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Wettability is known to play a major role in enhancing pool boiling heat transfer. In this context bioinspired surfaces can bring significant advantages in pool boiling applications. This work addresses a numerical investigation of bubble growth and detachment on a biphilic surface pattern, namely in a superhydrophobic region surrounded by a hydrophilic region. Surface characteristics resemble bio-inspired solutions explored in our research group, mainly considering the main topographical characteristics. This numerical approach is intended to provide additional information to an experimental approach, allowing to obtain temperature, pressure and velocity fields in and around the bubble, which help to describe bubble dynamics. The model was validated based on experimental data obtained with extensive image processing of synchronized high-speed video and high-speed thermographic images. The results obtained here clearly evidence that combining enhanced direct numerical simulations with high-resolution transient experimental measurements is a promising tool to describe the complex and intricate hydrodynamic and heat transfer phenomena governing pool boiling on heated biphilic surfaces.

In the present paper, a fundamental analysis on the effect of the channel aspect ratio on the bubble dynamics and heat transfer characteristics for the early transient stages of the bubble growth within confined microchannels of rectangular cross-section, under saturated flow boiling conditions, is conducted, utilising high resolution, 3D, transient, conjugate heat transfer simulations. The open-source toolbox OpenFOAM is applied for the simulations, utilising a custom, user-enhanced, diabatic Volume OF Fluid (VOF) solver. Two different series of numerical simulations are performed, focused on a single nucleation event from a single nucleation site and a single nucleation event from multiple, arbitrarily located, nucleation sites, respectively. In each series, three different values of channel aspect ratio are considered, corresponding to a narrow, a square, and a wide microchannel. For the first series, the simulations are performed for a low, a medium, and a high value of applied heat flux and mass flux. For the second series, only the lower values of applied heat flux and mass flux are used for each channel aspect ratio, since this constitutes the worst-case scenario from the overall heat transfer performance point of view, amongst the cases examined in the first series of simulations. The micro-passage aspect ratio has a significant effect in the generated bubble dynamics during the onset of the nucleate boiling regime, as the bubbles grow within the confined liquid crossflow. This alteration of the generated interfacial dynamics, in effect, regulates the size and position of the contact areas of the generated bubbles with the microchannel walls, with a direct effect in the individual contribution and therefore, the balance between the contact line and the liquid film evaporation mechanisms. Moreover, the work presents the quantification of the effect of the solid domain thermal inertia on the whole process and in particular on the local Nusselt numbers. It is evident that considering conjugate heat transfer in numerical simulations of flow boiling is compulsory in order to predict the physical processes in a correct form.

The process of flow boiling within micro-passages plays a very important role in many industrial applications. However, there is still a lack of understanding of the effect of an important controlling parameter: surface wettability. In this paper, an advanced numerical investigation on the effect of wettability characteristics on single and multiple bubble growth during saturated flow boiling conditions within a microchannel is performed. The 3D numerical simulations are conducted with the open-source Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) toolbox OpenFOAM, utilising a custom user-enhanced Volume Of Fluid (VOF) solver. The proposed solver enhancements involve an appropriate treatment for spurious velocities dampening, an improved dynamic contact angle treatment, as well as the implementation of a phase-change model in the fluid domain also accounting for Conjugate Heat Transfer (CHT) with the solid domain. In total, three sets of simulations of hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces with constant heat and mass flux were performed. In the first set, a single bubble seed was patched close to the inlet of the microchannel and the Heat Transfer Coefficient (HTC) along the channel interface was measured until the nose of the bubble reaches the outlet. The bubble growth and transport process within the channel were analysed, with a minor effect of the wettability characteristics on the HTC observed. In the second set of simulations, multiple recurring nucleation events at the same position were simulated; observing that in such more realistic cases the effect of wettability in the HTC was more profound. Finally, simulations with multiple nucleation sites and recurring nucleation events were conducted to analyse cases closer to reality. These results show indeed that surface wettability plays a significant role on the HTC, with the hydrophilic and hydrophobic cases performing approximately 43.9% and 17.8% higher respectively, compared to the single-phase reference simulations. Additionally, it is found that the dominant heat transfer mechanisms for the hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface are liquid film evaporation and contact line evaporation, respectively, and that for the proposed simulation parameters liquid film evaporation can be considered as a more efficient heat transfer mechanism compared to contact line evaporation.

A novel cooling method for Electric Vehicles battery modules by means of Loop Heat Pipe and graphite sheets is proposed. The Loop Heat Pipe is a passive two-phase system and as such it reduces the parasitic power consumed by the EV thermal management. A validated lumped parameter mathematical model has been created describing the thermo-fluid-dynamic problem and used to simulate the performance of the cooling system during highway driving and ultra-fast charging conditions. The numerical predictions show a clear potential to contain the cells’ temperature below 40°C even during ultra-fast charging, with a 3.3K peak temperature reduction in comparison to a conventional liquid cooling method. Moreover, this system adds only 8% of the battery pack mass and it shows potential parasitic power reductions of one order of magnitude.

The prediction of flow pattern transitions is extremely important to understand the coupling of thermal and fluid dynamic phenomena in two phase systems and it contributes to the optimum design of heat exchangers. Two phase flow regimes have been extensively studied under controlled mass flow rate and velocity. On the other hand, less effort has been spent in the literature on the cases where the flow motion is purely thermally induced and consequently the mass flow rate or the velocity of the phases are not known a priori. In the present work, flow pattern transitions and bubble break-up and coalescence events have been investigated in a passive two phase wickless capillary loop, where the mass flow rate is intrinsically not controllable. Modified Froude, Weber and Bond numbers have been introduced, considering the actual acceleration of the fluid and the length of the bubble as merit parameters for the transitions. The proposed nondimensional investigation was developed by analysing experimental data obtained with ethanol and FC-72, as working fluids, different heat input levels (from 9 to 24 W) as well as three different gravity levels (through a parabolic flight campaign). A new empirical diabatic flow pattern map for accelerated two-phase capillary flows is presented, together with quantitative criteria for the calculation of the flow regime transitions, defining the physic limits for the bubble coalescence and break-up. This kind of new regime maps will be useful to the further development of comprehensive designing tools for passive two-phase wickless heat transfer devices.

Aiming to improve on key Electric Vehicles issues, such as maximum temperature during fast charging, parasitic power and cost reduction, an innovative thermal management system for a 3-cell battery module, including a flat plate Loop Heat Pipe and graphite sheet inserts, is presented. The proposed Loop Heat Pipe, located at the bottom of the module, can transfer efficiently up to 150 W from the battery module to a remote heat exchanger connected to the HVAC chiller of the vehicle. Graphite sheets have the twofold function of promoting heat transfer along the cell plane direction, while hindering it in the transverse direction. Since Loop Heat Pipes need no electrical power, this design allows for a reduction of parasitic power consumption, as well as a reduction in the need of maintenance, with respect to standard forced air or liquid-based thermal management systems. The design feasibility was verified thanks to a Lumped Parameter Model, which was validated against in-house experimental data, using a copper/copper flat plate Loop Heat Pipe and two different working fluids, ethanol and water. Results showed that this design complies with the battery thermal requirements both at pack and cell level, with maximum temperature during fast charge and temperature spread across the cell being 31.5 °C and 2 °C, respectively, during ambient temperature tests. When compared against a liquid cold plate design, this new design lowered the maximum temperature after fast charge by 3.6 °C. Finally, the developed model proved able to predict the effects of design parameters on the thermal performance of the system.

In the present paper, an enhanced Volume of Fluid model is applied for the conduction of parametric numerical simulations, to investigate break-up phenomena of accelerating, elongated, vapour bubbles, within circular mini-channels. The effect of fundamental controlling parameters in the resulting break-up characteristics is investigated. Four different series of parametric numerical simulations of isolated vapour bubbles within mini-channels are performed, examining the effects of the imposed pressure difference between the inlet and the outlet of the channel, the surface tension, the effect of the applied heat flux as well as the initial liquid film thickness between the bubbles and the channel, on the developed vapour/liquid interface dynamics. The overall dimensionless number ranges examined are 6.76

When dealing with numerical simulations of boiling phenomena, the spontaneous appearance of vapor bubbles is one of the most critical feature to be addressed. Capturing bubble formation during the dynamics, instead of patching vapor regions as initial conditions, is crucial for the correct evaluation of nucleation rates and nucleation site density, two of the most important parameters characterizing boiling. In this work the Diffuse Interface modeling for vapor–liquid systems is coupled with Fluctuating Hydrodynamics Theory to properly address this aspect and to analyze the detailed nucleation mechanism during boiling inception on a hot surface. The simulations revealed a new enhancing mechanism of bubble formation that is able to explain the low onset temperature measured in boiling experiments on ultra-smooth, wettable surfaces: the interaction and coalescence between sub-critical vapor embryos plays a fundamental role in lowering the onset temperature, increasing the lifetime of the embryos and their probability to trigger the phase change.

The key concept in wound dressing design and development is the fact that keeping a wound moist accelerates healing. Therefore, the selection of the appropriate wound dressing type is vital. The absorption of wound exudate by wound dressings can be considered as a microfluidic phenomenon that can be investigated either by performing high resolution laboratory experiments or by utilizing high resolution Computational Fluid Dynamics numerical simulations. As an initial step, in the present paper, the effects of the pore size (wound dressing porosity), the liquid (wound exudate) viscosity, and the initial droplet diameter are numerically investigated using a simplified analog of the phenomenon that consists of a quasi-sessile droplet being absorbed by a single cylindrical pore. For this purpose, an enhanced Volume Of Fluid model, developed in the general context of OpenFOAM, is validated and applied. It is found that distinct droplet absorption rates exist with specific relationships derived using best-fit lines that can predict the absorption rates for particular values of pore size and liquid viscosity. For the examined Eo and Oh number ranges (0.0015 < Eo < 0.15 and 0.0035 < Oh < 0.095), these distinct droplet absorption rates are directly linked with four different droplet evolution regimes that are grouped in a well-defined flow map. Finally, it is shown that the resulting liquid absorption rates are not significantly affected by the initial droplet diameter and that an appropriate wound dressing porosity can be selected by an estimation of the wound exudate physical properties.

A numerical framework for modelling micro-scale multiphase flows with sharp interfaces has been developed. The suggested methodology is targeting the efficient and yet rigorous simulation of complex interface motion at capillary dominated flows (low capillary number). Such flows are encountered in various configurations ranging from micro-devices to naturally occurring porous media. The methodology uses as a basis the Volume-of-Fluid (VoF) method combined with additional sharpening smoothing and filtering algorithms for the interface capturing. These algorithms help the minimisation of the parasitic currents present in flow simulations, when viscous forces and surface tension dominate inertial forces, like in porous media. The framework is implemented within a finite volume code (OpenFOAM) using a limited Multidimensional Universal Limiter with Explicit Solution (MULES) implicit formulation, which allows larger time steps at low capillary numbers to be utilised. In addition, an adaptive interface compression scheme is introduced for the first time in order to allow for a dynamic estimation of the compressive velocity only at the areas of interest and thus has the advantage of avoiding the use of a-priori defined parameters. The adaptive method is found to increase the numerical accuracy and to reduce the sensitivity of the methodology to tuning parameters. The accuracy and stability of the proposed model is verified against five different benchmark test cases. Moreover, numerical results are compared against analytical solutions as well as available experimental data, which reveal improved solutions relative to the standard VoF solver.

The present investigation, identifies the exact quantitative effects of fundamental parameters, on the detachment characteristics of isolated bubbles, emanating quasi-statically from submerged orifices into isothermal liquid pools. For this purpose, a Volume of Fluid (VOF) based interface capturing approach is further improved, for the conduction of axisymmetric and 3D numerical experiments on adiabatic bubble growth dynamics. The predictions of the model, are quantitatively validated against literature available experimental data, showing excellent agreement. Two series of numerical experiments are performed, quantitatively exploring the parametric effects of the liquid phase properties in five different gravity levels, and the effect of the gravity vector direction inclination angle, respectively. It is found that the bubble detachment characteristics, are more sensitive in the variation of the surface tension, liquid phase density and gravity, while the effect of liquid phase dynamic viscosity is generally minimal. From dimensionless analysis, two correlations are derived, which for the examined range of Eötvos numbers, are able to predict the equivalent bubble detachment diameter and the bubble detachment time, respectively. It is also found that the bubble detachment characteristics, reduce significantly as the gravity vector direction gradually deviates from being parallel to the bubble injection orifice, following a non-linear decrease.

[EN] The “Direct Numerical Simulations” (DNS) of droplet impact processes is of great interest and importance for a variety of industrial applications, where laboratory experiments might be difficult, costly and time-consuming. Furthermore, in most cases after validated against experimental data, they can be utilised to further explain the experimental measurements or to extend the experimental runs by performing “virtual” numerical experiments. In such “DNS” calculations of the dynamic topology of the interface between the liquid and gas phase, the selected dynamic contact angle treatment is a key parameter for the accurate prediction of the droplet dynamics. In the present paper, droplet impact phenomena on smooth, dry surfaces are simulated using three different contact angle treatments. For this purpose, an enhanced VOF-based model, that accounts for spurious currents reduction, which has been previously implemented in OpenFOAM CFD Toolbox, is utilised and further enhanced. Apart from the already implemented constant and dynamic contact angle treatments in OpenFOAM, the dynamic contact angle model of Kistler, that considers the maximum advancing and minimum receding contact angles, is implemented in the code. The enhanced VOF model predictions are initially compared with literature available experimental data of droplets impacting on smooth surfaces with various wettability characteristics. The constant contact angle treatment of OpenFOAM as well as the Kistler’s implementation show good qualitative and quantitative agreement with experimental results up to the point of maximum spreading, when the spreading is inertia dominated. However, only Kistler’s model succeeds to accurately predict both the advancing and the recoiling phase of the droplet impact, for a variety of surface wettability characteristics. The dynamic contact angle treatment fails to predict almost all stages of the droplet impact. The optimum version of the model is then applied for 2 additional series of parametric numerical simulations that identify and quantify the effects of surface tension and viscosity, in the droplet impact dynamics.

[EN] Droplet impact on porous media has a broad range of applications such as material processing, drug delivery and ink injection etc. The simulation studies of such processes are rather limited. To represent the spreading and absorption process of the droplet on porous materials, robust numerical schemes capable of accurately representing wettability as well as capillary effects need to be established. The current work, presents one of the first studies of droplet impact on a real porous media geometry model extracted from a micro-CT scan. The process involves processing of CT image and subsequent threshold based on the structures segmentation. The porous geometry is extracted in the form of a STL (STereoLithography) model, which, with the aid of dedicated software like ANSA and SnappyHexMesh, is converted to an unstructured mesh for successful discretization of the flow domain. The solution algorithm is developed within the open source CFD toolbox OpenFOAM. The numerical framework to track the droplet interface during the impact and the absorption phases is based on previous work [1, 2]. The volume-of-fluid (VOF) method is used to capture the location of the interface, combined with additional sharpening and smoothing algorithms to minimise spurious velocities developed at the capillary dominated part of the phenomenon (droplet recession and penetration). A systematic variation of the main factors that affect this process are considered, i.e. wettability, porous size, impact velocity. To investigate the influence of porous structures on droplet spreading, the average porosity of the media is varied between 18.5% and 23.3% . From these numerical experiments, we can conclude that the droplet imbibition mainly depends on the porous wettability and secondly that the recoiling phase can be observed in the hydrophobic case but not in the hydrophilic case.

[EN] The present study addresses a detailed experimental and numerical investigation on the impact of water droplets on smooth heated surfaces. High-speed infrared thermography is combined with high-speed imaging to couple the heat transfer and fluid dynamic processes occurring at droplet impact. Droplet spreading (e.g. spreading ratio) and detailed surface temperature fields are then evaluated in time and compared with the numerically predicted results. The numerical reproduction of the phenomena was conducted using an enhanced version of a VOFbased solver of OpenFOAM previously developed, which was further modified to account for conjugate heat transfer between the solid and fluid domains, focusing only on the sensible heat removed during droplet spreading. An excellent agreement is observed between the temporal evolution of the experimentally measured and the numerically predicted spreading factors (differences between the experimental and numerical values were always lower than 3.4%). The numerical and experimental dimensionless surface temperature profiles along the droplet radius were also in good agreement, depicting a maximum difference of 0.19. Deeper analysis coupling fluid dynamics and heat transfer processes was also performed, evidencing a strong correlation between maximum and minimum temperature values and heat transfer coefficients with the vorticity fields in the lamella, which lead to particular mixing processes in the boundary layer region. The correlation between the resulted temperature fields and the droplet dynamics was obtained by assuming a relation between the vorticity and the local heat transfer coefficient, in the first fluid cell i.e. near the liquid-solid interface. The two measured fields revealed that local maxima and minima in the vorticity corresponded to spatially shifted local minima and maxima in the heat transfer coefficient, at all stages of the droplet spreading. This was particularly clear in the rim region, which therefore should be considered in future droplet spreading models., The authors are grateful to Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) for partially financing the research under the framework of the project RECI/EMS-SIS/0147/2012 and for supporting P. Pontes with a research fellowship. A. S. Moita acknowledges FCT for financing her contract through the IF 2015recruitment program (IF 00810-2015) and E. acknowledges FCT for supporting his PhD fellowship (SFRH/BD/88102/2012).

A steel plate is one of the critical components of a scroll expander system that can experience cavitation micro-pitting while in service. The content of the present paper consists of two distinct but interrelated parts. The first part aims to highlight that the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations in conjunction with experimental measurements can constitute a quite promising tool for the prediction of cavitation erosion areas in scroll expander systems. For this purpose a three-dimensional CFD, steady state numerical simulation of the refrigerant working fluid is employed. Numerical results revealed the critical areas where cavitation bubbles are formed. These numerical critical areas are in direct qualitative agreement with the actual eroded regions by cavitation, which were found by microscopic observations across the steel plate on an after use, scroll expander system. The second part of the paper, aims to further investigate the behaviour and the durability of the steel plate of the studied scroll expander system subjected to cavitation erosion by using an ultrasonic experimental test rig. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and optical interferometer micrographs of the damaged surfaces were observed, showing the nature of the cavitation erosion mechanism and the morphological alterations of the steel plate samples. Experimental results are explained in terms of the cavitation erosion rates, roughness profile, accumulated strain energy, and hardness of the matrix. The experimental study can serve as a valuable input for future development of a CFD numerical model that predicts both cavitation bubbles formation as well as cavitation damage induced by the bubbles that implode on the steels plates.

This paper discusses the implementation of an explicit density-based solver, that utilises the central-upwind schemes for the simulation of cavitating bubble dynamic flows. It is highlighted that, in conjunction with the Monotonic Upstream-Centered Scheme for Conservation Laws (MUSCL) scheme they are of second order in spatial accuracy; essentially they are high-order extensions of the Lax–Friedrichs method and are linked to the Harten Lax and van Leer (HLL) solver family. Basic comparison with the predicted wave pattern of the central-upwind schemes is performed with the exact solution of the Riemann problem, for an equation of state used in cavitating flows, showing excellent agreement. Next, the solver is used to predict a fundamental bubble dynamics case, the Rayleigh collapse, in which results are in accordance to theory. Then several different bubble configurations were tested. The methodology is able to handle the large pressure and density ratios appearing in cavitating flows, giving similar predictions in the evolution of the bubble shape, as the reference.

This study investigates the long-term capacity of the North Aegean coastal systems to transport and store conservative pollutants that originate from the Black Sea. Emphasis is placed on modeling the dispersion and accumulation of a passive tracer that represents a Black Sea pollutant (BSP) substance that continuously discharges from the Dardanelles exit into the North Aegean, for a long period of time (16 years). The effects of the Black Sea water (BSW) inflows, meteorological forcing, and seasonal stratification are assessed with a 3D hydrodynamic model (Estuary, Lake and Coastal Ocean Model), after validation with available field data. The salinity, water temperature, and discharge from the Dardanelles Strait are taken to be seasonally varied. According to the authors' best knowledge, the present paper constitutes the first numerical modeling attempt in the literature that apart from the long-term hydrodynamic characteristics that have also been studied in previous works, a suitable tracer is introduced in order to predict the long-term fate, distribution, and accumulation of pollutants that originate from the Black Sea into the North Aegean coastal regions. The overall results of the present investigation indicate that the BSP concentration is very high at the coastal waters of Thassos, Samothraki, and Limnos islands, as well as along the mainland coastal waters between Alexandroupolis and Strymonikos Gulf, during summer and autumn when strong water column stratification occurs. In general, the BSP concentration in the North Aegean surface waters reaches considerable high values (47–58 % of the initial pollutant concentration at Dardanelles inflow) within 16 years. Even for depths more than 500 m the BSP concentration is still remarkable, slightly increasing with time. The increase of the BSP concentration with respect to time at various depths (from free surface up to 750 m) is also investigated.

A numerical simulation of the surface buoyant plume that is formed from the Black Sea brackish water discharge into the North Aegean Sea, through the Dardanelles Straits, has been performed using the ELCOM hydrodynamic model after validation with available field and remote sensing data. Important climatological factors, such as air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation, atmospheric pressure and rainfall that affect the water circulation in North Aegean as well as the Coriolis force effect, are taken into account. The seasonal characteristics of the water circulation in the North Aegean are examined using a horizontal grid resolution of 4 km by 4 km. The salinity, the water temperature and discharge from the Dardanelles straits are taken to be seasonally varied. The simulation was conducted for a total flow time of 6 years. According to the authors best knowledge the present paper constitutes the first numerical modeling attempt in the literature that apart from the long-term hydrodynamic characteristics that have also been studied in previous works, suitable tracers are introduced in order to predict the long term fate and distribution of pollutants that are transported from the Black sea into the North Aegean. The overall results of the present investigation indicate that a substantial percentage of pollutants originating from the Black Sea, accumulate in the North part of the Aegean Sea. The Black Sea Pollutant (BSP) concentration in the North Aegean surface waters reaches relatively high values (20–34%) of its initial assumed value (100%) at the Dardanelles exit to the North Aegean, in a relatively short period of 6 years. Even at 500 m depth the BSP accumulation is more than 5% of its initial value.

During floods, the density of river water usually increases due to the increase in the concentration of the suspended sediment that the river carries, causing the river to plunge underneath the free surface of a receiving water basin and form a turbidity current that continues to flow along the bottom. The study and understanding of such complex and rare phenomena is of great importance, as they constitute one of the major mechanisms for suspended sediment transport from rivers into the ocean, lakes or reservoirs. In the present paper a previously tested and verified numerical model [1] is applied in laboratory scale numerical experiments of continuous, high density turbidity currents. The turbidity currents are produced by the steady discharge of fresh water – suspended sediment mixtures, into an inclined channel which is connected at its downstream end to a wide horizontal tank. Both, channel and tank are initially filled with fresh water. This configuration serves as a simplified experimental analog of natural, hyperpycnal turbidity currents that are formed at river outflows in the sea, lakes or reservoirs and usually travel within subaqueous canyon-fan complexes. The main aim is to investigate the exact qualitative and quantitative effect of fundamental, flow controlling parameters in the hydrodynamic and depositional characteristics of continuous, high density turbidity currents. According to the authors’ best knowledge, the present paper constitutes the first attempt in the literature, where the isolated effects of each individual controlling parameter as well as their relative importance on the hydrodynamic characteristics of continuous, high-density turbidity currents are quantitatively evaluated in detail. The numerical model used, is based on a multiphase modification of the Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes equations (RANS). For turbulence closure the Renormalization-group (RNG) k–e model is applied, which is an enhanced version of the widely used standard k–e model.

During floods, the density of river water usually increases due to a subsequent increase in the concentration of the suspended sediment that the river carries, causing the river to plunge underneath the free surface of a receiving water basin and form a turbidity current that continues to flow along the bottom. The study and understanding of such complex phenomena is of great importance, as they constitute one of the major mechanisms for suspended sediment transport from rivers into oceans, lakes or reservoirs. Unlike most of the previous numerical investigations on turbidity currents, in this paper, a 3D numerical model that simulates the dynamics and flow structure of turbidity currents, through a multiphase flow approach is proposed, using the commercial CFD code FLUENT. A series of numerical simulations that reproduce particular published laboratory flows are presented. The detailed qualitative and quantitative comparison of numerical with laboratory results indicates that apart from the global flow structure, the proposed numerical approach efficiently predicts various important aspects of turbidity current flows, such as the effect of suspended sediment mixture composition in the temporal and spatial evolution of the simulated currents, the interaction of turbidity currents with loose sediment bottom layers and the formation of internal hydraulic jumps. Furthermore, various extreme cases among the numerical runs considered are further analyzed, in order to identify the importance of various controlling flow parameters.

Nestos is one of the most important transboundary rivers flowing through Bulgaria and Greece. In the Greek part of the river, two reservoirs, the Thisavros Reservoir and the Platanovrysi Reservoir, have already been constructed and started operating in 1997 and 1999, respectively. In the first part of the chapter, the reservoir sedimentation effect on the coastal erosion is investigated, for the case of the Nestos River delta and the adjacent shorelines, through a combination of mathematical modeling, modern remote sensing techniques, and field surveying, while in the second part, the mechanical removal as well as the flushing of sediment from the reservoir of Platanovrysi and its disposal in the subbasin downstream of the Platanovrysi Dam up to the Nestos River delta are investigated as potential treatment methods of reducing coastal erosion, using a modification of the same mathematical model that is utilized in the first part of the chapter. The overall findings and conclusions arising from the work presented and discussed in the present chapter contribute to the overall need to thoroughly understand the direct effect of dam construction on coastal erosion, as well as to examine the effectiveness of potential sediment management treatments.

This paper discusses the implementation of an explicit density-based solver, based on the central-upwind schemes originally suggested by Kurganov, for the simulation of cavitating bubble dynamic flows. Explicit density based solvers are suited for highly dynamic, violent flows, involving large density ratios, as is rather common in cavitating flows. Moreover, the central-upwind schemes have the advantage of avoiding direct evaluation of the Jacobian matrix or estimation of the wave pattern emerging from Euler equations. Second order accuracy can be achieved with TVD MUSCL schemes. Basic comparison with the predicted wave pattern of the central-upwind schemes is performed with the exact solution of the Riemann problem showing an excellent agreement. Then several different bubble configurations were tested, similar to the work of Lauer et al. (2012). The central-upwind schemes prove to be able to handle the large pressure and density ratios appearing in cavitating flows, giving similar predictions in the evolution of the bubble shape.

A novel concept of a hybrid Thermosyphon/Pulsating Heat Pipe with a diameter bigger than the capillary limit is tested both on ground and in hyper/micro gravity conditions during the 61st ESA Parabolic Flight Campaign. The device is filled with FC-72 (50% vol.) and it is made of an aluminum tube (I.D. 3 mm) bent into a planar serpentine with five curves at the evaporator zone, while a transparent section closes the loop, allowing fluid flow visualizations in the condenser zone. Five heaters, mounted alternatively in the branches just above the curves at the evaporator zone, provide an asymmetrical heating thus promoting the fluid flow circulation in a preferential direction. The device has been tested at different positions (vertical and horizontal) and at different heat power input levels (from 10 W to 160 W). Ground tests show that effectively the device works as a thermosyphon when gravity assisted: in vertical position the device can reach an equivalent thermal resistance of 0.1 K/W with heat fluxes up to 17 W/cm2. In horizontal position the fluid motion is absent, thus the device works as a pure thermal conductive medium. The parabolic flight tests point out a PHP working mode: during the micro-gravity period, the sudden absence of buoyancy force activates an oscillating slug/plug flow regime, typical of the PHP operation, allowing the device to work also in the horizontal position. In some cases the hyper-gravity period is able to eliminate partial dry-outs restoring the correct operation until the occurrence of the next microgravity period.

The heat transfer mechanism of Nucleate Boiling (NB) is widely used in technological applications. However,there is an incomplete understanding of the fundamental physics of bubble dynamics, at small scales as well as at non-trivial geometrical configurations. In order to investigate bubble dynamics an adiabatic approach is often used, where gas/vapor bubbles are injected into liquids at saturation conditions. So far, there is a great deal of experimental, theoretical and numerical investigations on adiabatic gas/vapor injected bubble growth dynamics. However, according to the authors' best knowledge the majority of these works deal with gas/vapor bubbles injected upwards into stagnant liquid domains, with the injection axis being parallel to the gravitational acceleration direction, using mainly water and air as the working fluids. In the present investigation, an improved algebraic VOF (Volume of Fluid) based interface capturing approach, originally developed in OpenFOAM®, is applied for the conduction of axisymmetric and 3D numerical experiments on adiabatic bubble growth dynamics. The investigation focuses on the influence of different fluid properties and inclination angles of the gas/vapor injection orifice, on the bubble growth and detachment characteristics. Prior to the application, the predictions of the numerical model are validated against literature available experimental data. From the overall results it can be concluded that the bubble growth and detachment characteristics, are strongly dependent not only on the fluid properties but also on the orifice inclination angles due to the induced asymmetry, which mainly results from the formation of asymmetric and unsynchronized vortexes during the bubble growth process.

An experimental study to evaluate cavitation bubble dynamics is conducted. The aim is to predict the magnitude and statistical distribution of hydrodynamic impact pressure generated from the implosion of various individual acoustic cavitation bubbles near to a rigid boundary, considering geometrical features of the pitted area. A steel sample was subjected to cavitation impacts by an ultrasonic transducer with a 5 mm diameter probe. The pitted surface was then examined using high-precision 3D optical interferometer techniques. Only the incubation period where surface is plastically deformed without material loss is taken into account. The exposure time was adjusted in the range of 3–60 s to avoid pit overlapping and a special procedure for pit analysis and characterisation was then followed. Moreover, a high-speed camera device was deployed to capture the implosion mechanisms of cavitation bubbles near to the surface. The geometrical characteristics of single incubation pits as well as pit clusters were studied and their deformation patterns were compared. Consequently, a reverse engineering approach was applied in order the hydrodynamic impact pressure from the implosion of an individual cavitation bubble to be determined. The characteristic parameters of the cavitation implosion process such as hydrodynamic impact pressure and liquid micro-jet impact velocity as well as the hydrodynamic severity of the cavitation impacts were quantified. It was found that the length of the hypotenuse of the orthographic projections from the center of the pit, which basically represents the deformed area of the pit, increases with the hydrodynamic impact aggressiveness in a linear rate. Majority of the hydrodynamic impacts were in the range of 0.4–1 GPa while the corresponding micro-jet velocities were found to be in the range of 200–700 m/s. Outcomes of this study, contribute to further understanding the cavitation intensity from the implosion of acoustically generated bubbles and could certainly represent a significant step towards developing more accurate cavitation models.

A steel plate is one of the critical components of a scroll expander system that usually experiences cavitation in service. An experimental study is conducted to study the behaviour of the scroll’s steel plate subjected to cavitation erosion. For this purpose an ultrasonic transducer is utilised to produce cavitation bubbles. Micrographs of damaged surfaces were observed, showing the nature of the cavitation mechanism and the morphology alterations across the steel sample. Experimental results are explained in terms of the cavitation erosion rates, roughness profile, accumulated strain energy, and hardness of the matrix.

Gravity or density currents constitute a large class of natural flows that are generated and driven by the density difference between two or even more fluids. The density difference between two fluids usually arises due to differences in temperature or salinity, but it can also arise due to the presence of suspended solid particles. These particulate currents, in the case of sediment laden water that enters a water basin, are classified according to the density difference with the ambient fluid into three major categories: a) hypopycnal currents, when the density of the sediment laden water is lower than that of the receiving water basin, b) homopycnal currents, when the density of the sediment laden water is almost equal to that of the receiving water basin, and c) hyperpycnal currents when their density is much greater than that of the receiving water body (Mulder & Alexander, 2001). In the case of floods, the suspended sediment concentration of river water rises to a great extent. Hence, the river plunges to the bottom of the receiving basin and forms a hyperpycnal plume which is also known as turbidity current. Such flows are usually formed at river mouths in oceans, lakes or reservoirs, and can travel remarkable distances transferring, eroding and depositing large amounts of suspended sediments (Mulder & Alexander, 2001).

In this paper, hypopycnal and hyperpycnal particulate currents that are formed at river outflows in the sea are studied. The main aim is the use of CFD methods, in order to investigate the plunging mechanism in the case of hyperpycnal currents. Two series of numerical experiments are conducted. The first series, aims to validate the numerical model by checking its ability in capturing the critical suspended sediment concentration for plunging. The second series, aims to investigate the dependence of the plunge depth from the initial flow conditions, in the case of hyperpycnal currents. From the analysis of the results, an empirical equation is derived which relates the plunge depth with the initial conditions. It is also found that secondary hyperpycnal currents, can be generated indirectly, from hypopycnal currents, due to descending sediment fingers. The model predictions, in the present paper are in agreement with previous investigations.

Observations of cavitation damage within a lubricated expander system are studied experimentally. Typical experimental analysis is used to observe cavitation erosion features such as SEM, light-microscopy and lightinterferometer. An experimental test-rig is used to study bubble characteristics within fluids to compare the theoretical analysis and practical in-service results from the expander system. Using an ultra-sonic methodology and high-speed camera techniques the bubbles are observed within the working fluids. A 2D numerical simulation of the scroll was performed to explore the mechanism which generates scroll cavitation. It is found that the pressure is high enough to liquefy instantaneously part of the refrigerant close to the bottom boundary, creating conditions for the generation of cavitation bubbles within the liquefied refrigerant. This finding resolves the puzzle how the refrigerant which enters the scroll in gas phase produces cavitation.

The coastal zone is a transitory zone between land and sea. Due to its importance to man, not only for its high food production but also for recreation, sea transportation and industrial activities, coastal zone receives high environmental pressure from him. This paper deals with degradation phenomena of the coastal zone in the west section of the River Nestos Delta, North Aegean Sea, with special stress on the geomorphological changes in the coastline. The length of the coastline in this part of river Nestos Delta (the Kavala- Chrisoupoli part), from Nea Karvali village to the west, up to the river mouth to the east, is around 35 km long. This section constitutes the biggest and more extended sector of the Nestos Delta; it is the section where the main course and the various branches of the river were located, in the past. Along the coastal zone of this section of the delta many lagoons, sand bars, spits, barrier islands, washover fans, etc. were developed in its geologic past. Some of these geoforms still exist, but the majority of them have been destroyed by physical and/or anthropogenic interventions. Two of the last interventions are the diversion and entrenchment of the river to the east, in early 50’s and the construction of two high dams in the river course inland, in 2000. These human interventions deprived this land of flooding waters and sediments resulting in: (a) drying of most of the river channels and courses crossing this area of the river’s delta, (b) erosion of the coastal landforms and retreat of the shoreline in the majority of the delta coasts. There are, of course, a few places along the coastline where deposition and accretion are still taking place. In more detail, along the coastline taken into consideration in the present paper, one can meet: • stretches with high erosion rates, like the Akroneri Cape (spit), the inner coastline of Keramoti bay (Kokala -Piges coast), the Monastiraki coastline, etc, • stretches with high accretion rates like the Keramoti peninsula/spit, and • stretches at equilibrium or low rate of change like the barrier (spit) west of Akroneri Cape up to Nea Karvali coast and a short stretch of the coastline south-east of Keramoti peninsula. Comparing the Delta coastline of 1945 (from available aerial photographs) and the coastline of 2002 (from high resolution satellite images), before the construction of the Thisavros and Platanovrisi high dams (period 1945-2002), it has been estimated that: 88% of the delta and the adjacent coastlines has been accreted while only 12% has been eroded. In other words, there was a surplus of accretion by 76% and the delta was procreated. Comparing the Delta coastline of 2002 (from high resolution satellite images) and the coastline of 2007 (from high resolution D-GPS field measurements), after the construction of the dams (period 2002-2007), it has been estimated that: only 39% of the delta and the adjacent coastlines has been accreted while 61% has been eroded. In other words, there was a surplus of erosion by 22% and the delta began to retreat. This was due to Δελτίο της Ελληνικής Γεωλογικής Εταιρίας, 2010 Bulletin of the Geological Society of Greece, 2010 Πρακτικά 12ου Διεθνούς Συνεδρίου Proceedings of the 12th International Congress Πάτρα, Μάιος 2010 Patras, May, 2010 the great reduction (by almost 80%) of the river’s sediment load reaching to the sea. Thus, up to 2002, or so, the balance accretion – erosion in the whole delta coastline was positive, whereas after 2002 the erosion and retreat predominates in the delta’s coastline. The prevention of sediments and fresh water flooding in the delta area, has also affected the crops production in the fields in the vicinity of the delta as well as the fish output in the lakes and lagoons of the coastal zone.

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