A Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Boundary Conditions on Acoustic Pressure Distribution in a Sonochemical Reactor Chamber

The intensification of physicochemical processes in the sonochemical reactor chamber is widely used in problems of synthesis,extraction and separation.One of the most important mechanisms at play in such processes is the acoustic cavitation due to the non-uniform distribution of acoustic pressure in the chamber.Cavitation has a strong impact on the surface degradation mechanisms.In this work,a numerical calculation of the acoustic pressure distribution inside the reactor chamber was performed using COMSOL Multiphysics.The numerical results have revealed the dependence of the structure of the acoustic pressure field on the boundary conditions for various thicknesses of the piezoelectric transducer.In particular,the amplitude of the acoustic pressure is minimal in the case of absorbing boundaries,and the attenuation becomes more significant as the thickness of the piezoelectric transducer increases.In addition,reflective boundaries play a significant role in the formation and distribution of zones of maximum cavitation activity.

Three-Dimensional Convection in an Inclined Porous Layer Subjected to a Vertical Temperature Gradient

In this paper,we study the onset and development of three-dimensional convection in a tilted porous layer saturated with a liquid.The layer is subjected to a gravitational field and a strictly vertical temperature gradient.Typically,problems of thermal convection in tilted porous media saturated with a liquid are studied by assuming constant different temperatures at the boundaries of the layer,which prevent these systems from supporting conductive(non-convective)states.The boundary conditions considered in the present work allow a conductive state and are representative of typical geological applications.In an earlier work,we carried out a linear stability analysis of the conductive state.It was shown that at any layer tilt angles,the most dangerous type of disturbances are longitudinal rolls.Moreover,a non-zero velocity component exists in z-direction.In the present work,threedimensional non-linear convection regimes are studied.The original three-dimensional problem is reduced to two-dimensional one with an analytical expression for the velocity z-component v_(z)=v_(z)(x,y).It is shown that the critical Rayleigh number values obtained through numerical solutions of the obtained 2D problem by a finite difference method for different layer inclination angles,are in a good agreement with those predicted by the linear theory.The number of convective rolls realized in nonlinear calculations also fits the linear theory predictions for a given cavity geometry.Calculations carried out at low supercriticalities show that a direct bifurcation takes place.With increasing supercriticality,no transitions to other convective regimes are detected.The situation studied in this problem can be observed in oil-bearing rock formations under the influence of a geothermal temperature gradient,where the ensuing fluid convection can affect the distribution of oil throughout the layer.

Investigation of Cavitation in NaCl Solutions in a Sonochemical Reactor Using the Foil Test Method

Ultrasonic baths and sonochemical reactors are widely used in industrial applications dealing with surface cleaningand chemical synthesis. The processes of erosion, cleaning and structuring of the surface can be typically controlledby changing relevant influential parameters. In particular, in this work, we experimentally investigate theeffect of NaCl concentration (0–5.5 mol/L) on the erosion of an aluminum foil under ultrasonic exposure at afrequency of 28 kHz. Special attention is paid to the determination of cavitation zones and their visualizationusing heat maps. It is found that at low NaCl concentration (0.3 mol/L), the foil destruction rate is higher thanin distilled water. At higher concentrations of salt, cavitation takes place mainly in the upper part of the container.

Formation of Water Quality of Surface Water Bodies Used in the Material Processing

In the process of production or processing of materials by various methods,there is a need for a large volume of water of the required quality.Today in many regions of the world,there is an acute problem of providing industry with water of a required quality.Its solution is an urgent and difficult task.The water quality of surface water bodies is formed by a combination of a large number of both natural and anthropogenic factors,and is often significantly heterogeneous not only in the water area,but also in depth.As a rule,the water supply of large industrial enterprises is located along the river network.Mergers are the most important nodes of river systems.Understanding the mechanism of transport of pollutants at the confluence of rivers is critical for assessing water quality.In recent years,thanks to the data of satellite images,the interest of researchers in the phenomenon of mixing the waters of merging rivers has increased.The nature of the merger is influenced by the formation of transverse circulation.Within the framework of this work,a study of vorticity,as well as the width of the mixing zone,depending on the distance from the confluence,the speeds of the merging rivers and the angle of confluence was carried out.Since the consumer properties of water are largely determined by its chemical and physical indicators,the intensity of mixing,determined largely by the nature of the secondary circulation,is of fundamental importance for assessing the distribution of hydrochemical indicators of water quality in the mixing zone.These characteristics are important not only for organizing water intake for drinking and technical purposes with the best consumer properties,but also for organizing an effective monitoring system for confluence zones.

The Behavior of a Gas Bubble in a Square Cavity Filled with a Viscous LiquidUndergoing Vibrations

External vibrations are known to be one of the promising ways to control the behavior of multiphase systems. Thecomputational modeling of the behavior of a gas bubble in a viscous liquid in a horizontal cylinder of squarecross-section, which undergoes linearly polarized translational oscillations in weightless conditions, has been carried out. Under vibrations, the bubble moves towards the wall of the vessel with acceleration determined by theamplitudes and frequency of vibrations. Near the wall, at a distance of the order of the thickness of the viscousStokes boundary layer, the effects of viscosity become more important and, as a result, the bubble is repelled fromthe wall. After some oscillations, equilibrium conditions are attained where the attractive force balances the repulsive force;accordingly, the average position of the bubble ceases to change. The numerical modelling shows thatthe average behaviors of a deformable bubble near a wall under normal and tangential vibration are similar.