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At least 127 records · Page 7

Modeling of Alkane Oxidation Using Constituents and Species

It is currently not possible to perform simulations of turbulent reactive flows due in particular to complex chemistry, which may contain thousands of reactions and hundreds of species. This complex chemistry results in additional differential equations, making the numerical solution of the equation set computationally prohibitive. Reducing the chemical kinetics mathematical description is one of several important goals in turbulent reactive flow modeling. A chemical kinetics reduction model is proposed for alkane oxidation in air that is based on a parallel methodology to that used in turbulence modeling in the context of the Large Eddy Simulation. The objective of kinetic modeling is to predict the heat release and temperature evolution. This kinetic mechanism is valid over a pressure range from atmospheric to 60 bar, temperatures from 600 K to 2,500 K, and equivalence ratios from 0.125 to 8. This range encompasses diesel, HCCI, and gas-turbine engines, including cold ignition. A computationally efficient kinetic reduction has been proposed for alkanes that has been illustrated for n-heptane using the LLNL heptane mechanism. This model is consistent with turbulence modeling in that scales were first categorized into either those modeled or those computed as progress variables. Species were identified as being either light or heavy. The heavy species were decomposed into defined 13 constituents, and their total molar density was shown to evolve in a quasi-steady manner. The light species behave either in a quasi-steady or unsteady manner. The modeled scales are the total constituent molar density, Nc, and the molar density of the quasi-steady light species. The progress variables are the total constituent molar density rate evolution and the molar densities of the unsteady light species. The unsteady equations for the light species contain contributions of the type gain/loss rates from the heavy species that are modeled consistent with the developed mathematical forms for the total constituent molar density rate evolution; indeed, examination of these gain/loss rates shows that they also have a good quasi-steady behavior with a functional form resembling that of the constituent rate. This finding highlights the fact that the fitting technique provides a methodology that can be repeatedly used to obtain an accurate representation of full or skeletal kinetic models. Assuming success with the modified reduced model, the advantage of the modeling approach is clear. Because this model is based on the Nc rate rather than on that of individual heavy species, even if the number of species increases with increased carbon number in the alkane group, providing that the quasi-steady rate aspect persists, then extension of this model to higher alkanes should be conceptually straightforward, although it remains to be seen if the functional fits would remain valid or would require reconstruction.

Bellan, Jasette↗

Detonation Wave Profile

The Zel’dovich-von Neumann-Doering (ZND) profile of a detonation wave is derived. Two basic assumptions are required: i. An equation of state (EOS) for a partly burned explosive; P(V, e, λ). ii. A burn rate for the reaction progress variable; d/dt λ = R(V, e, λ). For a steady planar detonation wave the reactive flow PDEs can be reduced to ODEs. The detonation wave profile can be determined from an ODE plus algebraic equations for points on the partly burned detonation loci with a specified wave speed. Furthermore, for the CJ detonation speed the end of the reaction zone is sonic. A solution to the reactive flow equations can be constructed with a rarefaction wave following the detonation wave profile. This corresponds to an underdriven detonation wave, and the rarefaction is know as a Taylor wave.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

Detonation Wave Profile (update of LA-UR-15-29498-rev1)

The Zel’dovich-von Neumann-Doering (ZND) profile of a detonation wave is derived. Two basic material properties are required: i. An equation of state (EOS) for a partly burned explosive; P(V, e, λ). ii. A burn rate for the reaction progress variable; d/dtλ = R(V, e, λ). For a steady planar detonation wave the reactive flow PDEs can be reduced to ODEs. The detonation wave profile can be determined from an ODE plus algebraic equations for points on the partly burned detonation loci with a specified wave speed. Furthermore, for the CJ detonation speed, the end of the reaction zone is sonic. A solution to the reactive flow equations can be constructed with a rarefaction wave following the detonation wave profile. This corresponds to an underdriven detonation wave, and the rarefaction is know as a Taylor wave.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

Shock to detonation transition of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) initially pressed to 1.65 g/cm 3

A novel set of experiments and reactive flow modeling of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) is presented. In this work, the specific phenomenon of shock to detonation transition is examined, where an initial, relatively weak shock is propagated into pressed PETN powder at 1.65 g/cm 3 and the subsequent buildup to detonation is observed experimentally. These experiments, in conjunction with reactant and products’ equations of state, are utilized for building reactive flow models.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Understanding the Hydrogeochemical Response of a Mountainous Watershed Using Integrated Surface‐Subsurface Flow and Reactive Transport Modeling

Abstract Climate change and other disturbances significantly impact hydrogeochemical exports from mountainous headwater catchments such as the Upper Colorado River Basin. Developing a mechanistic understanding of how the physical and chemical processes interact in time and space in an integrated manner is key to quantifying the future impacts of such disturbances. The hydrogeochemical response of a mountainous catchment in the 2010–2019 period is evaluated quantitatively using a high‐resolution model that simulates integrated hydrology, and transport and reactions for selected solutes and minerals. The model assumes that pyrite is present only at depth while calcite is distributed uniformly, and captures the observed C‐Q reasonably well. Distinct C‐Q dynamics are observed in an average (WY16), a wet (WY17), and a dry (WY18) water year. The model also quantifies the water fraction from surface, shallow and deep groundwater compartments using tracers, and suggests greater groundwater contributions to peak stream discharge in the dry WY18. Results demonstrate that calcium concentrations do not change significantly from year to year, while sulfate shows significant temporal variability. Pyrite dissolution is affected by the changing hydrological drivers where it is enhanced in the dry WY18; calcite dissolution supplements calcium dilution under high flow conditions. The model simulates the reaction hotspots controlled by hydrological conditions, and the spatially‐resolved results show that higher soil saturation and less snowpack occur earlier on the south‐facing side than on the north‐facing side. This is a first‐of‐its‐kind demonstration of a model that integrates hydrologic processes, including evapotranspiration, and reactive transport to enable a predictive understanding of hydrogeochemical exports.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

HPC Institutional Computing Project: W15_lesreactiveflow KIVA-hpFE Development: A Robust and Accurate Engine Modeling Software

KIVA-hpFE is a high performance computer software for solving the physics of multi-species and multiphase turbulent reactive flow in complex geometries having immersed moving parts. The code is written in Fortran 90/95 and can be used on any computer platform with any popular complier. The code is in two versions, a serial version and a parallel version utilizing MPICH2 type Message Passing Interface (MPI or Intel MPI) for solving distributed domains. The parallel version is at least 30x faster than the serial version and much faster than our previous generation of parallel engine modeling software, by many factors. The 5th generation algorithm construction is a Galerkin type Finite Element Method (FEM) solving conservative momentum, species, and energy transport equations along with two-equation turbulent model k-ω Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) model and a Vreman type dynamic Large Eddy Simulation (LES) method. The LES method is capable modeling transitional flow from laminar to fully turbulent; therefore, this LES method does not require special hybrid or blending to walls. The FEM projection method also uses a Petrov-Galerkin (P-G) stabilization along with pressure stabilization. We employ hierarchical basis sets, constructed on the fly with enrichment in areas associated with relatively larger error as determined by error estimation methods. In addition, when not using the hp-adaptive module, the code employs Lagrangian basis or shape functions. The shape functions are constructed for hexahedral, prismatic and tetrahedral elements. The software is designed to solve many types of reactive flow problems, from burners to internal combustion engines and turbines. In addition, the formulation allows for direct integration of solid bodies (conjugate heat transfer), as in heat transfer through housings, parts, cylinders. It can also easily be extended to stress modeling of solids, used in fluid structure interactions problems, solidification, porous media modeling and magneto hydrodynamics.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Modelling the Fluctuations of Reactive Shock Waves in Heterogeneous Solid Explosives as Stochastic Processes

Although current phenomenological burn models are useful for describing the average or bulk reactive flow behaviour of heterogeneous explosives, one fundamental weakness inherent to these models is the loss of detailed microstructural information at the scale of the calculation. In order to include the effects of the microstructure, and in particular the underlying material heterogeneities that influence the build-up to detonation, a new paradigm is put forth for modelling sub-grid, reaction-induced fluctuations (i.e. “hot spots”) at the continuum level. This modelling approach assumes that the reaction rate is stochastic, rather than deterministic, and it uses Langevin-type equations with a mathematical framework built upon Itô calculus and Lambourn's CIM model for shocked heterogeneous explosives. This approach follows directly from our previous letter, Ref. [1], and is inspired by the probability density function (pdf) methods used in turbulent reactive flows. Here, the stochastic burn model is derived, implemented, and exercised far beyond what has been shown in previous work. New hydrocode simulation results demonstrate the role of stochastic fluctuations during shock initiation; these fluctuations are approximated by collections of discrete particles, that evolve with drift (i.e. deterministic) and diffusion (i.e. stochastic) coefficients. Furthermore, the particle values are propagated and averaged to calculate the heat release, yield strength, and material impedance in each computational cell. Hydrocode simulation results further show how the fluctuating hot spot energy may or may not be transmitted to the wave front, and result in a detonation wave-like structure. The fundamental stochastic nature of this model permits simulations to have varying outcomes with the same initial conditions; this allows for go/no-go estimation (e.g., marginal or failed detonations), which might possibly be calibrated using the statistical distributions from real materials. Mesoscale calculations of shocked heterogeneous explosives also show that these fluctuations are physically justified (i.e., Ref. [2]), and it is hypothesized that the pdf functions provide a link between the meso(grain) and continuum scales for practical engineering calculations. Hence, our approach is a paradigm shift for building efficient, reduced order continuum burn models, that represent the sub-grid stochastic behaviour of shocked heterogeneous solid explosives.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Numerical solutions of reactive fluid flows during postignition transients in hybrid rocket systems.

A computational method has been developed for the study of the post-ignition transients in hybrid rocket systems. The particular system chosen consisted of a gaseous oxidizer flowing within a tube of solid fuel, resulting in heterogeneous combustion. With the appropriate assumptions, two-dimensional, time-dependent conservation equations were derived for the reacting gas phase, and for the solid phase, in a cylindrical coordinate system. These were then programmed for numerical computation, using two implicit finite-difference schemes, the Lax-Wendroff scheme for the gas phase, and the Crank-Nicolson scheme for the solid phase. Appropriate initial and boundary conditions were represented, including heat and mass conservation at the interface between gas and solid. Initially, no attempt was made to relate the recession rate at the surface to the surface temperature, or to include heat transfer by radiation. A simple case was selected for preliminary calculations, with aluminum and oxygen as fuel and oxidizer, and aluminum oxide as the product.

Hung, W. S. Y.↗

Transport phenomena of reactive fluid flow in heterogeneous combustion processes.

A previously developed computer program was used to model two transient hybrid combustion processes involving tubes of solid Plexiglas. In the first study, representing combustion of a hybrid rocket, the oxidizing gas was oxygen, and calculations were continued sufficiently long to obtain steady-state values. Systematic variations were made in reaction rate constant, mass flow rate, and pressure, alternatively using constant and temperature dependent regression rate models for the fuel surface. Consistent results were obtained, as is evidenced by the values for the mass function of the reaction product and the flame temperature, for which plots are supplied. In the second study, fire initiation in a duct was studied, with an air mixture as the oxidizing gas. It was demonstrated that a satisfactory flame spread mechanism could be reproduced on the computer. In both of the above applications, the general, transient, two-dimensional conservation equations were represented, together with chemical reactions, solid-fuel interface conditions, and heat conduction in the solid fuel.

Hung, W. S. Y.↗

Modeling of dense reactive granular flows

Because of the lack of fundamental knowledge of both the fluid mechanical and thermal behavior of multiphase flow systems, the design of these processes has been necessarily based on empirical correlations and experiments performed in laboratory or pilot scale units. Detailed models and simulations of these systems would allow for the optimization of the processes and their scaling, without the need for expensive and time consuming testing. In this paper, we present the proposed hydrodynamic model in detail.

granular↗

Modeling of dense reactive granular flows

A general model of dense granular flows derived elsewhere is here assessed to understand the validity of some of the assumptions embedded in the derivation.

granular↗

Reactivation of flow battery electrode by exposure to oxidizing solution

A flow battery includes at least a cell that has a first electrode, a second electrode and an electrolyte separator layer arranged between the electrodes. A supply/storage system is external of the cell and includes a first vessel fluidly connected in a first loop with the first electrode and a second vessel fluidly connected in a second loop with the second electrode. The first loop and the second loop are isolated from each other. The supply/storage system is configured to fluidly connect the first loop and the second loop to move a second liquid electrolyte from the second vessel into a first liquid electrolyte in the first vessel responsive to a half-cell potential at the first electrode being less than a defined threshold half-cell potential.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗