A Fluid Dynamics Study of a Modified Low-Reynolds-Number Flapping Motion

Author(s):  
M. R. Amiralaei ◽  
H. Alighanbari ◽  
S. M. Hashemi

The objective of the present study is to investigate the low Reynolds number (LRN) fluid dynamics of an elliptic airfoil performing a novel figure-eight-like motion. To this mean, the influence of phase angle between the pitching and translational (heaving and lagging) motions and the amplitude of translational motions on the fluid flow is simulated. Navier-Stokes (NS) equations with Finite Volume Method (FVM) are used and the instantaneous force coefficients and the fluid dynamics performance, as well as the corresponding vortical structures are analyzed. Both the phase angle and the amplitudes of horizontal and vertical motions are of great importance to the fluid dynamic characteristics of the model as they are shown to change the peaks of the fluid forces, fluid dynamic performance, and the vortical patterns around the model.

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuela Colombo ◽  
Fabio Inzoli ◽  
Enrico Malfa

The present work is focused on the prediction of the fluid dynamics behaviour for natural gas burners characterized by low NOx emissions. The fluid dynamics in the combustion chamber is investigated in order to look for the condition under which it is possible to obtain a diluted combustion. The experimental data used as reference come from two set of tests related to different isothermal flow behaviour: high Reynolds number (Re = 68000) and lower Reynolds number (Re = 5427). Many turbulence models are examined in order to validate high and low Reynolds case. The k-ω models implemented by Wilcox in 1998 seems to properly predict the fluid dynamics behaviour of the jet for high Reynolds numbers, while, for low Reynolds jets, a modification needs to be introduced. The numerical analysis for low Reynolds number, based on an unstructured 2D axial symmetrical grid, shows that no two-equation turbulence models fit the experimental data for low Reynolds jet. Based on the evidence that at low Reynolds number the hypothesis of homogeneous isotropic small turbulence eddy is not valid a modification of k-ω turbulence model’s closure constant has been proposed. This leads to a better agreement with the experimental data. The results demonstrate that great attention needs to be taken and invested in the identification of the turbulence models used in CFD and in the proper tunneling (of the closure coefficient for the turbulence model) that need to be computed case by case accordingly with the specific turbulence level and fluid dynamic features of the jet itself.


Author(s):  
M. R. Amiralaei ◽  
H. Alighanbari ◽  
S. M. Hashemi

The objective of the present study is to investigate the low Reynolds number (LRN) fluid dynamics of two airfoils in pitching oscillations. The airfoils are in a tandem configuration and perform in-phase oscillations. Navier-Stokes (NS) equations with Finite Volume Method (FVM) are used and the instantaneous aerodynamic force coefficients are analyzed. The effect of amplitude of pitching oscillations and Re are investigated on the fluid forces. It is found that the amplitude of pitching oscillations is of primary importance to the fluid forces, affecting them quantitatively and qualitatively. Re is found to be of secondary importance compared to the effects of the amplitude of pitching oscillations. It mainly affects the magnitude of the forces.


2009 ◽  
Vol 132 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sintu Singha ◽  
K. P. Sinhamahapatra

Low Reynolds number steady and unsteady incompressible flows over two circular cylinders in tandem are numerically simulated for a range of Reynolds numbers with varying gap size. The governing equations are solved on an unstructured collocated mesh using a second-order implicit finite volume method. The effects of the gap and Reynolds number on the vortex structure of the wake and on the fluid dynamic forces acting on the cylinders are reported and discussed. Both the parameters have significant influence on the flow field. An attempt is made to unify their influence on some global parameters.


1997 ◽  
Vol 119 (4) ◽  
pp. 794-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Luo ◽  
B. Lakshminarayana

The boundary layer development and convective heat transfer on transonic turbine nozzle vanes are investigated using a compressible Navier–Stokes code with three low-Reynolds-number k–ε models. The mean-flow and turbulence transport equations are integrated by a four-stage Runge–Kutta scheme. Numerical predictions are compared with the experimental data acquired at Allison Engine Company. An assessment of the performance of various turbulence models is carried out. The two modes of transition, bypass transition and separation-induced transition, are studied comparatively. Effects of blade surface pressure gradients, free-stream turbulence level, and Reynolds number on the blade boundary layer development, particularly transition onset, are examined. Predictions from a parabolic boundary layer code are included for comparison with those from the elliptic Navier–Stokes code. The present study indicates that the turbine external heat transfer, under real engine conditions, can be predicted well by the Navier–Stokes procedure with the low-Reynolds-number k–ε models employed.


Author(s):  
J.-S. Liu ◽  
M. L. Celestina ◽  
G. B. Heitland ◽  
D. B. Bush ◽  
M. L. Mansour ◽  
...  

As an aircraft engine operates from sea level take-off (SLTO) to altitude cruise, the low pressure (LP) turbine Reynolds number decreases. As Reynolds number is reduced the condition of the airfoil boundary layer shifts from bypass transition to separated flow transition. This can result in a significant loss. The LP turbine performance fall-off from SLTO to altitude cruise, due to the loss increase with reduction in Reynolds number, is referred to as a lapse rate. A considerable amount of research in recent years has been focused on understanding and reducing the loss associated with the low Reynolds number operation. A recent 3-1/2 stage LP turbine design completed a component rig test program at Honeywell. The turbine rig test included Reynolds number variation from SLTO to altitude cruise conditions. While the rig test provides detailed inlet and exit condition measurements, the individual blade row effects are not available. Multi-blade row computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis is used to complement the rig data by providing detailed flow field information through each blade row. A multi-blade row APNASA model was developed and solutions were obtained at the SLTO and altitude cruise rig conditions. The APNASA model predicts the SLTO to altitude lapse rate within 0.2 point compared to the rig data. The global agreement verifies the modeling approach and provides a high confidence level in the blade row flow field predictions. Additional Reynolds number investigation with APNASA will provide guidance in the LP turbine Reynolds number research areas to reduce lapse rate. To accurately predict the low Reynolds number flow in the LP turbine is a challenging task for any computational fluid dynamic (CFD) code. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the capability of a CFD code, APNASA, to predict the sensitivity of the Reynolds number in LP turbines.


1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Gerlinger ◽  
Dieter Bru¨ggemann

A multigrid method for convergence acceleration is used for solving coupled fluid and turbulence transport equations. For turbulence closure a low-Reynolds-number q-ω turbulence model is employed, which requires very fine grids in the near wall regions. Due to the use of fine grids, convergence of most iterative solvers slows down, making the use of multigrid techniques especially attractive. However, special care has to be taken on the strong nonlinear turbulent source terms during restriction from fine to coarse grids. Due to the hyperbolic character of the governing equations in supersonic flows and the occurrence of shock waves, modifications to standard multigrid techniques are necessary. A simple and effective method is presented that enables the multigrid scheme to converge. A strong reduction in the required number of multigrid cycles and work units is achieved for different test cases, including a Mack 2 flow over a backward facing step.


Author(s):  
Yashvardhan Tomar ◽  
Dhwanil Shukla ◽  
Narayanan Komerath

Abstract Vertical takeoff and landing vehicle platforms with many small rotors are becoming increasingly pertinent for small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as well as distributed electric propulsion for larger vehicles. These rotors operate at low Reynolds number unlike large rotors for which the existing prediction methods were developed. Operating at very low Reynolds number essentially means that viscous effects are more dominant; and their spatial spread is significant with respect to the rotor dimensions. This impacts the nature of inter-rotor aerodynamic interactions which become more difficult to predict and characterize. In the present research, two nominally identical commercial UAV rotors are studied for a range of separations in hover and forward flight, both experimentally and computationally, in parallel with ongoing vehicle flight tests with 4 and 8 rotors. Bi-rotor tests in tandem in-plane configuration were performed in Georgia Tech’s 2.13m × 2.74m test section wind tunnel. Rotor simulations were done using the RotCFD Navier-Stokes solver. In hover, rotor performance is sensitive to the distance between rotors at low rotation speeds, indicating the presence of greater inter-rotor interactions at low Reynolds number. In forward flight, the performance of the downstream rotor gets negatively affected by the upstream rotor wake.


2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ankit Tiwari ◽  
Savas Yavuzkurt

The goal of this study is to evaluate the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) predictions of friction factor and Nusselt number from six different low Reynolds number k–ε (LRKE) models namely Chang–Hsieh–Chen (CHC), Launder–Sharma (LS), Abid, Lam–Bremhorst (LB), Yang–Shih (YS), and Abe–Kondoh–Nagano (AKN) for various heat transfer enhancement applications. Standard and realizable k–ε (RKE) models with enhanced wall treatment (EWT) were also studied. CFD predictions of Nusselt number, Stanton number, and friction factor were compared with experimental data from literature. Various parameters such as effect of type of mesh element and grid resolution were also studied. It is recommended that a model, which predicts reasonably accurate values for both friction factor and Nusselt number, should be chosen over disparate models, which may predict either of these quantities more accurately. This is based on the performance evaluation criterion developed by Webb and Kim (2006, Principles of Enhanced Heat Transfer, 2nd ed., Taylor and Francis Group, pp. 1–72) for heat transfer enhancement. It was found that all LRKE models failed to predict friction factor and Nusselt number accurately (within 30%) for transverse rectangular ribs, whereas standard and RKE with EWT predicted friction factor and Nusselt number within 25%. Conversely, for transverse grooves, AKN, AKN/CHC, and LS (with modified constants) models accurately predicted (within 30%) both friction factor and Nusselt number for rectangular, circular, and trapezoidal grooves, respectively. In these cases, standard and RKE predictions were inaccurate and inconsistent. For longitudinal fins, Standard/RKE model, AKN, LS and Abid LRKE models gave the friction factor and Nusselt number predictions within 25%, with the AKN model being the most accurate.


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