Explore the vast range of titles available.

To mimic the unsteady vortex–wall interaction of animal propulsion in a canonical test case, a vorticity-annihilating boundary layer was examined through the spin-down of a vortex from solid-body rotation. A cylindrical, water-filled tank was rapidly stopped, and the decay of the vortex from solid-body rotation was observed by means of planar and stereo particle image velocimetry. High Reynolds-number ($Re$) measurements were achieved by combining a large-scale facility (diameter, $D=13\\ \\textrm {m}$) with a novel approach to reduce end-wall effects. The influence of the boundary-layer formation at the tank's bottom wall was minimised by introducing a saturated salt-water layer. The experimental efforts have allowed us to assess the $Re$ dependency of the laminar–turbulent transition of the vorticity-annihilating side-wall boundary layer at scales similar to large cetaceans. The scaling of the transition mechanism and its onset time were found to agree with predictions from linear stability analysis. Furthermore, the growth rate of the curved turbulent boundary layer was also in good agreement with an empirical scaling formulated in the literature for much smaller $Re$. Eventually, the scaling of vorticity annihilation was addressed. The earlier onset of transition at high $Re$ compensates for the reduced effects of viscosity, leading to similar vorticity annihilation rates during the early stages of the spin-down for a wide $Re$ range.

This study extends our recent research [1], which applied a high-order monotonicity-preserving scheme, to numerically investigate the wall effects on single-bubble condensation by a subcooled liquid in a vertical tube. Our analysis examines the bubble lifetime, interfacial heat transfer coefficient, and flow fields to understand the influence of the tube wall. A decrease in the tube diameter leads to longer persistence of condensing bubbles, their disappearance at higher positions, and a decrease in the condensation rate. This reduction is attributed to insufficient interaction between the subcooled liquid and the bubble near the wall, resulting from backflow at narrow gaps between the bubble and the wall. Notably, in scenarios with large initial bubble diameters and small tube diameters, the presence of the wall mitigates the deformation of condensing bubbles due to a weakened recirculating flow, thus highlighting the pivotal role of the tube diameter in bubble condensation by a subcooled flow.

Multicopters are used for a wide range of applications that often involve approaching buildings or navigating enclosed spaces. Opposed to the open spaces in obstacle-free environments commonly flown by fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles, multicopters frequently fly close to surfaces and must take into account the airflow variations caused by airflow rebound. Such disturbances must be identified in order to design algorithms capable of compensating them. The evaluation of ground, ceiling and wall effects using two different test stands is proposed in this work. Different propellers and sensors have been considered for testing. The first test setup used was placed inside terraXcube’s large climatic chamber allowing a precise control of temperature and pressure of around 20°C and 1000 hPa, respectively. The second test setup is located at the University of Denver (DU) Unmanned Systems Research Institute (DU 2 SRI) laboratory with a stable pressure of around 800 hPa. Two different fixed 6 degrees of freedom force-torque sensors have been used for the experiments, allowing to sample forces and moments in three orthogonal axes. The tests simulate a hovering situation of a quadcopter at different distances to either the ground, the ceiling or a wall. The influence of the propeller size, rotation speed, pressure and temperature have also been considered and used for later dimensionless coefficient comparison. A thorough analysis of the measurement uncertainty is also included based on experimental evaluations and manufacturer information. Experimental data collected in these tests can be used for the definition of a mathematical model in which the effect of the proximity to the different surfaces is evaluated.

In the present study, a design of the curved shape diffuser-duct is proposed to apply to the compressor stage for aero-engines with a backend centrifugal compressor. For these configurations, the flow exiting radially from the centrifugal impeller needs to be changed from radial-to-axial direction to meet downstream combustion chamber requirements. Hence, the specially designed exit duct with a curved shape to manage the flow from the radial-to-axial direction was later diffused using the diffuser-shaped exit duct. This study aims to design and develop an efficient diffuser-duct for the adequate deceleration of flow in the exhaust diffuser and, as a result, a uniform and low-velocity flow at the exit. This configuration comprises a radial-to-axial turning annular passage at the centrifugal impeller exit. Then, the passage is directed to either a purely axial direction or is inclined to the axial direction by a slight angle. The results indicate a uniform total pressure at the stage exit with marginal variation along the span. It shows equivalent end wall effects near both the shroud and hub surfaces. This endwall effect may be occurring mainly due to the growth of the boundary layer across the diffuser passage.

This study presents a distribution-optimized mesostructure estimation method for statistically modeling near-surface aggregate size distributions in concrete by optimizing the spatial arrangement of polydisperse spherical aggregates with respect to formwork boundaries. The approach is based on minimizing the deviation between a generated cumulative aggregate volume function and an idealized linear target function corresponding to a constant area fraction along the specimen depth. To enable efficient computation for systems containing a large number of aggregates, grain size groups derived from the grading curve are represented using symmetric Beta distributions, allowing each group to be described by a single shape parameter. The resulting optimization problem is solved using a derivative-free Powell algorithm. The method inherently captures wall effects, leading to a migration of smaller aggregates toward the specimen boundaries to compensate for the geometric constraints of bigger aggregates. Experimental validation was performed for a single concrete mixture and specimen geometry by determining the depth-dependent mean bulk density of a concrete cube using incremental surface grinding combined with high-resolution 3D laser scanning. The optimized mesostructure shows strong agreement with measured density profiles for the investigated specimen. While the validation is limited to a single mixture and geometry, the results indicate that the proposed method is a computationally efficient approach for incorporating wall effects into mesoscale concrete models. Furthermore, increasing aggregate volume fractions intensify the near-surface accumulation of fine particles.

Arabidopsis thatiana seedlings undergo photomorphogenic development even in darkness when the function of DEETIOLATED1 (DET1), a repressor of photomorphogenesis, is disrupted. However, the mechanism by which DET1 represses photomorphogenesis remains unclear. Our results indicate that DET1 directly interacts with a group of transcription factors known as the phytochrome-interacting factors (PIFs). Furthermore, our results suggest that DET1 positively regulates PIF protein levels primarily by stabilizing PIF proteins in the dark. Genetic analysis showed that each pif single mutant could enhance the det1-1 phenotype, and ectopie expression of each PIF in det1-1 partially suppressed the det1-1 phenotype, based on hypocotyl elongation and cotyledon opening angles observed in darkness. Genomic analysis also revealed that DET1 may modulate the expression of light-regulated genes to mediate photomorphogenesis partially through PIFs. The observed interaction and regulation between DET1 and PIFs not only reveal how DET1 represses photomorphogenesis, but also suggest a possible mechanism by which two groups of photomorphogenic repressore, CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS/DET/FUSCA and PIFs, work in concert to repress photomorphogenesis in darkness.

In this study, the modeling of rough surfaces by eddy-viscosity-based roughness models is investigated, specifically focusing on surfaces representative of deterioration in aero-engines. In order to test these models, experimental measurements from a rough T106C blade section at a Reynolds number of 400 K are adopted. The modeling framework is based on the k-ω-SST with Dassler’s roughness transition model. The roughness model is recalibrated for the k-ω-SST model. As a complement to the available experimental data, a high-fidelity test rig designed for scale-resolving simulations is built. This allows us to examine the local flow phenomenon in detail, enabling the identification and rectification of shortcomings in the current RANS models. The scale-resolving simulations feature a high-order flux-reconstruction scheme, which enables the use of curved element faces to match the roughness geometry. The wake-loss predictions, as well as blade pressure profiles, show good agreement, especially between LES and the model-based RANS. The slight deviation from the experimental measurements can be attributed to the inherent uncertainties in the experiment, such as the end-wall effects. The outcomes of this study lend credibility to the roughness models proposed. In fact, these models have the potential to quantify the influence of roughness on the aerodynamics and the aero-acoustics of aero-engines, an area that remains an open question in the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of aero-engines.

Tumbling ball mills are a common comminution device in the mineral industry processing, wherein the particle size reduction is performed by action of the grinding media. Different forms of transverse motion in a rotating cylinder have been studied by many researchers. The aim of this paper was to study the transitional phenomena between cascading, cataracting and centrifuging motion. In order to observe these transitions, experiments were carried out in a tumbling mill of 300 mm diameter, and three sizes of chrome steel balls were used as grinding media. Each size of ball was employed in three different lengths of the mill with the purpose to investigate the end-walls effect in the behavior ball charge. The image analysis technique was employed to identify the transition regions. A high-speed camera with maximum speed of 2000 frames/s was used to record images. Experimental data showed it was not found the end-wall effects on the transitional behavior, and this effect can be assessed in numerical studies by analyze of the specularity coefficient.

Numerical simulations and physical experiments stand out as the two most effective approaches for scrutinizing the seismic performance of single-layer cylindrical shell structures in large-span spaces. Given the substantial demands on labor and material resources entailed by experiments, numerical simulation has progressively emerged as the predominant method for probing the robust seismic response behavior of structures. In this study, ABAQUS was employed to construct finite element models for both the shaking table tests of shells, one without an infill wall and the other with an infill wall. The analysis encompassed self-oscillation characteristics and dynamic time courses. The findings indicated a commendable alignment between the numerical simulation results and the experimental outcomes. Furthermore, a judicious equivalent modeling method for the infill wall was introduced. The dynamic response analysis revealed that the seismic-induced damage to the infill wall significantly impacts the dynamic characteristics of the single-layer cylindrical shell, resulting in diminished structural ductility and ultimate bearing capacity.

The motion of bubbles near a solid vertical wall and the resulting induced flow field were experimentally investigated using the shadow method and particle image velocimetry (PIV). The study analyzed how bubble generation frequency and initial distance from the wall affect the average velocity distribution of bubbles and the characteristic parameters of the bubble-induced flow. The results demonstrate that a wall's presence can both decelerate and accelerate the movement of a bubble chain. This dual effect diminishes with increasing distance from the wall, and a higher bubble generation frequency can alleviate the slowing effect. The induced flow field near the wall generates secondary vortices, formed due to the wall's influence and the accumulation of leading-edge vortices from bubbles on the wall, especially at medium and low generation frequencies. However, at high generation frequencies, their formation is not solely attributable to these factors. Instead, it is primarily due to secondary induction within the bubble-induced flow, with the wall predominantly compressing the flow field. Additionally, proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) analysis reveals the impact of different bubble generation frequencies on induced flow characteristics. High-frequency bubbles exhibit a stronger flow-inducing capability, but in such cases, the subsequent bubble tends to disrupt the flow structure established by its predecessor, leading to a more uniform distribution of energy throughout the induced flow field.