Optimum design of flow distribution in quenching tank for heat treatment of A357 aluminum alloy large complicated thin-wall workpieces by CFD simulation and ANN approach

Based on the computational fluid dynamics （CFD） method, a quenching tank with two agitator systems and two flow-equilibrating devices was selected to simulate flow distribution using Fluent software. A numerical example was used to testify the validity of the quenching tank model. In order to take tank parameters （agitation speed, position of directional flow baffle and coordinate position in quench zone） into account, an approach that combines the artificial neural network （ANN） with CFD method was developed to study the flow distribution in the quenching tank. The flow rate of the quenching medium shows a very good agreement between the ANN predicted results and the Fluent simulated data. Methods for the optimal design of the quenching tank can be used as technical support for industrial production.

CFD-supported optimization of flow distribution in quench tank for heat treatment of A357 alloy large complicated components

The flow distribution in quench tank for heat treatment of A357 alloy large complicated components was simulated using FLUENT computational fluid dynamics（CFD） software.The flow velocity and the uniformity of flow field in two types of quench tanks（with or without agitation system） were calculated.The results show that the flow field in the quench tank without agitation system has not evident regularity.While as for the quench tank with agitation system,the flow fields in different parameters have certain regularity.The agitation tanks have a distinct advantage over the system without agitation.Proper process parameters were also obtained.Finally,the tank model established in this work was testified by an example from publication.This model with high accuracy is able to optimize the tank structures and can be helpful for industrial production and theoretical investigation in the fields of heat treatment of large complicated components.

Characteristics of turbulent flow distribution in branch piping system

Flow distribution in branch piping system is affected by flow characteristics and different geometric variations. Most of the flow distribution studies are performed with one-dimensional analysis to yield overall information only. However, detailed analysis is required to find effects of design parameters on the flow distribution. For this aspect, three-dimensional turbulent flow analysis was performed to assess turbulence model performance and effects of upstream pressure and branch pipe geometry. Three different turbulence models of standard k-e model, realizable k-e model and standard k-co yield similar results, indicating small effects of turbulence models on flow characteristics analysis. Geometric variations include area ratio of main and branch pipes, branch pipe diameter, and connection shape of main and branch pipes. Among these parameters, area ratio and branch diameter and shape show strong effect on flow distribution due to high friction and minor loss. Uniform flow distribution is one of common requirements in the branch piping system and this can be achieved with rather high total loss design.

A CFD study on optimal venting volume and air flow distribution in a special designed hood system for controlling dust flow

A novel hood structure has been designed for the dust control system in the foundry in order to improve the working environment. A composite strategy has been applied for comparative analysis of the optimal venting volume and the airflow distribution between the conventional hood and the novel one in this study. A Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) method is used to simulate the airflow fields and dust-polluted air moving paths. The CFD results show that a two-outlet hood, with one outlet located on the left of the hood, is better for improving dust-polluted air than the hood with one outlet only. It can be concluded that the number of the outlets as well as their location on the hood has a significant influence on the air flow pattern in the hood. The optimal venting volume is also a major consideration that is discussed in the study. The venting volume should be designed by considering both the effective level of air flow velocity around the dust source and the energy saving. The optimal airflow distribution may reduce the turbulence in the hood system.

The Effect of Flow Distribution on the Concentration of NO Produced by Pulsed Arc Discharge

As a new method to cure acute respiratory distress syndrome （ARDS）, high blood pressure and some illnesses related to the lung, NO has recently received more attention. Thermal plasmas produced by arc discharge can create medical NO, but the concentration of NO2 produced by arc discharge must be controlled simultaneously. This paper investigates the characteristics and regulations of NO production at different flow distribution by pulsed arc discharge in dry air with a special pulsed power, The experimental results show that the flow distribution has a considerable effect on the NO concentration, the stabilization of NO. The production of NO2 could be controlled and the ratio of NO2/NO was decreased to about 10% in the arc discharge. Therefore, the arc discharge could produce stable inhaled NO for medical treatment by changing the flow distribution.

NUMERICAL STUDY ON FLOW DISTRIBUTION IN PLATE-FIN HEAT EXCHANGERS

Objective To investigate the flow distribution in plate fin heat exchangers and optimize the design of header configuration for plate fin heat exchangers. Methods A mathematical model of header was proposed. The effects of the header configuration on the flow distribution in plate fin heat exchangers were investigated by CFD. The second header configuration with a two stage distributing structure was brought forward to improve the performance of flow distribution. Results It is found that the flow maldistribution is very serious in the direction of header length for the conventional header used in industry. The numerical predictions indicate that the improved header configurations can effectively improve the performance of flow distribution in plate fin heat exchangers. Conclusion The numerical simulation confirms that CFD should be a suitable tool for predicting the flow distribution. The method has a wide variety of applications in the design of plate fin heat exchangers.

Application of genetic algorithm for influent flow distribution in the four stage A/O biological nutrient removal system

The application of the Genetic Algorithm （GA） for the influent flow optimized distribution in the four stage pilot plant of Step-Feed Biological Nutrient Removal （BNR） System was discussed. Under decided process parameter and influent water conditions, the objective function of optimization was designed to minimize the difference between estimated and required effluent concentrations at the four stage pilot plant of Step-Feed BNR System, the optimized parameter for influent distribution ratios of the four stages is 37.2%, 27.4%, 23.2% and 12.2% respectively. According to the optimizations results and raw wastewater pilot-scale experiment, the average removal efficiencies for pollutants are higher.

Flow pattern analysis of linear gradient flow distribution

This paper uses the Oseen transformation to solve the differential equations governing motion of the vertical linear gradient flow distribution close to a wall surface. The Navier-Stokes equations are used to consider the inertia term along the flow direction. A novel contour integral method is used to solve the complex Airy function. The boundary conditions of linear gradient flow distribution for finite problems are determined. The vorticity function, the pressure function, and the turbulent velocity profiles are provided, and the stability of particle trajectories is studied. An Lx-function form of the third derivative circulation is used to to simplify the solution. Theoretical results are compared with the experimental measurements with satisfactory agreement.

ANALYTICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF FLOW DISTRIBUTION IN MANIFOLDS FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS

The prediction of flow distribution in flow manifolds is important for the design of heat exchangers. The pressure drop along the flow in the header is the most influential factor in flow distribution. Various continuous models available in literature have failed to satisfactorily predict the pressure distribution in the headers of the flow manifolds. In this article, a discrete model matching the real physical phenomena has been proposed, to predict the pressure distribution in headers. An experimental evaluation of relevant flow characteristic parameters has been carried out to support the discrete model calculations. The validity of the theoretical discrete model has been performed with experimental results, under specific conditions. Refined experimental probes, for pressure heads with ultrasonic measuring devices, have been used to obtain accurate results. The experimental results fully substantiate the soundness of the theoretical prediction. In addition, the advantage of the ability to accommodate local disturbances in the discrete model has been pointed out. The effect of some local disturbances may be substantial. As a result of the analysis presented in this article, improved designs of flow manifolds in heat exchangers can be realized, to assure operation safety under severe operating conditions.

MULTISCALE OPTIMIZATION OF FLOW DISTRIBUTION BY CONSTRUCTAL APPROACH

Constructal approach is a recent concept allowing to generate and optimize multi-scale structures, in particular, branching structures, connecting a microscopic world to a macroscopic one, from an engineer＇s point of view. Branching morphologies are found in many types of natural phenomena, and may be associated to some kind of optimization, expressing the evolutionary adaptation of natural systems to their environment, In a sense, the constructal approach tries to imitate this morphogenesis while short-cutting the trial-and-error of nature. The basic ideas underlying the constructal concept and methodology are illustrated here by the examples of fluid distribution to a multi-channel reactor, and of the design of a porous material and system for gas adsorption and storage. In usual constructal theory, a tree branching is postulated for the channels or flow-paths or conductors, usually a dichotomic tree （every branch is divided into two ＂daughters＂）. The objective function of the optimization is built from the resistances to mass or heat transport, expressed here as ＂characteristic transport times＂, and the geometric result is expressed as a shape factor of a domain. The optimized shape expresses the compromise between the mass or heat transport characteristics at adjacent scales. Under suitable assumptions, simple analytical scaling laws are found, which relate the geometric and transport properties of different scales. Some challenging geometric problems may arise when applying the constructal approach to practical situations where strong geometric constraints exist. The search for analytical solutions imposes simplifying assumptions which may be at fault, calling for less constraining approaches, for example making only weak assumptions on the branching structure. Some of these challenges are brought forward along this text.

Experimental Research on Flow Maldistribution in Plate-Fin Heat Exchangers

The flow maldistribution and the effect of different inlet configuration on the flow distribution in platefin heat exchangers were studied experimentally. It is found that the flow maldistribution is serious because of the defects of inlet configurations, while the inlet configuration and Reynolds number are the main factors affecting the flow distribution. The improved inlet configurations, which are the header with a two-stage distributing configuration and the guide vane with a fluid complementary cavity were proposed and tested in this paper. The experimental results show that the improved inlet configurations can effectively improve the performance of flow distribution in heat exchangers.

EXPERIMENTAL AND NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF LAMINAR AND LOW TURBULENT FLOW DISTRIBUTIONS IN INLET DIVIDING HEADER OF SHELL AND TUBE HEAT EXCHANGER

Flow distribution headers play a major role in heat exchangers.The selection of header diameter,branch pipe diameter,branch pipe spacing etc.is based on the designer＇s experience and general guide lines.The proper selection of the header dimensions will yield uniform flow distribution in heat exchangers,which in turn will enhance the heat exchanger efficiency.In this work,the flow distribution in branch pipes and the pressure variation across the branch pipes in laminar and low turbulence region is studied with two models of the inlet dividing headers.When the numerical analysis has been applied,its inability to predict the no flow condition through the branch pipes is revealed.The results are presented in the form of flow rate ratio through branch pipes and nondimensional coefficients across branch pipes which are useful to apply the existing mathematical models for the present experimental setup.

Effects of the outlet pressure on two-phase slug flow distribution uniformity in a multi-branch microchannel

The two-phase flow maldistribution phenomenon in microchannels with multi-parallel branches is inevitable in almost all common conditions,and not only affects the performance of the facility but also increases the risk of system instability.In order to better understand the distribution mechanism and to explore a potential strategy to improve uniformity,the pressure evolutions under different split modes in a microchannel with multi-parallel branches,were analyzed numerically.The results show that the fluctuations of transient pressure exhibit similar trends at various split modes,but the time-averaged pressure drops in the branches are very different.This may be related to the maldistribution of mass flow.Thus,the outlet pressures of the branches are numerically changed to explore the relationship between differential pressure and flow distribution.From this study,the flow distribution is seen to display a strong sensitivity to the branch differential pressure.By changing the pressure conditions,the gas flow of the middle branch can be effectively prevented from the main channel,and the flow type in this branch turns from gas-liquid to a single liquid phase.When the differential pressure of the first branch channel changes,the maldistribution phenomenon of the model can be mitigated to a certain extent.Based on this,by adjusting the differential pressures of the second branch,the maldistribution phenomenon can be further mitigated,and the normalized standard deviation(NSTD)decreases from 0.52 to approximately 0.26.The results and conclusions are useful in understanding the two-phase flow distribution mechanism and for seeking optimizing strategies.

Streamline similarity method for flow distributions and shock losses at the impeller inlet of the centrifugal pump

An analytical method is presented, which enables the non-uniform velocity and pressure distributions at the impeller inlet of a pump to be accurately computed. The analyses are based on the potential flow theory and the geometrical similarity of the streamline distribution along the leading edge of the impeller blades. The method is thus called streamline similarity method（SSM）. The obtained geometrical form of the flow distribution is then simply described by the geometrical variable G（s） and the first structural constant G_Ⅰ. As clearly demonstrated and also validated by experiments, both the flow velocity and the pressure distributions at the impeller inlet are usually highly non-uniform. This knowledge is indispensible for impeller blade designs to fulfill the shockless inlet flow condition. By introducing the second structural constant G_Ⅱ, the paper also presents the simple and accurate computation of the shock loss, which occurs at the impeller inlet. The introduction of two structural constants contributes immensely to the enhancement of the computational accuracies. As further indicated, all computations presented in this paper can also be well applied to the non-uniform exit flow out of an impeller of the Francis turbine for accurately computing the related mean values.

Development of a novel two-stage proportional valve with a pilot digital flow distribution

Pilot two-stage proportional valves are widely used in high-power hydraulic systems. For the purpose of improving the dynamic performance, reliability, and digitization of the traditional proportional valve, a novel two-stage proportional valve with a pilot digital flow distribution is proposed from the viewpoint of the dual nozzle-flapper valve’s working principle. In particular, the dual nozzle-flapper is decoupled by two high-speed on/off valves (HSVs). First, the working principle and mathematical model of the proposed valve are determined. Then, the influences of the control parameters (duty cycle and switching frequency) and structural parameters (fixed orifice’s diameter and main valve’s spring) on the main valve’s motion are analyzed on the basis of theory, simulation, and experiment. In addition, in optimizing the value of the fixed orifice’s diameter, a new design criterion that considers the maximum pressure sensitivity, flow controllability, and flow linearization is proposed to improve the balance between the effective displacement and the displacement fluctuation of the main valve. The new scheme is verified by simulations and experiments. Experimental results of the closed-loop displacement tracking have demonstrated that the delay time of the main valve is always within 3.5 ms under different working conditions, and the tracking error can be significantly reduced using the higher switching frequency. The amplitude–frequency experiments indicate that a −3 dB-frequency of the proposed valve can reach 9.5 Hz in the case of ±50% full scale and 15 Hz in the case of 0%–50% full scale. The values can be further improved by increasing the flow rate of the pilot HSV.

FORCE ANALYSIS AND DYNAMIC SIMULATION OF THE PLAIN FLOWDISTRIBUTION PAIR IN A RADIALPISTON HYDRAULIC

New design of plain flow distributor of the radial piston low speed hydraulic motor is presented. On the basis of analyzing its static mathematic model and structural optimization, the kinetic characteristics of the distribution plates and the oil film between them are discussed in detail.

Velocity distribution of the flow field in the cyclonic zone of cyclone-static micro-bubble flotation column

Laboratory experiments have been conducted to study the flow field in a cyclone static micro-bubble flotation column. The method of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was used. The flow field velocity distribution in both cross section and longitudinal section within cyclonic zone was studied for different circulating volumes. The cross sectional vortex was also analyzed. The results show that in cross section as the circulating volume increases from 0.187 to 0.350 m 3 /h, the flow velocity ranges from 0 to 0.68 m/s. The flow field is mainly a non-vortex potential flow that forms a free vortex without outside energy input. In the cyclonic region the vortex deviates from the center of the flotation column because a single tangential opening introduces circulating fluid into the column. The tangential component of the velocity plays a defining role in the cross section. In the longitudinal section the velocity ranges from 0 to 0.08 m/s. The flow velocity increases as does the circulating volume. Advantageous mineral separation conditions arise from the combined effects of cyclonic flow in cross and longitudinal section.

Studies on the flow and distribution of leukocytes in mesentery microcirculation of rats

AIM To study the effect of leukocyteendothelium interaction (LEI) on the flow anddistribution of leukocytes in microcirculationunder physiological condition.METHODS A microcirculation image multipleparameter computer analysis system (MIMPCAS)was used to study the flow and distribution ofleukocytes in mesentery microcirculation of ratsIn vivo.RESULTS The difference of visible leukocyteflux (VLF) was as high as 131 times in thearterioles and venules with similar diameter andblood velocity. The visible leukocytes rolledalong the blood vessel wall as a" jerky"movement. The frequency distribution of thevisible leukocyte velocity (VLV) showed a "twopeak" Curve. The low peak value was at 10 pm/ s-- 15 pm/ s while the high peak fell between25 pm/ s-- 30 pm/ s. With the increase of diameterof venules, VLF increased while the VLVremained at the same level. With the increase ofRBC velocity, VLV trends to elevate and VLF tofal I down.CONCLUSION The results herein might providea basic theory for the study on the mechanism ofLEI under physiological condition and novelmethods for the prevention and treatment of highLEI in many pathological

Distribution Regularity of Debris Flow and Its Hazard in Upper Reaches of Yangtze River and Other Rivers of Southwestern China

In the upper reaches of Yangtze River and other rivers of southwestern China, the debris flows develop and lead to most serious disasters because of the various landforms, complex geological structures and abundant rainfall. The distribution of debris flows has regularity in the regions with different landform, geological structure, and precipitation. The regularities of distribution of debris flows are as following： （1） distributed in transition belts of different morphologic regions; （2） distributed in the area with strong stream trenching; （3） distributed along fracture zones and seismic belts： （4） distributed in the area with abundant precipitation; （5） distribution of debris flow is azonal. The activity of abundant debris flows not only brings harm to Towns, Villages and Farmlands, Main Lines of Communication, Water-Power Engineering, Stream Channels etc., but also induces strong water and soil loss. According to the present status of debris flow prevention, the problems in disasters mitigation and soil conservancy are found out, and the key works are brought up for the future disasters prevention and soil conservancy.

A novel hybrid estimation of distribution algorithm for solving hybrid flowshop scheduling problem with unrelated parallel machine

The hybrid flow shop scheduling problem with unrelated parallel machine is a typical NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem, and it exists widely in chemical, manufacturing and pharmaceutical industry. In this work, a novel mathematic model for the hybrid flow shop scheduling problem with unrelated parallel machine(HFSPUPM) was proposed. Additionally, an effective hybrid estimation of distribution algorithm was proposed to solve the HFSPUPM, taking advantage of the features in the mathematic model. In the optimization algorithm, a new individual representation method was adopted. The(EDA) structure was used for global search while the teaching learning based optimization(TLBO) strategy was used for local search. Based on the structure of the HFSPUPM, this work presents a series of discrete operations. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid algorithm compared with other algorithms.