Search Results (82)

An analysis of entropy generation and a performance comparison are carried out for a solid oxide fuel cell with an embedded porous pipe in the air supply channel of a mono-block-layer-build geometry (MOLB-PPA SOFC) and a planar geometry with trapezoidal baffles inside the fuel and air channels (P-TBFA SOFC). The results for power density at different current densities are discussed. Also, a comparison of the field of species concentration, temperature, and current density on the electrode–electrolyte interface is analyzed at a defined power density. Finally, a comparison of maps of the local entropy generation rate and the global entropy generation due to heat transfer, fluid flow, mass transfer, activation loss, and ohmic loss are studied. The results show that the MOLB-PPA SOFC reaches a 7.5% higher power density than the P-TBFA SOFC. Furthermore, the P-TBFA SOFC has a more homogeneous temperature distribution than the MOLB-type SOFC. The entropy generation analysis indicates that the MOLB-PPA SOFC exhibits lower global entropy generation due to heat transfer compared to the P-TBFA SOFC. The entropy generation due to ohmic losses is predominant for both geometries. Finally, the total irreversibilities are 24.75% higher in the P-TBFA SOFC than in the MOLB-PPA SOFC. Full article

The use of oil–water rings has become an emerging, effective, and energy-saving method of transporting heavy oil. Maintaining the shape of the oil–water ring and preventing rupture during the transport of heavy oil are of great scientific significance in oil–water annular flow transportation. To ensure the oil–water ring passes smoothly through the elbow without rupture, this article proposes an asymmetrical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) propulsion method to utilize the significant difference between the conductivity of heavy oil and electrolyte solution to achieve an accelerating effect on the outer water ring. The magnetohydrodynamic device designed by this method can generate a magnetic field and provide Lorentzian magnetic force to achieve the asymmetric acceleration of the oil and water rings, to homogenize the water ring velocity on the inner and outer elbows, to push the deviated oil core back to the center of the pipeline, and to repair the rupture of the water film. The flow state of the oil–water ring in the bend pipe under the joint action of the electric field and magnetic field is simulated by a differential MHD thick oil simulation flow model, which confirms that the device can realize the repair of the oil–water ring flow at the bend pipe and ensure that the oil–water ring flow passes through the bend pipe stably. Meanwhile, the effects of coil current, electrode plate voltage, and the conductivity of electrolyte solution on the morphology and velocity of the oil–water ring in the elbow are investigated. In addition, the role of the device in maintaining the morphology under different gravitational conditions is investigated. These results provide a reference design for related devices and offer a new approach to heavy oil transportation. Full article

To investigate the phenomenon of liquid xenon flashing in a filling pipeline, the two-phase flow in a pipe is calculated and analyzed by using a one-dimensional homogeneous equilibrium model (HEM) and a two-dimensional mixture model. The distribution of xenon two-phase flow parameters along the pipeline is observed by the numerical solution of a one-dimensional HEM and simulation by Fluent. The comparison and analysis of the results of different models show that the one-dimensional HEM can quickly attach the critical mass flux faster than Fluent’s simulation under the given filling conditions, which verifies the rationality and rapidity of the numerical solution in calculating the flash process. The influence of the diameter and length of the pipeline on the flashing process of liquid xenon is analyzed by a one-dimensional theoretical model. The results show that the geometric parameters of the pipeline have a great impact on the mass flow rate and the position of the initial phase transition point, but have little effect on the void fraction at the outlet. An increase in pipe diameter and pipeline length delays the onset of phase transition. Compared with liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen, liquid xenon is more likely to undergo a phase transition. The phase change kinetics of oxygen and nitrogen are roughly 70% as fast as those of xenon. Full article

The probability of gas escapes from steel pipelines due to different types of corrosion is studied with real failure data from an urban gas distribution network. Both the design and maintenance of the network are considered, identifying and estimating (in a Bayesian framework) an elementary multinomial model in the first case, and a more sophisticated non-homogeneous Poisson process in the second case. Special attention is paid to the elicitation of the experts’ opinions. We conclude that the corrosion process behaves quite differently depending on the type of corrosion, and that, in most cases, cathodically protected pipes should be installed. Full article

In this study, we present, test, and make available to the scientific community the betaSigmaSlurryFoam solver, which is a two-phase model based on the Eulerian-Eulerian approach for the simulation of turbulent slurry transport in piping systems. Specifically, betaSigmaSlurryFoam is a fully open source implementation, within the OpenFOAM platform, of the existing $\beta$-$\sigma$ two-fluid model, developed over a decade by researchers at Politecnico di Milano, which, as certified by scientific publications, proved an effective way to simulate the pipe flow of fine particle slurries in the pseudo-homogeneous regime. In this paper, we first provide the mathematical and coding details of betaSigmaSlurryFoam. Afterwards, we verify the new solver by comparison with the earlier $\beta$-$\sigma$ two-fluid model for the case of slurry transport in a horizontal pipe, demonstrating not only that the two solutions are very close to each other, but also that the effects of the two calibration coefficients $\beta$ and $\sigma$ are the same for the two implementations. Finally, we apply betaSigmaSlurryFoam to the more complex case of slurry transport in a horizontal pipe elbow, which has never been subject to investigation using the earlier $\beta$-$\sigma$ two-fluid model. We prove that the solution of betaSigmaSlurryFoam is physically consistent, and, after assessing the impact of $\beta$ and $\sigma$ through an extensive sensitivity analysis, we show that reasonably good agreement could be achieved against experimental data reported in the literature even for slightly different particle sizes than those considered in our previous research. The sharing of betaSigmaSlurryFoam as open source code promotes its further development by fostering collaboration between research groups worldwide. Full article

The outlet flow rates and changes in behaviors of five outlet ports where water and air–water (two-phase) mixtures pass horizontally in a manifold pipe system were investigated experimentally. The effects of different air-flow rates, vacuumed from the atmosphere with a Venturi device in the system, on the outlet flow rates and diameters of the manifold port outlets were compared by measuring the outlet jet lengths. The system performance provided homogeneity of manifold port outlet flows and was tested. As a result, it was observed that homogeneous jet lengths were obtained in both single and two-phase low main manifold flows and equal outlet port diameters. When the main manifold flow rate V is 1.5–2 m/s, the system is stable and produces high jet lengths. The manifold pipe systems used in the experimental setup provide suitable working conditions for d/D = 0.433. The system does not show a smooth flow pattern with Venturi devices for d/D < 0.433. The low flow rates in this study’s tests are key. They are vital for designing micro irrigation systems. This depends on the critical d/D ratio of the system. Full article

In district cooling systems, substituting the conventional cooling medium with ice slurry represents an ideal approach to achieve economical operation. During pipeline transportation, ice slurry exhibits heterogeneous flow characteristics distinct from those of pure fluids. Consequently, investigating the flow field characteristics of non-homogeneous ice slurry, quantitatively analyzing the rheological variations and flow resistance laws due to the uneven distribution of ice particles, and standardizing the comprehension and depiction of flow patterns within ice slurry pipes hold significant theoretical importance and practical value. This study analyzes the heterogeneous isothermal flow characteristics of ice slurry in a straight pipe by employing particle dynamics and the Euler–Euler dual-fluid model. Taking into account the impact of ice particles’ non-uniform distribution on the rheological properties of ice slurry, a particle concentration diffusion equation is incorporated to develop an isothermal flow resistance model for ice slurry. The flow behavior of ice slurry with initial average ice particle fractions (IPFs) ranging from 0% to 20% in DN20 horizontal straight and elbow pipes is examined. The findings reveal that the degree of heterogeneous flow in ice slurry is inversely proportional to the initial velocity and directly proportional to the initial concentration of ice particles. When the flow velocity is close to 0.5 m/s, the flow resistance of ice particles exhibits a linear positive correlation with changes in flow velocity, whereas the flow resistance of the fluid-carrying phase displays a linear negative correlation. As the flow rate increases to 1 m/s, the contribution of each phase to the total flow resistance becomes independent of the initial velocity parameter. Additionally, the drag fraction of the ice particle phase is positively associated with the initial concentration of ice particles. Furthermore, the phenomenon of “secondary flow” arises when ice slurry flows through an elbow, enhancing the mixing of ice particles with the carrier fluid. The extent of this mixing intensifies with a decrease in the turning radius and an increase in the initial velocity. Full article

Firmly, the bearing capacity test of 1:1 equal ratio pillar under different constraint forms and different filling medium conditions was carried out. The results show that the binding pillar-forming effect is relatively good. The constraint ability of unconstrained, metal mesh, polyester mesh, hooked iron flat-hoop bushing, bellows, and spiral iron pipe is enhanced, in turn, and the carrying capacity is improved successfully. The homogeneity of high-water materials is better than concrete, and they have better compressibility, but their carrying capacity is relatively weak. The carrying capacity of concrete pillars is generously higher than that of high-water materials, but the compressibility is poor. Second, the migration characteristics of the surrounding rock structure of the gob-side entry retaining and the rule of side support are analyzed, the requirements of the side support are pointed out, and the side-support technology of the binding pillar is proposed. Taking Hijiata Mine’s 50108 working face gob-side entry retaining as an example, the bellows pump-filled concrete pillar is used as the side support body, supplemented by handling steel mesh and air-duct cloth, and toughness material is sprayed between the pillars to seal the goaf, meeting the requirements of side support and road stability. The pillar has the characteristics of high early strength, strong final consolidation carrying capacity, good crimping effect, high mechanism degree, fast construction speed, less concrete consumption, low comprehensive cost, etc., and it has a good application prospect in the gob-side entry retaining or rapid advanced working face. Full article

At Leibniz University of Hannover, Germany, a new turbomachinery test facility has been built over the last few years. A major part of this facility is a new 6 MW compressor station, which is connected to a large piping system, both designed and built by AERZEN. This system provides air supply to several wind tunnel and turbomachinery test rigs, e.g., axial turbines and axial compressors. These test rigs are designed to conduct high-quality aerodynamic, aeroelastic, and aeroacoustic measurements to increase physical understanding of steady and unsteady effects in turbomachines. One primary purpose of these investigations is the validation of aerodynamic and aeroacoustic numerical methods. To provide precise boundary conditions for the validation process, extremely high homogeneity of the inflow to the investigated experimental setup is imminent. Thus, customized settling chambers have been developed using analytical and numerical design methods. The authors have chosen to follow basic aerodynamic design steps, using analytical assumptions for the inlet section, the “mixing” area of a settling chamber, and the outlet nozzle in combination with state-of-the-art numerical investigations. In early 2020, the first settling chamber was brought into operation for the acceptance tests. In order to collect high-resolution flow field data during the tests, Leibniz University and AERZEN have designed a unique measurement device for robust and fast in-line flow field measurements. For this measurement device, total pressure and total-temperature rake probes, as well as traversing multi-hole probes, have been used in combination to receive high-resolution flow field data at the outlet section of the settling chamber. The paper provides information about the design process of the settling chamber, the developed measurement device, and measurement data gained from the acceptance tests. Full article

The current literature analyzing the dynamic response of coupled pipelines neglects the crucial interplay between the pipelines themselves and these constraints. This overlooked interaction has substantial influence on the fluid–structure coupling response, particularly in scenarios involving continuous constraints. We focus on a piping system surrounded by compacted soil, which is regarded as unbounded homogeneous elastic soil that suffers from water hammer. This study established a one-dimensional model for water pipe-embedded compacted soil with fluid–structure–soil interaction. Taking fluid–structure–soil interaction into account, fluid–structure interactions (FSIs) include Poisson coupling, junction coupling emerging at the fluid–structure interface, and pipe–soil coupling (PSC) emerging at the pipe–soil interface. In this study, as soil is assumed to be a homogeneous, isotropic elastic material, the coupling responses are more complex than those of an exposed pipe, and the relevant mechanisms justify further exploration to obtain well-predicted results. To mathematically describe this system considering fluid–structure–soil interaction, the four-equation FSI model was modified to accommodate the piping system surrounded by unbounded homogeneous elastic soil, employing the finite volume method (FVM) as a means to tackle and solve the dynamic problems with FSI and PSC, which partitions the computational domain into a finite number of control volumes and discretizes governing equations within each volume. The results were validated by the experimental and numerical results. Then, dynamic FSI responses to water hammer were studied in a reservoir–pipe–reservoir physical system. The hydraulic pressure, pipe wall stress, and axial motion were discussed with respect to different parameters. With the PSC and FSI taken into account, fluid, soil, and pipe signals were obviously observed. The results revealed the structural and fluid modes. Dynamic responses have been proven to be difficult to understand and predict. Despite this, this study provides a tractable method to capture more accurate systematic characteristics of a water pipe embedded in soil. Full article

High-manganese steel (high-Mn) is valuable for its excellent mechanical properties in cryogenic environments, making it essential to understand its deformation behavior at extremely low temperatures. The deformation behavior of high-Mn steels at extremely low temperatures depends on the stacking fault energy (SFE) that can lead to the formation of deformation twins or transform to ε-martensite or α′-martensite as the temperature decreases. In this study, submerged arc welding (SAW) was applied to fabricate thick pipes for cryogenic industry applications, but it may cause problems such as an uneven distribution of manganese (Mn) and a large weldment. To address these issues, post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) is performed to achieve a homogeneous microstructure, enhance mechanical properties, and reduce residual stress. It was found that the difference in Mn content between the dendrite and interdendritic regions was reduced after PWHT, and the SFE was calculated. At cryogenic temperatures, the SFE decreased below 20 mJ/m², indicating the martensitic transformation region. Furthermore, an examination of the deformation behavior of welded high-Mn steels was conducted. This study revealed that the tensile deformed, as-welded specimens exhibited ε and α′-martensite transformations at cryogenic temperatures. However, the heat-treated specimens did not undergo α′-martensite transformations. Moreover, regardless of whether the specimens were subjected to Charpy impact deformation before or after heat treatment, ε and α′-martensite transformations did not occur. Full article

Simplified methods of static free head stiffness of the semi-rigid foundation under lateral loads were limited to flexible or rigid behavior by the critical length of piles. This would lead to errors when predicting the static or dynamic performance of their upper structures in OWT Systems. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the head static stiffness of the semi-rigid pile without considering the critical length. Firstly, case studies using the energy-based variational method encompassing nearly twenty thousand cases were conducted. These cases involved different types of foundations, including steel pipe piles and concrete caissons, in three types of soil: homogeneous soil, linearly inhomogeneous soil, and heterogeneous soil. Through the analysis of these cases, a series of polynomial equations of three kinds of head static stiffness, containing the relative stiffness of the pile and soil, the slenderness ratio, and Poisson’s ratio, were developed to capture the semi-rigid behavior of the foundations. Furthermore, the lateral deflection, the rotation for concrete caissons in the bridge projects, and several natural frequencies of three cases about the OWT system considering the SSI effect were carried out. the error of high-order frequency of the OWT system reached 13% after considering the semi-rigid effect of the foundation. Full article

The promotion and use of liquid feeding face the challenge of insufficiently stable delivery. This issue can be resolved, in part, by using the spiral flow produced by a spiral pipe (SPP). The aim of this study is to investigate how the structural characteristics of the spiral pipe affect the flow state of the liquid feed, and for this purpose, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique has been employed and the liquid feed delivery process has been simulated by means of an Eulerian two-fluid model The results reveal a significant improvement in the slurry’s homogeneity as it traveled through a spiral pipe compared with a straight pipe (STP). The swirl number normally increased with the number, length, height, and angle of the spiral pipe’s guide vanes. The solid-phase distribution was more homogeneous when values of N = 1, L = 1D, H = 3/8R, and θ = 20° were used, respectively, and the COV within 10D downstream of the outlet of the spiral pipe was 3.902% smaller than that of the straight pipe. The results of this study can be used as a reference for the design of liquid feed-conveying pipes. Full article

316L stainless steel pipes are widely used in the storage and transportation of low-temperature media due to their excellent low-temperature mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. However, due to their low thermal conductivity and large coefficient of linear expansion, they often lead to significant welding residual tensile stress and thermal cracks in the weld seam. This also poses many challenges for their secure and reliable applications. In order to effectively control the crack defects caused by stress concentration near the heat-affected zone of the weld, this paper establishes a thermal elastoplastic three-dimensional finite element (FE) model, constructs a welding heat source, and simulates and studies the influence of process parameters on the residual stress around the pipeline circumference and axial direction in the heat-affected zone. Comparison and verification were conducted using simulation and experimental methods, respectively, proving the rationality of the finite element model establishment. The axial and circumferential residual stress distribution obtained by the simulation method did not have an average deviation of more than 30 MPa from the numerical values obtained by the experimental method. This study also considers the effects of welding energy, welding speed, and welding start position on the pipe’s circumferential and axial residual stress laws. The results indicate that changes in welding energy and welding speed have almost no effect on the longitudinal residual stress but have a more significant effect on the transverse residual stress. The maximum transverse residual stress is reached at a welding energy of 1007.4~859.3 J/mm and a welding speed of 6.6 mm/s. Various interlayer arc-striking deflection angles can impact the cyclic phase angle of the transverse residual stress distribution in the seam center, but they do not alter its cyclic pattern. They do influence the amplitude and distribution of the longitudinal residual stress along the circumference. The residual stress distribution on the surface of the pipe fitting is homogenized and improved at 120°. Full article

This work presents the development and validation of an enthalpy-based implicit continuous Eulerian (ICE) solver, termed the near-critical ICE solver (NICES), for the analysis of near-critical CO₂ thermodynamic systems. Traditional approaches relying on pressure and temperature as main inputs for the analysis have limitations in handling CO₂ near the critical point, which exhibits unique characteristics and frequent phase changes. To overcome these limitations, this study proposes using enthalpy as a more suitable mathematical modeling approach. The NICES methodology employs the homogeneous equilibrium model and the Span and Wagner equations of state for CO₂. This solver demonstrates improved numerical stability and computational speed compared to explicit calculation methods, as validated by frictionless heated pipe scenarios involving phase transitions near the critical point. The enthalpy-based NICES platform can predict thermohydraulics, including multiphase flows, without requiring specialized two-phase flow models. Full article