Threshold friction velocity influenced by soil particle size within the Columbia Plateau, northwestern United States

Wind erosion is a geomorphic process in arid and semi-arid areas and has substantial implications for regional climate and desertification.In the Columbia Plateau of northwestern United States,the emissions from fine particles of loessial soils often contribute to the exceedance of inhalable particulate matter(PM)with an aerodynamic diameter of 10μm or less(PM10)according to the air quality standards.However,little is known about the threshold friction velocity(TFV)for particles of different sizes that comprise these soils.In this study,soil samples of two representative soil types(Warden sandy loam and Ritzville silt loam)collected from the Columbia Plateau were sieved to seven particle size fractions,and an experiment was then conducted to determine the relationship between TFV and particle size fraction.The results revealed that soil particle size significantly affected the initiation of soil movement and TFV;TFV ranged 0.304-0.844 and 0.249-0.739 m/s for different particle size fractions of Ritzville silt loam and Warden sandy loam,respectively.PM10 and total suspended particulates(TSP)emissions from a bed of 63-90μm soil particles were markedly higher for Warden sandy loam than for Ritzville silt loam.Together with the lower TFV of Warden sandy loam,dust emissions from fine particles(<100μm in diameter)of Warden sandy loam thus may be a main contributor to dust in the region's atmosphere,since the PM10 emissions from the soil erosion surfaces and its ensuing suspension within the atmosphere constitute an essential process of soil erosion in the Columbia Plateau.Developing and implementing strategic land management practices on sandy loam soils is therefore necessary to control dust emissions in the Columbia Plateau.

Effect of particle shape on packing fraction and velocity profiles at outlet of a silo

Many studies on how the particle shape affects the discharge flow mainly focus on discharge rates and avalanche statistics. In this study, the effect of the particle shape on the packing fraction and velocities of particles in the silo discharge flow are investigated by using the discrete element method. The time-averaged packing fraction and velocity profiles through the aperture are systematically measured for superelliptical particles with different blockinesses. Increasing the particle blockiness is found to increase resistance to flow and reduce the flow rate. At an identical outlet size, larger particle blockiness leads to lower velocity and packing fraction at the outlet. The packing fraction profiles display evidently the self-similar feature that can be appropriately adjusted by fractional power law. The velocity profiles for particles with different shapes obey a uniform self-similar law that is in accord with previous experimental results, which is compatible with the hypothesis of free fall arch. To further investigate the origin of flow behaviors, the packing fraction and velocity field in the region above the orifice are computed. Based on these observations, the flow rate of superelliptical particles is calculated and in agreement with the simulated data.

Performance characteristics of the airlift pump under vertical solid-water-gas flow conditions for conveying centimetric-sized coal particles

In this study,the installation of an airlift pump with inner diameter of 102 mm and length of 5.64 m was utilized to consider the conveying process of non-spherical coal particles with density of 1340 kg/m3 and graining 25-44.5 mm.The test results revealed that the magnitude of increase in the solid transport rate due to the changes in the three tested parameters between compressed air velocity,submergence ratio,and feeding coal possibility was not the same,which are stand in range of 20%,75%,and 40%,respectively.Hence,creating the optimal airlift pump performance is highly dependent on submergence ratio.More importantly,we measured the solid volume fraction using the method of one-way valves in order to minimize the disadvantages of conventional devices,such as fast speed camera and conductivity ring sensor.The results confirmed that the volume fraction of the solid phase in the transfer process was always less than 12%.To validate present experimental data,the existing empirical correlations together with the theoretical equations related to the multiphase flow was used.The overall agreement between the theory and experimental solid delivery results was particularly good instead of the first stage of conveying process.This drawback can be corrected by omitting the role of friction and shear stress at low air income velocity.It was also found that the model developed by Kalenik failed to predict the performance of our airlift operation in terms of the mass flow rate of the coal particles.

Study of Diesel Spray Particle Velocity Field Using a Particle Image Velocimetry Setup

Aim To investigate the spray particle velocity and its distribution characteristics. Methods\ A set of PIV (particle image velocimetry) system was developed and used to observe and analyze the spray particle velocity field. Results and Conclusion\ Double exposure image of the spray particle within the region of 10-50 mm from the nozzle tip was recorded and analyzed by the IBAS2000 analysis system. Some characteristics of the spray particle velocity and its distribution were obtained.

A simple formula for predicting settling velocity of sediment particles

Based on the general relationship described by Cheng between the drag coefficient and the Reynolds number of a particle, a new relationship between the Reynolds number and a dimensionless particle parameter is proposed. Using a trial-and-error procedure to minimize errors, the coefficients were determined and a formula was developed for predicting the settling velocity of natural sediment particles. This formula has higher prediction accuracy than other published formulas and it is applicable to all Reynolds numbers less than 2× 10^5.

Mass-front velocity of dry granular flows influenced by the angle of the slope to the runout plane and particle size gradation

The mass-front velocities of granular flows results from the joint action of particle size gradations and the underlying surfaces.However,because of the complexity of friction during flow movement,details such as the slope-toe impedance effects and momentum-transfer mechanisms have not been completely explained by theoretical analyses,numerical simulations,or field investigations.To study the mass-front velocity of dry granular flows influenced by the angle of the slope to the runout plane and particle size gradations we conducted model experiments that recorded the motion of rapid and long-runout rockslides or avalanches.Flume tests were conducted using slope angles of 25°,35°,45°,and 55° and three particle size gradations.The resulting mass-front motions consisted of three stages:acceleration,velocity maintenance,and deceleration.The existing methods of velocity prediction could not explain the slowing effect of the slope toe or the momentum-transfer steady velocity stage.When the slope angle increased from 25° to 55°,the mass-front velocities dropped significantly to between 44.4% and59.6% of the peak velocities and energy lossesincreased from 69.1% to 83.7% of the initial,respectively.The velocity maintenance stages occurred after the slope-toe and mass-front velocity fluctuations.During this stage,travel distances increased as the angles increased,but the average velocity was greatest at 45°.At a slope angle of 45°,as the median particle size increased,energy loss around the slope toe decreased,the efficiency of momentum transfer increased,and the distance of the velocity maintenance stage increased.We presented an improved average velocity formula for granular flow and a geometrical model of the energy along the flow line.

LDV measurements of particle velocity distribution in an annular stripper

Particle descent velocities in an annular stripper were measured by a laser Doppler velocimetry(LDV)system.In the radial direction,particle descent velocity was relatively constant in the mid-region of the stripper and increased towards the walls on both sides,exhibiting an anti-U-shaped distribution.Particle descent velocity in the radial mid-region increased with the increase of superficial gas velocity,and the maximum in the outer wall region increased significantly with the increase of solid mass flux.Superficial stripping gas velocity had stronger effect on particle velocity distributions near the stripper gas distributor,and such effect weakened with the increase of the distance from the distributor.Local particle velocity and its radial profiles could be adjusted by changing the superficial stripping gas velocity.Empirical formulas were established to describe the relationships between the local particle velocity and cross-sectional averaged velocity based on the effects of operating conditions and measuring positions.The result showed that the predicted data was in good agreement with the experimental value.

Investigation on in-flight particle velocity in supersonic plasma spraying

In-flight particle velocity and flux distribution were measured using CCD thermal spray monitor system during supersonic plasma spray processing with nano-structured Al_2O_3-TiO_2 feed stocks. According to the results of particle flux measurement, the largest radian of the divergent particle stream is about 0.2. Within the measuring range, top speed of in-flight particles reached 800m/s. Particle acceleration was accomplished within 4cm down stream of the nozzle. Average particle velocity (about 450m/s) exceeded local sound speed (340m/s) even at a mean standoff distance of 17cm. With increasing mean standoff distance, average velocity of in-flight particle decreased according to a parabolic rule approximately. Image diagnosis showed that the result of in-flight particle velocity measurement is credible.

Optimization of spray conditions in cold spraying based on numerical analysis of particle velocity

The effects of the parameters involved in cold spray on the acceleration of particles are systematically investigated by a CFD code in order to reveal the main factors influencing significantly particle velocity. The parameters involved include nozzle geometry parameters, processing parameters and properties of spray particles. It is found that driving gas type, operating pressure and temperature are main processing parameters which influence particle velocity. As for nozzle geometry, the expansion ratio and divergent section length of spray gun nozzle show significant effects. Moreover, the density, size and morphology of powder also have significant effects on particle velocity. The effects of those main parameters are summarized in a comprehensive equation obtained through nonlinear regression of the simulated results for the estimation of particle velocity. The interactions of the parameters on particle acceleration can be examined through the equation. Moreover, the optimization of the dimensions of spray gun nozzle and spray parameters can be realized based on the obtained results.

Particle Velocity Sensor and Its Application in Near-Field Noise Scanning Measurement

The Particle Velocity Sensor (PVS) is a kind of acoustic transducer which measures the particle velocity directly with figure-of-eight directivity. This paper proposes a near-field noise scanning technology based on the research of PVS, pressure-particle velocity (P-U) probe, and its application in noise source identification. Firstly, the principle and characteristics of PVS are presented. Secondly, a P-U probe is designed on the basis of PVS development. Finally, the noise measurement experiment for a single source is arranged and conducted. The result shows that the proposed P-U probe performs well in near-field noise source identification and localization.

The Velocity Measurement of Two-phase Flow Based on Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm and Nonlinear Blind Source Separation

In order to overcome the disturbance of noise,this paper presented a method to measure two-phase flow velocity using particle swarm optimization algorithm,nonlinear blind source separation and cross correlation method.Because of the nonlinear relationship between the output signals of capacitance sensors and fluid in pipeline,nonlinear blind source separation is applied.In nonlinear blind source separation,the odd polynomials of higher order are used to fit the nonlinear transformation function,and the mutual information of separation signals is used as the evaluation function.Then the parameters of polynomial and linear separation matrix can be estimated by mutual information of separation signals and particle swarm optimization algorithm,thus the source signals can be separated from the mixed signals.The two-phase flow signals with noise which are obtained from upstream and downstream sensors are respectively processed by nonlinear blind source separation method so that the noise can be effectively removed.Therefore,based on these noise-suppressed signals,the distinct curves of cross correlation function and the transit times are obtained,and then the velocities of two-phase flow can be accurately calculated.Finally,the simulation experimental results are given.The results have proved that this method can meet the measurement requirements of two-phase flow velocity.

An improved particle tracking velocimetry(PTV) technique to evaluate the velocity field of saltating particles

Velocity is a key parameter characterizing the movement of saltating particles. High-speed photography is an efficient method to record the velocity. But, manually determining the relevant information from these photographs is quite laborious. However, particle tracking velocimetry（PTV） can be used to measure the instantaneous velocity in fluids using tracer particles. The tracer particles have three basic features in fluids： similar movement patterns within a small region, a uniform particle distribution, and high particle density. Unfortunately, the saltation of sand particles in air is a stochastic process, and PTV has not yet been able to accurately determine the velocity field in a cloud of blowing sand. The aim of the present study was to develop an improved PTV technique to measure the downwind（horizontal） and vertical velocities of saltating sand. To demonstrate the feasibility of this new technique, we used it to investigate two-dimensional saltation of particles above a loose sand surface in a wind tunnel. We analyzed the properties of the saltating particles, including the probability distribution of particle velocity, variations in the mean velocity as a function of height, and particle turbulence. By automating much of the analysis, the improved PTV method can satisfy the requirement for a large sample size and can measure the velocity field of blowing sand more accurately than previously-used techniques. The results shed new light on the complicated mechanisms involved in sand saltation.

Effect of Injecting Inert Particles on Coking Prohibition and Particle Velocity Uniformization in Downer Reactors

The coking observation and particle flow behaviour in both thermal plasma and cold plexiglas downers were investigated in a binary particle system formed by injecting coarse inert particles (carrying coke away and scouring wall) and fine coal powders into the downer reactor. The results demonstrate that this scheme is a rational selection to prevent coking on downer walls and improve particle velocity distribution along the radial direction. When injected coarse particles mixed with fine powders in downers, the fluctuation of local particle velocity in the radial direction becomes smaller and two peaks in the radial distribution of local particle velocity occur due to the improved dispersing character and flow structure, which are beneficial to the thermo-plasma coal cracking reaction and coking prevention.

Numerical simulation of the effects of the impact velocity on the particle deposition characteristics in cold gas dynamic spraying

In this study, the effects of the impact velocity on the particle deposition characteristics in cold gas dynamic spraying （CGDS） of 304 stainless steel （SS） on an interstitial free （IF） steel substrate are numerical simulated by means of a finite element analysis （FEA）. The results have illustrated that when the particle impact velocity exceeds a critical value at which adiabatic shear instability of the particle starts to occur. Meanwhile, the fatten ratio and impact crater depth （or the effective contacting area ） increase rapidly. The particle-substrate bonding and deposition mechanism can be attributed to such an adiabatic shear deformation induced by both the compressive force and the slide friction force of particle. The critical velocity can be predicted by numerical simulation, which is useful to optimize the CGDS processing parameters for various materials.

Measuring the velocity of sand particles in an air/particle two-phase flow:A comparison of several commonly used methods

The velocity of blown sand particles is an important parameter in aeolian movement （a special case of gas particle two-phase flow） and has ever been a topic of interest. At present, several techniques have been applied in measuring velocity of the blown sand particles. This paper reviews the measurement results of several commonly used methods： photoelectric cell method, high-speed photographic method, Particle Dynamics Analyzer （PDA） method and Particle Image Velocimetry （PIV） method. Photoelectric cell method, high-speed photograph method and PDA method are useful in studying the velocity distribution of particles. PIV is a whole-flow-field technique and a useful tool to study the average velocity field in a target area. These methods got some similar results but considerable differences also exist. They have come to similar conclusions on the velocity distributions at a single height but direct measurement results with respect to the velocity distribution very close to the surface are still scarce except some PDA results. The magnitude of measured mean particle velocity differs greatly. The relationship obtained by different methods between mean particle velocity and wind velocity, particle size and possibly other influencing factors also differs considerably. Although several authors have proposed similar power functions to describe the variation with height of the mean particle velocity, the predicted results have wide differences. Each technique is based on some unique principles, and has its advantages and disad- vantages. To make full use of different techniques, a lot of work needs be done to validate them. Developing a reliable technique to measure the velocity of blown particles is still a necessary task in aeolian research.

DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF PARTICLE FLYING VELOCITY IN HIGH VELOCITY OXYGEN FUEL SPRAY

Based on gas dynamics, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics of multiphase systems and other theories, the dynamic analyses of the particle flying velocity in a high velocity oxygen fuel spray (HVOF) is accomplished. The relationships between the flying velocity of a particle and the flying time or flying length, particle size, hot gas velocity, and pressure or density of the gas are proposed. Meanwhile, the influences of the velocity and mass rate of flow of the flame gas of a HVOF gun, and particle size on the particle flying velocity are discussed in detail. The dynamic pressure concept is introduced to express the flow capacity of hot gas of a HVOF gun, and the relationship between the dynamic pressure of a HVOF gun and the velocity of a particle for depositing is presented.

Pressure ranges of velocity splitting of ablated particles produced by pulsed laser deposition in different inert gases

The transport of ablated particles produced by single pulsed-laser ablation is simulated via Monte Carlo method. The pressure ranges of velocity splitting of ablated particles in different inert gases are investigated. The result shows that the range of velocity splitting decreases with the atomic mass of the ambient gas increasing. The ambient gas whose atomic mass is more than that of Kr cannot induce the velocity splitting of ablated particles. The results are explained by the underdamping model and the inertia flow model.

CONSERVATION OF MASS FOR A PARTICLEMOVING WITH HIGH VELOCITY

By using the revision of the momentum for a particle moving with high velocity and by investigating the famous Bucherer's experiment of an electron deflecting with high velocity in the electromagnetic fields in 1908, the paper determines that mass of the electron with high velocity is still to observe the law of conservation of mass.

Improvements on particle swarm optimization algorithm for velocity calibration in microseismic monitoring

In this paper, we apply particle swarm opti- mization （PSO）, an artificial intelligence technique, to velocity calibration in microseismic monitoring. We ran simulations with four 1-D layered velocity models and three different initial model ranges. The results using the basic PSO algorithm were reliable and accurate for simple models, but unsuccessful for complex models. We propose the staged shrinkage strategy （SSS） for the PSO algorithm. The SSS-PSO algorithm produced robust inversion results and had a fast convergence rate. We investigated the effects of PSO＇s velocity clamping factor in terms of the algorithm reliability and computational efficiency. The velocity clamping factor had little impact on the reliability and efficiency of basic PSO, whereas it had a large effect on the efficiency of SSS-PSO. Reassuringly, SSS-PSO exhibits marginal reliability fluctuations, which suggests that it can be confidently implemented.

Nearfield acoustic holography in a moving medium based on particle velocity input using nonsingular propagator

Nearfield acoustic holography in a moving medium is a technique which is typically suitable for sound sources identification in a flow.In the process of sound field reconstruction,sound pressure is usually used as the input,but it may contain considerable background noise due to the interactions between microphones and flow moving at a high velocity.To avoid this problem,particle velocity is an alternative input,which can be obtained by using laser Doppler velocimetry in a non-intrusive way.However,there is a singular problem in the conventional propagator relating the particle velocity to the pressure,and it could lead to significant errors or even false results.In view of this,in this paper,nonsingular propagators are deduced to realize accurate reconstruction in both cases that the hologram is parallel to and perpendicular to the flow direction.The advantages of the proposed method are analyzed,and simulations are conducted to verify the validation.The results show that the method can overcome the singular problem effectively,and the reconstruction errors are at a low level for different flow velocities,frequencies,and signal-to-noise ratios.