computational Analysis of Primary Cilia Deflection Under Fluid Flow

PubMed Central

Downs, Matthew E.; Nguyen, An M.; Herzog, Florian A.; Hoey, David A.; Jacobs, Christopher R.

2013-01-01

In this work we have developed a novel model of the deflection of primary cilia experiencing fluid flow accounting for phenomena not previously considered. Specifically, we developed a large rotation formulation that accounts for rotation at the base of the cilium, the initial shape of the cilium and fluid drag at high deflection angles. We utilized this model to analyze full three dimensional datasets of primary cilia deflecting under fluid flow acquired with high-speed confocal microscopy. We found a wide variety of previously unreported bending shapes and behaviors. We also analyzed post-flow relaxation patterns. Results from our combined experimental and theoretical approach suggest that the average flexural rigidity of primary cilia might be higher than previously reported (Schwartz et al. 1997). In addition our findings indicate the mechanics of primary cilia are richly varied and mechanisms may exist to alter their mechanical behavior. PMID:22452422

Pattern palette for complex fluid flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandnes, B.

2012-04-01

From landslides to oil and gas recovery to the squeeze of a toothpaste tube, flowing complex fluids are everywhere around us in nature and engineering. That is not to say, though, that they are always well understood. The dissipative interactions, through friction and inelastic collisions, often give rise to nonlinear dynamics and complexity manifested in pattern formation on large scales. The images displayed on this poster illustrate the diverse morphologies found in multiphase flows involving wet granular material: Air is injected into a generic mixture of granular material and fluid contained in a 500 µm gap between two parallel glass plates. At low injection rates, friction between the grains - glass beads averaging 100 µm in diameter - dominates the rheology, producing "stick-slip bubbles" and labyrinthine frictional fingering. A transition to various other morphologies, including "corals" and viscous fingers, emerges for increasing injection rate. At sufficiently high granular packing fractions, the material behaves like a deformable, porous solid, and the air rips through in sudden fractures.

A study of unsteady physiological magneto-fluid flow and heat transfer through a finite length channel by peristaltic pumping.

PubMed

Tripathi, Dharmendra; Bég, O Anwar

2012-08-01

Magnetohydrodynamic peristaltic flows arise in controlled magnetic drug targeting, hybrid haemodynamic pumps and biomagnetic phenomena interacting with the human digestive system. Motivated by the objective of improving an understanding of the complex fluid dynamics in such flows, we consider in the present article the transient magneto-fluid flow and heat transfer through a finite length channel by peristaltic pumping. Reynolds number is small enough and the wavelength to diameter ratio is large enough to negate inertial effects. Analytical solutions for temperature field, axial velocity, transverse velocity, pressure gradient, local wall shear stress, volume flowrate and averaged volume flowrate are obtained. The effects of the transverse magnetic field, Grashof number and thermal conductivity on the flow patterns induced by peristaltic waves (sinusoidal propagation along the length of channel) are studied using graphical plots. The present study identifies that greater pressure is required to propel the magneto-fluid by peristaltic pumping in comparison to a non-conducting Newtonian fluid, whereas, a lower pressure is required if heat transfer is effective. The analytical solutions further provide an important benchmark for future numerical simulations.

Partitioned fluid-solid coupling for cardiovascular blood flow: left-ventricular fluid mechanics.

PubMed

Krittian, Sebastian; Janoske, Uwe; Oertel, Herbert; Böhlke, Thomas

2010-04-01

We present a 3D code-coupling approach which has been specialized towards cardiovascular blood flow. For the first time, the prescribed geometry movement of the cardiovascular flow model KaHMo (Karlsruhe Heart Model) has been replaced by a myocardial composite model. Deformation is driven by fluid forces and myocardial response, i.e., both its contractile and constitutive behavior. Whereas the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian formulation (ALE) of the Navier-Stokes equations is discretized by finite volumes (FVM), the solid mechanical finite elasticity equations are discretized by a finite element (FEM) approach. Taking advantage of specialized numerical solution strategies for non-matching fluid and solid domain meshes, an iterative data-exchange guarantees the interface equilibrium of the underlying governing equations. The focus of this work is on left-ventricular fluid-structure interaction based on patient-specific magnetic resonance imaging datasets. Multi-physical phenomena are described by temporal visualization and characteristic FSI numbers. The results gained show flow patterns that are in good agreement with previous observations. A deeper understanding of cavity deformation, blood flow, and their vital interaction can help to improve surgical treatment and clinical therapy planning.

Renal hemodynamics: the influence of the renal artery ostium flow diverter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossmann, Jenn Stroud; Albert, Scott; Balaban, Robert

2013-11-01

The recently identified renal artery ostium flow diverter may preferentially direct blood flow to the renal arteries, and may also influence flow patterns and recirculation known to be involved in atherogenesis. Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of steady and pulsatile blood flow are performed to investigate the influence of diverter size and position, and vascular geometry, on the flow patterns and fluid mechanical forces in the neighborhood of the diverter. CFD results show that the flow diverter does affect the blood distribution: depending on the diverter's position, the flow to the renal arteries may be increased or reduced. The results of simulations also show the diverter's effect on the Wall Shear Stress (WSS) distribution, and suggest that the diverter contributes to an atherogenic environment in the abdominal aorta, while being atheroprotective in the renal arteries themselves. These results support previous clinical findings, and suggest directions for further clinical study. The results of this work have direct implications in understanding the physiological significance of the diverter, and its potential role in the pathophysiological development of atherosclerosis.

Fluid flow near the surface of earth's outer core

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloxham, Jeremy; Jackson, Andrew

1991-01-01

This review examines the recent attempts at extracting information on the pattern of fluid flow near the surface of the outer core from the geomagnetic secular variation. Maps of the fluid flow at the core surface are important as they may provide some insight into the process of the geodynamo and may place useful constraints on geodynamo models. In contrast to the case of mantle convection, only very small lateral variations in core density are necessary to drive the flow; these density variations are, by several orders of magnitude, too small to be imaged seismically; therefore, the geomagnetic secular variation is utilized to infer the flow. As substantial differences exist between maps developed by different researchers, the possible underlying reasons for these differences are examined with particular attention given to the inherent problems of nonuniqueness.

Design of a High Viscosity Couette Flow Facility for Patterned Surface Drag Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Tyler; Lang, Amy

2009-11-01

Direct drag measurements can be difficult to obtain with low viscosity fluids such as air or water. In this facility, mineral oil is used as the working fluid to increase the shear stress across the surface of experimental models. A mounted conveyor creates a flow within a plexiglass tank. The experimental model of a flat or patterned surface is suspended above a moving belt. Within the gap between the model and moving belt a Couette flow with a linear velocity profile is created. PIV measurements are used to determine the exact velocities and the Reynolds numbers for each experiment. The model is suspended by bars that connect to the pillow block housing of each bearing. Drag is measured by a force gauge connected to linear roller bearings that slide along steel rods. The patterned surfaces, initially consisting of 2-D cavities, are embedded in a plexiglass plate so as to keep the total surface area constant for each experiment. First, the drag across a flat plate is measured and compared to theoretical values for laminar Couette flow. The drag for patterned surfaces is then measured and compared to a flat plate.

An analytical study of reduced-gravity flow dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bradshaw, R. D.; Kramer, J. L.; Zich, J. L.

1976-01-01

Addition of surface tension forces to a marker-and-cell code and the performance of four incompressible fluid simulations in reduced gravity, were studied. This marker-and-cell code has a variable grid capability with arbitrary curved boundaries and time dependent acceleration fields. The surface tension logic includes a spline fit of surface marker particles as well as contact angle logic for straight and curved wall boundaries. Three types of flow motion were simulated with the improved code: impulsive settling in a model Centaur LH2 tank, continuous settling in a model and full scale Centaur LO2 tank and mixing in a Centaur LH2 tank. The impulsive settling case confirmed a drop tower analysis which indicated more orderly fluid collection flow patterns with this method providing a potential savings in settling propellants. In the LO2 tank, fluid collection and flow simulation into the thrust barrel were achieved. The mixing simulation produced good results indicating both the development of the flow field and fluid interface behavior.

Disturbed flow mediated modulation of shear forces on endothelial plane: A proposed model for studying endothelium around atherosclerotic plaques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balaguru, Uma Maheswari; Sundaresan, Lakshmikirupa; Manivannan, Jeganathan; Majunathan, Reji; Mani, Krishnapriya; Swaminathan, Akila; Venkatesan, Saravanakumar; Kasiviswanathan, Dharanibalan; Chatterjee, Suvro

2016-06-01

Disturbed fluid flow or modulated shear stress is associated with vascular conditions such as atherosclerosis, thrombosis, and aneurysm. In vitro simulation of the fluid flow around the plaque micro-environment remains a challenging approach. Currently available models have limitations such as complications in protocols, high cost, incompetence of co-culture and not being suitable for massive expression studies. Hence, the present study aimed to develop a simple, versatile model based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation. Current observations of CFD have shown the regions of modulated shear stress by the disturbed fluid flow. To execute and validate the model in real sense, cell morphology, cytoskeletal arrangement, cell death, reactive oxygen species (ROS) profile, nitric oxide production and disturbed flow markers under the above condition were assessed. Endothelium at disturbed flow region which had been exposed to low shear stress and swirling flow pattern showed morphological and expression similarities with the pathological disturbed flow environment reported previously. Altogether, the proposed model can serve as a platform to simulate the real time micro-environment of disturbed flow associated with eccentric plaque shapes and the possibilities of studying its downstream events.

Complex magnetohydrodynamic low-Reynolds-number flows.

PubMed

Xiang, Yu; Bau, Haim H

2003-07-01

The interaction between electric currents and a magnetic field is used to produce body (Lorentz) forces in electrolyte solutions. By appropriate patterning of the electrodes, one can conveniently control the direction and magnitude of the electric currents and induce spatially and temporally complicated flow patterns. This capability is useful, not only for fundamental flow studies, but also for inducing fluid flow and stirring in minute devices in which the incorporation of moving components may be difficult. This paper focuses on a theoretical and experimental study of magnetohydrodynamic flows in a conduit with a rectangular cross section. The conduit is equipped with individually controlled electrodes uniformly spaced at a pitch L. The electrodes are aligned transversely to the conduit's axis. The entire device is subjected to a uniform magnetic field. The electrodes are divided into two groups A and C in such a way that there is an electrode of group C between any two electrodes of group A. We denote the various A and C electrodes with subscripts, i.e., A(i) and C(i), where i=0,+/-1,+/-2, .... When positive and negative potentials are, respectively, applied to the even and odd numbered A electrodes, opposing electric currents are induced on the right and left hand sides of each A electrode. These currents generate transverse forces that drive cellular convection in the conduit. We refer to the resulting flow pattern as A. When electrodes of group C are activated, a similar flow pattern results, albeit shifted in space. We refer to this flow pattern as C. By alternating periodically between patterns A and C, one induces Lagrangian chaos. Such chaotic advection may be beneficial for stirring fluids, particularly in microfluidic devices. Since the flow patterns A and C are shifted in space, they also provide a mechanism for Lagrangian drift that allows net migration of passive tracers along the conduit's length.

Selection of Two-Phase Flow Patterns at a Simple Junction in Microfluidic Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engl, W.; Ohata, K.; Guillot, P.; Colin, A.; Panizza, P.

2006-04-01

We study the behavior of a confined stream made of two immiscible fluids when it reaches a T junction. Two flow patterns are witnessed: the stream is either directed in only one sidearm, yielding a preferential flow pathway for the dispersed phase, or splits between both. We show that the selection of these patterns is not triggered by the shape of the junction nor by capillary effects, but results from confinement. It can be anticipated in terms of the hydrodynamic properties of the flow. A simple model yielding universal behavior in terms of the relevant adimensional parameters of the problem is presented and discussed.

Self-Organizing Fluid Convection Patterns in an en Echelon Fault Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patterson, James W.; Driesner, Thomas; Matthai, Stephan K.

2018-05-01

We present three-dimensional numerical simulations of natural convection in buried, vertical en echelon faults in impermeable host rock. Despite the fractures being hydraulically disconnected, convection within each fracture alters the temperature field in the surrounding host rock, altering convection in neighboring fractures. This leads to self-organization of coherent patterns of upward/downward flow and heating/cooling of the host rock spanning the entire fault array. This "synchronization" effect occurs when fracture spacing is less than the width of convection cells within the fractures, which is controlled by fracture transmissivity (permeability times thickness) and heterogeneity. Narrow fracture spacing and synchronization enhance convective fluid flow within fractures and cause convection to initiate earlier, even lowering the critical transmissivity necessary for convection initiation. Heat flow through the en echelon region, however, is enhanced only in low-transmissivity fractures, while heat flow in high-permeability fractures is reduced due to thermal interference between fractures.

Transient electroosmotic flow induced by DC or AC electric fields in a curved microtube.

PubMed

Luo, W-J

2004-10-15

This study investigates transient electroosmotic flow in a rectangular curved microtube in which the fluid is driven by the application of an external DC or AC electric field. The resultant flow-field evolutions within the microtube are simulated using the backwards-Euler time-stepping numerical method to clarify the relationship between the changes in the axial-flow velocity and the intensity of the applied electric field. When the electric field is initially applied or varies, the fluid within the double layer responds virtually immediately, and the axial velocity within the double layer tends to follow the varying intensity of the applied electric field. The greatest net charge density exists at the corners of the microtube as a result of the overlapping electrical double layers of the two walls. It results in local maximum or minimum axial velocities in the corners during increasing or decreasing applied electric field intensity in either the positive or negative direction. As the fluid within the double layer starts to move, the bulk fluid is gradually dragged into motion through the diffusion of momentum from the double layer. A finite time is required for the full momentum of the double layer to diffuse to the bulk fluid; hence, a certain phase shift between the applied electric field and the flow response is inevitable. The patterns of the axial velocity contours during the transient evolution are investigated in this study. It is found that these patterns are determined by the efficiency of momentum diffusion from the double layer to the central region of the microtube.

Streaming driven by sessile microbubbles: Explaining flow patterns and frequency response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rallabandi, Bhargav; Wang, Cheng; Guo, Lin; Hilgenfeldt, Sascha

2013-11-01

Ultrasound excitation of bubbles drives powerful steady streaming flows which have found widespread applications in microfluidics, where bubbles are typically of semicircular cross section and attached to walls of the device (sessile). While bubble-driven streaming in bulk fluid is well understood, this practically relevant case presents additional complexity introduced by the wall and contact lines. We develop an asymptotic theory that takes into account the presence of the wall as well as the oscillation dynamics of the bubble, providing a complete description of the streaming flow as a function only of the driving frequency, the bubble size, and the physical properties of the fluid. We show that the coupling between different bubble oscillation modes sustains the experimentally observed streaming flow vortex pattern over a broad range of frequencies, greatly exceeding the widths of individual mode resonances. Above a threshold frequency, we predict, and observe in experiment, reversal of the flow direction. Our analytical theory can be used to guide the design of microfluidic devices, both in situations where robust flow patterns insensitive to parameter changes are desired (e.g. lab-on-a-chip sorters), and in cases where intentional modulation of the flow field appearance is key (e.g. efficient mixers). Current address: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology.

The influence of different diffusion pattern to the sub- and super-critical fluid flow in brown coal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Peihuo

2018-03-01

Sub- and super-critical CO2 flowing in nanoscale pores are recently becoming of great interest due to that it is closely related to many engineering applications, such as geological burial and sequestration of carbon dioxide, Enhanced Coal Bed Methane recovery ( ECBM), super-critical CO2 fracturing and so on. Gas flow in nanopores cannot be described simply by the Darcy equation. Different diffusion pattern such as Fick diffusion, Knudsen diffusion, transitional diffusion and slip flow at the solid matrix separate the seepage behaviour from Darcy-type flow. According to the principle of different diffusion pattern, the flow of sub- and super-critical CO2 in brown coal was simulated by numerical method, and the results were compared with the experimental results to explore the contribution of different diffusion pattern and swelling effect in sub- and super-critical CO2 flow in nanoscale pores.

Flow and Fracture in Drying Nanoparticle Suspensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dufresne, E. R.; Corwin, E. I.; Greenblatt, N. A.; Ashmore, J.; Wang, D. Y.; Dinsmore, A. D.; Cheng, J. X.; Xie, X. S.; Hutchinson, J. W.; Weitz, D. A.

2003-11-01

Drying aqueous suspensions of monodisperse silica nanoparticles can fracture in remarkable patterns. As the material solidifies, evenly spaced cracks invade from the drying surface, with individual cracks undergoing intermittent motion. We show that the growth of cracks is limited by the advancement of the compaction front, which is governed by a balance of evaporation and flow of fluid at the drying surface. Surprisingly, the macroscopic dynamics of drying show signatures of molecular-scale fluid effects.

Parallel Three-Dimensional Computation of Fluid Dynamics and Fluid-Structure Interactions of Ram-Air Parachutes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tezduyar, Tayfun E.

1998-01-01

This is a final report as far as our work at University of Minnesota is concerned. The report describes our research progress and accomplishments in development of high performance computing methods and tools for 3D finite element computation of aerodynamic characteristics and fluid-structure interactions (FSI) arising in airdrop systems, namely ram-air parachutes and round parachutes. This class of simulations involves complex geometries, flexible structural components, deforming fluid domains, and unsteady flow patterns. The key components of our simulation toolkit are a stabilized finite element flow solver, a nonlinear structural dynamics solver, an automatic mesh moving scheme, and an interface between the fluid and structural solvers; all of these have been developed within a parallel message-passing paradigm.

Prize to a Faculty Member for Research in an Undergraduate: Chaotic mixing and front propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solomon, Tom

2014-03-01

We present results from a series of experiments - all done with undergraduate students - on chaotic fluid mixing and the effects of fluid flows on the behavior of reaction systems. Simple, well-ordered laminar fluid flows can give rise to fluid mixing with complexity far beyond that of the underlying flow, with tracers that separate exponentially in time and invariant manifolds that act as barriers to transport. Recently, we have studied how fluid mixing affects the propagation of reaction fronts in a flow. This is an issue with applications to a wide range of systems including microfluidic chemical reactors, blooms of phytoplankton in the oceans, and the spreading of a disease in a moving population. To analyze and predict the behavior of the fronts, we generalize tools developed to describe passive mixing. In particular, the concept of an invariant manifold is expanded to account for reactive burning. ``Burning invariant manifolds'' (BIMs) are predicted and measured experimentally as structures in the flow that act as one-way barriers that block the motion of reaction fronts. We test these ideas experimentally in three fluid flows: (a) and chain of alternating vortices; (b) an extended, spatially-random pattern of vortices; and (c) a time-independent, three-dimensional, nested vortex flow. The reaction fronts are produced chemically with variations of the well-known Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction. Supported by Research Corporation and the National Science Foundation.

Fluid dynamic instabilities: theory and application to pattern forming in complex media

PubMed Central

Brun, P.-T.

2017-01-01

In this review article, we exemplify the use of stability analysis tools to rationalize pattern formation in complex media. Specifically, we focus on fluid flows, and show how the destabilization of their interface sets the blueprint of the patterns they eventually form. We review the potential use and limitations of the theoretical methods at the end, in terms of their applications to practical settings, e.g. as guidelines to design and fabricate structures while harnessing instabilities. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Patterning through instabilities in complex media: theory and applications’. PMID:28373378

Interpretation of impeller flow calculations

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

Tuzson, J.

1993-09-01

Most available computer programs are analysis and not design programs. Therefore the intervention of the designer is indispensable. Guidelines are needed to evaluate the degree of fluid mechanic perfection of a design which is compromised for practical reasons. A new way of plotting the computer output is proposed here which illustrates the energy distribution throughout the flow. The consequence of deviating from optimal flow pattern is discussed and specific cases are reviewed. A criterion is derived for the existence of a jet/wake flow pattern and for the minimum wake mixing loss.

Observations of two-phase flow patterns in a horizontal circular channel

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

Ewing, M.E.; Weinandy, J.J.; Christensen, R.N.

1999-01-01

Horizontal two-phase flow patterns were observed in a transparent circular channel (1.90 cm I.D.) using adiabatic mixtures of air and water. Visual identification of the flow regimes was supplemented with photographic data and the results were plotted on the flow regime map which has been proposed by Breber et al. for condensation applications. The results indicate general consistency between the observations and the predictions of the map, and, by providing data for different fluids and conditions from which the map was developed, support its general applicability.

Investigation of the fluid flow dynamic parameters for Newtonian and non-Newtonian materials: an approach to understanding the fluid flow-like structures within fault zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, H.; Shiomi, Y.; Ma, K.-F.

2017-11-01

To understand the fault zone fluid flow-like structure, namely the ductile deformation structure, often observed in the geological field (e.g., Ramsay and Huber The techniques of modern structure geology, vol. 1: strain analysis, Academia Press, London, 1983; Hobbs and Ord Structure geology: the mechanics of deforming metamorphic rocks, Vol. I: principles, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2015), we applied a theoretical approach to estimate the rate of deformation, the shear stress and the time to form a streak-line pattern in the boundary layer of viscous fluids. We model the dynamics of streak lines in laminar boundary layers for Newtonian and pseudoplastic fluids and compare the results to those obtained via laboratory experiments. The structure of deformed streak lines obtained using our model is consistent with experimental observations, indicating that our model is appropriate for understanding the shear rate, flow time and shear stress based on the profile of deformed streak lines in the boundary layer in Newtonian and pseudoplastic viscous materials. This study improves our understanding of the transportation processes in fluids and of the transformation processes in fluid-like materials. Further application of this model could facilitate understanding the shear stress and time history of the fluid flow-like structure of fault zones observed in the field.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Temporal gradients in shear stimulate osteoblastic proliferation via ERK1/2 and retinoblastoma protein

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jiang, Guang-Liang; White, Charles R.; Stevens, Hazel Y.; Frangos, John A.

2002-01-01

Bone cells are subject to interstitial fluid flow (IFF) driven by venous pressure and mechanical loading. Rapid dynamic changes in mechanical loading cause transient gradients in IFF. The effects of pulsatile flow (temporal gradients in fluid shear) on rat UMR106 cells and rat primary osteoblastic cells were studied. Pulsatile flow induced a 95% increase in S-phase UMR106 cells compared with static controls. In contrast, ramped steady flow stimulated only a 3% increase. Similar patterns of S-phase induction were also observed in rat primary osteoblastic cells. Pulsatile flow significantly increased relative UMR106 cell number by 37 and 62% at 1.5 and 24 h, respectively. Pulsatile flow also significantly increased extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) phosphorylation by 418%, whereas ramped steady flow reduced ERK1/2 activation to 17% of control. Correspondingly, retinoblastoma protein was significantly phosphorylated by pulsatile fluid flow. Inhibition of mitogen-activated protein (MAP)/ERK kinase (MEK)1/2 by U0126 (a specific MEK1/2 inhibitor) reduced shear-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation and cell proliferation. These findings suggest that temporal gradients in fluid shear stress are potent stimuli of bone cell proliferation.

Feedback control of flow vorticity at low Reynolds numbers.

PubMed

Zeitz, Maria; Gurevich, Pavel; Stark, Holger

2015-03-01

Our aim is to explore strategies of feedback control to design and stabilize novel dynamic flow patterns in model systems of complex fluids. To introduce the control strategies, we investigate the simple Newtonian fluid at low Reynolds number in a circular geometry. Then, the fluid vorticity satisfies a diffusion equation. We determine the mean vorticity in the sensing area and use two control strategies to feed it back into the system by controlling the angular velocity of the circular boundary. Hysteretic feedback control generates self-regulated stable oscillations in time, the frequency of which can be adjusted over several orders of magnitude by tuning the relevant feedback parameters. Time-delayed feedback control initiates unstable vorticity modes for sufficiently large feedback strength. For increasing delay time, we first observe oscillations with beats and then regular trains of narrow pulses. Close to the transition line between the resting fluid and the unstable modes, these patterns are relatively stable over long times.

Salt tectonics and shallow subseafloor fluid convection: Models of coupled fluid-heat-salt transport

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, A.; Ruppel, C.

2007-01-01

Thermohaline convection associated with salt domes has the potential to drive significant fluid flow and mass and heat transport in continental margins, but previous studies of fluid flow associated with salt structures have focused on continental settings or deep flow systems of importance to petroleum exploration. Motivated by recent geophysical and geochemical observations that suggest a convective pattern to near-seafloor pore fluid flow in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoMex), we devise numerical models that fully couple thermal and chemical processes to quantify the effects of salt geometry and seafloor relief on fluid flow beneath the seafloor. Steady-state models that ignore halite dissolution demonstrate that seafloor relief plays an important role in the evolution of shallow geothermal convection cells and that salt at depth can contribute a thermal component to this convection. The inclusion of faults causes significant, but highly localized, increases in flow rates at seafloor discharge zones. Transient models that include halite dissolution show the evolution of flow during brine formation from early salt-driven convection to later geothermal convection, characteristics of which are controlled by the interplay of seafloor relief and salt geometry. Predicted flow rates are on the order of a few millimeters per year or less for homogeneous sediments with a permeability of 10−15 m2, comparable to compaction-driven flow rates. Sediment permeabilities likely fall below 10−15 m2 at depth in the GoMex basin, but such thermohaline convection can drive pervasive mass transport across the seafloor, affecting sediment diagenesis in shallow sediments. In more permeable settings, such flow could affect methane hydrate stability, seafloor chemosynthetic communities, and the longevity of fluid seeps.

Studies on Normal and Microgravity Annular Two Phase Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balakotaiah, V.; Jayawardena, S. S.; Nguyen, L. T.

1999-01-01

Two-phase gas-liquid flows occur in a wide variety of situations. In addition to normal gravity applications, such flows may occur in space operations such as active thermal control systems, power cycles, and storage and transfer of cryogenic fluids. Various flow patterns exhibiting characteristic spatial and temporal distribution of the two phases are observed in two-phase flows. The magnitude and orientation of gravity with respect to the flow has a strong impact on the flow patterns observed and on their boundaries. The identification of the flow pattern of a flow is somewhat subjective. The same two-phase flow (especially near a flow pattern transition boundary) may be categorized differently by different researchers. Two-phase flow patterns are somewhat simplified in microgravity, where only three flow patterns (bubble, slug and annular) have been observed. Annular flow is obtained for a wide range of gas and liquid flow rates, and it is expected to occur in many situations under microgravity conditions. Slug flow needs to be avoided, because vibrations caused by slugs result in unwanted accelerations. Therefore, it is important to be able to accurately predict the flow pattern which exists under given operating conditions. It is known that the wavy liquid film in annular flow has a profound influence on the transfer of momentum and heat between the phases. Thus, an understanding of the characteristics of the wavy film is essential for developing accurate correlations. In this work, we review our recent results on flow pattern transitions and wavy films in microgravity.

Sheet-like and plume-like thermal flow in a spherical convection experiment performed under microgravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breuer, D.; Futterer, B.; Plesa, A.; Krebs, A.; Zaussinger, F.; Egbers, C.

2013-12-01

In mantle dynamics research, experiments, usually performed in rectangular geometries in Earth-based laboratories, have the character of ';exploring new physics and testing theories' [1]. In this work, we introduce our spherical geometry experiments on electro-hydrodynamical driven Rayleigh-Benard convection that have been performed for both temperature-independent (`GeoFlow I'), and temperature-dependent fluid viscosity properties (`GeoFlow II') with a measured viscosity contrast up to 1.5. To set up a self-gravitating force field, we use a high voltage potential between the inner and outer boundaries and a dielectric insulating liquid and perform the experiment under microgravity conditions at the ISS [2, 3]. Further, numerical simulations in 3D spherical geometry have been used to reproduce the results obtained in the `GeoFlow' experiments. For flow visualisation, we use Wollaston prism shearing interferometry which is an optical method producing fringe pattern images. Flow pattern differ between our two experiments (Fig. 1). In `GeoFlow I', we see a sheet-like thermal flow. In this case convection patterns have been successfully reproduced by 3D numerical simulations using two different and independently developed codes. In contrast, in `GeoFlow II' we obtain plume-like structures. Interestingly, numerical simulations do not yield this type of solution for the low viscosity contrast realised in the experiment. However, using a viscosity contrast of two orders of magnitude or higher, we can reproduce the patterns obtained in the `GeoFlow II' experiment, from which we conclude that non-linear effects shift the effective viscosity ratio [4]. References [1] A. Davaille and A. Limare (2009). In: Schubert, G., Bercovici, D. (Eds.), Treatise on Geophysics - Mantle Dynamics. [2] B. Futterer, C. Egbers, N. Dahley, S. Koch, L. Jehring (2010). Acta Astronautica 66, 193-100. [3] B. Futterer, N. Dahley, S. Koch, N. Scurtu, C. Egbers (2012). Acta Astronautica 71, 11-19. [4] B. Futterer, A. Krebs, A.-C. Plesa, F. Zaussinger, D.Breuer, C. Egbers (2013). submitted to Journal of Fluid Mechanics. Fig. 1: a) Sheet-like thermal flow in the GeoFlow I spherical experiment with silicone oil of temperature-stable properties (RaE=1.17e6); b) Plume-like dominated flow in the GeoFlow II experiment using a fluid with temperature dependent viscosity and volume expansion (RaE=1.87e6).

Micro- and macro-behaviour of fluid flow through rock fractures: an experimental study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhenyu; Nemcik, Jan; Ma, Shuqi

2013-12-01

Microscopic and macroscopic behaviour of fluid flow through rough-walled rock fractures was experimentally investigated. Advanced microfluidic technology was introduced to examine the microscopic viscous and inertial effects of water flow through rock fractures in the vicinity of voids under different flow velocities, while the macroscopic behaviour of fracture flow was investigated by carrying out triaxial flow tests through fractured sandstone under confining stresses ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 MPa. The flow tests show that the microscopic inertial forces increase with the flow velocity with significant effects on the local flow pattern near the voids. With the increase in flow velocity, the deviation of the flow trajectories is reduced but small eddies appear inside the cavities. The results of the macroscopic flow tests show that the linear Darcy flow occurs for mated rock fractures due to small aperture, while a nonlinear deviation of the flow occurs at relatively high Reynolds numbers in non-mated rock fracture (Re > 32). The microscopic experiments suggest that the pressure loss consumed by the eddies inside cavities could contribute to the nonlinear fluid flow behaviour through rock joints. It is found that such nonlinear flow behaviour is best matched with the quadratic-termed Forchheimer equation.

Conceptual design of two-phase fluid mechanics and heat transfer facility for spacelab

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

North, B. F.; Hill, M. E.

1980-01-01

Five specific experiments were analyzed to provide definition of experiments designed to evaluate two phase fluid behavior in low gravity. The conceptual design represents a fluid mechanics and heat transfer facility for a double rack in Spacelab. The five experiments are two phase flow patterns and pressure drop, flow boiling, liquid reorientation, and interface bubble dynamics. Hardware was sized, instrumentation and data recording requirements defined, and the five experiments were installed as an integrated experimental package. Applicable available hardware was selected in the experiment design and total experiment program costs were defined.

SIMULATION AND VISUALIZATION OF FLOW PATTERN IN MICROARRAYS FOR LIQUID PHASE OLIGONUCLEOTIDE AND PEPTIDE SYNTHESIS

PubMed Central

O-Charoen, Sirimon; Srivannavit, Onnop; Gulari, Erdogan

2008-01-01

Microfluidic microarrays have been developed for economical and rapid parallel synthesis of oligonucleotide and peptide libraries. For a synthesis system to be reproducible and uniform, it is crucial to have a uniform reagent delivery throughout the system. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to model and simulate the microfluidic microarrays to study geometrical effects on flow patterns. By proper design geometry, flow uniformity could be obtained in every microreactor in the microarrays. PMID:17480053

Classification of pulsating flow patterns in curved pipes.

PubMed

Tada, S; Oshima, S; Yamane, R

1996-08-01

The fully developed periodic laminar flow of incompressible Newtonian fluids through a pipe of circular cross section, which is coiled in a circle, was simulated numerically. The flow patterns are characterized by three parameters: the Womersley number Wo, the Dean number De, and the amplitude ratio beta. The effect of these parameters on the flow was studied in the range 2.19 < or = Wo < or = 50.00, 15.07 < or = De < or = 265.49 and 0.50 < or = beta < or = 2.00, with the curvature ratio delta fixed to be 0.05. The way the secondary flow evolved with increasing Womersley number and Dean number is explained. The secondary flow patterns are classified into three main groups: the viscosity-dominated type, the inertia-dominated type, and the convection-dominated type. It was found that when the amplitude ratio of the volumetric flow rate is equal to 1.0, four to six vortices of the secondary flow appear at high Dean numbers, and the Lyne-type flow patterns disappear at beta > or = 0.50.

Emergent scar lines in chaotic advection of passive directors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hejazi, Bardia; Mehlig, Bernhard; Voth, Greg A.

2017-12-01

We examine the spatial field of orientations of slender fibers that are advected by a two-dimensional fluid flow. The orientation field of these passive directors are important in a wide range of industrial and geophysical flows. We introduce emergent scar lines as the dominant coherent structures in the orientation field of passive directors in chaotic flows. Previous work has identified the existence of scar lines where the orientation rotates by π over short distances, but the lines that were identified disappeared as time progressed. As a result, earlier work focused on topological singularities in the orientation field, which we find to play a negligible role at long times. We use the standard map as a simple time-periodic two-dimensional flow that produces Lagrangian chaos. This class of flows produces persistent patterns in passive scalar advection and we find that a different kind of persistent pattern develops in the passive director orientation field. We identify the mechanism by which emergent scar lines grow to dominate these patterns at long times in complex flows. Emergent scar lines form where the recent stretching of the fluid element is perpendicular to earlier stretching. Thus these scar lines can be labeled by their age, defined as the time since their stretching reached a maximum.

Complex blood flow patterns in an idealized left ventricle: A numerical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tagliabue, Anna; Dedè, Luca; Quarteroni, Alfio

2017-09-01

In this paper, we study the blood flow dynamics in a three-dimensional (3D) idealized left ventricle of the human heart whose deformation is driven by muscle contraction and relaxation in coordination with the action of the mitral and aortic valves. We propose a simplified but realistic mathematical treatment of the valves function based on mixed time-varying boundary conditions (BCs) for the Navier-Stokes equations modeling the flow. These switchings in time BCs, from natural to essential and vice versa, model either the open or the closed configurations of the valves. At the numerical level, these BCs are enforced by means of the extended Nitsche's method (Tagliabue et al., Int. J. Numer. Methods Fluids, 2017). Numerical results for the 3D idealized left ventricle obtained by means of Isogeometric Analysis are presented, discussed in terms of both instantaneous and phase-averaged quantities of interest and validated against those available in the literature, both experimental and computational. The complex blood flow patterns are analysed to describe the characteristic fluid properties, to show the transitional nature of the flow, and to highlight its main features inside the left ventricle. The sensitivity of the intraventricular flow patterns to the mitral valve properties is also investigated.

Fluid Flow Patterns During Production from Gas Hydrates in the Laboratory compared to Field Settings: LARS vs. Mallik

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strauch, B.; Heeschen, K. U.; Priegnitz, M.; Abendroth, S.; Spangenberg, E.; Thaler, J.; Schicks, J. M.

2015-12-01

The GFZ's LArge Reservoir Simulator LARS allows for the simulation of the 2008 Mallik gas hydrate production test and the comparison of fluid flow patterns and their driving forces. Do we see the gas flow pattern described for Mallik [Uddin, M. et al., J. Can. Petrol Tech, 50, 70-89, 2011] in a pilot scale test? If so, what are the driving forces? LARS has a network of temperature sensors and an electric resistivity tomography (ERT) enabling a good spatial resolution of gas hydrate occurrences, water and gas distribution, and changes in temperature in the sample. A gas flow meter and a water trap record fluid flow patterns and a backpressure valve has controlled the depressurization equivalent to the three pressure stages (7.0 - 5.0 - 4.2 MPa) applied in the Mallik field test. The environmental temperature (284 K) and confining pressure (13 MPa) have been constant. The depressurization induced immediate endothermic gas hydrate dissociation until re-establishment of the stability conditions by a consequent temperature decrease. Slight gas hydrate dissociation continued at the top and upper lateral border due to the constant heat input from the environment. Here transport pathways were short and permeability higher due to lower gas hydrate saturation. At pressures of 7.0 and 5.0 MPa the LARS tests showed high water flow rates and short irregular spikes of gas production. The gas flow patterns at 4.2 MPa and 3.0MPa resembled those of the Mallik test. In LARS the initial gas surges overlap with times of hydrate instability while water content and lengths of pathways had increased. Water production was at a minimum. A rapidly formed continuous gas phase caused the initial gas surges and only after gas hydrate dissociation decreased to a minimum the single gas bubbles get trapped before slowly coalescing again. In LARS, where pathways were short and no additional water was added, a transport of microbubbles is unlikely to cause a gas surge as suggested for Mallik.

Numerical study of effect parameter fluid flow nanofluid Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-water on heat transfer in corrugated tube

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

Ramadhan, Anwar Ilmar, E-mail: anwar.ilmar@ftumj.ac.id; Diniardi, Ery, E-mail: ery.diniardi@ftumj.ac.id; Dermawan, Erwin, E-mail: erwin.dermawan@ftumj.ac.id

Heating or cooling fluid is a major requirement in the industrial sector, including transport, energy and production needs of the field and the field of electronics. It is known that the thermal properties of the working fluid hold an important role in the development of energy efficiency of heat transfer equipment. The cooling system can be improved either by replacing conventional cooling fluid from the fluid into the fluid of water mixed with nanoparticles (nanofluid). The method of this research is to analyze the calculations and numerical simulations of the nanofluid Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}− Water with the volume fraction ofmore » 1% and 3% coolant fluid using CFD Codes. The results of this research show the rate of heat transfer at the increasing velocity of fluid flow, with the velocity of 5 [m/s]. Whereas the 3% nanofluid have greater value than the 1% nanofluid and water, as well as for the velocity of 10 [m/s] which has almost the same pattern. Shown that the concentration of nanofluid has a value effective for improving heat release along the fluid flow rate.« less

Characteristics of Helical Flow through Neck Cutoffs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richards, D.; Konsoer, K. M.; Turnipseed, C.; Willson, C. S.

2017-12-01

Meander cutoffs and oxbows lakes are a ubiquitous feature of riverine landscapes yet there is a paucity of detailed investigations concentrated on the three-dimensional flow structure through evolving neck cutoffs. The purpose of this research is to investigate and characterize helical flow through neck cutoffs with two different planform configurations: elongate meander loops and serpentine loops. Three-dimensional velocity measurements was collected with an acoustic Doppler current profiler for five cutoffs on the White River, Arkansas. Pronounced helical flow was found through all elongate loop cutoff sites, formed from the balance between centrifugal force resulting from the curving of flow through the cutoff channel and pressure gradient force resulting from water surface super-elevation between primary flow and flow at the entrance and exit of the abandoned loop. The sense of motion of the helical flow caused near-surface fluid to travel outward toward the abandoned loop while near-bed fluid was redirected toward the downstream channel. Another characteristic of the helical flow structure for elongate loop cutoffs was the reversal of helical flow over a relatively short distance, causing patterns of secondary circulation that differed from typical patterns observed through curved channels with point bars. Lastly, helical flow was revealed within zones of strong flow recirculation, enhanced by an exchange of streamwise momentum between shear layers.

Study of the convective fluid flows with evaporation on the basis of the exact solution in a three-dimensional infinite channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bekezhanova, V. B.; Goncharova, O. N.

2017-09-01

The solution of special type of the Boussinesq approximation of the Navier - Stokes equations is used to simulate the two-layer evaporative fluid flows. This solution is the 3D generalization of the Ostroumov - Birikh solution of the equations of free convection. Modeling of the 3D fluid flows is performed in an infinite channel of the rectangular cross section without assumption of the axis-symmetrical character of the flows. Influence of gravity and evaporation on the dynamic and thermal phenomena in the system is studied. The fluid flow patterns are determined by various thermal, mechanical and structural effects. Numerical investigations are performed for the liquid - gas system like ethanol - nitrogen and HFE-7100 - nitrogen under conditions of normal and low gravity. The solution allows one to describe a formation of the thermocapillary rolls and multi-vortex structures in the system. Alteration of topology and character of the flows takes place with change of the intensity of the applied thermal load, thermophysical properties of working media and gravity action. Flows with translational, translational-rotational or partially reverse motion can be formed in the system.

Apparatus for measuring resistance change only in a cell analyzer and method for calibrating it

DOEpatents

Hoffman, Robert A.

1980-01-01

The disclosure relates to resistance only monitoring and calibration in an electrical cell analyzer. Sample and sheath fluid flows of different salinities are utilized, the sample flow being diameter modulated to produce a selected pattern which is compared to the resistance measured across the flows.

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

Strons, Philip; Bailey, James L.

Anemometer readings alone cannot provide a complete picture of air flow patterns at an open gloveport. Having a means to visualize air flow for field tests in general provides greater insight by indicating direction in addition to the magnitude of the air flow velocities in the region of interest. Furthermore, flow visualization is essential for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) verification, where important modeling assumptions play a significant role in analyzing the chaotic nature of low-velocity air flow. A good example is shown Figure 1, where an unexpected vortex pattern occurred during a field test that could not have been measuredmore » relying only on anemometer readings. Here by, observing and measuring the patterns of the smoke flowing into the gloveport allowed the CFD model to be appropriately updated to match the actual flow velocities in both magnitude and direction.« less

The application of a unique flow modeling technique to complex combustion systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waslo, J.; Hasegawa, T.; Hilt, M. B.

1986-06-01

This paper describes the application of a unique three-dimensional water flow modeling technique to the study of complex fluid flow patterns within an advanced gas turbine combustor. The visualization technique uses light scattering, coupled with real-time image processing, to determine flow fields. Additional image processing is used to make concentration measurements within the combustor.

Visualization and flow boiling heat transfer of hydrocarbons in a horizontal tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zhuqiang; Bi, Qincheng; Guo, Yong; Liu, Zhaohui; Yan, Jianguo

2013-07-01

Visualizations of a specific hydrocarbon fuel in a horizontal tube with 2.0 mm inside diameter were investigated. The experiments were conducted at mass velocity of 213.4, 426.5 and 640.2 kg/ (m2ṡs), diabatic lengths of 140, 240 and 420 mm under the pressure from 2.0-2.7 MPa. In the sub-pressure conditions, bubbly, intermittent, stratified-wave, churn and annular flow patterns were observed. The frictional pressure drops were also measured to distinguish the patterns. The development of flow patterns and frictional pressure drop were positively related to the mass velocity and the heat flux. However, the diabatic length of the tube takes an important part in the process. The residence time of the fluid does not only affect the transition of the patterns but influence the composition of the fuel manifested by the fuel color and carbon deposit. The special observational phenomenon was obtained for the supercritical pressure fluid. The flow in the tube became fuzzier and pressure drop changed sharply near the pseudocritical point. The flow boiling heat transfer characteristics of the hydrocarbons were also discussed respectively. The curve of critical heat flux about onset of nucleate boiling was plotted with different mass velocities and diabatic tube lengths. And heat transfer characteristics of supercritical fuel were proved to be better than that in subcritical conditions.

The influence of computational assumptions on analysing abdominal aortic aneurysm haemodynamics.

PubMed

Ene, Florentina; Delassus, Patrick; Morris, Liam

2014-08-01

The variation in computational assumptions for analysing abdominal aortic aneurysm haemodynamics can influence the desired output results and computational cost. Such assumptions for abdominal aortic aneurysm modelling include static/transient pressures, steady/transient flows and rigid/compliant walls. Six computational methods and these various assumptions were simulated and compared within a realistic abdominal aortic aneurysm model with and without intraluminal thrombus. A full transient fluid-structure interaction was required to analyse the flow patterns within the compliant abdominal aortic aneurysms models. Rigid wall computational fluid dynamics overestimates the velocity magnitude by as much as 40%-65% and the wall shear stress by 30%-50%. These differences were attributed to the deforming walls which reduced the outlet volumetric flow rate for the transient fluid-structure interaction during the majority of the systolic phase. Static finite element analysis accurately approximates the deformations and von Mises stresses when compared with transient fluid-structure interaction. Simplifying the modelling complexity reduces the computational cost significantly. In conclusion, the deformation and von Mises stress can be approximately found by static finite element analysis, while for compliant models a full transient fluid-structure interaction analysis is required for acquiring the fluid flow phenomenon. © IMechE 2014.

Conveyor belt effect in the flow through a tube of a viscous fluid with spinning particles.

PubMed

Felderhof, B U

2012-04-28

The extended Navier-Stokes equations describing the steady-state hydrodynamics of a viscous fluid with spinning particles are solved for flow through a circular cylindrical tube. The flow caused by an applied torque density in the azimuthal direction and linear in the radial distance from the axis is compared with the flow caused by a uniform applied force density directed along the axis of the tube. In both cases the flow velocity is of Poiseuille type plus a correction. In the first case the flow velocity is caused by the conveyor belt effect of spinning particles. The corrections to the Poiseuille flow pattern in the two cases differ only by a proportionality factor. The spin velocity profiles in the two cases are also proportional.

Analogy between fluid cavitation and fracture mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendricks, R. C.; Mullen, R. L.; Braun, M. J.

When the stresses imposed on a fluid are sufficiently large, rupture or cavitation can occur. Such conditions can exist in many two-phase flow applications, such as the choked flows, which can occur in seals and bearings. Nonspherical bubbles with large aspect ratios have been observed in fluids under rapid acceleration and high shear fields. These bubbles are geometrically similar to fracture surface patterns (Griffith crack model) existing in solids. Analogies between crack growth in solid and fluid cavitation are proposed and supported by analysis and observation (photographs). Healing phenomena (void condensation), well accepted in fluid mechanics, have been observed in some polymers and hypothesized in solid mechanics. By drawing on the strengths of the theories of solid mechanics and cavitation, a more complete unified theory can be developed.

Analogy between fluid cavitation and fracture mechanics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hendricks, R. C.; Mullen, R. L.; Braun, M. J.

1983-01-01

When the stresses imposed on a fluid are sufficiently large, rupture or cavitation can occur. Such conditions can exist in many two-phase flow applications, such as the choked flows, which can occur in seals and bearings. Nonspherical bubbles with large aspect ratios have been observed in fluids under rapid acceleration and high shear fields. These bubbles are geometrically similar to fracture surface patterns (Griffith crack model) existing in solids. Analogies between crack growth in solid and fluid cavitation are proposed and supported by analysis and observation (photographs). Healing phenomena (void condensation), well accepted in fluid mechanics, have been observed in some polymers and hypothesized in solid mechanics. By drawing on the strengths of the theories of solid mechanics and cavitation, a more complete unified theory can be developed.

Phonological studies of the new gas-induced agitated reactor using computational fluid dynamics.

PubMed

Yang, T C; Hsu, Y C; Wang, S F

2001-06-01

An ozone-induced agitated reactor has been found to be very effective in degrading industrial wastewater. However, the cost of the ozone generation as well as its short residence time in reactors has restricted its application in a commercial scale. An innovated gas-induced draft tube installed inside a conventional agitated reactor was proved to effectively retain the ozone in a reactor. The setup was demonstrated to significantly promote the ozone utilization rate up to 96% from the conventional rate of 60% above the onset speed. This work investigates the mixing mechanism of an innovated gas-induced reactor for the future scale-up design by using the technique of computational fluid dynamics. A three-dimensional flow model was proposed to compute the liquid-gas free surface as well as the flow patterns inside the reactor. The turbulent effects generated by two 45 degrees pitch-blade turbines were considered and the two phases mixing phenomena were also manipulated by the Eulerian-Eulerian techniques. The consistency of the free surface profiles and the fluid flow patterns proved a good agreement between computational results and the experimental observation.

Engineering fluidic delays in paper-based devices using laser direct-writing.

PubMed

He, P J W; Katis, I N; Eason, R W; Sones, C L

2015-10-21

We report the use of a new laser-based direct-write technique that allows programmable and timed fluid delivery in channels within a paper substrate which enables implementation of multi-step analytical assays. The technique is based on laser-induced photo-polymerisation, and through adjustment of the laser writing parameters such as the laser power and scan speed we can control the depth and/or the porosity of hydrophobic barriers which, when fabricated in the fluid path, produce controllable fluid delay. We have patterned these flow delaying barriers at pre-defined locations in the fluidic channels using either a continuous wave laser at 405 nm, or a pulsed laser operating at 266 nm. Using this delay patterning protocol we generated flow delays spanning from a few minutes to over half an hour. Since the channels and flow delay barriers can be written via a common laser-writing process, this is a distinct improvement over other methods that require specialist operating environments, or custom-designed equipment. This technique can therefore be used for rapid fabrication of paper-based microfluidic devices that can perform single or multistep analytical assays.

Two-stage fluid flow and element transfers in shear zones during collision burial-exhumation cycle: Insights from the Mont Blanc Crystalline Massif (Western Alps)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rolland, Y.; Rossi, M.

2016-11-01

The Mont-Blanc Massif was intensely deformed during the Alpine orogenesis: in a first stage of prograde underthrusting at c. 30 Ma and in a second stage of uplift and exhumation at 22-11 Ma. Mid-crustal shear zones of 1 mm-50 m size, neighbouring episyenites (quartz-dissolved altered granite) and alpine veins, have localised intense fluid flow, which produced substantial changes in mineralogy and whole-rock geochemistry. Four main metamorphic zones are oriented parallel to the strike of the massif: (i) epidote, (ii) chlorite, (iii) actinolite-muscovite ± biotite and (iv) muscovite ± biotite. In addition, phlogopite-bearing shear zones occur in the chlorite zone, and calcite-bearing shear zones are locally found in the muscovite zone. The initial chemical composition of the granitic protolith is relatively constant at massif scale, which allows investigating compositional changes related to shear zone activity, and subsequent volume change and elements mobility. The variations of whole-rock composition and mineral chemistry in shear zones reflect variations in fluid/rock ratios and fluid's chemistry, which have produced specific mineral reactions. Estimated time-integrated fluid fluxes are of the order of 106 m3/m2. The mineral assemblages that crystallised upon these fluid-P-T conditions are responsible for specific major and trace element enrichments. The XFe (Fe/Fe + Mg) pattern of shear zone phyllosilicates and the δ13C pattern of vein calcite both show a bell-type pattern across the massif with high values on the massif rims and low values in the centre of the massif. These low XFe and δ13C values are explained by down temperature up-flow of a Fe-Mg-CO2-rich and silica-depleted fluid during stage 1, while the massif was underthrusting. These produced phlogopite, chlorite and actinolite precipitation and quartz hydrolysis, resulting in strong volume losses. In contrast, during stage 2 (uplift), substantial volume gains occurred on the massif rims due to the precipitation of quartz, epidote and muscovite from a local fluid hosted in the Helvetic cover. These two fluids advocate for the presence of an upper-crustal scaled fluid convection cell, with up-going fluids through the lower crust and likely down-going fluids in the 15 km upper crust.

Cerebrospinal fluid bulk flow is driven by the cardiac cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tithof, Jeffrey; Mestre, Humberto; Thomas, John; Nedergaard, Maiken; Kelley, Douglas

2017-11-01

Recent discoveries have uncovered a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) transport system in the perivascular spaces (PVS) of the mammalian brain which clears excess extracellular fluid and protein waste products. The oscillatory pattern of CSF flow has long been attributed to arterial pulsations due to cardiac contractility but limitations in imaging techniques have impeded quantitative measurement of flow rates within the PVS. In this talk, we describe quantitative measurements from the first ever direct imaging of CSF flow in the PVS of a mouse brain. We perform particle tracking velocimetry to obtain time-resolved velocity measurements. To identify the cardiac and/or respiratory dependence of the flow, while imaging, we simultaneously record the mouse's electrocardiogram and respiration. Our measurements conclusively indicate that CSF pulsatility in the arterial PVS is directly driven by the cardiac cycle and not by the respiratory cycle or cerebral vasomotion. These results offer a substantial step forward in understanding bulk flow of CSF in the mammalian brain and may have important implications related to neurodegenerative diseases.

Boiling heat transfer during flow of distilled water in an asymmetrically heated rectangular minichannel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strąk, Kinga; Piasecka, Magdalena

This paper discusses test results concerning flow boiling heat transfer in a minichannel 1.7 mm in depth, 16 mm in width and 180 mm in length. The essential part of the experimental stand was a vertically oriented rectangular minichannel, which was heated asymmetrically with a plate made of Haynes-230 alloy. Distilled water was used as the cooling fluid. Changes in the temperature on the outer side of the heated plate in the central, axially symmetric part of the channel were measured using infrared thermography. Simultaneously, the other side of the heated plate in contact with the fluid was observed through a glass pane to identify the two-phase flow patterns. The one-dimensional model used for the heat transfer analysis took into account the heat flow direction, which was perpendicular to the direction of the fluid flow in the minichannel. The study involved determining local values of the heat transfer coefficient and generating boiling curves. The data for water were compared with the findings reported for the FC-72 fluid.

Flow visualization methods for field test verification of CFD analysis of an open gloveport

DOE PAGES

Strons, Philip; Bailey, James L.

2017-01-01

Anemometer readings alone cannot provide a complete picture of air flow patterns at an open gloveport. Having a means to visualize air flow for field tests in general provides greater insight by indicating direction in addition to the magnitude of the air flow velocities in the region of interest. Furthermore, flow visualization is essential for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) verification, where important modeling assumptions play a significant role in analyzing the chaotic nature of low-velocity air flow. A good example is shown Figure 1, where an unexpected vortex pattern occurred during a field test that could not have been measuredmore » relying only on anemometer readings. Here by, observing and measuring the patterns of the smoke flowing into the gloveport allowed the CFD model to be appropriately updated to match the actual flow velocities in both magnitude and direction.« less

Wall Driven Cavity Approach to Slug Flow Modeling In a Micro channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahu, Avinash; Kulkarni, Shekhar; Pushpavanam, Subramaniam; Pushpavanam Research League Team, Prof.

2014-03-01

Slug flow is a commonly observed stable regime and occurs at relatively low flow rates of the fluids. Wettability of channel decides continuous and discrete phases. In these types of biphasic flows, the fluid - fluid interface acts as a barrier that prohibits species movement across the interface. The flow inside a slug is qualitatively similar to the well known shallow cavity flow. In shallow cavities the flow mimics the ``fully developed'' internal circulation in slug flows. Another approach to slug flow modeling can be in a moving reference frame. Here the wall boundary moves in the direction opposite to that of the flow, hence induces circulations within the phases which is analogous to the well known Lid Driven Cavity. The two parallel walls are moved in the opposite directions which generate circulation patterns, equivalent to the ones regularly observed in slug flow in micro channels. A fourth order stream function equation is solved using finite difference approach. The flow field obtained using the two approaches will be used to analyze the effect on mass transfer and chemical reactions in the micro channel. The internal circulations and the performance of these systems will be validated experimentally.

A numerical analysis of the aortic blood flow pattern during pulsed cardiopulmonary bypass.

PubMed

Gramigna, V; Caruso, M V; Rossi, M; Serraino, G F; Renzulli, A; Fragomeni, G

2015-01-01

In the modern era, stroke remains a main cause of morbidity after cardiac surgery despite continuing improvements in the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) techniques. The aim of the current work was to numerically investigate the blood flow in aorta and epiaortic vessels during standard and pulsed CPB, obtained with the intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP). A multi-scale model, realized coupling a 3D computational fluid dynamics study with a 0D model, was developed and validated with in vivo data. The presence of IABP improved the flow pattern directed towards the epiaortic vessels with a mean flow increase of 6.3% and reduced flow vorticity.

Numerical Modeling of Interstitial Fluid Flow Coupled with Blood Flow through a Remodeled Solid Tumor Microvascular Network

PubMed Central

Soltani, M.; Chen, P.

2013-01-01

Modeling of interstitial fluid flow involves processes such as fluid diffusion, convective transport in extracellular matrix, and extravasation from blood vessels. To date, majority of microvascular flow modeling has been done at different levels and scales mostly on simple tumor shapes with their capillaries. However, with our proposed numerical model, more complex and realistic tumor shapes and capillary networks can be studied. Both blood flow through a capillary network, which is induced by a solid tumor, and fluid flow in tumor’s surrounding tissue are formulated. First, governing equations of angiogenesis are implemented to specify the different domains for the network and interstitium. Then, governing equations for flow modeling are introduced for different domains. The conservation laws for mass and momentum (including continuity equation, Darcy’s law for tissue, and simplified Navier–Stokes equation for blood flow through capillaries) are used for simulating interstitial and intravascular flows and Starling’s law is used for closing this system of equations and coupling the intravascular and extravascular flows. This is the first study of flow modeling in solid tumors to naturalistically couple intravascular and extravascular flow through a network. This network is generated by sprouting angiogenesis and consisting of one parent vessel connected to the network while taking into account the non-continuous behavior of blood, adaptability of capillary diameter to hemodynamics and metabolic stimuli, non-Newtonian blood flow, and phase separation of blood flow in capillary bifurcation. The incorporation of the outlined components beyond the previous models provides a more realistic prediction of interstitial fluid flow pattern in solid tumors and surrounding tissues. Results predict higher interstitial pressure, almost two times, for realistic model compared to the simplified model. PMID:23840579

Spiral blood flow in aorta-renal bifurcation models.

PubMed

Javadzadegan, Ashkan; Simmons, Anne; Barber, Tracie

2016-01-01

The presence of a spiral arterial blood flow pattern in humans has been widely accepted. It is believed that this spiral component of the blood flow alters arterial haemodynamics in both positive and negative ways. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of spiral flow on haemodynamic changes in aorta-renal bifurcations. In this regard, a computational fluid dynamics analysis of pulsatile blood flow was performed in two idealised models of aorta-renal bifurcations with and without flow diverter. The results show that the spirality effect causes a substantial variation in blood velocity distribution, while causing only slight changes in fluid shear stress patterns. The dominant observed effect of spiral flow is on turbulent kinetic energy and flow recirculation zones. As spiral flow intensity increases, the rate of turbulent kinetic energy production decreases, reducing the region of potential damage to red blood cells and endothelial cells. Furthermore, the recirculation zones which form on the cranial sides of the aorta and renal artery shrink in size in the presence of spirality effect; this may lower the rate of atherosclerosis development and progression in the aorta-renal bifurcation. These results indicate that the spiral nature of blood flow has atheroprotective effects in renal arteries and should be taken into consideration in analyses of the aorta and renal arteries.

Optimal-mass-transfer-based estimation of glymphatic transport in living brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratner, Vadim; Zhu, Liangjia; Kolesov, Ivan; Nedergaard, Maiken; Benveniste, Helene; Tannenbaum, Allen

2015-03-01

It was recently shown that the brain-wide cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid exchange system designated the `glymphatic pathway' plays a key role in removing waste products from the brain, similarly to the lymphatic system in other body organs . It is therefore important to study the flow patterns of glymphatic transport through the live brain in order to better understand its functionality in normal and pathological states. Unlike blood, the CSF does not flow rapidly through a network of dedicated vessels, but rather through para-vascular channels and brain parenchyma in a slower time-domain, and thus conventional fMRI or other blood-flow sensitive MRI sequences do not provide much useful information about the desired flow patterns. We have accordingly analyzed a series of MRI images, taken at different times, of the brain of a live rat, which was injected with a paramagnetic tracer into the CSF via the lumbar intrathecal space of the spine. Our goal is twofold: (a) find glymphatic (tracer) flow directions in the live rodent brain; and (b) provide a model of a (healthy) brain that will allow the prediction of tracer concentrations given initial conditions. We model the liquid flow through the brain by the diffusion equation. We then use the Optimal Mass Transfer (OMT) approach to derive the glymphatic flow vector field, and estimate the diffusion tensors by analyzing the (changes in the) flow. Simulations show that the resulting model successfully reproduces the dominant features of the experimental data. Keywords: inverse problem, optimal mass transport, diffusion equation, cerebrospinal fluid flow in brain, optical flow, liquid flow modeling, Monge Kantorovich problem, diffusion tensor estimation

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.

Using Temperature as a Tracer to Study Fluid Flow Patterns On and Offshore Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chi, W. C.

2017-12-01

Fluid flows are a dynamic system in the crust that affect crustal deformation and formation of natural resources. It is difficult to study fluid flow velocity instrumentally, but temperature data offers a quantitative tool that can be used as a tracer to study crustal hydrogeology. Here we present numerical techniques we have applied to study the fluid migration velocity along conduits including faults in on and offshore settings. Offshore SW Taiwan, we use a bottom-simulating reflector (BSR) from seismic profiles to study the temperature field at several hundred meters subbottom depth. The BSR is interpreted as the base of a gas hydrate stability zone under the seabed. Gas hydrates are solid-state water with gas molecules enclosed, which can be found where the temperature, pressure, and salinity conditions allow hydrates to be stable. Using phase diagrams and hydro pressure information we can derive the temperature at the BSR. BSRs are widespread in the study area, providing very dense temperature field information which shows upward bending of the BSR near faults. We have quantitatively estimated the 1D and 2D fluid flow patterns required to fit the BSR-based temperature field. This shows that fault zones can act as conduits with high permeability parallel to the fault planes. On the other hand, fault zones can also act as barriers to fluid flow, as demonstrated in our onland temperature data. We have collected temperature profiles at several bore holes onland that are very close together. The preliminary results show that the fault zones separate the ground water systems, causing very different geothermal gradients. Our results show that the physical properties of fault zones can be anisotropic, as demonstrated in previous work. Future work includes estimating the regional water expulsion budget offshore SW Taiwan, in particular for several gas hydrate sites.

Optimum periodicity of repeated contractile actions applied in mass transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, Sungsook; Lee, Sang Joon

2015-01-01

Dynamically repeated periodic patterns are abundant in natural and artificial systems, such as tides, heart beats, stock prices, and the like. The characteristic repeatability and periodicity are expected to be optimized in effective system-specific functions. In this study, such optimum periodicity is experimentally evaluated in terms of effective mass transport using one-valve and multi-valve systems working in contractile fluid flows. A set of nanoscale gating functions is utilized, operating in nanocomposite networks through which permeates selectively pass under characteristic contractile actions. Optimized contractile periodicity exists for effective energy impartment to flow in a one-valve system. In the sequential contractile actions for a multi-valve system, synchronization with the fluid flow is critical for effective mass transport. This study provides fundamental understanding on the various repeated periodic patterns and dynamic repeatability occurring in nature and mechanical systems, which are useful for broad applications.

A loosely-coupled scheme for the interaction between a fluid, elastic structure and poroelastic material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bukač, M.

2016-05-01

We model the interaction between an incompressible, viscous fluid, thin elastic structure and a poroelastic material. The poroelastic material is modeled using the Biot's equations of dynamic poroelasticity. The fluid, elastic structure and the poroelastic material are fully coupled, giving rise to a nonlinear, moving boundary problem with novel energy estimates. We present a modular, loosely coupled scheme where the original problem is split into the fluid sub-problem, elastic structure sub-problem and poroelasticity sub-problem. An energy estimate associated with the stability of the scheme is derived in the case where one of the coupling parameters, β, is equal to zero. We present numerical tests where we investigate the effects of the material properties of the poroelastic medium on the fluid flow. Our findings indicate that the flow patterns highly depend on the storativity of the poroelastic material and cannot be captured by considering fluid-structure interaction only.

Mobile monolithic polymer elements for flow control in microfluidic devices

DOEpatents

Hasselbrink, Jr., Ernest F.; Rehm, Jason E.; Shepodd, Timothy J.

2004-08-31

A cast-in-place and lithographically shaped mobile, monolithic polymer element for fluid flow control in microfluidic devices and method of manufacture. Microfluid flow control devices, or microvalves that provide for control of fluid or ionic current flow can be made incorporating a cast-in-place, mobile monolithic polymer element, disposed within a microchannel, and driven by either fluid or gas pressure against a retaining or sealing surface. The polymer elements are made by the application of lithographic methods to monomer mixtures formulated in such a way that the polymer will not bond to microchannel walls. The polymer elements can seal against pressures greater than 5000 psi, and have a response time on the order of milliseconds. By the use of energetic radiation it is possible to depolymerize selected regions of the polymer element to form shapes that cannot be produced by conventional lithographic patterning and would be impossible to machine.

Mobile Monolith Polymer Elements For Flow Control In Microfluidic Systems

DOEpatents

Hasselbrink, Jr., Ernest F.; Rehm, Jason E.; Shepodd, Timothy J.; Kirby, Brian J.

2006-01-24

A cast-in-place and lithographically shaped mobile, monolithic polymer element for fluid flow control in microfluidic devices and method of manufacture. Microfluid flow control devices, or microvalves that provide for control of fluid or ionic current flow can be made incorporating a cast-in-place, mobile monolithic polymer element, disposed within a microchannel, and driven by fluid pressure (either liquid or gas) against a retaining or sealing surface. The polymer elements are made by the application of lithographic methods to monomer mixtures formulated in such a way that the polymer will not bond to microchannel walls. The polymer elements can seal against pressures greater than 5000 psi, and have a response time on the order of milliseconds. By the use of energetic radiation it is possible to depolymerize selected regions of the polymer element to form shapes that cannot be produced by conventional lithographic patterning and would be impossible to machine.

Mobile monolithic polymer elements for flow control in microfluidic devices

DOEpatents

Hasselbrink, Jr., Ernest F.; Rehm, Jason E [Alameda, CA; Shepodd, Timothy J [Livermore, CA; Kirby, Brian J [San Francisco, CA

2005-11-11

A cast-in-place and lithographically shaped mobile, monolithic polymer element for fluid flow control in microfluidic devices and method of manufacture. Microfluid flow control devices, or microvalves that provide for control of fluid or ionic current flow can be made incorporating a cast-in-place, mobile monolithic polymer element, disposed within a microchannel, and driven by fluid pressure (either liquid or gas) against a retaining or sealing surface. The polymer elements are made by the application of lithographic methods to monomer mixtures formulated in such a way that the polymer will not bond to microchannel walls. The polymer elements can seal against pressures greater than 5000 psi, and have a response time on the order of milliseconds. By the use of energetic radiation it is possible to depolymerize selected regions of the polymer element to form shapes that cannot be produced by conventional lithographic patterning and would be impossible to machine.

Computational fluid dynamics study of the end-side and sequential coronary artery bypass anastomoses in a native coronary occlusion model.

PubMed

Matsuura, Kaoru; Jin, Wei Wei; Liu, Hao; Matsumiya, Goro

2018-04-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the haemodynamic patterns in each anastomosis fashion using a computational fluid dynamic study in a native coronary occlusion model. Fluid dynamic computations were carried out with ANSYS CFX (ANSYS Inc., Canonsburg, PA, USA) software. The incision lengths for parallel and diamond anastomoses were fixed at 2 mm. Native vessels were set to be totally occluded. The diameter of both the native and graft vessels was set to be 2 mm. The inlet boundary condition was set by a sample of the transient time flow measurement which was measured intraoperatively. The diamond anastomosis was observed to reduce flow to the native outlet and increase flow to the bypass outlet; the opposite was observed in the parallel anastomosis. Total energy efficiency was higher in the diamond anastomosis than the parallel anastomosis. Wall shear stress was higher in the diamond anastomosis than in the parallel anastomosis; it was the highest at the top of the outlet. A high oscillatory shear index was observed at the bypass inlet in the parallel anastomosis and at the native inlet in the diamond anastomosis. The diamond sequential anastomosis would be an effective option for multiple sequential bypasses because of the better flow to the bypass outlet than with the parallel anastomosis. However, flow competition should be kept in mind while using the diamond anastomosis for moderately stenotic vessels because of worsened flow to the native outlet. Care should be taken to ensure that the fluid dynamics patterns are optimal and prevent future native and bypass vessel disease progression.

Experimental investigation of two-phase flow patterns in minichannels at horizontal orientation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saljoshi, P. S.; Autee, A. T.

2017-09-01

Two-phase flow is the simplest case of multiphase flow in which two phases are present for a pure component. The mini channel is considered as diameter below 3.0-0.2 mm and conventional channel is considered diameter above 3.0 mm. An experiment was conducted to study the adiabatic two-phase flow patterns in the circular test section with inner diameter of 1.1, 1.63, 2.0, 2.43 and 3.0 mm for horizontal orientation using air and water as a fluid. Different types of flow patterns found in the experiment. The parameters that affect most of these patterns and their transitions are channel size, phase superficial velocities (air and liquid) and surface tension. The superficial velocity of liquid and gas ranges from 0.01 to 66.70 and 0.01 to 3 m/s respectively. Two-phase flow pattern photos were recorded using a high speed CMOS camera. In this experiment different flow patterns were identified for different tube diameters that confirm the diameter effect on flow patterns in two-phase flows. Stratified flow was not observed for tube diameters less than 3.0 mm. Similarly, wavy-annular flow pattern was not observed in 1.6 and 1.0 mm diameter tubes due to the surface-tension effect and decrease in tube diameter. Buoyancy effects were clearly visible in 2.43 and 3.0 mm diameter tubes flow pattern. It has also observed that as the test-section diameter decreases the transition lines shift towards the higher gas and liquid velocity. However, the result of flow pattern lines in the present study has good agreement with the some of the existing flow patterns maps.

The Optimization Design of An AC-Electroosmotic Micro mixer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yangyang; Suh, Yongkweon; Kang, Sangmo

2007-11-01

We propose the optimization design of an AC-electroosmotic micro-mixer, which is composed of a channel and a series of pairs of electrodes attached on the bottom wall in zigzag patterns. The AC electric field is applied to the electrodes so that a fluid flow takes place around the electrodes across the channel, thus contributing to the mixing of the fluid within the channel. We have performed numerical simulations by using a commercial code (CFX 10) to optimize the shape and pattern of the electrodes via the concept of mixing index. It is found that the best combination of two kinds of electrodes, which leads to good mixing performance, is not simply harmonic one. When the length ratio of the two kinds of electrodes closes to 2:1, we can get the best mixing effect. Furthermore, we will visualize the flow pattern and measure the velocity field with a PTV technique to validate the numerical simulations. In addition, the mixing pattern will be visualized via the experiment.

Comparison of Two-Phase Pipe Flow in OpenFOAM with a Mechanistic Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuard, Adrian M.; Mahmud, Hisham B.; King, Andrew J.

2016-03-01

Two-phase pipe flow is a common occurrence in many industrial applications such as power generation and oil and gas transportation. Accurate prediction of liquid holdup and pressure drop is of vast importance to ensure effective design and operation of fluid transport systems. In this paper, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) study of a two-phase flow of air and water is performed using OpenFOAM. The two-phase solver, interFoam is used to identify flow patterns and generate values of liquid holdup and pressure drop, which are compared to results obtained from a two-phase mechanistic model developed by Petalas and Aziz (2002). A total of 60 simulations have been performed at three separate pipe inclinations of 0°, +10° and -10° respectively. A three dimensional, 0.052m diameter pipe of 4m length is used with the Shear Stress Transport (SST) k - ɷ turbulence model to solve the turbulent mixtures of air and water. Results show that the flow pattern behaviour and numerical values of liquid holdup and pressure drop compare reasonably well to the mechanistic model.

Schlieren optical visualization for transient EHD induced flow in a stratified dielectric liquid under gas-phase ac corona discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohyama, R.; Inoue, K.; Chang, J. S.

2007-01-01

A flow pattern characterization of electrohydrodynamically (EHD) induced flow phenomena of a stratified dielectric fluid situated in an ac corona discharge field is conducted by a Schlieren optical system. A high voltage application to a needle-plate electrode arrangement in gas-phase normally initiates a conductive type EHD gas flow. Although the EHD gas flow motion initiated from the corona discharge electrode has been well known as corona wind, no comprehensive study has been conducted for an EHD fluid flow motion of the stratified dielectric liquid that is exposed to the gas-phase ac corona discharge. The experimentally observed result clearly presents the liquid-phase EHD flow phenomenon induced from the gas-phase EHD flow via an interfacial momentum transfer. The flow phenomenon is also discussed in terms of the gas-phase EHD number under the reduced gas pressure (reduced interfacial momentum transfer) conditions.

Centrifugal fingering in a curved Hele-Shaw cell: A generalized Euler's elastica shape for the two-fluid interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda, Jose; Brandao, Rodolfo

2017-11-01

We study a family of generalized elastica-like equilibrium shapes that arise at the interface separating two fluids in a curved rotating Hele-Shaw cell. This family of stationary interface solutions consists of shapes that balance the competing capillary and centrifugal forces in such a curved flow environment. We investigate how the emerging interfacial patterns are impacted by changes in the geometric properties of the curved Hele-Shaw cell. A vortex-sheet formalism is used to calculate the two-fluid interface curvature, and a gallery of possible shapes is provided to highlight a number of peculiar morphological features. A linear perturbation theory is employed to show that the most prominent aspects of these complex stationary patterns can be fairly well reproduced by the interplay of just two interfacial modes. The connection of these dominant modes to the geometry of the curved cell, as well as to the fluid dynamic properties of the flow, is discussed. We thank CNPq (Brazilian Research Council) for financial support under Grant No. 304821/2015-2.

Evaporation-induced patterns from droplets containing motile and nonmotile bacteria.

PubMed

Nellimoottil, Tittu Thomas; Rao, Pinjala Nagaraju; Ghosh, Siddhartha Sankar; Chattopadhyay, Arun

2007-08-14

In this letter, we report the observations of specific pattern formation from the evaporation of aqueous droplets containing motile and nonmotile bacteria. We found that when motile bacteria were present the droplet evaporated into disclike patterned deposits of bacteria. However, when the bacteria were made nonmotile by treatment with liquid nitrogen, the droplet evaporated into ringlike deposits. We also observed that bacteria with higher motility produced more uniformly deposited disclike patterns. Furthermore, we propose a model with numerical simulations to explain the mechanism of formation of these patterns. The model is based on the advective fluid flow from the center of the droplet toward the edge due to enhanced evaporation from the edge of the pinned droplet in comparison to that from the free surface. For the case of motile bacteria, we have added another velocity parameter toward the axis of the droplet and directed against the fluid flow in order to account for the disclike pattern formation. The numerical simulations match the experimental observations well. The present work, by qualitative and quantitative understanding of the evaporation of bacteria droplets, demonstrates that the inherent bacterial motility is primarily responsible for the formation of these differential patterns.

Modeling fluid flow and heat transfer at Basin and Range faults: preliminary results for Leach hot springs, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

López, Dina L.; Smith, Leslie; Storey, Michael L.; Nielson, Dennis L.

1994-01-01

The hydrothermal systems of the Basin and Range Province are often located at or near major range bounding normal faults. The flow of fluid and energy at these faults is affected by the advective transfer of heat and fluid from an to the adjacent mountain ranges and valleys, This paper addresses the effect of the exchange of fluid and energy between the country rock, the valley fill sediments, and the fault zone, on the fluid and heat flow regimes at the fault plane. For comparative purposes, the conditions simulated are patterned on Leach Hot Springs in southern Grass Valley, Nevada. Our simulations indicated that convection can exist at the fault plane even when the fault is exchanging significant heat and fluid with the surrounding country rock and valley fill sediments. The temperature at the base of the fault decreased with increasing permeability of the country rock. Higher groundwater discharge from the fault and lower temperatures at the base of the fault are favored by high country rock permabilities and fault transmissivities. Preliminary results suggest that basal temperatures and flow rates for Leach Hot Springs can not be simulated with a fault 3 km deep and an average regional heat flow of 150 mW/m2 because the basal temperature and mass discharge rates are too low. A fault permeable to greater depths or a higher regional heat flow may be indicated for these springs.

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.

Predictions of hydrothermal alteration within near-ridge oceanic crust from coordinated geochemical and fluid flow models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wetzel, L.R.; Raffensperger, Jeff P.; Shock, E.L.

2001-01-01

Coordinated geochemical and hydrological calculations guide our understanding of the composition, fluid flow patterns, and thermal structure of near-ridge oceanic crust. The case study presented here illustrates geochemical and thermal changes taking place as oceanic crust ages from 0.2 to 1.0 Myr. Using a finite element code, we model fluid flow and heat transport through the upper few hundred meters of an abyssal hill created at an intermediate spreading rate. We use a reaction path model with a customized database to calculate equilibrium fluid compositions and mineral assemblages of basalt and seawater at 500 bars and temperatures ranging from 150 to 400??C. In one scenario, reaction path calculations suggest that volume increases on the order of 10% may occur within portions of the basaltic basement. If this change in volume occurred, it would be sufficient to fill all primary porosity in some locations, effectively sealing off portions of the oceanic crust. Thermal profiles resulting from fluid flow simulations indicate that volume changes along this possible reaction path occur primarily within the first 0.4 Myr of crustal aging. ?? 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of liquid layers and distribution patterns on three-phase saturation and relative permeability relationships: a micromodel study.

PubMed

Tsai, Jui-Pin; Chang, Liang-Cheng; Hsu, Shao-Yiu; Shan, Hsin-Yu

2017-12-01

In the current study, we used micromodel experiments to study three-phase fluid flow in porous media. In contrast to previous studies, we simultaneously observed and measured pore-scale fluid behavior and three-phase constitutive relationships with digital image acquisition/analysis, fluid pressure control, and permeability assays. Our results showed that the fluid layers significantly influenced pore-scale, three-phase fluid displacement as well as water relative permeability. At low water saturation, water relative permeability not only depended on water saturation but also on the distributions of air and diesel. The results also indicate that the relative permeability-saturation model proposed by Parker et al. (1987) could not completely describe the experimental data from our three-phase flow experiments because these models ignore the effects of phase distribution. A simple bundle-of-tubes model shows that the water relative permeability was proportional to the number of apparently continuous water paths before the critical stage in which no apparently continuous water flow path could be found. Our findings constitute additional information about the essential constitutive relationships involved in both the understanding and the modeling of three-phase flows in porous media.

Transport of self-propelling bacteria in micro-channel flow.

PubMed

Costanzo, A; Di Leonardo, R; Ruocco, G; Angelani, L

2012-02-15

Understanding the collective motion of self-propelling organisms in confined geometries, such as that of narrow channels, is of great theoretical and practical importance. By means of numerical simulations we study the motion of model bacteria in 2D channels under different flow conditions: fluid at rest, steady and unsteady flow. We find aggregation of bacteria near channel walls and, in the presence of external flow, also upstream swimming, which turns out to be a very robust result. Detailed analysis of bacterial velocity and orientation fields allows us to quantify the phenomenon by varying cell density, channel width and fluid velocity. The tumbling mechanism turns out to have strong influence on velocity profiles and particle flow, resulting in a net upstream flow in the case of non-tumbling organisms. Finally we demonstrate that upstream flow can be enhanced by a suitable choice of an unsteady flow pattern.

TANK48 CFD MODELING ANALYSIS

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

Lee, S.

2011-05-17

The process of recovering the waste in storage tanks at the Savannah River Site (SRS) typically requires mixing the contents of the tank to ensure uniformity of the discharge stream. Mixing is accomplished with one to four dual-nozzle slurry pumps located within the tank liquid. For the work, a Tank 48 simulation model with a maximum of four slurry pumps in operation has been developed to estimate flow patterns for efficient solid mixing. The modeling calculations were performed by using two modeling approaches. One approach is a single-phase Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model to evaluate the flow patterns and qualitativemore » mixing behaviors for a range of different modeling conditions since the model was previously benchmarked against the test results. The other is a two-phase CFD model to estimate solid concentrations in a quantitative way by solving the Eulerian governing equations for the continuous fluid and discrete solid phases over the entire fluid domain of Tank 48. The two-phase results should be considered as the preliminary scoping calculations since the model was not validated against the test results yet. A series of sensitivity calculations for different numbers of pumps and operating conditions has been performed to provide operational guidance for solids suspension and mixing in the tank. In the analysis, the pump was assumed to be stationary. Major solid obstructions including the pump housing, the pump columns, and the 82 inch central support column were included. The steady state and three-dimensional analyses with a two-equation turbulence model were performed with FLUENT{trademark} for the single-phase approach and CFX for the two-phase approach. Recommended operational guidance was developed assuming that local fluid velocity can be used as a measure of sludge suspension and spatial mixing under single-phase tank model. For quantitative analysis, a two-phase fluid-solid model was developed for the same modeling conditions as the single-phase model. The modeling results show that the flow patterns driven by four pump operation satisfy the solid suspension requirement, and the average solid concentration at the plane of the transfer pump inlet is about 12% higher than the tank average concentrations for the 70 inch tank level and about the same as the tank average value for the 29 inch liquid level. When one of the four pumps is not operated, the flow patterns are satisfied with the minimum suspension velocity criterion. However, the solid concentration near the tank bottom is increased by about 30%, although the average solid concentrations near the transfer pump inlet have about the same value as the four-pump baseline results. The flow pattern results show that although the two-pump case satisfies the minimum velocity requirement to suspend the sludge particles, it provides the marginal mixing results for the heavier or larger insoluble materials such as MST and KTPB particles. The results demonstrated that when more than one jet are aiming at the same position of the mixing tank domain, inefficient flow patterns are provided due to the highly localized momentum dissipation, resulting in inactive suspension zone. Thus, after completion of the indexed solids suspension, pump rotations are recommended to avoid producing the nonuniform flow patterns. It is noted that when tank liquid level is reduced from the highest level of 70 inches to the minimum level of 29 inches for a given number of operating pumps, the solid mixing efficiency becomes better since the ratio of the pump power to the mixing volume becomes larger. These results are consistent with the literature results.« less

General mechanism for the meandering instability of rivulets of Newtonian fluids.

PubMed

Daerr, A; Eggers, J; Limat, L; Valade, N

2011-05-06

A rivulet flowing down an inclined plane often does not follow a straight path, but starts to meander spontaneously. Here we show that this instability is the result of two key ingredients: fluid inertia and anisotropy of the friction between rivulet and substrate. Meandering only occurs if the motion normal to the instantaneous flow direction is more difficult than parallel to it. We give a quantitative criterion for the onset of meandering and confirm it by comparing to the flow of a rivulet between two glass plates which are wetted completely. Above the threshold, the rivulet follows an irregular pattern with a typical wavelength of a few cm.

Numerical modeling of heat transfer in molten silicon during directional solidification process

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

Srinivasan, M.; Ramasamy, P., E-mail: ramasamyp@ssn.edu.in

2015-06-24

Numerical investigation is performed for some of the thermal and fluid flow properties of silicon melt during directional solidification by numerical modeling. Dimensionless numbers are extremely useful to understand the heat and mass transfer of fluid flow on Si melt and control the flow patterns during crystal growth processes. The average grain size of whole crystal would increase when the melt flow is laminar. In the silicon growth process, the melt flow is mainly driven by the buoyancy force resulting from the horizontal temperature gradient. The thermal and flow pattern influences the quality of the crystal through the convective heatmore » and mass transport. The computations are carried out in a 2D axisymmetric model using the finite-element technique. The buoyancy effect is observed in the melt domain for a constant Rayleigh number and for different Prandtl numbers. The convective heat flux and Reynolds numbers are studied in the five parallel horizontal cross section of melt silicon region. And also, velocity field is simulated for whole melt domain with limited thermal boundaries. The results indicate that buoyancy forces have a dramatic effect on the most of melt region except central part.« less

Mechanochemical pattern formation in simple models of active viscoelastic fluids and solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alonso, Sergio; Radszuweit, Markus; Engel, Harald; Bär, Markus

2017-11-01

The cytoskeleton of the organism Physarum polycephalum is a prominent example of a complex active viscoelastic material wherein stresses induce flows along the organism as a result of the action of molecular motors and their regulation by calcium ions. Experiments in Physarum polycephalum have revealed a rich variety of mechanochemical patterns including standing, traveling and rotating waves that arise from instabilities of spatially homogeneous states without gradients in stresses and resulting flows. Herein, we investigate simple models where an active stress induced by molecular motors is coupled to a model describing the passive viscoelastic properties of the cellular material. Specifically, two models for viscoelastic fluids (Maxwell and Jeffrey model) and two models for viscoelastic solids (Kelvin-Voigt and Standard model) are investigated. Our focus is on the analysis of the conditions that cause destabilization of spatially homogeneous states and the related onset of mechano-chemical waves and patterns. We carry out linear stability analyses and numerical simulations in one spatial dimension for different models. In general, sufficiently strong activity leads to waves and patterns. The primary instability is stationary for all active fluids considered, whereas all active solids have an oscillatory primary instability. All instabilities found are of long-wavelength nature reflecting the conservation of the total calcium concentration in the models studied.

On mass transport in porosity waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordan, Jacob S.; Hesse, Marc A.; Rudge, John F.

2018-03-01

Porosity waves arise naturally from the equations describing fluid migration in ductile rocks. Here, we show that higher-dimensional porosity waves can transport mass and therefore preserve geochemical signatures, at least partially. Fluid focusing into these high porosity waves leads to recirculation in their center. This recirculating fluid is separated from the background flow field by a circular dividing streamline and transported with the phase velocity of the porosity wave. Unlike models for one-dimensional chromatography in geological porous media, tracer transport in higher-dimensional porosity waves does not produce chromatographic separations between relatively incompatible elements due to the circular flow pattern. This may allow melt that originated from the partial melting of fertile heterogeneities or fluid produced during metamorphism to retain distinct geochemical signatures as they rise buoyantly towards the surface.

Kupffer's vesicle is a ciliated organ of asymmetry in the zebrafish embryo that initiates left-right development of the brain, heart and gut.

PubMed

Essner, Jeffrey J; Amack, Jeffrey D; Nyholm, Molly K; Harris, Erin B; Yost, H Joseph

2005-03-01

Monocilia have been proposed to establish the left-right (LR) body axis in vertebrate embryos by creating a directional fluid flow that triggers asymmetric gene expression. In zebrafish, dorsal forerunner cells (DFCs) express a conserved ciliary dynein gene (left-right dynein-related1, lrdr1) and form a ciliated epithelium inside a fluid-filled organ called Kupffer's vesicle (KV). Here, videomicroscopy demonstrates that cilia inside KV are motile and create a directional fluid flow just prior to the onset of asymmetric gene expression in lateral cells. Laser ablation of DFCs and surgical disruption of KV provide direct evidence that ciliated KV cells are required during early somitogenesis for subsequent LR patterning in the brain, heart and gut. Antisense morpholinos against lrdr1 disrupt KV fluid flow and perturb LR development. Furthermore, lrdr1 morpholinos targeted to DFC/KV cells demonstrate that Lrdr1 functions in these ciliated cells to control LR patterning. This provides the first direct evidence, in any vertebrate, that impairing cilia function in derivatives of the dorsal organizer, and not in other cells that express ciliogenic genes, alters LR development. Finally, genetic analysis reveals novel roles for the T-box transcription factor no tail and the Nodal signaling pathway as upstream regulators of lrdr1 expression and KV morphogenesis. We propose that KV is a transient embryonic 'organ of asymmetry' that directs LR development by establishing a directional fluid flow. These results suggest that cilia are an essential component of a conserved mechanism that controls the transition from bilateral symmetry to LR asymmetry in vertebrates.

Effects of surface properties on droplet formation inside a microfluidic device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinhaus, Ben; Shen, Amy

2004-11-01

Micro-fluidic devices offer a unique method of creating and controlling droplets on small length scales. A microfluidic device is used to study the effects of surface properties on droplet formation of a 2-phase flow system. Four phase diagrams are generated to compare the dynamics of the 2 immiscible fluid system (silicone oil and water) inside microchannels with different surface properties. Results show that the channel surface plays an important role in determining the flow patterns and the droplet formation of the 2-phase fluid system.

Magnetic field induced flow pattern reversal in a ferrofluidic Taylor-Couette system

PubMed Central

Altmeyer, Sebastian; Do, Younghae; Lai, Ying-Cheng

2015-01-01

We investigate the dynamics of ferrofluidic wavy vortex flows in the counter-rotating Taylor-Couette system, with a focus on wavy flows with a mixture of the dominant azimuthal modes. Without external magnetic field flows are stable and pro-grade with respect to the rotation of the inner cylinder. More complex behaviors can arise when an axial or a transverse magnetic field is applied. Depending on the direction and strength of the field, multi-stable wavy states and bifurcations can occur. We uncover the phenomenon of flow pattern reversal as the strength of the magnetic field is increased through a critical value. In between the regimes of pro-grade and retrograde flow rotations, standing waves with zero angular velocities can emerge. A striking finding is that, under a transverse magnetic field, a second reversal in the flow pattern direction can occur, where the flow pattern evolves into pro-grade rotation again from a retrograde state. Flow reversal is relevant to intriguing phenomena in nature such as geomagnetic reversal. Our results suggest that, in ferrofluids, flow pattern reversal can be induced by varying a magnetic field in a controlled manner, which can be realized in laboratory experiments with potential applications in the development of modern fluid devices. PMID:26687638

Magnetic field induced flow pattern reversal in a ferrofluidic Taylor-Couette system.

PubMed

Altmeyer, Sebastian; Do, Younghae; Lai, Ying-Cheng

2015-12-21

We investigate the dynamics of ferrofluidic wavy vortex flows in the counter-rotating Taylor-Couette system, with a focus on wavy flows with a mixture of the dominant azimuthal modes. Without external magnetic field flows are stable and pro-grade with respect to the rotation of the inner cylinder. More complex behaviors can arise when an axial or a transverse magnetic field is applied. Depending on the direction and strength of the field, multi-stable wavy states and bifurcations can occur. We uncover the phenomenon of flow pattern reversal as the strength of the magnetic field is increased through a critical value. In between the regimes of pro-grade and retrograde flow rotations, standing waves with zero angular velocities can emerge. A striking finding is that, under a transverse magnetic field, a second reversal in the flow pattern direction can occur, where the flow pattern evolves into pro-grade rotation again from a retrograde state. Flow reversal is relevant to intriguing phenomena in nature such as geomagnetic reversal. Our results suggest that, in ferrofluids, flow pattern reversal can be induced by varying a magnetic field in a controlled manner, which can be realized in laboratory experiments with potential applications in the development of modern fluid devices.

CFD Simulation of flow pattern in a bubble column reactor for forming aerobic granules and its development.

PubMed

Fan, Wenwen; Yuan, LinJiang; Li, Yonglin

2018-06-22

The flow pattern is considered to play an important role in the formation of aerobic granular sludge in a bubble column reactor; therefore, it is necessary to understand the behavior of the flow in the reactor. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation for bubble column reactor was established to visualize the flow patterns of two-phase air-liquid flow and three-phase air-liquid-sludge flow under different ratios of height to diameter (H/D ratio) and superficial gas upflow velocities (SGVs). Moreover, a simulation of the three-phase flow pattern at the same SGV and different characteristics of the sludge was performed in this study. The results show that not only SGV but also properties of sludge involve the transformation of flow behaviors and relative velocity between liquid and sludge. For the original activated sludge floc to cultivate aerobic granules, the flow pattern has nothing to do with sludge, but is influenced by SGV, and the vortices is occurred and the relative velocity is increased with an increase in SGV; the two-phase flow can simplify the three-phase flow that predicts the flow pattern development in bubble column reactor (BCR) for aerobic granulation. For the aerobic granules, the liquid flow behavior developed from the symmetrical circular flow to numbers and small-size vortices with an increase in the sludge diameter, the relative velocity is amount up to u r  = 5.0, it is 29.4 times of original floc sludge.

Regimes of Flow over Complex Structures of Endothelial Glycocalyx: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study.

PubMed

Jiang, Xi Zhuo; Feng, Muye; Ventikos, Yiannis; Luo, Kai H

2018-04-10

Flow patterns on surfaces grafted with complex structures play a pivotal role in many engineering and biomedical applications. In this research, large-scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are conducted to study the flow over complex surface structures of an endothelial glycocalyx layer. A detailed structure of glycocalyx has been adopted and the flow/glycocalyx system comprises about 5,800,000 atoms. Four cases involving varying external forces and modified glycocalyx configurations are constructed to reveal intricate fluid behaviour. Flow profiles including temporal evolutions and spatial distributions of velocity are illustrated. Moreover, streamline length and vorticity distributions under the four scenarios are compared and discussed to elucidate the effects of external forces and glycocalyx configurations on flow patterns. Results show that sugar chain configurations affect streamline length distributions but their impact on vorticity distributions is statistically insignificant, whilst the influence of the external forces on both streamline length and vorticity distributions are trivial. Finally, a regime diagram for flow over complex surface structures is proposed to categorise flow patterns.

Mean flow produced by small-amplitude vibrations of a liquid bridge with its free surface covered with an insoluble surfactant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrión, Luis M.; Herrada, Miguel A.; Montanero, José M.; Vega, José M.

2017-09-01

As is well known, confined fluid systems subject to forced vibrations produce mean flows, called in this context streaming flows. These mean flows promote an overall mass transport in the fluid that has consequences in the transport of passive scalars and surfactants, when these are present in a fluid interface. Such transport causes surfactant concentration inhomogeneities that are to be counterbalanced by Marangoni elasticity. Therefore, the interaction of streaming flows and Marangoni convection is expected to produce new flow structures that are different from those resulting when only one of these effects is present. The present paper focuses on this interaction using the liquid bridge geometry as a paradigmatic system for the analysis. Such analysis is based on an appropriate post-processing of the results obtained via direct numerical simulation of the system for moderately small viscosity, a condition consistent with typical experiments of vibrated millimetric liquid bridges. It is seen that the flow patterns show a nonmonotone behavior as the Marangoni number is increased. In addition, the strength of the mean flow at the free surface exhibits two well-defined regimes as the forcing amplitude increases. These regimes show fairly universal power-law behaviors.

Rotating drum tests of particle suspensions within a fines dispersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cabrera, Miguel Angel; Gollin, Devis; Kaitna, Roland; Wu, Wei

2014-05-01

Natural flows like mudflows, debris flow, and hyperconcentrated flows are commonly composed by a matrix of particles suspended in a viscous fluid. The nature of the interactions between particles immersed in a fluid is related to its size. While coarse particles (sand, gravel, and boulders) interact with each other or with the surrounding fluid, a dispersion of fine particles interacts with each other through colloidal forces or Brownian motion effects (Coussot and Piau, 1995, and Ancey and Jorrot, 2001). The predominance of one of the previous interactions defines the rheology of the flow. On this sense, experimental insight is required to validate the limits where the rheology of a dispersion of fines is valid. For this purpose, an experimental program in a rotating drum is performed over samples of sand, loess, and kaolin. The solid concentration and angular velocity of the rotating drum are varied. Height and normal loads are measured during flow. High-speed videos are performed to obtain the flow patterns of the mixtures. The experiments provide new laboratory evidence of granular mixture behaviour within an increased viscous fluid phase and its characterization. The results show an apparent threshold in terms of solid concentration, in which the mixtures started to behave as a shear-dependent material.

Fluid Flow Prediction with Development System Interwell Connectivity Influence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolshakov, M.; Deeva, T.; Pustovskikh, A.

2016-03-01

In this paper interwell connectivity has been studied. First of all, literature review of existing methods was made which is divided into three groups: Statistically-Based Methods, Material (fluid) Propagation-Based Methods and Potential (pressure) Change Propagation-Based Method. The disadvantages of the first and second groups are as follows: methods do not involve fluid flow through porous media, ignore any changes of well conditions (BHP, skin factor, etc.). The last group considers changes of well conditions and fluid flow through porous media. In this work Capacitance method (CM) has been chosen for research. This method is based on material balance and uses weight coefficients lambdas to assess well influence. In the next step synthetic model was created for examining CM. This model consists of an injection well and a production well. CM gave good results, it means that flow rates which were calculated by analytical method (CM) show matching with flow rate in model. Further new synthetic model was created which includes six production and one injection wells. This model represents seven-spot pattern. To obtain lambdas weight coefficients, the delta function was entered using by minimization algorithm. Also synthetic model which has three injectors and thirteen producer wells was created. This model simulates seven-spot pattern production system. Finally Capacitance method (CM) has been adjusted on real data of oil Field Ω. In this case CM does not give enough satisfying results in terms of field data liquid rate. In conclusion, recommendations to simplify CM calculations were given. Field Ω is assumed to have one injection and one production wells. In this case, satisfying results for production rates and cumulative production were obtained.

Three-dimensional oxygen isotope imaging of convective fluid flow around the Big Bonanza, Comstock lode mining district, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Criss, R.E.; Singleton, M.J.; Champion, D.E.

2000-01-01

Oxygen isotope analyses of propylitized andesites from the Con Virginia and California mines allow construction of a detailed, three-dimensional image of the isotopic surfaces produced by the convective fluid flows that deposited the famous Big Bonanza orebody. On a set of intersecting maps and sections, the δ18O isopleths clearly show the intricate and conformable relationship of the orebody to a deep, ~500 m gyre of meteoric-hydrothermal fluid that circulated along and above the Comstock fault, near the contact of the Davidson Granodiorite. The core of this gyre (δ18O = 0 to 3.8‰) encompasses the bonanza and is almost totally surrounded by rocks having much lower δ18O values (–1.0 to –4.4‰). This deep gyre may represent a convective longitudinal roll superimposed on a large unicellular meteoric-hydrothermal system, producing a complex flow field with both radial and longitudinal components that is consistent with experimentally observed patterns of fluid convection in permeable media.

A mechanistic model of heat transfer for gas-liquid flow in vertical wellbore annuli.

PubMed

Yin, Bang-Tang; Li, Xiang-Fang; Liu, Gang

2018-01-01

The most prominent aspect of multiphase flow is the variation in the physical distribution of the phases in the flow conduit known as the flow pattern. Several different flow patterns can exist under different flow conditions which have significant effects on liquid holdup, pressure gradient and heat transfer. Gas-liquid two-phase flow in an annulus can be found in a variety of practical situations. In high rate oil and gas production, it may be beneficial to flow fluids vertically through the annulus configuration between well tubing and casing. The flow patterns in annuli are different from pipe flow. There are both casing and tubing liquid films in slug flow and annular flow in the annulus. Multiphase heat transfer depends on the hydrodynamic behavior of the flow. There are very limited research results that can be found in the open literature for multiphase heat transfer in wellbore annuli. A mechanistic model of multiphase heat transfer is developed for different flow patterns of upward gas-liquid flow in vertical annuli. The required local flow parameters are predicted by use of the hydraulic model of steady-state multiphase flow in wellbore annuli recently developed by Yin et al. The modified heat-transfer model for single gas or liquid flow is verified by comparison with Manabe's experimental results. For different flow patterns, it is compared with modified unified Zhang et al. model based on representative diameters.

Computational Fluid Dynamics of Developing Avian Outflow Tract Heart Valves

PubMed Central

Bharadwaj, Koonal N.; Spitz, Cassie; Shekhar, Akshay; Yalcin, Huseyin C.; Butcher, Jonathan T.

2012-01-01

Hemodynamic forces play an important role in sculpting the embryonic heart and its valves. Alteration of blood flow patterns through the hearts of embryonic animal models lead to malformations that resemble some clinical congenital heart defects, but the precise mechanisms are poorly understood. Quantitative understanding of the local fluid forces acting in the heart has been elusive because of the extremely small and rapidly changing anatomy. In this study, we combine multiple imaging modalities with computational simulation to rigorously quantify the hemodynamic environment within the developing outflow tract (OFT) and its eventual aortic and pulmonary valves. In vivo Doppler ultrasound generated velocity profiles were applied to Micro-Computed Tomography generated 3D OFT lumen geometries from Hamburger-Hamilton (HH) stage 16 to 30 chick embryos. Computational fluid dynamics simulation initial conditions were iterated until local flow profiles converged with in vivo Doppler flow measurements. Results suggested that flow in the early tubular OFT (HH16 and HH23) was best approximated by Poiseuille flow, while later embryonic OFT septation (HH27, HH30) was mimicked by plug flow conditions. Peak wall shear stress (WSS) values increased from 18.16 dynes/cm2 at HH16 to 671.24 dynes/cm2 at HH30. Spatiotemporally averaged WSS values also showed a monotonic increase from 3.03 dynes/cm2 at HH16 to 136.50 dynes/cm2 at HH30. Simulated velocity streamlines in the early heart suggest a lack of mixing, which differed from classical ink injections. Changes in local flow patterns preceded and correlated with key morphogenetic events such as OFT septation and valve formation. This novel method to quantify local dynamic hemodynamics parameters affords insight into sculpting role of blood flow in the embryonic heart and provides a quantitative baseline dataset for future research. PMID:22535311

Experimental study of the flow pattern around a bubble confined in a microfluidic Hele-Shaw cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsoumpas, Yannis; Fajolles, Christophe; Malloggi, Florent

2017-11-01

The flow field around a bubble moving with respect to a surrounding liquid in a Hele-Shaw cell can usually be characterized by a recirculating flow, which is typically attributed to a Marangoni effect due to surface tension gradients generated by a non-uniform distribution of surfactants (or temperature) along the liquid-gas interface. In the present study, we try to visualize such a flow employing 3D micro-particle tracking velocimetry. We perform experiments on an immobile flattened air bubble that is surrounded by a flow of aqueous solution of surfactant (SDS), in a microfluidic chamber described in the work of Sungyon Lee et al.. The suspending fluid is seeded with spherical micro-particles, with those captured by the recirculating flow orbiting in a three-dimensional trajectory in the vicinity of the liquid-air interface. We address the effect of velocity of the surrounding fluid, surfactant concentration and bubble radius on the recirculating flow pattern. The case of a liquid-liquid interface, with a hexadecane drop as the dispersed phase, is also discussed. The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of Enhanced Eurotalents program (an FP7 Marie Skłodowska-Curie COFUND program) & ANR (ANR-13-BS09-0011).

Convex Grooves in Staggered Herringbone Mixer Improve Mixing Efficiency of Laminar Flow in Microchannel.

PubMed

Kwak, Tae Joon; Nam, Young Gyu; Najera, Maria Alejandra; Lee, Sang Woo; Strickler, J Rudi; Chang, Woo-Jin

2016-01-01

The liquid streams in a microchannel are hardly mixed to form laminar flow, and the mixing issue is well described by a low Reynolds number scheme. The staggered herringbone mixer (SHM) using repeated patterns of grooves in the microchannel have been proved to be an efficient passive micro-mixer. However, only a negative pattern of the staggered herringbone mixer has been used so far after it was first suggested, to the best of our knowledge. In this study, the mixing efficiencies from negative and positive staggered herringbone mixer patterns as well as from opposite flow directions were tested to investigate the effect of the micro-structure geometry on the surrounding laminar flow. The positive herringbone pattern showed better mixing efficiency than the conventionally used negative pattern. Also, generally used forward flow gives better mixing efficiency than reverse flow. The mixing was completed after two cycles of staggered herringbone mixer with both forward and reverse flow in a positive pattern. The traditional negative pattern showed complete mixing after four and five cycles in forward and reverse flow direction, respectively. The mixing effect in all geometries was numerically simulated, and the results confirmed more efficient mixing in the positive pattern than the negative. The results can further enable the design of a more efficient microfluidic mixer, as well as in depth understanding of the phenomena of positive and negative patterns existing in nature with regards to the surrounding fluids.

Convex Grooves in Staggered Herringbone Mixer Improve Mixing Efficiency of Laminar Flow in Microchannel

PubMed Central

Nam, Young Gyu; Najera, Maria Alejandra; Lee, Sang Woo; Strickler, J. Rudi; Chang, Woo-Jin

2016-01-01

The liquid streams in a microchannel are hardly mixed to form laminar flow, and the mixing issue is well described by a low Reynolds number scheme. The staggered herringbone mixer (SHM) using repeated patterns of grooves in the microchannel have been proved to be an efficient passive micro-mixer. However, only a negative pattern of the staggered herringbone mixer has been used so far after it was first suggested, to the best of our knowledge. In this study, the mixing efficiencies from negative and positive staggered herringbone mixer patterns as well as from opposite flow directions were tested to investigate the effect of the micro-structure geometry on the surrounding laminar flow. The positive herringbone pattern showed better mixing efficiency than the conventionally used negative pattern. Also, generally used forward flow gives better mixing efficiency than reverse flow. The mixing was completed after two cycles of staggered herringbone mixer with both forward and reverse flow in a positive pattern. The traditional negative pattern showed complete mixing after four and five cycles in forward and reverse flow direction, respectively. The mixing effect in all geometries was numerically simulated, and the results confirmed more efficient mixing in the positive pattern than the negative. The results can further enable the design of a more efficient microfluidic mixer, as well as in depth understanding of the phenomena of positive and negative patterns existing in nature with regards to the surrounding fluids. PMID:27814386

Multiple Near Wake Patterns Behind Annular Rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jinzhong; Higuchi, Hiroshi; Muzas, Brian K.; Furuya, Shojiro

1996-11-01

Wake interactions behind concentric annular rings at different spacing ratios were experimentally investigated. The flow visualization, laser Doppler velocimetry data and results from the particle tracking velocimetry are presented and discussed. Jets through individual slots merged in multiply-stable, axisymmetric manners. Most flow patterns were persistent unless the flow was strongly disturbed. The vortex interactions from individual annular elements were also axisymmetric in the near wake. This is in contrast to the asymmetric flows observed earlier behind two-dimensional slotted plates (Higuchi et al. J. Aircraft 26 1989, Phys. Fluids 6(1), 1994). The intermediate wake, however, was dominated by large scale, three-dimensional wake motions even at moderate porosity. Onset of the specific flow patterns was associated with the interactions among start-up vortices. Given model geometry, different turbulent structures and mean velocity profiles were observed in the intermediate wake depending on the near wake pattern. *BKM was a NSF-REU Program undergrad. from Princeton U. and SF was from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. This work was suppoted in part by the Naval Air Warfare Center.

Petroleum hydrogeology of the Great Hungarian Plain, Eastern Pannonian Basin, Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almasi, Istvan

The results of a regional scale hydrogeological investigation conducted in the Great Hungarian Plain, Eastern Pannonian Basin, for the purposes of petroleum exploration are presented. Two regional aquitards and three regional aquifers were determined in the poorly-to-well consolidated clastic basin fill of the Neogene-Quaternary age and the indurated basement of the Pre-Neogene age. The fluid-potential field was mapped using measured values of stabilised water level and pore-pressure. Two regional fluid flow regimes were recognised: an upper gravity-driven flow regime, and a lower overpressured regime, where super-hydrostatic pore pressures of 1--35 MPa are encountered. The transition between the two flow regimes does not correlate with any particular hydrostratigraphic boundary or elevation range. Apparently, its position and nature are controlled by the morphology of the rigid basement, and locally by the permeability contrasts within the overlying hydrostratigraphic units. Local hydrostratigraphic breaches and conduit faults facilitate hydraulic communication across the regional aquitards. The basin is hydraulically continuous. The mapped groundwater flow directions do not match the predictions of compactional flow models. At two gas-fields, up to 10 MPa overpressures are probably caused by buoyancy forces. Transient overpressures can not be maintained over geologic time in the basin, due to the rock's low hydraulic resistance. Regional tectonic compressive stress, probably with a Recent increase in intensity, offers a new and plausible explanation for the distribution pattern of overpressures in the Great Hungarian Plain. Gravity-driven groundwater flow plays a determinant role in petroleum migration and entrapment. Compactional flow models can explain the present-day position of several known petroleum accumulations within the overpressured regime. However, most accumulations are also associated with particular fluid-potential anomaly-patterns of the actual flow field, which also suggest the possibility of petroleum remigration toward the graben centres and upward. The geothermal characteristics show that pure conduction is the dominant regional heat transfer mechanism within the entire basin. The encountered advective thermal anomalies correlate well with fluid potential anomalies observed in both fluid flow regimes, as well as with certain petroleum accumulations. Toth's (1980) hydraulic theory of petroleum migration was found applicable in a deforming Neogene sedimentary basin, the Great Hungarian Plain.* *This dissertation includes a CD that is compound (contains both a paper copy and a CD as part of the dissertation). The CD requires the following applications: Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Office.

Microbial community structure across fluid gradients in the Juan de Fuca Ridge hydrothermal system.

PubMed

Anderson, Rika E; Beltrán, Mónica Torres; Hallam, Steven J; Baross, John A

2013-02-01

Physical and chemical gradients are dominant factors in shaping hydrothermal vent microbial ecology, where archaeal and bacterial habitats encompass a range between hot, reduced hydrothermal fluid and cold, oxidized seawater. To determine the impact of these fluid gradients on microbial communities inhabiting these systems, we surveyed bacterial and archaeal community structure among and between hydrothermal plumes, diffuse flow fluids, and background seawater in several hydrothermal vent sites on the Juan de Fuca Ridge using 16S rRNA gene diversity screening (clone libraries and terminal restriction length polymorphisms) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction methods. Community structure was similar between hydrothermal plumes and background seawater, where a number of taxa usually associated with low-oxygen zones were observed, whereas high-temperature diffuse fluids exhibited a distinct phylogenetic profile. SUP05 and Arctic96BD-19 sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were prevalent in all three mixing regimes where they exhibited overlapping but not identical abundance patterns. Taken together, these results indicate conserved patterns of redox-driven niche partitioning between hydrothermal mixing regimes and microbial communities associated with sinking particles and oxygen-deficient waters. Moreover, the prevalence of SUP05 and Arctic96BD-19 in plume and diffuse flow fluids indicates a more cosmopolitan role for these groups in the ecology and biogeochemistry of the dark ocean. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical understanding of gas-liquid annular flow and its transition to dispersed droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Parmod; Das, Arup Kumar; Mitra, Sushanta K.

2016-07-01

Transformation from annular to droplet flow is investigated for co-current, upward gas-liquid flow through a cylindrical tube using grid based volume of fluid framework. Three transitional routes, namely, orificing, rolling, and undercutting are observed for flow transformation at different range of relative velocities between the fluids. Physics behind these three exclusive phenomena is described using circulation patterns of gaseous phase in the vicinity of a liquid film which subsequently sheds drop leading towards transition. Orifice amplitude is found to grow exponentially towards the core whereas it propagates in axial direction in a parabolic path. Efforts have been made to fit the sinusoidal profile of wave structure with the numerical interface contour at early stages of orificing. Domination of gas inertia over liquid flow has been studied in detail at the later stages to understand the asymmetric shape of orifice, leading towards lamella formation and droplet generation. Away from comparative velocities, circulations in the dominant phase dislodge the drop by forming either a ligament (rolling) or a bag (undercut) like protrusion in liquid. Study of velocity patterns in the plane of droplet dislodge reveals the underlying physics behind the disintegration and its dynamics at the later stages. Using numerical phase distributions, rejoining of dislodged droplet with liquid film as post-rolling consequences has been also proposed. A flow pattern map showing the transitional boundaries based on the physical mechanism is constructed for air-water combination.

The physics of debris flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iverson, Richard M.

1997-08-01

Recent advances in theory and experimentation motivate a thorough reassessment of the physics of debris flows. Analyses of flows of dry, granular solids and solid-fluid mixtures provide a foundation for a comprehensive debris flow theory, and experiments provide data that reveal the strengths and limitations of theoretical models. Both debris flow materials and dry granular materials can sustain shear stresses while remaining static; both can deform in a slow, tranquil mode characterized by enduring, frictional grain contacts; and both can flow in a more rapid, agitated mode characterized by brief, inelastic grain collisions. In debris flows, however, pore fluid that is highly viscous and nearly incompressible, composed of water with suspended silt and clay, can strongly mediate intergranular friction and collisions. Grain friction, grain collisions, and viscous fluid flow may transfer significant momentum simultaneously. Both the vibrational kinetic energy of solid grains (measured by a quantity termed the granular temperature) and the pressure of the intervening pore fluid facilitate motion of grains past one another, thereby enhancing debris flow mobility. Granular temperature arises from conversion of flow translational energy to grain vibrational energy, a process that depends on shear rates, grain properties, boundary conditions, and the ambient fluid viscosity and pressure. Pore fluid pressures that exceed static equilibrium pressures result from local or global debris contraction. Like larger, natural debris flows, experimental debris flows of ˜10 m³ of poorly sorted, water-saturated sediment invariably move as an unsteady surge or series of surges. Measurements at the base of experimental flows show that coarse-grained surge fronts have little or no pore fluid pressure. In contrast, finer-grained, thoroughly saturated debris behind surge fronts is nearly liquefied by high pore pressure, which persists owing to the great compressibility and moderate permeability of the debris. Realistic models of debris flows therefore require equations that simulate inertial motion of surges in which high-resistance fronts dominated by solid forces impede the motion of low-resistance tails more strongly influenced by fluid forces. Furthermore, because debris flows characteristically originate as nearly rigid sediment masses, transform at least partly to liquefied flows, and then transform again to nearly rigid deposits, acceptable models must simulate an evolution of material behavior without invoking preternatural changes in material properties. A simple model that satisfies most of these criteria uses depth-averaged equations of motion patterned after those of the Savage-Hutter theory for gravity-driven flow of dry granular masses but generalized to include the effects of viscous pore fluid with varying pressure. These equations can describe a spectrum of debris flow behaviors intermediate between those of wet rock avalanches and sediment-laden water floods. With appropriate pore pressure distributions the equations yield numerical solutions that successfully predict unsteady, nonuniform motion of experimental debris flows.

The physics of debris flows

USGS Publications Warehouse

Iverson, R.M.

1997-01-01

Recent advances in theory and experimentation motivate a thorough reassessment of the physics of debris flows. Analyses of flows of dry, granular solids and solid-fluid mixtures provide a foundation for a comprehensive debris flow theory, and experiments provide data that reveal the strengths and limitations of theoretical models. Both debris flow materials and dry granular materials can sustain shear stresses while remaining static; both can deform in a slow, tranquil mode characterized by enduring, frictional grain contacts; and both can flow in a more rapid, agitated mode characterized by brief, inelastic grain collisions. In debris flows, however, pore fluid that is highly viscous and nearly incompressible, composed of water with suspended silt and clay, can strongly mediate intergranular friction and collisions. Grain friction, grain collisions, and viscous fluid flow may transfer significant momentum simultaneously. Both the vibrational kinetic energy of solid grains (measured by a quantity termed the granular temperature) and the pressure of the intervening pore fluid facilitate motion of grains past one another, thereby enhancing debris flow mobility. Granular temperature arises from conversion of flow translational energy to grain vibrational energy, a process that depends on shear rates, grain properties, boundary conditions, and the ambient fluid viscosity and pressure. Pore fluid pressures that exceed static equilibrium pressures result from local or global debris contraction. Like larger, natural debris flows, experimental debris flows of ???10 m3 of poorly sorted, water-saturated sediment invariably move as an unsteady surge or series of surges. Measurements at the base of experimental flows show that coarse-grained surge fronts have little or no pore fluid pressure. In contrast, finer-grained, thoroughly saturated debris behind surge fronts is nearly liquefied by high pore pressure, which persists owing to the great compressibility and moderate permeability of the debris. Realistic models of debris flows therefore require equations that simulate inertial motion of surges in which high-resistance fronts dominated by solid forces impede the motion of low-resistance tails more strongly influenced by fluid forces. Furthermore, because debris flows characteristically originate as nearly rigid sediment masses, transform at least partly to liquefied flows, and then transform again to nearly rigid deposits, acceptable models must simulate an evolution of material behavior without invoking preternatural changes in material properties. A simple model that satisfies most of these criteria uses depth-averaged equations of motion patterned after those of the Savage-Hutter theory for gravity-driven flow of dry granular masses but generalized to include the effects of viscous pore fluid with varying pressure. These equations can describe a spectrum of debris flow behaviors intermediate between those of wet rock avalanches and sediment-laden water floods. With appropriate pore pressure distributions the equations yield numerical solutions that successfully predict unsteady, nonuniform motion of experimental debris flows.

Phase Field Model of Hydraulic Fracturing in Poroelastic Media: Fracture Propagation, Arrest, and Branching Under Fluid Injection and Extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santillán, David; Juanes, Ruben; Cueto-Felgueroso, Luis

2018-03-01

The simulation of fluid-driven fracture propagation in a porous medium is a major computational challenge, with applications in geosciences and engineering. The two main families of modeling approaches are those models that represent fractures as explicit discontinuities and solve the moving boundary problem and those that represent fractures as thin damaged zones, solving a continuum problem throughout. The latter family includes the so-called phase field models. Continuum approaches to fracture face validation and verification challenges, in particular grid convergence, well posedness, and physical relevance in practical scenarios. Here we propose a new quasi-static phase field formulation. The approach fully couples fluid flow in the fracture with deformation and flow in the porous medium, discretizes flow in the fracture on a lower-dimension manifold, and employs the fluid flux between the fracture and the porous solid as coupling variable. We present a numerical assessment of the model by studying the propagation of a fracture in the quarter five-spot configuration. We study the interplay between injection flow rate and rock properties and elucidate fracture propagation patterns under the leak-off toughness dominated regime as a function of injection rate, initial fracture length, and poromechanical properties. For the considered injection scenario, we show that the final fracture length depends on the injection rate, and three distinct patterns are observed. We also rationalize the system response using dimensional analysis to collapse the model results. Finally, we propose some simplifications that alleviate the computational cost of the simulations without significant loss of accuracy.

Deformation of Fluid Column by Action of Axial Vibration and Some Aspects of High-Rate Thermocapillary Convection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feonychev, Alexander I.; Kalachinskaya, Irina S.; Pokhilko, Victor I.

1996-01-01

The deformation of the fluid column by an action of a low-frequency vibration is considered. It is shown that behavior of the free fluid surface depends on the frequency of applied vibration and its amplitude. In the area of very low frequencies when fluid has time to comment on travel of bounding solid walls limiting column, the harmonical oscillations of free surface with given frequency are observed. With increase of vibration frequency the steady-state relief on free fluid surface is formed. If the amplitude of vibration is very small and the frequency corresponding to the first peak in the vibration spectrum on the Mir orbital station, the deformation of free surface tends to zero. Fluid flow induced thermocapillary effect on deformed free surface is more unstable as in the case of smooth cylindrical surface. It was shown that width of heating zone affects very essentially the flow pattern and transition to oscillatory regime of thermocapillary convection.

Time-lapse 3-D seismic imaging of shallow subsurface contaminant flow.

PubMed

McKenna, J; Sherlock, D; Evans, B

2001-12-01

This paper presents a physical modelling study outlining a technique whereby buoyant contaminant flow within water-saturated unconsolidated sand was remotely monitored utilizing the time-lapse 3-D (TL3-D) seismic response. The controlled temperature and pressure conditions, along with the high level of acquisition repeatability attainable using sandbox physical models, allow the TL3-D seismic response to pore fluid movement to be distinguished from all other effects. TL3-D seismic techniques are currently being developed to monitor hydrocarbon reserves within producing reservoirs in an endeavour to improve overall recovery. However, in many ways, sandbox models under atmospheric conditions more accurately simulate the shallow subsurface than petroleum reservoirs. For this reason, perhaps the greatest application for analogue sandbox modelling is to improve our understanding of shallow groundwater and environmental flow mechanisms. Two fluid flow simulations were conducted whereby air and kerosene were injected into separate water-saturated unconsolidated sand models. In both experiments, a base 3-D seismic volume was recorded and compared with six later monitor surveys recorded while the injection program was conducted. Normal incidence amplitude and P-wave velocity information were extracted from the TL3-D seismic data to provide visualization of contaminant migration. Reflection amplitudes displayed qualitative areal distribution of fluids when a suitable impedance contrast existed between pore fluids. TL3-D seismic reflection tomography can potentially monitor the change in areal distribution of fluid contaminants over time, indicating flow patterns. However, other research and this current work have not established a quantifiable relationship between either normal reflection amplitudes and attenuation and fluid saturation. Generally, different pore fluids will have unique seismic velocities due to differences in compressibility and density. The predictable relationships that exist between P-wave velocity and fluid saturation can allow a quantitative assessment of contaminant migration.

Numerical analysis of eccentric orifice plate using ANSYS Fluent software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zahariea, D.

2016-11-01

In this paper the eccentric orifice plate is qualitative analysed as compared with the classical concentric orifice plate from the point of view of sedimentation tendency of solid particles in the fluid whose flow rate is measured. For this purpose, the numerical streamlines pattern will be compared for both orifice plates. The numerical analysis has been performed using ANSYS Fluent software. The methodology of CFD analysis is presented: creating the 3D solid model, fluid domain extraction, meshing, boundary condition, turbulence model, solving algorithm, convergence criterion, results and validation. Analysing the numerical streamlines, for the concentric orifice plate can be clearly observed two circumferential regions of separated flows, upstream and downstream of the orifice plate. The bottom part of these regions are the place where the solid particles could sediment. On the other hand, for the eccentric orifice plate, the streamlines pattern suggest that no sedimentation will occur because at the bottom area of the pipe there are no separated flows.

Heat flow in the flanks of the Oceanographer-Hayes segment of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Gal, V.; Lucazeau, F.; Cannat, M.; Battani, A.; Poort, J.; Guichet, X.; Monnin, C.; Fontaine, F. J.; Leroy, S. D.

2016-12-01

It is currently estimated that a third of the oceanic heat loss is due to fluid circulation in the oceanic crust. Besides high and low temperature fluid discharge at ridge axis, off-axis low temperature fluid circulations can affect large volumes of the oceanic crust. Long term investigations of the Eastern Juan de Fuca ridge flank (Hutnak et al.2006) have established a circulation pattern where hydrothermal discharge and recharge occur at basement outcrops and where sediment is mostly impermeable. Here, we present results from the recent Oceanograflu cruise (2013), on the Oceanographer-Hayes segment ridge flanks of the Mid-Atlantic ridge in crust 5 and 12 myrs in age. On both flanks, we obtained 185 temperature gradients and conductivities in-situ, 30 Küllenberg cores (3 to 5 meters long) coupled with temperature gradients in-situ and conductivity measurements onboard. These data are interpreted in terms of heat flow values and are generally lower than the conductive cooling model. Several temperature-depth profiles don't show linear gradients, but rather sigmoid shapes or inverse gradients suggesting superficial circulations through the first meters of sediments. The corresponding heat flow pattern is not similar to the one observed at Juan de Fuca. No systematic links have been observed between basement outcrops and lower or higher heat flow which would point to discharge or recharge sites. Instead, the pattern recalls studies in the North Pond area (Langseth et al.1992), with a clear predominance of low heat flow values over the site. We propose that the North Pond circulation model is applicable to large portions of slow-spreading ridge flanks such as the Atlantic. In this model, seawater cools the uppermost crust below sediments in basins that are typically tens of kms wide, reducing the surface heat flow under cooling model values. Based on subsidence rates, these shallow hydrothermal circulations have a minor impact on the cooling of the diverging plates.

Influence of rotation on the near-wake development behind an impulsively started circular cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coutanceau, M.; Menard, C.

1985-09-01

A rotating body, travelling through a fluid in such a way that the rotation axis is at right angles to the translational path, experiences a transverse force, called the Magnus force. The present study is concerned with a rotating cylinder which is in a state of translational motion. In the considered case, the existence of a lift force may be explained easily on the basis of the theory of inviscid fluids. An experimental investigation provides new information regarding the mechanism of the near-wake development of the classical unsteady flow and the influence of the rotational effects. Attention is given to the experimental technique, aspects of flow topology and notation, the time development of the wake flow pattern, the time evolution of certain flow properties, the flow structure in the neighborhood of the front stagnation point, and the influence of the Reynolds number on flow establishment.

Learning to classify wakes from local sensory information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alsalman, Mohamad; Colvert, Brendan; Kanso, Eva; Kanso Team

2017-11-01

Aquatic organisms exhibit remarkable abilities to sense local flow signals contained in their fluid environment and to surmise the origins of these flows. For example, fish can discern the information contained in various flow structures and utilize this information for obstacle avoidance and prey tracking. Flow structures created by flapping and swimming bodies are well characterized in the fluid dynamics literature; however, such characterization relies on classical methods that use an external observer to reconstruct global flow fields. The reconstructed flows, or wakes, are then classified according to the unsteady vortex patterns. Here, we propose a new approach for wake identification: we classify the wakes resulting from a flapping airfoil by applying machine learning algorithms to local flow information. In particular, we simulate the wakes of an oscillating airfoil in an incoming flow, extract the downstream vorticity information, and train a classifier to learn the different flow structures and classify new ones. This data-driven approach provides a promising framework for underwater navigation and detection in application to autonomous bio-inspired vehicles.

Forced imbibition through model porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odier, Celeste; Levache, Bertrand; Bartolo, Denis

2016-11-01

A number of industrial and natural process ultimately rely on two-phase flow in heterogeneous media. One of the most prominent example is oil recovery which has driven fundamental and applied research in this field for decades. Imbibition occurs when a wetting fluid displaces an immiscible fluid e.g. in a porous media. Using model microfluidic experiment we control both the geometry and wetting properties of the heterogenous media, and show that the typical front propagation picture fails when imbibition is forced and the displacing fluid is less viscous than the non-wetting fluid. We identify and quantitatively characterize four different flow regimes at the pore scale yielding markedly different imbibition patterns at large scales. In particular we will discuss the transition from a conventional 2D-front propagation scenario to a regime where the meniscus dynamics is an intrinsically 3D process.

Study a Fluid Structure Interaction Mechanism to Find Its Impact on Flow Regime and the Effectiveness of This Novel Method on Declining Pressure Loss in Ducts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamali, Hamidreza; Javan Ahram, Masoud; Mohammadi, S. Ali

2017-09-01

Using channels and tubes with a variety of shapes for fluids transportation is an epidemic approach which has been grown rampantly through recent years. In some cases obstacles which placed in the fluid flow act as a barrier and cause increase in pressure loss and accordingly enhance the need to more power in the entry as well as change flow patterns and produce vortexes that are not optimal. In this paper a method to suppress produced vortexes in two dimension channel that a fixed square cylinder placed in the middle of it in ReD 200 in order to find a way to suppress vortexes are investigated. At first different length of splitter plates attached to square obstruction are studied to obtain the effects of length on flow pattern. Subsequently simulations have been conducted in three dimension to validate previous results as well as acquire better understanding about the selected approach. Simulations have done by Lagrangian Eulerian method, plates first assummed fix with length 1.5mm, 4mm and 7.5mm, and then flexible plates with the same length are studied. Young’s modulus for flexible plate and blockage ratio were constant values of 2×106 and 0.25 in all simulations, respectively. Results indicate more vortexes would be suppressed when the length of splitter plate enhances.

Diffractive optics for particle velocimetry and sizing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, D. W.; Gogna, P. K.; Chacon, R. J.; Muller, R. E.; Fourguette, D.; Modarress, D.; Taugwalder, F.; Svitek, P.; Gharib, M.

2002-01-01

Beam-shaping diffractive optical elements are used to create structured light patterns in fluid flows. Particle scattering results in detected signals that can be used to determine the particle size and velocity.

Effect of Reynolds number on flow and mass transfer characteristics of a 90 degree elbow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujisawa, Nobuyuki; Ikarashi, Yuya; Yamagata, Takayuki; Taguchi, Syoichi

2016-11-01

The flow and mass transfer characteristics of a 90 degree elbow was studied experimentally by using the mass transfer measurement by plaster dissolution method, the surface flow visualization by oil film method and stereo PIV measurement. The experiments are carried out in a water tunnel of a circular pipe of 56mm in diameter with a working fluid of water. The Reynolds number was varied from 30000 to 200000. The experimental result indicated the change of the mass transfer coefficient distribution in the elbow with increasing the Reynolds number. This phenomenon is further examined by the surface flow visualization and measurement of secondary flow pattern in the elbow, and the results showed the suggested change of the secondary flow pattern in the elbow with increasing the Reynolds numbers.

Non-Newtonian effects of blood flow on hemodynamics in distal vascular graft anastomoses.

PubMed

Chen, Jie; Lu, Xi-Yun; Wang, Wen

2006-01-01

Non-Newtonian fluid flow in a stenosed coronary bypass is investigated numerically using the Carreau-Yasuda model for the shear thinning behavior of the blood. End-to-side coronary bypass anastomosis is considered in a simplified model geometry where the host coronary artery has a 75% severity stenosis. Different locations of the bypass graft to the stenosis and different flow rates in the graft and in the host artery are studied. Particular attention is given to the non-Newtonian effect of the blood on the primary and secondary flow patterns in the host coronary artery and the wall shear stress (WSS) distribution there. Interaction between the jet flow from the stenosed artery and the flow from the graft is simulated by solving the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equation coupled with the non-Newtonian constitutive model. Results for the non-Newtonian flow, the Newtonian flow and the rescaled Newtonian flow are presented. Significant differences in axial velocity profiles, secondary flow streamlines and WSS between the non-Newtonian and Newtonian fluid flows are revealed. However, reasonable agreement between the non-Newtonian and the rescaled Newtonian flows is found. Results from this study support the view that the residual flow in a partially occluded coronary artery interacts with flow in the bypass graft and may have significant hemodynamic effects in the host vessel downstream of the graft. Non-Newtonian property of the blood alters the flow pattern and WSS distribution and is an important factor to be considered in simulating hemodynamic effects of blood flow in arterial bypass grafts.

Electrothermal enrichment of submicron particles in an insulator-based dielectrophoretic microdevice.

PubMed

Kale, Akshay; Song, Le; Lu, Xinyu; Yu, Liandong; Hu, Guoqing; Xuan, Xiangchun

2018-03-01

Insulator-based dielectrophoresis (iDEP) exploits in-channel hurdles and posts etc. to create electric field gradients for various particle manipulations. However, the presence of such insulating structures also amplifies the Joule heating in the fluid around themselves, leading to both temperature gradients and electrothermal flow. These Joule heating effects have been previously demonstrated to weaken the dielectrophoretic focusing and trapping of microscale and nanoscale particles. We find that the electrothermal flow vortices are able to entrain submicron particles for a localized enrichment near the insulating tips of a ratchet microchannel. This increase in particle concentration is reasonably predicted by a full-scale numerical simulation of the mass transport along with the coupled charge, heat and fluid transport. Our model also predicts the electric current and flow pattern in the fluid with a good agreement with the experimental observations. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Flow Patterns in the Jugular Veins of Pulsatile Tinnitus Patients

PubMed Central

Kao, Evan; Kefayati, Sarah; Amans, Matthew R.; Faraji, Farshid; Ballweber, Megan; Halbach, Van; Saloner, David

2017-01-01

Pulsatile Tinnitus (PT) is a pulse-synchronous sound heard in the absence of an external source. PT is often related to abnormal flow in vascular structures near the cochlea. One vascular territory implicated in PT is the internal jugular vein (IJV). Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based on patient-specific Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), we investigated the flow within the IJV of seven subjects, four symptomatic and three asymptomatic of PT. We found that there were two extreme anatomic types classified by the shape and position of the jugular bulbs: elevated and rounded. PT patients had elevated jugular bulbs that led to a distinctive helical flow pattern within the proximal internal jugular vein. Asymptomatic subjects generally had rounded jugular bulbs that neatly redirected flow from the sigmoid sinus directly into the jugular vein. These two flow patterns were quantified by calculating the length-averaged streamline curvature of the flow within the proximal jugular vein: 130.3 ± 8.1 m-1 for geometries with rounded bulbs, 260.7 ± 29.4 m-1 for those with elevated bulbs (P < 0.005). Our results suggest that variations in the jugular bulb geometry lead to distinct flow patterns that are linked to PT, but further investigation is needed to determine if the vortex pattern is causal to sound generation. PMID:28057349

Dancing disclinations in confined active nematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shendruk, Tyler N.; Doostmohammadi, Amin; Thijssen, Kristian; Yeomans, Julia M.

The spontaneous emergence of collective flows is a generic property of active fluids and often leads to chaotic flow patterns characterised by swirls, jets, and topological disclinations in their orientation field. However, the ability to achieve structured flows and ordered disclinations is of particular importance in the design and control of active systems. By confining an active nematic fluid within a channel, we find a regular motion of disclinations, in conjunction with a well defined and dynamic vortex lattice. As pairs of moving disclinations travel through the channel, they continually exchange partners producing a dynamic ordered state, reminiscent of Ceilidh dancing. We anticipate that this biomimetic ability to self-assemble organised topological disclinations and dynamically structured flow fields in engineered geometries will pave the road towards establishing new active topological microfluidic devices.

Influence of the renal artery ostium flow diverter on hemodynamics and atherogenesis

PubMed Central

Albert, Scott; Balaban, Robert S.; Neufeld, Edward B.; Rossmann, Jenn Stroud

2014-01-01

The structure and function of the renal artery ostium flow diverter on the caudal side of the renal branch point were previously reported; in this study, we further evaluate the diverter’s possible functions. The protrusion of this structure into the abdominal aorta suggests that the diverter may preferentially direct blood flow to the renal arteries, and that it may also influence flow patterns and recirculation known to be involved in atherogenesis. Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of steady and pulsatile blood flow are performed to investigate the influence of diverter size and position, and vascular geometry, on the flow patterns and fluid mechanical forces in the neighborhood of the diverter. CFD results show that the flow diverter does affect the blood distribution: depending on the diverter’s position, the flow to the renal arteries may be increased or reduced. Calculated results also demonstrate the diverter’s effect on the Wall Shear Stress (WSS) distribution, and suggest that the diverter contributes to an atherogenic environment in the abdominal aorta, while being atheroprotective in the renal arteries themselves. These results support previous clinical findings, and suggest directions for further clinical study. The results of this work have direct implications in understanding the physiological significance of the diverter, and its potential role in the pathophysiological development of atherosclerosis. PMID:24703300

Influence of the renal artery ostium flow diverter on hemodynamics and atherogenesis.

PubMed

Albert, Scott; Balaban, Robert S; Neufeld, Edward B; Rossmann, Jenn Stroud

2014-05-07

The structure and function of the renal artery ostium flow diverter on the caudal side of the renal branch point were previously reported; in this study, we further evaluate the diverter׳s possible functions. The protrusion of this structure into the abdominal aorta suggests that the diverter may preferentially direct blood flow to the renal arteries, and that it may also influence flow patterns and recirculation known to be involved in atherogenesis. Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of steady and pulsatile blood flow are performed to investigate the influence of diverter size and position, and vascular geometry, on the flow patterns and fluid mechanical forces in the neighborhood of the diverter. CFD results show that the flow diverter does affect the blood distribution; depending on the diverter׳s position, the flow to the renal arteries may be increased or reduced. Calculated results also demonstrate the diverter׳s effect on the wall shear stress (WSS) distribution, and suggest that the diverter contributes to an atherogenic environment in the abdominal aorta, while being atheroprotective in the renal arteries themselves. These results support previous clinical findings, and suggest directions for further clinical study. The results of this work have direct implications in understanding the physiological significance of the diverter, and its potential role in the pathophysiological development of atherosclerosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parametric Study of Sealant Nozzle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Yoshimi

It has become apparent in recent years the advancement of manufacturing processes in the aerospace industry. Sealant nozzles are a critical device in the use of fuel tank applications for optimal bonds and for ground service support and repair. Sealants has always been a challenging area for optimizing and understanding the flow patterns. A parametric study was conducted to better understand geometric effects of sealant flow and to determine whether the sealant rheology can be numerically modeled. The Star-CCM+ software was used to successfully develop the parametric model, material model, physics continua, and simulate the fluid flow for the sealant nozzle. The simulation results of Semco sealant nozzles showed the geometric effects of fluid flow patterns and the influences from conical area reduction, tip length, inlet diameter, and tip angle parameters. A smaller outlet diameter induced maximum outlet velocity at the exit, and contributed to a high pressure drop. The conical area reduction, tip angle and inlet diameter contributed most to viscosity variation phenomenon. Developing and simulating 2 different flow models (Segregated Flow and Viscous Flow) proved that both can be used to obtain comparable velocity and pressure drop results, however; differences are seen visually in the non-uniformity of the velocity and viscosity fields for the Viscous Flow Model (VFM). A comprehensive simulation setup for sealant nozzles was developed so other analysts can utilize the data.

Heat exchanger with transpired, highly porous fins

DOEpatents

Kutscher, Charles F.; Gawlik, Keith

2002-01-01

The heat exchanger includes a fin and tube assembly with increased heat transfer surface area positioned within a hollow chamber of a housing to provide effective heat transfer between a gas flowing within the hollow chamber and a fluid flowing in the fin and tube assembly. A fan is included to force a gas, such as air, to flow through the hollow chamber and through the fin and tube assembly. The fin and tube assembly comprises fluid conduits to direct the fluid through the heat exchanger, to prevent mixing with the gas, and to provide a heat transfer surface or pathway between the fluid and the gas. A heat transfer element is provided in the fin and tube assembly to provide extended heat transfer surfaces for the fluid conduits. The heat transfer element is corrugated to form fins between alternating ridges and grooves that define flow channels for directing the gas flow. The fins are fabricated from a thin, heat conductive material containing numerous orifices or pores for transpiring the gas out of the flow channel. The grooves are closed or only partially open so that all or substantially all of the gas is transpired through the fins so that heat is exchanged on the front and back surfaces of the fins and also within the interior of the orifices, thereby significantly increasing the available the heat transfer surface of the heat exchanger. The transpired fins also increase heat transfer effectiveness of the heat exchanger by increasing the heat transfer coefficient by disrupting boundary layer development on the fins and by establishing other beneficial gas flow patterns, all at desirable pressure drops.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Mechanics and Its Coupling to Cerebrovascular Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linninger, Andreas A.; Tangen, Kevin; Hsu, Chih-Yang; Frim, David

2016-01-01

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is not stagnant but displays fascinating oscillatory flow patterns inside the ventricular system and reversing fluid exchange between the cranial vault and spinal compartment. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge of pulsatile CSF motion. Observations contradicting classical views about its bulk production and clearance are highlighted. A clinical account of diseases of abnormal CSF flow dynamics, including hydrocephalus, syringomyelia, Chiari malformation type 1, and pseudotumor cerebri, is also given. We survey medical imaging modalities used to observe intracranial dynamics in vivo. Additionally, we assess the state of the art in predictive models of CSF dynamics. The discussion addresses open questions regarding CSF dynamics as they relate to the understanding and management of diseases.

Computational Analysis of Intra-Ventricular Flow Pattern Under Partial and Full Support of BJUT-II VAD.

PubMed

Zhang, Qi; Gao, Bin; Chang, Yu

2017-02-27

BACKGROUND Partial support, as a novel support mode, has been widely applied in clinical practice and widely studied. However, the precise mechanism of partial support of LVAD in the intra-ventricular flow pattern is unclear. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this study, a patient-specific left ventricular geometric model was reconstructed based on CT data. The intra-ventricular flow pattern under 3 simulated conditions - "heart failure", "partial support", and "full support" - were simulated by using fluid-structure interaction (FSI). The blood flow pattern, wall shear stress (WSS), time-average wall shear stress (TAWSS), oscillatory shear index (OSI), and relative residence time (RRT) were calculated to evaluate the hemodynamic effects. RESULTS The results demonstrate that the intra-ventricular flow pattern is significantly changed by the support level of BJUT-II VAD. The intra-ventricular vortex was enhanced under partial support and was eliminated under full support, and the high OSI and RRT regions changed from the septum wall to the cardiac apex. CONCLUSIONS In brief, the support level of the BJUT-II VAD has significant effects on the intra-ventricular flow pattern. The partial support mode of BJUT-II VAD can enhance the intra-ventricular vortex, while the distribution of high OSI and RRT moved from the septum wall to the cardiac apex. Hence, the partial support mode of BJUT-II VAD can provide more benefit for intra-ventricular flow pattern.

Hydrodynamic-Driven Stability Analysis of Morphological Patterns on Stalactites and Implications for Cave Paleoflow Reconstructions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camporeale, Carlo; Ridolfi, Luca

2012-06-01

A novel hydrodynamic-driven stability analysis is presented for surface patterns on speleothems, i.e., secondary sedimentary cave deposits, by coupling fluid dynamics to the geochemistry of calcite precipitation or dissolution. Falling film theory provides the solution for the flow-field and depth perturbations, the latter being crucial to triggering patterns known as crenulations. In a wide range of Reynolds numbers, the model provides the dominant wavelengths and pattern celerities, in fair agreement with field data. The analysis of the phase velocity of ridges on speleothems has a potential as a proxy of past film flow rates, thus suggesting a new support for paleoclimate analyses.

Influence of fast advective flows on pattern formation of Dictyostelium discoideum

PubMed Central

Bae, Albert; Zykov, Vladimir; Bodenschatz, Eberhard

2018-01-01

We report experimental and numerical results on pattern formation of self-organizing Dictyostelium discoideum cells in a microfluidic setup under a constant buffer flow. 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. At high flow velocities, elongated cAMP waves are formed that cover the whole length of the channel and propagate both parallel and perpendicular to the flow direction. While the wave period and transverse propagation velocity are constant, parallel wave velocity and the wave width increase linearly with the imposed flow. We also observe that the acquired wave shape is highly dependent on the wave generation site and the strength of the imposed flow. We compared the wave shape and velocity with numerical simulations performed using a reaction-diffusion model and found excellent agreement. These results are expected to play an important role in understanding the process of pattern formation and aggregation of D. discoideum that may experience fluid flows in its natural habitat. PMID:29590179

Natural convection in a fluid layer periodically heated from above.

PubMed

Hossain, M Z; Floryan, J M

2014-08-01

Natural convection in a horizontal layer subject to periodic heating from above has been studied. It is shown that the primary convection leads to the cooling of the bulk of the fluid below the mean temperature of the upper wall. The secondary convection may lead either to longitudinal rolls, transverse rolls, or oblique rolls. The global flow properties (e.g., the average Nusselt number for the primary convection and the critical conditions for the secondary convection) are identical to those of the layer heated from below. However, the flow and temperature patterns exhibit phase shifts in the horizontal directions.

Microbial biofilms associated with fluid chemistry and megafaunal colonization at post-eruptive deep-sea hydrothermal vents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, Charles E.; Giovannelli, Donato; Govenar, Breea; Luther, George W.; Lutz, Richard A.; Shank, Timothy M.; Vetriani, Costantino

2015-11-01

At deep-sea hydrothermal vents, reduced, super-heated hydrothermal fluids mix with cold, oxygenated seawater. This creates temperature and chemical gradients that support chemosynthetic primary production and a biomass-rich community of invertebrates. In late 2005/early 2006 an eruption occurred on the East Pacific Rise at 9°50‧N, 104°17‧W. Direct observations of the post-eruptive diffuse-flow vents indicated that the earliest colonizers were microbial biofilms. Two cruises in 2006 and 2007 allowed us to monitor and sample the early steps of ecosystem recovery. The main objective of this work was to characterize the composition of microbial biofilms in relation to the temperature and chemistry of the hydrothermal fluids and the observed patterns of megafaunal colonization. The area selected for this study had local seafloor habitats of active diffuse flow (in-flow) interrupted by adjacent habitats with no apparent expulsion of hydrothermal fluids (no-flow). The in-flow habitats were characterized by higher temperatures (1.6-25.2 °C) and H2S concentrations (up to 67.3 μM) than the no-flow habitats, and the microbial biofilms were dominated by chemosynthetic Epsilonproteobacteria. The no-flow habitats had much lower temperatures (1.2-5.2 °C) and H2S concentrations (0.3-2.9 μM), and Gammaproteobacteria dominated the biofilms. Siboglinid tubeworms colonized only in-flow habitats, while they were absent at the no-flow areas, suggesting a correlation between siboglinid tubeworm colonization, active hydrothermal flow, and the composition of chemosynthetic microbial biofilms.

Joule heating effects on electroosmotic flow in insulator-based dielectrophoresis.

PubMed

Sridharan, Sriram; Zhu, Junjie; Hu, Guoqing; Xuan, Xiangchun

2011-09-01

Insulator-based dielectrophoresis (iDEP) is an emerging technology that has been successfully used to manipulate a variety of particles in microfluidic devices. However, due to the locally amplified electric field around the in-channel insulator, Joule heating often becomes an unavoidable issue that may disturb the electroosmotic flow and affect the particle motion. This work presents the first experimental study of Joule heating effects on electroosmotic flow in a typical iDEP device, e.g., a constriction microchannel, under DC-biased AC voltages. A numerical model is also developed to simulate the observed flow pattern by solving the coupled electric, energy, and fluid equations in a simplified two-dimensional geometry. It is observed that depending on the magnitude of the DC voltage, a pair of counter-rotating fluid circulations can occur at either the downstream end alone or each end of the channel constriction. Moreover, the pair at the downstream end appears larger in size than that at the upstream end due to DC electroosmotic flow. These fluid circulations, which are reasonably simulated by the numerical model, form as a result of the action of the electric field on Joule heating-induced fluid inhomogeneities in the constriction region. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Instabilities of conducting fluid flows in cylindrical shells under external forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burguete, Javier; Miranda, Montserrat

2010-11-01

Flows created in neutral conducting flows remain one of the less studied topics of fluid dynamics, in spite of their relevance both in fundamental research (dynamo action, turbulence suppression) and applications (continuous casting, aluminium production, biophysics). Here we present the effect of a time-dependent magnetic field parallel to the axis of circular cavities. Due to the Lenz's law, the time-dependent magnetic field generates an azymuthal current, that produces a radial force. This force produces the destabilization of the static fluid layer, and a flow is created. The geommetry of the experimental cell is a disc layer with external diameter smaller than 94 mm, with or without internal hole. The layer is up to 20mm depth, and we use as conducting fluid an In-Ga-Sn alloy. There is no external current applied on the problem, only an external magnetic field. This field evolves harmonically with a frequency up to 10Hz, small enough to not to observe skin depth effects. The magnitude ranges from 0 to 0.1 T. With a threshold of 0.01T a dynamical behaviour is observed, and the main characteristics of this flow have been determined: different temporal resonances and spatial patterns with differents symmetries (squares, hexagonal, triangles,...).

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-10-20

This drawing depicts one set of flow patterns simulated in the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell (GFFC) that flew on two Spacelab missions. Silicone oil served as the atmosphere around a rotating steel hemisphere (dotted circle) and an electrostatic field pulled the oil inward to mimic gravity's effects during the experiments. The GFFC thus produced flow patterns that simulated conditions inside the atmospheres of Jupiter and the Sun and other stars. The principal investigator was John Hart of the University of Colorado at Boulder. It was managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). An Acrobat PDF copy of this drawing is available at http://microgravity.nasa.gov/gallery. (Credit: NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center)

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-10-10

This composite image depicts one set of flow patterns simulated in the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell (GFFC) that flew on two Spacelab missions. Silicone oil served as the atmosphere around a rotating steel hemisphere (dotted circle) and an electrostatic field pulled the oil inward to mimic gravity's effects during the experiments. The GFFC thus produced flow patterns that simulated conditions inside the atmospheres of Jupiter and the Sun and other stars. GFFC flew on Spacelab-3 in 1985 and U.S. Microgravity Laboratory-2 in 1995. The principal investigator was John Hart of the University of Colorado at Boulder. It was managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. (Credit: NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center)

Application of optical coherence tomography attenuation imaging for quantification of optical properties in medulloblastoma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vuong, Barry; Skowron, Patryk; Kiehl, Tim-Rasmus; Kyan, Matthew; Garzia, Livia; Genis, Helen; Sun, Cuiru; Taylor, Michael D.; Yang, Victor X. D.

2015-03-01

The hemodynamic environment is known to play a crucial role in the progression, rupture, and treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Currently there is difficulty assessing and measuring blood flow profiles in vivo. An emerging high resolution imaging modality known as split spectrum Doppler optical coherence tomography (ssDOCT) has demonstrated the capability to quantify hemodynamic patterns as well as arterial microstructural changes. In this study, we present a novel in vitro method to acquire precise blood flow patterns within a patient- specific aneurysm silicone flow models using ssDOCT imaging. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models were generated to verify ssDOCT results.

Finite Element Modeling of Magnetically-Damped Convection during Solidification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

deGroh, H. C.; Li, B. Q.; Lu, X.

1998-01-01

A fully 3-D, transient finite element model is developed to represent the magnetic damping effects on complex fluid flow, heat transfer and electromagnetic field distributions in a Sn- 35.5%Pb melt undergoing unidirectional solidification. The model is developed based on our in- house finite element code for the fluid flow, heat transfer and electromagnetic field calculations. The numerical model is tested against numerical and experimental results for water as reported in literature. Various numerical simulations are carried out for the melt convection and temperature distribution with and without the presence of a transverse magnetic field. Numerical results show that magnetic damping can be effectively applied to stabilize melt flow, reduce turbulence and flow levels in the melt and over a certain threshold value a higher magnetic field resulted in a greater reduction in velocity. Also, for the study of melt flow instability, a long enough running time is needed to ensure the final fluid flow recirculation pattern. Moreover, numerical results suggest that there seems to exist a threshold value of applied magnetic field, above which magnetic damping becomes possible and below which the 0 convection in the melt is actually enhanced.

Cilia driven flow networks in the brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yong; Faubel, Regina; Westendorf, Chrsitian; Eichele, Gregor; Bodenschatz, Eberhard

Neurons exchange soluble substances via the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that fills the ventricular system. The walls of the ventricular cavities are covered with motile cilia that constantly beat and thereby induce a directional flow. We recently discovered that cilia in the third ventricle generate a complex flow pattern leading to partitioning of the ventricular volume and site-directed transport paths along the walls. Transient and daily recurrent alterations in the cilia beating direction lead to changes in the flow pattern. This has consequences for delivery of CSF components along the near wall flow. The contribution of this cilia-induced flow to overall CSF flow remains to be investigated. The state-of-art lattice Boltzmann method is adapted for studying the CFS flow. The 3D geometry of the third ventricle at high resolution was reconstructed. Simulation of CSF flow without cilia in this geometry confirmed that the previous idea about unidirectional flow does not explain how different components of CSF can be delivered to their various target sites. We study the contribution of the cilia-induced flow pattern to overall CSF flow and identify target areas for site-specific delivery of CSF-constituents with respect to the temporal changes.

Venturi flow meter and Electrical Capacitance Probe in a horizontal two-phase flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monni, G.; Caramello, M.; De Salve, M.; Panella, B.

2015-11-01

The paper presents the results obtained with a spool piece (SP) made of a Venturi flow meter (VMF) and an Electrical Capacitance Probe (ECP) in stratified two-phase flow. The objective is to determine the relationship between the test measurements and the physical characteristics of the flow such as superficial velocities, density and void fraction. The outputs of the ECP are electrical signals proportional to the void fraction between the electrodes; the parameters measured by the VFM are the total and the irreversible pressure losses of the two- phase mixture. The fluids are air and demineralized water at ambient conditions. The flow rates are in the range of 0,065-0,099 kg/s for air and 0- 0,039 kg/s (0-140 l/h) for water. The flow patterns recognized during the experiments are stratified, dispersed and annular flow. The presence of the VFM plays an important role on the alteration of the flow pattern due to wall flow detachment phenomena. The signals of differential pressure of the VFM in horizontal configuration are strongly dependent on the superficial velocities and on the flow pattern because of a lower symmetry of the flow with respect to the vertical configuration.

Pattern Formation in Complex Fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shelley, Michael

2000-03-01

Classical fluid instabilities -- such as the Saffman-Taylor instability in a Hele-Shaw cell -- are dramatically modified by using complex fluids. For example, polymeric liquids driven in a Hele-Shaw cell yield "dendritic" patterns with an apparent directional anisotropy. The dynamics of complex liquids can also lead to new instabilities and patterns, such as space-filling patterns formed by successive bucklings of growing "elastica" seen in the phase transition of a liquid crystalline material. Understanding such problems requires an interplay between physical modeling, mathematical analysis, and sophisticated nonlinear simulation. For the first problem, I will discuss a non-Newtonian version of Darcy's law for Hele-Shaw flow. This yields a free-boundary problem for the pattern formation, and requires the solution of a nonlinear elliptic equation in a time-dependent domain. This is pushing the development of adaptive grid methods that represent the geometry accurately and efficiently. Our simulations yield insight into how shear-thinning, as is evinced by polymeric liquids, can produce patterns reminiscent of experiment, with "dendritic fingers", side-branching, and reduced tip-splitting. In the second problem, a long filament in a smectic-A phase grows within an isotropic fluid. The splay deformation of the material gives this filament an elastic response. The macroscopic model describes the dynamics of a growing, elastic filament immersed in a Stokesian fluid. The model marries filament elasticity and tensile forces with a numerically tractable nonlocal slender-body theory. Analysis shows that growth of the filament, despite fluid drag, produces a buckling instability. When coupled to a nonlocal hydrodynamic self-interaction, our fully nonlinear simulations show that such instabilities iterate along the filament, and give "space-filling" patterns.

Neural network computer simulation of medical aerosols.

PubMed

Richardson, C J; Barlow, D J

1996-06-01

Preliminary investigations have been conducted to assess the potential for using artificial neural networks to simulate aerosol behaviour, with a view to employing this type of methodology in the evaluation and design of pulmonary drug-delivery systems. Details are presented of the general purpose software developed for these tasks; it implements a feed-forward back-propagation algorithm with weight decay and connection pruning, the user having complete run-time control of the network architecture and mode of training. A series of exploratory investigations is then reported in which different network structures and training strategies are assessed in terms of their ability to simulate known patterns of fluid flow in simple model systems. The first of these involves simulations of cellular automata-generated data for fluid flow through a partially obstructed two-dimensional pipe. The artificial neural networks are shown to be highly successful in simulating the behaviour of this simple linear system, but with important provisos relating to the information content of the training data and the criteria used to judge when the network is properly trained. A second set of investigations is then reported in which similar networks are used to simulate patterns of fluid flow through aerosol generation devices, using training data furnished through rigorous computational fluid dynamics modelling. These more complex three-dimensional systems are modelled with equal success. It is concluded that carefully tailored, well trained networks could provide valuable tools not just for predicting but also for analysing the spatial dynamics of pharmaceutical aerosols.

Numerical investigation of the transport phenomena occurring in the growth of SiC by the induction heating TSSG method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Takuya; Adkar, Nikhil; Okano, Yasunori; Ujihara, Toru; Dost, Sadik

2017-09-01

A numerical simulation study was carried out to examine the transport phenomena occurring during the Top-Seeded Solution Growth (TSSG) process of SiC. The simulation model includes the contributions of radiative and conductive heat transfer in the furnace, mass transfer and fluid flow in the melt, and the induced electric and magnetic fields. Results show that the induced Lorentz force is dominant in the melt compared with that of buoyancy. At the relatively low coil frequencies, the effect of the Lorentz force on the melt flow is significant, and the corresponding flow patterns loose their axisymmetry and become almost fully disturbed. However, at the relatively higher frequency values, the flow is steady and the flow patterns remain axisymmetric.

Two-Phase Acto-Cytosolic Fluid Flow in a Moving Keratocyte: A 2D Continuum Model.

PubMed

Nikmaneshi, M R; Firoozabadi, B; Saidi, M S

2015-09-01

The F-actin network and cytosol in the lamellipodia of crawling cells flow in a centripetal pattern and spout-like form, respectively. We have numerically studied this two-phase flow in the realistic geometry of a moving keratocyte. Cytosol has been treated as a low viscosity Newtonian fluid flowing through the high viscosity porous medium of F-actin network. Other involved phenomena including myosin activity, adhesion friction, and interphase interaction are also discussed to provide an overall view of this problem. Adopting a two-phase coupled model by myosin concentration, we have found new accurate perspectives of acto-cytosolic flow and pressure fields, myosin distribution, as well as the distribution of effective forces across the lamellipodia of a keratocyte with stationary shape. The order of magnitude method is also used to determine the contribution of forces in the internal dynamics of lamellipodia.

A comparative study of manhole hydraulics using stereoscopic PIV and different RANS models.

PubMed

Beg, Md Nazmul Azim; Carvalho, Rita F; Tait, Simon; Brevis, Wernher; Rubinato, Matteo; Schellart, Alma; Leandro, Jorge

2017-04-01

Flows in manholes are complex and may include swirling and recirculation flow with significant turbulence and vorticity. However, how these complex 3D flow patterns could generate different energy losses and so affect flow quantity in the wider sewer network is unknown. In this work, 2D3C stereo Particle Image Velocimetry measurements are made in a surcharged scaled circular manhole. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model in OpenFOAM ® with four different Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) turbulence model is constructed using a volume of fluid model, to represent flows in this manhole. Velocity profiles and pressure distributions from the models are compared with the experimental data in view of finding the best modelling approach. It was found among four different RANS models that the re-normalization group (RNG) k-ɛ and k-ω shear stress transport (SST) gave a better approximation for velocity and pressure.

Mass-conserved volumetric lattice Boltzmann method for complex flows with willfully moving boundaries.

PubMed

Yu, Huidan; Chen, Xi; Wang, Zhiqiang; Deep, Debanjan; Lima, Everton; Zhao, Ye; Teague, Shawn D

2014-06-01

In this paper, we develop a mass-conserved volumetric lattice Boltzmann method (MCVLBM) for numerically solving fluid dynamics with willfully moving arbitrary boundaries. In MCVLBM, fluid particles are uniformly distributed in lattice cells and the lattice Boltzmann equations deal with the time evolution of the particle distribution function. By introducing a volumetric parameter P(x,y,z,t) defined as the occupation of solid volume in the cell, we distinguish three types of lattice cells in the simulation domain: solid cell (pure solid occupation, P=1), fluid cell (pure fluid occupation, P=0), and boundary cell (partial solid and partial fluid, 0

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

Riggs, J.B.

An experimental test model, which is dynamically similar to an actual UCC (Under ground Coal Conversion) system, has been used to determine fluid flow patterns and local heat transfer that occur in the UCC burn cavity. This study should provide insight into the little understood mechanisms (i.e., heat transfer and oxygen transport to the cavity walls) which control maximum cavity width, and therefore resource recovery during UCC. The experimental system is operational and producing physically realistic results. The qualitative results of this study have shown the dominant effect of free convection on the flow pattern of the system.

Calculation of periodic flows in a continuously stratified fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasiliev, A.

2012-04-01

Analytic theory of disturbances generated by an oscillating compact source in a viscous continuously stratified fluid was constructed. Exact solution of the internal waves generation problem was constructed taking into account diffusivity effects. This analysis is based on set of fundamental equations of incompressible flows. The linearized problem of periodic flows in a continuously stratified fluid, generated by an oscillating part of the inclined plane was solved by methods of singular perturbation theory. A rectangular or disc placed on a sloping plane and oscillating linearly in an arbitrary direction was selected as a source of disturbances. The solutions include regularly perturbed on dissipative component functions describing internal waves and a family of singularly perturbed functions. One of the functions from the singular components family has an analogue in a homogeneous fluid that is a periodic or Stokes' flow. Its thickness is defined by a universal micro scale depending on kinematics viscosity coefficient and a buoyancy frequency with a factor depending on the wave slope. Other singular perturbed functions are specific for stratified flows. Their thickness are defined the diffusion coefficient, kinematic viscosity and additional factor depending on geometry of the problem. Fields of fluid density, velocity, vorticity, pressure, energy density and flux as well as forces acting on the source are calculated for different types of the sources. It is shown that most effective source of waves is the bi-piston. Complete 3D problem is transformed in various limiting cases that are into 2D problem for source in stratified or homogeneous fluid and the Stokes problem for an oscillating infinite plane. The case of the "critical" angle that is equality of the emitting surface and the wave cone slope angles needs in separate investigations. In this case, the number of singular component is saved. Patterns of velocity and density fields were constructed and analyzed by methods of computational mathematics. Singular components of the solution affect the flow pattern of the inhomogeneous stratified fluid, not only near the source of the waves, but at a large distance. Analytical calculations of the structure of wave beams are matched with laboratory experiments. Some deviations at large distances from the source are formed due to the contribution of background wave field associated with seiches in the laboratory tank. In number of the experiments vortices with closed contours were observed on some distances from the disk. The work was supported by Ministry of Education and Science RF (Goscontract No. 16.518.11.7059), experiments were performed on set up USU "HPC IPMec RAS".

Evolution of solidification texture during additive manufacturing.

PubMed

Wei, H L; Mazumder, J; DebRoy, T

2015-11-10

Striking differences in the solidification textures of a nickel based alloy owing to changes in laser scanning pattern during additive manufacturing are examined based on theory and experimental data. Understanding and controlling texture are important because it affects mechanical and chemical properties. Solidification texture depends on the local heat flow directions and competitive grain growth in one of the six <100> preferred growth directions in face centered cubic alloys. Therefore, the heat flow directions are examined for various laser beam scanning patterns based on numerical modeling of heat transfer and fluid flow in three dimensions. Here we show that numerical modeling can not only provide a deeper understanding of the solidification growth patterns during the additive manufacturing, it also serves as a basis for customizing solidification textures which are important for properties and performance of components.

Navier-Stokes flow field analysis of compressible flow in a high pressure safety relief valve

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vu, Bruce; Wang, Ten-See; Shih, Ming-Hsin; Soni, Bharat

1993-01-01

The objective of this study is to investigate the complex three-dimensional flowfield of an oxygen safety pressure relieve valve during an incident, with a computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis. Specifically, the analysis will provide a flow pattern that would lead to the expansion of the eventual erosion pattern of the hardware, so as to combine it with other findings to piece together a most likely scenario for the investigation. The CFD model is a pressure based solver. An adaptive upwind difference scheme is employed for the spatial discretization, and a predictor, multiple corrector method is used for the velocity-pressure coupling. The computational result indicated vortices formation near the opening of the valve which matched the erosion pattern of the damaged hardware.

Fingering and fracturing during multiphase flow in porous media (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juanes, R.

2013-12-01

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.

Axially Tapered And Bilayer Microchannels For Evaporative Cooling Devices

DOEpatents

Nilson, Robert; Griffiths, Stewart

2005-10-04

The invention consists of an evaporative cooling device comprising one or more microchannels whose cross section is axially reduced to control the maximum capillary pressure differential between liquid and vapor phases. In one embodiment, the evaporation channels have a rectangular cross section that is reduced in width along a flow path. In another embodiment, channels of fixed width are patterned with an array of microfabricated post-like features such that the feature size and spacing are gradually reduced along the flow path. Other embodiments incorporate bilayer channels consisting of an upper cover plate having a pattern of slots or holes of axially decreasing size and a lower fluid flow layer having channel widths substantially greater than the characteristic microscale dimensions of the patterned cover plate. The small dimensions of the cover plate holes afford large capillary pressure differentials while the larger dimensions of the lower region reduce viscous flow resistance.

Fluid-Structure Model of Lymphatic Valve and Vessel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, Ki; Ballard, Matthew; Nepiyushchikh, Zhanna; Razavi, Mohammad; Dixon, Brandon; Alexeev, Alexander

The lymphatic system is a part of the circulatory system that performs a range of important functions such as transportation of interstitial fluid, fatty acid, and immune cells. The lymphatic vessels are composed of contractile walls to pump lymph against adverse pressure gradient and lymphatic valves that prevent back flow. Despite the importance of lymphatic system, the contribution of mechanical and geometric changes of lymphatic valves and vessels in pathologies of lymphatic dysfunction, such as lymphedema, is not well understood. We developed a coupled fluid-solid computational model to simultaneously simulate a lymphatic vessel, valve, and flow. A lattice Boltzmann model is used to represent the fluid component, while lattice spring model is used for the solid component of the lymphatic vessel, whose mechanical properties are derived experimentally. Behaviors such as lymph flow pattern and lymphatic valve performance against backflow and adverse pressure gradient under varied parameters of lymphatic valve and vessel geometry and mechanical properties are investigated to provide a better insight into the dynamics of lymphatic vessels, valves, and system and give insight into how they might fail in disease. NSF CMMI-1635133.

Harnessing surface-bound enzymatic reactions to organize microcapsules in solution

PubMed Central

Shklyaev, Oleg E.; Shum, Henry; Sen, Ayusman; Balazs, Anna C.

2016-01-01

By developing new computational models, we examine how enzymatic reactions on an underlying surface can be harnessed to direct the motion and organization of reagent-laden microcapsules in a fluid-filled microchannel. In the presence of appropriate reagents, surface-bound enzymes can act as pumps, which drive large-scale fluid flows. When the reagents diffuse through the capsules’ porous shells, they can react with enzymatic sites on the bottom surface. The ensuing reaction generates fluid density variations, which result in fluid flows. These flows carry the suspended microcapsules and drive them to aggregate into “colonies” on and near the enzyme-covered sites. This aggregation continues until the reagent has been depleted and the convection stops. We show that the shape of the assembled colonies can be tailored by patterning the distribution of enzymes on the surface. This fundamental physicochemical mechanism could have played a role in the self-organization of early biological cells (protocells) and can be used to regulate the autonomous motion and targeted delivery of microcarriers in microfluidic devices. PMID:27034990

Numerical flow analysis of axial flow compressor for steady and unsteady flow cases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabhudev, B. M.; Satish kumar, S.; Rajanna, D.

2017-07-01

Performance of jet engine is dependent on the performance of compressor. This paper gives numerical study of performance characteristics for axial compressor. The test rig is present at CSIR LAB Bangalore. Flow domains are meshed and fluid dynamic equations are solved using ANSYS package. Analysis is done for six different speeds and for operating conditions like choke, maximum efficiency & before stall point. Different plots are compared and results are discussed. Shock displacement, vortex flows, leakage patterns are presented along with unsteady FFT plot and time step plot.

Why Pulse If You Live in Turbulent Flow? Studying the Benefits of Pulsing Behavior in Xeniid Corals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samson, J. E.; Khatri, S.; Holzman, R.; Shavit, U.; Miller, L.

2016-02-01

Pulsing behavior in benthic cnidarians increases local water flows and thus mass transfer (i.e. nutrient exchange) between organisms and environment. This increased mass transfer plays an especially important role in photosynthetic organisms by increasing the exchange rate of oxygen and carbon dioxide, allowing for increased metabolic rates. For organisms living mostly in the boundary layer of quiet water bodies, the benefits of pulsing to create a (feeding) current seem to be straightforward; the benefit of increased flow around the organism is larger than the cost of sustaining an energetically expensive behavior. Xeniid corals, however, are often found in turbulent flows, and it is unclear what the benefits of pulsing behavior are in an already well-mixed environment. Using lab experiments (particle image velocimetry or PIV), computational fluid dynamics simulations (immersed boundary method), and field data, we explore the reason(s) behind this paradoxical observation. 3D video recordings from pulsing corals in the lab and in the field were used to extract the kinematics of the pulsing motion. These kinematics served as input to create computational fluid dynamics simulations that allow us to further explore and compare fluid flows resulting from different situations (presence or absence of background flow around a coral colony, for example). The PIV data collected in the lab will serve to validate these simulations. Developing our computational models further will allow us to study the potential benefit of pulsing on mass transfer and to explore the advantage of collective pulsing behavior. Xeniid corals form colonies in which collective pulsing patterns can be observed. These patterns, however, have not yet been quantified and it is unclear how they arise, since cnidarians lack a centralized nervous system.

Active Colloids in Isotropic and Anisotropic Electrolytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Chenhui

Electrically driven flows of fluids with respect to solid surfaces (electro-osmosis) and transport of particles in fluids (electrophoresis), collectively called electrokinetics, is a technologically important area of modern science. In this thesis, we study the electrokinetic phenomena in both isotropic and anisotropic fluids. A necessary condition of electrokinetics is separation of electric charges in space. In classic linear electrokinetics, with an isotropic electrolyte such as water, the charges are separated through dissociation of ionic groups at the solid-fluid interface; presence of the electric field is not required. In the nonlinear electrokinetics, the charges are separated with the assistance of the electric field. In the so-called induced-charge electro-osmosis (ICEO) the electric field separates charges near strongly polarizable surfaces such as metals. We establish the patterns of electro-osmotic velocities caused by nonlinear ICEO around an immobilized metallic and Janus (metallic-dielectric) spheres placed in water. In the case of the Janus particles, the flows are asymmetric, which results in pumping of water around the particle if it is immobilized, or in electrophoresis is the particle is free. When the isotropic electrolyte such as water is replaced with a LC electrolyte, the mechanism of the field-assisted charge separation becomes very different. Namely, the charges are separated at the director gradients, thanks to the anisotropy of electric conductivity and dielectric permittivity of the LC. These distortions can be created by the colloidal particles placed in the LC. We demonstrate the occurrence of nonlinear LC-enabled electro-osmosis (LCEO) by studying the flow patterns around colloidal spheres with different surface anchoring. LCEO velocities grow with the square of the electric field, which allows one to use an AC field to drive steady flows and to avoid electrode damage. Director distortions needed to trigger the LCEO can also be designed by surface-patterned modulated molecular orientation. The surface patterning is produced by photo-alignment. In the presence of an electric field, the spatially varying orientation induces space charges that trigger flows of the LC. The active patterned LC electrolyte converts the electric energy into the LC flows and transport of embedded particles of any type (fluid, solid, gaseous) along a predesigned trajectory, posing no limitation on the electric nature (charge, polarizability) of these particles and interfaces. The patterned LC electrolyte also induces persistent vortices of controllable rotation speed and direction that are quintessential for micro- and nanoscale mixing applications. The thesis also describes transport and placement of colloids by elasticity of a nematic LC with spatially varying molecular orientation. Colloidal particles in nematic environment are subject to the long-range elastic forces originating in the orientational order of the nematic. Gradients of the orientational order create an elastic energy landscape that drives the colloids into locations with preferred type of deformations. As an example, we demonstrate that colloidal spheres with perpendicular surface anchoring are driven into the regions of maximum splay, while spheres with tangential surface anchoring settle into the regions of bend. Elastic forces responsible for preferential placement are measured by exploring overdamped dynamics of the colloids. The results obtained in this thesis open new opportunities for design of materials and devices for micropumping, mixing, lab-on-a-chip and biosensing applications.

An atomistic-continuum hybrid simulation of fluid flows over superhydrophobic surfaces

PubMed Central

Li, Qiang; He, Guo-Wei

2009-01-01

Recent experiments have found that slip length could be as large as on the order of 1 μm for fluid flows over superhydrophobic surfaces. Superhydrophobic surfaces can be achieved by patterning roughness on hydrophobic surfaces. In the present paper, an atomistic-continuum hybrid approach is developed to simulate the Couette flows over superhydrophobic surfaces, in which a molecular dynamics simulation is used in a small region near the superhydrophobic surface where the continuum assumption is not valid and the Navier-Stokes equations are used in a large region for bulk flows where the continuum assumption does hold. These two descriptions are coupled using the dynamic coupling model in the overlap region to ensure momentum continuity. The hybrid simulation predicts a superhydrophobic state with large slip lengths, which cannot be obtained by molecular dynamics simulation alone. PMID:19693344

An electrohydrodynamic flow in ac electrowetting.

PubMed

Lee, Horim; Yun, Sungchan; Ko, Sung Hee; Kang, Kwan Hyoung

2009-12-17

In ac electrowetting, hydrodynamic flows occur within a droplet. Two distinct flow patterns were observed, depending on the frequency of the applied electrical signal. The flow at low-frequency range was explained in terms of shape oscillation and a steady streaming process in conjunction with contact line oscillation. The origin of the flow at high-frequency range has not yet been explained. We suggest that the high-frequency flow originated mainly from the electrothermal effect, in which electrical charge is generated due to the gradient of electrical conductivity and permittivity, which is induced by the Joule heating of fluid medium. To support our argument, we analyzed the flow field numerically while considering the electrical body force generated by the electrothermal effect. We visualized the flow pattern and measured the flow velocity inside the droplet. The numerical results show qualitative agreement with experimental results with respect to electric field and frequency dependence of flow velocity. The effects of induced-charge electro-osmosis, natural convection, and the Marangoni flow are discussed.

The influence of device position on the flow within the Penn State 12 cc pediatric ventricular assist device.

PubMed

Schönberger, Markus; Deutsch, Steven; Manning, Keefe B

2012-01-01

Ventricular assist devices are a commonly used heart failure therapy for adult patients as bridge-to-transplant or bridge-to-recovery tools. The application of adult ventricular assist devices in pediatric patients has led to increased thrombotic events. Therefore, we have been developing a pediatric ventricular assist device (PVAD), the Penn State 12 cc PVAD. It is designed for patients with a body weight of 5-15 kg and has a stroke volume of 12 cc. Clot formation is the major concern. It is correlated to the coagulability of blood, the blood contacting materials and the fluid dynamics within the system. The intent is for the PVAD to be a long term therapy. Therefore, the system may be oriented in different positions according to the patient's behavior. This study evaluates for the first time the impact of position on the flow patterns within the Penn State 12 cc PVAD, which may help to improve the PVAD design concerning chamber and ports geometries. The fluid dynamics are visualized by particle image velocimetry. The evaluation is based on inlet jet behavior and calculated wall shear rates. Vertical and horizontal model orientations are compared, both with a beat rate of 75, outlet pressures of 90/60 mm Hg and a flow rate of 1.3 l/min. The results show a significant change of the inlet jet behavior and the development of a rotational flow pattern. Vertically, the inlet jet is strong along the wall. It initiates a rotational flow pattern with a wandering axis of rotation. In contrast, the horizontal model orientation results show a weaker inlet jet along the wall with a nearly constant center of rotation location, which can be correlated to a higher risk of thrombotic events. In addition, high speed videography illustrates differences in the diaphragm motion during diastole. Diaphragm opening trajectories measurements determine no significant impact of the density of the blood analog fluids. Hence, the results correlate to human blood.

Inclusion behaviour in the liquid core during continuous casting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Guang S.

Water models using perspex have been built to study the fluid flow and recirculation patterns developed in the sump of a steel continuous casting machine and the influences these have on the behaviour of inclusions. An experimental method has been devised to simulate the behaviour of inclusions in the sump and to study the apportionment of the input flux of inclusions between the molten mould powder layer and the strand. The method entails the uses of finely dispersed coloured paraffin oil in the inlet stream together with a floating colourless paraffin layer on the top of the water in the model mould to simulate the molten powder layer on top of the molten steel.A theoretical model has been formulated which relates the inclusion separation in the sump to the fluid flow there. The inclusion removal ratio in the sump for a given continuous casting machine can be predicted using this theoretical model. The model, using the properties of liquid steel and practicable casting speeds, demonstrates that the removal of inclusions of small size (<40 um) from the mould sump is less than 5% efficient.Inclusion agglomeration plays an important role in inclusion removal. It has been shown that deep submersion of the SEN enhances the agglomeration of inclusion particle. Under certain conditions, for example, the average particle diameter in the meniscus region has been found to be as much as three times its value at the SEN nozzle.The use of fine alumina flakes or small air bubbles, together with a plane light source, has been found to be very successful in studying the fluid flow patterns developed in three-dimensional models. Employing this method, the fluid flow patterns developed on different planes within the model mould have been viewed and recorded photographically. The photographs so obtained have helped to explain the results obtained for the removal of inclusions. The fluid flow patterns developed when small outside diameter nozzles with deep SEN submerged depths are used have been found to be of benefit to the removal of inclusions.Increasing the SEN submerged depth promotes inclusion agglomeration and hence increases the inclusion removal ratio. Reducing the nozzle outside diameter and the casting speed increases the inclusion removal ratio in the sump. But the infleunces of these latter changes are not very strong, so that inclusion removal consideration need not influence the design strategies used for the casting speed and nozzle outside diameter. The SEN port angle has a little effect on the inclusion removal when using deep SEN submerged depth.Although argon stream introduced into the tundish nozzle stream can protect the nozzle blockage, it is not beneficial to the inclusion removal in the sump.

Personal computer (PC) based image processing applied to fluid mechanics research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cho, Y.-C.; Mclachlan, B. G.

1987-01-01

A PC based image processing system was employed to determine the instantaneous velocity field of a two-dimensional unsteady flow. The flow was visualized using a suspension of seeding particles in water, and a laser sheet for illumination. With a finite time exposure, the particle motion was captured on a photograph as a pattern of streaks. The streak pattern was digitized and processsed using various imaging operations, including contrast manipulation, noise cleaning, filtering, statistical differencing, and thresholding. Information concerning the velocity was extracted from the enhanced image by measuring the length and orientation of the individual streaks. The fluid velocities deduced from the randomly distributed particle streaks were interpolated to obtain velocities at uniform grid points. For the interpolation a simple convolution technique with an adaptive Gaussian window was used. The results are compared with a numerical prediction by a Navier-Stokes commputation.

Personal Computer (PC) based image processing applied to fluid mechanics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cho, Y.-C.; Mclachlan, B. G.

1987-01-01

A PC based image processing system was employed to determine the instantaneous velocity field of a two-dimensional unsteady flow. The flow was visualized using a suspension of seeding particles in water, and a laser sheet for illumination. With a finite time exposure, the particle motion was captured on a photograph as a pattern of streaks. The streak pattern was digitized and processed using various imaging operations, including contrast manipulation, noise cleaning, filtering, statistical differencing, and thresholding. Information concerning the velocity was extracted from the enhanced image by measuring the length and orientation of the individual streaks. The fluid velocities deduced from the randomly distributed particle streaks were interpolated to obtain velocities at uniform grid points. For the interpolation a simple convolution technique with an adaptive Gaussian window was used. The results are compared with a numerical prediction by a Navier-Stokes computation.

Highly-resolved numerical simulations of bed-load transport in a turbulent open-channel flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vowinckel, Bernhard; Kempe, Tobias; Nikora, Vladimir; Jain, Ramandeep; Fröhlich, Jochen

2015-11-01

The study presents the analysis of phase-resolving Direct Numerical Simulations of a horizontal turbulent open-channel flow laden with a large number of spherical particles. These particles have a mobility close to their threshold of incipient motion andare transported in bed-load mode. The coupling of the fluid phase with the particlesis realized by an Immersed Boundary Method. The Double-Averaging Methodology is applied for the first time convolutingthe data into a handy set of quantities averaged in time and space to describe the most prominent flow features.In addition, a systematic study elucidatesthe impact of mobility and sediment supply on the pattern formation of particle clusters ina very large computational domain. A detailed description of fluid quantities links the developed particle patterns to the enhancement of turbulence and to a modified hydraulic resistance. Conditional averaging isapplied toerosion events providingthe processes involved inincipient particle motion. Furthermore, the detection of moving particle clusters as well as their surrounding flow field is addressedby a a moving frameanalysis. Funded by German Research Foundation (DFG), project FR 1593/5-2, computational time provided by ZIH Dresden, Germany, and JSC Juelich, Germany.

Influence of the hole geometry on the flow distribution in ventricular catheters for hydrocephalus.

PubMed

Giménez, Ángel; Galarza, Marcelo; Pellicer, Olga; Valero, José; Amigó, José M

2016-07-15

Hydrocephalus is a medical condition consisting of an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the brain. A catheter is inserted in one of the brain ventricles and then connected to an external valve to drain the excess of cerebrospinal fluid. The main drawback of this technique is that, over time, the ventricular catheter ends up getting blocked by the cells and macromolecules present in the cerebrospinal fluid. A crucial factor influencing this obstruction is a non-uniform flow pattern through the catheter, since it facilitates adhesion of suspended particles to the walls. In this paper we focus on the effects that tilted holes as well as conical holes have on the flow distribution and shear stress. We have carried out 3D computational simulations to study the effect of the hole geometry on the cerebrospinal fluid flow through ventricular catheters. All the simulations were done with the OpenFOAM® toolbox. In particular, three different groups of models were investigated by varying (i) the tilt angles of the holes, (ii) the inner and outer diameters of the holes, and (iii) the distances between the so-called hole segments. The replacement of cylindrical holes by conical holes was found to have a strong influence on the flow distribution and to lower slightly the shear stress. Tilted holes did not involve flow distribution changes when the hole segments are sufficiently separated, but the mean shear stress was certainly reduced. The authors present new results about the behavior of the fluid flow through ventricular catheters. These results complete earlier work on this topic by adding the influence of the hole geometry. The overall objective pursued by this research is to provide guidelines to improve existing commercially available ventricular catheters.

Garden City Vein Complex, Gale Crater, Mars: Implications for Late Diagenetic Fluid Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kronyak, R. E.; Kah, L. C.; Blaney, D. L.; Sumner, D. Y.; Fisk, M. R.; Rapin, W.; Nachon, M.; Mangold, N.; Grotzinger, J. P.; Wiens, R. C.

2015-12-01

Calcium sulfate filled fractures are observed in nearly all stratigraphic units encountered by the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover. The mm-scale of veins, however, provides little evidence for emplacement style. From sols 924-949, Curiosity observed a vein rich outcrop called Garden City, which shows variation in both thickness and complexity of veins. Extensive Mastcam and MAHLI imaging was conducted across the outcrop to provide textural detail that can be related to emplacement mechanisms. Additionally, Curiosity collected geochemical data on 17 ChemCam targets and 7 APXS targets, shedding light on the composition and variety of potential vein fluids. The Garden City vein system records (1) the presence of distinct dark-toned and light-toned (calcium sulfate) mineralization, and (2) the presence of laminated, epitaxial, and brecciated fabrics that suggest multiple emplacement modes. Dark-toned mineralization is observed as erosionally resistant ridges predominantly along fracture walls. Although erosional resistance may reflect the permeability of host rock to fracture-borne fluids, at Garden City, laminated textures suggest that at least some mineralization may have occurred as fracture-fill. Light-toned mineralization often bisects dark-toned material, indicating re-use of fluid pathways. Light-toned veinlets permeate fracture walls, and the largest veins entrain host rock and dark-toned material within calcium sulfate matrix. Such brecciation indicates high forces associated with fluid expulsion. Elsewhere, linear patterns occur broadly perpendicular to fracture walls, and are interpreted to represent epitaxial crystal growth, suggesting lower flow rates and fluid flow pressures within the fracture system. Together these observations indicate multiple episodes of fluid flow in the Gale Crater system.

Dynamics and stability of thin liquid films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craster, R. V.; Matar, O. K.

2009-07-01

The dynamics and stability of thin liquid films have fascinated scientists over many decades: the observations of regular wave patterns in film flows down a windowpane or along guttering, the patterning of dewetting droplets, and the fingering of viscous flows down a slope are all examples that are familiar in daily life. Thin film flows occur over a wide range of length scales and are central to numerous areas of engineering, geophysics, and biophysics; these include nanofluidics and microfluidics, coating flows, intensive processing, lava flows, dynamics of continental ice sheets, tear-film rupture, and surfactant replacement therapy. These flows have attracted considerable attention in the literature, which have resulted in many significant developments in experimental, analytical, and numerical research in this area. These include advances in understanding dewetting, thermocapillary- and surfactant-driven films, falling films and films flowing over structured, compliant, and rapidly rotating substrates, and evaporating films as well as those manipulated via use of electric fields to produce nanoscale patterns. These developments are reviewed in this paper and open problems and exciting research avenues in this thriving area of fluid mechanics are also highlighted.

Surgical management of Chiari I malformation based on different cerebrospinal fluid flow patterns at the cranial-vertebral junction.

PubMed

Fan, Tao; Zhao, HaiJun; Zhao, XinGang; Liang, Cong; Wang, YinQian; Gai, QiFei

2017-10-01

Chiari I malformation has been shown to present different cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow patterns at the cranial-vertebral junction (CVJ). Posterior fossa decompression is the first-line treatment for symptomatic Chiari I malformation. However, there is still controversy on the indication and selection of decompression procedures. This research aims to investigate the clinical indications, outcomes, and complications of the decompression procedures as alternative treatments for Chiari I malformation, based on the different CSF flow patterns at the cranial-vertebral junction. In this study, 126 Chiari I malformation patients treated with the two decompression procedures were analyzed. According to the preoperative findings obtained by using cine phase-contrast MRI (cine PC-MRI), the abnormal CSF flow dynamics at the CVJ in Chiari I malformation was classified into three patterns. After a preoperative evaluation and an intraoperative ultrasound after craniectomy, the two procedures were alternatively selected to treat the Chiari I malformation. The indication and selection of the two surgical procedures, as well as their outcomes and complications, are reported in detail in this work. Forty-eight patients underwent subdural decompression (SDD), and 78 received subarachnoid manipulation (SAM). Ninety patients were diagnosed as having Chiari I malformation with a syrinx. Two weeks after the operation, the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) scores increased from the preoperative value of 10.67 ± 1.61 to 12.74 ± 2.01 (P < 0.01). The mean duration of follow-up was 24.8 months; the mJOA scores increased from the postoperative value of 12.74 ± 2.01 to 12.79 ± 1.91 at the end of follow-up (P = 0.48). More complications occurred in the patients who underwent SAM than in those who received SDD (SAM 11 of 78 (9.5%) vs SDD 2 of 48 (3.5%)). The abnormal CSF flow dynamics at the CVJ in Chiari I malformation can be classified into three patterns. A SAM procedure is more feasible in Chiari I malformation (CM1) patients with pattern III CSF flow dynamics, whereas a SDD procedure is more suitable for CM1 patients with pattern I CSF flow dynamics. In CM1 patients with pattern II CSF flow dynamics, an intraoperative ultrasound after craniectomy could play an important role in the selection of an effective decompression procedure.

Optimization design of submerged propeller in oxidation ditch by computational fluid dynamics and comparison with experiments.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuquan; Zheng, Yuan; Fernandez-Rodriguez, E; Yang, Chunxia; Zhu, Yantao; Liu, Huiwen; Jiang, Hao

The operating condition of a submerged propeller has a significant impact on flow field and energy consumption of the oxidation ditch. An experimentally validated numerical model, based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool, is presented to optimize the operating condition by considering two important factors: flow field and energy consumption. Performance demonstration and comparison of different operating conditions were carried out in a Carrousel oxidation ditch at the Yingtang wastewater treatment plants in Anhui Province, China. By adjusting the position and rotating speed together with the number of submerged propellers, problems of sludge deposit and the low velocity in the bend could be solved in a most cost-effective way. The simulated results were acceptable compared with the experimental data and the following results were obtained. The CFD model characterized flow pattern and energy consumption in the full-scale oxidation ditch. The predicted flow field values were within -1.28 ± 7.14% difference from the measured values. By determining three sets of propellers under the rotating speed of 6.50 rad/s with one located 5 m from the first curved wall, after numerical simulation and actual measurement, not only the least power density but also the requirement of the flow pattern could be realized.

Sensor for Boundary Shear Stress in Fluid Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bao, Xiaoqi; Badescu, Mircea; Sherrit, Stewart; Bar-Cohen, Yoseph; Lih, Shyh-Shiuh; Chang, Zensheu; Trease, Brian P.; Kerenyi, Kornel; Widholm, Scott E.; Ostlund, Patrick N.

2012-01-01

The formation of scour patterns at bridge piers is driven by the forces at the boundary of the water flow. In most experimental scour studies, indirect processes have been applied to estimate the shear stress using measured velocity profiles. The estimations are based on theoretical models and associated assumptions. However, the turbulence flow fields and boundary layer in the pier-scour region are very complex and lead to low-fidelity results. In addition, available turbulence models cannot account accurately for the bed roughness effect. Direct measurement of the boundary shear stress, normal stress, and their fluctuations are attractive alternatives. However, most direct-measurement shear sensors are bulky in size or not compatible to fluid flow. A sensor has been developed that consists of a floating plate with folded beam support and an optical grid on the back, combined with a high-resolution optical position probe. The folded beam support makes the floating plate more flexible in the sensing direction within a small footprint, while maintaining high stiffness in the other directions. The floating plate converts the shear force to displacement, and the optical probe detects the plate s position with nanometer resolution by sensing the pattern of the diffraction field of the grid through a glass window. This configuration makes the sensor compatible with liquid flow applications.

Mathematical Investigation of Fluid Flow, Mass Transfer, and Slag-steel Interfacial Behavior in Gas-stirred Ladles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Qing; Nastac, Laurentiu

2018-06-01

In this study, the Euler-Euler and Euler-Lagrange modeling approaches were applied to simulate the multiphase flow in the water model and gas-stirred ladle systems. Detailed comparisons of the computational and experimental results were performed to establish which approach is more accurate for predicting the gas-liquid multiphase flow phenomena. It was demonstrated that the Euler-Lagrange approach is more accurate than the Euler-Euler approach. The Euler-Lagrange approach was applied to study the effects of the free surface setup, injected bubble size, gas flow rate, and slag layer thickness on the slag-steel interaction and mass transfer behavior. Detailed discussions on the flat/non-flat free surface assumption were provided. Significant inaccuracies in the prediction of the surface fluid flow characteristics were found when the flat free surface was assumed. The variations in the main controlling parameters (bubble size, gas flow rate, and slag layer thickness) and their potential impact on the multiphase fluid flow and mass transfer characteristics (turbulent intensity, mass transfer rate, slag-steel interfacial area, flow patterns, etc.,) in gas-stirred ladles were quantitatively determined to ensure the proper increase in the ladle refining efficiency. It was revealed that by injecting finer bubbles as well as by properly increasing the gas flow rate and the slag layer thickness, the ladle refining efficiency can be enhanced significantly.

Two-phase flow characteristics of liquid nitrogen in vertically upward 0.5 and 1.0 mm micro-tubes: Visualization studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, P.; Fu, X.

2009-10-01

Application of liquid nitrogen to cooling is widely employed in many fields, such as cooling of the high temperature superconducting devices, cryosurgery and so on, in which liquid nitrogen is generally forced to flow inside very small passages to maintain good thermal performance and stability. In order to have a full understanding of the flow and heat transfer characteristics of liquid nitrogen in micro-tube, high-speed digital photography was employed to acquire the typical two-phase flow patterns of liquid nitrogen in vertically upward micro-tubes of 0.531 and 1.042 mm inner diameters. It was found from the experimental results that the flow patterns were mainly bubbly flow, slug flow, churn flow and annular flow. And the confined bubble flow, mist flow, bubble condensation and flow oscillation were also observed. These flow patterns were characterized in different types of flow regime maps. The surface tension force and the size of the diameter were revealed to be the major factors affecting the flow pattern transitions. It was found that the transition boundaries of the slug/churn flow and churn/annular flow of the present experiment shifted to lower superficial vapor velocity; while the transition boundary of the bubbly/slug flow shifted to higher superficial vapor velocity compared to the results of the room-temperature fluids in the tubes with the similar hydraulic diameters. The corresponding transition boundaries moved to lower superficial velocity when reducing the inner diameter of the micro-tubes. Time-averaged void fraction and heat transfer characteristics for individual flow patterns were presented and special attention was paid to the effect of the diameter on the variation of void fraction.

Quantification and significance of fluid shear stress field in biaxial cell stretching device.

PubMed

Thompson, Mark S; Abercrombie, Stuart R; Ott, Claus-Eric; Bieler, Friederike H; Duda, Georg N; Ventikos, Yiannis

2011-07-01

A widely used commercially available system for the investigation of mechanosensitivity applies a biaxial strain field to cells cultured on a compliant silicone substrate membrane stretched over a central post. As well as intended substrate strain, this device also provides a fluid flow environment for the cultured cells. In order to interpret the relevance of experiments using this device to the in vivo and clinical situation, it is essential to characterise both substrate and fluid environments. While previous work has detailed the substrate strain, the fluid shear stresses, to which bone cells are known to be sensitive, are unknown. Therefore, a fluid structure interaction computational fluid dynamics model was constructed, incorporating a finite element technique capable of capturing the contact between the post and the silicone substrate membrane, to the underside of which the pump control pressure was applied. Flow verification experiments using 10-μm-diameter fluorescent microspheres were carried out. Fluid shear stress increased approximately linearly with radius along the on-post substrate membrane, with peak values located close to the post edge. Changes in stimulation frequency and culture medium viscosity effected proportional changes in the magnitude of the fluid shear stress (peak fluid shear stresses varied in the range 0.09-3.5 Pa), with minor effects on temporal and spatial distribution. Good agreement was obtained between predicted and measured radial flow patterns. These results suggest a reinterpretation of previous data obtained using this device to include the potential for a strong role of fluid shear stress in mechanosensitivity.

Sources and drains: Major controls of hydrothermal fluid flow in the Kokanee Range, British Columbia, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beaudoin, Georges; Therrien, René

1999-10-01

Vein fields are fractured domains of the lithosphere that have been infiltrated by hydrothermal fluids, which deposited minerals in response to changing physico-chemical conditions. Because oxygen is a major component of the infiltrating fluid and the surrounding rock matrix, the oxygen isotope composition of minerals found in veins is used to decipher ancient fluid flow within the lithosphere. We use a numerical model to simulate oxygen isotope transport in the Kokanee Range silver-lead-zinc vein field. The model considers advective, dispersive, and reactive transport in a three-dimensional porous rock matrix intersected by high-permeability planes representing fracture zones. Here we show that it is the geometrical configuration of the sources and of the drains of hydrothermal fluids, combined with the fracture pattern, that exerts the main control on the oxygen isotope distribution. Other factors that affect, to a lesser extent, the values and positions of oxygen isopleths are the fluids and rock-matrix isotopic compositions, the isotopic fractionation, the reaction rate constant, and hydraulic conductivities of the rock matrix and fracture zones.

Electro-Optical Platform for the Manipulation of Live Cells

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-10-02

system, other physical forces may play a significant role. In particular, electroosmotic forces that cause fluid movement relative to a surface can...occur due to the mobility of ions in solution. Electroosmotic forces are commonly utilized in capillary electrophoretic separa- tion, where the capillary...fluid motion that acts to entrain particles to be separated.46 Thus, in the chamber presented here, the patterned anode can induce electroosmotic flow

Magnetic method for stimulating transport in fluids

DOEpatents

Martin, James E.; Solis, Kyle J.

2016-10-18

A method for producing mass and heat transport in fluids, wherein the method does not rely on conventional convection, that is, it does not require gravity, a thermal gradient, or a magnetic field gradient. This method gives rise to a unique class of vigorous, field-controllable flow patterns termed advection lattices. The advection lattices can be used to transport heat and/or mass in any desired direction using only magnetic fields.

Optimal-mass-transfer-based estimation of glymphatic transport in living brain.

PubMed

Ratner, Vadim; Zhu, Liangjia; Kolesov, Ivan; Nedergaard, Maiken; Benveniste, Helene; Tannenbaum, Allen

2015-02-21

It was recently shown that the brain-wide cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid exchange system designated the 'glymphatic pathway' plays a key role in removing waste products from the brain, similarly to the lymphatic system in other body organs 1,2 . It is therefore important to study the flow patterns of glymphatic transport through the live brain in order to better understand its functionality in normal and pathological states. Unlike blood, the CSF does not flow rapidly through a network of dedicated vessels, but rather through para-vascular channels and brain parenchyma in a slower time-domain, and thus conventional fMRI or other blood-flow sensitive MRI sequences do not provide much useful information about the desired flow patterns. We have accordingly analyzed a series of MRI images, taken at different times, of the brain of a live rat, which was injected with a paramagnetic tracer into the CSF via the lumbar intrathecal space of the spine. Our goal is twofold: (a) find glymphatic (tracer) flow directions in the live rodent brain; and (b) provide a model of a (healthy) brain that will allow the prediction of tracer concentrations given initial conditions. We model the liquid flow through the brain by the diffusion equation. We then use the Optimal Mass Transfer (OMT) approach 3 to derive the glymphatic flow vector field, and estimate the diffusion tensors by analyzing the (changes in the) flow. Simulations show that the resulting model successfully reproduces the dominant features of the experimental data.

METC CFD simulations of hot gas filtration

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

O`Brien, T.J.

1995-06-01

Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulations of the fluid/particle flow in several hot gas filtration vessels will be presented. These simulations have been useful in designing filtration vessels and in diagnosing problems with filter operation. The simulations were performed using the commercial code FLUENT and the METC-developed code MFIX. Simulations of the initial configuration of the Karhula facility indicated that the dirty gas flow over the filter assemblage was very non-uniform. The force of the dirty gas inlet flow was inducing a large circulation pattern that caused flow around the candles to be in opposite directions on opposite sides of themore » vessel. By introducing a system of baffles, a more uniform flow pattern was developed. This modification may have contributed to the success of the project. Several simulations of configurations proposed by Industrial Filter and Pump were performed, varying the position of the inlet. A detailed resolution of the geometry of the candles allowed determination of the flow between the individual candles. Recent simulations in support of the METC/CeraMem Cooperative Research and Development Agreement have analyzed the flow in the vessel during the cleaning back-pulse. Visualization of experiments at the CeraMem cold-flow facility provided confidence in the use of CFD. Extensive simulations were then performed to assist in the design of the hot test facility being built by Ahlstrom/Pyropower. These tests are intended to demonstrate the CeraMem technology.« less

Flow field prediction in full-scale Carrousel oxidation ditch by using computational fluid dynamics.

PubMed

Yang, Yin; Wu, Yingying; Yang, Xiao; Zhang, Kai; Yang, Jiakuan

2010-01-01

In order to optimize the flow field in a full-scale Carrousel oxidation ditch with many sets of disc aerators operating simultaneously, an experimentally validated numerical tool, based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD), was proposed. A full-scale, closed-loop bioreactor (Carrousel oxidation ditch) in Ping Dingshan Sewage Treatment Plant in Ping Dingshan City, a medium-sized city in Henan Province of China, was evaluated using CFD. Moving wall model was created to simulate many sets of disc aerators which created fluid motion in the ditch. The simulated results were acceptable compared with the experimental data and the following results were obtained: (1) a new method called moving wall model could simulate the flow field in Carrousel oxidation ditch with many sets of disc aerators operating simultaneously. The whole number of cells of grids decreased significantly, thus the calculation amount decreased, and (2) CFD modeling generally characterized the flow pattern in the full-scale tank. 3D simulation could be a good supplement for improving the hydrodynamic performance in oxidation ditch designs.

Ultrasound Thermal Field Imaging of Opaque Fluids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andereck, C. David

1999-01-01

We have initiated an experimental program to develop an ultrasound system for non-intrusively imaging the thermal field in opaque fluids under an externally imposed temperature gradient. Many industrial processes involve opaque fluids, such as molten metals, semiconductors, and polymers, often in situations in which thermal gradients are important. For example, one may wish to understand semiconductor crystal growth dynamics in a Bridgman apparatus. Destructive testing of the crystal after the process is completed gives only indirect information about the fluid dynamics of the formation process. Knowledge of the coupled thermal and velocity fields during the growth process is then essential. Most techniques for non-intrusive velocity and temperature measurement in fluids are optical in nature, and hence the fluids studied must be transparent. In some cases (for example, LDV (laser Doppler velocimetry) and PIV (particle imaging velocimetry)) the velocities of small neutrally buoyant seed particles suspended in the fluid, are measured. Without particle seeding one can use the variation of the index of refraction of the fluid with temperature to visualize, through interferometric, Schlieren or shadowgraph techniques, the thermal field. The thermal field in turn gives a picture of the pattern existing in the fluid. If the object of study is opaque, non-optical techniques must be used. In this project we focus on the use of ultrasound, which propagates easily through opaque liquids and solids. To date ultrasound measurements have almost exclusively relied on the detection of sound scattered from density discontinuities inside the opaque material of interest. In most cases it has been used to visualize structural properties, but more recently the ultrasound Doppler velocimeter has become available. As in the optical case, it relies on seed particles that scatter Doppler shifted sound back to the detector. Doppler ultrasound techniques are, however, not useful for studying convective fluid flow in crystal growth, because particle seeding is unacceptable and flow velocities are typically too low to be resolved, and may be even lower in microgravity conditions where buoyancy forces are negligible. We will investigate a different use of ultrasound to probe the flows of opaque fluids non-intrusively and without the use of seed particles: our goal is to ultrasonically visualize the thermal field of opaque fluids with relatively high spatial resolution. The proposed technique relies upon the variation of sound speed with temperature of the fluid. A high frequency ultra-sound pulse passing through a fluid-filled chamber will traverse the chamber in a time determined by the relevant chamber dimension and the temperature of the fluid through which the pulse passes. With high time-resolution instrumentation that compares the excitation signal with the received pulse we can detect the influence of the fluid temperature on the pulse travel time. This is effectively an interferometric system, which in its optical form is an extremely sensitive approach to measuring thermal fields in fluids. Moreover, the temperature dependence of sound velocity in liquid metals is comparable to the temperature dependence of the speed of light required for accurate interferometric thermal images in transparent fluids. With an array of transducers scanned electronically a map of the thermal field over the chamber could be produced. An alternative approach would be to use the ultrasound analog of the shadowgraph technique. In the optical version, collimated light passes through the fluid, where it is focused or defocused locally by temperature field induced variations of the index of refraction. The resulting image reveals the thermal field through the spatial pattern of light intensity variations. By analogy, an ultrasound plane wave traversing an opaque fluid sample would be also locally focused or defocused depending on the speed of sound variations, giving rise to spatial variations in sound intensity that will reveal the thermal field pattern. These approaches could be applied to any situation in which temperature differences are expected to occur, and will rapidly provide information about the flow that simply cannot be obtained by any current intrusive or non-intrusive diagnostic technique. As materials processing in microgravity matures it will become increasingly important to have available simple and versatile diagnostic tools, such as we will develop, for studying the flows of opaque fluids under thermal forcing.

The hydraulic structure of the Gole Larghe Fault Zone (Italian Southern Alps) through the seismic cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bistacchi, A.; Mittempergher, S.; Di Toro, G.; Smith, S. A. F.; Garofalo, P. S.

2017-12-01

The 600 m-thick, strike slip Gole Larghe Fault Zone (GLFZ) experienced several hundred seismic slip events at c. 8 km depth, well-documented by numerous pseudotachylytes, was then exhumed and is now exposed in beautiful and very continuous outcrops. The fault zone was also characterized by hydrous fluid flow during the seismic cycle, demonstrated by alteration halos and precipitation of hydrothermal minerals in veins and cataclasites. We have characterized the GLFZ with > 2 km of scanlines and semi-automatic mapping of faults and fractures on several photogrammetric 3D Digital Outcrop Models (3D DOMs). This allowed us obtaining 3D Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) models, based on robust probability density functions for parameters of fault and fracture sets, and simulating the fault zone hydraulic properties. In addition, the correlation between evidences of fluid flow and the fault/fracture network parameters have been studied with a geostatistical approach, allowing generating more realistic time-varying permeability models of the fault zone. Based on this dataset, we have developed a FEM hydraulic model of the GLFZ for a period of some tens of years, covering one seismic event and a postseismic period. The higher permeability is attained in the syn- to early post-seismic period, when fractures are (re)opened by off-fault deformation, then permeability decreases in the postseismic due to fracture sealing. The flow model yields a flow pattern consistent with the observed alteration/mineralization pattern and a marked channelling of fluid flow in the inner part of the fault zone, due to permeability anisotropy related to the spatial arrangement of different fracture sets. Amongst possible seismological applications of our study, we will discuss the possibility to evaluate the coseismic fracture intensity due to off-fault damage, and the heterogeneity and evolution of mechanical parameters due to fluid-rock interaction.

Heat Extraction from a Hydraulically Fractured Penny-Shaped Crack in Hot Dry Rock

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

Abe, H.; Mura, T.; Keer, L.M.

1976-12-01

Heat extraction from a penny-shaped crack having both inlet and outlet holes is investigated analytically by considering the hydraulic and thermal growth of the crack when fluid is injected at a constant flow rate. The rock mass is assumed to be infinitely extended, homogeneous, and isotropic. The equations for fluid flow are derived and solved to determine the flow pattern in the crack. Temperature distributions in both rock and fluid are also determined. The crack width change due to thermal contraction and the corresponding flow rate increase are discussed. Some numerical calculations of outlet temperature, thermal power extraction, and crackmore » opening displacement due to thermal contraction of rocks are presented for cracks after they attain stationary states for given inlet flow rate and outlet suction pressure. The present paper is a further development of the previous works of Bodvarsson (1969), Gringarten et al. (1975), Lowell (1976), Harlow and Pracht (1972), McFarland (1975), among others, and considers the two-dimensional rather than the one-dimensional crack. Furthermore, the crack radius and width are quantities to be determined rather than given a priori. 11 refs., 1 tab., 5 figs.« less

Cilia in vertebrate left–right patterning

PubMed Central

Dasgupta, Agnik

2016-01-01

Understanding how left–right (LR) asymmetry is generated in vertebrate embryos is an important problem in developmental biology. In humans, a failure to align the left and right sides of cardiovascular and/or gastrointestinal systems often results in birth defects. Evidence from patients and animal models has implicated cilia in the process of left–right patterning. Here, we review the proposed functions for cilia in establishing LR asymmetry, which include creating transient leftward fluid flows in an embryonic ‘left–right organizer’. These flows direct asymmetric activation of a conserved Nodal (TGFβ) signalling pathway that guides asymmetric morphogenesis of developing organs. We discuss the leading hypotheses for how cilia-generated asymmetric fluid flows are translated into asymmetric molecular signals. We also discuss emerging mechanisms that control the subcellular positioning of cilia and the cellular architecture of the left–right organizer, both of which are critical for effective cilia function during left–right patterning. Finally, using mosaic cell-labelling and time-lapse imaging in the zebrafish embryo, we provide new evidence that precursor cells maintain their relative positions as they give rise to the ciliated left–right organizer. This suggests the possibility that these cells acquire left–right positional information prior to the appearance of cilia. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Provocative questions in left–right asymmetry’. PMID:27821522

Fluid Flow Simulation and Energetic Analysis of Anomalocarididae Locomotion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikel-Stites, Maxwell; Staples, Anne

2014-11-01

While an abundance of animal locomotion simulations have been performed modeling the motions of living arthropods and aquatic animals, little quantitative simulation and reconstruction of gait parameters has been done to model the locomotion of extinct animals, many of which bear little physical resemblance to their modern descendants. To that end, this project seeks to analyze potential swimming patterns used by the anomalocaridid family, (specifically Anomalocaris canadensis, a Cambrian Era aquatic predator), and determine the most probable modes of movement. This will serve to either verify or cast into question the current assumed movement patterns and properties of these animals and create a bridge between similar flexible-bodied swimmers and their robotic counterparts. This will be accomplished by particle-based fluid flow simulations of the flow around the fins of the animal, as well as an energy analysis of a variety of sample gaits. The energy analysis will then be compared to the extant information regarding speed/energy use curves in an attempt to determine which modes of swimming were most energy efficient for a given range of speeds. These results will provide a better understanding of how these long-extinct animals moved, possibly allowing an improved understanding of their behavioral patterns, and may also lead to a novel potential platform for bio-inspired underwater autonomous vehicles (UAVs).

Cilia in vertebrate left-right patterning.

PubMed

Dasgupta, Agnik; Amack, Jeffrey D

2016-12-19

Understanding how left-right (LR) asymmetry is generated in vertebrate embryos is an important problem in developmental biology. In humans, a failure to align the left and right sides of cardiovascular and/or gastrointestinal systems often results in birth defects. Evidence from patients and animal models has implicated cilia in the process of left-right patterning. Here, we review the proposed functions for cilia in establishing LR asymmetry, which include creating transient leftward fluid flows in an embryonic 'left-right organizer'. These flows direct asymmetric activation of a conserved Nodal (TGFβ) signalling pathway that guides asymmetric morphogenesis of developing organs. We discuss the leading hypotheses for how cilia-generated asymmetric fluid flows are translated into asymmetric molecular signals. We also discuss emerging mechanisms that control the subcellular positioning of cilia and the cellular architecture of the left-right organizer, both of which are critical for effective cilia function during left-right patterning. Finally, using mosaic cell-labelling and time-lapse imaging in the zebrafish embryo, we provide new evidence that precursor cells maintain their relative positions as they give rise to the ciliated left-right organizer. This suggests the possibility that these cells acquire left-right positional information prior to the appearance of cilia.This article is part of the themed issue 'Provocative questions in left-right asymmetry'. © 2016 The Author(s).

The seismogenic Gole Larghe Fault Zone (Italian Southern Alps): quantitative 3D characterization of the fault/fracture network, mapping of evidences of fluid-rock interaction, and modelling of the hydraulic structure through the seismic cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bistacchi, A.; Mittempergher, S.; Di Toro, G.; Smith, S. A. F.; Garofalo, P. S.

2016-12-01

The Gole Larghe Fault Zone (GLFZ) was exhumed from 8 km depth, where it was characterized by seismic activity (pseudotachylytes) and hydrous fluid flow (alteration halos and precipitation of hydrothermal minerals in veins and cataclasites). Thanks to glacier-polished outcrops exposing the 400 m-thick fault zone over a continuous area > 1.5 km2, the fault zone architecture has been quantitatively described with an unprecedented detail, providing a rich dataset to generate 3D Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) models and simulate the fault zone hydraulic properties. The fault and fracture network has been characterized combining > 2 km of scanlines and semi-automatic mapping of faults and fractures on several photogrammetric 3D Digital Outcrop Models (3D DOMs). This allowed obtaining robust probability density functions for parameters of fault and fracture sets: orientation, fracture intensity and density, spacing, persistency, length, thickness/aperture, termination. The spatial distribution of fractures (random, clustered, anticlustered…) has been characterized with geostatistics. Evidences of fluid/rock interaction (alteration halos, hydrothermal veins, etc.) have been mapped on the same outcrops, revealing sectors of the fault zone strongly impacted, vs. completely unaffected, by fluid/rock interaction, separated by convolute infiltration fronts. Field and microstructural evidence revealed that higher permeability was obtained in the syn- to early post-seismic period, when fractures were (re)opened by off-fault deformation. We have developed a parametric hydraulic model of the GLFZ and calibrated it, varying the fraction of faults/fractures that were open in the post-seismic, with the goal of obtaining realistic fluid flow and permeability values, and a flow pattern consistent with the observed alteration/mineralization pattern. The fraction of open fractures is very close to the percolation threshold of the DFN, and the permeability tensor is strongly anisotropic, resulting in a marked channelling of fluid flow in the inner part of the fault zone. Amongst possible seismological applications of our study, we will discuss the possibility to evaluate the coseismic fracture intensity due to off-fault damage, a fundamental mechanical parameter in the energy balance of earthquakes.

Numerical study of effect of compressor swirling flow on combustor design in a MTE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mu, Yong; Wang, Chengdong; Liu, Cunxi; Liu, Fuqiang; Hu, Chunyan; Xu, Gang; Zhu, Junqiang

2017-08-01

An effect of the swirling flow on the combustion performance is studied by the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in a micro-gas turbine with a centrifugal compressor, dump diffuser and forward-flow combustor. The distributions of air mass and the Temperature Pattern Factor (as: Overall Temperature Distribution Factor -OTDF) in outlet are investigated with two different swirling angles of compressed air as 0° and 15° in three combustors. The results show that the influences of swirling flow on the air distribution and OTDF cannot be neglected. Compared with no-swirling flow, the air through outer liner is more, and the air through the inner liner is less, and the pressure loss is bigger under the swirling condition in the same combustor. The Temperature Pattern Factor changes under the different swirling conditions.

Propulsion of a Two-Sphere Swimmer.

PubMed

Klotsa, Daphne; Baldwin, Kyle A; Hill, Richard J A; Bowley, R M; Swift, Michael R

2015-12-11

We describe experiments and simulations demonstrating the propulsion of a neutrally buoyant swimmer that consists of a pair of spheres attached by a spring, immersed in a vibrating fluid. The vibration of the fluid induces relative motion of the spheres which, for sufficiently large amplitudes, can lead to motion of the center of mass of the two spheres. We find that the swimming speed obtained from both experiment and simulation agree and collapse onto a single curve if plotted as a function of the streaming Reynolds number, suggesting that the propulsion is related to streaming flows. There appears to be a critical onset value of the streaming Reynolds number for swimming to occur. We observe a change in the streaming flows as the Reynolds number increases, from that generated by two independent oscillating spheres to a collective flow pattern around the swimmer as a whole. The mechanism for swimming is traced to a strengthening of a jet of fluid in the wake of the swimmer.

Shock wave-free interface interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frolov, Roman; Minev, Peter; Krechetnikov, Rouslan

2016-11-01

The problem of shock wave-free interface interaction has been widely studied in the context of compressible two-fluid flows using analytical, experimental, and numerical techniques. While various physical effects and possible interaction patterns for various geometries have been identified in the literature, the effects of viscosity and surface tension are usually neglected in such models. In our study, we apply a novel numerical algorithm for simulation of viscous compressible two-fluid flows with surface tension to investigate the influence of these effects on the shock-interface interaction. The method combines together the ideas from Finite Volume adaptation of invariant domains preserving algorithm for systems of hyperbolic conservation laws by Guermond and Popov and ADI parallel solver for viscous incompressible NSEs by Guermond and Minev. This combination has been further extended to a two-fluid flow case, including surface tension effects. Here we report on a quantitative study of how surface tension and viscosity affect the structure of the shock wave-free interface interaction region.

Vortex model of open channel flows with gravel beds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belcher, Brian James

Turbulent structures are known to be important physical processes in gravel-bed rivers. A number of limitations exist that prohibit the advancement and prediction of turbulence structures for optimization of civil infrastructure, biological habitats and sediment transport in gravel-bed rivers. This includes measurement limitations that prohibit characterization of size and strength of turbulent structures in the riverine environment for different case studies as well as traditional numerical modeling limitations that prohibit modeling and prediction of turbulent structure for heterogeneous beds under high Reynolds number flows using the Navier-Stokes equations. While these limitations exist, researchers have developed various theories for the structure of turbulence in boundary layer flows including large eddies in gravel-bed rivers. While these theories have varied in details and applicable conditions, a common hypothesis has been a structural organization in the fluid which links eddies formed at the wall to coherent turbulent structures such as large eddies which may be observed vertically across the entire flow depth in an open channel. Recently physics has also seen the advancement of topological fluid mechanical ideas concerned with the study of vortex structures, braids, links and knots in velocity vector fields. In the present study the structural organization hypothesis is investigated with topological fluid mechanics and experimental results which are used to derive a vortex model for gravel-bed flows. Velocity field measurements in gravel-bed flow conditions in the laboratory were used to characterize temporal and spatial structures which may be attributed to vortex motions and reconnection phenomena. Turbulent velocity time series data were measured with ADV and decomposed using statistical decompositions to measure turbulent length scales. PIV was used to measure spatial velocity vector fields which were decomposed with filtering techniques for flow visualization. Under the specific conditions of a turbulent burst the fluid domain is organized as a braided flow of vortices connected by prime knot patterns of thin-cored flux tubes embedded on an abstract vortex surface itself having topology of a Klein bottle. This model explains observed streamline patterns in the vicinity of a strong turbulent burst in a gravel-bed river as a coherent structure in the turbulent velocity field. KEY WORDS: Open channel flow, turbulence, gravel-bed rivers, coherent structures, velocity distributions

3D MR flow analysis in realistic rapid-prototyping model systems of the thoracic aorta: comparison with in vivo data and computational fluid dynamics in identical vessel geometries.

PubMed

Canstein, C; Cachot, P; Faust, A; Stalder, A F; Bock, J; Frydrychowicz, A; Küffer, J; Hennig, J; Markl, M

2008-03-01

The knowledge of local vascular anatomy and function in the human body is of high interest for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. A comprehensive analysis of the hemodynamics in the thoracic aorta is presented based on the integration of flow-sensitive 4D MRI with state-of-the-art rapid prototyping technology and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Rapid prototyping was used to transform aortic geometries as measured by contrast-enhanced MR angiography into realistic vascular models with large anatomical coverage. Integration into a flow circuit with patient-specific pulsatile in-flow conditions and application of flow-sensitive 4D MRI permitted detailed analysis of local and global 3D flow dynamics in a realistic vascular geometry. Visualization of characteristic 3D flow patterns and quantitative comparisons of the in vitro experiments with in vivo data and CFD simulations in identical vascular geometries were performed to evaluate the accuracy of vascular model systems. The results indicate the potential of such patient-specific model systems for detailed experimental simulation of realistic vascular hemodynamics. Further studies are warranted to examine the influence of refined boundary conditions of the human circulatory system such as fluid-wall interaction and their effect on normal and pathological blood flow characteristics associated with vascular geometry. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Evolution of solidification texture during additive manufacturing

PubMed Central

Wei, H. L.; Mazumder, J.; DebRoy, T.

2015-01-01

Striking differences in the solidification textures of a nickel based alloy owing to changes in laser scanning pattern during additive manufacturing are examined based on theory and experimental data. Understanding and controlling texture are important because it affects mechanical and chemical properties. Solidification texture depends on the local heat flow directions and competitive grain growth in one of the six <100> preferred growth directions in face centered cubic alloys. Therefore, the heat flow directions are examined for various laser beam scanning patterns based on numerical modeling of heat transfer and fluid flow in three dimensions. Here we show that numerical modeling can not only provide a deeper understanding of the solidification growth patterns during the additive manufacturing, it also serves as a basis for customizing solidification textures which are important for properties and performance of components. PMID:26553246

Spacer geometry and particle deposition in spiral wound membrane feed channels.

PubMed

Radu, A I; van Steen, M S H; Vrouwenvelder, J S; van Loosdrecht, M C M; Picioreanu, C

2014-11-01

Deposition of microspheres mimicking bacterial cells was studied experimentally and with a numerical model in feed spacer membrane channels, as used in spiral wound nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membrane systems. In-situ microscopic observations in membrane fouling simulators revealed formation of specific particle deposition patterns for different diamond and ladder feed spacer orientations. A three-dimensional numerical model combining fluid flow with a Lagrangian approach for particle trajectory calculations could describe very well the in-situ observations on particle deposition in flow cells. Feed spacer geometry, positioning and cross-flow velocity sensitively influenced the particle transport and deposition patterns. The deposition patterns were not influenced by permeate production. This combined experimental-modeling approach could be used for feed spacer geometry optimization studies for reduced (bio)fouling. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evolution of solidification texture during additive manufacturing

DOE PAGES

Wei, H. L.; Mazumder, J.; DebRoy, T.

2015-11-10

Striking differences in the solidification textures of a nickel based alloy owing to changes in laser scanning pattern during additive manufacturing are examined based on theory and experimental data. Understanding and controlling texture are important because it affects mechanical and chemical properties. Solidification texture depends on the local heat flow directions and competitive grain growth in one of the six <100> preferred growth directions in face centered cubic alloys. Furthermore, the heat flow directions are examined for various laser beam scanning patterns based on numerical modeling of heat transfer and fluid flow in three dimensions. Here we show that numericalmore » modeling can not only provide a deeper understanding of the solidification growth patterns during the additive manufacturing, it also serves as a basis for customizing solidification textures which are important for properties and performance of components.« less

Video flowmeter

DOEpatents

Lord, D.E.; Carter, G.W.; Petrini, R.R.

1983-08-02

A video flowmeter is described that is capable of specifying flow nature and pattern and, at the same time, the quantitative value of the rate of volumetric flow. An image of a determinable volumetric region within a fluid containing entrained particles is formed and positioned by a rod optic lens assembly on the raster area of a low-light level television camera. The particles are illuminated by light transmitted through a bundle of glass fibers surrounding the rod optic lens assembly. Only particle images having speeds on the raster area below the raster line scanning speed may be used to form a video picture which is displayed on a video screen. The flowmeter is calibrated so that the locus of positions of origin of the video picture gives a determination of the volumetric flow rate of the fluid. 4 figs.

Early pleural fluid dynamics following video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy has limited clinical value

PubMed Central

Holbek, Bo Laksáfoss; Petersen, René Horsleben; Kehlet, Henrik

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of predicting the pleural fluid output in patients after video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy of the lung. Detailed measurements of continuous fluid output were obtained prospectively using an electronic thoracic drainage device (Thopaz+™, Medela AG, Switzerland). Patients were divided into high (≥500 mL) and low (<500 mL) 24-hour fluid output, and detailed flow curves were plotted graphically to identify arithmetic patterns predicting fluid output in the early (≤24 hours) and later (24–48 hours) post-operative phase. Furthermore, multiple logistic regression analysis was used to predict high 24-hour fluid output using baseline data. Data were obtained from 50 patients, where 52% had a fluid output of <500 mL/24 hours. From visual assessment of flow curves, patients were grouped according to fluid output 6 hours postoperatively. An output ≥200 mL/6 hours was predictive of ‘high 24-hour fluid output’ (P<0.0001). However, 33% of patients with <200 mL/6 hours ended with a ‘high 24-hour fluid output’. Baseline data showed no predictive value of fluid production, and 24-hour fluid output had no predictive value of fluid output between 24 and 48 hours. Assessment of initial fluid production may predict high 24-hour fluid output (≥500 mL) but seems to lack clinical value in drain removal criteria. PMID:28840021

Postimpact heat conduction and compaction-driven fluid flow in the Chesapeake Bay impact structure based on downhole vitrinite reflectance data, ICDP-USGS Eyreville deep core holes and Cape Charles test holes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Malinconico, M.L.; Sanford, W.E.; Wright, Horton W.J.J.

2009-01-01

Vitrinite reflectance data from the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP)-U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Eyreville deep cores in the centralcrater moat of the Chesapeake Bay impact structure and the Cape Charles test holes on the central uplift show patterns of postimpact maximum-temperature distribution that result from a combination of conductive and advective heat flow. Within the crater-fill sediment-clast breccia sequence at Eyreville, an isoreflectance (-0.44% Ro) section (525-1096 m depth) is higher than modeled background coastal-plain maturity and shows a pattern typical of advective fluid flow. Below an intervening granite slab, a short interval of sediment-clast breccia (1371-1397 m) shows a sharp increase in reflectance (0.47%-0.91% Ro) caused by conductive heat from the underlying suevite (1397-1474 m). Refl ectance data in the uppermost suevite range from 1.2% to 2.1% Ro. However, heat conduction alone is not sufficient to affect the temperature of sediments more than 100 m above the suevite. Thermal modeling of the Eyreville suevite as a 390 ??C cooling sill-like hot rock layer supplemented by compaction- driven vertical fluid flow (0.046 m/a) of cooling suevitic fluids and deeper basement brines (120 ??C) upward through the sediment breccias closely reproduces the measured reflectance data. This scenario would also replace any marine water trapped in the crater fill with more saline brine, similar to that currently in the crater, and it would produce temperatures sufficient to kill microbes in sediment breccias within 450 m above the synimsuevite. A similar downhole maturity pattern is present in the sediment-clast breccia over the central uplift. High-reflectance (5%-9%) black shale and siltstone clasts in the suevite and sediment-clast breccia record a pre-impact (Paleozoic?) metamorphic event. Previously published maturity data in the annular trough indicate no thermal effect there from impact-related processes. ?? 2009 The Geological Society of America.

Fluid mechanics of human fetal right ventricles from image-based computational fluid dynamics using 4D clinical ultrasound scans.

PubMed

Wiputra, Hadi; Lai, Chang Quan; Lim, Guat Ling; Heng, Joel Jia Wei; Guo, Lan; Soomar, Sanah Merchant; Leo, Hwa Liang; Biwas, Arijit; Mattar, Citra Nurfarah Zaini; Yap, Choon Hwai

2016-12-01

There are 0.6-1.9% of US children who were born with congenital heart malformations. Clinical and animal studies suggest that abnormal blood flow forces might play a role in causing these malformation, highlighting the importance of understanding the fetal cardiovascular fluid mechanics. We performed computational fluid dynamics simulations of the right ventricles, based on four-dimensional ultrasound scans of three 20-wk-old normal human fetuses, to characterize their flow and energy dynamics. Peak intraventricular pressure gradients were found to be 0.2-0.9 mmHg during systole, and 0.1-0.2 mmHg during diastole. Diastolic wall shear stresses were found to be around 1 Pa, which could elevate to 2-4 Pa during systole in the outflow tract. Fetal right ventricles have complex flow patterns featuring two interacting diastolic vortex rings, formed during diastolic E wave and A wave. These rings persisted through the end of systole and elevated wall shear stresses in their proximity. They were observed to conserve ∼25.0% of peak diastolic kinetic energy to be carried over into the subsequent systole. However, this carried-over kinetic energy did not significantly alter the work done by the heart for ejection. Thus, while diastolic vortexes played a significant role in determining spatial patterns and magnitudes of diastolic wall shear stresses, they did not have significant influence on systolic ejection. Our results can serve as a baseline for future comparison with diseased hearts. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

The Fluid Mechanics of Natural Ventilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linden, P. F.

1999-01-01

Natural ventilation of buildings is the flow generated by temperature differences and by the wind. The governing feature of this flow is the exchange between an interior space and the external ambient. Although the wind may often appear to be the dominant driving mechanism, in many circumstances temperature variations play a controlling feature on the ventilation since the directional buoyancy force has a large influence on the flow patterns within the space and on the nature of the exchange with the outside. Two forms of ventilation are discussed: mixing ventilation, in which the interior is at an approximately uniform temperature, and displacement ventilation, where there is strong internal stratification. The dynamics of these buoyancy-driven flows are considered, and the effects of wind on them are examined. The aim behind this work is to give designers rules and intuition on how air moves within a building; the research reveals a fascinating branch of fluid mechanics.

Thermophoretic motion behavior of submicron particles in boundary-layer-separation flow around a droplet.

PubMed

Wang, Ao; Song, Qiang; Ji, Bingqiang; Yao, Qiang

2015-12-01

As a key mechanism of submicron particle capture in wet deposition and wet scrubbing processes, thermophoresis is influenced by the flow and temperature fields. Three-dimensional direct numerical simulations were conducted to quantify the characteristics of the flow and temperature fields around a droplet at three droplet Reynolds numbers (Re) that correspond to three typical boundary-layer-separation flows (steady axisymmetric, steady plane-symmetric, and unsteady plane-symmetric flows). The thermophoretic motion of submicron particles was simulated in these cases. Numerical results show that the motion of submicron particles around the droplet and the deposition distribution exhibit different characteristics under three typical flow forms. The motion patterns of particles are dependent on their initial positions in the upstream and flow forms. The patterns of particle motion and deposition are diversified as Re increases. The particle motion pattern, initial position of captured particles, and capture efficiency change periodically, especially during periodic vortex shedding. The key effects of flow forms on particle motion are the shape and stability of the wake behind the droplet. The drag force of fluid and the thermophoretic force in the wake contribute jointly to the deposition of submicron particles after the boundary-layer separation around a droplet.

Flow pattern in the ventricle of brain with cilia beating and CSF circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yong; Westendorf, Christian; Faubel, Regina; Eichele, Gregor; Bodenschatz, Eberhard

We recently discovered that cilia of the ventral third ventricle (v3V) of mammalian brain generate a complex flow network close to the wall. However, the flow pattern in the overall three dimensional v3V, especially under physiological condition, remains to be investigated. Computational fluid dynamics is arguably the best approach for such investigations. Several v3V geometries are reconstructed from different data for comparison study. The lattice Boltzmann method and immersed boundary method are used to reproduce the experimental set-up for an opened v3V firstly. The experimentally recorded cilia induced flow network is projected on the curved v3V wall. The flow maps obtained numerically at different heights from the v3V wall agree with the experimental data qualitatively. We then consider the entire v3V with ciliary flow network along the wall for boundary condition. Moreover, we add a time dependent flow rate to represent the CSF circulation, and study flow pattern in the ventricle. We thank the Max Planck Society (MPG) for financial support. This work is conducted within the Physics and Medicine Initiative at Goettingen Campus between MPG and University Medical Center.

A numerical investigation of the fluid mechanical sewing machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brun, P.-T.; Ribe, N. M.; Audoly, B.

2012-04-01

A thin thread of viscous fluid falling onto a moving belt generates a surprising variety of patterns depending on the belt speed, fall height, flow rate, and fluid properties. Here, we simulate this experiment numerically using the discrete viscous threads method that can predict the non-steady dynamics of thin viscous filaments, capturing the combined effects of inertia and of deformation by stretching, bending, and twisting. Our simulations successfully reproduce nine out of ten different patterns previously seen in the laboratory and agree closely with the experimental phase diagram of Morris et al. [Phys. Rev. E 77, 066218 (2008)], 10.1103/PhysRevE.77.066218. We propose a new classification of the patterns based on the Fourier spectra of the longitudinal and transverse motion of the point of contact of the thread with the belt. These frequencies appear to be locked in most cases to simple ratios of the frequency Ωc of steady coiling obtained in the limit of zero belt speed. In particular, the intriguing "alternating loops" pattern is produced by combining the first five multiples of Ωc/3.

Pleistocene hydrology of North America: The role of ice sheets in reorganizing groundwater flow systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Person, Mark; McIntosh, Jennifer; Bense, Victor; Remenda, V. H.

2007-09-01

While the geomorphic consequences of Pleistocene megafloods have been known for some time, it has been only in the past 2 decades that hydrogeologists and glaciologists alike have begun to appreciate the important impact that ice sheet-aquifer interactions have had in controlling subsurface flow patterns, recharge rates, and the distribution of fresh water in confined aquifer systems across North America. In this paper, we document the numerous lines of geochemical, isotopic, and geomechanical evidence of ice sheet hydrogeology across North America. We also review the mechanical, thermal, and hydrologic processes that control subsurface fluid migration beneath ice sheets. Finite element models of subsurface fluid flow, permafrost formation, and ice sheet loading are presented to investigate the coupled nature of transport processes during glaciation/deglaciation. These indicate that recharge rates as high as 10 times modern values occurred as the Laurentide Ice Sheet overran the margins of sedimentary basins. The effects of ice sheet loading and permafrost formation result in complex transient flow patterns within aquifers and confining units alike. Using geochemical and environmental isotopic data, we estimate that the volume of glacial meltwater emplaced at the margins of sedimentary basins overrun by the Laurentide Ice Sheet totals about 3.7 × 104 km3, which is about 0.2% of the volume of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. Subglacial infiltration estimates based on continental-scale hydrologic models are even higher (5-10% of meltwater generated). These studies in sum call into question the widely held notion that groundwater flow patterns within confined aquifer systems are controlled primarily by the water table configuration during the Pleistocene. Rather, groundwater flow patterns were likely much more complex and transient in nature than has previously been thought. Because Pleistocene recharge rates are believed to be highly variable, these studies have profound implications for water resource managers charged with determining sustainable pumping rates from confined aquifers that host ice sheet meltwater.

Combined effects of magnetic field and partial slip on obliquely striking rheological fluid over a stretching surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadeem, S.; Mehmood, Rashid; Akbar, Noreen Sher

2015-03-01

This study explores the collective effects of partial slip and transverse magnetic field on an oblique stagnation point flow of a rheological fluid. The prevailing momentum equations are designed by manipulating Casson fluid model. By applying the suitable similarity transformations, the governing system of equations is being transformed into coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The resulting system is handled numerically through midpoint integration scheme together with Richardson's extrapolation. It is found that both normal and tangential velocity profiles decreases with an increase in magnetic field as well as slip parameter. Streamlines pattern are presented to study the actual impact of slip mechanism and magnetic field on the oblique flow. A suitable comparison with the previous literature is also provided to confirm the accuracy of present results for the limiting case.

Hydromechanical heterogeneities of a mature fault zone: impacts on fluid flow.

PubMed

Jeanne, Pierre; Guglielmi, Yves; Cappa, Frédéric

2013-01-01

In this paper, fluid flow is examined for a mature strike-slip fault zone with anisotropic permeability and internal heterogeneity. The hydraulic properties of the fault zone were first characterized in situ by microgeophysical (VP and σc ) and rock-quality measurements (Q-value) performed along a 50-m long profile perpendicular to the fault zone. Then, the local hydrogeological context of the fault was modified to conduct a water-injection test. The resulting fluid pressures and flow rates through the different fault-zone compartments were then analyzed with a two-phase fluid-flow numerical simulation. Fault hydraulic properties estimated from the injection test signals were compared to the properties estimated from the multiscale geological approach. We found that (1) the microgeophysical measurements that we made yield valuable information on the porosity and the specific storage coefficient within the fault zone and (2) the Q-value method highlights significant contrasts in permeability. Fault hydrodynamic behavior can be modeled by a permeability tensor rotation across the fault zone and by a storativity increase. The permeability tensor rotation is linked to the modification of the preexisting fracture properties and to the development of new fractures during the faulting process, whereas the storativity increase results from the development of micro- and macrofractures that lower the fault-zone stiffness and allows an increased extension of the pore space within the fault damage zone. Finally, heterogeneities internal to the fault zones create complex patterns of fluid flow that reflect the connections of paths with contrasting properties. © 2013, The Author(s). Ground Water © 2013, National Ground Water Association.

Fluid-flow pressure measurements and thermo-fluid characterization of a single loop two-phase passive heat transfer device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilinca, A.; Mangini, D.; Mameli, M.; Fioriti, D.; Filippeschi, S.; Araneo, L.; Roth, N.; Marengo, M.

2017-11-01

A Novel Single Loop Pulsating Heat Pipe (SLPHP), with an inner diameter of 2 mm, filled up with two working fluids (Ethanol and FC-72, Filling Ratio of 60%), is tested in Bottom Heated mode varying the heating power and the orientation. The static confinement diameter for Ethanol and FC-72, respectively 3.4 mm and 1.7mm, is above and slightly under the inner diameter of the tube. This is important for a better understanding of the working principle of the device very close to the limit between the Loop Thermosyphon and Pulsating Heat Pipe working modes. With respect to previous SLPHP experiments found in the literature, such device is designed with two transparent inserts mounted between the evaporator and the condenser allowing direct fluid flow visualization. Two highly accurate pressure transducers permit local pressure measurements just at the edges of one of the transparent inserts. Additionally, three heating elements are controlled independently, so as to vary the heating distribution at the evaporator. It is found that peculiar heating distributions promote the slug/plug flow motion in a preferential direction, increasing the device overall performance. Pressure measurements point out that the pressure drop between the evaporator and the condenser are related to the flow pattern. Furthermore, at high heat inputs, the flow regimes recorded for the two fluids are very similar, stressing that, when the dynamic effects start to play a major role in the system, the device classification between Loop Thermosyphon and Pulsating Heat Pipe is not that sharp anymore.

Insertable fluid flow passage bridgepiece and method

DOEpatents

Jones, Daniel O.

2000-01-01

A fluid flow passage bridgepiece for insertion into an open-face fluid flow channel of a fluid flow plate is provided. The bridgepiece provides a sealed passage from a columnar fluid flow manifold to the flow channel, thereby preventing undesirable leakage into and out of the columnar fluid flow manifold. When deployed in the various fluid flow plates that are used in a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell, bridgepieces of this invention prevent mixing of reactant gases, leakage of coolant or humidification water, and occlusion of the fluid flow channel by gasket material. The invention also provides a fluid flow plate assembly including an insertable bridgepiece, a fluid flow plate adapted for use with an insertable bridgepiece, and a method of manufacturing a fluid flow plate with an insertable fluid flow passage bridgepiece.

Cerebrospinal and Interstitial Fluid Transport via the Glymphatic Pathway Modeled by Optimal Mass Transport

PubMed Central

Ratner, Vadim; Gao, Yi; Lee, Hedok; Elkin, Rena; Nedergaard, Maiken; Benveniste, Helene; Tannenbaum, Allen

2017-01-01

The glymphatic pathway is a system which facilitates continuous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid (ISF) exchange and plays a key role in removing waste products from the rodent brain. Dysfunction of the glymphatic pathway may be implicated in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease. Intriguingly, the glymphatic system is most active during deep wave sleep general anesthesia. By using paramagnetic tracers administered into CSF of rodents, we previously showed the utility of MRI in characterizing a macroscopic whole brain view of glymphatic transport but we have yet to define and visualize the specific flow patterns. Here we have applied an alternative mathematical analysis approach to a dynamic time series of MRI images acquired every 4 min over ∼3 hrs in anesthetized rats, following administration of a small molecular weight paramagnetic tracer into the CSF reservoir of the cisterna magna. We use Optimal Mass Transport (OMT) to model the glymphatic flow vector field, and then analyze the flow to find the network of CSF-ISF flow channels. We use 3D visualization computational tools to visualize the OMT defined network of CSF-ISF flow channels in relation to anatomical and vascular key landmarks from the live rodent brain. The resulting OMT model of the glymphatic transport network agrees largely with the current understanding of the glymphatic transport patterns defined by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI revealing key CSF transport pathways along the ventral surface of the brain with a trajectory towards the pineal gland, cerebellum, hypothalamus and olfactory bulb. In addition, the OMT analysis also revealed some interesting previously unnoticed behaviors regarding CSF transport involving parenchymal streamlines moving from ventral reservoirs towards the surface of the brain, olfactory bulb and large central veins. PMID:28323163

Cerebrospinal and interstitial fluid transport via the glymphatic pathway modeled by optimal mass transport.

PubMed

Ratner, Vadim; Gao, Yi; Lee, Hedok; Elkin, Rena; Nedergaard, Maiken; Benveniste, Helene; Tannenbaum, Allen

2017-05-15

The glymphatic pathway is a system which facilitates continuous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid (ISF) exchange and plays a key role in removing waste products from the rodent brain. Dysfunction of the glymphatic pathway may be implicated in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease. Intriguingly, the glymphatic system is most active during deep wave sleep general anesthesia. By using paramagnetic tracers administered into CSF of rodents, we previously showed the utility of MRI in characterizing a macroscopic whole brain view of glymphatic transport but we have yet to define and visualize the specific flow patterns. Here we have applied an alternative mathematical analysis approach to a dynamic time series of MRI images acquired every 4min over ∼3h in anesthetized rats, following administration of a small molecular weight paramagnetic tracer into the CSF reservoir of the cisterna magna. We use Optimal Mass Transport (OMT) to model the glymphatic flow vector field, and then analyze the flow to find the network of CSF-ISF flow channels. We use 3D visualization computational tools to visualize the OMT defined network of CSF-ISF flow channels in relation to anatomical and vascular key landmarks from the live rodent brain. The resulting OMT model of the glymphatic transport network agrees largely with the current understanding of the glymphatic transport patterns defined by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI revealing key CSF transport pathways along the ventral surface of the brain with a trajectory towards the pineal gland, cerebellum, hypothalamus and olfactory bulb. In addition, the OMT analysis also revealed some interesting previously unnoticed behaviors regarding CSF transport involving parenchymal streamlines moving from ventral reservoirs towards the surface of the brain, olfactory bulb and large central veins. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Prey handling using whole-body fluid dynamics in batoids.

PubMed

Wilga, Cheryl D; Maia, Anabela; Nauwelaerts, Sandra; Lauder, George V

2012-02-01

Fluid flow generated by body movements is a foraging tactic that has been exploited by many benthic species. In this study, the kinematics and hydrodynamics of prey handling behavior in little skates, Leucoraja erinacea, and round stingrays, Urobatis halleri, are compared using kinematics and particle image velocimetry. Both species use the body to form a tent to constrain the prey with the pectoral fin edges pressed against the substrate. Stingrays then elevate the head, which increases the volume between the body and the substrate to generate suction, while maintaining pectoral fin contact with the substrate. Meanwhile, the tip of the rostrum is curled upwards to create an opening where fluid is drawn under the body, functionally analogous to suction-feeding fishes. Skates also rotate the rostrum upwards although with the open rostral sides and the smaller fin area weaker fluid flow is generated. However, skates also use a rostral strike behavior in which the rostrum is rapidly rotated downwards pushing fluid towards the substrate to potentially stun or uncover prey. Thus, both species use the anterior portion of the body to direct fluid flow to handle prey albeit in different ways, which may be explained by differences in morphology. Rostral stiffness and pectoral fin insertion onto the rostrum differ between skates and rays and this corresponds to behavioral differences in prey handling resulting in distinct fluid flow patterns. The flexible muscular rostrum and greater fin area of stingrays allow more extensive use of suction to handle prey while the stiff cartilaginous rostrum of skates lacking extensive fin insertion is used as a paddle to strike prey as well as to clear away sand cover. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Evaluation and comparison of nasal airway flow patterns among three subjects from Caucasian, Chinese and Indian ethnic groups using computational fluid dynamics simulation.

PubMed

Zhu, Jian Hua; Lee, Heow Pueh; Lim, Kian Meng; Lee, Shu Jin; Wang, De Yun

2011-01-31

Nasal airflow is one of the most important determinants for nasal physiology. During the long evolution of human beings, different races have developed their own attributes of nasal morphologies which result in variations of nasal airflow patterns and nasal functions. This study evaluated and compared the effects of differences of nasal morphology among three healthy male subjects from Caucasian, Chinese and Indian ethnic groups on nasal airflow patterns using computational fluid dynamics simulation. By examining the anterior nasal airway, the nasal indices and the nostril shapes of the three subjects were found to be similar to nasal cavities of respective ethnic groups. Computed tomography images of these three subjects were obtained to reconstruct 3-dimensional models of nasal cavities. To retain the flow characteristics around the nasal vestibules, a 40 mm-radius semi sphere was assembled around the human face for the prescription of zero ambient gauge pressure. The results show that more airflow tends to pass through the middle passage of the nasal airway in the Caucasian model, and through the inferior portion in the Indian model. The Indian model was found with extremely low flow flux flowing through the olfactory region. The sizes of vortexes near the anterior cavity were found to be correlated with the angles between the upper nasal valve wall and the anterior head of the nasal cavity. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anisotropic dispersion and attenuation due to wave-induced fluid flow: Quasi-static finite element modeling in poroelastic solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wenzlau, F.; Altmann, J. B.; Müller, T. M.

2010-07-01

Heterogeneous porous media such as hydrocarbon reservoir rocks are effectively described as anisotropic viscoelastic solids. They show characteristic velocity dispersion and attenuation of seismic waves within a broad frequency band, and an explanation for this observation is the mechanism of wave-induced pore fluid flow. Various theoretical models quantify dispersion and attenuation of normal incident compressional waves in finely layered porous media. Similar models of shear wave attenuation are not known, nor do general theories exist to predict wave-induced fluid flow effects in media with a more complex distribution of medium heterogeneities. By using finite element simulations of poroelastic relaxation, the total frequency-dependent complex stiffness tensor can be computed for a porous medium with arbitrary internal heterogeneity. From the stiffness tensor, velocity dispersion and frequency-dependent attenuation are derived for compressional and shear waves as a function of the angle of incidence. We apply our approach to the case of layered media and to that of an ellipsoidal poroelastic inclusion. In the case of the ellipsoidal inclusion, compressional and shear wave modes show significant attenuation, and the characteristic frequency dependence of the effect is governed by the spatiotemporal scale of the pore fluid pressure relaxation. In our anisotropic examples, the angle dependence of the attenuation is stronger than that of the velocity dispersion. It becomes clear that the spatial attenuation patterns show specific characteristics of wave-induced fluid flow, implying that anisotropic attenuation measurements may contribute to the inversion of fluid transport properties in heterogeneous porous media.

Marangoni-induced symmetry-breaking pattern selection on viscous fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Li; Denner, Fabian; Morgan, Neal; van Wachem, Berend; Dini, Daniele

2016-11-01

Symmetry breaking transitions on curved surfaces are found in a wide range of dissipative systems, ranging from asymmetric cell divisions to structure formation in thin films. Inherent within the nonlinearities are the associated curvilinear geometry, the elastic stretching, bending and the various fluid dynamical processes. We present a generalised Swift-Hohenberg pattern selection theory on a thin, curved and viscous films in the presence of non-trivial Marangoni effect. Testing the theory with experiments on soap bubbles, we observe the film pattern selection to mimic that of the elastic wrinkling morphology on a curved elastic bilayer in regions of slow viscous flow. By examining the local state of damping of surface capillary waves we attempt to establish an equivalence between the Marangoni fluid dynamics and the nonlinear elastic shell theory above the critical wavenumber of the instabilities and propose a possible explanation for the perceived elastic-fluidic duality. The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Shell University Technology Centre for fuels and lubricants.

Acoustic concentration of particles in fluid flow

DOEpatents

Ward, Michael D.; Kaduchak, Gregory

2010-11-23

An apparatus for acoustic concentration of particles in a fluid flow includes a substantially acoustically transparent membrane and a vibration generator that define a fluid flow path therebetween. The fluid flow path is in fluid communication with a fluid source and a fluid outlet and the vibration generator is disposed adjacent the fluid flow path and is capable of producing an acoustic field in the fluid flow path. The acoustic field produces at least one pressure minima in the fluid flow path at a predetermined location within the fluid flow path and forces predetermined particles in the fluid flow path to the at least one pressure minima.

Simultaneous mixing and pumping using asymmetric microelectrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Byoung Jae; Yoon, Sang Youl; Sung, Hyung Jin; Smith, Charles G.

2007-10-01

This study proposes ideas for simultaneous mixing and pumping using asymmetric microelectrode arrays. The driving force of the mixing and pumping was based on electroosmotic flows induced by alternating current (ac) electric fields on asymmetric microelectrodes. The key idea was to bend/incline the microelectrodes like diagonal/herringbone shapes. Four patterns of the asymmetric electrode arrays were considered depending on the shape of electrode arrays. For the diagonal shape, repeated and staggered patterns of the electrode arrays were studied. For the herringbone shape, diverging and converging patterns were examined. These microelectrode patterns forced fluid flows in the lateral direction leading to mixing and in the channel direction leading to pumping. Three-dimensional numerical simulations were carried out using the linear theories of ac electro-osmosis. The performances of the mixing and pumping were assessed in terms of the mixing efficiency and the pumping flow rate. The results indicated that the helical flow motions induced by the electrode arrays play a significant role in the mixing enhancement. The pumping performance was influenced by the slip velocity at the center region of the channel compared to that near the side walls.

a New Approach for Complete Mixing by Transverse and Streamwise Flow Motions in Micro-Channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Muh-Rong; Dai, Chiau-Yi; Huang, Yang-Sheng

Mixing control is an important issue in micro-fluid chip applications, such as μTAS (Micro-Total Analysis System) or LOC (Lab-on-Chip) because the flow at micro-scale is highly laminar. Several flow control schemes had been developed for complete mixing in the micro-channels in the past decades. However, most of the mixing control schemes are performed by utilizing specific excitation devices, such as electrokinetic, magnetic or pressure drivers. This paper investigates a new control scheme which is composed of a series of flow manipulation by changing the pressure at the two inlets of the micromixer as the external excitation. The fluids from two inlets are introduced to a square mixing chamber, which provides a space where the streamwise and transverse flow motions take place. The results show that the micromixer can be used to produce a large recirculation zone with series of small transverse fringes under external excitations. It is found that this new flow pattern enhances mixing processes at the micro-scale. A complete mixing can be achieved under appropriate flow control with the corresponding design.

Documentation of roller-bearing effect on butterfly inspired grooves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gautam, Sashank; Lang, Amy

2017-11-01

Butterfly wings are covered with scales in a roof shingle pattern which align together to form grooves. The increase or decrease of laminar friction drag depends on the flow orientation to the scales. Flow in the longitudinal direction to the grooves encounters increased surface area which increases the friction drag. However, in the transverse direction, for low Re laminar flow, a single vortex is formed inside each groove and is predicted to remain stable due to the very low Re of the flow in each cavity. These embedded vortices act as roller bearings to the flow above, such that the fluid from the outer boundary layer does not mix with fluid inside the cavities. This leads to a reduction of skin friction drag when compared to a smooth surface. When the cavity flow Re is increased beyond a critical point, the vortex becomes unstable and the low-momentum fluid in the grooves mixes with the outer boundary layer flow, increasing the drag. The objective of this experiment is to determine the critical Re where the embedded vortex transitions from a stable to an unstable state using DPIV. Subsequently, for steady vortex conditions, a comparison of skin friction drag between the grooved and flat plate can show that the butterfly scaled surface can result in sub-laminar friction drag. The National Science Foundation (Grant No. 1335848).

Numerical and experimental investigation of the 3D free surface flow in a model Pelton turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiereder, R.; Riemann, S.; Schilling, R.

2010-08-01

This investigation focuses on the numerical and experimental analysis of the 3D free surface flow in a Pelton turbine. In particular, two typical flow conditions occurring in a full scale Pelton turbine - a configuration with a straight inlet as well as a configuration with a 90 degree elbow upstream of the nozzle - are considered. Thereby, the effect of secondary flow due to the 90 degree bending of the upstream pipe on the characteristics of the jet is explored. The hybrid flow field consists of pure liquid flow within the conduit and free surface two component flow of the liquid jet emerging out of the nozzle into air. The numerical results are validated against experimental investigations performed in the laboratory of the Institute of Fluid Mechanics (FLM). For the numerical simulation of the flow the in-house unstructured fully parallelized finite volume solver solver3D is utilized. An advanced interface capturing model based on the classic Volume of Fluid method is applied. In order to ensure sharp interface resolution an additional convection term is added to the transport equation of the volume fraction. A collocated variable arrangement is used and the set of non-linear equations, containing fluid conservation equations and model equations for turbulence and volume fraction, are solved in a segregated manner. For pressure-velocity coupling the SIMPLE and PISO algorithms are implemented. Detailed analysis of the observed flow patterns in the jet and of the jet geometry are presented.

CFD modelling of liquid-solid transport in the horizontal eccentric annuli

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sayindla, Sneha; Challabotla, Niranjan Reddy

2017-11-01

In oil and gas drilling operations, different types of drilling fluids are used to transport the solid cuttings in an annulus between drill pipe and well casing. The inner pipe is often eccentric and flow inside the annulus can be laminar or turbulent regime. In the present work, Eulerian-Eulerian granular multiphase CFD model is developed to systematically investigate the effect of the rheology of the drilling fluid type (Newtonian and non-Newtonian), drill pipe eccentricity and inner pipe rotation on the efficiency of cuttings transport. Both laminar and turbulent flow regimes were considered. Frictional pressure drop is computed and compared with the flow loop experimental results reported in the literature. The results confirm that the annular frictional pressure loss in a fully eccentric annulus are significantly lesser than the concentric annulus. Inner pipe rotation improve the efficiency of the cuttings transport in laminar flow regime. Cuttings transport velocity and concentration distribution were analysed to predict the different flow patterns such as stationary bed, moving bed, heterogeneous and homogeneous bed formation.

Noise Production of an Idealized Two-Dimensional Fish School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagenhoffer, Nathan; Moored, Keith; Jaworski, Justin

2017-11-01

The analysis of quiet bio-inspired propulsive concepts requires a rapid, unified computational framework that integrates the coupled fluid-solid dynamics of swimmers and their wakes with the resulting noise generation. Such a framework is presented for two-dimensional flows, where the fluid motion is modeled by an unsteady boundary element method with a vortex-particle wake. The unsteady surface forces from the potential flow solver are then passed to an acoustic boundary element solver to predict the radiated sound in low-Mach-number flows. The coupled flow-acoustic solver is validated against canonical vortex-sound problems. A diamond arrangement of four airfoils are subjected to traveling wave kinematics representing a known idealized pattern for a school of fish, and the airfoil motion and inflow values are derived from the range of Strouhal values common to many natural swimmers. The coupled flow-acoustic solver estimates and analyzes the hydrodynamic performance and noise production of the idealized school of swimmers.

Wettability and Flow Rate Impacts on Immiscible Displacement: A Theoretical Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Ran; Wan, Jiamin; Yang, Zhibing; Chen, Yi-Feng; Tokunaga, Tetsu

2018-04-01

When a more viscous fluid displaces a less viscous one in porous media, viscous pressure drop stabilizes the displacement front against capillary pressure fluctuation. For this favorable viscous ratio conditions, previous studies focused on the front instability under slow flow conditions but did not address competing effects of wettability and flow rate. Here we study how this competition controls displacement patterns. We propose a theoretical model that describes the crossover from fingering to stable flow as a function of invading fluid contact angle θ and capillary number Ca. The phase diagram predicted by the model shows that decreasing θ stabilizes the displacement for θ≥45° and the critical contact angle θc increases with Ca. The boundary between corner flow and cooperative filling for θ < 45° is also described. This work extends the classic phase diagram and has potential applications in predicting CO2 capillary trapping and manipulating wettability to enhance gas/oil displacement efficiency.

Electro-Active Device Using Radial Electric Field Piezo-Diaphragm for Control of Fluid Movement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Robert G. (Inventor); Working, Dennis C. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

A fluid-control electro-active device includes a piezo-diaphragm made from a ferroelectric material sandwiched by first and second electrode patterns configured to introduce an electric field into the ferroelectric material when voltage is applied thereto. The electric field originates at a region of the ferroelectric material between the first and second electrode patterns, and extends radially outward from this region of the ferroelectric material and substantially parallel to the plane of the ferroelectric material. The piezo-diaphragm deflects symmetrically about this region in a direction substantially perpendicular to the electric field. An annular region coupled to and extending radially outward from the piezo-diaphragm perimetrically borders the piezo-diaphragm, A housing is connected to the region and at least one fluid flow path with piezo-diaphragm disposed therein.

Diffuse-interface approach to rotating Hele-Shaw flows.

PubMed

Chen, Ching-Yao; Huang, Yu-Sheng; Miranda, José A

2011-10-01

When two fluids of different densities move in a rotating Hele-Shaw cell, the interface between them becomes centrifugally unstable and deforms. Depending on the viscosity contrast of the system, distinct types of complex patterns arise at the fluid-fluid boundary. Deformations can also induce the emergence of interfacial singularities and topological changes such as droplet pinch-off and self-intersection. We present numerical simulations based on a diffuse-interface model for this particular two-phase displacement that capture a variety of pattern-forming behaviors. This is implemented by employing a Boussinesq Hele-Shaw-Cahn-Hilliard approach, considering the whole range of possible values for the viscosity contrast, and by including inertial effects due to the Coriolis force. The role played by these two physical contributions on the development of interface singularities is illustrated and discussed.

New insights into turbulent pedestrian movement pattern in crowd-quakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, J.; Song, W. G.; Lo, S. M.; Fang, Z. M.

2013-02-01

Video recordings right before the Love Parade disaster have been quantitatively analyzed to explore the bursts of unusual crowd movement patterns, crowd-quakes. The pedestrian movement pattern in this incident was special for the reason that it happened in a congested counter flow scenario, where stopped pedestrians were involved. No one was believed to have pushed others intentionally at the beginning, however, under this situation, the body contacts among the pedestrians still induced a force spread, which then led to velocity fluctuation. As indicated by the individual velocity-related features, the densely crowded pedestrian movement displayed turbulent flow features. Further analyzing the overall flow field, we also found that the pedestrian flow field shared typical patterns with turbulent fluid flow. As a result of the turbulent state, different clusters of pedestrians displayed different velocity features. Thus crowd pressure which took into account the velocity and density information was proved to be a good indicator of crowd disasters. Based on these essential features of pedestrian crowd-quakes, a minimal model, i.e., a pedestrian crowd-quake model, was established. Effects including pedestrian gait, stress conservation level and personal intention to escape were explored.

A numerical solution of the supersonic flow over a rearward facing step with transverse non-reacting hydrogen injection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berman, H. A.; Anderson, J. D., Jr.; Drummond, J. P.

1982-01-01

The present investigation represents an application of computational fluid dynamics to a problem associated with the flow in the combustor region of a supersonic combustion ramjet engine (scramjet). The governing equations are considered, taking into account the Navier-Stokes equations, a molecular viscosity calculation, the molecular thermal conductivity, molecular diffusion, and a turbulence model. The employed numerical solution is patterned after the explicit, time-dependent, unsplit, predictor-corrector, finite-difference method given by MacCormack (1969). The calculation is concerned with the supersonic flow over a rearward-facing step with transverse H2 injection at conditions germane to the combustor region of a scramjet engine. The H2 jet acts as an effective body which essentially shields the primary flow from the rearward-facing step, thus substantially changing the wave pattern in the primary flow.

Optimal-mass-transfer-based estimation of glymphatic transport in living brain

PubMed Central

Zhu, Liangjia; Kolesov, Ivan; Nedergaard, Maiken; Benveniste, Helene; Tannenbaum, Allen

2016-01-01

It was recently shown that the brain-wide cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid exchange system designated the ‘glymphatic pathway’ plays a key role in removing waste products from the brain, similarly to the lymphatic system in other body organs1,2. It is therefore important to study the flow patterns of glymphatic transport through the live brain in order to better understand its functionality in normal and pathological states. Unlike blood, the CSF does not flow rapidly through a network of dedicated vessels, but rather through para-vascular channels and brain parenchyma in a slower time-domain, and thus conventional fMRI or other blood-flow sensitive MRI sequences do not provide much useful information about the desired flow patterns. We have accordingly analyzed a series of MRI images, taken at different times, of the brain of a live rat, which was injected with a paramagnetic tracer into the CSF via the lumbar intrathecal space of the spine. Our goal is twofold: (a) find glymphatic (tracer) flow directions in the live rodent brain; and (b) provide a model of a (healthy) brain that will allow the prediction of tracer concentrations given initial conditions. We model the liquid flow through the brain by the diffusion equation. We then use the Optimal Mass Transfer (OMT) approach3 to derive the glymphatic flow vector field, and estimate the diffusion tensors by analyzing the (changes in the) flow. Simulations show that the resulting model successfully reproduces the dominant features of the experimental data. PMID:26877579

Experimental evidence of thermal vibrational convection in a nonuniformly heated fluid in a reduced gravity environment.

PubMed

Mialdun, A; Ryzhkov, I I; Melnikov, D E; Shevtsova, V

2008-08-22

We report experimental evidence of convection caused by translational vibration of nonuniformly heated fluid in low gravity. The theory of vibrational convection in weightlessness is well developed but direct experimental proof has been missing. An innovative point of the experiment is the observation of a temperature field in the front and side views of the cubic cell. In addition, particle tracing is employed. The evolution of this field is studied systematically in a wide range of frequencies and amplitudes. The flow structures reported in previous numerical studies are confirmed. The transition from four-vortex flow to the pattern with three vortices is observed in the transient state.

On the Propagation of Small Perturbations in Two Simple Aeroelastic Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iollo, Angelo; Salas, Manuel D.

1998-01-01

In this paper we investigate the wave propagation patterns for two simple flow-structure problems. We focus on the study of the propagation speeds of the waves in the fluid and in the structure, as the rigidity of the structure and the Mach number of the undisturbed flow are changing. Some implications concerning the sound emission by inhomogeneities eventually present in the structure are discussed.

Laser imaging in liquid-liquid flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abidin, M. I. I. Zainal; Park, Kyeong H.; Voulgaropoulos, Victor; Chinaud, Maxime; Angeli, Panagiota

2016-11-01

In this work, the flow patterns formed during the horizontal flow of two immiscible liquids are studied. The pipe is made from acrylic, has an ID of 26 mm and a length of 4 m. A silicone oil (5cSt) and a water/glycerol mixture are used as test fluids. This set of liquids is chosen to match the refractive indices of the phases and enable laser based flow pattern identification. A double pulsed Nd:Yag laser was employed (532mm) with the appropriate optics to generate a laser sheet at the middle of the pipe. The aqueous phase was dyed with Rhodamine 6G, to distinguish between the two phases. Experiments were carried out for mixture velocities ranging from 0.15 to 2 m/s. Different inlet designs were used to actuate flow patterns in a controlled way and observe their development downstream the test section. A static mixer produced dispersed flow at the inlet which separated downstream due to enhanced coalescence. On the other hand, the use of a cylindrical bluff body at the inlet created non-linear interfacial waves in initially stratified flows from which drops detached leading to the transition to dispersed patterns. From the detailed images important flow parameters were measured such as wave characteristics and drop size. Project funded under the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Programme Grant MEMPHIS.

Dynamics of ferrofluidic flow in the Taylor-Couette system with a small aspect ratio

PubMed Central

Altmeyer, Sebastian; Do, Younghae; Lai, Ying-Cheng

2017-01-01

We investigate fundamental nonlinear dynamics of ferrofluidic Taylor-Couette flow - flow confined be-tween two concentric independently rotating cylinders - consider small aspect ratio by solving the ferro-hydrodynamical equations, carrying out systematic bifurcation analysis. Without magnetic field, we find steady flow patterns, previously observed with a simple fluid, such as those containing normal one- or two vortex cells, as well as anomalous one-cell and twin-cell flow states. However, when a symmetry-breaking transverse magnetic field is present, all flow states exhibit stimulated, finite two-fold mode. Various bifurcations between steady and unsteady states can occur, corresponding to the transitions between the two-cell and one-cell states. While unsteady, axially oscillating flow states can arise, we also detect the emergence of new unsteady flow states. In particular, we uncover two new states: one contains only the azimuthally oscillating solution in the configuration of the twin-cell flow state, and an-other a rotating flow state. Topologically, these flow states are a limit cycle and a quasiperiodic solution on a two-torus, respectively. Emergence of new flow states in addition to observed ones with classical fluid, indicates that richer but potentially more controllable dynamics in ferrofluidic flows, as such flow states depend on the external magnetic field. PMID:28059129

Theoretical analysis of non-linear Joule heating effects over an electro-thermal patterned flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez, Salvador; Ascanio, Gabriel; Mendez, Federico; Bautista, Oscar

2017-11-01

In this work, non-linear Joule heating effects for electro-thermal patterned flows driven inside of a slit microchannel are analyzed. Here, the movement of fluids is controlled by placing electro-thermal forces, which are generated through an imposed longitudinal electric field, E0, and the wall electric potential produced by electrodes inserted along the surface of the microchannel wall, ζ. For this analysis, viscosity and electrical conductivity of fluids are included as known functions, which depend on the temperature; therefore, in order to determine the flow, temperature and electric potential fields together with its simultaneous interactions, the equations of continuity, momentum, energy, charges distribution and electrical current have to be solved in a coupled manner. The main results obtained in the study reveal that with the presence of thermal gradients along of the microchannel, local electro-thermal forces, Fχ, are affected in a sensible manner, and consequently, the flow field is modified substantially, causing the interruption or intensification of recirculations along of the microchannel. This work was supported by the Fondo SEP-CONACYT through research Grants No. 220900 and 20171181 from SIP-IPN. F. Mendez acknowledges support from PAPIIT-UNAM under Contract Number IN112215. S. Sanchez thanks to DGAPA-UNAM for the postdoctoral fellowship.

Apparatus for suppressing formation of vortices in the coolant fluid of a nuclear reactor and associated method

DOEpatents

Ekeroth, D.E.; Garner, D.C.; Hopkins, R.J.; Land, J.T.

1993-11-30

An apparatus and method are provided for suppressing the formation of vortices in circulating coolant fluid of a nuclear reactor. A vortex-suppressing plate having a plurality of openings therein is suspended within the lower plenum of a reactor vessel below and generally parallel to the main core support of the reactor. The plate is positioned so as to intersect vortices which may form in the circulating reactor coolant fluid. The intersection of the plate with such vortices disrupts the rotational flow pattern of the vortices, thereby disrupting the formation thereof. 3 figures.

Apparatus for suppressing formation of vortices in the coolant fluid of a nuclear reactor and associated method

DOEpatents

Ekeroth, Douglas E.; Garner, Daniel C.; Hopkins, Ronald J.; Land, John T.

1993-01-01

An apparatus and method are provided for suppressing the formation of vortices in circulating coolant fluid of a nuclear reactor. A vortex-suppressing plate having a plurality of openings therein is suspended within the lower plenum of a reactor vessel below and generally parallel to the main core support of the reactor. The plate is positioned so as to intersect vortices which may form in the circulating reactor coolant fluid. The intersection of the plate with such vortices disrupts the rotational flow pattern of the vortices, thereby disrupting the formation thereof.

A magnetic fluid seal for rotary blood pumps: Behaviors of magnetic fluids in a magnetic fluid seal.

PubMed

Mitamura, Yoshinori; Yano, Tetsuya; Nakamura, Wataru; Okamoto, Eiji

2013-01-01

A magnetic fluid (MF) seal has excellent durability. The performance of an MF seal, however, has been reported to decrease in liquids (several days). We have developed an MF seal that has a shield mechanism. The seal was perfect for 275 days in water. To investigate the effect of a shield, behaviors of MFs in a seal in water were studied both experimentally and computationally. (a) Two kinds of MF seals, one with a shield and one without a shield, were installed in a centrifugal pump. Behaviors of MFs in the seals in water were observed with a video camera and high-speed microscope. In the seal without a shield, the surface of the water in the seal waved and the turbulent flow affected behaviors of the MFs. In contrast, MFs rotated stably in the seal with a shield in water even at high rotational speeds. (b) Computational fluid dynamics analysis revealed that a stationary secondary flow pattern in the seal and small velocity difference between magnetic fluid and water at the interface. These MF behaviors prolonged the life of an MF seal in water.

LES Modeling with Experimental Validation of a Compound Channel having Converging Floodplain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohanta, Abinash; Patra, K. C.

2018-04-01

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is often used to predict flow structures in developing areas of a flow field for the determination of velocity field, pressure, shear stresses, effect of turbulence and others. A two phase three-dimensional CFD model along with the large eddy simulation (LES) model is used to solve the turbulence equation. This study aims to validate CFD simulations of free surface flow or open channel flow by using volume of fluid method by comparing the data observed in hydraulics laboratory of the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela. The finite volume method with a dynamic sub grid scale was carried out for a constant aspect ratio and convergence condition. The results show that the secondary flow and centrifugal force influence flow pattern and show good agreement with experimental data. Within this paper over-bank flows have been numerically simulated using LES in order to predict accurate open channel flow behavior. The LES results are shown to accurately predict the flow features, specifically the distribution of secondary circulations both for in-bank channels as well as over-bank channels at varying depth and width ratios in symmetrically converging flood plain compound sections.

Passive micromixers with dual helical channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Keyin; Yang, Qing; Chen, Feng; Zhao, Yulong; Meng, Xiangwei; Shan, Chao; Li, Yanyang

2015-02-01

In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) micromixer with cross-linked double helical microchannels is studied to achieve rapid mixing of fluids at low Reynolds numbers (Re). The 3D micromixer takes full advantages of the chaotic advection model with helical microchannels; meanwhile, the proposed crossing structure of double helical microchannels enables two flow patterns of repelling flow and straight flow in the fluids to promote the agitation effect. The complex 3D micromixer is realized by an improved femtosecond laser wet etching (FLWE) technology embedded in fused silica. The mixing results show that cross-linked double helical microchannels can achieve excellent mixing within 3 cycles (300 μm) over a wide range of low Re (1.5×10-3~600), which compare well with the conventional passive micromixers. This highly-effective micromixer is hoped to contribute to the integration of microfluidic systems.

Video flowmeter

DOEpatents

Lord, David E.; Carter, Gary W.; Petrini, Richard R.

1983-01-01

A video flowmeter is described that is capable of specifying flow nature and pattern and, at the same time, the quantitative value of the rate of volumetric flow. An image of a determinable volumetric region within a fluid (10) containing entrained particles (12) is formed and positioned by a rod optic lens assembly (31) on the raster area of a low-light level television camera (20). The particles (12) are illuminated by light transmitted through a bundle of glass fibers (32) surrounding the rod optic lens assembly (31). Only particle images having speeds on the raster area below the raster line scanning speed may be used to form a video picture which is displayed on a video screen (40). The flowmeter is calibrated so that the locus of positions of origin of the video picture gives a determination of the volumetric flow rate of the fluid (10).

Measurement potential of laser speckle velocimetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adrian, R. J.

1982-01-01

Laser speckle velocimetry, the measurement of fluid velocity by measuring the translation of speckle pattern or individual particles that are moving with the fluid, is described. The measurement is accomplished by illuminating the fluid with consecutive pulses of Laser Light and recording the images of the particles or the speckles on a double exposed photographic plate. The plate contains flow information throughout the image plane so that a single double exposure may provide data at hundreds or thousands of points in the illuminated region of the fluid. Conventional interrogation of the specklegram involves illuminating the plate to form Young's fringes, whose spacing is inversely proportional to the speckle separation. Subsequently the fringes are digitized and analyzed in a computer to determine their frequency and orientation, yielding the velocity magnitude and orientation. The Young's fringe technique is equivalent to performing a 2-D spatial correlation of the double exposed specklegram intensity pattern, and this observation suggests that correlation should be considered as an alternative processing method. The principle of the correlation technique is examined.

Microfluidic Investigation of Oil Mobilization in Shale Fracture Networks at Reservoir Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porter, M. L.; Jimenez-Martinez, J.; Carey, J. W.; Viswanathan, H. S.

2015-12-01

Investigations of pore-scale fluid flow and transport phenomena using engineered micromodels has steadily increased in recent years. In these investigations fluid flow is restricted to two-dimensions allowing for real time visualization and quantification of complex flow and reactive transport behavior, which is difficult to obtain in other experimental systems. One drawback to these studies is the use of engineered materials that do not faithfully represent the rock properties (e.g., porosity, wettability, roughness, etc.) encountered in subsurface formations. In this work, we describe a unique high pressure (up to 1500 psi) and temperature (up to 80 °C) microfluidics experimental system in which we investigate fluid flow and transport in geo-material (e.g., shale, Portland cement, etc.) micromodels. The use of geo-material micromodels allows us to better represent fluid-rock interactions including wettability, chemical reactivity, and nano-scale porosity at conditions representative of natural subsurface environments. Here, we present experimental results in fracture systems with applications to hydrocarbon mobility in hydraulically fractured shale. Complex fracture network patterns are derived from 3D x-ray tomography images of actual fractures created in shale rock cores. We use both shale and glass micromodels, allowing for a detailed comparison between flow phenomena in the different materials. We discuss results from two-phase huff-and-puff experiments involving N2 and n-Decane, as well as three-phase displacement experiments involving supercritical CO2, brine, and n-Decane.

Comparison of phase-contrast MR and flow simulations for the study of CSF dynamics in the cervical spine.

PubMed

Lindstrøm, Erika Kristina; Schreiner, Jakob; Ringstad, Geir Andre; Haughton, Victor; Eide, Per Kristian; Mardal, Kent-Andre

2018-06-01

Background Investigators use phase-contrast magnetic resonance (PC-MR) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to assess cerebrospinal fluid dynamics. We compared qualitative and quantitative results from the two methods. Methods Four volunteers were imaged with a heavily T2-weighted volume gradient echo scan of the brain and cervical spine at 3T and with PC-MR. Velocities were calculated from PC-MR for each phase in the cardiac cycle. Mean pressure gradients in the PC-MR acquisition through the cardiac cycle were calculated with the Navier-Stokes equations. Volumetric MR images of the brain and upper spine were segmented and converted to meshes. Models of the subarachnoid space were created from volume images with the Vascular Modeling Toolkit. CFD simulations were performed with a previously verified flow solver. The flow patterns, velocities and pressures were compared in PC-MR and CFD flow images. Results PC-MR images consistently revealed more inhomogeneous flow patterns than CFD, especially in the anterolateral subarachnoid space where spinal nerve roots are located. On average, peak systolic and diastolic velocities in PC-MR exceeded those in CFD by 31% and 41%, respectively. On average, systolic and diastolic pressure gradients calculated from PC-MR exceeded those of CFD by 11% and 39%, respectively. Conclusions PC-MR shows local flow disturbances that are not evident in typical CFD. The velocities and pressure gradients calculated from PC-MR are systematically larger than those calculated from CFD.

Acoustic concentration of particles in fluid flow

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

Ward, Michael W.; Kaduchak, Gregory

Disclosed herein is a acoustic concentration of particles in a fluid flow that includes a substantially acoustically transparent membrane and a vibration generator that define a fluid flow path therebetween. The fluid flow path is in fluid communication with a fluid source and a fluid outlet and the vibration generator is disposed adjacent the fluid flow path and is capable of producing an acoustic field in the fluid flow path. The acoustic field produces at least one pressure minima in the fluid flow path at a predetermined location within the fluid flow path and forces predetermined particles in the fluidmore » flow path to the at least one pressure minima.« less

Three-dimensional numerical simulation of water droplet emerging from a gas diffusion layer surface in micro-channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Y.; Bi, H. T.; Wilkinson, D. P.

The dynamic formation of water droplets emerging from a gas diffusion layer (GDL) surface in micro-channels was simulated using the volume of fluid (VOF) method. The influence of GDL surface microstructure was investigated by changing the pore diameter and the number of pore openings on the GDL surface. Simulation results show that the microstructure of the GDL surface has a significant impact on the two-phase flow patterns in gas flow channels. For a non-uniform GDL surface, three stages were identified, namely emergence and merging on the GDL surface, accumulation on the channel sidewalls and detachment from the top wall. It was also found that if the pore size is small enough, the flow pattern in the channel does not change with further reduction in the pore diameter. However, the two-phase flow patterns change significantly with the wettability of the GDL surface and sidewalls, but remain the same when the liquid flow rate is reduced by two orders of magnitude from the reference case.

Inertial microfluidic physics.

PubMed

Amini, Hamed; Lee, Wonhee; Di Carlo, Dino

2014-08-07

Microfluidics has experienced massive growth in the past two decades, and especially with advances in rapid prototyping researchers have explored a multitude of channel structures, fluid and particle mixtures, and integration with electrical and optical systems towards solving problems in healthcare, biological and chemical analysis, materials synthesis, and other emerging areas that can benefit from the scale, automation, or the unique physics of these systems. Inertial microfluidics, which relies on the unconventional use of fluid inertia in microfluidic platforms, is one of the emerging fields that make use of unique physical phenomena that are accessible in microscale patterned channels. Channel shapes that focus, concentrate, order, separate, transfer, and mix particles and fluids have been demonstrated, however physical underpinnings guiding these channel designs have been limited and much of the development has been based on experimentally-derived intuition. Here we aim to provide a deeper understanding of mechanisms and underlying physics in these systems which can lead to more effective and reliable designs with less iteration. To place the inertial effects into context we also discuss related fluid-induced forces present in particulate flows including forces due to non-Newtonian fluids, particle asymmetry, and particle deformability. We then highlight the inverse situation and describe the effect of the suspended particles acting on the fluid in a channel flow. Finally, we discuss the importance of structured channels, i.e. channels with boundary conditions that vary in the streamwise direction, and their potential as a means to achieve unprecedented three-dimensional control over fluid and particles in microchannels. Ultimately, we hope that an improved fundamental and quantitative understanding of inertial fluid dynamic effects can lead to unprecedented capabilities to program fluid and particle flow towards automation of biomedicine, materials synthesis, and chemical process control.

Flow behaviour in normal and Meniere’s disease of endolymphatic fluid inside the inner ear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paisal, Muhammad Sufyan Amir; Azmi Wahab, Muhamad; Taib, Ishkrizat; Mat Isa, Norasikin; Ramli, Yahaya; Seri, Suzairin Md; Darlis, Nofrizalidris; Osman, Kahar; Khudzari, Ahmad Zahran Md; Nordin, Normayati

2017-09-01

Meniere’s disease is a rare disorder that affects the inner ear which might be more severe if not treated. This is due to fluctuating pressure of the fluid in the endolymphatic sac and dysfunction of cochlea which causing the stretching of vestibular membrane. However, the pattern of the flow recirculation in endolymphatic region is still not fully understood. Thus, this study aims to investigate the correlation between the increasing volume of endolymphatic fluid and flow characteristics such as velocity, pressure and wall shear stress. Three dimensional model of simplified endolymphatic region is modeled using computer aided design (CAD) software and simulated using computational fluid dynamic (CFD) software. There are three different models are investigated; normal (N) model, Meniere’s disease model with less severity (M1) and Meniere’s disease model with high severity (M2). From the observed, the pressure drop between inlet and outlet of inner ear becomes decreases as the outlet pressure along with endolymphatic volume increases. However, constant flow rate imposed at the inlet of endolymphatic showing the lowest velocity. Flow recirculation near to endolymphatic region is occurred as the volume in endolympathic increases. Overall, high velocity is monitored near to cochlear duct, ductus reuniens and endolymphatic duct. Hence, these areas show high distributions of wall shear stress (WSS) that indicating a high probability of endolymphatic wall membrane dilation. Thus, more severe conditions of Meniere’s disease, more complex of flow characteristic is occurred. This phenomenon presenting high probability of rupture is predicted at the certain area in the anatomy of vestibular system.

Computer Simulations of the Tumor Vasculature: Applications to Interstitial Fluid Flow, Drug Delivery, and Oxygen Supply.

PubMed

Welter, Michael; Rieger, Heiko

2016-01-01

Tumor vasculature, the blood vessel network supplying a growing tumor with nutrients such as oxygen or glucose, is in many respects different from the hierarchically organized arterio-venous blood vessel network in normal tissues. Angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels), vessel cooption (the integration of existing blood vessels into the tumor vasculature), and vessel regression remodel the healthy vascular network into a tumor-specific vasculature. Integrative models, based on detailed experimental data and physical laws, implement, in silico, the complex interplay of molecular pathways, cell proliferation, migration, and death, tissue microenvironment, mechanical and hydrodynamic forces, and the fine structure of the host tissue vasculature. With the help of computer simulations high-precision information about blood flow patterns, interstitial fluid flow, drug distribution, oxygen and nutrient distribution can be obtained and a plethora of therapeutic protocols can be tested before clinical trials. This chapter provides an overview over the current status of computer simulations of vascular remodeling during tumor growth including interstitial fluid flow, drug delivery, and oxygen supply within the tumor. The model predictions are compared with experimental and clinical data and a number of longstanding physiological paradigms about tumor vasculature and intratumoral solute transport are critically scrutinized.

Spiral Laminar Flow: a Survey of a Three-Dimensional Arterial Flow Pattern in a Group of Volunteers.

PubMed

Stonebridge, P A; Suttie, S A; Ross, R; Dick, J

2016-11-01

Spiral laminar flow was suggested as potentially the predominant arterial blood flow pattern many years ago. Computational fluid dynamics and flow rig testing have suggested there are advantages to spiral laminar flow. The aim of this study was to identify whether spiral laminar is the predominant flow pattern in a cohort of volunteers. This study included 42 volunteers (mean age 66.8 years). Eleven arterial sites were examined, comprising bilateral examination of the common carotid artery, internal carotid artery, external carotid artery, common femoral artery, superficial femoral artery, and the infra renal aorta. The presence or absence of spiral laminar flow, the peak systolic velocity, and the rotational velocity were assessed by colour Duplex scanning. The incidence of spiral laminar flow ranged from 81% in the internal carotid artery to 90% in the common carotid artery and the infra renal aorta. Overall, in 58% of all right-sided arteries the rotation was clockwise and 42% anticlockwise. In all left-sided arteries these numbers were reversed. Analysis on the basis of volunteer rather than examination site showed that 41/42 (97%) had more sites with spiral laminar flow than without. Only one volunteer had more sites exhibiting non-spiral laminar flow. Spiral laminar flow was the predominant flow pattern in the study population. This observation raises questions and suggests a need for further studies concerning the form and function of the left ventricle, the geometry of the arterial system, and the function of the arterial wall. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Precipitation patterns during channel flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamtveit, B.; Hawkins, C.; Benning, L. G.; Meier, D.; Hammer, O.; Angheluta, L.

2013-12-01

Mineral precipitation during channelized fluid flow is widespread in a wide variety of geological systems. It is also a common and costly phenomenon in many industrial processes that involve fluid flow in pipelines. It is often referred to as scale formation and encountered in a large number of industries, including paper production, chemical manufacturing, cement operations, food processing, as well as non-renewable (i.e. oil and gas) and renewable (i.e. geothermal) energy production. We have studied the incipient stages of growth of amorphous silica on steel plates emplaced into the central areas of the ca. 1 meter in diameter sized pipelines used at the hydrothermal power plant at Hellisheidi, Iceland (with a capacity of ca 300 MW electricity and 100 MW hot water). Silica precipitation takes place over a period of ca. 2 months at approximately 120°C and a flow rate around 1 m/s. The growth produces asymmetric ca. 1mm high dendritic structures ';leaning' towards the incoming fluid flow. A novel phase-field model combined with the lattice Boltzmann method is introduced to study how the growth morphologies vary under different hydrodynamic conditions, including non-laminar systems with turbulent mixing. The model accurately predicts the observed morphologies and is directly relevant for understanding the more general problem of precipitation influenced by turbulent mixing during flow in channels with rough walls and even for porous flow. Reference: Hawkins, C., Angheluta, L., Hammer, Ø., and Jamtveit, B., Precipitation dendrites in channel flow. Europhysics Letters, 102, 54001

Investigating flow patterns and related dynamics in multi-instability turbulent plasmas using a three-point cross-phase time delay estimation velocimetry scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandt, C.; Thakur, S. C.; Tynan, G. R.

2016-04-01

Complexities of flow patterns in the azimuthal cross-section of a cylindrical magnetized helicon plasma and the corresponding plasma dynamics are investigated by means of a novel scheme for time delay estimation velocimetry. The advantage of this introduced method is the capability of calculating the time-averaged 2D velocity fields of propagating wave-like structures and patterns in complex spatiotemporal data. It is able to distinguish and visualize the details of simultaneously present superimposed entangled dynamics and it can be applied to fluid-like systems exhibiting frequently repeating patterns (e.g., waves in plasmas, waves in fluids, dynamics in planetary atmospheres, etc.). The velocity calculations are based on time delay estimation obtained from cross-phase analysis of time series. Each velocity vector is unambiguously calculated from three time series measured at three different non-collinear spatial points. This method, when applied to fast imaging, has been crucial to understand the rich plasma dynamics in the azimuthal cross-section of a cylindrical linear magnetized helicon plasma. The capabilities and the limitations of this velocimetry method are discussed and demonstrated for two completely different plasma regimes, i.e., for quasi-coherent wave dynamics and for complex broadband wave dynamics involving simultaneously present multiple instabilities.

Investigating flow patterns and related dynamics in multi-instability turbulent plasmas using a three-point cross-phase time delay estimation velocimetry scheme

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

Brandt, C.; Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics, Wendelsteinstr. 1, D-17491 Greifswald; Thakur, S. C.

2016-04-15

Complexities of flow patterns in the azimuthal cross-section of a cylindrical magnetized helicon plasma and the corresponding plasma dynamics are investigated by means of a novel scheme for time delay estimation velocimetry. The advantage of this introduced method is the capability of calculating the time-averaged 2D velocity fields of propagating wave-like structures and patterns in complex spatiotemporal data. It is able to distinguish and visualize the details of simultaneously present superimposed entangled dynamics and it can be applied to fluid-like systems exhibiting frequently repeating patterns (e.g., waves in plasmas, waves in fluids, dynamics in planetary atmospheres, etc.). The velocity calculationsmore » are based on time delay estimation obtained from cross-phase analysis of time series. Each velocity vector is unambiguously calculated from three time series measured at three different non-collinear spatial points. This method, when applied to fast imaging, has been crucial to understand the rich plasma dynamics in the azimuthal cross-section of a cylindrical linear magnetized helicon plasma. The capabilities and the limitations of this velocimetry method are discussed and demonstrated for two completely different plasma regimes, i.e., for quasi-coherent wave dynamics and for complex broadband wave dynamics involving simultaneously present multiple instabilities.« less

Opportunities for Fluid Dynamics Research in the Forensic Discipline of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Attinger, Daniel; Moore, Craig; Donaldson, Adam; Jafari, Arian; Stone, Howard

2013-11-01

This review [Forensic Science International, vol. 231, pp. 375-396, 2013] highlights research opportunities for fluid dynamics (FD) studies related to the forensic discipline of bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA). The need for better integrating FD and BPA is mentioned in a 2009 report by the US National Research Council, entitled ``Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward''. BPA aims for practical answers to specific questions of the kind: ``How did a bloodletting incident happen?'' FD, on the other hand, aims to quantitatively describe the transport of fluids and the related causes, with general equations. BPA typically solves the indirect problem of inspecting stains in a crime scene to infer the most probable bloodletting incident that produced these patterns. FD typically defines the initial and boundary conditions of a fluid system and from there describe how the system evolves in time and space, most often in a deterministic manner. We review four topics in BPA with strong connections to FD: the generation of drops, their flight, their impact and the formation of stains. Future research on these topics would deliver new quantitative tools and methods for BPA, and present new multiphase flow problems for FD.

Coupling between Buoyancy Forces and Electroconvective Instability near Ion-Selective Surfaces.

PubMed

Karatay, Elif; Andersen, Mathias Bækbo; Wessling, Matthias; Mani, Ali

2016-05-13

Recent investigations have revealed that ion transport from aqueous electrolytes to ion-selective surfaces is subject to electroconvective instability that stems from coupling of hydrodynamics with electrostatic forces. These systems inherently involve fluid density variation set by salinity gradients. However, the coupling between the buoyancy effects and electroconvective instability has not yet been investigated although a wide range of electrochemical systems are naturally prone to these interplaying effects. In this study we thoroughly examine the interplay of gravitational convection and chaotic electroconvection. Our results reveal that buoyant forces can significantly influence the transport rates, otherwise set by electroconvection, when the Rayleigh number Ra of the system exceeds a value Ra∼1000. We show that buoyancy forces can significantly alter the flow patterns in these systems. When the buoyancy acts in the stabilizing direction, it limits the extent of penetration of electroconvection, but without eliminating it. When the buoyancy destabilizes the flow, it alters the electroconvective patterns by introducing upward and downward fingers of respectively light and heavy fluids.

Optofluidic fabrication for 3D-shaped particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulsen, Kevin S.; di Carlo, Dino; Chung, Aram J.

2015-04-01

Complex three-dimensional (3D)-shaped particles could play unique roles in biotechnology, structural mechanics and self-assembly. Current methods of fabricating 3D-shaped particles such as 3D printing, injection moulding or photolithography are limited because of low-resolution, low-throughput or complicated/expensive procedures. Here, we present a novel method called optofluidic fabrication for the generation of complex 3D-shaped polymer particles based on two coupled processes: inertial flow shaping and ultraviolet (UV) light polymerization. Pillars within fluidic platforms are used to deterministically deform photosensitive precursor fluid streams. The channels are then illuminated with patterned UV light to polymerize the photosensitive fluid, creating particles with multi-scale 3D geometries. The fundamental advantages of optofluidic fabrication include high-resolution, multi-scalability, dynamic tunability, simple operation and great potential for bulk fabrication with full automation. Through different combinations of pillar configurations, flow rates and UV light patterns, an infinite set of 3D-shaped particles is available, and a variety are demonstrated.

The golden-mean surface pattern to enhance flow mixing in micro-channel.

PubMed

Wang, J F; Liu, Y; Xu, Y S

2009-04-01

Mixing of analytes and reagents in microfluidic devices is often crucial to the effective functioning of lab-on-a-chip. It is possible to affect the mixing in microfluidics by intelligently controlling the thermodynamic and chemical properties of the substrate surface. Numerous studies have shown that the phase behavior of mixtures is significantly affected by surface properties of microfluidics. For example, the phase separation between the fluids can be affected by heterogeneous patterns on the substrate. The patterned substrate can offer an effective means to control fluid behavior and in turn to enhance mixing. The golden mean is a ratio that is present in the growth patterns of many biological systems--the spiral formed by a shell or the curve of a fern, for example. The golden mean or golden section was derived by the ancient Greeks. Like "pi" the golden mean ratio is an irrational number 1.618, or (square root{5} + 1) / 2. It was found that the golden mean was an optimum ratio in natural convection heat transfer problem (Liu and Phan-Thien, Numer Heat Transf 37:613-630, 2000). In this study, we numerically studied the effect of optimum surface pattern on mixing in a micro channel and found that the flow oscillation and chaotic mixing were enhanced apparently when the ratio of hydrophobic and hydrophilic boundary follows the golden mean.

Numerical analysis of natural convection in liquid droplets by phase change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duh, J. C.; Yang, Wen-Jei

1989-09-01

A numerical analysis is performed on thermocapillary buoyancy convection induced by phase change in a liquid droplet. A finite-difference code is developed using an alternating-direction implicit (ADI) scheme. The intercoupling relation between thermocapillary force, buoyancy force, fluid property, heat transfer, and phase change, along with their effects on the induced flow patterns, are disclosed. The flow is classified into three types: thermocapillary, buoyancy, and combined convection. Among the three mechanisms, the combined convection simulates the experimental observations quite well, and the basic mechanism of the observed convection inside evaporating sessile drops is thus identified. It is disclosed that evaporation initiates unstable convection, while condensation always brings about a stable density distribution which eventually damps out all fluid disturbances. Another numerical model is presented to study the effect of boundary recession due to evaporation, and the 'peeling-off' effect (the removal of the surface layer of fluid by evaporation) is shown to be relevant.

Numerical analysis of natural convection in liquid droplets by phase change

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duh, J. C.; Yang, Wen-Jei

1989-01-01

A numerical analysis is performed on thermocapillary buoyancy convection induced by phase change in a liquid droplet. A finite-difference code is developed using an alternating-direction implicit (ADI) scheme. The intercoupling relation between thermocapillary force, buoyancy force, fluid property, heat transfer, and phase change, along with their effects on the induced flow patterns, are disclosed. The flow is classified into three types: thermocapillary, buoyancy, and combined convection. Among the three mechanisms, the combined convection simulates the experimental observations quite well, and the basic mechanism of the observed convection inside evaporating sessile drops is thus identified. It is disclosed that evaporation initiates unstable convection, while condensation always brings about a stable density distribution which eventually damps out all fluid disturbances. Another numerical model is presented to study the effect of boundary recession due to evaporation, and the 'peeling-off' effect (the removal of the surface layer of fluid by evaporation) is shown to be relevant.

Investigation of Flow in a Centrifugal Pump

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fischer, Karl

1946-01-01

The investigation of the flow in a centrifugal pump indicated that the flow patterns in frictional fluid are fundamentally different from those in frictionless fluid. In particular, the dead air space adhering to the section side undoubtedly causes a reduction of the theoretically possible delivery head. The velocity distribution over a parallel circle is also subjected to a noticeable change as a result of the incomplete filling of the passages. The relative velocity on the pressure side of the vane, which for passages completely filled with active flow would differ little from zero even at comparatively lower than normal delivery volume, is increased, so that no rapid reverse flow occurs on the pressure side of the vane even for smaller delivery volume. It was established, further, that the flow ceases to be stationary for very small quantities of water. The inflow to the impeller can be regarded as radial for the operating range an question. The velocity triangles at the exit are subjected to a significant alteration in shape ae a result of the increased peripheral velocity, which may be of particular importance in the determination of the guide vane entrance angle.

Velocity and void distribution in a counter-current two-phase flow

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

Gabriel, S.; Schulenberg, T.; Laurien, E.

2012-07-01

Different flow regimes were investigated in a horizontal channel. Simulating a hot leg injection in case of a loss of coolant accident or flow conditions in reflux condenser mode, the hydraulic jump and partially reversed flow were identified as major constraints for a high amount of entrained water. Trying to simulate the reflux condenser mode, the test section now includes an inclined section connected to a horizontal channel. The channel is 90 mm high and 110 mm wide. Tests were carried out for water and air at ambient pressure and temperature. High speed video-metry was applied to obtain velocities frommore » flow pattern maps of the rising and falling fluid. In the horizontal part of the channel with partially reversed flow the fluid velocities were measured by planar particle image velocimetry. To obtain reliable results for the gaseous phase, this analysis was extended by endoscope measurements. Additionally, a new method based on the optical refraction at the interface between air and water in a back-light was used to obtain time-averaged void fraction. (authors)« less

Secondary Flows and Boundary-Layer Accumulations in Turbine Nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rohlik, Harold E; Kofskey, Milton G; Allen, Hubert W; Herzig, Howard Z

1954-01-01

An investigation of secondary-flow loss patterns originating in three sets of turbine nozzle blade passages was conducted by means of flow-visualization studies and detailed flow measurements. For all cases, high loss values were measured in the fluid downstream of the corners formed by the suction surfaces of the blades and the shrouds, and these losses were accompanied by discharge-angle deviations from design values. Despite the size of the loss regions and angle gradients, over-all mass-average blade efficiencies were of the order of 0.99 and 0.98 and, therefore, are not a good index of blade performance.

Three-dimensional flows in a hyperelastic vessel under external pressure.

PubMed

Zhang, Sen; Luo, Xiaoyu; Cai, Zongxi

2018-05-09

We study the collapsible behaviour of a vessel conveying viscous flows subject to external pressure, a scenario that could occur in many physiological applications. The vessel is modelled as a three-dimensional cylindrical tube of nonlinear hyperelastic material. To solve the fully coupled fluid-structure interaction, we have developed a novel approach based on the Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) method and the frontal solver. The method of rotating spines is used to enable an automatic mesh adaptation. The numerical code is verified extensively with published results and those obtained using the commercial packages in simpler cases, e.g. ANSYS for the structure with the prescribed flow, and FLUENT for the fluid flow with prescribed structure deformation. We examine three different hyperelastic material models for the tube for the first time in this context and show that at the small strain, all three material models give similar results. However, for the large strain, results differ depending on the material model used. We further study the behaviour of the tube under a mode-3 buckling and reveal its complex flow patterns under various external pressures. To understand these flow patterns, we show how energy dissipation is associated with the boundary layers created at the narrowest collapsed section of the tube, and how the transverse flow forms a virtual sink to feed a strong axial jet. We found that the energy dissipation associated with the recirculation does not coincide with the flow separation zone itself, but overlaps with the streamlines that divide the three recirculation zones. Finally, we examine the bifurcation diagrams for both mode-3 and mode-2 collapses and reveal that multiple solutions exist for a range of the Reynolds number. Our work is a step towards modelling more realistic physiological flows in collapsible arteries and veins.

Investigating Darcy-scale assumptions by means of a multiphysics algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomin, Pavel; Lunati, Ivan

2016-09-01

Multiphysics (or hybrid) algorithms, which couple Darcy and pore-scale descriptions of flow through porous media in a single numerical framework, are usually employed to decrease the computational cost of full pore-scale simulations or to increase the accuracy of pure Darcy-scale simulations when a simple macroscopic description breaks down. Despite the massive increase in available computational power, the application of these techniques remains limited to core-size problems and upscaling remains crucial for practical large-scale applications. In this context, the Hybrid Multiscale Finite Volume (HMsFV) method, which constructs the macroscopic (Darcy-scale) problem directly by numerical averaging of pore-scale flow, offers not only a flexible framework to efficiently deal with multiphysics problems, but also a tool to investigate the assumptions used to derive macroscopic models and to better understand the relationship between pore-scale quantities and the corresponding macroscale variables. Indeed, by direct comparison of the multiphysics solution with a reference pore-scale simulation, we can assess the validity of the closure assumptions inherent to the multiphysics algorithm and infer the consequences for macroscopic models at the Darcy scale. We show that the definition of the scale ratio based on the geometric properties of the porous medium is well justified only for single-phase flow, whereas in case of unstable multiphase flow the nonlinear interplay between different forces creates complex fluid patterns characterized by new spatial scales, which emerge dynamically and weaken the scale-separation assumption. In general, the multiphysics solution proves very robust even when the characteristic size of the fluid-distribution patterns is comparable with the observation length, provided that all relevant physical processes affecting the fluid distribution are considered. This suggests that macroscopic constitutive relationships (e.g., the relative permeability) should account for the fact that they depend not only on the saturation but also on the actual characteristics of the fluid distribution.

The Influence of Device Position on the Flow within the Penn State 12 cc Pediatric Ventricular Assist Device

PubMed Central

Schönberger, Markus; Deutsch, Steven; Manning, Keefe B.

2012-01-01

Ventricular assist devices are a commonly used heart failure therapy for adult patients as bridge-to-transplant or bridge-to-recovery tool. The application of adult ventricular assist devices in pediatric patients has led to increased thrombotic events. Therefore, we have been developing a pediatric ventricular assist device, the Penn State 12 cc PVAD. It is designed for patients with a body weight of 5 to 15 kg and has a stroke volume of 12 cc. Clot formation is the major concern. It is correlated to the coagulability of blood, the blood contacting materials and the fluid dynamics within the system. The intent is for the PVAD to be a long term therapy. Therefore, the system may be oriented in different positions according to the patient’s behavior. This study evaluates for the first time the impact of position on the flow patterns within the Penn State 12 cc PVAD, which may help to improve the PVAD design concerning chamber and ports geometries. The fluid dynamics are visualized by particle image velocimetry. The evaluation is based on inlet jet behavior and calculated wall shear rates. Vertical and horizontal model orientations are compared, both with a beat rate of 75, outlet pressures of 90/60 mmHg and a flow rate of 1.3 l/min. The results show a significant change of the inlet jet behavior and the development of a rotational flow pattern. Vertically, the inlet jet is strong along the wall. It initiates a rotational flow pattern with a wandering axis of rotation. In contrast, the horizontal model orientation results show a weaker inlet jet along the wall with a nearly constant center of rotation location, which can be correlated to a higher risk of thrombotic events. In addition high speed videography illustrates differences in the diaphragm motion during diastole. Diaphragm opening trajectories measurements determine no significant impact of the density of the blood analog fluids. Hence, the results correlate to human blood. PMID:22929894

Volume-Of-Fluid Simulation for Predicting Two-Phase Cooling in a Microchannel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorle, Catherine; Parida, Pritish; Houshmand, Farzad; Asheghi, Mehdi; Goodson, Kenneth

2014-11-01

Two-phase flow in microfluidic geometries has applications of increasing interest for next generation electronic and optoelectronic systems, telecommunications devices, and vehicle electronics. While there has been progress on comprehensive simulation of two-phase flows in compact geometries, validation of the results in different flow regimes should be considered to determine the predictive capabilities. In the present study we use the volume-of-fluid method to model the flow through a single micro channel with cross section 100 × 100 μm and length 10 mm. The channel inlet mass flux and the heat flux at the lower wall result in a subcooled boiling regime in the first 2.5 mm of the channel and a saturated flow regime further downstream. A conservation equation for the vapor volume fraction, and a single set of momentum and energy equations with volume-averaged fluid properties are solved. A reduced-physics phase change model represents the evaporation of the liquid and the corresponding heat loss, and the surface tension is accounted for by a source term in the momentum equation. The phase change model used requires the definition of a time relaxation parameter, which can significantly affect the solution since it determines the rate of evaporation. The results are compared to experimental data available from literature, focusing on the capability of the reduced-physics phase change model to predict the correct flow pattern, temperature profile and pressure drop.

Optofluidic bioimaging platform for quantitative phase imaging of lab on a chip devices using digital holographic microscopy.

PubMed

Pandiyan, Vimal Prabhu; John, Renu

2016-01-20

We propose a versatile 3D phase-imaging microscope platform for real-time imaging of optomicrofluidic devices based on the principle of digital holographic microscopy (DHM). Lab-on-chip microfluidic devices fabricated on transparent polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and glass substrates have attained wide popularity in biological sensing applications. However, monitoring, visualization, and characterization of microfluidic devices, microfluidic flows, and the biochemical kinetics happening in these devices is difficult due to the lack of proper techniques for real-time imaging and analysis. The traditional bright-field microscopic techniques fail in imaging applications, as the microfluidic channels and the fluids carrying biological samples are transparent and not visible in bright light. Phase-based microscopy techniques that can image the phase of the microfluidic channel and changes in refractive indices due to the fluids and biological samples present in the channel are ideal for imaging the fluid flow dynamics in a microfluidic channel at high resolutions. This paper demonstrates three-dimensional imaging of a microfluidic device with nanometric depth precisions and high SNR. We demonstrate imaging of microelectrodes of nanometric thickness patterned on glass substrate and the microfluidic channel. Three-dimensional imaging of a transparent PDMS optomicrofluidic channel, fluid flow, and live yeast cell flow in this channel has been demonstrated using DHM. We also quantify the average velocity of fluid flow through the channel. In comparison to any conventional bright-field microscope, the 3D depth information in the images illustrated in this work carry much information about the biological system under observation. The results demonstrated in this paper prove the high potential of DHM in imaging optofluidic devices; detection of pathogens, cells, and bioanalytes on lab-on-chip devices; and in studying microfluidic dynamics in real time based on phase changes.

Multiphase Flow: The Gravity of the Situation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hewitt, Geoffrey F.

1996-01-01

A brief survey is presented of flow patterns in two-phase, gas-liquid flows at normal and microgravity, the differences between them being explored. It seems that the flow patterns in zero gravity are in general much simpler than those in normal gravity with only three main regimes (namely bubbly, slug and annular flows) being observed. Each of these three regimes is then reviewed, with particular reference to identification of areas of study where investigation of flows at microgravity might not only be interesting in themselves, but also throw light on mechanisms at normal earth gravity. In bubbly flow, the main area of interest seems to be that of bubble coalescence. In slug flow, the extension of simple displacement experiments to the zero gravity case would appear to be a useful option, supplemented by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies. For annular flow, the most interesting area appears to be the study of the mechanisms of disturbance waves; it should be possible to extend the region of investigation of the onset and behavior of these waves to much low gas velocities where measurements are clearly much easier.

Singular flow dynamics in three space dimensions driven by advection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karimov, A. R.; Schamel, H.

2002-03-01

The initial value problem of an ideal, compressible fluid is investigated in three space dimensions (3D). Starting from a situation where the inertia terms dominate over the force terms in Euler's equation we explore by means of the Lagrangian flow description the basic flow properties. Special attention is drawn to the appearance of singularities in the flow pattern at finite time. Classes of initial velocity profiles giving rise to collapses of density and vorticity are found. This paper, hence, furnishes evidence of focused singularities for coherent structures obeying the 3D Euler equation and applies to potential as well as vortex flows.

Benchmark for Numerical Models of Stented Coronary Bifurcation Flow.

PubMed

García Carrascal, P; García García, J; Sierra Pallares, J; Castro Ruiz, F; Manuel Martín, F J

2018-09-01

In-stent restenosis ails many patients who have undergone stenting. When the stented artery is a bifurcation, the intervention is particularly critical because of the complex stent geometry involved in these structures. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been shown to be an effective approach when modeling blood flow behavior and understanding the mechanisms that underlie in-stent restenosis. However, these CFD models require validation through experimental data in order to be reliable. It is with this purpose in mind that we performed particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements of velocity fields within flows through a simplified coronary bifurcation. Although the flow in this simplified bifurcation differs from the actual blood flow, it emulates the main fluid dynamic mechanisms found in hemodynamic flow. Experimental measurements were performed for several stenting techniques in both steady and unsteady flow conditions. The test conditions were strictly controlled, and uncertainty was accurately predicted. The results obtained in this research represent readily accessible, easy to emulate, detailed velocity fields and geometry, and they have been successfully used to validate our numerical model. These data can be used as a benchmark for further development of numerical CFD modeling in terms of comparison of the main flow pattern characteristics.

Increasing the production efficiency and reducing the environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswanathan, H. S.

2016-12-01

Shale gas is an unconventional fossil energy resource profoundly impacting US energy independence and is projected to last for at least 100 years. Production of methane and other hydrocarbons from low permeability shale involves hydraulic fracturing of rock, establishing fracture connectivity, and multiphase fluid-flow and reaction processes all of which are poorly understood. The result is inefficient extraction with many environmental concerns. A science-based capability is required to quantify the governing mesoscale fluid-solid interactions, including microstructural control of fracture patterns and the interaction of engineered fluids with hydrocarbon flow. These interactions depend on coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes over scales from microns to tens of meters. Determining the key mechanisms in subsurface THMC systems has been impeded due to the lack of sophisticated experimental methods to measure fracture aperture and connectivity, multiphase permeability, and chemical exchange capacities at the high temperature, pressure, and stresses present in the subsurface. In this study, we developed and prototyped the microfluidic and triaxial core flood experiments required to reveal the fundamental dynamics of fracture-fluid interactions. The goal is transformation of hydraulic fracturing from present ad hoc approaches to science-based strategies while safely enhancing production. Specifically, we have demonstrated an integrated experimental/modeling approach that allows for a comprehensive characterization of fluid-solid interactions and develop models that can be used to determine the reservoir operating conditions necessary to gain a degree of control over fracture generation, fluid flow, and interfacial processes over a range of subsurface conditions.

Location of eastern Mediterranean hot springs induced by mantle heat flow due to slab roll-back and tearing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roche, V. M.; Sternai, P.; Guillou-Frottier, L.; Jolivet, L.; Gerya, T.

2016-12-01

The Aegean-Anatolian retreating subduction and collision zones have been investigated through 3D numerical geodynamic models involving slab rollback/tearing/breakoff constrained by, for instance, seismic tomography or anisotropy and geochemical proxies. Here we integrate these investigations by using geothermal anomaly measurements from western Turkey. Such data provides insights into the thermal state of the Aegean-Anatolian region at depth and reflects the development of a widespread active geothermal province that is unlikely to be related only to the Quaternary volcanism because this has a too limited extent in space and time. Firstly, we look for possible connections with larger-scale mantle dynamics and use 3D high-resolution petrological and thermo-mechanical numerical models to quantify the potential contribution of the Aegean-Anatolian subduction dynamics to such measured thermal anomalies. Secondly, the subduction-induced thermal signature at the base of the continental crust is then inserted as the imposed basal thermal condition of 2D models dedicated to the understanding of fluid flow in the shallow crust. These models couple heat transfer and fluid flow equations with appropriate fluid and rock physical properties. Results from the 3D numerical models suggest an efficient control of subduction-related asthenospheric return flow on the regional distribution of thermal anomalies. Results from the 2D numerical models also highlight that low angle normal faults (detachments) in the back-arc region can control the bulk of the heat transport and fluid circulation patterns. Such detachments can drain hot crustal and/or mantellic fluids down to several kilometers depths, thus allowing for or fostering deep fluid circulation.

A Perspective on Diagenetic Geometries and Patterns of Iron Oxide Cement and Coloration: Understanding Challenges and Complexities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, M. A.; Wang, Y.

2015-12-01

Diagenetic records of fluid flow are underutilized proxies of water and environmental conditions in sedimentary rocks on Earth as well as Mars. The terrestrial iron-oxide records can be highly varied from faint wisps of coloration, to heavily cemented masses and layers. Other than vein cements, concretionary forms are some of the most prominent, yet enigmatic records. Concretions can have various mineral cement compositions with sizes that can span three orders of magnitude from mm, to cm, and m scales, in remarkably consistent, common spheroidal forms. Concretion geometries and banding may indicate directions and timings of fluid flow and precipitation, but deciphering the origins can be difficult with limited analytical tools. Definite complexities are the possibilities of: 1) overprinted events in an open system; 2) the role of organics in the nucleation and precipitation of authigenic minerals; and 3) multiple fluids, pathways, or processes that may produce similar-looking end products. In near-surface environments, likely any water since the Proterozoic has contained microbial life, and thus it seems highly probable that microbes play a significant role in the precipitation of diagenetic minerals due to the interactions of the biosphere and geosphere. However, recognition of ancient biosignatures that may have poor preservation potential remains a challenge. Iron oxides are particularly common, valuable indicators of near-surface iron cycling and are recognizable because the visual coloration. Our recent studies in Jurassic sandstones indicate preserved records of fingering at the interface of two immiscible fluids. The integration of geochemical self-organization models and field data provides new insights to understanding diagenetic fluid compositions, their relative densities, and flow direction flux and movement. These studies can have valuable implications and applications for understanding past fluid flow history, and reservoir characterization for CO2, hydrocarbon, and water.

Fluid inclusion and vitrinite-reflectance geothermometry compared to heat-flow models of maximum paleotemperature next to dikes, western onshore Gippsland Basin, Australia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barker, C.E.; Bone, Y.; Lewan, M.D.

1999-01-01

Nine basalt dikes, ranging from 6 cm to 40 m thick, intruding the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Strzelecki Group, western onshore Gippsland Basin, were used to study maximum temperatures (Tmax) reached next to dikes. Tmax was estimated from fluid inclusion and vitrinitereflectance geothermometry and compared to temperatures calculated using heat-flow models of contact metamorphism. Thermal history reconstruction suggests that at the time of dike intrusion the host rock was at a temperature of 100-135??C. Fracture-bound fluid inclusions in the host rocks next to thin dikes ( 1.5, using a normalized distance ratio used for comparing measurements between dikes regardless of their thickness. In contrast, the pattern seen next to the thin dikes is a relatively narrow zone of elevated Rv-r. Heat-flow modeling, along with whole rock elemental and isotopic data, suggests that the extended zone of elevated Rv-r is caused by a convection cell with local recharge of the hydrothermal fluids. The narrow zone of elevated Rv-r found next to thin dikes is attributed to the rise of the less dense, heated fluids at the dike contact causing a flow of cooler groundwater towards the dike and thereby limiting its heating effects. The lack of extended heating effects suggests that next to thin dikes an incipient convection system may form in which the heated fluid starts to travel upward along the dike but cooling occurs before a complete convection cell can form. Close to the dike contact at X/D 1.5. ?? 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Acoustic waveform of continuous bubbling in a non-Newtonian fluid.

PubMed

Vidal, Valérie; Ichihara, Mie; Ripepe, Maurizio; Kurita, Kei

2009-12-01

We study experimentally the acoustic signal associated with a continuous bubble bursting at the free surface of a non-Newtonian fluid. Due to the fluid rheological properties, the bubble shape is elongated, and, when bursting at the free surface, acts as a resonator. For a given fluid concentration, at constant flow rate, repetitive bubble bursting occurs at the surface. We report a modulation pattern of the acoustic waveform through time. Moreover, we point out the existence of a precursor acoustic signal, recorded on the microphone array, previous to each bursting. The time delay between this precursor and the bursting signal is well correlated with the bursting signal frequency content. Their joint modulation through time is driven by the fluid rheology, which strongly depends on the presence of small satellite bubbles trapped in the fluid due to the yield stress.

3D nanomolding and fluid mixing in micromixers with micro-patterned microchannel walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farshchian, Bahador; Amirsadeghi, Alborz; Choi, Junseo; Park, Daniel S.; Kim, Namwon; Park, Sunggook

2017-03-01

Microfluidic devices where the microchannel walls were decorated with micro and nanostructures were fabricated using 3D nanomolding. Using 3D molded microfluidic devices with microchannel walls decorated with microscale gratings, the fluid mixing behavior was investigated through experiments and numerical simulation. The use of microscale gratings in the micromixer was predicated by the fact that large obstacles in a microchannel enhances the mixing performance. Slanted ratchet gratings on the channel walls resulted in a helical flow along the microchannel, thus increasing the interfacial area between fluids and cutting down the diffusion length. Increasing the number of walls decorated with continuous ratchet gratings intensified the strength of the helical flow, enhancing mixing further. When ratchet gratings on the surface of the top cover plate were aligned in a direction to break the continuity of gratings from the other three walls, a stack of two helical flows was formed one above each other. This work concludes that the 3D nanomolding process can be a cost-effective tool for scaling-up the fabrication of microfluidic mixers with improved mixing efficiencies.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Microbial alignment in flow changes ocean light climate.

PubMed

Marcos; Seymour, Justin R; Luhar, Mitul; Durham, William M; Mitchell, James G; Macke, Andreas; Stocker, Roman

2011-03-08

The growth of microbial cultures in the laboratory often is assessed informally with a quick flick of the wrist: dense suspensions of microorganisms produce translucent "swirls" when agitated. Here, we rationalize the mechanism behind this phenomenon and show that the same process may affect the propagation of light through the upper ocean. Analogous to the shaken test tubes, the ocean can be characterized by intense fluid motion and abundant microorganisms. We demonstrate that the swirl patterns arise when elongated microorganisms align preferentially in the direction of fluid flow and alter light scattering. Using a combination of experiments and mathematical modeling, we find that this phenomenon can be recurrent under typical marine conditions. Moderate shear rates (0.1 s(-1)) can increase optical backscattering of natural microbial assemblages by more than 20%, and even small shear rates (0.001 s(-1)) can increase backscattering from blooms of large phytoplankton by more than 30%. These results imply that fluid flow, currently neglected in models of marine optics, may exert an important control on light propagation, influencing rates of global carbon fixation and how we estimate these rates via remote sensing.

Biomimetics of fetal alveolar flow phenomena using microfluidics.

PubMed

Tenenbaum-Katan, Janna; Fishler, Rami; Rothen-Rutishauser, Barbara; Sznitman, Josué

2015-01-01

At the onset of life in utero, the respiratory system begins as a liquid-filled tubular organ and undergoes significant morphological changes during fetal development towards establishing a respiratory organ optimized for gas exchange. As airspace morphology evolves, respiratory alveolar flows have been hypothesized to exhibit evolving flow patterns. In the present study, we have investigated flow topologies during increasing phases of embryonic life within an anatomically inspired microfluidic device, reproducing real-scale features of fetal airways representative of three distinct phases of in utero gestation. Micro-particle image velocimetry measurements, supported by computational fluid dynamics simulations, reveal distinct respiratory alveolar flow patterns throughout different stages of fetal life. While attached, streamlined flows characterize the shallow structures of premature alveoli indicative of the onset of saccular stage, separated recirculating vortex flows become the signature of developed and extruded alveoli characteristic of the advanced stages of fetal development. To further mimic physiological aspects of the cellular environment of developing airways, our biomimetic devices integrate an alveolar epithelium using the A549 cell line, recreating a confluent monolayer that produces pulmonary surfactant. Overall, our in vitro biomimetic fetal airways model delivers a robust and reliable platform combining key features of alveolar morphology, flow patterns, and physiological aspects of fetal lungs developing in utero.

A novel method for flow pattern identification in unstable operational conditions using gamma ray and radial basis function.

PubMed

Roshani, G H; Nazemi, E; Roshani, M M

2017-05-01

Changes of fluid properties (especially density) strongly affect the performance of radiation-based multiphase flow meter and could cause error in recognizing the flow pattern and determining void fraction. In this work, we proposed a methodology based on combination of multi-beam gamma ray attenuation and dual modality densitometry techniques using RBF neural network in order to recognize the flow regime and determine the void fraction in gas-liquid two phase flows independent of the liquid phase changes. The proposed system is consisted of one 137 Cs source, two transmission detectors and one scattering detector. The registered counts in two transmission detectors were used as the inputs of one primary Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural network for recognizing the flow regime independent of liquid phase density. Then, after flow regime identification, three RBF neural networks were utilized for determining the void fraction independent of liquid phase density. Registered count in scattering detector and first transmission detector were used as the inputs of these three RBF neural networks. Using this simple methodology, all the flow patterns were correctly recognized and the void fraction was predicted independent of liquid phase density with mean relative error (MRE) of less than 3.28%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surfactant effects on interfacial flow and thermal transport processes during phase change in film boiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Premnath, Kannan N.; Hajabdollahi, Farzaneh; Welch, Samuel W. J.

2018-04-01

The presence of surfactants in two-phase flows results in the transport and adsorption of surfactants to the interface, and the resulting local interfacial concentration significantly influences the surface tension between the liquid and vapor phases in a fluid undergoing phase change. This computational study is aimed at understanding and elucidating the mechanisms of enhanced flows and thermal transport processes in film boiling due to the addition of surfactants. A change in surface tension results in a change in the critical Rayleigh-Taylor wavelength leading to different bubble release patterns and a change in the overall heat transfer rates. Due to the presence of surfactants, an additional transport mechanism of the Marangoni convection arises from the resulting tangential gradients in the surfactant concentration along the phase interface. Our computational approach to study such phenomena consists of representing the interfacial motion by means of the coupled level set-volume-of-fluid method, the fluid motion via the classical marker-and-cell approach, as well as representations for the bulk transport of energy and surfactants, in conjunction with a phase change model and an interfacial surfactant model. Using such an approach, we perform numerical simulations of surfactant-laden single mode as well as multiple mode film boiling and study the effect of surfactants on the transport processes in film boiling, including bubble release patterns, vapor generation rates, and heat transfer rates at different surfactant concentrations. The details of the underlying mechanisms will be investigated and interpreted.

Fluid-structure coupling for an oscillating hydrofoil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Münch, C.; Ausoni, P.; Braun, O.; Farhat, M.; Avellan, F.

2010-08-01

Fluid-structure investigations in hydraulic machines using coupled simulations are particularly time-consuming. In this study, an alternative method is presented that linearizes the hydrodynamic load of a rigid, oscillating hydrofoil. The hydrofoil, which is surrounded by incompressible, turbulent flow, is modeled with forced and free pitching motions, where the mean incidence angle is 0° with a maximum angle amplitude of 2°. Unsteady simulations of the flow, performed with ANSYS CFX, are presented and validated with experiments which were carried out in the EPFL High-Speed Cavitation Tunnel. First, forced motion is investigated for reduced frequencies ranging from 0.02 to 100. The hydrodynamic load is modeled as a simple combination of inertia, damping and stiffness effects. As expected, the potential flow analysis showed the added moment of inertia is constant, while the fluid damping and the fluid stiffness coefficients depend on the reduced frequency of the oscillation motion. Behavioral patterns were observed and two cases were identified depending on if vortices did or did not develop in the hydrofoil wake. Using the coefficients identified in the forced motion case, the time history of the profile incidence is then predicted analytically for the free motion case and excellent agreement is found for the results from coupled fluid-structure simulations. The model is validated and may be extended to more complex cases, such as blade grids in hydraulic machinery.

MICROBIAL COMETABOLISM OF RECALCITRANT CHEMICALS IN CONTAMINATED AIR STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

Chlorinated Solvents: The treatment system consists of a laboratory-scale hollow fiber membrane (HFM) module containing a center baffle and a radial cross-flow pattern on the shell side of the fibers. The shell and lumen fluids are contacting in a counter-current f...

Numerical modeling tools for chemical vapor deposition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jasinski, Thomas J.; Childs, Edward P.

1992-01-01

Development of general numerical simulation tools for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) was the objective of this study. Physical models of important CVD phenomena were developed and implemented into the commercial computational fluid dynamics software FLUENT. The resulting software can address general geometries as well as the most important phenomena occurring with CVD reactors: fluid flow patterns, temperature and chemical species distribution, gas phase and surface deposition. The physical models are documented which are available and examples are provided of CVD simulation capabilities.

Acoustic black hole in a stationary hydrodynamic flow of microcavity polaritons.

PubMed

Nguyen, H S; Gerace, D; Carusotto, I; Sanvitto, D; Galopin, E; Lemaître, A; Sagnes, I; Bloch, J; Amo, A

2015-01-23

We report an experimental study of superfluid hydrodynamic effects in a one-dimensional polariton fluid flowing along a laterally patterned semiconductor microcavity and hitting a micron-sized engineered defect. At high excitation power, superfluid propagation effects are observed in the polariton dynamics; in particular, a sharp acoustic horizon is formed at the defect position, separating regions of sub- and supersonic flow. Our experimental findings are quantitatively reproduced by theoretical calculations based on a generalized Gross-Pitaevskii equation. Promising perspectives to observe Hawking radiation via photon correlation measurements are illustrated.

Resonator coiling in thermoacoustic engines

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

Olson, J.R.; Swift, G.W.

1995-11-01

Coiling the resonator of a thermoacoustic engine is one way to try to minimize the engine`s size. However, flow in bent pipes is known to alter the fluid flow pattern because of centrifugal forces. Theory and measurements will be presented on the energy dissipation caused by oscillating flow in curved pipes. Measurements have been taken using free oscillations of liquids in U-tubes, and using a thermoacoustic engine with straight and bent resonators. [Work supported by the TTI program of the US Department of Energy, and by the Tektronix Corporation.

Shape diagram of vesicles in Poiseuille flow.

PubMed

Coupier, Gwennou; Farutin, Alexander; Minetti, Christophe; Podgorski, Thomas; Misbah, Chaouqi

2012-04-27

Soft bodies flowing in a channel often exhibit parachutelike shapes usually attributed to an increase of hydrodynamic constraint (viscous stress and/or confinement). We show that the presence of a fluid membrane leads to the reverse phenomenon and build a phase diagram of shapes-which are classified as bullet, croissant, and parachute-in channels of varying aspect ratio. Unexpectedly, shapes are relatively wider in the narrowest direction of the channel. We highlight the role of flow patterns on the membrane in this response to the asymmetry of stress distribution.

Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in the Bullwinkle Field J2 Sand, Offshore Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nunn, J. A.; Hanor, J. S.

2006-12-01

The Bullwinkle field is located in a Pliocene-Pleistocene salt withdrawal minibasin approximately 90 km southwest of New Orleans, Louisiana. Most of the production has been from the prolific "J" sand sequence, a late Pliocene age channel and sheet sand turbidite complex. Salinities of the oil-leg waters (i.e., the pre-production immobile waters located above the original oil-water contact) vary from over 300 g/L near salt to approximately 150 g/L at the original oil-water contact in the J2 sand. Aquifer waters below the original oil-water contact generally have salinities between 150 g/L and 100 g/L. We developed numerical models to simulate fluid flow and associated solute transport in a gently dipping, relatively thin but high permeability sand body such as the J2 sand in Bullwinkle field. Dissolution of salt exposed in the updip portion of a confined aquifer can generate kilometer-scale fluid circulation with velocities of 10-40 cm/yr. Aquifer dips can be less than 5 degrees. Salt dissolution can generate a dense brine throughout a minibasin scale aquifer within 10,000 to 100,000 years. The fluid circulation pattern and amount of salt dissolved depends on permeability, dip, dispersivity, salt available for dissolution, and aquifer thickness. Dissolution of salt is massive, 1 billion kg or more. Salt dissolution within aquifers may be an important process in removing the last few meters of salt to form salt welds. Stratigraphic variations in aquifer salinity may be related to differences in spatial/temporal contact with salt bodies rather than a complex pattern of fluid migration. Once salt dissolution stops, continued density driven flow in minibasin scale aquifers will largely eliminate spatial variations in salinity. Introduction of hydrocarbons must be rapid in order to preserve the observed spatial gradients in oil-leg water salinity. Model simulations indicate that vertical as well as horizontal spatial variations in preproduction oil-leg water salinities may exist. Pre- production spatial distributions of oil-leg and aquifer waters salinities in the J sands of the Bullwinkle field are quantitatively consistent with: fluid circulation driven by updip dissolution of salt; introduction of hydrocarbons which traps oil-leg waters and stops further salt dissolution; and continued mixing of aquifer waters driven by density driven flow until salinity variations are largely eliminated.

Surface self-potential patterns related to transmissive fracture trends during a water injection test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DesRoches, A. J.; Butler, K. E.; MacQuarrie, K. TB

2018-03-01

Variations in self-potential (SP) signals were recorded over an electrode array during a constant head injection test in a fractured bedrock aquifer. Water was injected into a 2.2 m interval isolated between two inflatable packers at 44 m depth in a vertical well. Negative SP responses were recorded on surface corresponding to the start of the injection period with strongest magnitudes recorded in electrodes nearest the well. SP response decreased in magnitude at electrodes further from the well. Deflation of the packer system resulted in a strong reversal in the SP signal. Anomalous SP patterns observed at surface at steady state were found to be aligned with dominant fracture strike orientations found within the test interval. Numerical modelling of fluid and current flow within a simplified fracture network showed that azimuthal patterns in SP are mainly controlled by transmissive fracture orientations. The strongest SP gradients occur parallel to hydraulic gradients associated with water flowing out of the transmissive fractures into the tighter matrix and other less permeable cross-cutting fractures. Sensitivity studies indicate that increasing fracture frequency near the well increases the SP magnitude and enhances the SP anomaly parallel to the transmissive set. Decreasing the length of the transmissive fractures leads to more fluid flow into the matrix and into cross-cutting fractures proximal to the well, resulting in a more circular and higher magnitude SP anomaly. Results from the field experiment and modelling provide evidence that surface-based SP monitoring during constant head injection tests has the ability to identify groundwater flow pathways within a fractured bedrock aquifer.

Computational fluid dynamics modeling of intracranial aneurysms: effects of parent artery segmentation on intra-aneurysmal hemodynamics.

PubMed

Castro, M A; Putman, C M; Cebral, J R

2006-09-01

The purpose of this study is to show the influence of the upstream parent artery geometry on intraaneurysmal hemodynamics of cerebral aneurysms. Patient-specific models of 4 cerebral aneurysms (1 posterior communicating artery [PcomA], 2 middle cerebral artery [MCA], and 1 anterior communicating artery [AcomA]) were constructed from 3D rotational angiography images. Two geometric models were constructed for each aneurysm. One model had the native parent vessel geometry; the second model was truncated approximately 1 cm upstream from the aneurysm, and the parent artery replaced with a straight cylinder. Corresponding finite element grids were generated and computational fluid dynamics simulations were carried out under pulsatile flow conditions. The intra-aneurysmal flow patterns and wall shear stress (WSS) distributions were visualized and compared. Models using the truncated parent vessel underestimated the WSS in the aneurysms in all cases and shifted the impaction zone to the neck compared with the native geometry. These effects were more pronounced in the PcomA and AcomA aneurysms where upstream curvature was substantial. The MCA aneurysm with a long M1 segment was the least effected. The more laminar flow pattern within the parent vessel in truncated models resulted in a less complex intra-aneurysmal flow patterns with fewer vortices and less velocity at the dome. Failure to properly model the inflow stream contributed by the upstream parent artery can significantly influence the results of intra-aneurysmal hemodynamic models. The upstream portion of the parent vessel of cerebral aneurysms should be included to accurately represent the intra-aneurysmal hemodynamics.

Flow Cage Assemblies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bar-Cohen, Yoseph (Inventor); Sherrit, Stewart (Inventor); Badescu, Mircea (Inventor); Bao, Xiaoqi (Inventor)

2017-01-01

Apparatus, systems and methods for implementing flow cages and flow cage assemblies in association with high pressure fluid flows and fluid valves are provided. Flow cages and flow assemblies are provided to dissipate the energy of a fluid flow, such as by reducing fluid flow pressure and/or fluid flow velocity. In some embodiments the dissipation of the fluid flow energy is adapted to reduce erosion, such as from high-pressure jet flows, to reduce cavitation, such as by controllably increasing the flow area, and/or to reduce valve noise associated with pressure surge.

Modelling of hydrothermal fluid flow and structural architecture in an extensional basin, Ngakuru Graben, Taupo Rift, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kissling, W. M.; Villamor, P.; Ellis, S. M.; Rae, A.

2018-05-01

Present-day geothermal activity on the margins of the Ngakuru graben and evidence of fossil hydrothermal activity in the central graben suggest that a graben-wide system of permeable intersecting faults acts as the principal conduit for fluid flow to the surface. We have developed numerical models of fluid and heat flow in a regional-scale 2-D cross-section of the Ngakuru Graben. The models incorporate simplified representations of two 'end-member' fault architectures (one symmetric at depth, the other highly asymmetric) which are consistent with the surface locations and dips of the Ngakuru graben faults. The models are used to explore controls on buoyancy-driven convective fluid flow which could explain the differences between the past and present hydrothermal systems associated with these faults. The models show that the surface flows from the faults are strongly controlled by the fault permeability, the fault system architecture and the location of the heat source with respect to the faults in the graben. In particular, fault intersections at depth allow exchange of fluid between faults, and the location of the heat source on the footwall of normal faults can facilitate upflow along those faults. These controls give rise to two distinct fluid flow regimes in the fault network. The first, a regular flow regime, is characterised by a nearly unchanging pattern of fluid flow vectors within the fault network as the fault permeability evolves. In the second, complex flow regime, the surface flows depend strongly on fault permeability, and can fluctuate in an erratic manner. The direction of flow within faults can reverse in both regimes as fault permeability changes. Both flow regimes provide insights into the differences between the present-day and fossil geothermal systems in the Ngakuru graben. Hydrothermal upflow along the Paeroa fault seems to have occurred, possibly continuously, for tens of thousands of years, while upflow in other faults in the graben has switched on and off during the same period. An asymmetric graben architecture with the Paeroa being the major boundary fault will facilitate the predominant upflow along this fault. Upflow on the axial faults is more difficult to explain with this modelling. It occurs most easily with an asymmetric graben architecture and heat sources close to the graben axis (which could be associated with remnant heat from recent eruptions from Okataina Volcanic Centre). Temporal changes in upflow can also be associated with acceleration and deceleration of fault activity if this is considered a proxy for fault permeability. Other explanations for temporal variations in hydrothermal activity not explored here are different permeability on different faults, and different permeability along fault strike.

Fluid inclusions and biomarkers in the Upper Mississippi Valley zinc-lead district; implications for the fluid-flow and thermal history of the Illinois Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rowan, E. Lanier; Goldhaber, Martin B.

1996-01-01

The Upper Mississippi Valley zinc-lead district is hosted by Ordovician carbonate rocks at the northern margin of the Illinois Basin. Fluid inclusion temperature measurements on Early Permian sphalerite ore from the district are predominantly between 90?C and I50?C. These temperatures are greater than can be explained by their reconstructed burial depth, which was a maximum of approximately 1 km at the time of mineralization. In contrast to the temperatures of mineral formation derived from fluid inclusions, biomarker maturities in the Upper Mississippi Valley district give an estimate of total thermal exposure integrated over time. Temperatures from fluid inclusions trapped during ore genesis with biomarker maturities were combined to construct an estimate of the district's overall thermal history and, by inference, the late Paleozoic thermal and hydrologic history of the Illinois Basin. Circulation of groundwater through regional aquifers, given sufficient flow rates, can redistribute heat from deep in a sedimentary basin to its shallower margins. Evidence for regional-scale circulation of fluids is provided by paleomagnetic studies, regionally correlated zoned dolomite, fluid inclusions, and thermal maturity of organic matter. Evidence for igneous acti vity contemporaneous with mineralization in the vicinity of the Upper Mississippi Valley district is absent. Regional fluid and heat circulation is the most likely explanation for the elevated fluid inclusion temperatures (relative to maximum estimated burial depth) in the Upper Mississippi Valley district. One plausible driving mechanism and flow path for the ore-forming fluids is groundwater recharge in the late Paleozoic Appalachian-Ouachita mountain belt and northward flow through the Reelfoot rift and the proto- Illinois Basin to the Upper Mississippi Valley district. Warm fluid flowing laterally through Cambrian and Ordovician aquifers would then move vertically upward through the fractures that control sphalerite mineralization in the Upper Mississippi Valley district. Biomarker reactant-product measurements on rock extracts from the Upper Mississippi Valley district define a relatively low level ofthermal maturity for the district, 0.353 for sterane and 0.577 for hopane. Recently published kinetic constants permit a time-temperature relationship to be determined from these biomarker maturities. Numerical calculations were made to simulate fluid heat flow through the fracture-controlled ore zones of the Thompson-Temperly mine and heat transfer to the adjacent rocks where biomarker samples were collected. Calculations that combine the fluid inclusion temperatures and the biomarker constraints on thermal maturity indicate that the time interval during which mineralizing fluids circulated through the Upper Mississippi Valley district is on the order of 200,000 years. Fluid inclusion measurements and thermal maturities from biomarkers in the district reflect the duration of peak temperatures resulting from regional fluid circulation. On the basis of thermal considerations, the timing of fluorite mineralization in southern Illinois, and the northward-decreasing pattern of fluorine enrichment in sediments, we hypothesize that the principal flow direction was northward through the Cambrian and Ordovician aquifers of the Illinois Basin. A basin-scale flow system would result in mass transport (hydrocarbon migration, transport of metals in solution) and energy (heat) transport, which would in turn drive chemical reactions (for example, maturation of organic matter, mineralization, diagenetic reactions) within the Illinois Basin and at its margins.

Natural convection in binary gases driven by combined horizontal thermal and vertical solutal gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weaver, J. A.; Viskanta, Raymond

1992-01-01

An investigation of natural convection is presented to examine the influence of a horizontal temperature gradient and a concentration gradient occurring from the bottom to the cold wall in a cavity. As the solutal buoyancy force changes from augmenting to opposing the thermal buoyancy force, the fluid motion switches from unicellular to multicellular flow (fluid motion is up the cold wall and down the hot wall for the bottom counterrotating flow cell). Qualitatively, the agreement between predicted streamlines and smoke flow patterns is generally good. In contrast, agreement between measured and predicted temperature and concentration distributions ranges from fair to poor. Part of the discrepancy can be attributed to experimental error. However, there remains considerable discrepancy between data and predictions due to the idealizations of the mathematical model, which examines only first-order physical effects. An unsteady flow, variable thermophysical properties, conjugate effects, species interdiffusion, and radiation were not accounted for in the model.

Modeling and simulation of multiphase multicomponent multiphysics porous media flows in the context of chemical enhanced oil recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Sourav; Daripa, Prabir; Fluids Team

2015-11-01

One of the most important methods of chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) involves the use of complex flooding schemes comprising of various layers of fluids mixed with suitable amounts of polymer or surfactant or both. The fluid flow is characterized by the spontaneous formation of complex viscous fingering patterns which is considered detrimental to oil recovery. Here we numerically study the physics of such EOR processes using a modern, hybrid method based on a combination of a discontinuous, multiscale finite element formulation and the method of characteristics. We investigate the effect of different types of heterogeneity on the fingering mechanism of these complex multiphase flows and determine the impact on oil recovery. We also study the effect of surfactants on the dynamics of the flow via reduction of capillary forces and increase in relative permeabilities. Supported by the grant NPRP 08-777-1-141 from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of The Qatar Foundation).

Circulation of fluids in the gastrovascular system of a stoloniferan octocoral.

PubMed

Parrin, Austin P; Netherton, Sarah E; Bross, Lori S; McFadden, Catherine S; Blackstone, Neil W

2010-10-01

Cilia-based transport systems characterize sponges and placozoans. Cilia are employed in cnidarian gastrovascular systems as well, but typically function in concert with muscular contractions. Previous reports suggest that anthozoans may be an exception to this pattern, utilizing only cilia in their gastrovascular systems. With an inverted microscope and digital image analysis, we used stoloniferan octocoral colonies growing on microscope cover glass to quantitatively describe the movement of fluids in this system for the first time. Flow in stolons (diameter ≈300 μm) is simultaneously bidirectional, with average velocities of 100-200 μm/s in each direction. Velocities are maximal immediately adjacent to the stolon wall and decrease to a minimum in the center of the stolon. Flow velocity is unaffected by stolonal contractions, suggesting that muscular peristalsis is not a factor in propelling the flow. Stolon intersections (diameter ≈500 μm) occur below polyps and serve as traffic roundabouts with unidirectional, circular flow. Such cilia-driven transport may be the plesiomorphic state for the gastrovascular system of cnidarians.

Development of a high-resolution automatic digital (urine/electrolytes) flow volume and rate measurement system of miniature size

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, F. F.

1975-01-01

To aid in the quantitative analysis of man's physiological rhythms, a flowmeter to measure circadian patterns of electrolyte excretion during various environmental stresses was developed. One initial flowmeter was designed and fabricated, the sensor of which is the approximate size of a wristwatch. The detector section includes a special type of dielectric integrating type sensor which automatically controls, activates, and deactivates the flow sensor data output by determining the presence or absence of fluid flow in the system, including operation under zero-G conditions. The detector also provides qualitative data on the composition of the fluid. A compact electronic system was developed to indicate flow rate as well as total volume per release or the cumulative volume of several releases in digital/analog forms suitable for readout or telemetry. A suitable data readout instrument is also provided. Calibration and statistical analyses of the performance functions required of the flowmeter were also conducted.

Application of two- and three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics models to complex ecological stream flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Yi; Diplas, Panayiotis

2008-01-01

SummaryComplex flow patterns generated by irregular channel topography, such as boulders, submerged large woody debris, riprap and spur dikes, provide unique habitat for many aquatic organisms. Numerical modeling of the flow structures surrounding these obstructions is challenging, yet it represents an important tool for aquatic habitat assessment. In this study, the ability of two- (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) computational fluid dynamics models to reproduce these localized complex flow features is examined. The 3-D model is validated with laboratory data obtained from the literature for the case of a flow around a hemisphere under emergent and submerged conditions. The performance of the 2-D and 3-D models is then evaluated by comparing the numerical results with field measurements of flow around several boulders located at a reach of the Smith River, a regulated mountainous stream, obtained at base and peak flows. Close agreement between measured values and the velocity profiles predicted by the two models is obtained outside the wakes behind the hemisphere and boulders. However, the results suggest that in the vicinity of these obstructions the 3-D model is better suited for reproducing the circulation flow behavior at both low and high discharges. Application of the 2-D and 3-D models to meso-scale stream flows of ecological significance is furthermore demonstrated by using a recently developed spatial hydraulic metric to quantify flow complexity surrounding a number of brown trout spawning sites. It is concluded that the 3-D model can provide a much more accurate description of the heterogeneous velocity patterns favored by many aquatic species over a broad range of flows, especially under deep flow conditions when the various obstructions are submerged. Issues pertaining to selection of appropriate models for a variety of flow regimes and potential implication of the 3-D model on the development of better habitat suitability criteria are discussed. The research suggests ways of improving the modeling practices for ecosystem management studies.

Computational Fluid Dynamics modeling of contrast transport in basilar aneurysms following flow-altering surgeries.

PubMed

Vali, Alireza; Abla, Adib A; Lawton, Michael T; Saloner, David; Rayz, Vitaliy L

2017-01-04

In vivo measurement of blood velocity fields and flow descriptors remains challenging due to image artifacts and limited resolution of current imaging methods; however, in vivo imaging data can be used to inform and validate patient-specific computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models. Image-based CFD can be particularly useful for planning surgical interventions in complicated cases such as fusiform aneurysms of the basilar artery, where it is crucial to alter pathological hemodynamics while preserving flow to the distal vasculature. In this study, patient-specific CFD modeling was conducted for two basilar aneurysm patients considered for surgical treatment. In addition to velocity fields, transport of contrast agent was simulated for the preoperative and postoperative conditions using two approaches. The transport of a virtual contrast passively following the flow streamlines was simulated to predict post-surgical flow regions prone to thrombus deposition. In addition, the transport of a mixture of blood with an iodine-based contrast agent was modeled to compare and verify the CFD results with X-ray angiograms. The CFD-predicted patterns of contrast flow were qualitatively compared to in vivo X-ray angiograms acquired before and after the intervention. The results suggest that the mixture modeling approach, accounting for the flow rates and properties of the contrast injection, is in better agreement with the X-ray angiography data. The virtual contrast modeling assessed the residence time based on flow patterns unaffected by the injection procedure, which makes the virtual contrast modeling approach better suited for prediction of thrombus deposition, which is not limited to the peri-procedural state. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Axial-Flow Turbine Rotor Discharge-Flow Overexpansion and Limit-Loading Condition, Part I: Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Shu-Cheng S.

2017-01-01

A Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) investigation is conducted over a two-dimensional axial-flow turbine rotor blade row to study the phenomena of turbine rotor discharge flow overexpansion at subcritical, critical, and supercritical conditions. Quantitative data of the mean-flow Mach numbers, mean-flow angles, the tangential blade pressure forces, the mean-flow mass flux, and the flow-path total pressure loss coefficients, averaged or integrated across the two-dimensional computational domain encompassing two blade-passages, are obtained over a series of 14 inlet-total to exit-static pressure ratios, from 1.5 (un-choked; subcritical condition) to 10.0 (supercritical with excessively high pressure ratio.) Detailed flow features over the full domain-of-computation, such as the streamline patterns, Mach contours, pressure contours, blade surface pressure distributions, etc. are collected and displayed in this paper. A formal, quantitative definition of the limit loading condition based on the channel flow theory is proposed and explained. Contrary to the comments made in the historical works performed on this subject, about the deficiency of the theoretical methods applied in analyzing this phenomena, using modern CFD method for the study of this subject appears to be quite adequate and successful. This paper describes the CFD work and its findings.

The Influence of Shaping Air Pressure of Pneumatic Spray Gun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wenzhuo; Chen, Yan; Pan, Haiwei; Zhang, Weiming; Li, Bo

2018-02-01

The shaping air pressure is a very important parameter in the application of pneumatic spray gun, and studying its influence on spray flow field and film thickness distribution has practical values. In this paper, Euler-Lagrangian method is adopted to describe the two-phase spray flow of pneumatic painting process, and the air flow fields, spray patterns and dynamic film thickness distributions were obtained with the help of the computational fluid dynamics code—ANSYS Fluent. Results show that with the increase of the shaping air pressure, the air phase flow field spreads in the plane perpendicular to the shaping air hole plane, the spray pattern becomes narrower and flatter, and the width of the dynamic film increases with the reduced maximum value of the film thickness. But the film thickness distribution seems to change little with the shaping air pressure decreasing from 0.6bar to 0.9bar.

ISS COLUMBUS laboratory experiment `GeoFlow I and II' -fluid physics research in microgravity environment to study convection phenomena inside deep Earth and mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Futterer, Birgit; Egbers, Christoph; Chossat, Pascal; Hollerbach, Rainer; Breuer, Doris; Feudel, Fred; Mutabazi, Innocent; Tuckerman, Laurette

Overall driving mechanism of flow in inner Earth is convection in its gravitational buoyancy field. A lot of effort has been involved in theoretical prediction and numerical simulation of both the geodynamo, which is maintained by convection, and mantle convection, which is the main cause for plate tectonics. Especially resolution of convective patterns and heat transfer mechanisms has been in focus to reach the real, highly turbulent conditions inside Earth. To study specific phenomena experimentally different approaches has been observed, against the background of magneto-hydrodynamic but also on the pure hydrodynamic physics of fluids. With the experiment `GeoFlow' (Geophysical Flow Simulation) instability and transition of convection in spherical shells under the influence of central-symmetry buoyancy force field are traced for a wide range of rotation regimes within the limits between non-rotating and rapid rotating spheres. The special set-up of high voltage potential between inner and outer sphere and use of a dielectric fluid as working fluid induce an electro-hydrodynamic force, which is comparable to gravitational buoyancy force inside Earth. To reduce overall gravity in a laboratory this technique requires microgravity conditions. The `GeoFlow I' experiment was accomplished on International Space Station's module COLUM-BUS inside Fluid Science Laboratory FSL und supported by EADS Astrium, Friedrichshafen, User Support und Operations Centre E-USOC in Madrid, Microgravity Advanced Research and Support Centre MARS in Naples, as well as COLUMBUS Control Center COL-CC Munich. Running from August 2008 until January 2009 it delivered 100.000 images from FSL's optical diagnostics module; here more precisely the Wollaston shearing interferometry was used. Here we present the experimental alignment with numerical prediction for the non-rotating and rapid rotation case. The non-rotating case is characterized by a co-existence of several stationary supercritical modes, with a strong influence of initial conditions leading to axisymmetric, octahedral/cubic or pentagonal solutions. Transition to chaos is in form of a sudden onset. Experimental data supports the numerically validated influence of initial conditions in showing the octahedral mode as most preferred stable state. Well-known issue of rapid rotation is the alignment of convective cells at the tangent cylinder due to the domination of centrifugal forces against the self-gravitating buoyancy field. The system shows very clearly the centrifugal effects by patterns in form of columnar cells. For the planned second mission `GeoFlow II' (on orbit 2010) working fluid shall be an alcanole having a temperature dependent viscosity, i.e. nonanol. Herewith experimental modelling of mantle convection is going to spotlight.

The development of laser speckle or particle image displacement velocimetry. Part 1: The role of photographic parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lourenco, L. M. M.; Krothapalli, A.

1987-01-01

One of the difficult problems in experimental fluid dynamics remains the determination of the vorticity field in fluid flows. Recently, a novel velocity measurement technique, commonly known as Laser Speckle or Particle Image Displacement Velocimetry became available. This technique permits the simultaneous visualization of the 2 dimensional streamline pattern in unsteady flows and the quantification of the velocity field. The main advantage of this new technique is that the whole 2 dimensional velocity field can be recorded with great accuracy and spatial resolution, from which the instantaneous vorticity field can be easily obtained. A apparatus used for taking particle displacement images is described. Local coherent illumination by the probe laser beam yielded Young's fringes of good quality at almost every location of the flow field. These fringes were analyzed and the velocity and vorticity fields were derived. Several conclusions drawn are discussed.

Fluid Dynamics of Magnetic Nanoparticles in Simulated Blood Vessels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blue, Lauren; Sewell, Mary Kathryn; Brazel, Christopher S.

2008-11-01

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) can be used to locally target therapies and offer the benefit of using an AC magnetic field to combine hyperthermia treatment with the triggered release of therapeutic agents. Here, we investigate localization of MNPs in a simulated environment to understand the relationship between magnetic field intensity and bulk fluid dynamics to determine MNP retention in a simulated blood vessel. As MNPs travel through blood vessels, they can be slowed or trapped in a specific area by applying a magnetic field. Magnetic cobalt ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized and labeled with a fluorescent rhodamine tag to visualize patterns in a flow cell, as monitored by a fluorescence microscope. Particle retention was determined as a function of flow rate, concentration, and magnetic field strength. Understanding the relationship between magnetic field intensity, flow behavior and nanoparticle characteristics will aid in the development of therapeutic systems specifically targeted to diseased tissue.

Dielectrophoretic systems without embedded electrodes

DOEpatents

Cummings, Eric B [Livermore, CA; Singh, Anup K [San Francisco, CA

2006-03-21

Method and apparatus for dielectrophoretic separation of particles in a fluid based using array of insulating structures arranged in a fluid flow channel. By utilizing an array of insulating structures, a spatially inhomogeneous electric field is created without the use of the embedded electrodes conventionally employed for dielectrophoretic separations. Moreover, by using these insulating structures a steady applied electric field has been shown to provide for dielectrophoresis in contrast to the conventional use of an alternating electric field. In a uniform array of posts, dielectrophoretic effects have been produced flows having significant pressure-driven and electrokinetic transport. Above a threshold applied electric field, filaments of concentrated and rarefied particles appear in the flow as a result of dielectrophoresis. Above a higher threshold applied voltage, dielectrophoresis produces zones of highly concentrated and immobilized particles. These patterns are strongly influenced by the angle of the array of insulating structures with respect to the mean applied electric field and the shape of the insulating structures.

Visualization of nasal airflow patterns in a patient affected with atrophic rhinitis using particle image velocimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, G. J. M.; Mitchell, G.; Bailie, N.; Thornhill, D.; Watterson, J.; Kimbell, J. S.

2007-10-01

The relationship between airflow patterns in the nasal cavity and nasal function is poorly understood. This paper reports an experimental study of the interplay between symptoms and airflow patterns in a patient affected with atrophic rhinitis. This pathology is characterized by mucosal dryness, fetor, progressive atrophy of anatomical structures, a spacious nasal cavity, and a paradoxical sensation of nasal congestion. A physical replica of the patient's nasal geometry was made and particle image velocimetry (PIV) was used to visualize and measure the flow field. The nasal replica was based on computed tomography (CT) scans of the patient and was built in three steps: three-dimensional reconstruction of the CT scans; rapid prototyping of a cast; and sacrificial use of the cast to form a model of the nasal passage in clear silicone. Flow patterns were measured by running a water-glycerol mixture through the replica and evaluating the displacement of particles dispersed in the liquid using PIV. The water-glycerol flow rate used corresponded to an air flow rate representative of a human breathing at rest. The trajectory of the flow observed in the left passage of the nose (more affected by atrophic rhinitis) differed markedly from what is considered normal, and was consistent with patterns of epithelial damage observed in cases of the condition. The data are also useful for validation of computational fluid dynamics predictions.

Inertia-induced dendriticlike patterns in lifting Hele-Shaw flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anjos, Pedro H. A.; Dias, Eduardo O.; Miranda, José A.

2017-01-01

The lifting Hele-Shaw cell problem is a variant of the classical constant-gap Hele-Shaw situation in which the cell gap width is time dependent. Experiments on Newtonian fluid flows in lifting Hele-Shaw cells with large lifting velocities reveal the development of dendriticlike fingered structures that compete among themselves. The usual Darcy law description of the problem, where inertial effects are neglected, has not been able to explain the origin of these competing sidebranched patterns. In this work we use a generalized Darcy law and a perturbative mode-coupling theory to investigate the impact of inertia on the pattern-forming dynamics of the system. Two main results are deduced: Inertia induces a mechanism for finger sidebranching formation and favors the intensification of finger competition events.

Experimental analysis on viscoelasticity-induced migration of RBCs using digital holographic microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Go, Taesik; Byeon, Hyeokjun; Lee, Sang Joon

2016-11-01

Migration of particles in viscoelastic fluids has recently received large attention, because the generated elastic forces in viscoelastic fluids give rise to a simple focusing pattern over a wide range of flow rates. In this study, the vertical focusing and alignment of rigid spherical particles, normal and hardened RBCs in a viscoelastic fluid were experimentally investigated by employing a digital in-line holographic microscopy (DIHM). By the elastic forces, the three different particles are pushed away from the walls and concentrated in the midplane of the rectangular microchannel. Furthermore, most of both RBCs maintain face-on orientation in the microchannel. The effects of deformability of RBC on the viscoelasticity-induced migration and orientation in the channel were also examined. In contrary to non-deformable particles, normal RBCs are dispersed as flow rate increases. In the region near side wall of the microchannel, normal RBCs have edge-on orientation with a large angle of inclination, compared to hardened RBCs. These findings have a strong potential in the design of microfluidic devices for deformability-based separation of cells in viscoelastic fluid flows and label-free diagnoses of certain hematological diseases. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant funded by the Korea government (MSIP) (No. 2008-0061991).

Feeding currents of the upside down jellyfish in the presence of background flow.

PubMed

Hamlet, Christina L; Miller, Laura A

2012-11-01

The upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea spp.) is an ideal organism for examining feeding and exchange currents generated by bell pulsations due to its relatively sessile nature. Previous experiments and numerical simulations have shown that the oral arms play an important role in directing new fluid into the bell from along the substrate. All of this work, however, has considered the jellyfish in the absence of background flow, but the natural environments of Cassiopea and other cnidarians are dynamic. Flow velocities and directions fluctuate on multiple time scales, and mechanisms of particle capture may be fundamentally different in moving fluids. In this paper, the immersed boundary method is used to simulate a simplified jellyfish in flow. The elaborate oral arm structure is modeled as a homogenous porous layer. The results show that the oral arms trap vortices as they form during contraction and expansion of the bell. For constant flow conditions, the vortices are directed gently across the oral arms where particle capture occurs. For variable direction flows, the secondary structures change the overall pattern of the flow around the bell and appear to stabilize regions of mixing around the secondary mouths.

Transverse transport of Fe3O4-H2O with viscosity variation under pure internal heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehmood, Rashid; Tabassum, R.

2018-05-01

Smart fluids are the fluids whose properties can be changed by applying an electric or a magnetic field. Such type of fluid finds tremendous applications in electronic devices, semi-active dampers, magnetic resonance imaging, in space craft propulsion and many more. This communication addresses water based magneto ferrofluid striking at a stretching surface in an oblique manner. In order to present physically realistic analysis, viscosity is assumed to be dependent upon temperature as well as volume fraction of magnetite nanoparticle. The flow governing problem is altered into nonlinear coupled system of ordinary differential equations via scaling transformation which is then solved numerically by means of Runge-kutta Fehlberg scheme. Impact of sundry parameters such as magnetic field parameter, nanoparticle volume fraction, heat generation parameter and variable viscosity parameter on velocity and temperature profile of magneto ferrofluid is presented graphically and discussed in a physical manner. Practical measures of interest namely skin friction and heat flux at the surface are computed. Streamline patterns are traced out to examine the flow pattern. It is found that skin friction and rate of heat transfer at the wall enhances by strengthening the applied magnetic field. Local heat flux can also be enhanced with increasing the volume fraction of magnetite nanoparticles.

Ferrofluid patterns in Hele-Shaw cells: Exact, stable, stationary shape solutions.

PubMed

Lira, Sérgio A; Miranda, José A

2016-01-01

We investigate a quasi-two-dimensional system composed of an initially circular ferrofluid droplet surrounded by a nonmagnetic fluid of higher density. These immiscible fluids flow in a rotating Hele-Shaw cell, under the influence of an in-plane radial magnetic field. We focus on the situation in which destabilizing bulk magnetic field effects are balanced by stabilizing centrifugal forces. In this framing, we consider the interplay of capillary and magnetic normal traction effects in determining the fluid-fluid interface morphology. By employing a vortex-sheet formalism, we have been able to find a family of exact stationary N-fold polygonal shape solutions for the interface. A weakly nonlinear theory is then used to verify that such exact interfacial solutions are in fact stable.

Adaptive particle-based pore-level modeling of incompressible fluid flow in porous media: a direct and parallel approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ovaysi, S.; Piri, M.

2009-12-01

We present a three-dimensional fully dynamic parallel particle-based model for direct pore-level simulation of incompressible viscous fluid flow in disordered porous media. The model was developed from scratch and is capable of simulating flow directly in three-dimensional high-resolution microtomography images of naturally occurring or man-made porous systems. It reads the images as input where the position of the solid walls are given. The entire medium, i.e., solid and fluid, is then discretized using particles. The model is based on Moving Particle Semi-implicit (MPS) technique. We modify this technique in order to improve its stability. The model handles highly irregular fluid-solid boundaries effectively. It takes into account viscous pressure drop in addition to the gravity forces. It conserves mass and can automatically detect any false connectivity with fluid particles in the neighboring pores and throats. It includes a sophisticated algorithm to automatically split and merge particles to maintain hydraulic connectivity of extremely narrow conduits. Furthermore, it uses novel methods to handle particle inconsistencies and open boundaries. To handle the computational load, we present a fully parallel version of the model that runs on distributed memory computer clusters and exhibits excellent scalability. The model is used to simulate unsteady-state flow problems under different conditions starting from straight noncircular capillary tubes with different cross-sectional shapes, i.e., circular/elliptical, square/rectangular and triangular cross-sections. We compare the predicted dimensionless hydraulic conductances with the data available in the literature and observe an excellent agreement. We then test the scalability of our parallel model with two samples of an artificial sandstone, samples A and B, with different volumes and different distributions (non-uniform and uniform) of solid particles among the processors. An excellent linear scalability is obtained for sample B that has more uniform distribution of solid particles leading to a superior load balancing. The model is then used to simulate fluid flow directly in REV size three-dimensional x-ray images of a naturally occurring sandstone. We analyze the quality and consistency of the predicted flow behavior and calculate absolute permeability, which compares well with the available network modeling and Lattice-Boltzmann permeabilities available in the literature for the same sandstone. We show that the model conserves mass very well and is stable computationally even at very narrow fluid conduits. The transient- and the steady-state fluid flow patterns are presented as well as the steady-state flow rates to compute absolute permeability. Furthermore, we discuss the vital role of our adaptive particle resolution scheme in preserving the original pore connectivity of the samples and their narrow channels through splitting and merging of fluid particles.

Drag Reduction of an Airfoil Using Deep Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Chiyu; Sun, Anzhu; Marcus, Philip

2017-11-01

We reduced the drag of a 2D airfoil by starting with a NACA-0012 airfoil and used deep learning methods. We created a database which consists of simulations of 2D external flow over randomly generated shapes. We then developed a machine learning framework for external flow field inference given input shapes. Past work which utilized machine learning in Computational Fluid Dynamics focused on estimations of specific flow parameters, but this work is novel in the inference of entire flow fields. We further showed that learned flow patterns are transferable to cases that share certain similarities. This study illustrates the prospects of deeper integration of data-based modeling into current CFD simulation frameworks for faster flow inference and more accurate flow modeling.

Vortex shedding in bileaflet heart valve prostheses.

PubMed

Gross, J M; Shermer, C D; Hwang, N H

1988-01-01

A dynamic study of two geometrically similar bileaflet heart valve prostheses (HVP) was performed using a physiologic mock circulatory flow loop. The HVPs studied were the 25 mm St. Jude Medical (SJM) and the 25 mm Carbomedics (CMI) in the aortic position and the 27 mm SJM and 27 mm CMI in the mitral position. All data were collected at a heart rate of 70 beats/min and a cardiac output of 5.0 L/min. Flow visualization was conducted in the transparent flow chambers of the pulsatile mock circulatory flow loop using a 15 mW He-Ne laser light source. A cylindrical lens and optics system converted the incident laser beam into a thin parallel light plane, and 420 microns tracer particles were suspended in the testing fluid to illuminate the flow field at selected planes. Frame-by-frame analysis of the 16 mm high-speed cine provides detailed phasic flow patterns in the vicinity of the HVP. A series of still photographs of flow patterns, taken at approximately 22.5 degrees phase intervals, are sequentially presented for each HVP. In the aortic position, a Karman-like vortex pattern appears downstream of the SJM at the end of the ejection phase. The CMI exhibits a rather symmetrical ejection flow pattern that turns into random motion immediately after the onset of ejection. In the mitral position, the SJM again exhibits a strong core flow during ventricular filling, whereas the CMI produces a more diffuse pattern during the same period. A pair of vortices shed from both the SJM and CMI are clearly visible toward the end of the ventricular filling phase. The vortex mechanisms are discussed in light of leaflet boundary layer formation.

Unsteady bio-fluid dynamics in flying and swimming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hao; Kolomenskiy, Dmitry; Nakata, Toshiyuki; Li, Gen

2017-08-01

Flying and swimming in nature present sophisticated and exciting ventures in biomimetics, which seeks sustainable solutions and solves practical problems by emulating nature's time-tested patterns, functions, and strategies. Bio-fluids in insect and bird flight, as well as in fish swimming are highly dynamic and unsteady; however, they have been studied mostly with a focus on the phenomena associated with a body or wings moving in a steady flow. Characterized by unsteady wing flapping and body undulation, fluid-structure interactions, flexible wings and bodies, turbulent environments, and complex maneuver, bio-fluid dynamics normally have challenges associated with low Reynolds number regime and high unsteadiness in modeling and analysis of flow physics. In this article, we review and highlight recent advances in unsteady bio-fluid dynamics in terms of leading-edge vortices, passive mechanisms in flexible wings and hinges, flapping flight in unsteady environments, and micro-structured aerodynamics in flapping flight, as well as undulatory swimming, flapping-fin hydrodynamics, body-fin interaction, C-start and maneuvering, swimming in turbulence, collective swimming, and micro-structured hydrodynamics in swimming. We further give a perspective outlook on future challenges and tasks of several key issues of the field.

A magnetic fluid seal for rotary blood pumps: image and computational analyses of behaviors of magnetic fluids.

PubMed

Mitamura, Yoshinori; Yano, Tetsuya; Okamoto, Eiji

2013-01-01

A magnetic fluid (MF) seal has excellent durability. The performance of an MF seal, however, has been reported to decrease in liquids (several days). We have developed an MF seal that has a shield mechanism. The seal was perfect for 275 days in water. To investigate the effect of a shield, behaviors of MFs in a seal in water were studied both experimentally and computationally. (a) Two kinds of MF seals, one with a shield and one without a shield, were installed in a centrifugal pump. Behaviors of MFs in the seals in water were observed with a video camera and high-speed microscope. In the seal without a shield, the surface of the water in the seal waved and the turbulent flow affected behaviors of the MFs. In contrast, MFs rotated stably in the seal with a shield in water even at high rotational speeds. (b) Computational fluid dynamics analysis revealed that a stationary secondary flow pattern in the seal and small velocity difference between magnetic fluid and water at the interface. These MF behaviors prolonged the life of an MF seal in water.

Uncertainty quantification of wall shear stress in intracranial aneurysms using a data-driven statistical model of systemic blood flow variability.

PubMed

Sarrami-Foroushani, Ali; Lassila, Toni; Gooya, Ali; Geers, Arjan J; Frangi, Alejandro F

2016-12-08

Adverse wall shear stress (WSS) patterns are known to play a key role in the localisation, formation, and progression of intracranial aneurysms (IAs). Complex region-specific and time-varying aneurysmal WSS patterns depend both on vascular morphology as well as on variable systemic flow conditions. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been proposed for characterising WSS patterns in IAs; however, CFD simulations often rely on deterministic boundary conditions that are not representative of the actual variations in blood flow. We develop a data-driven statistical model of internal carotid artery (ICA) flow, which is used to generate a virtual population of waveforms used as inlet boundary conditions in CFD simulations. This allows the statistics of the resulting aneurysmal WSS distributions to be computed. It is observed that ICA waveform variations have limited influence on the time-averaged WSS (TAWSS) on the IA surface. In contrast, in regions where the flow is locally highly multidirectional, WSS directionality and harmonic content are strongly affected by the ICA flow waveform. As a consequence, we argue that the effect of blood flow variability should be explicitly considered in CFD-based IA rupture assessment to prevent confounding the conclusions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of the electric field ratio on electroosmotic flow patterns in cross-shaped microchannels by the lattice-Boltzmann Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Socias, Alvaro; Oyarzun, Diego; Guzman, Amador

2014-11-01

The electroosmotic flow (EOF) pattern characteristics in cross-shaped microchannels flow are important features when either suppressing or enhancing flow features for injection and separation or mixing of multiple species are the wanted objectives. There are situations in EOF in cross-shaped microchannels where the fluid flows toward unexpected and unwanted directions under a given external electric field that depends of both the applied electric field and lengths of the different channels. This article describes the effect of the electric field ratio, defined as the ratio between longitudinal nominal electric field ELong = (VE-VW) /(LW + LE) and the nominal electric field E a = (VS-VE) /(VS + VE) , where E, S and W define the east, south and west directions of the cross-shaped microchannel; V is the externally applied voltage and L is the length, on the EOF characteristics in a cross-shaped microchannel. We use the lattice-Boltzmann method (LBM) for solving the discretized Boltzmann Transport Equation (BTE) describing the coupled processes of hydrodynamics and electrodynamic. Our numerical simulations allow us to determine the EOF pattern for a wide range of the electric field ratio and Ea such that inverted flow features are captured and described, which are very important to determine for flow separation or mixing.

Microgravity Fluid Separation Physics: Experimental and Analytical Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shoemaker, J. Michael; Schrage, Dean S.

1997-01-01

Effective, low power, two-phase separation systems are vital for the cost-effective study and utilization of two-phase flow systems and flow physics of two-phase flows. The study of microgravity flows have the potential to reveal significant insight into the controlling mechanisms for the behavior of flows in both normal and reduced gravity environments. The microgravity environment results in a reduction in gravity induced buoyancy forces acting on the discrete phases. Thus, surface tension, viscous, and inertial forces exert an increased influence on the behavior of the flow as demonstrated by the axisymmetric flow patterns. Several space technology and operations groups have studied the flow behavior in reduced gravity since gas-liquid flows are encountered in several systems such as cabin humidity control, wastewater treatment, thermal management, and Rankine power systems.

A Computational Study of the Hydrodynamics in the Nasal Region of a Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna tudes): Implications for Olfaction

PubMed Central

Rygg, Alex D.; Cox, Jonathan P. L.; Abel, Richard; Webb, Andrew G.; Smith, Nadine B.; Craven, Brent A.

2013-01-01

The hammerhead shark possesses a unique head morphology that is thought to facilitate enhanced olfactory performance. The olfactory chambers, located at the distal ends of the cephalofoil, contain numerous lamellae that increase the surface area for olfaction. Functionally, for the shark to detect chemical stimuli, water-borne odors must reach the olfactory sensory epithelium that lines these lamellae. Thus, odorant transport from the aquatic environment to the sensory epithelium is the first critical step in olfaction. Here we investigate the hydrodynamics of olfaction in Sphyrna tudes based on an anatomically-accurate reconstruction of the head and olfactory chamber from high-resolution micro-CT and MRI scans of a cadaver specimen. Computational fluid dynamics simulations of water flow in the reconstructed model reveal the external and internal hydrodynamics of olfaction during swimming. Computed external flow patterns elucidate the occurrence of flow phenomena that result in high and low pressures at the incurrent and excurrent nostrils, respectively, which induces flow through the olfactory chamber. The major (prenarial) nasal groove along the cephalofoil is shown to facilitate sampling of a large spatial extent (i.e., an extended hydrodynamic “reach”) by directing oncoming flow towards the incurrent nostril. Further, both the major and minor nasal grooves redirect some flow away from the incurrent nostril, thereby limiting the amount of fluid that enters the olfactory chamber. Internal hydrodynamic flow patterns are also revealed, where we show that flow rates within the sensory channels between olfactory lamellae are passively regulated by the apical gap, which functions as a partial bypass for flow in the olfactory chamber. Consequently, the hammerhead shark appears to utilize external (major and minor nasal grooves) and internal (apical gap) flow regulation mechanisms to limit water flow between the olfactory lamellae, thus protecting these delicate structures from otherwise high flow rates incurred by sampling a larger area. PMID:23555780

Vortex lattices and defect-mediated viscosity reduction in active liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slomka, Jonasz; Dunkel, Jorn

2016-11-01

Generic pattern-formation and viscosity-reduction mechanisms in active fluids are investigated using a generalized Navier-Stokes model that captures the experimentally observed bulk vortex dynamics in microbial suspensions. We present exact analytical solutions including stress-free vortex lattices and introduce a computational framework that allows the efficient treatment of previously intractable higher-order shear boundary conditions. Large-scale parameter scans identify the conditions for spontaneous flow symmetry breaking, defect-mediated low-viscosity phases and negative-viscosity states amenable to energy harvesting in confined suspensions. The theory uses only generic assumptions about the symmetries and long-wavelength structure of active stress tensors, suggesting that inviscid phases may be achievable in a broad class of non-equilibrium fluids by tuning confinement geometry and pattern scale selection.

How reactive fluids alter fracture walls and affect shale-matrix accessibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitts, J. P.; Deng, H.; Peters, C. A.

2014-12-01

Predictions of mass transfer across fracture boundaries and fluid flow in fracture networks provide fundamental inputs into risk and life cycle assessments of geologic energy technologies including oil and gas extraction, geothermal energy systems and geologic CO2 storage. However, major knowledge gaps exist due to the lack of experimental observations of how reactive fluids alter the pore structures and accessible surface area within fracture boundaries that control the mass transfer of organics, metals and salts, and influence fluid flow within the fracture. To investigate the fracture and rock matrix properties governing fracture boundary alteration, we developed a new flow-through cell that enables time-dependent 2D x-ray imaging of mineral dissolution and/or precipitation at a fracture surface. The parallel plate design provides an idealized fracture geometry to investigate the relationship between flow rate, reaction rate, and mineral spatial heterogeneity and variation. In the flow-cell, a carbonate-rich sample of Eagle Ford shale was reacted with acidified brine. The extent and rate of mineral dissolution were correlated with calcite abundance relative to less soluble silicate minerals. Three-dimensional x-ray tomography of the reacted fracture wall shows how calcite dissolution left behind a porous network of silicate minerals. And while this silicate network essentially preserved the location of the initial fracture wall, the pore network structures within the fracture boundary were dramatically altered, such that the accessible surface area of matrix components increased significantly. In a second set of experiments with a limestone specimen, however, the extent of dissolution and retreat of the fracture wall was not strictly correlated with the occurrence of calcite. Instead, the pattern and extent of dissolution suggested secondary causes such as calcite morphology, the presence of argillaceous minerals and other diagenetic features. Our experiments show that while calcite dissolution is the primary geochemical driver of fracture wall alterations, hydrodynamic properties and matrix accessibility within fracture boundaries evolve based on a complex relationship between mineral spatial heterogeneity and variation, fluid chemistry and flow rate.

Theoretical fluid dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shivamoggi, B. K.

This book is concerned with a discussion of the dynamical behavior of a fluid, and is addressed primarily to graduate students and researchers in theoretical physics and applied mathematics. A review of basic concepts and equations of fluid dynamics is presented, taking into account a fluid model of systems, the objective of fluid dynamics, the fluid state, description of the flow field, volume forces and surface forces, relative motion near a point, stress-strain relation, equations of fluid flows, surface tension, and a program for analysis of the governing equations. The dynamics of incompressible fluid flows is considered along with the dynamics of compressible fluid flows, the dynamics of viscous fluid flows, hydrodynamic stability, and dynamics of turbulence. Attention is given to the complex-variable method, three-dimensional irrotational flows, vortex flows, rotating flows, water waves, applications to aerodynamics, shock waves, potential flows, the hodograph method, flows at low and high Reynolds numbers, the Jeffrey-Hamel flow, and the capillary instability of a liquid jet.

Finite element analysis of helical flows in human aortic arch: A novel index

PubMed Central

Lee, Cheng-Hung; Liu, Kuo-Sheng; Jhong, Guan-Heng; Liu, Shih-Jung; Hsu, Ming-Yi; Wang, Chao-Jan; Hung, Kuo-Chun

2014-01-01

This study investigates the helical secondary flows in the aortic arch using finite element analysis. The relationship between helical flow and the configuration of the aorta in patients of whose three-dimensional images constructed from computed tomography scans was examined. A finite element model of the pressurized root, arch, and supra-aortic vessels was developed to simulate the pattern of helical secondary flows. Calculations indicate that most of the helical secondary flow was formed in the ascending aorta. Angle α between the zero reference point and the aortic ostium (correlation coefficient (r) = −0.851, P = 0.001), the dispersion index of the cross section of the ascending (r = 0.683, P = 0.021) and descending aorta (r = 0.732, P = 0.010), all correlated closely with the presence of helical flow (P < 0.05). Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis confirmed angel α to be independently associated with the helical flow pattern in therein (standardized coefficients = −0.721, P = 0.023). The presence of helical fluid motion based on the atherosclerotic risks of patients, including those associated with diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or renal insufficiency, was also evaluated. Numerical simulation of the flow patterns in aortas incorporating the atherosclerotic risks may better explain the mechanism of formation of helical flows and provide insight into causative factors that underlie them. PMID:24803960

Flow Diode and Method for Controlling Fluid Flow Origin of the Invention

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dyson, Rodger W (Inventor)

2015-01-01

A flow diode configured to permit fluid flow in a first direction while preventing fluid flow in a second direction opposite the first direction is disclosed. The flow diode prevents fluid flow without use of mechanical closures or moving parts. The flow diode utilizes a bypass flowline whereby all fluid flow in the second direction moves into the bypass flowline having a plurality of tortuous portions providing high fluidic resistance. The portions decrease in diameter such that debris in the fluid is trapped. As fluid only travels in one direction through the portions, the debris remains trapped in the portions.

A Microfluidics Study to Quantify the Impact of Microfracture Properties on Two-Phase Flow in Tight Rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehmani, A.; Kelly, S. A.; Torres-Verdin, C.; Balhoff, M.

2017-12-01

Microfluidics provides the opportunity for controlled experiments of immiscible fluid dynamics in quasi two-dimensional permeable media and allows their direct observation. We leverage microfluidics to investigate the impact of microfracture properties on water imbibition and drainage in a porous matrix. In the context of this work, microfractures are defined as apertures or preferential flow paths formed along planes of weakness, such as between two different rock fabrics. Patterns of pseudo-microfractures with orientations from parallel and perpendicular to fluid flow as well as variations in their connectivity were fabricated in glass micromodels; surface roughness of the micromodels was also varied utilizing a new method. Light microscopy and image analysis were used to quantify transient front advancement and trapped non-wetting phase saturation during imbibition as well as residual wetting phase saturation and its spatial distribution following drainage. Our experiments enable the assessment of quantitative relationships between fluid invasion rate and residual phase distributions as functions of microfracture network properties. Ultimately, the wide variety of microfluidic experiments performed in this study provide valuable insight into two-phase fluid dynamics in microfracture/matrix networks, the extent of fracture fluid invasion, and the saturation of trapped phases. In reservoir description, the geometries of subsurface fractures are often difficult to ascertain, but the distribution of rock types in a zone, from highly laminated to homogenous, can be reliably assessed with core data and well logs. Assuming that microcracks are functions of lamination planes (thin beds), then a priori predictions of the effect of microcracks on two-phase fluid flow across various geological conditions can possibly be upscaled via effective lamination properties. Such upscaling can significantly reduce the uncertainties associated with subsurface operations, including reservoir production, carbon storage and sequestration, and hazardous waste sequestration. A reliable prediction of capillary trapping, for instance, can determine the fracture fluid saturation subsequent to hydraulic fracturing of unconventional formations or the efficacy of water flooding in fractured reservoirs.

Boundary-modulated Thermal Convection Model in the Mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurita, K.; Kumagai, I.

2008-12-01

Analog experiments have played an important role in the constructing ideas of mantle dynamics. The series of experiments by H. Ramberg is one of the successful examples. Recently, however the realm of the analog experiments seems to be overwhelmed by steady progress of computer simulations. Is there still room for the analog experiments? This might be a main and hidden subject of this session. Here we propose a working hypothesis how the convecting mantle behaves based on the analog experiments in the system of viscous fluid and particles. The essential part is the interaction of convecting flow with heterogeneities existing in the boundaries. It is proposed the preexisting topographical heterogeneity in the boundary could control the flow pattern of convecting fluid. If this kind of heterogeneity can be formed as a consequence of convective motion and mobilized by the flow, the convection also can control the heterogeneity. We can expect interactions in two ways, by which the system behaves in a self-organize fashion. To explore the mutual interactions between convection flow and heterogeneity the system of viscous fluid and particles with slightly higher density is selected as 2D Rayleigh-Benard type convection. The basic structure consists of a basal particulate layer where permeable convection transports heat and an upper viscous fluid layer. By reducing the magnitude of the density difference the convective flow can mobilize the particles and can erode the basal layer. The condition of this erosion can be identified in the phase diagram of the particle Shields"f and the Rayleigh numbers. At Ra greater than 107 the convection style drastically changed before and after the erosion. Before the erosion where the flat interface of the boundary is maintained small scaled turbulent convection pattern is dominant. After the erosion where the interface becomes bumpy the large scale convective motion is observed. The structure is coherent to that of the boundary. This is a good example of the consequence of mutual interactions between convective flow and the heterogeneity in boundary. We propose this is a basic framework of the mantle dynamics which can reconcile apparent discrepancy between observed seismic signatures and corresponding convective motion. As a conclusion we would like to emphasize the analog experiments is a useful tool for developing/breeding new ideas.

Regional hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of deep formation waters in the Williston Basin (Canada-USA): implications for fluid migration in the basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rostron, B. J.

2010-12-01

The regional groundwater flow-system in the Williston Basin (Canada-USA) is one of the best examples of a mega-scale confined aquifer-system in the world. With its well-defined recharge and discharge areas separated by approximately 1000 km horizontal and 1 km vertical distance, the basin is an ideal natural laboratory to study regional groundwater flow and hydrochemistry. Springs and shallow water wells in the recharge and discharge areas, along with deeper oil and gas wells, allow for detailed mapping of formation-pressures. Further, these wells provide access for sampling and geochemical analyses of formation waters along flow paths. Basin-scale hydrogeological and hydrochemical mapping combined with newly obtained geochemical and isotopic data from more than 2000 wells across the basin provide new insights into the present and paleohydrogeology of the basin. Results indicate: 1) the hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of the basin must be mapped on hydrogeological (not political) boundaries; 2) many aquifers have similar water chemistries, yet unique isotopic fingerprints; 3) stable isotope distributions provide insight(s) into regional fluid flow patterns; 4) analysis of bromine concentrations and stable isotopic compositions provide evidence that at least some of the brine in the basin owes its origin to evaporated seawater and not just dissolved evaporites as previously thought; 5) regional patterns of stable isotopes and halogens can be used to trace different flow "events" in the basin's history; 6) calcium-rich brines in the center of the basin may be associated with relict calcium-rich seawaters; 7) hydrocarbon migration pathways have been variably impacted by evolving hydrodynamic conditions; and 8) there is strong evidence of past glacially-driven recharge in the current discharge area of the basin. These observations show that the hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of the basin is more complex than previously thought. Portions of the basin appear to respond rapidly to changes in boundary conditions including: the recharge areas; midline areas that have experienced extensive salt dissolution; and present discharge areas that appear to show evidence of glacially-driven recharge. Other portions of the basin appear to have had little to no fluid-flow despite being continuous and highly-permeable. Mixing, and not depth, appears to control water compositions. Insights gained from regional hydrogeology and hydrochemical provide an improved understanding the present and past mega-scale fluid migration in the Williston Basin.

Asynchronous oscillations of rigid rods drive viscous fluid to swirl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashi, Rintaro; Takagi, Daisuke

2017-12-01

We present a minimal system for generating flow at low Reynolds number by oscillating a pair of rigid rods in silicone oil. Experiments show that oscillating them in phase produces no net flow, but a phase difference alone can generate rich flow fields. Tracer particles follow complex trajectory patterns consisting of small orbital movements every cycle and then drifting or swirling in larger regions after many cycles. Observations are consistent with simulations performed using the method of regularized Stokeslets, which reveal complex three-dimensional flow structures emerging from simple oscillatory actuation. Our findings reveal the basic underlying flow structure around oscillatory protrusions such as hairs and legs as commonly featured on living and nonliving bodies.

Laboratory study of forced rotating shallow water turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Espa, Stefania; Di Nitto, Gabriella; Cenedese, Antonio

2011-12-01

During the last three decades several authors have studied the appearance of multiple zonal jets in planetary atmospheres and in the Earths oceans. The appearance of zonal jets has been recovered in numerical simulations (Yoden & Yamada, 1993), laboratory experiments (Afanasyev & Wells, 2005; Espa et al., 2008, 2010) and in field measurements of the atmosphere of giant planets (Galperin et al., 2001). Recent studies have revealed the presence of zonation also in the Earths oceans, in fact zonal jets have been found in the outputs of Oceanic General Circulation Models-GCMs (Nakano & Hasumi, 2005) and from the analysis of satellite altimetry observations (Maximenko et al., 2005). In previous works (Espa et al., 2008, 2010) we have investigated the impact of the variation of the rotation rate and of the fluid depth on jets organization in decaying and forced regimes. In this work we show results from experiments performed in a bigger domain in which the fluid is forced continuously. The experimental set-up consists of a rotating tank (1m in diameter) where the initial distribution of vorticity has been generated via the Lorentz force in an electromagnetic cell. The latitudinal variation of the Coriolis parameter has been simulated by the parabolic profile assumed by the free surface of the rotating fluid. Flow measurements have been performed using an image analysis technique. Experiments have been performed changing the tank rotation rate and the fluid thickness. We have investigated the flow in terms of zonal and radial flow pattern, flow variability and jet scales.

Lubricant retention in liquid-infused microgrooves exposed to turbulent flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Matthew; Chen, Ting-Hsuan; Arnold, Craig; Hultmark, Marcus

2017-11-01

Liquid infused surfaces are a promising method of passive drag reduction for turbulent flows. These surfaces rely on functionalized roughness elements to trap a liquid lubricant that is immiscible with external fluids. The presence of the lubricant creates a collection of fluid-fluid interfaces which can support a finite slip velocity at the effective surface. Generating a streamwise slip at the surface has been demonstrated as an effective mechanism for drag reduction; however, sustained drag reduction is predicated on the retention of the lubricating layer. Here, a turbulent channel-flow facility is used to characterize the robustness of liquid-infused surfaces and evaluate criteria for ensuring retention of the lubricant. Microscale grooved surfaces infused with alkane lubricants are mounted flush in the channel and exposed to turbulent flows. The retention of lubricants and pressure drop are monitored to characterize the effects of surface geometry and lubricant properties. To improve the retention of lubricant within grooved structures, a novel laser patterning technique is used to scribe chemical barriers onto grooved surfaces and evaluated. Supported under ONR Grants N00014-12-1-0875 and N00014-12-1-0962 (program manager Ki-Han Kim) and by the Department of Defense (DoD) through the National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) Program.

Physiography of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and implications about continental margin development

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greene, H.D.; Maher, N.M.; Paull, C.K.

2002-01-01

Combined EM-300 multibeam bathymetric data and satellite photography reveal the physiography of the continental margin between 35°50′ and 37°03′N and from the shoreline west of 122°40′ and 122°37′W, which includes Monterey Bay, in a previously unprecedented detail. Patterns in these images clearly reveal the processes that are actively influencing the current geomorphology of the Monterey Bay region, including the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). Our data indicates that seafloor physiography within the MBNMS results from plate margin tectonic deformation, including uplift and erosion along structural lineaments, and from fluid flow. Mass wasting is the dominant process active within the Ascension–Monterey and Sur–Partington submarine canyon systems and along the lower slopes. Meanders, slump dams, and constricted channels within the submarine canyons, especially within Monterey Canyon, slow and interrupt down-canyon sediment transport. We have identified for the first time thin sediment flows, rotational slumps, rills, depressions that may be associated with pipes, and other fluid-induced features we call ‘scallops’ off the Ascension slope, and suggest that fluid flow has sculptured the seafloor morphologies here. These unusual seafloor morphologies are similar to morphologies found in terrestrial areas modified by ground-water flow.

Direct numerical simulations of agglomeration of circular colloidal particles in two-dimensional shear flow

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

Choi, Young Joon, E-mail: yjchoi@uvic.ca; Djilali, Ned, E-mail: ndjilali@uvic.ca

2016-01-15

Colloidal agglomeration of nanoparticles in shear flow is investigated by solving the fluid-particle and particle-particle interactions in a 2D system. We use an extended finite element method in which the dynamics of the particles is solved in a fully coupled manner with the flow, allowing an accurate description of the fluid-particle interfaces without the need of boundary-fitted meshes or of empirical correlations to account for the hydrodynamic interactions between the particles. Adaptive local mesh refinement using a grid deformation method is incorporated with the fluid-structure interaction algorithm, and the particle-particle interaction at the microscopic level is modeled using the Lennard-Jonesmore » potential. Motivated by the process used in fabricating fuel cell catalysts from a colloidal ink, the model is applied to investigate agglomeration of colloidal particles under external shear flow in a sliding bi-periodic Lees-Edwards frame with varying shear rates and particle fraction ratios. Both external shear and particle fraction are found to have a crucial impact on the structure formation of colloidal particles in a suspension. Segregation intensity and graph theory are used to analyze the underlying agglomeration patterns and structures, and three agglomeration regimes are identified.« less

Two-Phase Flow Simulations through Experimentally Studied Porous Media Analogies

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

Crandall, D.M.; Ahmadi, G.; Smith, D.H.

2007-07-01

The amount of CO2 that can be sequestered in deep brine reservoirs is dependant on fluid-fluid-solid interactions within heterogeneous porous media. Displacement of an in-place fluid by a less viscous invading fluid does not displace 100% of the defending fluid, due to capillary and viscous fingering. This has been studied experimentally and numerically with the use of pore-throat flow cells and pore-level models, respectively, in the last two decades. This current work solves the full Navier-Stokes and continuity equations in a random pore-throat geometry using the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method. To verify that the VOF model can be accuratelymore » applied within narrow apertures, qualitative agreement with the well-documented phenomenon of viscous fingering in a Hele-Shaw cell is first presented. While this motion is similar to the fingering observed in geological media, the random structure of rock restricts flow patterns not captured by flow in Hele-Shaw cells. To mimic this heterogeneous natural geometry, a novel experimental flowcell was created. Experiments of constant-rate injection of air into the water saturated model are described. This situation, where a non-wetting, invading fluid displaces a surface-wetting, more-viscous fluid, is known as drainage. As the injection flow rate was increased, a change from stable displacement fronts to dendritic fingering structures was observed, with a corresponding decrease in the fractal dimension of the interface and a decrease in the final saturation of invading air. Predictions of the VOF computational modeling within the same flowcell geometry are then shown to be in good agreement with the experimental results. Percent saturation and the fractal dimension of the invading fluid were calculated from the numerical model and shown to be similar to the experimental findings for air invasion of a watersaturated domain. The fluid properties (viscosity and density) were than varied and the viscosity ratio and capillary number of the fluids were shown to affect the percent of displaced fluid, with lower capillary number and higher viscosity ratio displacing a greater amount of the wetting fluid. Displacement of a non-wetting, in-place fluid by a less viscous, wetting fluid (the case of imbibition; contact angle > 90°) is then studied with the numerical model. The invading fluid is shown to preferentially move into small throats and displace a larger percent of the in-place fluid than observed in the drainage case. The interface was also observed to have a higher fractal dimension, closer to 2. These results highlight the potential for greater fundamental understanding of liquid-gas-solid interactions in heterogeneous, porous media that can be obtained from computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Situations, which are difficult to experimentally study, can be examined with CFD in a manner that more accurately accounts for the geological conditions relevant to CO2 sequestration. This allows for greater accuracy in the prediction of storage capacity within known geological structures. This study shows that as the contact angle between the invading fluid and the defending fluid increase, a greater portion of the porous medium is invaded. Thus, a greater portion of CO2 can be sequestered in reservoirs that are not strongly water wet. Low flow rates are shown to increase the final percent saturation of the invading fluid as well, regardless of wetting conditions.« less

Deep reaching fluid flow in the North East German Basin: origin and processes of groundwater salinisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tesmer, M.; Möller, P.; Wieland, S.; Jahnke, C.; Voigt, H.; Pekdeger, A.

2007-11-01

Major element chemistry, rare-earth element distribution, and H and O isotopes are conjointly used to study the sources of salinisation and interaquifer flow of saline groundwater in the North East German Basin. Chemical analyses from hydrocarbon exploration campaigns showed evidence of the existence of two different groups of brines: halite and halite Ca-Cl brines. Residual brines and leachates are identified by Br-/Cl- ratios. Most of the brines are dissolution brines of Permian evaporites. New analyses show that the pattern of rare-earth elements and yttrium (REY) are closely linked to H and O isotope distribution. Thermal brines from deep wells and artesian wells indicate isotopically evaporated brines, which chemically interacted with their aquifer environment. Isotopes and rare-earth element patterns prove that cross flow exists, especially in the post-Rupelian aquifer. However, even at depths exceeding 2,000 m, interaquifer flow takes place. The rare-earth element pattern and H and O isotopes identify locally ascending brines. A large-scale lateral groundwater flow has to be assumed because all pre-Rupelian aquifer systems to a depth of at least 500 m are isotopically characterised by Recent or Pleistocene recharge conditions.

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation and endothelin-1 production in human endothelial cells exposed to vibration

PubMed Central

White, Charles R; Haidekker, Mark A; Stevens, Hazel Y; Frangos, John A

2004-01-01

Hand–arm vibration syndrome is a vascular disease of occupational origin and a form of secondary Raynaud's phenomenon. Chronic exposure to hand-held vibrating tools may cause endothelial injury. This study investigates the biomechanical forces involved in the transduction of fluid vibration in the endothelium. Human endothelial cells were exposed to direct vibration and rapid low-volume fluid oscillation. Rapid low-volume fluid oscillation was used to simulate the effects of vibration by generating defined temporal gradients in fluid shear stress across an endothelial monolayer. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) phosphorylation and endothelin-1 (ET-1) release were monitored as specific biochemical markers for temporal gradients and endothelial response, respectively. Both vibrational methods were found to phosphorylate ERK1/2 in a similar pattern. At a fixed frequency of fluid oscillation where the duration of each pulse cycle remained constant, ERK1/2 phosphorylation increased with the increasing magnitude of the applied temporal gradient. However, when the frequency of flow oscillation was increased (thus decreasing the duration of each pulse cycle), ERK1/2 phosphorylation was attenuated across all temporal gradient flow profiles. Fluid oscillation significantly stimulated ET-1 release compared to steady flow, and endothelin-1 was also attenuated with the increase in oscillation frequency. Taken together, these results show that both the absolute magnitude of the temporal gradient and the frequency/duration of each pulse cycle play a role in the biomechanical transduction of fluid vibrational forces in endothelial cells. Furthermore, this study reports for the first time a link between the ERK1/2 signal transduction pathway and transmission of vibrational forces in the endothelium. PMID:14724194

The study of flow pattern and phase-change problem in die casting process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, T. S.; Wei, H.; Chen, Y. S.; Shang, H. M.

1996-01-01

The flow pattern and solidification phenomena in die casting process have been investigated in the first phase study. The flow pattern in filling process is predicted by using a VOF (volume of fluid) method. A good agreement with experimental observation is obtained for filling the water into a die cavity with different gate geometry and with an obstacle in the cavity. An enthalpy method has been applied to solve the solidification problem. By treating the latent heat implicitly into the enthalpy instead of explicitly into the source term, the CPU time can be reduced at least 20 times. The effect of material properties on solidification fronts is tested. It concludes that the dependence of properties on temperature is significant. The influence of the natural convection over the diffusion has also been studied. The result shows that the liquid metal solidification phenomena is diffusion dominant, and the natural convection can affect the shape of the interface. In the second phase study, the filling and solidification processes will be considered simultaneously.

Bubble deformations and segmented flows in corrugated microchannels at large capillary numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauzade, Martin; Cubaud, Thomas

2018-03-01

We experimentally investigate the interaction between individual bubble deformations and collective distortions of segmented flows in nonlinear microfluidic geometries. Using highly viscous carrier fluids, we study the evolution of monodisperse trains of gas bubbles from a square to a smoothly corrugated microchannel characterized with a series of extensions and constrictions along the flow path. The hysteresis in the bubble shape between accelerating and decelerating flow fields is shown to increase with the capillary number. Measurements of instantaneous bubble velocities reveal the presence of a capillary pull that produces a nonmonotonic behavior for the front velocity in accelerating flow regions. Functional relationships are developed for predicting the morphology and dynamics of viscous multiphase flow patterns at the pore scale.

Numerical study of turbulent secondary flows in curved ducts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hur, N.; Thangam, S.; Speziale, C. G.

1990-01-01

The pressure driven, fully-developed turbulent flow of an incompressible viscous fluid in curved ducts of square-section is studied numerically by making use of a finite volume method. A nonlinear Kappa - Iota model is used to represent the turbulence. The results for both straight and curved ducts are presented. For the case of fully-developed turbulent flow in straight and curved ducts, the secondary flow is characterized by an eight-vortex structure for which the computed flowfield is shown to be in good agreement with available experimental data. The introduction of moderate curvature is shown to cause a substantial increase in the strength of the secondary flow and to change the secondary flow pattern to either a double-vortex or a four-vortex configuration.

Numerical study of turbulent secondary flows in curved ducts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hur, N.; Thangam, S.; Speziale, C. G.

1989-01-01

The pressure driven, fully-developed turbulent flow of an incompressible viscous fluid in curved ducts of square cross-section is studied numerically by making use of a finite volume method. A nonlinear Kappa - Iota model is used to represent the turbulence. The results for both straight and curved ducts are presented. For the case of fully-developed turbulent flow in straight ducts, the secondary flow is characterized by an eight-vortex structure for which the computed flowfield is shown to be in good agreement with available experimental data. The introduction of moderate curvature is shown to cause a substantial increase in the strength of the secondary flow and to change the secondary flow pattern to either a double-vortex or a four-vortex configuration.

Enhanced Microfluidic Electromagnetic Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ricco, Antonio J. (Inventor); Kovacs, Gregory (Inventor); Giovangrandi, Laurent (Inventor)

2015-01-01

Techniques for enhanced microfluidic impedance spectroscopy include causing a core fluid to flow into a channel between two sheath flows of one or more sheath fluids different from the core fluid. Flow in the channel is laminar. A dielectric constant of a fluid constituting either sheath flow is much less than a dielectric constant of the core fluid. Electrical impedance is measured in the channel between at least a first pair of electrodes. In some embodiments, enhanced optical measurements include causing a core fluid to flow into a channel between two sheath flows of one or more sheath fluids different from the core fluid. An optical index of refraction of a fluid constituting either sheath flow is much less than an optical index of refraction of the core fluid. An optical property is measured in the channel.

Modeling and simulation of large scale stirred tank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neuville, John R.

The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a written record of the evaluation performed on the DWPF mixing process by the construction of numerical models that resemble the geometry of this process. There were seven numerical models constructed to evaluate the DWPF mixing process and four pilot plants. The models were developed with Fluent software and the results from these models were used to evaluate the structure of the flow field and the power demand of the agitator. The results from the numerical models were compared with empirical data collected from these pilot plants that had been operated at an earlier date. Mixing is commonly used in a variety ways throughout industry to blend miscible liquids, disperse gas through liquid, form emulsions, promote heat transfer and, suspend solid particles. The DOE Sites at Hanford in Richland Washington, West Valley in New York, and Savannah River Site in Aiken South Carolina have developed a process that immobilizes highly radioactive liquid waste. The radioactive liquid waste at DWPF is an opaque sludge that is mixed in a stirred tank with glass frit particles and water to form slurry of specified proportions. The DWPF mixing process is composed of a flat bottom cylindrical mixing vessel with a centrally located helical coil, and agitator. The helical coil is used to heat and cool the contents of the tank and can improve flow circulation. The agitator shaft has two impellers; a radial blade and a hydrofoil blade. The hydrofoil is used to circulate the mixture between the top region and bottom region of the tank. The radial blade sweeps the bottom of the tank and pushes the fluid in the outward radial direction. The full scale vessel contains about 9500 gallons of slurry with flow behavior characterized as a Bingham Plastic. Particles in the mixture have an abrasive characteristic that cause excessive erosion to internal vessel components at higher impeller speeds. The desire for this mixing process is to ensure the agitation of the vessel is adequate to produce a homogenous mixture but not so high that it produces excessive erosion to internal components. The main findings reported by this study were: (1) Careful consideration of the fluid yield stress characteristic is required to make predictions of fluid flow behavior. Laminar Models can predict flow patterns and stagnant regions in the tank until full movement of the flow field occurs. Power Curves and flow patterns were developed for the full scale mixing model to show the differences in expected performance of the mixing process for a broad range of fluids that exhibit Herschel--Bulkley and Bingham Plastic flow behavior. (2) The impeller power demand is independent of the flow model selection for turbulent flow fields in the region of the impeller. The laminar models slightly over predicted the agitator impeller power demand produced by turbulent models. (3) The CFD results show that the power number produced by the mixing system is independent of size. The 40 gallon model produced the same power number results as the 9300 gallon model for the same process conditions. (4) CFD Results show that the Scale-Up of fluid motion in a 40 gallon tank should compare with fluid motion at full scale, 9300 gallons by maintaining constant impeller Tip Speed.

On the stability analysis of sharply stratified shear flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Churilov, Semyon

2018-05-01

When the stability of a sharply stratified shear flow is studied, the density profile is usually taken stepwise and a weak stratification between pycnoclines is neglected. As a consequence, in the instability domain of the flow two-sided neutral curves appear such that the waves corresponding to them are neutrally stable, whereas the neighboring waves on either side of the curve are unstable, in contrast with the classical result of Miles (J Fluid Mech 16:209-227, 1963) who proved that in stratified flows unstable oscillations can be only on one side of the neutral curve. In the paper, the contradiction is resolved and changes in the flow stability pattern under transition from a model stepwise to a continuous density profile are analyzed. On this basis, a simple self-consistent algorithm is proposed for studying the stability of sharply stratified shear flows with a continuous density variation and an arbitrary monotonic velocity profile without inflection points. Because our calculations and the algorithm are both based on the method of stability analysis (Churilov J Fluid Mech 539:25-55, 2005; ibid, 617, 301-326, 2008), which differs essentially from usually used, the paper starts with a brief review of the method and results obtained with it.

Simulation of Helical Flow Hydrodynamics in Meanders and Advection-Turbulent Diffusion Using Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gusti, T. P.; Hertanti, D. R.; Bahsan, E.; Soeryantono, H.

2013-12-01

Particle-based numerical methods, such as Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), may be able to simulate some hydrodynamic and morphodynamic behaviors better than grid-based numerical methods. This study simulates hydrodynamics in meanders and advection and turbulent diffusion in straight river channels using Microsoft Excel and Visual Basic. The simulators generate three-dimensional data for hydrodynamics and one-dimensional data for advection-turbulent diffusion. Fluid at rest, sloshing, and helical flow are simulated in the river meanders. Spill loading and step loading are done to simulate concentration patterns associated with advection-turbulent diffusion. Results indicate that helical flow is formed due to disturbance in morphology and particle velocity in the stream and the number of particles does not have a significant effect on the pattern of advection-turbulent diffusion concentration.

Thermocapillary convection in two immiscible liquid layers with free surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doi, Takao; Koster, Jean N.

1993-01-01

Thermocapillary convection is studied in two immiscible liquid layers with one free surface, one liquid/liquid interface, and differential heating applied parallel to the interfaces. An analytical solution is introduced for infinite horizontal layers. The defining parameter for the flow pattern is lambda, the ratio of the temperature coefficient of the interfacial tension to that of the surface tension. Four different flow patterns exist under zero gravity conditions. 'Halt' conditions which halt the fluid motion in the lower encapsulated liquid layer have been found. A numerical experiment is carried out to study effects of vertical end walls on the double layer convection in a 2D cavity. The halt condition obtained from the analytical study is found to be valid in the limit of small Reynolds numbers. The flow in the encapsulated liquid layer can be suppressed substantially.

Imaging and modeling of flow in porous media using clinical nuclear emission tomography systems and computational fluid dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boutchko, Rostyslav; Rayz, Vitaliy L.; Vandehey, Nicholas T.; O'Neil, James P.; Budinger, Thomas F.; Nico, Peter S.; Druhan, Jennifer L.; Saloner, David A.; Gullberg, Grant T.; Moses, William W.

2012-01-01

This paper presents experimental and modeling aspects of applying nuclear emission tomography to study fluid flow in laboratory packed porous media columns of the type frequently used in geophysics, geochemistry and hydrology research. Positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are used as non-invasive tools to obtain dynamic 3D images of radioactive tracer concentrations. Dynamic sequences obtained using 18F-FDG PET are used to trace flow through a 5 cm diameter × 20 cm tall sand packed column with and without an impermeable obstacle. In addition, a custom-made rotating column setup placed in a clinical two-headed SPECT camera is used to image 99mTc-DTPA tracer propagation in a through-flowing column (10 cm diameter × 30 cm tall) packed with recovered aquifer sediments. A computational fluid dynamics software package FLUENT is used to model the observed flow dynamics. Tracer distributions obtained in the simulations in the smaller column uniformly packed with sand and in the column with an obstacle are remarkably similar to the reconstructed images in the PET experiments. SPECT results demonstrate strongly non-uniform flow patterns for the larger column slurry-packed with sub-surface sediment and slow upward flow. In the numerical simulation of the SPECT study, two symmetric channels with increased permeability are prescribed along the column walls, which result in the emergence of two well-defined preferential flow paths. Methods and results of this work provide new opportunities in hydrologic and biogeochemical research. The primary target application for developed technologies is non-destructive, non-perturbing, quantitative imaging of flow dynamics within laboratory scale porous media systems.

Imaging and modeling of flow in porous media using clinical nuclear emission tomography systems and computational fluid dynamics.

PubMed

Boutchko, Rostyslav; Rayz, Vitaliy L; Vandehey, Nicholas T; O'Neil, James P; Budinger, Thomas F; Nico, Peter S; Druhan, Jennifer L; Saloner, David A; Gullberg, Grant T; Moses, William W

2012-01-01

This paper presents experimental and modeling aspects of applying nuclear emission tomography to study fluid flow in laboratory packed porous media columns of the type frequently used in geophysics, geochemistry and hydrology research. Positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are used as non-invasive tools to obtain dynamic 3D images of radioactive tracer concentrations. Dynamic sequences obtained using 18 F-FDG PET are used to trace flow through a 5 cm diameter × 20 cm tall sand packed column with and without an impermeable obstacle. In addition, a custom-made rotating column setup placed in a clinical two-headed SPECT camera is used to image 99m Tc-DTPA tracer propagation in a through-flowing column (10 cm diameter × 30 cm tall) packed with recovered aquifer sediments. A computational fluid dynamics software package FLUENT is used to model the observed flow dynamics. Tracer distributions obtained in the simulations in the smaller column uniformly packed with sand and in the column with an obstacle are remarkably similar to the reconstructed images in the PET experiments. SPECT results demonstrate strongly non-uniform flow patterns for the larger column slurry-packed with sub-surface sediment and slow upward flow. In the numerical simulation of the SPECT study, two symmetric channels with increased permeability are prescribed along the column walls, which result in the emergence of two well-defined preferential flow paths. Methods and results of this work provide new opportunities in hydrologic and biogeochemical research. The primary target application for developed technologies is non-destructive, non-perturbing, quantitative imaging of flow dynamics within laboratory scale porous media systems.

Flow pattern analysis in a highly stenotic patient-specific carotid bifurcation model using a turbulence model.

PubMed

Li, Zhi-Yong; Tan, Felicia P P; Soloperto, Giulia; Wood, Nigel B; Xu, Xiao Y; Gillard, Jonathan H

2015-08-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the blood flow pattern in carotid bifurcation with a high degree of luminal stenosis, combining in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A newly developed two-equation transitional model was employed to evaluate wall shear stress (WSS) distribution and pressure drop across the stenosis, which are closely related to plaque vulnerability. A patient with an 80% left carotid stenosis was imaged using high resolution MRI, from which a patient-specific geometry was reconstructed and flow boundary conditions were acquired for CFD simulation. A transitional model was implemented to investigate the flow velocity and WSS distribution in the patient-specific model. The peak time-averaged WSS value of approximately 73 Pa was predicted by the transitional flow model, and the regions of high WSS occurred at the throat of the stenosis. High oscillatory shear index values up to 0.50 were present in a helical flow pattern from the outer wall of the internal carotid artery immediately after the throat. This study shows the potential suitability of a transitional turbulent flow model in capturing the flow phenomena in severely stenosed carotid arteries using patient-specific MRI data and provides the basis for further investigation of the links between haemodynamic variables and plaque vulnerability. It may be useful in the future for risk assessment of patients with carotid disease.

Modeling and design of optimal flow perfusion bioreactors for tissue engineering applications.

PubMed

Hidalgo-Bastida, L Araida; Thirunavukkarasu, Sundaramoorthy; Griffiths, Sarah; Cartmell, Sarah H; Naire, Shailesh

2012-04-01

Perfusion bioreactors have been used in different tissue engineering applications because of their consistent distribution of nutrients and flow-induced shear stress within the tissue-engineering scaffold. A widely used configuration uses a scaffold with a circular cross-section enclosed within a cylindrical chamber and inlet and outlet pipes which are connected to the chamber on either side through which media is continuously circulated. However, fluid-flow experiments and simulations have shown that the majority of the flow perfuses through the center. This pattern creates stagnant zones in the peripheral regions as well as in those of high flow rate near the inlet and outlet. This non-uniformity of flow and shear stress, owing to a circular design, results in limited cell proliferation and differentiation in these areas. The focus of this communication is to design an optimized perfusion system using computational fluid dynamics as a mathematical tool to overcome the time-consuming trial and error experimental method. We compared the flow within a circular and a rectangular bioreactor system. Flow simulations within the rectangular bioreactor are shown to overcome the limitations in the circular design. This communication challenges the circular cross-section bioreactor configuration paradigm and provides proof of the advantages of the new design over the existing one. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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.

Wet active chevron nozzle for controllable jet noise reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Russell H. (Inventor); Kinzie, Kevin W. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

Disposed at or toward the trailing edge of one or more nozzles associated with a jet engine are injection ports which can selectively be made to discharge a water stream into a nozzle flow stream for the purpose of increasing turbulence in somewhat of a similar fashion as mechanically disposed chevrons have done in the known art. Unlike mechanically disposed chevrons of the known art, the fluid flow may be secured thereby increasing the engine efficiency. Various flow patterns, water pressures, orifice designs or other factors can be made operative to provide desired performance characteristics.

The fluid mechanics of thrombus formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

Experimental data are presented for the growth of thrombi (blood clots) in a stagnation point flow of fresh blood. Thrombus shape, size and structure are shown to depend on local flow conditions. The evolution of a thrombus is described in terms of a physical model that includes platelet diffusion, a platelet aggregation mechanism, and diffusion and convection of the chemical species responsible for aggregation. Diffusion-controlled and convection-controlled regimes are defined by flow parameters and thrombus location, and the characteristic growth pattern in each regime is explained. Quantitative comparisons with an approximate theoretical model are presented, and a more general model is formulated.

Effects of variable thermal diffusivity on the structure of convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shcheritsa, O. V.; Getling, A. V.; Mazhorova, O. S.

2018-03-01

The structure of multiscale convection in a thermally stratified plane horizontal fluid layer is investigated by means of numerical simulations. The thermal diffusivity is assumed to produce a thin boundary sublayer convectively much more unstable than the bulk of the layer. The simulated flow is a superposition of cellular structures with three different characteristic scales. In contrast to the largest convection cells, the smaller ones are localised in the upper portion of the layer. The smallest cells are advected by the larger-scale convective flows. The simulated flow pattern qualitatively resembles that observed on the Sun.

Dual Cylindrical Wave Laser-Doppler Method for Measurement of Skin Friction in Fluid Flow.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-01

instrument to the flow channel. The individual modules must not be dis-assembled and handled with care in order to prevent acci- dental misalignment...of light as a wave, according to which each point on a primary wavefront may be considered as a source of a secondary wavelet . Inter- ference between...secondary wavelets produces various patterns of inten- sity in the case of diffraction from an aperture. An envelope of the secondary wavelets may be

Passive micromixer using by convection and surface tension effects with air-liquid interface.

PubMed

Ju, Jongil; Warrick, Jay

2013-12-01

This article describes a passive micromixer that utilizes an air-liquid interface and surface tension effects to enhance fluid mixing via convection and Marangoni effects. Performance of the microfluidic component is tested within a passive-pumping-based device that consists of three microchannels connected in succession using passive micro-mixers. Mixing was quantified at 5 key points along the length of the device using microscope images of patterned streams of Alexa 488 fluorescent-dyed water and pure DI water flowing through the device. The passive micro-mixer mixed fluid 15-20 times more effectively than diffusion between laminar flow streams alone and is a novel micro-mixer embodiment that provides an additional strategy for removing external components from microscale devices for simpler, autonomous operation.

Passive micromixer using by convection and surface tension effects with air-liquid interface

PubMed Central

Ju, Jongil; Warrick, Jay

2014-01-01

This article describes a passive micromixer that utilizes an air-liquid interface and surface tension effects to enhance fluid mixing via convection and Marangoni effects. Performance of the microfluidic component is tested within a passive-pumping-based device that consists of three microchannels connected in succession using passive micro-mixers. Mixing was quantified at 5 key points along the length of the device using microscope images of patterned streams of Alexa 488 fluorescent-dyed water and pure DI water flowing through the device. The passive micro-mixer mixed fluid 15–20 times more effectively than diffusion between laminar flow streams alone and is a novel micro-mixer embodiment that provides an additional strategy for removing external components from microscale devices for simpler, autonomous operation. PMID:25104979

Shear stress upregulates regeneration-related immediate early genes in liver progenitors in 3D ECM-like microenvironments.

PubMed

Nishii, Kenichiro; Brodin, Erik; Renshaw, Taylor; Weesner, Rachael; Moran, Emma; Soker, Shay; Sparks, Jessica L

2018-05-01

The role of fluid stresses in activating the hepatic stem/progenitor cell regenerative response is not well understood. This study hypothesized that immediate early genes (IEGs) with known links to liver regeneration will be upregulated in liver progenitor cells (LPCs) exposed to in vitro shear stresses on the order of those produced from elevated interstitial flow after partial hepatectomy. The objectives were: (1) to develop a shear flow chamber for application of fluid stress to LPCs in 3D culture; and (2) to determine the effects of fluid stress on IEG expression in LPCs. Two hours of shear stress exposure at ∼4 dyn/cm 2 was applied to LPCs embedded individually or as 3D spheroids within a hyaluronic acid/collagen I hydrogel. Results were compared against static controls. Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to evaluate the effect of experimental treatments on gene expression. Twenty-nine genes were analyzed, including IEGs and other genes linked to liver regeneration. Four IEGs (CFOS, IP10, MKP1, ALB) and three other regeneration-related genes (WNT, VEGF, EpCAM) were significantly upregulated in LPCs in response to fluid mechanical stress. LPCs maintained an early to intermediate stage of differentiation in spheroid culture in the absence of the hydrogel, and addition of the gel initiated cholangiocyte differentiation programs which were abrogated by the onset of flow. Collectively the flow-upregulated genes fit the pattern of an LPC-mediated proliferative/regenerative response. These results suggest that fluid stresses are potentially important regulators of the LPC-mediated regeneration response in liver. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pore-scale observation and 3D simulation of wettability effects on supercritical CO2 - brine immiscible displacement in drainage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, R.; Wan, J.; Chen, Y.

2016-12-01

Wettability is a factor controlling the fluid-fluid displacement pattern in porous media and significantly affects the flow and transport of supercritical (sc) CO2 in geologic carbon sequestration. Using a high-pressure micromodel-microscopy system, we performed drainage experiments of scCO2 invasion into brine-saturated water-wet and intermediate-wet micromodels; we visualized the scCO2 invasion morphology at pore-scale under reservoir conditions. We also performed pore-scale numerical simulations of the Navier-Stokes equations to obtain 3D details of fluid-fluid displacement processes. Simulation results are qualitatively consistent with the experiments, showing wider scCO2 fingering, higher percentage of scCO2 and more compact displacement pattern in intermediate-wet micromodel. Through quantitative analysis based on pore-scale simulation, we found that the reduced wettability reduces the displacement front velocity, promotes the pore-filling events in the longitudinal direction, delays the breakthrough time of invading fluid, and then increases the displacement efficiency. Simulated results also show that the fluid-fluid interface area follows a unified power-law relation with scCO2 saturation, and show smaller interface area in intermediate-wet case which suppresses the mass transfer between the phases. These pore-scale results provide insights for the wettability effects on CO2 - brine immiscible displacement in geologic carbon sequestration.

Pore geometry effects on intrapore viscous to inertial flows and on effective hydraulic parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhary, Kuldeep; Cardenas, M. Bayani; Deng, Wen; Bennett, Philip C.

2013-02-01

In this article, the effects of different diverging-converging pore geometries were investigated, and the microscale fluid flow and effective hydraulic properties from these pores were compared with that of a pipe from viscous to inertial laminar flow regimes. The flow fields are obtained using computational fluid dynamics, and the comparative analysis is based on a new dimensionless hydraulic shape factor β, which is the "specific surface" scaled by the length of pores. Results from all diverging-converging pores show an inverse pattern in velocity and vorticity distributions relative to the pipe flow. The hydraulic conductivity K of all pores is dependent on and can be predicted from β with a power function with an exponent of 3/2. The differences in K are due to the differences in distribution of local friction drag on the pore walls. At Reynolds number (Re) ˜ 0 flows, viscous eddies are found to exist almost in all pores in different sizes, but not in the pipe. Eddies grow when Re → 1 and leads to the failure of Darcy's law. During non-Darcy or Forchheimer flows, the apparent hydraulic conductivity Ka decreases due to the growth of eddies, which constricts the bulk flow region. At Re > 1, the rate of decrease in Ka increases, and at Re >> 1, it decreases to where the change in Ka ≈ 0, and flows once again exhibits a Darcy-type relationship. The degree of nonlinearity during non-Darcy flow decreases for pores with increasing β. The nonlinear flow behavior becomes weaker as β increases to its maximum value in the pipe, which shows no nonlinearity in the flow; in essence, Darcy's law stays valid in the pipe at all laminar flow conditions. The diverging-converging geometry in pores plays a critical role in modifying the intrapore fluid flow, implying that this property should be incorporated in effective larger-scale models, e.g., pore-network models.

A poroplastic model of structural reorganisation in porous media of biomechanical interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grillo, Alfio; Prohl, Raphael; Wittum, Gabriel

2016-03-01

We present a poroplastic model of structural reorganisation in a binary mixture comprising a solid and a fluid phase. The solid phase is the macroscopic representation of a deformable porous medium, which exemplifies the matrix of a biological system (consisting e.g. of cells, extracellular matrix, collagen fibres). The fluid occupies the interstices of the porous medium and is allowed to move throughout it. The system reorganises its internal structure in response to mechanical stimuli. Such structural reorganisation, referred to as remodelling, is described in terms of "plastic" distortions, whose evolution is assumed to obey a phenomenological flow rule driven by stress. We study the influence of remodelling on the mechanical and hydraulic behaviour of the system, showing how the plastic distortions modulate the flow pattern of the fluid, and the distributions of pressure and stress inside it. To accomplish this task, we solve a highly nonlinear set of model equations by elaborating a previously developed numerical procedure, which is implemented in a non-commercial finite element solver.

Monodisperse microdroplet generation and stopping without coalescence

DOEpatents

Beer, Neil Reginald

2015-04-21

A system for monodispersed microdroplet generation and trapping including providing a flow channel in a microchip; producing microdroplets in the flow channel, the microdroplets movable in the flow channel; providing carrier fluid in the flow channel using a pump or pressure source; controlling movement of the microdroplets in the flow channel and trapping the microdroplets in a desired location in the flow channel. The system includes a microchip; a flow channel in the microchip; a droplet maker that generates microdroplets, the droplet maker connected to the flow channel; a carrier fluid in the flow channel, the carrier fluid introduced to the flow channel by a source of carrier fluid, the source of carrier fluid including a pump or pressure source; a valve connected to the carrier fluid that controls flow of the carrier fluid and enables trapping of the microdroplets.

Monodisperse microdroplet generation and stopping without coalescence

DOEpatents

Beer, Neil Reginald

2016-02-23

A system for monodispersed microdroplet generation and trapping including providing a flow channel in a microchip; producing microdroplets in the flow channel, the microdroplets movable in the flow channel; providing carrier fluid in the flow channel using a pump or pressure source; controlling movement of the microdroplets in the flow channel and trapping the microdroplets in a desired location in the flow channel. The system includes a microchip; a flow channel in the microchip; a droplet maker that generates microdroplets, the droplet maker connected to the flow channel; a carrier fluid in the flow channel, the carrier fluid introduced to the flow channel by a source of carrier fluid, the source of carrier fluid including a pump or pressure source; a valve connected to the carrier fluid that controls flow of the carrier fluid and enables trapping of the microdroplets.

Acoustic cavity transducers for the manipulation of cells and biomolecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tovar, Armando; Patel, Maulik; Lee, Abraham P.

2010-02-01

A novel fluidic actuator that is simple to fabricate, integrate, and operate is demonstrated for use within microfluidic systems. The actuator is designed around the use of trapped air bubbles in lateral cavities and the resultant acoustic streaming generated from an outside acoustic energy source. The orientation of the lateral cavities to the main microchannel is used to control the bulk fluid motion within the device. The first order flow generated by the oscillating bubble is used to develop a pumping platform that is capable of driving fluid within a chip. This pump is integrated into a recirculation immunoassay device for enhanced biomolecule binding through fluid flow for convection limited transport. The recirculation system showed an increase in binding site concentration when compared with traditional passive and flow-through methods. The acoustic cavity transducer has also been demonstrated for application in particle switching. Bursts of acoustic energy are used to generate a second order streaming pattern near the cavity interface to drive particles away or towards the cavity. The use of this switching mechanism is being extended to the application of sorting cells and other particles within a microfluidic system.

Deformation of a 3D granular media caused by fluid invasion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalbe, M. J.; Juanes, R.

2016-12-01

Multiphase flow in porous media plays a fundamental role in many natural and engineered subsurface processes. The interplay between fluid flow, medium deformation and fracture is essential in geoscience problems as disparate as fracking for unconventional hydrocarbon production, conduit formation and methane venting from lake and ocean sediments, and desiccation cracks in soil. Several experimental and computational studies have shown that the competition between capillary and friction forces can lead to different regimes of deformation, from frictional fingering to hydro-capillary fracturing (Sandnes et al., Nat. Comm. 2011, Holtzman et al., PRL 2012). Most of these investigations have focused, however, on 2D or quasi-2D systems. Here, we develop an experimental set-up that allows us to observe two-phase flow in a fully 3D granular bed and measure the fluid pressure while controlling the level of confining stress. We use an index matching technique to directly visualize the injection of a liquid in a granular media saturated with another, immiscible liquid. We extract the deformation the whole granular bulk as well as at the particle level. Our results show the existence of different regimes of invasion patterns depending on key dimensionless groups that control the system.

Deformation of a 3D granular media caused by fluid invasion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalbe, Marie-Julie; Juanes, Ruben

2016-11-01

Multiphase flow in porous media plays a fundamental role in many natural and engineered subsurface processes. The interplay between fluid flow, medium deformation and fracture is essential in geoscience problems as disparate as fracking for unconventional hydrocarbon production, conduit formation and methane venting from lake and ocean sediments, and desiccation cracks in soil. Several experimental and computational studies have shown that the competition between capillary and friction forces can lead to different regimes of deformation, from frictional fingering to hydro-capillary fracturing. Most of these investigations have focused, however, on 2D or quasi-2D systems. Here, we develop an experimental set-up that allows us to observe two-phase flow in a fully 3D granular bed and measure the fluid pressure while controlling the level of confining stress. We use an index matching technique to directly visualize the injection of a liquid in a granular media saturated with another, immiscible liquid. We extract the deformation the whole granular bulk as well as at the particle level. Our results show the existence of different regimes of invasion patterns depending on key dimensionless groups that control the system.

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)

Numerical investigation of cavitation flow inside spool valve with large pressure drop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Jian; Pan, Dingyi; Xie, Fangfang; Shao, Xueming

2015-12-01

Spool valves play an important role in fluid power system. Cavitation phenomena happen frequently inside the spool valves, which cause structure damages, noise and lower down hydrodynamic performance. A numerical tools incorporating the cavitation model, are developed to predict the flow structure and cavitation pattern in the spool valve. Two major flow states in the spool valve chamber, i.e. flow-in and flow-out, are studies. The pressure distributions along the spool wall are first investigated, and the results agree well with the experimental data. For the flow-in cases, the local pressure at the throttling area drops much deeper than the pressure in flow-out cases. Meanwhile, the bubbles are more stable in flow-in cases than those in flow-out cases, which are ruptured and shed into the downstream.

Numerical Modeling of Multiphase Fluid Flow in Ore-Forming Hydrothermal Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weis, P.; Driesner, T.; Coumou, D.; Heinrich, C. A.

2007-12-01

Two coexisting fluid phases - a variably saline liquid and a vapor phase - are ubiquitous in ore-forming and other hydrothermal systems. Understanding the dynamics of phase separation and the distinct physical and chemical evolution of the two fluids probably plays a key role in generating different ore deposit types, e.g. porphyry type, high and low sulfidation Cu-Mo-Au deposits. To this end, processes within hydrothermal systems have been studied with a refined numerical model describing fluid flow in transient porous media (CSP~5.0). The model is formulated on a mass, energy and momentum conserving finite-element-finite-volume (FEFV) scheme and is capable of simulating multiphase flow of NaCl-H20 fluids. Fluid properties are computed from an improved equation of state (SOWAT~2.0). It covers conditions with temperatures of up to 1000 degrees~C, pressures of up to 500 MPa, and fluid salinities of 0~to 100%~NaCl. In particular, the new set-up allows for a more accurate description of fluid phase separation during boiling of hydrothermal fluids into a vapor and a brine phase. The geometric flexibility of the FEFV-meshes allows for investigations of a large variety of geological settings, ranging from ore-forming processes in magmatic hydrothermal system to the dynamics of black smokers at mid-ocean ridges. Simulations demonstrated that hydrothermal convection patterns above cooling plutons are primarily controlled by the system-scale permeability structure. In porphyry systems, high fluid pressures develop in a stock rising from the magma chamber which can lead to rock failure and, eventually, an increase in permeability due to hydrofracturing. Comparisons of the thermal evolution as inferred from modeling studies with data from fluid inclusion studies of the Pb-Zn deposits of Madan, Bulgaria are in a strikingly good agreement. This indicates that cross-comparisons of field observations, analytical data and numerical simulations will become a powerful tool towards a more thorough understanding of hydrothermal fluid processes. One such attempt will incorporate geometric data of veins in the Bingham porphyry Cu-Mo-Au deposit into our numerical model. The presentation will introduce the numerical model and show examples and first results of the aforementioned applications.

Research in Varying Burner Tilt Angle to Reduce Rear Pass Temperature in Coal Fired Boiler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thrangaraju, Savithry K.; Munisamy, Kannan M.; Baskaran, Saravanan

2017-04-01

This research shows the investigation conducted on one of techniques that is used in Manjung 700 MW tangentially fired coal power plant. The investigation conducted in this research is finding out the right tilt angle for the burners in the boiler that causes an efficient temperature distribution and combustion gas flow pattern in the boiler especially at the rear pass section. The main outcome of the project is to determine the right tilt angle for the burner to create an efficient temperature distribution and combustion gas flow pattern that able to increase the efficiency of the boiler. The investigation is carried out by using Computational Fluid Dynamics method to obtain the results by varying the burner tilt angle. The boiler model is drawn by using designing software which is called Solid Works and Fluent from Computational Fluid Dynamics is used to conduct the analysis on the boiler model. The analysis is to imitate the real combustion process in the real Manjung 700 MW boiler. The expected results are to determine the right burner tilt angle with a computational fluid analysis by obtaining the temperature distribution and combustion gas flow pattern for each of the three angles set for the burner tilt angle in FLUENT software. Three burner tilt angles are selected which are burner tilt angle at (0°) as test case 1, burner tilt angle at (+10°) as test case 2 and burner tilt angle at (-10°) as test case 3. These entire three cases were run in CFD software and the results of temperature distribution and velocity vector were obtained to find out the changes on the three cases at the furnace and rear pass section of the boiler. The results are being compared in analysis part by plotting graphs to determine the right tilting angle that reduces the rear pass temperature.

Heat flow pattern in the gas hydrate drilling areas of northern south china sea and the implication for further study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lifeng; Sha, Zhibin

2015-04-01

Numerous seismic reflection profiles have been acquired by China Geological Survey (CGS) in the Northern Slope of South China Sea (SCS), clearly indicating widespread occurrence of free gases and/or gas hydrates in the sediments. In the year 2007 and 2013 respectively the gas hydrate samples are successfully recovered during two offshore drilling exploratory programs. Results of geothermal data during previous field studies along the north continental margin, however, show that the gas hydrate sites are associated with high geothermal background in contrast to the other offshore ones where the gas hydrates are more likely to be found in the low geothermal regional backgrounds. There is a common interesting heat flow pattern during the two drilling expeditions that the gas hydrate occurrences coincide with the presences of comparatively low geothermal anomalies against the high thermal background which is mainly caused by concentrated fluid upward movements into the stability zone (GHSZ) detected by the surface heat flow measurements over the studied fields. The key point for understanding the coupling between the presences of the gas hydrates and heat flow pattern at regional scale is to know the cause of high heat flows and the origin of forming gases at depth. We propose that these high heat flows are attributed to elevated shallow fault-fissure system due to the tectonic activities. A remarkable series of vertical faults and fissures are common on the upper continental slope and the forming gases are thought to have migrated with hot advective fluid flows towards seafloor mainly via fault-fissure system from underlying source rocks which are deeper levels than those of the GHSZ. The present study is based on an extensive dataset on hydrate distribution and associated temperature field measurements collected in the vicinity of studied areas during a series of field expeditions organized within the framework of national widely collaborative projects. Those observations bring new insights to our growing understanding of the stability of this dynamic hydrate reservoir in the continental margin shallow subsurface, and alert us that occurrence patterns may be more complex than previously thought. So the future aim of this program is to better understand the factors constraining the distribution of hydrate deposits, and the processes involved in gas hydrate formation.

Efficient swimming of a plunging elastic plate in a viscous fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, Peter; Alexeev, Alexander

2014-03-01

We use three dimensional computer simulations to examine the combined hydrodynamics and structural response of a plunging elastic plate submerged in a viscous fluid with Reynolds number of 250. The plate is actuated at the root with a prescribed vertical sinusoidal displacement and a zero slope (clamped) boundary condition. We explore the steady state swimming velocity and the associated input power as a function of driving frequency, added mass, and aspect ratio. We find a universal bending pattern independent of geometry and added mass that maximizes the distance traveled per unit applied work. This bending pattern is associated with minimizing center of mass oscillations normal to the direction of travel. Subsequently, the flow around the sides of the swimmer, which does not aid in propulsion, is minimized, thereby reducing viscous losses.

Earthquake-driven fluid flow rates inferred from borehole temperature measurements within the Japan Trench plate boundary fault zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fulton, P. M.; Brodsky, E. E.

2016-12-01

Using borehole sub-seafloor temperature measurements, we have recently identified signatures suggestive of earthquake-driven fluid pulses within the Japan Trench plate boundary fault zone during a major aftershock sequence. Here we use numerical models to show that these signatures are consistent with time-varying fluid flow rates out of permeable zones within the formation into the borehole annulus. In addition, we also identify an apparent time-varying sensitivity of whether suspected fluid pulses occur in response to earthquakes of a given magnitude and distance. The results suggest a damage and healing process and therefore provides a mechanism to allow for a disproportionate amount of heat and chemical transport in the short time frame after an earthquake. Our observations come from an observatory installed across the main plate boundary fault as part of IODP's Japan Trench Fast Drilling Project (JFAST) following the March 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku-oki earthquake. It operated from July 2012 - April 2013 during which a Mw 7.3 earthquake and numerous aftershocks occurred. High-resolution temperature time series data reveal spatially correlated transients in response to earthquakes with distinct patterns interpreted to reflect advection by transient pulses of fluid flow from permeable zones into the borehole annulus. Typical transients involve perturbations over 12 m with increases of 10 mK that build over 0.1 days at shallower depths and decreases at deeper depths. They are consistently centered around 792.5 m below seafloor (mbsf) where a secondary fault and permeable zone have been independently identified within the damage zone above the main plate boundary fault at 820 mbsf . Model simulations suggest transient flow rates of up to 10-3m/s from the formation that quickly decrease. Comparison of characteristics of earthquakes identified in nearby ocean bottom pressure measurements suggest there is not a clear relationship between fluid pulses and static strain. There does appear to be a time-varying sensitivity likely from dynamic stresses suggestive of a damage process followed by healing over 1 month time. The transient redistribution of fluid pressures and fluid flow within fault zones inferred here is a potential mechanism for earthquake triggering and episodic heat and chemical transport.

Monitoring carbonate dissolution using spatially resolved under-sampled NMR propagators and MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sederman, A. J.; Colbourne, A.; Mantle, M. D.; Gladden, L. F.; Oliveira, R.; Bijeljic, B.; Blunt, M. J.

2017-12-01

The dissolution of a porous rock matrix by an acidic flow causes a change in the pore structure and consequently the pattern of fluid flow and rock permeability. This process is relevant to many areas of practical relevance such as enhanced oil recovery, water contaminant migration and sequestration of supercritical CO2. The most important governing factors for the type of change in the pore space are related by the Péclet (Pe) and Damköhler (Da) dimensionless numbers; these compare the transport properties of the fluid in the porous medium with the reactive properties of the solid matrix and the incident fluid respectively. Variation in Pe and Da can cause very different evolution regimes of the pore space and flow can occur, ranging from a uniform dissolution through different "wormholing" regimes (shown on the left hand side of figure 1) to face dissolution. NMR has a unique capability of measuring both the flow and structural changes during such dissolution whilst the characteristics of flow in the highly heterogeneous matrix that is formed can be predicted by the CTRW modelling approach. Here, NMR measurements of displacement probability distributions, or propagators, have been used to monitor the evolution of fluid flow during a reactive dissolution rock core floods. Developments in the NMR method by undersampling the acquisition data enable spatially resolved measurements of the propagators to be done at sufficient displacement resolution and in a timescale that is short enough to capture the changes in structure and flow. The highly under-sampled (4%) data, which typically reduces the acquisition time from 2 hours to 6 minutes, has been shown to produce equivalent propagator results to the fully sampled experiment. Combining these propagator measurements with quantitative and fast imaging techniques a full time-resolved picture of the dissolution reaction is built up. Experiments have been done for both Ketton and Estaillades carbonate rock cores, which exhibit very different dissolution behaviours, and for which experiments and model comparisons will be shown.

A microfluidic investigation of gas exsolution in glass and shale fracture networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porter, M. L.; Jimenez-Martinez, J.; Harrison, A.; Currier, R.; Viswanathan, H. S.

2016-12-01

Microfluidic investigations of pore-scale fluid flow and transport phenomena has steadily increased in recent years. In these investigations fluid flow is restricted to two-dimensions allowing for real-time visualization and quantification of complex flow and reactive transport behavior, which is difficult to obtain in other experimental systems. In this work, we describe a unique high pressure (up to 10.3 MPa) and temperature (up to 80 °C) microfluidics experimental system that allows us to investigate fluid flow and transport in geo-material (e.g., shale, Portland cement, etc.) micromodels. The use of geo-material micromodels allows us to better represent fluid-rock interactions including wettability, chemical reactivity, and nano-scale porosity at conditions representative of natural subsurface environments. Here, we present experimental results in fracture systems with applications to hydrocarbon mobility in fractured rocks. Complex fracture network patterns are derived from 3D x-ray tomography images of actual fractures created in shale rock cores. We use both shale and glass micromodels, allowing for a detailed comparison between flow phenomena in the different materials. We discuss results from two-phase gas (CO2 and N2) injection experiments designed to enhance oil recovery. In these experiments gas was injected into micromodels saturated with oil and allowed to soak for approximately 12 hours at elevated pressures. The pressure in the system was then decreased to atmospheric, causing the gas to expand and/or dissolve out of solution, subsequently mobilizing the oil. In addition to the experimental results, we present a relatively simple model designed to quantify the amount of oil mobilized as a function of decreasing system pressure. We will show comparisons between the experiments and model, and discuss the potential use of the model in field-scale reservoir simulations.

Physical aspects of computing the flow of a viscous fluid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehta, U. B.

1984-01-01

One of the main themes in fluid dynamics at present and in the future is going to be computational fluid dynamics with the primary focus on the determination of drag, flow separation, vortex flows, and unsteady flows. A computation of the flow of a viscous fluid requires an understanding and consideration of the physical aspects of the flow. This is done by identifying the flow regimes and the scales of fluid motion, and the sources of vorticity. Discussions of flow regimes deal with conditions of incompressibility, transitional and turbulent flows, Navier-Stokes and non-Navier-Stokes regimes, shock waves, and strain fields. Discussions of the scales of fluid motion consider transitional and turbulent flows, thin- and slender-shear layers, triple- and four-deck regions, viscous-inviscid interactions, shock waves, strain rates, and temporal scales. In addition, the significance and generation of vorticity are discussed. These physical aspects mainly guide computations of the flow of a viscous fluid.

Preferential Flow Paths and Recirculation-Disrupting Jets in the Leeside of Self-Forming Coarse-Grained Laboratory Bedforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lichtner, D.; Christensen, K. T.; Best, J.; Blois, G.

2014-12-01

Exchange of fluid in the near-subsurface of a streambed is influenced by turbulence in the free flow, as well as by bed topography and permeability. Macro-roughness elements such as bedforms are known to produce pressure gradients that drive fluid into the streambed on their stoss sides and out of the bed on their lee sides. To study the modification of the near-bed flow field by self-forming permeable bedforms, laboratory experiments were conducted in a 5 mm wide flume filled with 1.3 mm glass beads. The narrow width of the flume permitted detailed examination of the fluid exiting the bed immediately downstream of a bedform. Dense 2-D velocity field measurements were gathered using particle image velocimetry (PIV). In up to 8% of instantaneous PIV realizations, the flow at the near-bed presented a component perpendicular to the streambed, indicating flow across the interface. At the downstream side of the bedform, such flow disrupted the mean recirculation pattern that is typically observed in finer sediment beds. It is hypothesized that the coarse grain size and the resulting high bed permeability promote such near-surface jet events. A qualitative analysis of raw image frames indicated that an in-place jostling of sediment is associated with these jets thus suggesting that subsurface flow may be characterized by impulsive events. These observations are relevant to hyporheic exchange rates in coarse sediments and can have strong morphodynamic implications as they can explain the lack of ripples and characteristics of dunes in high permeability gravels. Overall, further study of the flow structure over highly permeable streambeds is needed to understand subsurface exchange and bedform initiation.

A novel alternating current multiple array electrothermal micropump for lab-on-a-chip applications.

PubMed

Salari, A; Navi, M; Dalton, C

2015-01-01

The AC electrothermal technique is very promising for biofluid micropumping, due to its ability to pump high conductivity fluids. However, compared to electroosmotic micropumps, a lack of high fluid flow is a disadvantage. In this paper, a novel AC multiple array electrothermal (MAET) micropump, utilizing multiple microelectrode arrays placed on the side-walls of the fluidic channel of the micropump, is introduced. Asymmetric coplanar microelectrodes are placed on all sides of the microfluidic channel, and are actuated in different phases: one, two opposing, two adjacent, three, or all sides at the same time. Micropumps with different combinations of side electrodes and cross sections are numerically investigated in this paper. The effect of the governing parameters with respect to thermal, fluidic, and electrical properties are studied and discussed. To verify the simulations, the AC MAET concept was then fabricated and experimentally tested. The resulted fluid flow achieved by the experiments showed good agreement with the corresponding simulations. The number of side electrode arrays and the actuation patterns were also found to greatly influence the micropump performance. This study shows that the new multiple array electrothermal micropump design can be used in a wide range of applications such as drug delivery and lab-on-a-chip, where high flow rate and high precision micropumping devices for high conductivity fluids are needed.

Method for fabricating a microscale anemometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Chang (Inventor); Chen, Jack (Inventor)

2008-01-01

Method for fabricating a microscale anemometer on a substrate. A sacrificial layer is formed on the substrate, and a metal thin film is patterned to form a sensing element. At least one support for the sensing element is patterned. The sacrificial layer is removed, and the sensing element is lifted away from the substrate by raising the supports, thus creating a clearance between the sensing element and the substrate to allow fluid flow between the sensing element and the substrate. The supports are raised preferably by use of a magnetic field applied to magnetic material patterned on the supports.

Editorial: Spatial arrangement of faults and opening-mode fractures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laubach, Stephen E.; Lamarche, Juliette; Gauthier, Bertand D. M.; Dunne, William M.

2018-03-01

This issue of the Journal of Structural Geology titled Spatial arrangement of faults and opening-mode fractures explores a fundamental characteristic of fault and fracture arrays. The pattern of fault and opening-mode fracture positions in space defines structural heterogeneity and anisotropy in a rock volume, governs how faults and fractures affect fluid flow, and impacts our understanding of the initiation, propagation and interactions during the formation of fracture patterns. This special issue highlights recent progress with respect to characterizing and understanding the spatial arrangements of fault and fracture patterns, providing examples over a wide range of scales and structural settings.

Computational approach to estimating the effects of blood properties on changes in intra-stent flow.

PubMed

Benard, Nicolas; Perrault, Robert; Coisne, Damien

2006-08-01

In this study various blood rheological assumptions are numerically investigated for the hemodynamic properties of intra-stent flow. Non-newtonian blood properties have never been implemented in blood coronary stented flow investigation, although its effects appear essential for a correct estimation and distribution of wall shear stress (WSS) exerted by the fluid on the internal vessel surface. Our numerical model is based on a full 3D stent mesh. Rigid wall and stationary inflow conditions are applied. Newtonian behavior, non-newtonian model based on Carreau-Yasuda relation and a characteristic newtonian value defined with flow representative parameters are introduced in this research. Non-newtonian flow generates an alteration of near wall viscosity norms compared to newtonian. Maximal WSS values are located in the center part of stent pattern structure and minimal values are focused on the proximal stent wire surface. A flow rate increase emphasizes fluid perturbations, and generates a WSS rise except for interstrut area. Nevertheless, a local quantitative analysis discloses an underestimation of WSS for modelisation using a newtonian blood flow, with clinical consequence of overestimate restenosis risk area. Characteristic viscosity introduction appears to present a useful option compared to rheological modelisation based on experimental data, with computer time gain and relevant results for quantitative and qualitative WSS determination.

The Progress in the Novel Pediatric Rotary Blood Pump Sputnik Development.

PubMed

Telyshev, Dmitry; Denisov, Maxim; Pugovkin, Alexander; Selishchev, Sergey; Nesterenko, Igor

2018-04-01

In this work, the study results of an implantable pediatric rotary blood pump (PRBP) are presented. They show the results of the numerical simulation of fluid flow rates in the pump. The determination method of the backflows and stagnation regions is represented. The operating points corresponding to fluid flow rates of 1, 3, and 5 L/min for 75-80 mm Hg pressure head are investigated. The study results have shown that use of the pump in the 1 L/min operating point can potentially lead to the appearance of backflows and stagnation regions. In the case of using pumps in fluid flow rates ranging from 3 to 5 L/min, the number of stagnation regions decreases and the fluid flow rate changes marginally. Using the pump in this flow rate range is considered judicious. The study shows an increase in shear stress with an increase in fluid flow rates, while there is no increase in shear stress above the critical condition of 150 Pa (which does not allow us to reliably speak about the increased risk of blood cell damage). The aim of this work was to design, prototype, and study interaction of the Sputnik PRBP with the cardiovascular system. A three-dimensional model of Sputnik PRBP was designed with the following geometrical specifications: flow unit length of 51.5 mm, flow unit diameter of 10 mm, and spacing between the rotor and housing of 0.1 mm. Computational fluid dynamics studies were used to calculate head pressure-flow rate (H-Q) curves at rotor speeds ranging from 10 000 to 14 000 rpm (R 2  = 0.866 between numerical simulation and experiment) and comparing flow patterns at various points of the flow rate operating range (1, 3, and 5 L/min) for operating pressures ranging from 75 to 80 mm Hg. It is noted that when fluid flow rate changes from 1 L/min to 3 L/min, significant changes are observed in the distribution of zero flow zones. At the inlet and outlet of the pump, when going to the operating point of 3 L/min, zones of stagnation become minuscule. The shear stress distribution was calculated along the pump volume. The volume in which shear stress exceed 150 Pa is less than 0.38% of the total pump volume at flow rates of 1, 3, and 5 L/min. In this study, a mock circulatory system (MCS) allowing simulation of physiological cardiovascular characteristics was used to investigate the interaction of the Sputnik PRBP with the cardiovascular system. MCS allows reproducing the Frank-Starling autoregulation mechanism of the heart. PRBP behavior was tested in the speed range of 6 000 to 15 000 rpm. Decreased contractility can be expressed in a stroke volume decrease approximately from 18 to 4 mL and ventricle systolic pressure decrease approximately from 92 to 20 mm Hg. The left ventricle becomes fully supported at a pump speed of 10 000 rpm. At a pump speed of 14 000 rpm, the left ventricle goes into a suction state in which fluid almost does not accumulate in the ventricle and only passes through it to the pump. The proposed PRBP showed potential for improved clinical outcomes in pediatric patients with a body surface area greater than 0.6 m 2 and weight greater than 12 kg. © 2018 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Generic theory for channel sinuosity.

PubMed

Lazarus, Eli D; Constantine, José Antonio

2013-05-21

Sinuous patterns traced by fluid flows are a ubiquitous feature of physical landscapes on Earth, Mars, the volcanic floodplains of the Moon and Venus, and other planetary bodies. Typically discussed as a consequence of migration processes in meandering rivers, sinuosity is also expressed in channel types that show little or no indication of meandering. Sinuosity is sometimes described as "inherited" from a preexisting morphology, which still does not explain where the inherited sinuosity came from. For a phenomenon so universal as sinuosity, existing models of channelized flows do not explain the occurrence of sinuosity in the full variety of settings in which it manifests, or how sinuosity may originate. Here we present a generic theory for sinuous flow patterns in landscapes. Using observations from nature and a numerical model of flow routing, we propose that flow resistance (representing landscape roughness attributable to topography or vegetation density) relative to surface slope exerts a fundamental control on channel sinuosity that is effectively independent of internal flow dynamics. Resistance-dominated surfaces produce channels with higher sinuosity than those of slope-dominated surfaces because increased resistance impedes downslope flow. Not limited to rivers, the hypothesis we explore pertains to sinuosity as a geomorphic pattern. The explanation we propose is inclusive enough to account for a wide variety of sinuous channel types in nature, and can serve as an analytical tool for determining the sinuosity a landscape might support.

Black hole acoustics in the minimal geometric deformation of a de Laval nozzle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Rocha, Roldão

2017-05-01

The correspondence between sound waves, in a de Laval propelling nozzle, and quasinormal modes emitted by brane-world black holes deformed by a 5D bulk Weyl fluid are here explored and scrutinized. The analysis of sound waves patterns in a de Laval nozzle in the laboratory, reciprocally, is here shown to provide relevant data about the 5D bulk Weyl fluid and its on-brane projection, comprised by the minimal geometrically deformed compact stellar distribution on the brane. Acoustic perturbations of the gas fluid flow in the de Laval nozzle are proved to coincide with the quasinormal modes of black holes solutions deformed by the 5D Weyl fluid, in the geometric deformation procedure. Hence, in a phenomenological Eötvös-Friedmann fluid brane-world model, the realistic shape of a de Laval nozzle is derived and its consequences studied.

Oreshoot zoning in the Carlin-type Betze orebody, Goldstrike Mine, Eureka County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peters, Stephen G.; Ferdock, Gregory C.; Woitsekhowskaya, Maria B.; Leonardson, Robert; Rahn, Jerry

1998-01-01

Field and laboratory investigations of the giant Betze gold orebody, the largest Carlin-type deposit known, in the north-central Carlin trend, Nevada document that the orebody is composed of individual high-grade oreshoots that contain different geologic, mineralogic, and textural characteristics. The orebody is typical of many structurally controlled Carlin-type deposits, and is hosted in thin-bedded, impure carbonate or limy siltstone, breccia bodies, and intrusive or calc-silicate rock. Most ores in the Betze orebody are highly sheared or brecciated and show evidence of syndeformational hydrothermal deposition. The interplay between rock types and pre- and syn-structural events accounts for most of the distribution and zoning of the oreshoots. Hydrothermal alteration is scale dependent, either in broad, pervasive alteration patterns, or in areas related to various oreshoots. Alteration includes decarbonatization (~decalcification) of carbonate units, argillization (illite-clay), and silicification. Patterns of alteration zoning in and surrounding the Betze orebody define a large porous, dilated volume of rock where high fluid flow predominated. Local restriction of alteration to narrow illite- and clay-rich selvages around unaltered marble or calc-silicate rock phacoids implies that fluid flow favored permeable structures and deformed zones. Gold mainly is present as disseminated sub-micron-sized particles, commonly associated with Asñrich pyrite, although one type of oreshoot contains micron-size free gold. Oreshoots form a three-dimensional zoning pattern in the orebody within a WNW-striking structural zone of shearing and shear folding, termed the Dillon deformation zone (DDZ). Main types of oreshoots are: (1) rutile-bearing siliceous oreshoots; (2) illite-clay-pyrite oreshoots; (3) realgar- and orpiment-bearing oreshoots; (4) stibnite-bearing siliceous oreshoots; and (5) polymetallic oreshoots. Zoning patterns result from paragenetically early development of illite-clay-pyrite oreshoots during movement along the DDZ, and subsequent silicification and brecciation, associated with formation of the realgar- and orpiment-bearing, and stibnite-bearing oreshoots. Additional shear movement along the DDZ followed. Polymetallic oreshoots, which contain minerals rich in Hg, Cu, Zn, Ag, and native Au, were the last ores to form and overprint most earlier oreshoots. Ore textures, gouge, phyllonitic rock, alteration style, and previously documented isotopic and fluid-inclusion data, all indicate a weakly to moderately saline fluid that ascended and cooled during structural displacements. Changing conditions, due to water-wall rock reactions and P-T changes during deformation, are probably responsible for fluid variation that resulted in zoning of the different oreshoots during dynamic interaction of the Au-bearing fluid with the wall rock. This investigation indicates that isolated As-, Sb-, and Hg-rich ores are separate parts of a larger single gold system. This large gold system was contemporaneous with post-Jurassic brittle-ductile deformation, on the basis of deformed mineralized pods of the Jurassic Goldstrike pluton, and large-scale hydrothermal flow, and together they appear to be an integral part of the formation of some Carlin-type gold deposits in north-central Nevada.

Dynamic Transitions and Baroclinic Instability for 3D Continuously Stratified Boussinesq Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Şengül, Taylan; Wang, Shouhong

2018-02-01

The main objective of this article is to study the nonlinear stability and dynamic transitions of the basic (zonal) shear flows for the three-dimensional continuously stratified rotating Boussinesq model. The model equations are fundamental equations in geophysical fluid dynamics, and dynamics associated with their basic zonal shear flows play a crucial role in understanding many important geophysical fluid dynamical processes, such as the meridional overturning oceanic circulation and the geophysical baroclinic instability. In this paper, first we derive a threshold for the energy stability of the basic shear flow, and obtain a criterion for local nonlinear stability in terms of the critical horizontal wavenumbers and the system parameters such as the Froude number, the Rossby number, the Prandtl number and the strength of the shear flow. Next, we demonstrate that the system always undergoes a dynamic transition from the basic shear flow to either a spatiotemporal oscillatory pattern or circle of steady states, as the shear strength of the basic flow crosses a critical threshold. Also, we show that the dynamic transition can be either continuous or catastrophic, and is dictated by the sign of a transition number, fully characterizing the nonlinear interactions of different modes. Both the critical shear strength and the transition number are functions of the system parameters. A systematic numerical method is carried out to explore transition in different flow parameter regimes. In particular, our numerical investigations show the existence of a hypersurface which separates the parameter space into regions where the basic shear flow is stable and unstable. Numerical investigations also yield that the selection of horizontal wave indices is determined only by the aspect ratio of the box. We find that the system admits only critical eigenmodes with roll patterns aligned with the x-axis. Furthermore, numerically we encountered continuous transitions to multiple steady states, as well as continuous and catastrophic transitions to spatiotemporal oscillations.

Flow Dynamics of Contrast Dispersion in the Aorta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eslami, Parastou; Seo, Jung-Hee; Chen, Marcus; Mittal, Rajat

2016-11-01

The time profile of the contrast concentration or arterial input function (AIF) has many fundamental clinical implications and is of importance for many imaging modalities and diagnosis such as MR perfusion, CT perfusion and CT angiography (CTA). Contrast dispersion in CTA has been utilized to develop a novel method- Transluminal Attenuation Flow Encoding (TAFE)- to estimate coronary blood flow (CBF). However, in clinical practice, AIF is only available in the descending aorta and is used as a surrogate of the AIF at the coronary ostium. In this work we use patient specific computational models of the complete aorta to investigate the fluid dynamics of contrast dispersion in the aorta. The simulation employs a realistic kinematic model of the aortic valve and the dispersion patterns are correlated with the complex dynamics of the pulsatile flow in the curved aorta. The simulations allow us to determine the implications of using the descending aorta AIF as a surrogate for the AIF at the coronary ostium. PE is supported by the NIH Individual Partnership Program. -/abstract- Category: 4.7.1: Biological fluid dynamics: Physiological - Cardiovasc This work was done at Johns Hopkins University.

Flow Induced by Ex-Vivo Nasal Cilia: Developing an Index of Dyskinesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grotberg, James; Bottier, Mathieu; Pena-Fernandez, Marta; Blanchon, Sylvain; Pelle, Gabriel; Bequignon, Emilie; Isabey, Daniel; Coste, Andre; Escudier, Estelle; Papon, Jean-Francois; Filoche, Marcel; Louis, Bruno

2017-11-01

Mucociliary clearance is one of the major lines of defense of the respiratory system. The mucus layer coating the pulmonary airways is moved along and out of the lung by the activity of motile cilia, thus expelling the particles trapped in it. Here we compare ex vivomeasurements of a Newtonian flow induced by cilia beating (using micro-beads as tracers) and a mathematical model of this fluid flow. Samples of nasal epithelial cells placed in water are recorded by high-speed video-microscopy and ciliary beat pattern is inferred. Automatic tracking of micro-beads, used as markers of the flow generated by cilia motion, enables us also to assess the steady velocity profile as a function of the distance above the cilia. This profile is shown to be essentially parabolic. This compares well to a 2D mathematical model for ciliary fluid propulsion using an envelope model. From the model and the experimental measurements, the shear stress exerted by the cilia is deduced. Finally, this shear stress is proposed as a new index for characterizing the efficiency of ciliary beating and diagnosing dyskinesis.

Optimization in Cardiovascular Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marsden, Alison L.

2014-01-01

Fluid mechanics plays a key role in the development, progression, and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Advances in imaging methods and patient-specific modeling now reveal increasingly detailed information about blood flow patterns in health and disease. Building on these tools, there is now an opportunity to couple blood flow simulation with optimization algorithms to improve the design of surgeries and devices, incorporating more information about the flow physics in the design process to augment current medical knowledge. In doing so, a major challenge is the need for efficient optimization tools that are appropriate for unsteady fluid mechanics problems, particularly for the optimization of complex patient-specific models in the presence of uncertainty. This article reviews the state of the art in optimization tools for virtual surgery, device design, and model parameter identification in cardiovascular flow and mechanobiology applications. In particular, it reviews trade-offs between traditional gradient-based methods and derivative-free approaches, as well as the need to incorporate uncertainties. Key future challenges are outlined, which extend to the incorporation of biological response and the customization of surgeries and devices for individual patients.

Numerical modeling of Joule heating effects in insulator-based dielectrophoresis microdevices.

PubMed

Kale, Akshay; Patel, Saurin; Hu, Guoqing; Xuan, Xiangchun

2013-03-01

Insulator-based DEP (iDEP) has been established as a powerful tool for manipulating particles in microfluidic devices. However, Joule heating may become an issue in iDEP microdevices due to the local amplification of electric field around the insulators. This results in an electrothermal force that can manifest itself in the flow field in the form of circulations, thus affecting the particle motion. We develop herein a transient, 3D, full-scale numerical model to study Joule heating and its effects on the coupled transport of charge, heat, and fluid in an iDEP device with a rectangular constriction microchannel. This model is validated by comparing the simulation results with the experimentally obtained fluid flow patterns and particle images that were reported in our recent works. It identifies a significant difference in the time scales of the electric, temperature, and flow fields in iDEP microdevices. It also predicts the locations of electrothermal flow circulations in different halves of the channel at the upstream and downstream of the constriction. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A model for fluid flow during saturated boiling on a horizontal cylinder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kheyrandish, K.; Dalton, C.; Lienhard, J. H.

1987-01-01

A model has been developed to represent the vapor removal pattern in the vicinity of a cylinder during nucleate flow boiling across a horizontal cylinder. The model is based on a potential flow representation of the liquid and vapor regions and an estimate of the losses that should occur in the flow. Correlation of the losses shows a weak dependence on the Weber number and a slightly stronger dependence on the saturated liquid-to-vapor density ratio. The vapor jet thickness, which is crucial to the prediction of the burnout heat flux, and the shape of the vapor film are predicted. Both are verified by qualitative experimental observations.

Advecting Procedural Textures for 2D Flow Animation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kao, David; Pang, Alex; Moran, Pat (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This paper proposes the use of specially generated 3D procedural textures for visualizing steady state 2D flow fields. We use the flow field to advect and animate the texture over time. However, using standard texture advection techniques and arbitrary textures will introduce some undesirable effects such as: (a) expanding texture from a critical source point, (b) streaking pattern from the boundary of the flowfield, (c) crowding of advected textures near an attracting spiral or sink, and (d) absent or lack of textures in some regions of the flow. This paper proposes a number of strategies to solve these problems. We demonstrate how the technique works using both synthetic data and computational fluid dynamics data.

Experimental Studies on Grooved Double Pipe Heat Exchanger with Different Groove Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sunu, P. W.; Arsawan, I. M.; Anakottapary, D. S.; Santosa, I. D. M. C.; Yasa, I. K. A.

2018-01-01

Experimental studies were performed on grooved double pipe heat exchanger (DPHE) with different groove space. The objective of this work is to determine optimal heat transfer parameter especially logarithmic mean temperature difference (LMTD). The document in this paper also provides the total heat observed by the cold fluid. The rectangular grooves were incised on outer surface of tube side with circumferential pattern and two different grooves space, namely 1 mm and 2 mm. The distance between grooves and the grooves high were kept constant, 8 mm and 0.3 mm respectively. The tube diameter is 20 mm and its made of aluminium. The shell is made of acrylic which has 28 mm in diameter. Water is used as the working fluid. Using counter flow scheme, the cold fluid flows in the annulus room of DPHE. The volume flowrate of hot fluid remains constant at 15 lpm. The volume flowrate of cold fluid were varied from 11 lpm to 15 lpm. Based on logarithmic mean temperature difference analysis, the LMTD of 1 mm grooves space was higher compared to that of 2 mm grooves space. The smaller grooves space has more advantage since the recirculating region are increased which essentially cause larger heat transfer enhancement.

G-jitter Effects on Transport and Pattern Formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schatz, Michael F.

2003-01-01

The research performed under this grant has led to an number of new insights into two general categories of fluid flows in the presence of time-dependent acceleration, as outlined briefly below. These results have been widely communicated in the scientific community through seven presentations at international conferences (4 invited, 3 contributed), five published papers (4 journal articles and 1 conference proceeding), and images from the research featured on the cover of all 2003 editions of the research journal, Nonlinearity. The work performed under this proposal also contained a substantial educational component by contributed significantly to the scientific training of one postdoctoral associate, one Ph.D. student and five undergraduate researchers. One main area of focus in this research was convective flow with time-dependent acceleration. Convection is one class of behavior that can arise from g-jitter effects. Our research focused on studies of Rayleigh-Benard system, which is an important model for understanding thermal convection; studies of this problem in the presence of acceleration modulations provided insight into the nature of g-jitter induced flow and of the effects of modulation and noise on non-equilibrium pattern formation. Our experiments on vertically vibrated Rayleigh-Benard convection demonstrated the existence of two classes of pure flow patterns (synchronous & subharmonic) patterns) that had long been predicted by theory but never before observed experimentally. Detailed studies of ranges of parameters where both classes of patterns exist simultaneously led to the discovery of a new type of patterns (called superlattices) in systems driven out of thermodynamic equilibrium.

Simulating immiscible multi-phase flow and wetting with 3D stochastic rotation dynamics (SRD)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiller, Thomas; Sanchez de La Lama, Marta; Herminghaus, Stephan; Brinkmann, Martin

2013-11-01

We use a variant of the mesoscopic particle method stochastic rotation dynamics (SRD) to simulate immiscible multi-phase flow on the pore and sub-pore scale in three dimensions. As an extension to the multi-color SRD method, first proposed by Inoue et al., we present an implementation that accounts for complex wettability on heterogeneous surfaces. In order to demonstrate the versatility of this algorithm, we consider immiscible two-phase flow through a model porous medium (disordered packing of spherical beads) where the substrate exhibits different spatial wetting patterns. We show that these patterns have a significant effect on the interface dynamics. Furthermore, the implementation of angular momentum conservation into the SRD algorithm allows us to extent the applicability of SRD also to micro-fluidic systems. It is now possible to study e.g. the internal flow behaviour of a droplet depending on the driving velocity of the surrounding bulk fluid or the splitting of droplets by an obstacle.

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.

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.

Controls on hydrothermal fluid flow within the Rotokawa geothermal field, New Zealand: insights from 3D geological models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bardsley, C.; Sewell, S.; Cumming, W. B.; Minnick, M.; Rowland, J. V.; O'Brien, J.; Price, L.

2012-12-01

Identifying permeable zones is essential for economically viable exploration and development of conventional geothermal reservoirs with naturally high permeability. Except very close to boreholes, the resolution of geological and geophysical tools is at a much larger scale than the centimetre aperture of most geothermal fluid pathways important to production. A case study from the >250°C Rotokawa Geothermal Field, currently producing 175 MWe within the Taupo Volcanic Zone in New Zealand, illustrates how a 3D visualization of a subset of available data that are conceptually relevant at the scales of interest has enhanced the understanding of fluid flow within this system. Geoscience data sets including subsurface formation geometry and permeable zones in wells; the natural state temperature pattern deduced from wells and MT resistivity; microearthquakes (MEQ) induced by injection, and surface geology have been integrated with engineering data including production pressure responses and injection rates to constrain the location and general hydraulic properties of one of the most influential faults in the field. Stratigraphic offsets of >500 m, recorded in core and cuttings from wells drilled on either side of the field, confirm the presence of this fault, initially suspected based on a surface lineation of eight young (<22 ka) hydrothermal eruption craters. The 3D visualization of the MEQ occurrence pattern in space and time helps constrain the mechanism of the MEQs themselves and, importantly, the confinement of most of the MEQs to the eastern side of the fault closest to the injection wells. Hosted within the Mesozoic meta-sedimentary basement formation, this has provided an important conceptual constraint that explains the lack of injection fluid on the western side of this fault. Further to this, if this fault is acting as a barrier at the Mesozoic meta-sedimentary level today, this could imply a switch in the behaviour of this structure as it is inferred, based on the alignment of the hydrothermal eruption vents, that these vents were triggered by a rupture along this fault, implying it was once a conduit to fluid flow.