Search Results (37)

This study proposes an iterative method based on thermal equilibrium equations to calculate the radial temperature distribution of long-span overhead transmission lines under forced convection. This paper takes the ACSR 500/280 conductor as the research object, establishes the three-dimensional finite element model considering the helix angle of the conductor, and carries out the experimental validation for the LGJ 300/40 conductor under the same conditions. The model captures internal temperature distribution through contour analysis and examines the effects of current, wind speed, and ambient temperature. Unlike traditional models assuming uniform conductor temperature, this method reveals internal thermal gradients and introduces a novel three-stage radial attenuation characterization. The iterative method converges and accurately reflects temperature variations. The results show a non-uniform radial distribution, with a maximum temperature difference of 8 °C and steeper gradients in aluminum than in steel. Increasing current raises temperature nonlinearly, enlarging the radial difference. Higher wind speeds reduce both temperature and radial difference, while rising ambient temperatures increase conductor temperature with a stable radial profile. This work provides valuable insights for the safe operation and optimal design of long-span transmission lines and supports future research on dynamic and environmental coupling effects. Full article

Efficient ice protection systems are essential to ensure the operability and reliability of aircraft. In recent years, electromechanical resonant ice protection systems have emerged as a promising low-power alternative to current solutions. These systems can operate in two primary resonant modes: flexural and extensional. While extensional modes enable effective de-icing over large surface areas, their performance can be compromised by interference from flexural modes, particularly in thin, ice-covered substrates where natural mode coupling occurs. This study presents a strategy based on material selection for making the Young’s modulus-to-density ratio uniform. The final objective of this paper is to establish the design rules for a composite leading edge de-icing system. For this purpose, an incremental approach will be used on profiles with different radii of curvature: plate or beam (infinite radius), circular profile (constant radius), NACA profile (variable radius). For beam and plate structures, the paper shows that this coupling can be mitigated by selecting materials with a Young’s modulus-to-density ratio comparable to that of ice. For curved structures, the curvature-induced effect is another source of parasitic flexion, which cannot be controlled solely by material selection and requires careful thickness optimization. This study presents analytical and numerical approaches to investigate the origin of this effect and a design methodology to minimize parasitic flexion in curved structures. The methodology is applied to the design optimization of a glass fiber NACA 0024 airfoil leading edge, the performance of which is subsequently evaluated through icing wind tunnel testing. Full article

The effects of wave and current on floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) are usually treated separately without considering their inherent interaction. In this study, the coupling effect of wave and current on the dynamic responses of a semi-submerged FOWT carrying a 5-MW NREL turbine is investigated. A numerical model considering the wave–current interaction is introduced, which accounts for the frequency shifts and surface profile changes for waves traveling over currents. The dynamic structural model of the semi-submerged FOWT is established in ANSYS AQWA, where the aero-servo-structural loadings on tower and turbine were obtained from the FAST platform by using the FAST-to-AQWA coding program. Irregular waves with 1- and 50-year return periods, in conjunction with a uniform current, were adopted to evaluate the coupling interaction effects. Waves traveling on positive and on opposite currents are examined in different cases with waves and currents propagating along the surge or sway direction. Waves consistently propagate along positive surge or sway direction. Waves interacting with positive or opposite currents have dramatically different modifications on the wave spectrum. Differences of up to 22% are recorded by comparing both the main motions and mooring tension when the interaction of waves and currents is considered or not. The coupling interaction between waves and currents has a limited influence on the tower base shear forces and bending moments. It was found that a straightforward superposition approach to evaluate the effect of the waves and the currents may underestimate the dynamic motions and mooring tension of FOWTs. Full article

Currently, there are two primary issues with CFD simulations of local scour around bridge foundations using the RANS method. Firstly, the self-sustaining characteristics of turbulent boundary conditions at the inlet require special attention. Secondly, the simulated location of the maximum scour depth does not align with experimental observations. This paper employs the RANS method to model the hydrodynamic characteristics surrounding bridge piers. The sediment transport model and sediment-sliding model, considering any slope of the riverbed, were adopted to simulate the spatiotemporal evolution of local scour around the bridge foundation. Building on traditional methods and assuming local turbulence equilibrium, a self-sustaining model is theoretically derived. This model swiftly develops a balanced turbulent boundary layer, achieving a horizontally uniform flow field and effectively maintaining consistency between the inlet-given turbulent profile and physical reality. Additionally, by incorporating the velocity component of the downward-flow in front of the pier and the average shear stress around the pier into the excess shear stress model, the refined wall shear stress model accurately estimates the scouring contributions of the downward-flow and the horseshoe vortex system in this region. The numerical results including the maximum scour depth, location, and scour pit shape are consistent with experimental findings. The findings demonstrate that the numerical approach proposed in this study effectively addresses the issue of inadequate estimation of turbulent characteristics in scour pit at the leading edge of bridge piers using the RANS method. This method offers novel insights and approaches for addressing local scour issues in bridges and offshore wind turbines, as well as vortex-induced vibration issues in submarine pipelines. Full article

The topography of mountainous areas is characterized by large undulations, which lead to a very complex wind field at bridge sites in mountain valleys. The influence of oncoming wind speed on long-span bridges built in mountain valleys is quite pronounced. To investigate the wind characteristics at a bridge site in a mountain valley under different oncoming wind speeds, a wind tunnel test of a terrain model with a scaling ratio of 1:1000, where a long-span bridge would be built in the V-shaped canyon, was conducted. Uniform and atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) inflows were both applied, and the effect of different oncoming wind speeds (basic wind speeds of 6 m/s, 8 m/s, 10 m/s, 12 m/s, and 14 m/s) under three wind directions (0°, 30°, and 180°) on the wind characteristics at the main beam and two bridge towers were studied. The results indicate that increasing oncoming wind speed leads to decreased wind profiles and wind speed amplification factors and increased wind attack angles, while wind yaw angles remain largely unchanged. In addition, compared to ABL inflow, the variation of fluctuating wind characteristics is more pronounced with the oncoming wind speed under uniform inflow. Under uniform inflow conditions, increasing the oncoming wind speed causes decreased turbulence intensity, reduces the peak frequency of the power spectrum, and slows down the high-frequency decay rate. Under ABL inflow conditions, turbulence intensity and the power spectrum remain unchanged with different oncoming wind speeds. Additionally, the turbulent integral scale derived from fitting with the von Kármán wind spectrum is sufficiently accurate, and the variation in the turbulent integral scale is greatly influenced by the terrain. Furthermore, higher wind speeds result in stronger coherence between two points. When two points are at different locations but with the same spacing, the coherence function remains roughly the same. Locations with higher kurtosis and skewness values exhibit steeper probability density functions, with larger kurtosis and skewness coefficients typically found on the leeward side. High wind speeds are more detrimental to bridge safety, and appropriate preventive measures should be implemented in advance to address extreme conditions that may arise at high wind speeds. Full article

Offshore structures are exposed to various environmental loads, including extreme and abnormal waves, over their operational lifespan. The existence of wind and current can exacerbate the dynamic response of these structures, posing threats to safety and integrity. This study focuses on the dynamic responses of offshore triceratops under different environmental conditions characterized by the superimposition of freak waves, uniform wind, and current. The free surface profile of the freak wave was generated using the dual superposition model. The numerical model of the offshore platform designed for ultra-deep-water applications was developed using the ANSYS AQWA 2023 R2 modeler. Numerical investigations, including the free decay tests and time-domain analysis under random sea states, including freak waves, were initially carried out. Then, the combined effects of freak waves, wind, and current were studied in detail under different loading scenarios. The results revealed the increase in structural response under the freak wave action at the focus time. Wind action resulted in a mean shift in responses, while the inclusion of current led to a pronounced increase in the total response of the platform, encompassing deck and buoyant legs, alongside the tether tension variation. Notably, considerable variations in the response were observed after freak wave exposure under the combined influence of wind, freak wave, and current. The results underscore the profound effects induced by wind and current in the presence of freak waves, providing valuable insights for analyzing similar offshore structures under ultimate design conditions. Full article

The vertical distribution of the marine total suspended matter (TSM) concentration significantly influences marine material transport, sedimentation processes, and biogeochemical cycles. Traditional field observations are constrained by limited spatial and temporal coverage, necessitating the use of remote-sensing technology to comprehensively understand TSM variations over extensive areas and periods. This study proposes a remote-sensing approach to estimate the vertical distribution of TSM concentrations using MODIS satellite data, with the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea (BSYS) as a case study. Extensive field measurements across various hydrological conditions and seasons enabled accurate reconstruction of in situ TSM vertical distributions from bio-optical parameters, including the attenuation coefficient, particle backscattering coefficient, particle size, and number concentration, achieving a determination coefficient of 0.90 and a mean absolute percentage error of 26.5%. In situ measurements revealed two distinct TSM vertical profile types (vertically uniform and increasing) and significant variation in TSM profiles in the BSYS. Using surface TSM concentrations, wind speed, and water depth, we developed and validated a remote-sensing approach to classify TSM vertical profile types, achieving an accuracy of 84.3%. Combining this classification with a layer-to-layer regression model, we successfully estimated TSM vertical profiles from MODIS observation. Long-term MODIS product analysis revealed significant spatiotemporal variations in TSM vertical distributions and column-integrated TSM concentrations, particularly in nearshore regions. These findings provide valuable insights for studying marine sedimentation and biological processes and offer a reference for the remote-sensing estimation of the TSM vertical distribution in other marine regions. Full article

A numerical analysis of the wind load for the purpose of evaluating the wind resistance acting on a ship and the validity of the wind profile applied to determine the wind load coefficient were conducted. Through the evaluation of estimation results by a wind tunnel test, CFD analysis, and present semi-empirical formulae, it was recognized that the difference in estimation of ship resistance due to wind could not be ignored. In order to identify the main causes of the difference, extensive analyses were performed for a container, tanker, and LNG carrier. In particular, the estimation results for a container ship with two islands showed unreliable results. The main reason for the difference is that each method reflects the wind speed in the vertical direction differently, and the wind profile applied when considering the self-induced wind effect is not a uniform wind profile. In the calculation of wind resistance by self-induced wind, wind resistance estimation results differed by about 1.5% to 3.4% depending on the application of uniform or non-uniform wind profile. The total wind resistance acting on the vessel shall be divided into wind resistance from a stationary vessel without speed and wind resistance caused by the forward speed of the vessel in no wind conditions. Therefore, it is reasonable to apply a uniform wind profile to estimate wind resistance caused by the ship’s forward speed, while a wind profile that reflects the effect of changes in the ship’s vertical speed should be applied to estimate the wind resistance caused by the ship’s forward speed. Full article

Due to the external environment and the buoyancy of cyanobacteria, the inhomogeneous vertical distribution of phytoplankton in eutrophic lakes affects remote sensing reflectance (R_rs) and the inversion of surface chlorophyll-a concentration (Chla). In this study, vertical profiles of Chla(z) (where z is the water depth) and field R_rs (R_rs_F) were collected and utilized to retrieve the vertical profiles of Chla in Lake Chaohu in China. Chla(z) was categorized into vertically uniform (Type 1: N = 166) and vertically non-uniform (Type 2: N = 58) types. Based on the validation of the atmospheric correction performance of the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI), a Chla(z) inversion model was developed for Lake Chaohu from 2011 to 2020 using GOCI R_rs data (R_rs_G). (1) Five functions of non-uniform Chla(z) were compared, and the best result was found for Chla(z) = a × exp(b × z) + c (R² = 0.98, RMSE = 38.15 μg/L). (2) A decision tree of Chla(z) was established with the alternative floating algae index (AFAI_Rrs), the fluorescence line height (FLH), and wind speed (WIN), where the overall accuracy was 89% and the Kappa coefficient was 0.79. The Chla(z) inversion model for Type 1 was established using the empirical relationship between Chla (z = surface) and AFAI_Rrs (R² = 0.58, RMSE = 10.17 μg/L). For Type 2, multivariate regression models were established to estimate the structural parameters of Chla(z) combined with R_rs_G and environmental parameters (R² = 0.75, RMSE = 72.80 μg/L). (3) There are obvious spatial variations in Chla(z), especially from the water surface to a depth of 0.1 m; the largest diurnal variations were observed at 12:16 and 13:16 local time. The Chla(z) inversion method can determine Chla in different layers of each pixel, which is important for the scientific assessment of phytoplankton biomass and lake carbon and can provide vertical information for the short-term prediction of algal blooms (and the generation of corresponding warnings) in lake management. Full article

Coastal communities commonly rely upon foredunes as the first line of defense against sea-level rise and storms, thus requiring management guidance to optimize their protective services. Here, we use the AeoLiS model to simulate wind-driven accretion and wave-driven erosion patterns on foredunes with different morphologies and ecological properties under modern-day conditions. Additional sets of model runs mimic potential future climate changes to inform how both morphological and ecological properties may have differing contributions to net dune changes under evolving environmental forcing. This exploratory study, applied to represent the morphological, environmental, and ecological conditions of the northern Outer Banks, North Carolina, USA, finds that dunes experiencing minimal wave collision have similar net volumetric growth rates regardless of beach morphology, though the location and density of vegetation influence sediment deposition patterns across the dune profile. The model indicates that high-density, uniform planting strategies trap sediment close to the dune toe, whereas low-density plantings may allow for accretion across a broader extent of the dune face. The initial beach and dune shape generally plays a larger role in annual-scale dune evolution than vegetation cover. For steeper beach slopes and/or low dune toe elevations, the model generally predicts wave-driven dune erosion at the annual scale. Full article

Large-capacity bolted cylindrical tanks for liquid storage are used in many applications. The tanks are made of thin steel sheets that are connected by bolts. A common problem associated with tanks is deforming under extreme loads. Adding wind girders to the tank increases the tank’s buckling capacity, which is defined as the limit load at which the structure loses stability. The girders are usually placed in the horizontal joints of the tank wall. The girders are bent from standard or non-standard steel bars with a uniform cross-section. This type of design is difficult to produce, especially with large profiles or large curvatures, to avoid distortion of the cross-section during bending. Furthermore, the girders are customized to the given openings and curvature for various tank diameters. The resulting solution is then uneconomical and more complicated to store. This paper deals with the design and non-linear modeling of a new shape of wind girder for bolted tanks that eliminates the above-mentioned disadvantages. To analyze the new shape of the girder, a non-linear numerical model of an open-topped tank with various dimensions is designed to study its buckling capacity. Full article

Contemporary three-dimensional physics-based simulations of the solar convection zone disagree with observations. They feature differential rotation substantially different from the true rotation inferred by solar helioseismology and exhibit a conveyor belt of convective “Busse” columns not found in observations. To help unravel this so-called “convection conundrum”, we use a three-dimensional pseudospectral simulation code to investigate how radially non-uniform viscosity and entropy diffusivity affect differential rotation and convective flow patterns in density-stratified rotating spherical fluid shells. We find that radial non-uniformity in fluid properties enhances polar convection, which, in turn, induces non-negligible lateral entropy gradients that lead to large deviations from differential rotation geostrophy due to thermal wind balance. We report simulations wherein this mechanism maintains differential rotation patterns very similar to the true solar profile outside the tangent cylinder, although discrepancies remain at high latitudes. This is significant because differential rotation plays a key role in sustaining solar-like cyclic dipolar dynamos. Full article

This study analyzes wind structures up to 509 m in the atmospheric boundary layer in the coastal area of Hainan Island, using a dataset obtained from ultrasonic anemometers housed in three towers. The wind profile, consisting of the measurements from the three towers, followed logarithmic law. In a diurnal variation, the maximum wind speed occurred at night, with a greater component of northerly wind, while the minimum wind speed was observed at noon, with a greater component of easterly wind. The variation in wind speed suggests that the measurements were representative of the wind field in the upper part of the atmospheric boundary layer, and the variation in wind direction might be affected by sea and land breezes, which can be induced by the different thermal conditions of underlying surfaces. The diurnal variation in average wind speed ranged from 0.5 to 1.5 m s⁻¹, and the diurnal variation in wind direction was 10–20 degrees. In our measurements, the diurnal trajectory of the wind vector was observed to be counterclockwise, which differs from previous studies conducted over uniform and flat underlying surfaces. This is partially due to the different thermodynamic conditions of the underlying land and sea surfaces. The impact of topographic relief on wind measurement is also discussed. The measurements suggest that wind speeds at altitudes above 50 m are less influenced by terrain. The height of the reversal layer, which is generated by the different diurnal variations in wind speed in the upper and lower parts of the boundary layer, was estimated to be around 300 m. Full article

We present a modeling tool capable of computing carbon dioxide (CO₂) fluxes over a non-uniform boreal peatland. The three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic model is based on the “one-and-a-half” closure scheme of the system of the Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes and continuity equations. Despite simplifications used in the turbulence description, the model allowed obtaining the spatial steady-state distribution of the averaged wind velocities and coefficients of turbulent exchange within the atmospheric surface layer, taking into account the surface heterogeneity. The spatial pattern of CO₂ fluxes within and above a plant canopy is derived using the “diffusion–reaction–advection” equation. The model was applied to estimate the spatial heterogeneity of CO₂ fluxes over a non-uniform boreal ombrotrophic peatland, Staroselsky Moch, in the Tver region of European Russia. The modeling results showed a significant effect of vegetation heterogeneity on the spatial pattern of vertical and horizontal wind components and on vertical and horizontal CO₂ flux distributions. Maximal airflow disturbances were detected in the near-surface layer at the windward and leeward forest edges. The forest edges were also characterized by maximum rates of horizontal CO₂ fluxes. Modeled turbulent CO₂ fluxes were compared with the mid-day eddy covariance flux measurements in the southern part of the peatland. A very good agreement of modeled and measured fluxes (R² = 0.86, p < 0.05) was found. Comparisons of the vertical profiles of CO₂ fluxes over the entire peatland area and at the flux tower location showed significant differences between these fluxes, depending on the prevailing wind direction and the height above the ground. Full article

A wind tunnel is needed for a lot of research and model testing in the field of engineering design. Commercial wind tunnels are large and expensive, making them unsuitable for small-scale aerodynamic model testing. This work aims to experimentally investigate the effects of flow, noise, and vibration on constructing and designing a low-speed wind tunnel structure. The flow uniformity in the wind tunnel has been tested by measuring the velocity profiles inside the empty test section with a pitot-static tube at various fan frequencies. The experiment results showed a good flow uniformity of more than 90% across the test section area, and the maximum wind velocity achieved was about 25.1 m/s. Due to the stability of the flow near the exit test section, the vibration measurement revealed that the entrance portion has larger vibration fluctuations than the exit part. Furthermore, as the axial fan frequency increases, the noise level increases. At 40 Hz, the noise level enters the hazardous zone, which has an impact on the person who performs the measurement process. The resonance of the wind tunnel structure is an important measurement test that affects vibration measurement. Full article