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The purpose of this study is to suppress secondary flows and improve aerodynamic performance of a centrifugal impeller.

A multi-objective optimisation design system was described. The optimization design system was composed of a three-dimensional (3D) inverse design, multi-objective optimisation and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. First, the control parameter ΔCp for the secondary flows was derived and selected as the optimisation objective. Then, aimed at minimising ΔCp, a 3D inverse design for impellers with different blade loading distributions and blade lean angles was completed and multi-objective optimisation was conducted. Lastly, the improvement in the distribution of secondary flows and aerodynamic performance of the optimal impeller was demonstrated by CFD analysis.

The study derived the control parameter ΔCp for the secondary flows. ΔCp can indicate the distribution of secondary flows both near the blade pressure and suction surfaces. As ΔCp decreased, secondary flows decreased. The blade loading distribution with fore maximum blade loading at the shroud and aft maximum blade loading at the hub, coupled with a small negative blade lean angle, could help suppress secondary flows and improve aerodynamic efficiency.

A direct control method on internal flow field characteristic-secondary flows by optimisation design was proposed for a centrifugal impeller. The impeller optimisation design process saves time by avoiding substantial CFD sample calculations.

Two‐dimensional finite difference calculations are carried out to study laminar flow in longitudinal and transverse convection rolls for three different geometries: a single rectangular cavity with high aspect ratio; a double cavity with a thin separation sheet; and a double cavity with a separation sheet and a honeycomb structure. The equations for the convection‐diffusion in the fluid and conduction in the solid region are solved simultaneously. Good agreement with experimental data is achieved for Rayleigh numbers not too high above the critical value for the onset of secondary convection rolls (Ra < 8500 for vertical and Ra < 2700 for horizontal cavities filled with air). Simulation fails for inclined cavities, where the flow structure is essentially three‐dimensional.

This paper aims to present the results of a design optimization study for the impeller of a small mixed‐flow compressor. The objective of the optimization is to obtain an impeller geometry that could minimize a cost function based on the specific thrust and the thrust specific fuel consumption of a small turbojet engine.

The design methodology is based on an optimization process that uses a configurational database for various compressor geometries. The database is constructed using design of experiments and the compressor configurations are generated using one‐dimensional in‐house design codes, as well as various tools and programs of the Agile Engineering Design System^®, which is a commercially available turbomachinery design system developed at Concepts NREC. The cost function variations within the design space are represented through a neural network. The optimum configuration that minimizes the cost function is obtained using a direct search optimization procedure.

The optimization study generated a small 86 mm diameter mixed‐flow impeller with a 50° meridional exit angle. The optimized compressor, as well as the engine that it is designed for, were shown to have improved performance characteristics.

Preliminary performance and flow analysis of the optimized impeller show shock structures and possible shock‐boundary layer interactions within the blade passages indicating further geometrical fine tuning may be required based on more detailed computational studies or experimental tests.

A further study including the effect of diffuser is required to carry the results to a more practical level.

The originality and the value of the paper comes mainly from two different aspects: combining various in‐house and commercial turbomachinery design codes in one robust methodology to obtain an optimum mixed‐flow compressor impeller that will maximize the performance requirements of a small unmanned air vehicle (UAV) turbojet engine under restricted size and power conditions; and investigation of the design optimization and analysis of a mixed‐flow compressor that could have potential applications in small jet engines to be used in high‐performance UAV applications. Design optimization studies on this type of compressor are very limited in the open literature. For many years, these compressors have been disregarded because of their bulky design in large‐scale engines. However, as mentioned above, they present a great potential for small‐scale jet engines by supplying enough pressure rise, as well as high mass flow rate compared to their centrifugal counterparts.

This study aims to complete the optimization design of a centrifugal impeller with both high aerodynamic efficiency and good structural machinability.

First, the design parameters were derived from the blade loading distribution and the meridional geometry in the impeller three-dimensional (3D) inverse design. The blade wrap angle at the middle span surface and the spanwise averaged blade angle at the blade leading edge obtained from inverse design were chosen as the machinability objectives. The aerodynamic efficiency obtained by computational fluid dynamics was selected as the aerodynamic performance objective. Then, using multi-objective optimization with the optimal Latin hypercube method, quadratic response surface methodology and the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm, the trade-off optimum impellers with small blade wrap angles, large blade angles and high aerodynamic efficiency were obtained. Finally, computational fluid dynamics and computer-aided manufacturing were performed to verify the aerodynamic performance and structural machinability of the optimum impellers.

Providing the fore maximum blade loading distribution at both the hub and shroud for the 3D inverse design helped to promote the structural machinability of the designed impeller. A straighter hub coupled with a more curved shroud also facilitated improvement of the impeller’s structural machinability. The preferred impeller was designed by providing both the fore maximum blade loading distribution at a relatively straight hub and a curved shroud for 3D inverse design.

The machining difficulties of the designed high-efficiency impeller can be reduced by reducing blade wrap angle and enlarging blade angle at the beginning of impeller design. It is of practical value in engineering by avoiding the follow-up failure for the machining of the designed impeller.

The purpose of this paper is to study the transient cavitation process in torque converters with a particular focus on cavitation suppression with a passive flow control technique.

The transient fluid field in a torque converter was simulated by RANS-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in a full three-dimensional (3D) model. A homogeneous Rayleigh–Plesset cavitation model was used to simulate the transient cavitation process and the results were validated with test data. Various secondary flow passages (SFP) were applied to the stator blade. The cavitation behavior and hydrodynamic performance were simulated and compared to investigate the effect of SFP geometries on cavitation suppression.

Presented results show that cavitation in the torque converter is highly unstable at stall operating condition because of the combination of a high incidence angle and high flow velocity. The addition of an SFP to the stator blade produces a disruption of the re-entrant jet and reduces the overall degree of cavitation, consequently inhibiting the unstable cavitation and reducing performance degradation.

This paper provides unique insights into the complicated transient cavitation flow patterns found in torque converters and introduces effective passive flow control techniques useful to researchers and engineers in the areas of fluid dynamics and turbomachinery.

A numerical study is performed to investigate flow instability phenomena in a square channel with steady, laminar throughflow. The channel rotates around an axis perpendicular to the channel longitudinal axis. The flow field extends from the channel entrance to a distance of 120 to 600Dh. The range of Reynolds number is Re = 300−2000. The inlet flow velocity is assumed uniform. Surface vorticity intensity is introduced to indicate the variation of vortices. It is revealed that at intermediate Reynolds numbers (680 > Re > 300), the flow is characterized by three vortex patterns: at slow rotation there is one vortex pair; at intermediate rotation a secondary vortex, in addition to the original vortex, emerges near the trailing wall and then breaks down downstream; and at rapid rotation the secondary vortex does not exist with the flow being restabilized to form a single‐pair vortex pattern. At low Reynolds numbers (Re ≤ 300), the flow exhibits a single‐pair vortex pattern, while at high Reynolds numbers (Re ≥ 680), the flow experiences the emergence and breakdown of a secondary vortex, but no restabilization is found with an increase in the rotational speed. It is also disclosed that the variation of the vortices is related to the distance from the inlet.

The purpose of this research is to study and investigate the flow control of 0.8 Mach jet using three tab configurations. The tabs with the slots will eventually lead to generation of vortices and thus enhances the mixing characteristics.

The jet flow control is achieved by the usage of three tabs, namely, Tab A, Tab B and Tab C that are placed at the exit plane of the convergent nozzle at 180 degrees apart. Three tabs with different slot profile are designed with the same constant blockage ratio of 7.3%. The tabs produce vortices of varying sizes that directly influence and modify the jet structure, thereby enhancing the efficiency in mass entrainment and mixing. The tabs are studied numerically first and then are compared with the results of the experiments.

The results are compared with that of the results of the uncontrolled jet. For Mach 0.8 jet, Tab C is found to reduce the core length and gives reduction of 90.23%, in comparison to Tab A and Tab B, which provides 84.1% and 87.79%, respectively. The results of numerical are then compared with the centerline results obtained via experiments. With the engagement of Tabs A, B and C, the jet structure is seen to have been modified at Mach 0.8 with Tab C performing better.

The tabs are a passive control device that can be practically enabled in the aircraft nozzles to control the flow and even suppress the noise emanated by the jet. Tabs can be effectively used for better thrust vector control and assist in jet noise suppression. Thus, this study on tabs and its uses are important and essential in aerospace technology.

This particular study on mechanical slotted tabs is innovatively carried out by designing the tabs in such a way that one such has not been designed before. The slots run through the adjacent sides of the tabs which is a novelty in itself, whereas perforations made only through the opposite sides of the tabs are studied by various researchers till now. The slots in the adjacent faces modify the flow physics in such a way that it enhances mixing by the creation of turbulence because of the interaction between the main stream and the secondary jet exactly at the core. So far, such slots and profiles are not investigated. By the usage of such tabs, the flow to mix faster is much closer to the core of the jet by creating mixed size vortices and thus has higher efficiency.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the convective heat transfer in swirl tubes, which are obtained by roto‐translating a circular section eccentric with respect to the rotation axis. The geometry is numerically investigated with the aim of evaluating the convective heat transfer enhancement effect due to the secondary flow induced by the centrifugal force.

The governing equations, i.e. continuity, momentum and energy equations, are integrated numerically within Comsol Multiphysics^® environment, under the assumption of incompressible Newtonian and constant properties fluid and of periodically fully developed laminar flow for what concerns both the hydrodynamic and the thermal problem under the uniform wall heat flux thermal boundary condition.

The heat transfer performance of the geometry is discussed in relation to the flow pattern. In particular, the numerical results show that two different stable flow regimes may exist, according to the ratio of the Reynolds number to the dimensionless helix pitch. The Nusselt number augmentation becomes significant for high Prandtl number fluids when a critical Re/P* value, corresponding to the onset of the centrifugal forces induced secondary flow, is reached.

The geometry here investigated represents an interesting solution to enhance the convective heat transfer in situations in which the flow, although disturbed, persists in the laminar regime. This type of enhanced tubes shows then interesting heat transfer performances (which becomes particularly significant for high Prandtl number values) by thus suggesting convenient applications also for highly viscous fluids which are often treated under the laminar flow regime.

This study aims to investigate the morphing concepts able to manipulate the dynamics of the downstream unsteadiness in the separated shear layers and, in the wake, be able to modify the upstream shock–boundary layer interaction (SBLI) around an A320 morphing prototype to control these instabilities, with emphasis to the attenuation or even suppression of the transonic buffet. The modification of the aerodynamic performances according to a large parametric study carried out at Reynolds number of 4.5 × 10⁶, Mach number of 0.78 and various angles of attack in the range of (0, 2.4)° according to two morphing concepts (travelling waves and trailing edge vibration) are discussed, and the final benefits in aerodynamic performance increase are evaluated.

This article examines through high fidelity (Hi-Fi) numerical simulation the effects of the trailing edge (TE) actuation and of travelling waves along a specific area of the suction side starting from practically the most downstream position of the shock wave motion according to the buffet and extending up to nearly the TE. The present paper studies through spectral analysis the coherent structures development in the near wake and the comparison of the aerodynamic forces to the non-actuated case. Thus, the physical mechanisms of the morphing leading to the increase of the lift-to-drag ratio and the drag and noise sources reduction are identified.

This study investigates the influence of shear-layer and near-wake vortices on the SBLI around an A320 aerofoil and attenuation of the related instabilities thanks to novel morphing: travelling waves generated along the suction side and trailing-edge vibration. A drag reduction of 14% and a lift-to-drag increase in the order of 8% are obtained. The morphing has shown a lift increase in the range of (1.8, 2.5)% for angle of attack of 1.8° and 2.4°, where a significant lift increase of 7.7% is obtained for the angle of incidence of 0° with a drag reduction of 3.66% yielding an aerodynamic efficiency of 11.8%.

This paper presents results of morphing A320 aerofoil, with a chord of 70cm and subjected to two actuation kinds, original in the state of the art at M = 0.78 and Re = 4.5 million. These Hi-Fi simulations are rather rare; a majority of existing ones concern smaller dimensions. This study showed for the first time a modified buffet mode, displaying periodic high-lift “plateaus” interspersed by shorter lift-decrease intervals. Through trailing-edge vibration, this pattern is modified towards a sinusoidal-like buffet, with a considerable amplitude decrease. Lock-in of buffet frequency to the actuation is obtained, leading to this amplitude reduction and a drastic aerodynamic performance increase.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the unsteady flow past through a permeable diamond-shaped cylinder and to study the effects of the aspect ratios and Darcy numbers of the cylinder.

The lattice Boltzmann method with D2Q9 lattice model was used to simulate the unsteady flow through permeable diamond-shaped cylinders. The present numerical method is validated against the available data.

The key findings are that increasing the permeability enhances the suppression of vortex shedding, and that the Strouhal number is directly proportion to the Darcy number, Reynolds number and the aspect ratio of the porous cylinder.

The present study considers unsteady laminar flow past through single permeable diamond-shaped cylinder. According to the authors’ knowledge, very few studies have been found in this field. The present findings are novel and original, which in turn can attract wide attention and citations.