Electrowetting heat pipes (EHPs) are a newly conceptualized class of heat pipes, wherein the adiabatic wick section is replaced by electrowetting-based pumping of the condensate (as droplets) to the evaporator. Specific advantages include the ability to transport high heat loads over long distances, low thermal resistance and power consumption, and the absence of moving mechanical parts. In this work, we describe characterization of key microfluidic operations (droplet motion and splitting) underlying the EHP on the International Space Station (ISS). A rapid manufacturing method was used to fabricate the electrowetting device on a printed circuit board. Key device-related considerations were to ensure reliability and package the experimental hardware within a confined space. Onboard the ISS, experiments were conducted to study electrowetting-based droplet motion and droplet splitting, by imaging droplet manipulation operations via pre-programmed electrical actuation sequences. An applied electric field of 36 Volts/um resulted in droplet speeds approaching 10 mm/s. Droplet splitting dynamics was observed and the time required to split droplets was quantified. Droplet motion data was analyzed to estimate the contact line friction coefficient. Overall, this demonstration is the first-ever electrowetting experiment in space. The obtained results are useful for future design of the EHP and other electrowetting-based systems for microgravity applications. The testing was performed under the Advanced Passive Thermal eXperiment (APTx) project, a project to test a suite of passive thermal control devices funded by the ISS Technology Demonstration Office at NASA JSC.

In the last two decades, researchers have implemented two-dimensional (2D) Finite Element (FE) simulations of particle-reinforced composites for various purposes, including prediction of effective properties and failure modes. The present work aspires to examine the validity of the hypothesis that 2D FE simulations can provide accurate predictions for various thermomechanical properties of high volume fraction (VF) particle-reinforced composites. For this purpose, the random sequential adsorption (RSA) algorithm is implemented to generate FE simulations of various composites. The uniqueness in the methodology of the present work is in the generation of FE simulation of composites with more than two material types as reinforcement, as well as thorough and concurrent comparison of multiple thermal and mechanical properties. The adequacy of the simulations is verified statistically, and the results are compared to predictions from established schemes as well as certain experimental findings. These comparisons show that the predictive power of 2D FE simulations is lower for elastic properties, and higher for coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and thermal conductivity of particle-reinforced composites. The findings of this research can guide the researchers in making better decisions for implementing Finite Element Method (FEM) for designing high VF composites.

Due to the coastal wave actions, Louisiana coastline has been experiencing serious depletion of wetlands over decades. The loss of wetlands is threating the environment and the economic development of Louisiana. Therefore, breakwaters are designed to protect the coastline from coastal erosion and wetland losses by dissipating the energy of waves and changing the transport of sediment which is brought by the waves. The objective of this research was to give a numerical analysis of 2-dimensional breakwaters under wave actions and 3-dimensional breakwaters turbulence characteristics under coastal wave actions using CFD simulation. In this research, three breakwater structures are tested: a solid panel with no holes, a panel with three holes, and a panel with eight holes. The breakwater designs aim to allow sediment pass through the holes, to deposit and accumulate sediment at target areas, and to reduce wave actions. There were three different cases simulated with wave actions and without wave actions in this study, each case using a different panel design. The results of this study were mainly compared with the 2-dimensional CFD simulation analysis conducted previously to prove the accuracy.

Numerical and experimental studies performed to develop nanocomposites with varying carbon nanotube (CNT) alignment density within an epoxy matrix are presented. A 3-D numerical model has been developed that looks at the behavior of CNTs in epoxy resin subjected to non-uniform electric fields by explicitly accounting for electric field coupled with fluid flow and particle motion considering the transient resin viscosity. The transient nature of resin viscosity has been incorporated into the simulation study with data related to resin viscosity variation with time and temperature generated experimentally. The response of CNTs due to the induced dielectrophoretic force was studied using the numerical model. The model facilitated the design of an optimal electrode configuration for the processing of variable density composites. A computer controlled Arduino UNO based circuitry was developed to control supply of voltage to the electrodes during sample fabrication. The circuit was then integrated with AC voltage supply units and the electrode set-up for fabricating the variable density composite samples. Low weight fractions of CNTs (0.05 wt.% and 0.1 wt.%) in epoxy resin were used for the experimental work and preliminary experimental studies were conducted. Electrical characterization results of the variable density nanocomposites indicate over 100% and 30% increase in electrical resistance measured across sample widths in 0.05 wt.% and 0.1 wt.% CNT samples, respectively. The measured sample resistance values confirmed that variation in CNT alignment density was achieved across the samples.

In armored platforms industry, the dominant material solution for ballistic transparency protection applications is relatively low-cost polycarbonate matrix glass. This research work aims to investigate the effects of geometrical designs of the amalgamated layers, engineering characteristics of the materials, and the interaction of both on the ballistic resistance of the transparent armor. The resulted models are used to analyze the strength feasibility of the material in the cost base. Ballistic measurements over a wide range of impact velocities including those well above the ballistic limits are deployed to the model. Under simple loading conditions, the polycarbonate matrix glass or ceramic can be regarded as elastic-brittle materials, however, when considering ballistic impacts the post-yield response of the ceramic becomes significant. A post-yield response model of ceramic materials is used for simulating the characteristics. The model incorporates the effect of damage on residual material strength and the resulting bulking during the compressive failure of the ceramic. A combination of relevant factors including the ability to dissipate ballistic energy and manufacturing processes was considered for the proper evaluation and selection of the armor. The model has been implemented into computer software to predict unsuccessful solutions and optimize the amalgamation with capabilities of defeating a wider range of ballistic impacts. The results will show more physical insight of the behavior and performance of the complex armor systems and provide guidelines/principles for the design and selection of the constituent materials.

Multiphase flow is commonly found in almost every process related to oil and gas industry. The precise prediction of the flow behavior is essential to provide safe and efficient hydrocarbon recovery. An accurate characterization of multiphase flow plays a major role in well design optimization and development of successful production and transportation facilitiess. Even though the hydrodynamic behavior of multiphase flow in various pipe geometries typically found in the industry has been widely studied, there is still very little known about the flow pattern and hydrodynamic conditions presented in horizontal annular geometry. Current work presents Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation of two-phase oil-water flow in horizontal concentric annuli using different turbulence models and Eulerian-Eulerian continuous-disperse interphase drag model. Water was modelled as disperse phase, while oil was considered as continuous phase. Effect of water droplet diameter in the interphase model is extensively discussed in this paper. Results of the simulations are compared to the experimental data for a variety of liquid velocities and water cuts.

This study investigates the effect of membrane properties — porosity, membrane thickness, and pore radius — on the performance of vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) process by achieving computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations on a three-dimensional domain of interest at fixed flow properties. The finite volume method (FVM) is adopted to solve momentum, solute mass transport, and energy equations in the feed channel. To accurately predict the rate of water vapor diffused through the membrane by Knudsen and viscous diffusion mechanism, local concentration, temperature, and flux are coupled at the membrane surfaces. In accordance with the flux, corresponding gradients for temperature and concentration are applied at the membrane boundaries. Since there is a strong coupling of flow properties at the membrane surface, the employed model is validated against an experimental study and further used to characterize the effect of PTFE membrane properties on permeate flux, temperature polarization, and concentration polarization. We found that different set of membrane design parameters substantially changes the total mass flux. The contribution of both viscous and Knudsen mechanism is comparable and, as such, prevents us neglecting neither of them. The temperature and concentration polarization are even more undesirable level for the larger pore sizes.

Radial fans for industrial applications are very commonly operated with a spiral casing, also called volute. The function of the volute is to collect the air from the impellers outlet and to transport it to the fans outlet. In the volute the tangential velocity component of the impeller is transformed in a straight velocity component at the volute’s outlet. In the volute the static pressure is increased according to the cross sectional area of the volute. When the flow exits the impeller the flow rate is given basically by the radial velocity component times the outlet area of the impeller. In the volute, however, the flow rate is basically given by the tangential velocity component at the impeller exit and in the volute considering the conservation of angular momentum. Hence, there is only one operating point, i.e. the design point of the volute, where the flow rate in the impeller matches the flow rate in the volute. In the literature the design of the volute is performed at the design point only and the cross sectional area of the volute is usually computed distributing the flow rate linearly from the tongue to the exit of the volute. In this work an extended theoretical approach was developed considering the design point flow rate and off design flow rates. At the design point, the properties of the specific impeller, i.e. it’s radial and its tangential velocity components at the impeller’s exit are considered to design the volute. Furthermore, also the off-design characteristics of the impeller, i.e. its radial and tangential velocity components are considered in the design process of the volute. The flow rates in the impeller and in the volute match only at the design point, at off-design points the flow rates in the impeller and in the volute are different. This has an important impact on the design process of impeller – volute units. Each volute has also to be matched to the specific impeller. In the numerical part a usual volute was designed considering the properties of a particular impeller. The performance of the volute and of complete fan was investigated with the commercial Navier–Stokes Solver ANSYS CFX. A detailed analysis of the results and the flow conditions in volute as well as in the impeller-volute unit and a comparison with the results predicted by the new volute theory is given.

An optimization of modified shrouded impeller with a curved spacer to suppress the unsteady flow recirculation was pursed. Centrifugal pumps are required to sustain a stable operation of the system they support under all operating conditions. Effect of minor geometrical modifications on the flow inside the three dimensional impeller passages are yet not fully understood, leading to costly trial and error approaches in the solution of instability problems. The idea of using a curved spacer to enhance the specified centrifugal impeller characteristics was validated. This modification with positioning the successful curved spacer prototype model at the impeller inlet section provided a wider pressure operation range at both low and high flow rates in a high-speed centrifugal pump type. Seven curved spacer models were numerically analyzed in combination with the same original closed type impeller. The research investigated the effects of each inlet curved spacer model on the impeller’s performance improvement. The flow field inside a centrifugal pump is known to be fully turbulent, three-dimensional, and unsteady associated with secondary flow recirculation and separation at the impeller’s inlet and exit section. The rotor-stator interaction mechanisms or other unsteady effects often influence the water flow. The present research addresses the problem of Net Positive Suction Head Required (NPSHR) increase due to flow recirculation at the impeller suction side. The three dimensional unsteady water flow inside different models were analyzed by using a 3-D Navier-Stokes code with a standard k-ε turbulence model. The computational domain consists of four main zones: inlet, impeller hub, vanes, and outlet. The measurements with test rig were conducted for the pump hydraulic performances and flow field in the impeller passages. The numerical simulation and experimental tests of prototype performance concluded: (1) Positioning a 3-D curved spacer at the impeller inlet section has a great impact on the centrifugal pump performance. (2) Favorite effects were achieved on impeller performance by separating the inlet flow region into two lanes. (3) The curved spacer resulted in improvement of closed impeller inlet static and total pressure values. (4) Q-ΔP-η data and flow structures in the impeller passages were analyzed.

Air bearing is future main supporting way of high-speed machinery such as turbocharger, micro gas-turbine engine. Foil bearing is a new type of air bearing which is lubricated by the thin-film air with its self-adapting elastic foil structure. It has many significant advantages such as non-pollution, longer working life, higher reliability, and lower friction loss. Different from foil journal bearing, in present the study of foil thrust bearing is extremely insufficient, especially about how to accurately predict the pressure distribution and efficiently improve the bearing capacity. The pressure distribution prediction of foil thrust bearing air film directly impacts the bearing stiffness and damping design, and then influences bearing capacity. The Reynolds equation commonly used to do such estimation is not accurate enough since the influence of temperature on air property parameters is ignored. The inaccurate prediction leads a catastrophic reduction to the bearing performance. In order to solve this problem, we propose a model to accurately predict the pressure distribution and capacity of foil thrust bearing using CFD method, as well estimating the relationship between air film clearance thickness, rotation speed, environment temperature and the capacity. Firstly, we simulate the pressure distribution of air film and then evaluate the simulation result by constrained experiments. We also correct the simulation by using modified air parameters obtained from experiment. The experimental results indicate our corrected simulation model is accurate with error less than 4%. Secondly, we compare simulation and experiment pressure results under different conditions. The model accuracy sensitivity varies within 10% under different rotation speed, air film clearance thickness and environment temperature. Finally, we use corrected model to analyze capacity impact parameters. We find the capacity of bearing increases with the decreasing of average air film clearance thickness under fixed speed of the thrust disc. The smaller clearance thickness is, the more influence its variation has on the bearing capacity. Meanwhile, the capacity of the bearing decreases with the reducing thrust disc speed under constant clearance thickness, and it decreases more obviously in the lower speed. The capacity reaches its largest under 200 °C and it falls with the increases or decreases of environment temperature. The model in this paper provides important theoretical foundation when designing the stiffness, damping and temperature control of each bearing area.

Subsea separation is an attractive and economic solution to develop deep offshore oil and gas fields producing fluid without hydrate or wax. The subsea separation system should be reliable to ensure successful operation in a wide range of multiphase flow regime. A subsea separator can avoid or simplifying costly surface platforms of floating vessels, as well as being an efficient tool to enhance hydrocarbon production. One solution of interest is the separation and re-injection of water at the seabed to avoid bringing the water up to the surface facility. In this study, liquid-liquid flow characteristics inside in-line type subsea separation system are investigated for the design of subsea separation system. The separation efficiency of the subsea separator is determined through experiments that are the liquid-liquid phased separation. Also internal swirl element (ISE) modeling of the separator was optimized. The analysis results were utilized to improve the reliability and efficiency of the subsea separation system.

An adaptable numerical scheme for the aerodynamic shape optimization of axisymmetric diffuser-augmented wind turbine shrouds is demonstrated in this work, using an asynchronous and parallel version of a Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm. The simulation of the incompressible flow field about each candidate geometry is succeeded by means of an in-house Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) solver, that has been developed based on the specially modified, by the artificial compressibility approach, Navier-Stokes equations, expressed in non-dimensional form, for 2D-axisymmetric frames of reference. The discretization of the computational domain is made with 2D hybrid unstructured meshes, composed by both triangular and quadrilateral elements, combined with a node-centered finite-volume scheme, while the Free-Form Deformation (FFD) technique is applied, for both the parameterization of the design geometry and the morphing of the computational mesh. The required data transfer between the DE algorithm and the CFD solver is accomplished with appropriate text files, while the parallel implementation is achieved utilizing the Message Passing Interface (MPI) library functions. Further acceleration of the optimization procedure is succeeded by the combination of the DE with surrogate models, in order to replace the costly CFD-based evaluations of the candidate solutions with fast, but approximate estimations of their cost function.

Numerical simulations with the steady 3D RANS were performed on a 4-stage low speed research compressor (LSRC) with two typical configurations (a shrouded and a redesigned cantilevered stator of the third stator). The shrouded stator (SS) with 0.67% labyrinth seal clearance of the blade height is the prototype, and the cantilevered stator (CS) with 1.2% hub clearance of the blade height is the redesigned cantilevered stator. The fourth rotor that follows after the cantilevered stator was redesigned (RE) according to blade load and inlet flow angle changed based on the redesigned cantilevered stator. The overall performance of the 4-stage LSRC and the distribution of aerodynamic parameters along the blade height were compared between the prototype and the redesigned third stator. Flow characteristics of the third stator and fourth rotor were analyzed in detail. The results indicate that the flow characteristics below the 35% blade height are very different between the prototype and the redesigned due to the effect of leakage flow from seal cavity and hub gap, respectively. The stall margin of CS is 57% higher than SS. The efficiency of CS at the design point is 0.82% higher than SS. Through the redesigned process of R4, the stall margin of RE is 45% higher than CS and the efficiency of R4 is 0.6% higher on average over the entire operating range.

The root region of small wind turbines experience low Reynolds number (Re) flow that makes it difficult to design airfoils that provide good aerodynamic performance and at the same time, provide structural strength. In the present work, a multi-objective genetic algorithm code was used to design airfoils that are suitable for the root region of small wind turbines. A composite Bezier curve with two Bezier segments and 16 control points (11 of them controlled) was used to parametrize the airfoil problem. Geometric constraints including suitable curvature conditions were enforced to maintain the airfoil thickness between 18% and 22% of chord and a trailing edge thickness of 3% of chord. The objectives were to maximize the lift-to-drag ratio for both clean and soiled conditions. Optimization was done by coupling the flow solver to a genetic algorithm code written in C++, at Re = 200,000 and for angles of attack of 4 and 10 degrees, as the algorithm was found to give smooth variation of lift-to-drag ratio within such a range. The best airfoil from the results was tested in the wind tunnel as well as using ANSYS-CFX. The experimental airfoil had a chord length of 75 mm and was provided with 33 pressure taps. Testing was done for both free and forced transition cases. The airfoil gave the highest lift-to-drag ratio at an angle of 6 degrees with the ratio varying very little between 4 degrees and 8 degrees. Forced transition at 8% of chord did not show significant change in the performance indicating that the airfoil will perform well even in soiled condition. Fixed trailing edge flaps (Gurney flaps) were provided right at the trailing edge on the lower surface. The lift and drag behavior of the airfoil was then studied with Gurney Flaps of 2% and 3% heights, as it was found from previous studies that flap heights of 1% or greater than 3% do not give optimum results. The flaps considerably improved the suction on the upper surface and also improved the pressure on the lower surface, resulting in a higher lift coefficient; at the same time, there was also an increase in the drag coefficient but it was less compared to the increase in the lift coefficient. The results indicate that Gurney flaps can be effectively used to improve the performance of thick trailing edge airfoils designed for the root region of small wind turbines.

Vacuum and low pressures are needed in many applications, and the liquid-ring vacuum pump, which does not have any solid-solid contacts between moving and stationary parts, is widely used because of its low operational cost and long service life. Though progress has been made in advancing this pump, industry still has aggressive goals on improving its efficiency and performance. In this study, a reduced-order model was developed to predict the ability of liquid-ring pumps to ingest air and thereby create lower pressure as a function of pump design and operating parameters. The model developed is semi-empirical — constructed by first analyzing available experimental data to extract features and trends and then encapsulating them into a model through appropriate dimensionless parameters. This model by being in closed form shows the functional relationship between the pump’s design and operating parameters and its ability to ingest air and create a vacuum. To make predictions, this model only requires the following inputs: suction pressure, impeller’s rotational speed, and a few dimensions of the pump. The model developed was assessed by using it to predict the ability of the pump to ingest air for a wide range of suction pressures (cavitation pressure to 760 torr), rotor speeds (up to 1,750 rpm), and dimensions of the pump (radius and span of the impeller blade, hub radius) and then comparing predictions with experimental data not used in the creation of the model. The model developed was found to be accurate within 11% of the experimental data.

Ram air turbine (RAT) is an emergency power source to supply power in case of the main engine and auxiliary engine lost power. Which can extract energy from airflow through rotating turbine. So it is important to investigate turbine aerodynamic performances. According to some type of RAT, we established a numerical model based on Navier–Stokes equation in rotating frames of reference. Calculation domain is divided into three fluid domains. All three regions are linked in the form of interface. Aerodynamic performance of RAT is simulated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) soft. The extracted power and rotor power coefficient are analyzed under different running conditions. Next, we also investigate RAT aerodynamic performance at different pitch angle and turbine speed. The pressure and velocity distribution on the blade surface are studied. Besides, the method of multiple rotation frame (MRF) is used to simulate mixed flow field of the RAT which pitch angle is adjustable. The simulation results show that: turbine output power and rotor power coefficient can meet the needs of aircraft by adjusting the pitch angle under various operation conditions. The optimal operating point could be obtained by calculating RAT aerodynamic performance. The distribution of blade surface pressure and velocity could provide an important reference for the optimization of turbine blade designing. MRF can be used to calculate turbine aerodynamic performance.

In the sport of basketball, it is important to practice shooting the ball to develop the skill of making the shot in the basket at a high efficiency. Making shots at a high efficiency allows the player to succeed at a high level in the sport. The main focus of the paper describes the design and development of an automatic basketball rebound (ABR) system. The developed ABR provides a system that will launch the ball back to the player at any position on the court within a 50-foot radius. This is accomplished by a variable spring loaded launching mechanism that will compress a spring, depending on the players location, to generate the appropriate force required to launch the ball back to the player. The novel launching mechanism developed is mounted to a rotary table that ensures the launching mechanism is in the correct orientation with the player once the ball is launched. The player is outfitted with an inertial measurement unit to track their position using a method known as dead reckoning. This information is relayed back to a microcontroller that determines the system response. The ABR system is made from lightweight materials and is compact such that it is easy to move around compared to its predecessors.

A number of cars are found to have an unconventional radiator. The radiator is placed at the back of the car instead of front, for which the radiator does not get the incoming airflow to cool the engine down and the engine gets overheated very easily. In order to deal with this problem, a channel has been mounted at the top of the vehicle to navigate incoming air flow and direct it through the radiator to cool down the engine. Three channels are tested computationally with three different lengths, which indicates the different way of studying this problem. Transient state analysis has been performed. Each length has its own characteristics. For example, a longer channel creates little circulation but more axial flow towards the radiator, while shorter channel creates smooth but less axial flow towards the radiator. All these cases in the steady state have the same domain and will have similar inlet variables like velocity, shape, size, and position. A transient state simulation, most of the circulation were shown in the left-mid plane especially in longer channels. Transient state gives more uniform flow distribution. For longer channels in transient case, the flow is symmetric and smooth, while the flow is not found symmetric for short channel. The results were all made and developed in ANSYS for the final design where the data were simulated.

Engineering decisions that have the greatest effect on worker and public safety occur early in the design process. During these decisions, engineers rely on their experience and intuition to estimate the severity and likelihood of undesired future events like failures, equipment damage, injuries, or environmental harm. These initial estimates can then form the basis of investment of limited project resources in mitigating those risks. Behavioral economics suggests that most people make significant and predictable errors when considering high consequence, low probability events. These biases have not previously been studied quantitatively in the context of engineering decisions, however. This paper describes preliminary results from a set of computerized experiments with engineering students estimating, prioritizing, and making design decisions related to risk. The undergraduate students included in this experiment were more likely to underestimate than overestimate the risk of failure. They were also more optimistic of the effects of efforts to mitigate risk than the evidence suggested. These results suggest that considerably more effort is needed to understand the characteristics and qualities of these biases in risk estimation, and understand what kinds of intervention might best ameliorate these biases and enable engineers to more effectively identify and manage the risks of technology.

Experimental toxicology studies for the purposes of setting occupational exposure limits for aerosols have drawbacks including excessive time and cost which could be overcome or limited by the development of computational approaches. A quantitative, analytical relationship between the characteristics of emerging nanomaterials and related toxicity is desired to better assist in the subsequent mitigation of toxicity by design. Quantitative structure activity relationships (QSAR’s) and meta-analyses are popular methods used to develop predictive toxicity models. A meta-analysis for investigation of the dose-response and recovery relationship in a variety of engineered nanoparticles was performed using a clustering-based approach. The primary objective of the clustering is to categorize groups of similarly behaving nanoparticles leading to the identification of any physicochemical differences between the various clusters and evaluate their contributions to toxicity. The studies are grouped together based on their similarity of their dose-response and recovery relationship, the algorithm utilizes hierarchical clustering to classify the different nanoparticles. The algorithm uses the Akaike information criterion (AIC) as the performance metric to ensure there is no overfitting in the clusters. The results from the clustering analysis of 2 types of engineered nanoparticles namely Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and Metal oxide nanoparticles (MONPs) for 5 response variables revealed that there are at least 4 or more toxicologically distinct groups present among the nanoparticles on the basis of similarity of dose-response. Analysis of the attributes of the clusters reveals that they also differ on the basis of their length, diameter and impurity content. The analysis was further extended to derive no-observed-adverse-effect-levels (NOAEL’s) for the clusters. The NOAELs for the “Long and Thin” variety of CNTs were found to be the lowest, indicating that those CNTs showed the earliest signs of adverse effects.