Effects of Mach number on turbulent separation behaviours induced by blunt fin

An experimental study of the interaction between shock wave and turbulent boundary layer induced by blunt fin has been carried out at M-infinity = 7.8 using oil flow visualization and simultaneous measurements of fluctuating wall pressure and heat transfer. This paper presents the effects of Mach number on turbulent separation behaviours induced by blunt fin.

An experimental study for wave-induced instability of pipelines: the breakout of pipelines

In this paper, a series of experiments have been conducted in a U-shaped oscillatory flow tunnel, which provides a more realistic simulation than the previous actuator loading methods. Based on the experimental data of pipe displacement with two different constraint conditions (freely laid pipelines and anti-rolling pipelines), three characteristic times in the process of pipeline losing stability are identified. The effects of sand size on the pipeline lateral stability are examined for freely laid pipelines. The empirical relationships between non-dimensional pipeline weight (G) and Fronde number (Fr-b) are established for different constraint conditions, which will provide a guide for engineering practice. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface-induced melting of metal nanoclusters

We investigate the size effect on melting of metal nanoclusters by molecular dynamics simulation and thermo dynamic theory based on Kofman's melt model. By the minimization of the free energy of metal nanoclusters with respect to the thickness of the surface liquid layer, it has been found that the nanoclusters of the same metal have the same premelting temperature T-pre = T-0 - T-0(gamma(su) - gamma(lv) - gamma(sl))/(rhoLxi) (T-0 is the melting point of bulk metal, gamma(sv) the solid-vapour interfacial free energy, gamma(sl) the liquid-vapour interfacial free energy, gamma(sl),l the solid-liquid interfacial free energy, p the density of metal, L the latent heat of bulk metal, and xi the characteristic length of surface-interface interaction) to be independent of the size of nanoclusters, so that the characteristic length of a metal can be obtained easily by T-pre, which can be obtained by experiments or molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The premelting temperature T-pre of Cu is obtained by AID simulations, then xi is obtained. The melting point T-cm is further predicted by free energy analysis and is in good agreement with the result of our MD simulations. We also predict the maximum premelting-liquid width of Cu nanoclusters with various sizes and the critical size, below which there is no premelting.

Shock wave reflection from a wedge in a dusty gas

The present paper contains a detailed study of shock wave reflection from a wedge placed in various suspensions. In past works, the incident shock propagated initially in pure gas and the suspension started only at the leading edge of the deflecting wedge. However, in the present case the entire flow field is filled with a gas-dust suspension and the initial shock wave has steady-state structure relative to the shock front. In former studies the transmitted shock wave starts its propagation into the suspension and is reflected from the wedge at the same time. It is therefore obvious that the two unrelated processes of (2D) reflection and (1D) "transitional" relaxation occur simultaneously. In the present case the suspension behind the incident shock wave has reached steady state (i.e., it is a traveling wave) before the shock reaches the wedge leading edge. The reflection process from the deflecting wedge is studied for different dust mass loadings and different dust-particle diameter. It is shown that when the dust loading is low and the dust particle diameter is small the wave reflection pattern is similar to that observed in a similar pure gas case. In addition, an equilibrium state is reached, behind the evolved waves, very quickly. On the other hand, when the dust loading is relatively high and/or the dust particle diameter is relatively large, the observed reflection wave pattern is very different from that seen in a similar pure gas case. In such cases it takes much longer time to reach an equilibrium state behind the reflecting waves. It is also shown that the dust presence significantly affects the (gas) pressure on the wedge surface. The higher the dust loading is, the higher the pressure on the wedge surface. Suspensions composed of solid particle of different size, but having the same dust mass loading, will approach the same equilibrium pressure. However, it will take longer time to reach an equilibrium state for suspensions having large diameter particles. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laser-induced wavy pattern formation in metal thin films

Laser-induced well-ordered and controllable wavy patterns are constructed in the deposited metal thin film. The micrometer-sized structure and orientation of the wavy patterns can be controlled via scanning a different size of rectangle laser spot on the films. Ordered patterns such as aligned, crossed, and whirled wave structures were designed over large areas. This patterning technique may find applications in both exploring the reliability and mechanical properties of thin films, and fabricating microfluidic devices. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

Two-way coupling model for shock-induced laminar boundary-layer flows of a dusty gas

The present paper describes a numerical two-way coupling model for shock-induced laminar boundary-layer flows of a dust-laden gas and studies the transverse migration of fine particles under the action of Saffman lift force. The governing equations are formulated in the dilute two-phase continuum framework with consideration of the finiteness of the particle Reynolds and Knudsen numbers. The full Lagrangian method is explored for calculating the dispersed-phase flow fields (including the number density of particles) in the regions of intersecting particle trajectories. The computation results show a significant reaction of the particles on the two-phase boundary-layer structure when the mass loading ratio of particles takes finite values.

Ocean currents-induced pipeline lateral stability on sandy seabed

Unlike previous mechanical actuator loading methods, in this study, a hydrodynamic loading method was employed in a flow flume for simulating ocean currents induced submarine pipeline stability on a sandy seabed. It has been observed that, in the process of pipeline losing lateral stability in currents, there usually exist three characteristic times: (1) onset of sand scour; (2) slight lateral displacement of pipeline; and (3) breakout of pipeline. An empirical linear relationship is established between the dimensionless submerged weight of pipeline and Froude number for describing pipeline lateral stability in currents, in which the current-pipe-soil coupling effects are reflected. Scale effects are examined with the method of "modeling of models," and the sand particle size effects on pipeline stability are also discussed. Moreover, the pipeline stability in currents is compared with that in waves, which indicates that the pipeline laid directly upon the sandy seabed is more laterally stable in currents than in waves.

Centrifuge modeling of suction bucket foundations for platforms under ice-sheet-induced cyclic lateral loadings

This paper presents the results of a series of centrifuge model tests performed to study the behavior of suction bucket foundations for a tension leg platform in the Bohai Bay, China. The target lateral loadings were from ice-sheet-induced structural vibrations at a frequency of 0.8-1.0 Hz. The results indicate that excess pore water pressures reach the highest values within a depth of 1.0-1.5 in below the mud line. The pore pressures and the induced settlement and lateral displacement increase with the amplitude of the cyclic loading. Two failure modes were observed: liquefaction in early excitations and settlement-induced problems after long-term excitations. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.