Fluids, Volume 8, Issue 4 (April 2023) – 31 articles

Ultrasound technologies are well-known for their ability to intensify the heat and mass transfer processes. Hence, ultrasonic treatment processes are widely applied for the separation of oil–water emulsions, optimization of oil pumping processes, cleaning the bottomhole zone, etc. However, the main phenomenon under the positive influence of ultrasonic waves on such processes is the cavitation bubbles implosion on the water–oil boundary. It is well-known that ultrasound energy contributes to the reversible viscosity reduction in heavy oil systems. However, it is possible to exhibit chemical destruction of the weakest carbon–heteroatom bonds in the structure of the asphaltenes. This study investigates the influences of controllable ultrasound waves with frequency ranges of 20–60 kHz under the exposure time of 60 s on the rheology of a heavy crude oil sample produced from the Ashalcha reservoir (Tatarstan Republic, Russia). The specific feature of this study is the application of multi-frequency ultrasonic exposure with a wide spectrum of side harmonics with the frequency up to 400 kHz. The results of the Saturates, Aromatics, Resins and Asphaltenes (SARA) analysis method support the chemical consequences of ultrasonication of crude oil. The content of resins under the irradiation of ultrasound waves altered from 32.5 wt.% to 29.4 wt.%, while the number of aromatics hydrocarbons raised from 24.3 wt.% to 34.1 wt.%. The Gas Chromatography—Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) analytical analysis method was applied to qualitatively compare the composition of saturated and aromatics fractions between the initial and upgraded heavy crude oil in order to show the chemical destruction of asphaltene bonds after the ultrasonic treatment. It was demonstrated that ultrasound waves allowed chemical conversion of asphaltene fragments that led to irreversible viscosity reduction. The viscosity of the heavy oil sample under the favorable ultrasonic irradiation conditions reduced from 661.2 mPa·s to 178.8 mPa·s. This advantage can be used to develop enhanced oil recovery methods and partial upgrading processes in downstream conditions. Full article

Many open-channel turbulent flow studies have been focused on highly constrained conditions. Thus, it is rather conventional to note such flows as being fully developed, fully turbulent, and unaffected by sidewalls and free surface disturbances. However, many real-life flow phenomena in natural water bodies and artificially installed drain channels are not as ideal. This work is aimed at studying some of these unconstrained conditions. This is achieved by using particle image velocimetry measurements of a developing turbulent open-channel flow over a smooth wall. The tested flow effects are low values of the Reynolds number based on the momentum thickness $R{e}_{\theta }$ (ranging from 165 to 930), low aspect ratio AR (ranging from 1.1 to 1.5), and Froude number Fr (ranging from 0.1 to 0.8). The results show that the mean flow has an inner region with a logarithmic layer with a von Kármán constant of 0.40–0.41, and a log law constant ranging from 5.0 to 6.0. The friction velocity and coefficient of skin friction are predictable using the formulations of Fr and $R{e}_{\theta }$ presented in this work. The outer region is also characterized by a dip location, which is predictable using an equation associated with $R{e}_{\theta }$. The higher-order turbulence statistics, on the other hand, show distinguishing traits, such as correlation coefficients ranging from −0.1 to 0.5. Overall, this work demonstrates that for the unconstrained conditions studied, friction evaluations associated with Reynolds shear stress and some notable turbulence modelling functions used in conventional open-channel flows are inapplicable. Full article

This paper addresses one of the major obstacles arising in the high-fidelity scale-resolving simulations of turbulent flows inside ducts with the walls covered by acoustic liners in order to attenuate the sound radiated from the duct. It consists of the development of spatial hydrodynamic (convective) instability over the treated walls at the low values of the acoustic resistance of the liner. For reasons that remain unclear, the growth rate of this instability and its effect on sound propagation through the duct is strongly overestimated by the CFD simulations using the macroscopic concept of the locally reacting acoustic impedance. A new damping volume source term (“body force”) is proposed, whose introduction into the momentum equation resolves this issue by means of artificially suppressing the instability while remaining within the framework of the computationally efficient model of the impedance wall, i.e., without trying to simulate the liner microscopically. Examples are presented of the application of the developed methodology to the flows in the grazing impedance tubes with two different liners. They suggest that the proposed form of the damping source term can be considered universal and that the suppression of the hydrodynamic instability ensured by this term is not accompanied by any significant distortion of the propagation of the sound waves and the turbulence statistics, except for a very narrow near-wall region. Full article

Drag reduction (DR) using superhydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) has received intensive interest due to the emergence of SH coating technology. The air layer (plastron “δ”) trapped between the SHS and the water controls the flow slip over the SHSs. We demonstrate slippage over three fabricated SHSs in laminar and low turbulent Taylor–Couette flows. We experimentally investigate how the slip length increases with a higher Reynolds number (Re) over the tested SHSs; simultaneously, the air plastron thickness investigates using a viscous model. The mean skin friction coefficient (C_f) can be fitted to a modified semi-empirical logarithmic law expressed in the Prandtl–von Kármán coordinate. An effective slip length is estimated in the 35–41 µm range with an achieved 7–11% DR for the tested surfaces. Statistical analysis is used to develop a regression model from the experimental data. The model shows an R² of 0.87 and good agreement with the experimental data. This shows the relation between the dimensionless slip length (b⁺), the dimensionless plastron thickness (δ⁺), and the Reynolds number, which is directly proportional. The regression model shows that b⁺ and Reynolds numbers have a higher impact on the δ⁺ than the surface wettability, which attribute to the small difference in the wetting degree between the three tested surfaces. The practical importance of the work lies in its ability to provide a deep understanding of the reduction in viscous drag in numerous industrial applications. Furthermore, this research serves as a groundwork for future studies on hydrophobic applications in internal flows. Full article

The supersonic flow of a reactive gas mixture with Mach reflection of oblique shocks and pulsed energy supply at the Mach stem is considered within the framework of the Chapman–Jouguet theory. An approximate analytical model is proposed that quickly determines the shape and size of the shock-wave structure as well as the flow parameters in various flow regions. As an example of the application of the proposed analytical model, the “first barrel” of a highly overexpanded jet flow of an air-methane mixture with a high supersonic velocity, is studied. Flows of hydrogen–air and hydrogen–oxygen mixtures were also considered for comparison with preceding numerical results. The height of the triple point of the Mach reflection is determined in the presence of a change in the chemical composition of the mixture and an isobaric pulsed energy supply at the main shock. Full article

The jet impact from a collapsing bubble is an important mechanism of structural damage in underwater explosions and cavitation erosion. The Boundary Integral Method (BIM) is widely used to simulate nonspherical bubble dynamic behaviors due to its high accuracy and efficiency. However, conventional BIM cannot simulate toroidal bubble dynamics, as the flow field transforms from single-connected into double-connected. To overcome this problem, vortex cut and vortex ring models can be used to handle the discontinuous potential on the toroidal bubble surface. In this work, we compare these two models applied to toroidal bubble dynamics in a free field and near a rigid wall in terms of bubble profile, bubble gas pressure, and dynamic pressure induced by the bubble, etc. Our results show that the two models produce comparable outcomes with a sufficient number of nodes in each. In the axisymmetric case, the vortex cut model is more efficient than the vortex ring model. Moreover, we found that both models improve in self-consistency as the number of bubble surface elements (N) increases, with $N=300$ representing an optimal value. Our findings provide insights into the numerical study of toroidal bubble dynamics, which can enhance the selection and application of numerical models in research and engineering applications. Full article

Linear stability analysis of a combined convective flow in an annulus is performed in the paper. The base flow is generated by two factors: (a) different constant wall temperatures and (b) heat release as a result of a chemical reaction that takes place in the fluid. The nonlinear boundary value problem for the distribution of the base flow temperature is analyzed using bifurcation analysis. The linear stability problem is solved numerically using a collocation method. Two separate cases are considered: Case 1 (non-zero different constant wall temperatures) and Case 2 (zero wall temperatures). Numerical calculations show that the development of instability is different for Cases 1 and 2. Multiple minima on the marginal stability curves are found for Case 1 as the Prandtl number increases. Concurrence between local minima leads to the selection of the global minimum in such a way that a finite jump in the value of the wave number is observed for some values of the Prandtl number. All marginal stability curves for Case 2 have one minimum in the range of the Prandtl numbers considered. The corresponding critical values of the Grashof number decrease monotonically as the Prandtl number grows. Full article

Balloon pumps are employed to assist cardiac function in cases of acute myocardial infarction, ventricular arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, unstable angina, refractory ventricular failure, or cardiac surgery. Counterpulsation, through increasing the diastolic pressure and reducing the systolic pressure, increases coronary perfusion and assists the heart to pump more blood at each contraction. An expanding-contracting balloon, modifying the Poiseuille flow in a straight circular duct, is examined in this study. The balloon is spheroid-shaped, with the length of its minor axis, which is perpendicular to the flow direction, changing in time following a sinusoidal law. The inlet flow volume rate is steady while the rate that the fluid volume leaves the duct varies in time due to the presence of the balloon. For a pulsation frequency of 60 pulses/min, the pressure difference across the pulsating balloon exhibits significant phase lagging behind the outflow volume waveform. The outlet pressure depends on the balloon radius oscillation amplitude and is computed for a range of such. The flow field around the spheroid, periodically expanding-contracting balloon in the steady flow stream is presented, in which the exact pattern of the gradual downstream intensification of the flow pulsation alongside the spheroid body is also identified. Full article

The fluidization of certain biomasses used in thermal processes, such as sawdust, is particularly difficult due to their irregular shapes, varied sizes, and low densities, causing high minimum fluidization velocities (U_mf). The addition of an inert material causes its U_mf to drop significantly. The determination of the U_mf of the binary mixture is however hard to obtain. Generally, predictive correlations are based on a small number of specific experiments, and sphericity is seldom included. In the present work, three models, i.e., an empirical correlation and two artificial neural networks (ANN) models were used to predict the U_mf of biomass-inert mixtures. An extensive bibliographical survey of more than 200 datasets was conducted with complete data about densities, particle diameters, sphericities, biomass fraction, and U_mf. With the combined application of the partial dependence plot (PDP) and the ANN models, the average effect of sphericity on U_mf was quantitatively determined (inverse relationship) together with the average impact of the biomass fraction on U_mf (direct relationship). In comparison with the empirical correlations, the results showed that both ANN models can accurately predict the U_mf of the presented binary mixtures with errors lower than 25%. Full article

The flow behavior of weak symmetric plane fountains in linearly stratified fluids is studied numerically with three-dimensional simulations over a range of the Froude ($Fr$), Reynolds ($Re$), and stratification numbers (s). The two main parameters describing the fountain characterization are the dimensionless maximum fountain penetration height ($z_m$) and intrusion velocity ($u_{int}$), which differ significantly at different flow development stages. It was found that the stratification stabilizes the symmetry of the weak fountains, which makes the fountain become asymmetric at a larger $Fr$ value, and $z_m$ at the fully developed stage continues to increase as a result of the intrusion, which continually changes the ambient fluid stratification features, thus the buoyant force. The evolution of intrusion experiences three distinct stages. Both $Fr$ and s have effects on $z_m$ and $u_{int}$, with the effect of $Fr$ usually larger than that of s. The overall impacts of $Fr$ and s can be quantified in terms of $F{r}^a{s}^b$, with a and b varying for different parameters. With numerical results, empirical correlations are produced in terms of $F{r}^a{s}^b$ for each relevant parameter, which generally predict the results very well. Full article

Understanding the mechanism of bubble growth is crucial to modeling boiling heat transfer and enabling the development of technological applications, such as energy systems and thermal management processes, which rely on boiling to achieve the high heat fluxes required for their operation. This paper presents analyses of the evaporation of “microlayers”, i.e., ultra-thin layers of liquid present beneath steam bubbles growing at the heated surface in the atmospheric pressure nucleate of boiling water. Evaporation of the microlayer is believed to be a major contributor to the phase change heat transfer, but its evolution, spatio-temporal stability, and impact on macroscale bubble dynamics are still poorly understood. Mass, momentum, and energy transfer in the microlayer are modeled with a lubrication theory approach that accounts for capillary and intermolecular forces and interfacial mass transfer. The model is embodied in a third-order nonlinear film evolution equation, which is solved numerically. Variable wall-temperature boundary conditions are applied at the solid–liquid interface to account for conjugate heat transfer due to evaporative heat loss at the liquid–vapor interface. Predictions obtained with the current approach compare favorably with experimental measurements of microlayer evaporation. By comparing film profiles at a sequence of times into the ebullition cycle of a single bubble, likely values of evaporative heat transfer coefficients were inferred and found to fall within the range of previously reported estimates. The result suggests that the coefficients may not be a constant, as previously assumed, but instead something that varies with time during the ebullition cycle. Full article

Head-on collisions between two solitary waves in the framework of the nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation were investigated using the Fourier spectral method. When solitary waves undergo collision, the peak value of surface elevation (hereafter referred to as ζ_max) exhibits fluctuations with increasing relative water depths k₀h (where k₀ is the wave number and h is the water depth). ζ_max is approximately equal to the sum of the peak values of the two solitary waves with smaller wave steepness ε₀ (ε₀ = k₀a₀, a₀ is the free background amplitude parameter), and it exhibits fluctuations for ε₀ > 0.10. Similar results have been observed in the study of head-on collisions for four solitary waves. These results show that the water depth and wave steepness play important roles in the collision of solitary waves, and the effects of the interactions of intense wave groups are important in studies of the mechanisms and manifestations of freak oceanic waves. Full article

There are multiple initiatives aimed at strengthening coastal communities against tsunami disaster risks, such as growing vegetation belts, construction of embankments, moats, and different hybrid alternatives. To find a solution for strengthening the coastal buildings themselves, we firstly reviewed the flow phenomena around a single emergent (circular and rectangular) cylinder (case C1), which was considered as a piloti-type column under different Froude conditions, and evaluated the formation of surface bow-waves, hydraulic jump detachment, and wall-jet-like bow-waves. Secondly, the flow characteristics were investigated under the same Froude conditions with side-by-side two-cylinder (case C2) and four-cylinder (case C4) arrays in an open channel. Surface bow-wave length ($L_{Bw}$) increased by 7–12% over the rectangular cylinders (RCs) compared to the circular cylinders (CCs) with a subcritical flow. For the supercritical flow with a 1/200 bed slope, hydraulic jump detachment was observed in relation to the Froude number. The observed length of the hydraulic jump detachment ($L_{jump}$) varied between 3.1–8.5% and 4.2–12.9% for the CCs and RCs in the supercritical flow with a 1/200 bed slope. In addition, the wall-jet-like bow-wave height ($h_{jet}$) over the CCs was increased by 37% and 29% compared to the RCs with a supercritical flow and zero bed slope (orifice-type flow). For case C4, a hydraulic jump was observed for the supercritical flow over the horizontal channel bed. Finally, empirical equations were defined concerning the geometrical shape and arrangement based on the experiment data for the single and side-by-side configurations of the cylinders to validate the height of the wall-jet-like bow-wave as the most critical flow property. Full article

To solve the problems of geophysical hydrodynamics, it is necessary to integrally take into account the unevenness of the bottom and the free boundary for a large-scale flow of a viscous incompressible fluid. The unevenness of the bottom can be taken into account by setting a new force in the Navier–Stokes equations (the Rayleigh friction force). For solving problems of geophysical hydrodynamics, the velocity field is two-dimensional. In fact, a model representation of a thin (bottom) baroclinic layer is used. Analysis of such flows leads to the redefinition of the system of equations. A compatibility condition is constructed, the fulfillment of which guarantees the existence of a nontrivial solution of the overdetermined system under consideration. A non-trivial exact solution of the overdetermined system is found in the class of Lin–Sidorov–Aristov exact solutions. In this case, the flow velocities are described by linear forms from horizontal (longitudinal) coordinates. Several variants of the pressure representation that do not contradict the form of the equation system are considered. The article presents an algebraic condition for the existence of a non-trivial exact solution with functional arbitrariness for the Lin–Sidorov–Aristov class. The isobaric and gradient flows of a viscous incompressible fluid are considered in detail. Full article

Indirect Evaporative Cooling (IEC) is a very promising technology to substitute and/or integrate traditional air conditioning systems, due to its ability to provide cooling capacity with limited power consumption. Literature studies proved that a higher wettability of the IEC plates corresponds to better performance of the system. In this work, wettability of three different surfaces used for IEC systems plates—uncoated aluminum alloy (AL), standard epoxy coating (STD), and a hydrophilic lacquer (HPHI)—is studied and characterized in terms of static and dynamic contact angles. The static contact angle resulted to be the lowest for the HPHI surface (average 69°), intermediate for the STD surface (average 75°), and the highest for the AL surface (average 89°). The analysis of the dynamic contact angles showed that their transient behavior is similar for all the surfaces, and the advancing and receding contact angles obtained are consistent with the results of the static analysis. These results will be useful as input parameters in models aimed at predicting the IEC system performance, also using computational fluid dynamics. Full article

Supercritical fluid reactive deposition is an environmentally friendly technique for the synthesis of supported mono- or bimetallic nanoparticles. Experimental results show that the adsorption of a precursor on a substrate is the crucial process step that controls the loading and the size of the deposited metal nanoparticles. In this review, an overview of experimental and modeling work is given and selected experimental data were correlated with the following adsorption isotherm models: Henry, Freundlich, Langmuir, Toth, and Langmuir–Freundlich equations. As a result, in the case of precursors with a low CO₂ solubility and therewith low uptake, the adsorption behavior can be described with sufficient accuracy by the Henry approach. Furthermore, the Freundlich and Langmuir equations enable sufficiently accurate descriptions of the experimental data. In the end, strategies for overcoming the knowledge gaps for essential future research directions are suggested. Full article

This paper aims to develop models for the thermal conductivity and viscosity of hybrid nanofluids of aluminium oxide and titanium dioxide (Al₂O₃-TiO₂). The study investigates the impact of fluid temperature (283 K–298 K) on the performance of a plate heat exchanger using Al₂O₃-TiO₂ hybrid nanofluids with different particle volume ratios (0:5, 1:4, 2:3, 3:2, 4:1, and 5:0) prepared with a 0.1% concentration in deionised water. Experimental evaluations were conducted to assess the heat transfer rate, Nusselt number, heat transfer coefficient, Prandtl number, pressure drop, and performance index. Due to the lower thermal conductivity of TiO₂ nanoparticles compared to Al₂O₃, a rise in the TiO₂ ratio decreased the heat transfer coefficient, Nusselt number, and heat transfer rate. Inlet temperature was found to decrease pressure drop and performance index. The Al₂O₃ (5:0) nanofluid demonstrated the maximum enhancement of around 16.9%, 16.9%, 3.44%, and 3.41% for the heat transfer coefficient, Nusselt number, heat transfer rate, and performance index, respectively. Additionally, the TiO₂ (0:5) hybrid nanofluid exhibited enhancements of 0.61% and 2.3% for pressure drop and Prandtl number, respectively. The developed hybrid nanofluids enhanced the performance of the heat exchanger when used as a cold fluid. Full article

Hydrocolloids are long-chain biopolymers that can form viscous solutions or gels when dissolved in water. They are employed as rheological modifiers in various manufacturing processes or finished products. Due to its unique gelation properties, animal gelatin is one of the most widely used hydrocolloids, finding applications in several fields such as food, pharmaceutical, and photographic. Nowadays, the challenge of finding valid alternatives to animal products has become a crucial issue, for both ethical and environmental reasons. The aim of this work, is to propose a green hydrocolloidal network, able to reproduce the gelation features of animal gelatin gels. κ-carrageenan gels may be an interesting alternative to gelatin, due to their attractive gelling features. We investigate the thermorheological behavior of κ-carrageenan aqueous solutions at various concentrations, focusing on gel features such as transition temperature and gel strength. To improve the viscoelastic response of such gels, we add a viscosity-enhancing hydrocolloid, i.e., xanthan gum. The results show that the gel strength increases exponentially with xanthan concentration, thus suggesting a synergistic interaction between the two networks. We also study the effect of sucrose on the thermal and mechanical properties of modified gels, finding a marked increase in transition temperatures and gel elasticity. In recent years, three-dimensional (3D) food printing has been extensively studied in the food industry, due to its many advantages, such as customized food design, personalized nutrition, simplified supply chain, and the expansion of available food materials. In view of this growing interest for additive manufacturing, we also study the printability of the complete formulation composed of κ-carrageenan, xanthan gum and sucrose. Full article

The transverse flow-induced vibration (FIV) of an elastically-supported cylinder-plate assembly (viz., a rigid splitter-plate attached to the downstream side of a circular cylinder) with a low mass ratio of 10 and zero structural damping is investigated using numerical simulations at a Reynolds number of 100. The structural oscillations and characteristics of the flow around the structure are analyzed in terms of the vibration characteristics and the fluid forces as a function of the plate length L_SP and the reduced velocity U_r. These investigations involve a wide range of plate lengths L_SP/D = 0–4 (where D is the cylinder diameter) over an extensive span of reduced velocities U_r = 2–30. For L_SP/D ≤ 0.5, self-limiting oscillations are induced in the assembly—these oscillations correspond to either a vortex-induced vibration (VIV) or an integrated VIV-galloping response. For L_SP/D ≥ 0.75, the amplitude response is no longer self-limiting in the sense that the oscillation amplitude increases linearly with increasing U_r—these oscillations correspond to either a strongly correlated VIV-galloping regime (for L_SP/D = 0.75), or two clearly separated regimes: namely, a VIV regime with small-amplitude oscillation and a non-limiting galloping regime (for L_SP/D > 0.75). Full article

The aim of this work is to describe an efficient implementation of cubic and multiparameter real gas models in an existing discontinuous Galerkin solver to extend its capabilities to the simulation of turbulent real gas flows. The adopted thermodynamic models are van der Waals, Peng–Robinson, and Span–Wagner, which differ from each other in terms of accuracy and computational cost. Convective numerical fluxes across elements interfaces are calculated with a thermodynamic consistent linearized Riemann solver, whereas for boundary conditions, a linearized expression of the generalized Riemann invariants is employed. Transport properties are treated as temperature- and density-dependent quantities through multiparameter correlations. An implicit time integration is adopted; Jacobian matrix and thermodynamic derivatives are obtained with the automatic differentiation tool Tapenade. The solver accuracy is assessed by computing both steady and unsteady real gas test cases available in the literature, and the effect of the mesh size and polynomial degree of approximation on the solution accuracy is investigated. A good agreement with experimental and numerical reference data is observed and specific non-classical phenomena are well reproduced by the solver. Full article

New innovative green concepts in electrified vertical take-off and landing vehicles are currently emerging as a revolution in urban mobility going into the third dimension (vertically). The high population density of cities makes the market share highly attractive while posing an extraordinary challenge in terms of community acceptance due to the increasing and possibly noisier commuter traffic. In addition to passenger transport, package deliveries to customers by drones may enter the market. The new challenges associated with this increasing transportation need in urban, rural, and populated areas pose challenges for established companies and startups to deliver low-noise emission products. The article’s objective is to revisit the benefits and drawbacks of an affordable acoustic measurement campaign focused on early prototyping. In the very early phase of product development, available resources are often considerably limited. With this in mind, this article discusses the sound power results using the enveloping surface method in a typically available low-reflection room with a reflecting floor according to DIN EN ISO 3744:2011-02. The method is applied to a subsonic electric ducted fan (EDF) unit of a 1:2 scaled electrified vertical take-off and landing vehicle. The results show that considerable information at low costs can be gained for the early prototyping stage, despite this easy-to-use, easy-to-realize, and non-fine-tuned measurement setup. Furthermore, the limitations and improvements to a possible experimental setup are presented to discuss a potentially more ideal measurement environment. Measurements at discrete operating points and transient measurements across the total operating range were conducted to provide complete information on the EDF’s acoustic behavior. The rotor-self noise and the rotor–stator interaction were identified as primary tonal sound sources, along with the highest broadband noise sources located on the rotor. Based on engineering experience, a first acoustic improvement treatment was also quantified with a sound power level reduction of 4 dB(A). In conclusion, the presented method is a beneficial first measurement campaign to quantify the acoustic properties of an electric ducted fan unit under minimal resources in a reasonable time of several weeks when starting from scratch. Full article

This paper is focused on the research of airflow generating through the use of high-voltage electrohydrodynamic devices. For this purpose, the authors built several electrohydrodynamic airflow generators with one point electrode and one tube electrode of varying dimensions and compared their efficiency in generating the airflow in order to find an optimal design. The character of the flow was also analyzed with the help of particle image velocimetry, and velocity vector maps and velocity profile were acquired. In addition, a possible practical cooling application was proposed and realized with positive results. Lastly, the products present in the generated airflow were tested for ozone and nitrogen oxides, which could have detrimental effects on human health and material integrity. In both cases, the concentration has been found to be below permissible limits. Full article

By using complex potentials, some light is shed on the analogy between the singularity problems arising in fluid and fracture mechanics—in particular, those concerning plane irrotational flows around sharp obstacles and plane elasticity in cracked bodies. Applications to two equivalent geometries are shown: a thin plate transversally immersed in a uniform flow and a crack subjected to uniform out-of-plane shearing stress at infinity (Mode III). The matching between the fluid velocity field and the shearing stress field is consistent with the hydrodynamic analogy. Aside from the Reynolds criterion for the natural laminar-to-turbulent transition, a velocity-intensity factor criterion is defined to predict the forced turbulent-to-vortex-shedding fluid-flow transition (forced transitional flow) generated by a transversal plate obstacle. It is interesting to remark that the velocity-intensity factor presents physical dimensions intermediate between those of a velocity and a kinematic viscosity. In addition, it will be demonstrated that size affects the occurrence of natural-to-forced transitional phenomena in fluids, in a strict analogy to the scale-dependent ductile-to-brittle failure transitions in solids. Full article

Experimental investigations of Marangoni flow in micro-foams have faced challenges due to the inherent difficulties in detecting and measuring this flow. The Marangoni flow manifests as small spots within the lamellae films, which makes it hard to accurately analyze. Hence, to elucidate Marangoni flow characteristics, this study introduces and investigates comprehensive three-dimensional models of flow in microscale foams. The geometric models contained Plateau Borders (PB), nodes, and films. The recirculating Marangoni flow was simulated and studied for different interfacial mobilities. Inside the foams, the Marangoni flow velocities were at the same scale with the PB flow velocity for mobile interfaces. However, for a more rigid interface, the magnitude of the Marangoni flow was considerably less than that of the PB owing to the combined effect of high surface hydraulic resistance on the Marangoni flows and nature of the Marangoni flow as a surface-only flow type. Furthermore, the effect of the film thickness on the Marangoni flow was analyzed. Thicker films have a stronger effect in reducing the Marangoni flow than PB flow. This is due to the higher ratio of gravity body force to the Marangoni-driven surface force for thicker films. Finally, the combined effect of the liquid–air interfacial mobility and film thickness on the Marangoni velocity was studied. Full article

Simulation is a valuable tool for the study of DBD actuators, therefore accurate, computationally efficient, and robust numerical models are required. The performance of three DBD actuator models was studied: the phenomenological Shyy and Suzen models, and the empirical Dörr and Kloker model. The first objective of this work is to determine the ability of these models to reproduce the force and induced flow by comparing the numerical results with experimental reference data reported in the literature. As a second objective, modifications have been proposed to improve these models. Several simulations were performed in OpenFOAM with different geometrical parameters, voltages, and frequencies. Discrepancies and limitations of the models were identified. The modified Dörr and Kloker model allows more consistent use of this model by considering a factor that relates it to voltage and frequency. Shyy’s modified model reduces the overestimation of force and velocity. Suzen’s modified model is the one that fits the reference data better, so its use is suggested over the other models. The proposed modifications are easy to implement and allow significant improvements in the capacity of the models to reproduce the effects of a DBD actuator. Full article

Existing indoor closed ultraviolet-C (UVC) air purifiers (UVC in a box) have faced technological challenges during the COVID-19 breakout, owing to demands of low energy consumption, high flow rates, and high kill rates at the same time. A new conceptual design of a novel UVC-LED (light-emitting diode) air purifier for a low-cost solution to mitigate airborne diseases is proposed. The concept focuses on performance and robustness. It contains a dust-filter assembly, an innovative UVC chamber, and a fan. The low-cost dust filter aims to suppress dust accumulation in the UVC chamber to ensure durability and is conceptually shown to be easily replaced while mitigating any possible contamination. The chamber includes novel turbulence-generating grids and a novel LED arrangement. The turbulent generator promotes air mixing, while the LEDs inactivate the pathogens at a high flow rate and sufficient kill rate. The conceptual design is portable and can fit into ventilation ducts. Computational fluid dynamics and UVC ray methods were used for analysis. The design produces a kill rate above 97% for COVID and tuberculosis and above 92% for influenza A at a flow rate of 100 L/s and power consumption of less than 300 W. An analysis of the dust-filter performance yields the irradiation and flow fields. Full article

The use of a synthetic jet as the flow control technique to modulate a turbulent incompressible round jet was explored and assessed by numerical simulations. The flow response was characterised in terms of turbulent statistics and acoustic response in the far-field. A quasi-Direct Numerical Simulation (qDNS) strategy was used to predict the turbulent effects. The Ffowcs-Williams and Hawkings (FWH) acoustic analogy was employed to compute the far-field acoustic response. An amplification effect of the instabilities induced by the control jet was observed for some of the parameters explored. It was observed that the control technique allows controlling the axial distribution of the production and dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy, but with respect to the acoustic aspects, the appearance of a greater number of noise sources was observed, which in the far-field, resulted in an increase from 1 to 20 dB of the equivalent noise for the different operating parameters of the control technique studied. Full article

The present review paper discusses the different aspects related to the chemical transformation of oil components through ultrasound assistance. Ultrasound intensifies heat and mass transfer processes in oil production and treatment, which is used to separate water–oil emulsions, optimize pumping, clean the bottomhole zone, and more. The main reason for the positive effect of ultrasound is the cavitation phenomenon, which forms vapor–gas bubbles that cause changes in the structure and properties of dispersed phases, intensifying processes such as dissolution, extraction, and emulsification. The inhomogeneities in the medium being processed also reduce resistance to bubble formation and increase the intensity of technological processes. It is believed that ultrasonic treatment of heavy oil influences the colloid structure of oil. Such effects were observed in several studies. Despite the widespread use of ultrasound in oil processing, the chemical transformation of hydrocarbons during ultrasonic treatment remains an understudied area, particularly for heavy oil. Furthermore, the transformation mechanism of high-molecular-weight fragments of oil under ultrasonic energy is still poorly understood. Heavy oil can benefit greatly from ultrasonic treatment, both after production for pipeline transportation or plant processing and in the reservoir. This is due to the improved mobility of oil in rock and the chemical transformation of high-molecular components, such as resins, asphaltenes, and paraffins. These transformations contribute to the overall improvement of heavy oil processing, making it a crucial area for further research and development. In this review paper, we will explore the latest innovations in oil processing, specifically focusing on the chemical transformation of oil components through ultrasound assistance. This will include a comprehensive analysis of the underlying mechanisms of ultrasonic treatment and their impact on the chemical composition of oil. The review will also include a discussion of the current state of the art and future directions for research in this field, highlighting the potential for further advancements in the use of ultrasound in oil processing. Full article

Transition of ideal, homogeneous, incompressible, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence to near-equilibrium from non-equilibrium initial conditions is examined through new long-time numerical simulations on a ${128}^3$ periodic grid. Here, we neglect dissipation because we are primarily concerned with behavior at the largest scale which has been shown to be essentially the same for ideal and real (forced and dissipative) MHD turbulence. A Fourier spectral transform method is used to numerically integrate the dynamical equations forward in time and results from six computer runs are presented with various combinations of imposed rotation and mean magnetic field. There are five separate cases of ideal, homogeneous, incompressible, MHD turbulence: Case I, with no rotation or mean field; Case II, where only rotation is imposed; Case III, which has only a mean magnetic field; Case IV, where rotation vector and mean magnetic field direction are aligned; and Case V, which has nonaligned rotation vector and mean field directions. Dynamic coefficients are predicted by statistical mechanics to be zero-mean random variables, but largest-scale coherent magnetic structures emerge in all cases during transition; this implies dynamo action is inherent in ideal MHD turbulence. These coherent structures are expected to occur in Cases I, II and IV, but not in Cases III and V; future studies will determine whether they persist. Full article