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Article
Publication date: 29 February 2024

Zhen Chen, Jing Liu, Chao Ma, Huawei Wu and Zhi Li

The purpose of this study is to propose a precise and standardized strategy for numerically simulating vehicle aerodynamics.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to propose a precise and standardized strategy for numerically simulating vehicle aerodynamics.

Design/methodology/approach

Error sources in computational fluid dynamics were analyzed. Additionally, controllable experiential and discretization errors, which significantly influence the calculated results, are expounded upon. Considering the airflow mechanism around a vehicle, the computational efficiency and accuracy of each solution strategy were compared and analyzed through numerous computational cases. Finally, the most suitable numerical strategy, including the turbulence model, simplified vehicle model, calculation domain, boundary conditions, grids and discretization scheme, was identified. Two simplified vehicle models were introduced, and relevant wind tunnel tests were performed to validate the selected strategy.

Findings

Errors in vehicle computational aerodynamics mainly stem from the unreasonable simplification of the vehicle model, calculation domain, definite solution conditions, grid strategy and discretization schemes. Using the proposed standardized numerical strategy, the simulated steady and transient aerodynamic characteristics agreed well with the experimental results.

Originality/value

Building upon the modified Low-Reynolds Number k-e model and Scale Adaptive Simulation model, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, a precise and standardized numerical simulation strategy for vehicle aerodynamics is proposed for the first time, which can be integrated into vehicle research and design.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 34 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 May 2024

Tian-Yu Wu, Jianfei Zhang, Yanjun Dai, Tao-Feng Cao, Kong Ling and Wen-Quan Tao

To present the detailed implementation processes of the IDEAL algorithm for two-dimensional compressible flows based on Delaunay triangular mesh, and compare the performance of…

Abstract

Purpose

To present the detailed implementation processes of the IDEAL algorithm for two-dimensional compressible flows based on Delaunay triangular mesh, and compare the performance of the SIMPLE and IDEAL algorithms for solving compressible problems. What’s more, the implementation processes of Delaunay mesh generation and derivation of the pressure correction equation are also introduced.

Design/methodology/approach

Programming completely in C++.

Findings

Five compressible examples are used to test the SIMPLE and IDEAL algorithms, and the comparison with measurement data shows good agreement. The IDEAL algorithm has much better performance in both convergence rate and stability over the SIMPLE algorithm.

Originality/value

The detail solution procedure of implementing the IDEAL algorithm for compressible flows based on Delaunay triangular mesh is presented in this work, seemingly first in the literature.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 41 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2024

Zeyang Zhou and Jun Huang

This study aims to learn the dynamic radar cross-section (RCS) of a deflection air brake.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to learn the dynamic radar cross-section (RCS) of a deflection air brake.

Design/methodology/approach

The aircraft model with delta wing, V-shaped tail and blended wing body is designed, and high-precision unstructured grid technology is used to deal with the surface of air brake and fuselage. The calculation method based on multiple tracking and dynamic scattering is presented to calculate RCS.

Findings

The fuselage has a low scattering level, and the opening air brake will bring obvious dynamic RCS effects to itself and the whole machine. The average indicator of air brake RCS can be lower than –0.6 dBm2 under the tail azimuth, while that of forward and lateral direction is lower. The mean RCS of fuselage is obviously higher than that of air brake, while the deflected air brake and its cabin can still provide strong scattering sources at some azimuths. When the air brake is opening, the change amplitude of the aircraft forward RCS can exceed 19.81 dBm2.

Practical implications

This research has practical significance for the dynamic electromagnetic scattering analysis and stealth design of the air brake.

Originality/value

The calculation method for aircraft RCS considering air brake dynamic deflection has been established.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 96 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 May 2024

Fang Haifeng, Jun Zhang, Hanlin Sun and Lihua Cai

As a new type of spinning machine, the jet spinning machine absorbs the carding system of the rotating cup spinning series and the nozzle part of the jet spinning. This paper aims…

Abstract

Purpose

As a new type of spinning machine, the jet spinning machine absorbs the carding system of the rotating cup spinning series and the nozzle part of the jet spinning. This paper aims to intends to introduce the double carding structure currently studied by the rotating cup spinning into the jet spinning machine, and analyze the influence of the nozzle characteristic number on the flow field in the double carding structure to verify the advantages of the double carding structure.

Design/methodology/approach

The simulation is used to evaluate the performance of single/double split jet spinning and nozzle feature number, verify the technical advantages of double split jet spinning and evaluate the influence of nozzle feature number on flow field. The influence of the nozzle characteristic number on the flow pattern in the four models is compared. The advantages and disadvantages of a conventional single comb and a double comb with a bypass channel on the longer side of the transport channel as an additional air supply channel are also evaluated.

Findings

At present, the double comb technology of rotary cup spinning is being studied at home and abroad to improve the spinning quality and improve the difficult problem of mixed yarn with large difference in processing fiber properties. At present, the jet spinning machine combines the advantages of rotary cup spinning and jet spinning, absorbing the comb system of rotary cup spinning series and the nozzle part of jet spinning. Therefore, it is found that the introduction of the double-split structure into the wool jet spinning has research value to improve the spinning quality.

Originality/value

The purpose of this paper is to refer to the previous research on the double comb structure in rotary spinning, and to apply the double comb structure in the new jet spinning machine to improve the spinning quality. The simulation is used to evaluate the performance of single/double split jet spinning and nozzle feature number, verify the technical advantages of double split jet spinning and evaluate the influence of nozzle feature number on flow field.

Details

International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, vol. 36 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0955-6222

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 August 2024

Yang Liu, Yuefan Hu, Dongxiang Xie, Yongjie Zhang and Jianqiang Chen

The paper aims to propose a generation approach for unstructured surface mesh to speed up mesh generation.

17

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to propose a generation approach for unstructured surface mesh to speed up mesh generation.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper proposes a lightweight interactive generation approach for unstructured surface mesh and presents several key technologies to support this approach.

Findings

The experimental results show that the proposed approach is feasible for unstructured meshes and it can accelerate the mesh generation process.

Research limitations/implications

More geometric defects should be covered, and more convenient and efficient interactive means need to be provided.

Practical implications

The proposed approach and key technologies are implemented in NNW-GridStar.UG, which is the unstructured version of the mesh generation software of National Numerical Windtunnel (NNW).

Originality/value

This paper proposes a lightweight interactive approach for unstructured surface mesh generation, which can speed up mesh generation.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 May 2024

Wenchang Wu, Zhenguo Yan, Yaobing Min, Xingsi Han, Yankai Ma and Zhong Zhao

The purpose of the present study is to develop a new numerical framework that can predict the supersonic base flow more accurately, including the development of axisymmetrically…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the present study is to develop a new numerical framework that can predict the supersonic base flow more accurately, including the development of axisymmetrically separated shear layer and recompression shock. To this end, two aspects are improved and combined, i.e. a newly self-adaptive turbulence eddy simulation (SATES) turbulence modeling method and a high-order discretization numerical scheme. Furthermore, the performance of the new numerical framework within a general-purpose PHengLEI software is assessed in detail.

Design/methodology/approach

Satisfactory prediction of the supersonic separated shear layer with unsteady wake flow is quite challenging. By using a unified turbulence model called SATES combining high-order accurate discretization numerical schemes, the present study first assesses the performance of newly developed SATES for supersonic axisymmetric separation flows. A high-order finite differencing-based compressible computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code called PHengLEI is developed and several different numerical schemes are used to investigate the effects on shock-turbulence interactions, which include the monotonic upstream-centered scheme for conservation laws (MUSCL), weighted compact nonlinear scheme (WCNS) and hybrid cell-edge and cell-node dissipative compact scheme (HDCS).

Findings

Compared with the available experimental data and the numerical predictions, the results of SATES by using high-order accurate WCNS or HDCS schemes agree better with the experiments than the results by using the MUSCL scheme. The WCNS and HDCS can also significantly improve the prediction of flow physics in terms of the instability of the annular shear layer and the evolution of the turbulent wake.

Research limitations/implications

The small deviations in the recirculation region can be found between the present numerical results and experimental data, which could be caused by the inaccurate incoming boundary layer condition and compressible effects. Therefore, a proper incoming boundary layer condition with turbulent fluctuations and compressibility effects need to be considered to further improve the accuracy of simulations.

Practical implications

The present study evaluates a high-order discretization-based SATES turbulence model for supersonic separation flows, which is quite valuable for improving the calculation accuracy of aeronautics applications, especially in supersonic conditions.

Originality/value

For the first time, the newly developed SATES turbulence modeling method combining the high-order accurate WCNS or HDCS numerical schemes is implemented on the PHengLEI software and successfully applied for the simulations of supersonic separation flows, and satisfactory results are obtained. The unsteady evolutions of the supersonic annular shear layer are analyzed, and the hairpin vortex structures are found in the simulation.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 41 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 February 2024

Xiang Shen, Kai Zeng, Liming Yang, Chengyong Zhu and Laurent Dala

This paper aims to study passive control techniques for transonic flow over a backward-facing step (BFS) using square-lobed trailing edges. The study investigates the efficacy of…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to study passive control techniques for transonic flow over a backward-facing step (BFS) using square-lobed trailing edges. The study investigates the efficacy of upward and downward lobe patterns, different lobe widths and deflection angles on flow separation, aiming for a deeper understanding of the flow physics behind the passive flow control system.

Design/methodology/approach

Large Eddy Simulation and Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes were used to evaluate the results of the study. The research explores the impact of upward and downward patterns of lobes on flow separation through the effects of different lobe widths and deflection angles. Numerical methods are used to analyse the behaviour of transonic flow over BFS and compared it to existing experimental results.

Findings

The square-lobed trailing edges significantly enhance the reduction of mean reattachment length by up to 80%. At Ma = 0.8, the up-downward configuration demonstrates increased effectiveness in reducing the root mean square of pressure fluctuations at a proximity of 5-step height in the wake region, with a reduction of 50%, while the flat-downward configuration proves to be more efficient in reducing the root mean square of pressure fluctuations at a proximity of 1-step height in the near wake region, achieving a reduction of 71%. Furthermore, the study shows that the up-downward configuration triggers early spanwise velocity fluctuations, whereas the standalone flat-downward configuration displays less intense crosswise velocity fluctuations within the wake region.

Practical implications

The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of square-lobed trailing edges as passive control techniques, showing significant implications for improving efficiency, performance and safety of the design in aerospace and industrial systems.

Originality/value

This paper demonstrates that the square-lobed trailing edges are effective in reducing the mean reattachment length and pressure fluctuations in transonic conditions. The study evaluates the efficacy of different configurations, deflection angles and lobe widths on flow and provides insights into the flow physics of passive flow control systems.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 34 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 April 2024

Shiang-Wuu Perng, Horng Wen Wu and De-An Huang

The purpose of this study is to advance turbulent thermal convection inside the constant heat-flux round tube inserted by multiple perforated twisted tapes.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to advance turbulent thermal convection inside the constant heat-flux round tube inserted by multiple perforated twisted tapes.

Design/methodology/approach

The novel design of this study is accomplished by inserting several twisted tapes and drilling some circular perforations near the tape edge (C1, C3, C5: solid tapes; C2, C4, C6: perforated tapes). The turbulence flow appearances and thermal convective features are examined for various Reynolds numbers (8,000–14,000) using the renormalization group (RNG) κε turbulent model and Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure-Linked Equations (SIMPLE) algorithm.

Findings

The simulated outcomes reveal that inserting more perforated-twisted tapes into the heated round tube promotes turbulent thermal convection effectively. A swirling flow caused by the twisted tapes to produce the secondary flow jets between two reverse-spin tapes can combine with the main flow passing through the perforations at the outer edge to enhance the vortex flow. The primary factors are the quantity of twisted tapes and with/without perforations, as the perforation ratio remains at 2.5 in this numerical work. Weighing friction along the tube, C6 (four reverse-spin perforated-twisted tapes) brings the uppermost thermal-hydraulic performance of 1.23 under Re = 8,000.

Research limitations/implications

The constant thermo-hydraulic attributes of liquid water and the steady Newtonian fluid are research limitations for this simulated work.

Practical implications

The simulated outcomes will avail the inner-pipe design of a heat exchanger inserted by multiple perforated twisted tapes to enhance superior heat transfer.

Originality/value

These twisted tapes form tiny circular perforations along the tape edge to introduce the fluid flow through these bores and combine with the secondary flow induced between two reverse-spin tapes. This scheme enhances the swirling flow, turbulence intensity and fluid mixing to advance thermal convection since larger perforations cannot produce large jet velocity or the position of perforations is too far from the tape edge to generate a separated flow. Consequently, this work contributes a valuable cooling mechanism toward thermal engineering.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 34 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 August 2024

Sandipan Kumar Das

The boundary integral method (BIM) is very attractive to practicing engineers as it reduces the dimensionality of the problem by one, thereby making the procedure computationally…

Abstract

Purpose

The boundary integral method (BIM) is very attractive to practicing engineers as it reduces the dimensionality of the problem by one, thereby making the procedure computationally inexpensive compared to its peers. The principal feature of this technique is the limitation of all its computations to only the boundaries of the domain. Although the procedure is well developed for the Laplace equation, the Poisson equation offers some computational challenges. Nevertheless, the literature provides a couple of solution methods. This paper revisits an alternate approach that has not gained much traction within the community. The purpose of this paper is to address the main bottleneck of that approach in an effort to popularize it and critically evaluate the errors introduced into the solution by that method.

Design/methodology/approach

The primary intent in the paper is to work on the particular solution of the Poisson equation by representing the source term through a Fourier series. The evaluation of the Fourier coefficients requires a rectangular domain even though the original domain can be of any arbitrary shape. The boundary conditions for the homogeneous solution gets modified by the projection of the particular solution on the original boundaries. The paper also develops a new Gauss quadrature procedure to compute the integrals appearing in the Fourier coefficients in case they cannot be analytically evaluated.

Findings

The current endeavor has developed two different representations of the source terms. A comprehensive set of benchmark exercises has successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of both the methods, especially the second one. A subsequent detailed analysis has identified the errors emanating from an inadequate number of boundary nodes and Fourier modes, a high difference in sizes between the particular solution and the original domains and the used Gauss quadrature integration procedures. Adequate mitigation procedures were successful in suppressing each of the above errors and in improving the solution accuracy to any desired level. A comparative study with the finite difference method revealed that the BIM was as accurate as the FDM but was computationally more efficient for problems of real-life scale. A later exercise minutely analyzed the heat transfer physics for a fin after validating the simulation results with the analytical solution that was separately derived. The final set of simulations demonstrated the applicability of the method to complicated geometries.

Originality/value

First, the newly developed Gauss quadrature integration procedure can efficiently compute the integrals during evaluation of the Fourier coefficients; the current literature lacks such a tool, thereby deterring researchers to adopt this category of methods. Second, to the best of the author’s knowledge, such a comprehensive error analysis of the solution method within the BIM framework for the Poisson equation does not currently exist in the literature. This particular exercise should go a long way in increasing the confidence of the research community to venture into this category of methods for the solution of the Poisson equation.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 December 2023

Weixin Zhang, Zhao Liu, Yu Song, Yixuan Lu and Zhenping Feng

To improve the speed and accuracy of turbine blade film cooling design process, the most advanced deep learning models were introduced into this study to investigate the most…

Abstract

Purpose

To improve the speed and accuracy of turbine blade film cooling design process, the most advanced deep learning models were introduced into this study to investigate the most suitable define for prediction work. This paper aims to create a generative surrogate model that can be applied on multi-objective optimization problems.

Design/methodology/approach

The latest backbone in the field of computer vision (Swin-Transformer, 2021) was introduced and improved as the surrogate function for prediction of the multi-physics field distribution (film cooling effectiveness, pressure, density and velocity). The basic samples were generated by Latin hypercube sampling method and the numerical method adopt for the calculation was validated experimentally at first. The training and testing samples were calculated at experimental conditions. At last, the surrogate model predicted results were verified by experiment in a linear cascade.

Findings

The results indicated that comparing with the Multi-Scale Pix2Pix Model, the Swin-Transformer U-Net model presented higher accuracy and computing speed on the prediction of contour results. The computation time for each step of the Swin-Transformer U-Net model is one-third of the original model, especially in the case of multi-physics field prediction. The correlation index reached more than 99.2% and the first-order error was lower than 0.3% for multi-physics field. The predictions of the data-driven surrogate model are consistent with the predictions of the computational fluid dynamics results, and both are very close to the experimental results. The application of the Swin-Transformer model on enlarging the different structure samples will reduce the cost of numerical calculations as well as experiments.

Research limitations/implications

The number of U-Net layers and sample scales has a proper relationship according to equation (8). Too many layers of U-Net will lead to unnecessary nonlinear variation, whereas too few layers will lead to insufficient feature extraction. In the case of Swin-Transformer U-Net model, incorrect number of U-Net layer will reduce the prediction accuracy. The multi-scale Pix2Pix model owns higher accuracy in predicting a single physical field, but the calculation speed is too slow. The Swin-Transformer model is fast in prediction and training (nearly three times faster than multi Pix2Pix model), but the predicted contours have more noise. The neural network predicted results and numerical calculations are consistent with the experimental distribution.

Originality/value

This paper creates a generative surrogate model that can be applied on multi-objective optimization problems. The generative adversarial networks using new backbone is chosen to adjust the output from single contour to multi-physics fields, which will generate more results simultaneously than traditional surrogate models and reduce the time-cost. And it is more applicable to multi-objective spatial optimization algorithms. The Swin-Transformer surrogate model is three times faster to computation speed than the Multi Pix2Pix model. In the prediction results of multi-physics fields, the prediction results of the Swin-Transformer model are more accurate.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 34 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

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