Numerical investigation on flow and heat transfer characteristics of corrugated tubes with non-uniform corrugation in turbulent flow

Based on finite volume method, the pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of one smooth tube and ten different axisymmetric corrugated tubes, including two with uniform corrugation and eight with non-uniform corrugation, have been studied. A physical model of the corrugated tube was built, then the numerical simulation of the model was carried out and the numerical simulation results were compared with the empirical formula.The results show that: the friction factor decreases with the increase of Reynolds number ranging from 6000 to 57000, the value of which in the corrugated tubes with non-uniform corrugation(tube 03–10) are smaller than those with uniform corrugation(tube 01–02). The geometry parameters of tube(01) have advantages on the heat transfer enhancement in low Reynolds number flow region(from 6000 to 13000) and tube(07–08)have advantages on the heat transfer enhancement in high Reynolds number flow region(from 13000 to 57000). The vortex, existed in each area between two adjacent corrugations called second flow region, is the root of the enhancement on heat transfer in the corrugated tubes. The effectiveness factor decreases with the increasing of Reynolds number and the performances of the corrugated tubes with pitch of 12.5 mm have advantages than these of 10 mm under the same corrugation geometric parameter.

Unsteady RANS and detached eddy simulation of the multiphase flow in a co-current spray drying

A detached eddy simulation(DES) and a k-ε-based Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes(RANS) calculation on the co-current spray drying chamber is presented. The DES used here is based on the Spalart–Allmaras(SA) turbulence model, whereas the standard k-ε(SKE) was considered here for comparison purposes. Predictions of the mean axial velocity, temperature and humidity profile have been evaluated and compared with experimental measurements. The effects of the turbulence model on the predictions of the mean axial velocity, temperature and the humidity profile are most noticeable in the(highly anisotropic) spraying region. The findings suggest that DES provide a more accurate prediction(with error less than 5%) of the flow field in a spray drying chamber compared with RANS-based k-ε models. The DES simulation also confirmed the presence of anisotropic turbulent flow in the spray dryer from the analysis of the velocity component fluctuations and turbulent structure as illustrated by the Q-criterion.

Characteristics and generation of elastic turbulence in a three-dimensional parallel plate channel using direct numerical simulation

Direct numerical simulations（DNSs） of purely elastic turbulence in rectilinear shear flows in a three-dimensional（3D） parallel plate channel were carried out,by which numerical databases were established.Based on the numerical databases,the present paper analyzed the structural and statistical characteristics of the elastic turbulence including flow patterns,the wall effect on the turbulent kinetic energy spectrum,and the local relationship between the flow motion and the microstructures＇ behavior.Moreover,to address the underlying physical mechanism of elastic turbulence,its generation was presented in terms of the global energy budget.The results showed that the flow structures in elastic turbulence were 3D with spatial scales on the order of the geometrical characteristic length,and vortex tubes were more likely to be embedded in the regions where the polymers were strongly stretched.In addition,the patterns of microstructures＇ elongation behave like a filament.From the results of the turbulent kinetic energy budget,it was found that the continuous energy releasing from the polymers into the main flow was the main source of the generation and maintenance of the elastic turbulent status.

LARGE-EDDY SIMULATION OF TURBULENT FLOW CONSIDERING INFLOW WAKES IN A FRANCIS TURBINE BLADE PASSAGE

Turbulent flow in a 3-D blade passage of a Francis hydro turbine was simulated with the Large Eddy Simulation （LES） to investigate the spatial and temporal distributions of the turbulence when strongly distorted wakes in the inflow sweep over the passage, In a suitable consideration of the energy exchanging mechanism between the large and small scales in the complicated passage with a strong 3-D curvature, one-coefficient dynamic Sub-Grid-Scale （SGS） stress model was used in this article. The simulations show that the strong wakes in the inflow lead to a flow separation at the leading zone of the passage, and to form a primary vortex in the span-wise direction. The primary span-wise vortex evolves and splits into smaller vortex pairs due to the constraint of no-slip wall condition, which triggers losing stability of the flow in the passage. The computed pressures on the pressure and suction sides agree with the measured data for a working test turbine model.

NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF TURBULENT FLOW IN AND ABOVE PLANT CANOPIES

The turbulent flow in and above plant canopies is of fundamental importance to the understanding of transport processes of momentum,heat and mass between plant canopies and atmosphere,and to microme- teorology.The Reynolds stress equation model(RSM)has been applied to calculate the turbulence in cano- pies in this paper.The calculated mean wind velocity profiles,Reynolds stress,turbulent kinetic energy and viscous dissipation rate in a corn canopy and a spruce forest are compared with field observed data and with Wilson's and Shaw's model.The velocity profiles and Rynolds stress calculated by both models are in good agreement,and the length scale of turbulence appears to be similar.