A laboratory-scale buried charge simulator

An experimental technique has been developed in order to mimic the effect of landmine loading on materials and structures to be studied in a laboratory setting, without the need for explosives. Compressed gas is discharged beneath a sand layer, simulating the dynamic flow generated by a buried explosive. High speed photography reveals that the stages of soil motion observed during a landmine blast are replicated. The effect of soil saturation and the depth of the sand layer on sand motion are evaluated. Two series of experiments have been performed with the buried charge simulator to characterise subsequent impact of the sand. First, the time variation in pressure and impulse during sand impact on a stationary target is evaluated using a Kolsky bar apparatus. It is found that the pressure pulse imparted to the Kolsky bar consists of two phases: an initial transient phase of high pressure (attributed to wave propagation effects in the impacting sand), followed by a lower pressure phase of longer duration (due to lateral flow of the sand against the Kolsky bar). Both phases make a significant contribution to the total imparted impulse. It is found that wet sand exerts higher peak pressures and imparts a larger total impulse than dry sand. The level of imparted impulse is determined as a function of sand depth, and of stand-off distance between the sand and the impacted end of the Kolsky bar. The second study uses a vertical impulse pendulum to measure the momentum imparted by sand impact to a target which is free to move vertically. The effect of target mass upon imparted momentum is investigated. It is concluded that the laboratory-scale sand impact apparatus is a flexible tool for investigating the interactions between structures and dynamic sand flows. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fluid mechanics of pulse pressure-gain combustors

The fluid dynamic operation of a valveless pulse combustor has been studied experimentally and numerically. Through phase-locked chemiluminescence and pressure measurements it is shown that mechanical energy is created periodically in the flame surface, with an efficiency of 1.6%. This mechanical energy leaves the pulse combustor through unsteady jets at the aerovalve inlet and the tailpipe exit stations. Two thermodynamically distinct flows are identified: a flow that is transported from inlet to exit and participates in combustion along the way, and a flow that is ingested and then ejected from the combustor without undergoing combustion. It is the latter of these two flows which has the greatest quantity of net work done on it. Copyright © 2008 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.

Improving the performance of a valveless pulse combustor using unsteady fuel injection

This paper describes an experimental investigation into the effect of unsteady fuel injection on the performance of a valveless pulse combustor. Two fuel systems were used. The first delivered a steady flow of ethylene through choked nozzles, and the second delivered ethylene in discrete pulses using high-frequency fuel injectors. Both fuel systems injected directly into the combustion chamber. The high-frequency fuel injectors were phase locked to the unsteady pressure measured on the inlet pipe. The phase and opening pulse width of the injectors and the time-averaged fuel mass flow rate through the injectors were independently varied. For a given fuel mass flow rate, it is shown that the maximum pressure amplitude occurs when fuel is injected during flow reversal in the inlet pipe, i.e. flow direction is out of the combustor. The optimal fuel injection pulse width is shown to be approximately 2/9th of the cycle. It should, however, be noted that this is the shortest time in which the injectors can reliably be fully opened and closed. It is shown that by using unsteady fuel injection the mass flow rate of fuel needed to achieve a given amplitude of unsteady pressure can be reduced by up to 65% when compared with the steady fuel injection case. At low fuel mass flow rates unsteady fuel injection is shown to raise the efficiency of the combustor by a factor of 7 decreasing to a factor of 2 at high fuel mass flow rates. Copyright © 2008 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.

Performance of choked unsteady ejector-nozzles for use in pressure-gain combustors

If the conventional steady flow combustor of a gas turbine is replaced with a device which achieves a pressure gain during the combustion process then the thermal efficiency of the cycle is raised. All such 'Pressure Gain Combustors' (e.g. PDEs, pulse combustors or wave rotors) are inherently unsteady flow devices. For such a device to be practically installed in a gas turbine it is necessary to design a downstream row of turbine vanes which will both accept the combustors unsteady exit flow and deliver a flow which the turbine rotor can accept. The design requirements of such a vane are that its exit flow both retains the maximum time-mean stagnation pressure gain (the pressure gain produced by the combustor is not lost) and minimises the amplitude of unsteadiness (reduces unsteadiness entering the downstream rotor). In this paper the exit of the pressure gain combustor is simulated with a cold unsteady jet. The first stage vane is simulated by a one-dimensional choked ejector nozzle with no turning. The time-mean and rms stagnation pressure at nozzle exit is measured. A number of geometric configurations are investigated and it is shown that the optimal geometry both maximizes time mean stagnation pressure gain (75% of that in the exit of the unsteady jet) and minimizes the amplitude of unsteadiness (1/3 of that in the primary jet). The structure of the unsteady flow within the ejector nozzle is determined computationally. Copyright © 2009 by J Heffer and R Miller.

A transonic vane for use downstream of a pressure gain combustor

Replacing a conventional combustor in a gas turbine with one that produces a pressure gain could significantly raise cycle efficiency. For this efficiency gain to be achieved the exit flow from the combustor must be coupled to the downstream turbine such that the pressure gain produced by the combustor is retained and such that the turbine efficiency is maintained. The exit flow from a pressure gain combustor will often contain a high velocity unsteady jet. It has previously been proposed that ejectors should be used to harness the energy in the unsteady jet, this paper proposes combining an ejector with the first stage vane, producing a single compact component that preserves the combustion driven pressure gain and delivers a suitable flow to the turbine so that its efficiency is not compromised. This novel component has been experimentally tested for the first time. The performance of this first prototype design is found to be low due to high levels of loss generated by secondary flows. However possible mitigation strategies are discussed. It is shown that the unsteadiness at exit form the ejector-vane is reduced compared to the inlet flow. If a pulse combustor were incorporated into a gas turbine, it is unlikely that the level of unsteadiness experienced in a downstream rotor will be significantly larger that that due to the periodic passing of upstream wakes. Copyright © 2010 by Jonathan Heffer.

Corner separation effects for normal shock wave/turbulent boundary layer interactions in rectangular channels

Experiments are conducted to examine the mechanisms behind the coupling between corner separation and separation away from the corner when holding a high-Machnumber M∞ = 1.5 normal shock in a rectangular channel. The ensuing shock wave interaction with the boundary layer on the wind tunnel floor and in the corners was studied using laser Doppler anemometry, Pitot probe traverses, pressure sensitive paint and flow visualization. The primary mechanism explaining the link between the corner separation size and the other areas of separation appears to be the generation of compression waves at the corner, which act to smear the adverse pressure gradient imposed upon other parts of the flow. Experimental results indicate that the alteration of the -region, which occurs in the supersonic portion of the shock wave/boundary layer interaction (SBLI), is more important than the generation of any blockage in the subsonic region downstream of the shock wave. © Copyright 2012 Cambridge University Press.

Normal shock interactions in rectangular channels

Experiments have been conducted to examine the mechanisms behind the coupling between corner separation and centreline separation when holding a normal shock in a rectangular channel. The study has focused on a M ∞ = 1.5 normal shock held in a wind tunnel with a parallel rectangular cross-section. The primary mechanism explaining the link between the corner separation size and the centreline separation appears to be the generation of compression waves which act to smear the adverse pressure gradient imposed upon other parts of the flow. In addition, the origin of the λ-foot leading leg appears to be depended upon the size of the corner separations. Experimental results indicate that the alteration of the λ-region, which occurs in the supersonic portion of the SBLI, is more important than the generation of any blockage in the subsonic region downstream of the shock wave. Copyright © 2012 by H. Babinsky, D.M.F. Burton.

Laser microstructuring of Si surfaces for low-threshold field-electron emission

Dense arrays of high aspect ratio Si micro-pyramids have been formed by cumulative high intensity laser irradiation of doped Si wafers in an SF6 environment. A comparative study using nanosecond (XeCl, 308 nm) and femtosecond (Ti: Sapphire, 800 nm and KrF, 248 nm) laser pulses has been performed in this work. The influence of pulse duration and ambient gas pressure (SF6) is also presented. Scanning electron microscopy has shown that upon laser irradiation conical features appear on the Si surface in a rather homogenous distribution and with a spontaneous self alignment into arrays. Their lowest tip diameter is 800 nm; while their height reaches up to 90 mum. Secondary tip decoration appears on the surface of the formed spikes. Areas of 2 X 2 mm(2) covered with Si cones have been tested as cold cathode field emitters. After several conditioning cycles, the field emission threshold for the studied Si tips is as low as 2 V/mum, with an emission current of 10(-3) A/cm(2) at 4 V/mum. Even though these structures have smaller aspect ratios than good quality carbon nanotubes, their field emission properties are similar. The simple and direct formation of field emission Si arrays over small pre-selected areas by laser irradiation could lead to a novel approach for the development of electron sources. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Colliding-pulse modelocked quantum dot lasers

Colliding pulse modelocking is demonstrated for the first time in quantum dot lasers. Using 3.9 mm-long devices with a 245 pm-long central absorber, 7 ps pulses at a repetition rate of 20 GHz is obtained. For Gaussian pulses a time-bandwidth product close to the Fourier transform limit is determined. These results confirm the potential of quantum dot lasers for high repetition rate harmonic modelocking.