COMPUTATIONAL FLOW RATE FEEDBACK AND CONTROL METHOD IN HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS

The computational flow rate feedback and control method, which can be used in proportional valve controlled hydraulic elevators, is discussed and analyzed. In a hydraulic elevator with this method, microprocessor receives pressure information from the pressure transducers and computes the flow rate through the proportional valve based on pressure-flow conversion real time algorithm. This hydraulic elevator is of lower cost and energy consumption than the conventional closed loop control hydraulic elevator whose flow rate is measured by a flow meter. Experiments arc carried out on a test rig which could simulate the load of hydraulic elevator. According to the experiment results, the means to modify the pressure-flow conversion algorithm are pointed out.

COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS RESEARCH ON PRESSURE LOSS OF CROSS-FLOW PERFORATED MUFFLER

The pressure loss of cross-flow perforated of physical modeling, simulation and data processing. muffler has been computed with the procedure Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics （CFD） has been used to investigate the relations of porosities, flow velocity and diameter of the holes with the pressure loss. Accordingly, some preliminary results have been obtained that pressure loss increases with porosity descent as nearly a hyperbolic trend, rising flow velocity of the input makes the pressure loss increasing with parabola trend, diameter of holes affects little about pressure loss of the muffler. Otherwise, the holes on the perforated pipes make the air flow gently and meanly, which decreases the air impact to the wall and pipes in the muffler. A practical perforated muffler is used to illustrate the available of this method for pressure loss computation, and the comparison shows that the computation results with the method of CFD has reference value for muffler design.

Computation of flow through the oesophagogastric junction

Whilst methods exist to indirectly measure the effects of increased flow or gastro-oesophageal refluxing, they cannot quantitatively measure the amount of acid travelling back up into the oesophagus during reflux, nor can they indicate the flow rate through the oesophagogastric junction (OGJ). Since OGJ dysfunction affects flow it seems most appropriate to describe the geometry of the OGJ and its effect on the flow. A device known as the functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP) has been shown to reliably measure the geometry of and pressure changes in the OGJ. FLIP cannot directly measure flow but the data gathered from the probe can be used to model flow through the junction by using computational flow dynamics (CFD). CFD uses a set of equations known as the Navier-Stokes equations to predict flow patterns and is a technique widely used in engineering. These equations are complex and require appropriate assumptions to provide simplifications before useful data can be obtained. With the assumption that the cross-sectional areas obtained via FLIP are circular, the radii of these circles can be obtained. A cubic interpolation scheme can then be applied to give a high-resolution geometry for the OGJ. In the case of modelling a reflux scenario, it can be seen that at the narrowest section a jet of fluid squirts into the oesophagus at a higher velocity than the fluid surrounding it. This jet has a maximum velocity of almost 2 ms-1 that occurs where the OGJ is at its narrowest. This simple prediction of acid ‘squirting’ into the oesophagusillustrates how the use of numerical methods can be used to develop a better understanding of the OGJ. This initial work using CFD shows some considerable promise for the future.

Numerical modelling of flow and transport in rough fractures

Simulation of flow and transport through rough walled rock fractures is investigated using the latticeBoltzmann method （LBM） and random walk （RW）, respectively. The numerical implementation isdeveloped and validated on general purpose graphic processing units （GPGPUs）. Both the LBM and RWmethod are well suited to parallel implementation on GPGPUs because they require only next-neighbourcommunication and thus can reduce expenses. The LBM model is an order of magnitude faster onGPGPUs than published results for LBM simulations run on modern CPUs. The fluid model is verified forparallel plate flow, backward facing step and single fracture flow; and the RWmodel is verified for pointsourcediffusion, Taylor-Aris dispersion and breakthrough behaviour in a single fracture. Both algorithmsplace limitations on the discrete displacement of fluid or particle transport per time step to minimise thenumerical error that must be considered during implementation. 2014 Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Production and hosting byElsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Numerical simulation on rotordynamic characteristics of annular seal under uniform and non-uniform flows

Currently, the flow field of annular seals disturbed by the circular whirl motion of rotors is usually solved using computational fluid dynamics(CFD) to evaluate the five rotordynamic coefficients. The simulations are based on the traditional quasi-steady method. In this work, an improved quasi-steady method along with the transient method was presented to compute the rotordynamic coefficients of a long seal. By comparisons with experimental data, the shortcomings of quasi-steady methods have been identified. Then, the effects of non-uniform incoming flow on seal dynamic coefficients were studied by transient simulations. Results indicate that the long seal has large cross stiffness k and direct mass M which are not good for rotor stability, while the transient method is more suitable for the long seal for its excellent performance in predicting M. When the incoming flow is non-uniform, the stiffness coefficients vary with the eccentric directions. Based on the rotordynamic coefficients under uniform incoming flow, the linearized fluid force formulas, which can consider the effects of non-uniform incoming flow, have been presented and can well explain the varying-stiffness phenomenon.

Fourier time spectral method for subsonic and transonic flows

The time accuracy of the exponentially accurate Fourier time spectral method（TSM） is examined and compared with a conventional 2nd-order backward difference formula（BDF） method for periodic unsteady flows. In particular, detailed error analysis based on numerical computations is performed on the accuracy of resolving the local pressure coefficient and global integrated force coefficients for smooth subsonic and non-smooth transonic flows with moving shock waves on a pitching airfoil. For smooth subsonic flows, the Fourier TSM method offers a significant accuracy advantage over the BDF method for the prediction of both the local pressure coefficient and integrated force coefficients. For transonic flows where the motion of the discontinuous shock wave contributes significant higherorder harmonic contents to the local pressure fluctuations,a sufficient number of modes must be included before the Fourier TSM provides an advantage over the BDF method.The Fourier TSM, however, still offers better accuracy than the BDF method for integrated force coefficients even for transonic flows. A problem of non-symmetric solutions for symmetric periodic flows due to the use of odd numbers of intervals is uncovered and analyzed. A frequency-searching method is proposed for problems where the frequency is not known a priori. The method is tested on the vortex shedding problem of the flow over a circular cylinder.

AN EFFICIENT FINITE-DIFFERENCE ALGORITHM FOR COMPUTING AXISYMMETRIC TRANSONIC NACELLE FLOW FIELDS

A finite difference method for computing the axisymmetric, transonic flows over a nacelle is presented in this paper. By use of the conservative full-potential equation, body-fitted grid, and the exact boundary conditions, a new AF scheme is constructed according to the criterion of optimum convergence. The proposed scheme has been applied to transonic nacelle flow problems. Computation for several nacelles shows the rapid convergence of this scheme and excellent agreement with the experimental results.

Computational fluid dynamic simulations on liquid film behaviors at flooding in an inclined pipe

The complex liquid film behaviors at flooding in an inclined pipe were investigated with computational fluid dynamic(CFD) approaches. The liquid film behaviors included the dynamic wave characteristics before flooding and the transition of flow pattern when flooding happened. The influences of the surface tension and liquid viscosity were specially analyzed. Comparisons of the calculated velocity at the onset of flooding with the available experimental results showed a good agreement. The calculations verify that the fluctuation frequency and the liquid film thickness are almost unaffected by the superficial gas velocity until the flooding is triggered due to the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. When flooding triggered at the superficial liquid velocity larger than0.15 m·s-1, the interfacial wave developed to slug flow, while it developed to entrainment flow when it was smaller than 0.08 m·s-1. The interfacial waves were more easily torn into tiny droplets with smaller surface tension, eventually evolving into the mist flow. When the liquid viscosity increases, the liquid film has a thicker holdup with more intensive fluctuations, and more likely developed to the slug flow.

Computational fluid dynamic modeling of gas flow characteristics of the high-power CW CO_2 laser

To increase the photoelectronic conversion efficiency of the single discharge tube and to meet the requirements of the laser cutting system, optimization of the discharge tube structure and gas flow field is necessary. We present a computational fluid dynamic model to predict the gas flow characteristics of high-power fast-axial flow CO2 laser. A set of differential equations is used to describe the operation of the laser. Gas flow characteristics, are calculated. The effects of gas velocity and turbulence intensity on discharge stability are studied. Computational results are compared with experimental values, and a good agreement is observed. The method presented and the results obtained can make the design process more efficient.

Analysis of gas-solid flow and shaft-injected gas distribution in an oxygen blast furnace using a discrete element method and computational fluid dynamics coupled model

lronmaking using an oxygen blast furnace is an attractive approach for reducing energy consumption in the iron and steel industry. This paper presents a numerical study of gas-solid flow in an oxygen blast fur- nace by coupling the discrete element method with computational fluid dynamics. The model reliability was verified by previous experimental results. The influences of particle diameter, shaft tuyere size, and specific ratio （X） of shaft-injected gas （51G） flowrate to total gas flowrate on the SIC penetration behavior and pressure field in the furnace were investigated. The results showed that gas penetration capacity in the furnace gradually decreased as the particle diameter decreased from 100 to 40 mm. Decreasing particle diameter and increasing shaft tuyere size both slightly increased the SIG concentration near the furnace wall but decreased it at the furnace center. The value of X has a significant impact on the SIG distribution. According to the pressure fields obtained under different conditions, the key factor affecting SIG penetration depth is the pressure difference between the upper and lower levels of the shaft tuyere. If the pressure difference is small, the SIG can easily penetrate to the furnace center.

Research on 1:2 subharmonic resonance and bifurcation of nonlinear rotor-seal system

The 1：2 subharmonic resonance of the labyrinth seals-rotor system is inves- tigated, where the low-frequency vibration of steam turbines can be caused by the gas exciting force. The empirical parameters of gas exciting force of the Muszynska model are obtained by using the results of computational fluid dynamics （CFD）. Based on the multiple scale method, the 1：2 subharmonic resonance response of the dynamic system is gained by truncating the system with three orders. The transition sets and the local bifurcations diagrams of the dynamics system are presented by employing the singular theory analysis. Meanwhile, the existence conditions of subharmonic resonance non-zero solutions of the dynamic system are obtained, which provides a new theoretical basis in recognizing and protecting the rotor from the subharmonic resonant failure in the turbine machinery.

Evaluation of coronary artery bypass graft patency using three-dimensional reconstruction and flow study of electron beam tomography

Objective To establish and evaluate two protocols for the noninvasive visualization and assessment of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patency on electron beam tomography (EBT).Methods Two hundred and fourteen consecutive patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery were scanned using both EBT angiography with 3-dimensional reconstruction and EBT flow study with time-density-curve analysis.Results There were 589 CABGs evaluated in this study (10 grafts were excluded because of artifacts). Among them, 133 (98.5％) of 135 arterial grafts were patent, and 345 (77.7％) of 444 saphenous-vein grafts were patent. Within 5 years or between 5 and 10 years after operation, arterial graft patency exceeded venous graft patency (P ＜ 0.001 ). Three-dimensional EBT angiography achieved higher sensitivity, specificity and accuracy (97.7％, 94.1％ and 96.7％, respectively) than did EBT flow study (88.4％, 82.4％ and 85.2％, respectively) for evaluating occlusion or patency of CABG. The intra-graft flow of patent arterial and venous grafts were 4.9 ± 2.2 mi · min-1 · g-1 and 6.9 ± 2.8 mi · min-1 · g-1,respectively (P＜0.001).Conclusion The combination of EBT three-dimensional reconstruction and flow study can be more effective in the assessment of CABG anatomy and quantification of patent CABG blood flow.

A Stochastic Approach for Blurred Image Restoration and Optical Flow Computation on Field Image Sequence

The blur in target images caused by camera vibration due to robot motion or hand shaking and by object(s) moving in the background scene is different to deal with in the computer vision system. In this paper, the authors study the relation model between motion and blur in the case of object motion existing in video image sequence, and work on a practical computation algorithm for both motion analysis and blur image restoration. Combining the general optical flow and stochastic process, the paper presents an approach by which the motion velocity can be calculated from blurred images. On the other hand, the blurred image can also be restored using the obtained motion information. For solving a problem with small motion limitation on the general optical flow computation, a multiresolution optical flow algorithm based on MAP estimation is proposed. For restoring the blurred image, an iteration algorithm and the obtained motion velocity are used. The experiment shows that the proposed approach for both motion velocity computation and blurred image restoration works well.

CFD study： Effect of pulsating flow on gas-solid hydrodynamics in FCC riser

Gas–solid flow in a fluid catalytic cracking （FCC） riser exhibits poor mixing in the form of a core–annulus flow pattern and a dense bottom/dilute top distribution of solids. To enhance gas–solid mixing, studies on dense fluidized beds have suggested using a pulsating flow of gas. The present study investigates the effect of pulsating flow on gas–solid hydrodynamics inside the FCC riser employing computational fluid dynamics. Two flow conditions are investigated： a cold flow of air-FCC catalyst in a pilot-scale riser and a reactive flow in an industrial-scale FCC riser. In the cold-flow riser, pulsating flows cause the slug flow of solids and thus increase the average solid accumulation in the flow domain and solid segregation towards the wall. In the industrial FCC riser, pulsating flows produce radial profiles that are more homogeneous. Pulsating flows further improve the conversion and yield in the initial few metres of height. At 7 m, the conversion from pulsating flow is 59%, compared with 44% in without pulsating flow. The results and analysis presented here will help optimize flow conditions in the circulating fluidized bed riser, in not only FCC but also applications such as fast pyrolysis and combustion.

Flow field and pressure loss analysis of junction and its structure optimization of aircraft hydraulic pipe system

The flow field in junction is complicated due to the ripple property of oil flow velocity and different frequencies of two pumps in aircraft. In this study, the flow fields of T-junction and Y-junction were analyzed using shear stress transport （SST） model in ANSYS/CFX software. The simulation results identified the variation rule of velocity peak in T-junction with different frequencies and phase-differences, meanwhile, the eddy and velocity shock existed in the corner of the T-junction, and the limit working state was obtained. Although the eddy disappeared in Y-junction, the velocity shock and pressure loss were still too big. To address these faults, an arc-junction was designed. Based on the flow fields of arc-junction, the eddy in the junction corner disappeared and the maximum of velocity peak declined compared to T-and Y-junction. Additionally, 8 series of arc-junction with different radiuses were tested to get the variation rule of velocity peak. Through the computation of the pressure loss of three junctions, the arc-junction had a lowest loss value, and its pressure loss reached the minimum value when the curvature radius is 35.42 mm, meanwhile, the velocity shock has decreased in a low phase.

A COMPUTATION MODEL FOR ATOMIZATION FLOW

In the paper the phenomena of atomization flow are described and a computation model of atomization flow is proposed.Formulas or methods of calculating various affected areas for at- omization flow are presented.

Numerical simulation of a dense solid particle flow inside a cyclone separator using the hybrid Euler-Lagrange approach

This paper presents a numerical simulation of the flow inside a cyclone separator at high particle loads. The gas and gas–particle flows were analyzed using a commercial computational fluid dynamics code. The turbulence effects inside the separator were modeled using the Reynolds stress model. The two phase gas–solid particles flow was modeled using a hybrid Euler–Lagrange approach, which accounts for the four-way coupling between phases. The simulations were performed for three inlet velocities of the gaseous phase and several cyclone mass particle loadings. Moreover, the influences of several submodel parameters on the calculated results were investigated. The obtained results were compared against experimental data collected at the in-house experimental rig. The cyclone pressure drop evaluated numerically underpredicts the measured values. The possible reason of this discrepancies was disused.

THE EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS OF 2-D FREE SHEAR TURBULENT FLOWS AND THE COMPARISON WITH THE THEORETICAL COMPUTATION

An extensive set of measurements in 2-D turbulent mixing layer, wake and jet flow by the hot-wire technique and data sampling are presented. The measured quantities, i. e. the mean velocity, the turbulence intensity, the Reynolds stress and higher-order correlations of the fluctuating velocity in the self-preserving region of the above free shear flows are compared with the computational results based on Zhou's theory for the shear turbulence of in- compressible fluid. The experimental and computational results are in good agreement.

Computation of Load Flow Problems with Homotopy Methods

Load flow computations are the basis for voltage security assessments in power systems. All of the flow equation solutions must be computed to explore the mechanisms of voltage instability and voltage collapse. Conventional algorithms, such as Newton's methods and its variations, are not very desirable because they can not be easily used to find all of the solutions. This paper investigates homotopy methods which can be used for numerically computing the set of all isolated solutions of multivariate polynomial systems resulting from load flow computations. The results significantly reduce the number of paths being followed.

AN IMPROVED EFFICIENT SEMI-IMPLICIT FINITE ELEMENT SCHEME FOR TWO-DIMENSIONAL TIDAL FLOW COMPUTATIONS

In a recent paper, an efficient semi-implicit finite element scheme for 2-dimensional tidal flow computations is proposed. In that scheme, each term of the governing equations, rather than each dependent variable, is ex- panded in terms of the unknown nodal values. Simpson's rule ix used for numerical integration to make the mass matrix diagonal. The friction terms are represented semi-implicitly to improve stability, but no additional compu- tational effort is required. The shortcomings of this scheme are that the time-stepping scheme is only first-order ae- curate and artificial smoothing is required to control the numerical noise. In this paper, the previous scheme is im- proved by including the eddy viscosity terms in the governing equations to replace artificial smoothing in noise con- trol and the time-stepping scheme is modified to make it second-order accurate. These improvements can be achieved with only a slight increase in computational effort. The test cases used previously to validate the former scheme are again employed to test the present scheme.