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This paper investigated using spoilers to improve the aerodynamic characteristics of vertical-axis wind turbines. Taking the NACA0012 airfoil as the research object, the orthogonal experimental method design was employed to combine the parameters of the spoiler installation position. Then the wind energy utilization coefficient and the flow field structure of vertical-axis wind turbines were studied through numerical calculation, and the flow control mechanism of the spoiler and its effect on the aerodynamic performance of vertical-axis wind turbines were analyzed. The results show that the distance between the spoiler and the trailing edge of the blade is the main factor affecting the aerodynamic performance of vertical-axis wind turbines. By increasing the pressure difference between the suction and pressure surfaces of the blades, spoilers contribute to a higher aerodynamic performance of vertical-axis wind turbines. Additionally, the performance improvement effect on vertical-axis wind turbines is more significant at medium and low blade tip speed ratios. When the tip speed ratio is 1.8, the power coefficient of vertical axis wind turbines with spoilers is 25.3% higher than that of the original wind turbine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a comprehensive review of key approaches to suppressing stall flow in pumps, offering insights to enhance pump performance and reliability. It begins by outlining the formation mechanisms and characteristics of stalls, followed by an in-depth analysis of various stall types. The discussion highlights passive and active flow control methods, emphasizing their roles in suppressing stall phenomena. Passive flow-control strategies, including surface roughness, grooves, obstacles, fixed guide vanes, and vortex generators, are examined with a focus on their mechanisms and effectiveness in suppressing stall. Similarly, active flow-control techniques, such as jets and adjustable guide vanes, are explored for their capacity to regulate the flow field and suppress stall. The novelty of this review lies in its exploration of the effectiveness of passive and active flow-control methods in suppressing pump stall, with a focus on their mechanisms of action and the underlying principles of stall formation. The findings reveal that appropriate flow-control measures can mitigate laminar flow separation and reduce performance losses associated with stall. However, careful attention must be given to the optimal arrangement of control devices. Finally, the article highlights the limitations of current implementations of combined active and passive flow-control methods while offering insights into the future potential of advanced flow-control technologies in regard to suppressing stall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A passive flow control technique in the form of microfiber coatings with a diverging pillar cross-section area was applied to the wing suction surface of a small tailless unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The coatings are inspired from 'gecko feet' surfaces, and their impact on steady and unsteady aerodynamics is assessed through wind tunnel testing. Angles of attack from −2° to 17° were used for static experiments, and for some cases, the elevon control surface was deflected to study its effectiveness. In forced oscillation, various combinations of mean angle of attack, frequency and amplitude were explored. The aerodynamic coefficients were calculated from load cell measurements for experimental variables such as microfiber size, the region of the wing coated with microfibers, Reynolds number and angle of attack. Microfibers with a 140 µm pillar height reduce drag by a maximum of 24.7% in a high-lift condition and cruise regime, while 70 µm microfibers work best in the stall flow regime, reducing the drag by 24.2% for the same high-lift condition. Elevon deflection experiments showed that pitch moment authority is significantly improved near stall when microfibers cover the control surface and upstream, with an increase in CM magnitude of up to 22.4%. Dynamic experiments showed that microfibers marginally increase dynamic damping in pitch, improving load factor production in response to control surface actuation at low angles of attack, but reducing it at higher angles. In general, the microfiber pillars are within the laminar boundary layer, and they create a periodic slip condition on the top surface of the pillars, which increases the near-wall momentum over the wing surface. This mechanism is particularly effective in mitigating flow separation at high angles of attack, reducing pressure drag and restoring pitching moment authority provided by control surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated using spoilers to improve the aerodynamic characteristics of vertical-axis wind turbines. Taking the NACA0012 airfoil as the research object, the orthogonal experimental method design was employed to combine the parameters of the spoiler installation position. Then the wind energy utilization coefficient and the flow field structure of vertical-axis wind turbines were studied through numerical calculation, and the flow control mechanism of the spoiler and its effect on the aerodynamic performance of vertical-axis wind turbines were analyzed. The results show that the distance between the spoiler and the trailing edge of the blade is the main factor affecting the aerodynamic performance of vertical-axis wind turbines. By increasing the pressure difference between the suction and pressure surfaces of the blades, spoilers contribute to a higher aerodynamic performance of vertical-axis wind turbines. Additionally, the performance improvement effect on vertical-axis wind turbines is more significant at medium and low blade tip speed ratios. When the tip speed ratio is 1.8, the power coefficient of vertical axis wind turbines with spoilers is 25.3% higher than that of the original wind turbine.

Heat exchangers are widely studied in energy and production processes. There are various techniques available to enhance the performance of heat exchangers, but in recent years, vortex generators have gained significant attention. Vortex generators (VGs) is a passive control method that can improve heat transfer if properly designed. Vortex generators achieve heat exchange enhancement by creating transverse, longitudinal, or normal twiddle flows, disrupting the flow field, and improving transport phenomena. The improvement in convective heat transfer coefficient is achieved by increasing fluid mixing, breaking down the thermal boundary layer, and improving mean velocity and temperature gradient. In this paper, a coaxial counter-flow heat exchanger was considered. Prism shape vortex generators were installed on the outer surface of the inner tube of the heat exchanger and resulting performance was compared to that of the same heat exchanger without vortex generators. RANS CFD study (SST k-ω turbulence model was used) demonstrated a 13% improvement in heat transfer rate when using a heat exchanger with vortex generators as compared to the case without VGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper experimentally and numerically investigates the effects of suction side surface roughness on the aerodynamic performances of the NACA 0015 turbine blade profile. Three different NACA 0015 turbine blade configurations, which are smooth (K0), single roughness (K1), and double roughness (K2), are considered. The experimental studies were conducted using the HM-170 GUNT open wind tunnel model. The aerodynamic characteristics of these three blade configurations are evaluated in terms of their lift coefficient (CL), drag coefficient (CD), and aerodynamic efficiency (CL/CD). The maximum CL (CL,max) for K0 was obtained at 25°, whereas the CL,max angles for the K1 and K2 roughness blade profiles were reduced to 22.5°, utilizing the rough surfaces on the suction side. The experimental analysis revealed that the K2 profile demonstrated a 21% and 19% enhancement in maximal CL over the K0 and K1 profiles, respectively. The highest CL/CD was observed with K1, except at low attack of angle (aoa), where the smooth blade profile resulted in slightly better performance. Experimental analysis showed peak CL/CD at aoa of 7.5° for K0, and 12.5° for both K1 and K2, with K1's optimal CL/CD being 2.85% and 8.5% higher than K0 and K2, respectively. Numerical analysis indicated that the CL/CD,avg for K1 was observed to be 11% and 8% higher than that of K0 across all aoa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern large-scale gas turbines are equipped with high-pressure ratio compressors to increase engine work and its overall efficiency. Flow separation and energy losses are also two interrelated phenomenon associated with changes in compressor loading level and performance. This paper examines therefore the control of flow separation using a passive-control technique. An arced divergent-convergent slot grooved from the blade pressure side to its suction side was adopted to control flow separation, reducing the losses through a linear compressor cascade. The spanwise location of the slot was selected based on CFD simulations where the corner separation was predicted. The slot height in the spanwise direction was selected to be 8% of the blade height at the end-wall side. The present work was performed experimentally and numerically at an inlet Reynolds number, R ec = ρ V ∞ C / μ = 2.98 × 10 5 , covering a wide range of incidence angles from + 6 ∘ to - 6 ∘ . The experimental work was carried out using a linear cascade test section consisting of six NACA 65-009 blade profiles integrated into a low-speed wind tunnel. A five-hole pressure probe system was used to obtain main flow parameters. Numerically, four turbulence models, including Spalart–Allmaras (S–A) model, Realizable (R k-ε) model, Shear-Stress Transport (SST k-ω) model, and Reynolds Stress model (RSM) were tested to predict the velocity and pressure fields. Good agreement between the experimental measurements and the numerical results, which were obtained using the RSM turbulence model in terms of velocity profiles and total pressure downstream of blades. It was observed also that the use of the arced-slotted blades for positive incident angles was more effective in reducing the separation than the negative and zero incident angles, approaching a maximum value of 33% for 6° with enhanced blade loading reaching 17.6%. It is to be concluded that, the use of arced slotted blade improves the compressor performance specially for positive incident angles.Article Highlights: Compressor aerodynamic losses were reduced by groove arced diverged-converged slot. Numerical solution based on four turbulence models was proved experimentally. Results using Reynolds Stress turbulence Model were closest to experimental results. Slotted blades reduced losses by 33% for incident + 6° and improved loading by 17.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blade profile selection is paramount for the efficient operation of straight Darrieus wind turbines in terms of torque and power generation. In this work, we have used the Kline-Fogleman Airfoil (KFA) design for the wind turbine blades. The concept of KFA design aims to cause flow separation, vortex formation, and reattachment establishment before the trailing edge. Thus, geometric tests on have been performed on the baseline airfoil NACA0015 as one of the best profiles for operating a straight Darrius wind turbine. A twodimensional Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) model using the twoequation Shear Stress Transport k-ω (SST k-ω) turbulent model was developed in ANSYS/FLUENT software to assess the aerodynamic efficiency of the modified airfoil. Two designs (KFA-2 and KFA-4) were tested initially in the static case. The effects of the opening step angle and its curvature diameter were studied for an angle of attack's range of -20° to +20°. The rounded KFA-4 design with an opening step angle of 93.6° led to a significant improvement in the lift-to-drag ratio thus, aerodynamic efficiency. Finally, the straight KFA-4 design with the opening step angle of 93.6° revealed a the most advantageous effects on the operation of a straight Darrieus wind turbine for a Tip Speed Ratio less than 1.6 (TSR<1.6). It allowed a noticeable reduction of the dead zone and TSR corresponding to the nominal power, thus consequently improving the starting torque and delaying torque stall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlling flow around a circular cylinder is essential for reducing drag, alleviating lift fluctuations, and enhancing aerodynamic efficiency in various engineering applications. In the present work, the effect of localized passive air-jet injection at different azimuthal angles on the near-wake region of circular cylinder was numerically investigated at subcritical Reynolds numbers Re = 3900 and 20,000 using ANSYS-FLUENT commercial software. The slot angle was varied from 70° to 130° with an increment of 10°. To insure the reliability of the current numerical model, the simulation results were validated with available experimental and numerical literature. The results revealed that the slot can significantly affect the flow structure in the near-wake region and pressure distribution around the cylinder at slot angles 100° ≤ θs ≤ 130°. It was found that the optimum slot angle was 130° at which a good pressure recovery on the rear surface of the cylinder was achieved. Moreover, turbulent kinetic energy in the very near-wake region showed a substantial decrease of 40 % compared to the BL case at lower tested Reynolds number, as well as an 11 % reduction in the extent of the recirculation region. The drag analysis showed that the drag can be reduced by 26 % when the slot inclined at 130°. It can be concluded that the position of the slot induced jet plays a vital role on the flow structure, pressure distribution, and drag coefficient. Additional experimental studies are required to further explore the impact of the slot on the wake region. Specifically, investigating the combined effect of 70° and 130° slot angles could provide deeper insights, potentially leading to a more significant influence on the wake region

Abstract This study explores the efficacy of dimples in influencing the aerodynamic performance of a straight rectangular wing. Computational Fluid Dynamics based numerical simulations were performed to model turbulent flow and quantify the forces exerted on the wing. The k-ω Shear-Stress Transport turbulence model was chosen to solve the underlying equations. To ascertain reliability, the results of numerical simulations were compared with both experimental and simulation results of the previous studies. The impact of various dimple configurations, placed at 15%, 50% and 85% of the chord length, on the aerodynamic performance of the wing was investigated. The evaluation involved analyzing the drag coefficient (C D ), lift coefficient (C L ), lift-to-drag (L/D) ratio, streamlines and the flow field around wing in both chordwise and spanwise directions. The findings indicated that a wing with a dimpled surface could yield a reduced drag coefficient of up to 6.6% compared to the unmodified wing. This reduction is attributed to the dimples ability to sustain attached airflow and delay flow separation. The results demonstrated negligible deviation in the lift coefficient with the incorporation of dimples. The incorporation of dimples on the wing surface has been demonstrated to enhance the aerodynamic performance of lifting surfaces.

The blade profile selection is paramount for the efficient operation of straight Darrieus wind turbines in terms of torque and power generation. In this work, we have used the Kline-Fogleman Airfoil (KFA) design for the wind turbine blades. The concept of KFA design aims to cause flow separation, vortex formation, and reattachment establishment before the trailing edge. Thus, geometric tests on have been performed on the baseline airfoil NACA0015 as one of the best profiles for operating a straight Darrius wind turbine. A two-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) model using the two-equation Shear Stress Transport k-ω (SST k-ω) turbulent model was developed in ANSYS/FLUENT software to assess the aerodynamic efficiency of the modified airfoil. Two designs (KFA-2 and KFA-4) were tested initially in the static case. The effects of the opening step angle and its curvature diameter were studied for an angle of attack’s range of -20° to +20°. The rounded KFA-4 design with an opening step angle of 93.6° led to a significant improvement in the lift-to-drag ratio thus, aerodynamic efficiency. Finally, the straight KFA-4 design with the opening step angle of 93.6° revealed a the most advantageous effects on the operation of a straight Darrieus wind turbine for a Tip Speed Ratio less than 1.6 (TSR

In this study, drag force and surface pressure measurements were conducted on a 1/32 scaled truck-trailer combination model. The experimental tests were carried out between the ranges of 312×10³-844×10³ Reynolds Numbers in a suction type wind tunnel. The aerodynamic drag coefficient (CD) and distribution of pressure coefficient (CP) were experimentally determined for the truck and trailer combination. The regions with a large amount of pressure coefficients were determined on the truck-trailer by using flow visualizations. The aerodynamic structure of truck-trailer combination models was improved by passive flow control methods on 4 different models. By using a newly designed spoiler on Model 1, the drag coefficient was reduced by 10.01 %. On Model 2, after adding a trailer rear extension with a spoiler, the reduction was obtained at 11.35 %. For the model 3 which is obtained by adding a side skirt to model 2, the improvement reached 18.85 %. The model 4 was composed of model 2 and a bellow between the truck and trailer. The drag force improvement was obtained at 22.80 % for model 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The passive bristling mechanism of the scales on the shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) is hypothesized to play a crucial role in controlling flow separation. In the hypothesized mechanism, the scales are triggered in response to patches of reversed flow at the onset of separation occurring in the low-speed streaks that form in a turbulent boundary layer. The two goals of this investigation were as follows: (1) to measure the reversing flow occurring within the low-speed streaks in a separating turbulent boundary layer; (2) to understand the passive flow control mechanism of movable shark skin scales that inhibit reversing flow within the low-speed streaks. Experiments were conducted using digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV). DPIV was used to analyze the flow in a turbulent boundary layer subjected to an adverse pressure gradient formation over both a smooth flat plate and a flat plate on which shark skin specimens were affixed. The experimental analysis of the flow over the smooth flat plate corroborated the findings of previous direct numerical simulation studies, which indicated that the average spanwise spacing of the low-speed streaks increases in the presence of adverse pressure gradients upstream of the point of separation. However, the characteristics of the flow over the shark skin specimen more closely resemble that of a zero-pressure gradient turbulent boundary layer. A comparative analysis of the width and velocity of the reversed streaks between flat plate and shark skin cases reveals that the mean spanwise spacing decreases, and thus, the number of streaks increases over the shark skin. Additionally, the reversed streaks observed over shark scales are thinner and the highest negative velocity within the streaks falls within the range required to bristle the scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centrifugal pumps are one of the most widely used machines in all branches of industry. For this reason, their efficiency has a significant impact on energy consumption in global industry (about 20%). It is extremely difficult to design low-specific-speed centrifugal pumps at acceptable efficiency levels due to increasing losses in the impeller (hydraulic, volumetric, and mechanical). This article presents the influence of the geometric features of grooves (width, depth), and the number of them, on the operating parameters of the impeller in a centrifugal pump with microgrooves. The principle of operation of this solution involves the passive control of the flow in the boundary layer using rectangular grooves. The grooves are made inside the flow channels of the impeller and are intended to reduce hydraulic losses occurring during flow. This is mainly due to a reduction in losses in the boundary layer. In order to determine the influence of the grooves' parameters on the energy characteristics of the impeller, numerical calculations and experimental measurements were performed on 15 sets of impellers, which were obtained using experimental planning methods. The CFD calculations were conducted in order to understand the flow phenomena that occur in the impeller with the microgeometry and their effect on a reduction in internal flow losses. Based on the research results, useful guidelines for designing impellers with low-speed characteristics were formulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vortices belong to the most important phenomena in fluid dynamics and play an essential role in many engineering applications. They can act detrimentally by harnessing the flow energy and reducing the efficiency of an aerodynamic device, whereas in other cases, their presence can be exploited to achieve targeted flow conditions. The control of the vortex parameters is desirable in both cases. In this paper, we introduce an optimization strategy for the control of vortices in the wake of a bluff body. Flow modelling is based on RANS and DES computations, validated by experimental data. The algorithm for vortex identification and characterization is based on the triple decomposition of motion. It produces a quantitative measure of vortex strength which is used to define the objective function in the optimization procedure. It is shown how the shape of an aerodynamic device can be altered to achieve the desired characteristics of vortices in its wake. The studied case is closely related to flame holders for combustion applications, but the conceptual approach has a general applicability to vortex control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the aerodynamic performance of the airfoil is important for optimising the rotor efficiency of the vertical axis wind turbines. As a simple passive control method, the Gurney flap is widely used to improve the aerodynamic performance of airfoils. In this paper, we study the impact of applying a novel serrated gurney flap with different heights on the NACA 0018 airfoil. An improved delayed detached eddy simulation method is adopted to investigate the lift-enhancing mechanism of the serrated gurney flap and the evolution of the downstream vortex system. The results show that the serrated gurney flap can effectively increase the airfoil lift coefficient and the lift-to-drag ratio. The improvement of the serrated gurney flap on the aerodynamic performance of the airfoil is more pronounced at moderate angles of attack. Further analysis of the downstream wake shows that a pair of vortices wraps over both sides of the airfoil and rotates perpendicular to the wake flow, which is produced by the columnar vortex upstream of the flap. These vortices mixed with the wake and accelerated the dissipation of the separated vortex on the suction surface of the airfoil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A numerical simulation by utilizing the FloEFD software was carried out in order to investigate the flow topology formed on slant surface and wake region of an Ahmed Body with and without passive flow control techniques. The effects of those flow controllers on flow at the slant surface and wake region by influencing the flow topology as well as aerodynamic drag coefficient examined carefully. The numerical findings clearly revealed that the best performance in terms of providing the drag reduction obtained when sphere and hemispherical shape flow control techniques were applied at the rear part of slant surface of Ahmed Body. Sphere and hemispherical shape flow controllers positioned at the rear part of slant surface led to have drag reduction of 6% and 7%, respectively. Besides, the results of current study compared with the results obtained from published studies in the literature. It was clearly observed that they are consistent with each other even though they were found by different software.

An experimental investigation was carried out to understand the effects of LEP (leading-edge protuberance) blades on the structural characteristics of VAWTs. A series of experiments were performed on VAWTs with straight and LEP blades for a wide range of wind velocity (6 m/s to 20 m/s) and pitch angles (−20° to 20°), and the structural excitations on the VAWT structure were measured using a triaxial accelerometer in each case. The raw acceleration data were extensively processed in the time and frequency domains to identify the variation in structural excitation caused by the unsteady wind and aerodynamic loads on the VAWT structure. Understanding the aerodynamic changes and their impact on structural characteristics is essential. The current study examines how LEP influences the structural excitation of VAWTs. However, a great deal of aerodynamic variation was observed for the LEP blades, so the straight blades of the VAWT were replaced with various modified LEP blades, for which a similar set of experiments was carried out. The study presents a better performance (self-starting, stall-mitigating) for VAWTs with LEP 3 and 2 blades, with a significant reduction in the excitation of loads due to wind load and the changes in aerodynamics observed in the along- and across-wind directions.

A passive flow control technique in the form of microfiber coatings with a diverging pillar cross-section area was applied to the wing suction surface of a small tailless unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The coatings are inspired from ‘gecko feet’ surfaces, and their impact on steady and unsteady aerodynamics is assessed through wind tunnel testing. Angles of attack from −2° to 17° were used for static experiments, and for some cases, the elevon control surface was deflected to study its effectiveness. In forced oscillation, various combinations of mean angle of attack, frequency and amplitude were explored. The aerodynamic coefficients were calculated from load cell measurements for experimental variables such as microfiber size, the region of the wing coated with microfibers, Reynolds number and angle of attack. Microfibers with a 140 µm pillar height reduce drag by a maximum of 24.7% in a high-lift condition and cruise regime, while 70 µm microfibers work best in the stall flow regime, reducing the drag by 24.2% for the same high-lift condition. Elevon deflection experiments showed that pitch moment authority is significantly improved near stall when microfibers cover the control surface and upstream, with an increase in CM magnitude of up to 22.4%. Dynamic experiments showed that microfibers marginally increase dynamic damping in pitch, improving load factor production in response to control surface actuation at low angles of attack, but reducing it at higher angles. In general, the microfiber pillars are within the laminar boundary layer, and they create a periodic slip condition on the top surface of the pillars, which increases the near-wall momentum over the wing surface. This mechanism is particularly effective in mitigating flow separation at high angles of attack, reducing pressure drag and restoring pitching moment authority provided by control surfaces.

This paper concerns the utilisation of a gas bladder hydraulic suppressor to mitigate oscillations in the delivery flow rate of positive displacement machines. The research focuses on two primary objectives: first, the experimental validation of the potential of this solution and second, the formulation of a one-dimensional fluid dynamic model for the suppressor. The foundational framework of the fluid dynamic model is based on the equations governing fluid motion with a one-dimensional approach. To accurately depict the fluid dynamics within the suppressor, a unique approach for determining the speed of sound was incorporated, and it implemented the instantaneous cross-sectional area and the inertial effect of the bladder. This paper is a development of a previous work to also investigate the positioning along the delivery pipe of the suppressor with respect to the pump. The study presents the performance of the suppressor and points out the effects of its relative position with respect to the pump that becomes particularly relevant at high speeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research work was to explore how modifying the design of small-scale HAWT rotor blades through the backward-facing step technique affects their efficiency under varying wind speeds. The study involved altering step parameters such as location, length, and depth to create four distinct stepped blade shapes and enhance the aerodynamic performance of a rotor with a diameter of 280 mm. A specific blade profile, NREL S822, was selected to meet both aerodynamic and structural criteria. The rotor models were examined at a Reynolds number of 4.7 × 104 for wind speeds between 8.5 and 15.5 m/s and tip-speed ratios between 2 and 5. The experimental results indicated that for certain geometric step parameter values, the efficiency of the rotor model (B3) increased by approximately 47% compared to the base model (B1), particularly for tip-speed ratios lower than around 3.2. However, beyond this point, the rotor efficiency dropped significantly, reaching approximately 60% in one case. Additionally, a hybrid rotor model (B6) was generated by combining the shape of the rotor model (B4) with the most efficient rotor model from the literature, generated using the leading-edge wavy shape technique. This hybrid rotor model enhanced rotor efficiency for specific values of tip-speed ratio and also ensured its smoother operation. Overall, the rotor model (B2), distinguished by smaller step parameter values and a shift as well as broadening of the power coefficient curve towards lower tip-speed ratio values, exhibited a higher peak power coefficient, approximately 1.4% greater than the base rotor (B1). This increase occurred at a lower tip-speed ratio, allowing the rotor to operate with higher efficiency across a broader range of tip-speed ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, experimental and numerical flow analysis was performed on three different blade profiles with a chord length of 165 mm using passive flow control method. The first of the airfoil is the standard NACA 0018 profile. The second airfoil type has a NACA 0018 profile with a gap in the suction surface. The last airfoil is the NACA 0018 profile which is 66% of the trailing edge cut from the chord length. All airfoil profiles were analyzed at the Reynolds number, Re=2x104, and angles of attack α=0o, 5o, 10o, 12o and 14o in both experiment and numerical studies. The experiments were carried out using the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) method in a closed-loop open water channel, and the time-averaged velocity vectors, streamlines, and vorticity contours of the flow field were obtained. Subsequently, numerical analyses were performed using the ANSYS Fluent package program, one of the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) programs used frequently in the literature. The streamlines and pressure contours of the airfoil profiles have been compared visually at the same Re and different angles of attack. In addition, according to the angle of attack of the airfoil profiles, lift coefficient CL, drag coefficient CD, and the ratio of lift coefficient to drag coefficient CL/CD graphs were presented. It has been shown that the gap on the airfoil at high attack angles caused changes in lift (up to 0.7) and drag (up to 0.15). These features can allow these models to be used for different purposes in the aerodynamics field.

Soft robotics technology has the potential for a wide range of applications; however, their implementation is hindered by the lack of accurate mathematical models and control methods. For example, a method to control multiple pneumatic inflatable actuators in turn by a passive mechanism has been proposed in a literature, but no mathematical model was presented to develop control laws for the system. This study proposes a mathematical model for the inflation characteristics of sequential soft actuators, and theoretical control law for passive sequential control of the inflation of multiple actuators by using flow resistors. The model is constructed from the physical requirements of the actuators based on fluid dynamics and thermodynamics. The study shows that the pressure change characteristics can be derived from the differential equations even for complex parallel and series circuits. The model mathematically represents the physical principle by which the actuators' inflation order depends on the relationship between changes in the input pressure and internal pressure with time. Experiments with real circuits of simple and complex layouts are presented. The actuators are inflated in sequence from a single air pressure source, and the mathematical model was able to describe the pressure and flow rate change characteristics at each point in the circuit.

In light of the growing use of Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs) in urban settings, research is increasingly focusing on passive control methods to enhance VAWT efficiency. This study aims to refine VAWT performance by optimizing an advanced turbine design equipped with an adaptive flap on the blade, focus on the power coefficient (CP). Using the Taguchi method, the optimization incorporated five control factors: flap position (ld), flap length (lf), flap angle (θ), flap tip length (lt), and angle of the flap tip length (αtip). The study employed an L16 (54) orthogonal array design. At a 2.62 tip speed ratio (TSR), all models underwent computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. The influence of each factor was assessed using the ANOVA (Analysis of variance), and CP predictions were made based on these factors through Regression Analysis (RA). The results revealed optimal configurations of ld = 0.65c, lf = 0.15c, θ = 70°, lt = 0.06c, and αtip = 8, leading to a CP 74.01% greater than a conventional VAWT. ANOVA ranked factor contributions as: ld > lt > θ > lf > αtip, with ld contributing 39.58% and αtip only 1.34%. Predictions from the RA aligned well with the numerical findings. In conclusion, the adaptive flap design enhances performance by expanding the wake and amplifying the vortices behind the turbine blade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study presents a new concept of self-driven pulsed jet flow control on a compressor stator blade. This passive unsteady flow control method has the advantage that neither external flow nor electrical source is needed. This study's preliminary proof-of-concept study on a low-speed compressor stator blade is performed using numerical simulation. When the pulsed jet frequency is 100 Hz, the optimum control performance and control efficiency are reached, and the total pressure loss coefficient is reduced by 8.9%. As the valve's rotational speed increases, the pulsed jet's momentum coefficient decreases gradually. The analysis of the unsteady characteristics of the self-driven pulsed jet shows that the jet velocity is close to a periodic square wave signal, and the typical reduced jet velocity ranges from approximately 0.15 to 0.8. Moreover, the time-averaged driving torque on the valve depends on the rotational speed and is relevant to the self-starting and self-driven characteristics of this passive flow control method. Under different bearing resistance torque, the self-driven valve behaves differently in three cases that can self-start and be self-driven, cannot self-start but can be self-driven, and cannot self-start nor be self-driven. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, experimental and numerical flow analysis was performed on three different blade profiles with a chord length of 165 mm using passive flow control method. The first of the airfoil is the standard NACA 0018 profile. The second airfoil type has a NACA 0018 profile with a gap in the suction surface. The last airfoil is the NACA 0018 profile which is 66% of the trailing edge cut from the chord length. All airfoil profiles were analyzed at the Reynolds number, Re=2x104, and angles of attack a=0o, 5o, 10o, 12o and 14o in both experiment and numerical studies. The experiments were carried out using the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) method in a closed-loop open water channel, and the timeaveraged velocity vectors, streamlines, and vorticity contours of the flow field were obtained. Subsequently, numerical analyses were performed using the ANSYS Fluent package program, one of the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) programs used frequently in the literature. The streamlines and pressure contours of the airfoil profiles have been compared visually at the same Re and different angles of attack. In addition, according to the angle of attack of the airfoil profiles, lift coefficient CL, drag coefficient CD, and the ratio of lift coefficient to drag coefficient CL/CD graphs were presented. It has been shown that the gap on the airfoil at high attack angles caused changes in lift (up to 0.7) and drag (up to 0.15). These features can allow these models to be used for different purposes in the aerodynamics field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serpentine air intake system is an essential requirement in modern combat aircraft. Flow control techniques are used to achieve the desired performance of flow uniformity and pressure recovery. Mechanical vane type vortex generator designed in the previous work is considered as a flow control technique. The performance of vortex generator at various off-design conditions of different subsonic throat Mach numbers and three different altitudes are of interest to this present study. Numerical simulations were performed for throat Mach numbers from 0.45 to 0.7 in the increment of 0.05, with and without vortex generator at sea level static inflow condition. Flow non-uniformity and pressure losses were found to increase with increase in Mach number. However, flow uniformity is better with vortex generators for all Mach numbers with slight reduction in total pressure recovery at sea level condition. In order to check the effect of increasing altitude, duct with VG was simulated for 6 km and 11 km altitudes. All the simulations are conducted with reducing the inlet total pressure from sea level to represent the altitude and varying the exit static pressure to arrive at the desired throat Mach number. In general, Reynolds number decreases with increasing altitudes and promotes the possibility of flow separation. While reduced pressure recovery was seen, DC-60 was lower at 6 km altitude for all the Mach numbers. Higher value of DC-60 at sea level condition is primarily due to the dynamic pressure at AIP. Generally, a threshold value of DC-60 is to be given as a design requirement. Present design of vortex generator has reduced DC-60 value from 29.7 to 20.7 at 0.65 Mach number and sea level condition with a maximum of 25 from all the other conditions, thereby proving its benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Separated flow inside a compressor cascade is a challenging and complicated issue in aero-engines. Severe flow separation is an important cause of rotational stall in compressors. It is well known that humpback whales have excellent underwater maneuverability owing to the presence of unique raised structures, called tubercles, in front of their flippers. Inspired by the foregoing, we introduced the leading-edge tubercles of humpback whales in the stator of a compressor. The effects of this approach on flow separation were investigated, particularly in the corner region. First, a suitable tubercle amplitude and wavelength were selected for the stator. The flow losses and flow characteristics of the baseline and bioinspired airfoil were numerically determined using the steady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) method. The feasibility of the numerical model was verified by comparison with available experimental results. The working conditions were then divided into three regions according to the flow characteristics. Typical working conditions representative of different loss characteristics were studied. Finally, the influence mechanism of the tubercle on flow separation at the corner region under three-dimensional flow-separation conditions was investigated. The results revealed that the leading-edge tubercles induced the formation of a pair of counter-rotating streamwise vortices, substantially reducing the flow separation at the front of the pressure side. This delayed the stall at high negative incidence angles by driving the low-momentum flow in the separation area to interact with the high-momentum main flow. The relative loss reduction improved by 9.65% at i=−20°. At high positive incidence angles, owing to blockage in the middle of the linear cascade, the induced vortices formed by each leading-edge tubercle converged into a larger vortex structure with a scale opposite to that of the passage vortex. They interacted with the passage vortex and corner vortex and suppress their development. Therefore, the tubercles effectively reduced corner separation and widened the stall boundary. The relative loss reduction improved by 9.35% at i=+9°. In this study, we evaluated the vortex and flow field structure of a secondary flow with the introduction of tubercles. The physical mechanism was numerically revealed using a linear cascade. The performance of the tubercles illustrated that the introduction of tubercles caused minimal additional losses in the region of low incidence angles. At high incidence angles, the tubercles induced a pair of counter-rotating streamwise vortices, effectively controlling corner separation and improving the aerodynamic performance. The relative loss reduction improved by 9.65% at i=−20° and by 9.35% at i=+9°. Thus, this paper presents a novel concept for the application of tubercles along the leading edge of a stator in a compressor. The tubercles were found to perform well, particularly under conditions with large flow separations. We can consider this as a new passive flow control method, similar to a vortex generator. This method may also be applied to control the flow separation in rotor or turbine blades and has potential applications in the fields of drag and noise reduction, stall suppression, and heat transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gurney flaps can enhance the hydrodynamic efficiency of airfoils, and they are currently used in several applications, including racing cars and wind turbines. However, there is a lack of studies in the literature on the application of Gurney flaps on the Horizontal Axis Ocean Current Turbine (HAOCT). The influence of Gurney flaps on the hydrodynamic efficiency of the HAOCT is evaluated through numerical analysis. The effect of the Gurney flaps on the turbine is evaluated after the validation of the utilized numerical method is completed using the wind tunnel experimental data of the two-dimensional NACA 63415 airfoil and the water tunnel experimental data of the NACA 638xx series rotor on the clean blade. By calculating the velocity and pressure fields of the 2D airfoil by CFD, it was possible to analyze the lift improvement with the addition of the Gurney flaps by evaluating the pressure difference between the pressure surface and the negative pressure surface, and the drag improvement was due to the Gurney flaps obstructing the chordal flow of the fluid in the wake. For the 2D NACA-63415 airfoil, the drag coefficient increases with the increase in the head angle, while the lift coefficient increases and then decreases. The flap height divided by the local chord length of the Gurney flaps is 0.01, and the lift-to-drag ratio is the highest when the head angle is 4°. For the NACA-638xx turbine, the addition of Gurney flaps significantly increases the axial thrust coefficient. At lower tip speed ratios, the effect of the Gurney flaps on the rotor's power coefficient is limited, with the greatest increase in the power coefficient at a tip speed ratio of 6 and a decrease in the power coefficient increase as the tip speed ratio increases. Increasing the height of the Gurney flaps can increase the peak power coefficient, but the power performance decreases at high tip speed ratios. The Gurney flaps distributed at the root of the rotor have less effect on the power performance. A 0.4 local radius spread of the Gurney flaps increases the peak turbine power coefficient by only 0.34%, while full-length Gurney flaps can increase the peaked blade power coefficient by 10.68%, indicating that Gurney flaps can be used to design a new HAOCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The passive flow control technology of using splitter blades in low-speed diffuser cascade was investigated in this study. Based on the Reynolds average Navier-Stokes calculations, the arrangement parameters of the splitter blades were studied in detail to determine the optimal parameters. The large-eddy simulation was performed on the base case and the optimized splitter blade case to obtain the transient vortex structures and unsteady flow characteristics of the cascade. The results show that the aerodynamic performance of the cascade was susceptible to the position of the splitter blades. The optimal position of the splitter blades was located in the middle of the main blades near the leading edge. When the cascade was arranged with optimized splitter blades, the static pressure coefficient was improved and the stall occurrence was delayed. The scale and intensity of the separation vortices generated on the suction surface of the main blade decreased. In addition, the separation vortices of the main blade and the splitter blade interacted and rapidly decomposed into small-scale vortices downstream of the cascade, reducing the flow loss. The stability of the cascade was enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a continuation of work previously performed by the author on grooved propellers, numerical investigations are performed on Applied Precision Composites 10×7 Slow Flyer propeller. Computational Fluid Dynamics is used to analyze the novel propeller design. The grooved sections considered have a rectangular geometry measuring 0.1×0.1mm and are interchangeably located at 0.09c, 0.17c, 0.32c and 0.42c from the leading edge in a dual grooved configuration. The results of the study showed that the presence of grooves had modified the flow characteristics only to detrimentally impact the thrust performance. However, the grooves improved power performance due to torque reduction. The analysis of the results showed that, for most models, there is lower torque relative to the baseline in the low-to-medium advance ratio operating range. The improvement in torque however, did not improve efficiency in the models.

An experimental investigation has been undertaken to determine the effects of plain and notched base flaps on the drag performance of simplified tractor-trailer combination without any intermediate gap, Generalized European Transport System (GETS). Both plain and notched base flaps are rigid, made up of three identical flaps whose length is equal to the width of the GETS model, and not angled inward or outward. The experiments examined three-sided flap configurations corresponding to various combinations of seven heights of the plain part (from 10 to 40 mm in steps of 5 mm), four notch amplitudes (from 2.5 to 10 mm in steps of 2.5 mm), and five notch wavelengths (from 10 to 50 mm in steps of 10 mm). It is shown that the drag performance of the plain flap at zero yaw highly depends on the height of the plain flap. The maximum drag reduction occurs for e/w=0.1 yielding a drag reduction of 1.9% when compared to the GETS model without flap (baseline GETS). It was shown that the time-averaged drag coefficient increased slightly until a maximum was reached at e/w=0.3 but then decreased slightly with increasing e/w. Under zero yaw angle conditions, GETS model with a notched base flap, e10-a05.0-λ20, gives the lowest drag. The addition of this base flap to the GETS model resulted in a 2.8% drag reduction. This notched base flap was shown to be more effective not only at reducing under yawed flow conditions tested but also at reducing time-averaged side coefficient under yawed flow conditions tested, compared to the e10-a00.0-λ00 flap.

Vortices belong to the most important phenomena in fluid dynamics and play an essential role in many engineering applications. They can act detrimentally by harnessing the flow energy and reducing the efficiency of an aerodynamic device, whereas in other cases, their presence can be exploited to achieve targeted flow conditions. The control of the vortex parameters is desirable in both cases. In this paper, we introduce an optimization strategy for the control of vortices in the wake of a bluff body. Flow modelling is based on RANS and DES computations, validated by experimental data. The algorithm for vortex identification and characterization is based on the triple decomposition of motion. It produces a quantitative measure of vortex strength which is used to define the objective function in the optimization procedure. It is shown how the shape of an aerodynamic device can be altered to achieve the desired characteristics of vortices in its wake. The studied case is closely related to flame holders for combustion applications, but the conceptual approach has a general applicability to vortex control.

The purpose of this experimental work was to investigate the role of the leading-edge wavy shape technique on the performance of small-scale HAWT fixed-pitch rotor blades operating under off-design conditions. Geometric parameters such as amplitude and wavelength were considered design variables to generate five different wavy shape blade models in order to increase the aerodynamic performance of the rotor with a diameter of 280 mm. A dedicated airfoil type S822 for small wind turbine application from the NREL Airfoil Family was chosen to fulfil both the aerodynamic and structural aspects of the blades. Rotor models were tested in a wind tunnel for different wind speeds while maintaining constant rotational speed to provide the blade-tip chord Reynolds number of 4.7 × 104. The corrected tunnel data, in terms of power coefficients and tip-speed ratios, were compared first with the literature to validate the experimental approach, and then among themselves. It was observed that for minimal sizes of tubercles, the performance of the rotor increases by about 40% compared to the RB1 baseline rotor model for a low tip-speed ratio. Conversely, for the maximum size of the tubercles, there is a marked decrease of about 51% of the rotor performance for a moderate tip-speed ratio compared to the RB1 rotor model. Among these models, specifically, the RB2 rotor model with the smallest values of amplitude and wavelength provides a 2.8% higher peak power coefficient compared to the RB1 rotor model, and at the same time preserves higher performance values for a broad range of tip-speed ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]