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At least 1,675 records · Page 93

Association Between Injection and Microseismicity in Geothermal Fields With Multiple Wells: Data-Driven Modeling of Rotokawa, New Zealand, and Húsmúli, Iceland

Understanding injection-induced microseismicity in geothermal systems can provide insight into reservoir connectedness. However, fault and reservoir complexity are difficult to represent in simple analytical models, which makes it difficult to discern clear relationships from incidental associations. Here, we have used data-driven models to study how fluid injection and microseismicity are related in the Rotokawa (New Zealand) and Hellisheiði (Iceland) geothermal fields. We tested two classes of model: (a) lagged linear regression of seismicity rate as a function of well injection rates; and (b) systematic extraction of injection time series features that are then evaluated for associations with the seismicity. These models allowed us to determine which wells had the greatest correlation with microseismicity and to explain this association in a reservoir context. Finally, exploring different data types and transformations, we were unable to establish a link between rapid changes in injection rate and seismicity spikes, as suggested by some theoretical models.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Portable Diagnostics and Rapid Germination

In the Bioenergy and Defense Department of Sandia National Laboratories, characterization of the BaDx (Bacillus anthracis diagnostic cartridge) was performed and rapid germination chemistry was investigated. BaDx was tested with complex sample matrixes inoculated with Bacillus anthracis, and the trials proved that BaDx will detect Bacillus anthracis in a variety of the medium, such as dirt, serum, blood, milk, and horse fluids. The dimensions of the device were altered to accommodate an E. coli or Listeria lateral flow immunoassay, and using a laser printer, BaDx devices were manufactured to identify E. coli and Listeria. Initial testing with E. coli versions of BaDx indicate that the device will be viable as a portable diagnostic cartridge. The device would be more effective with faster bacteria germination; hence studies were performed the use of rapid germination chemistry. Trials with calcium dipicolinic acid displayed increased cell germination, as shown by control studies using a microplate reader. Upon lyophilization the rapid germination chemistry failed to change growth patterns, indicating that the calcium dipicolinic acid was not solubilized under the conditions tested. Although incompatible with the portable diagnostic device, the experiments proved that the rapid germination chemistry was effective in increasing cell germination.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Final Report on CFD and Thermal-Mechanical Stress Analysis of PWR Surge Line under Transient Condition Thermal Stratification and an Evolutionary Cyclic Plasticity Based Transformative Fatigue Evaluation Approach without Using S~N Curve: Rev. 1

This report presents an evolutionary cyclic plasticity based transformative approach for fatigue evaluation of safety critical components. This approach is generic which can be used not only for the present generation light water reactor components (which is our focus) but also for advanced reactor components. The approach is based on the fundamental concept of time-evolution of progressive fatigue damage rather than the end-of-life data based conventional S~N curve approaches. Series of fatigue tests on 316 stainless steel uniaxial specimens were conducted under strain-controlled and stress-controlled cyclic loading in two different environment such as in-air at 300 °C and PWR coolant water condition at 300 °C. Material models are developed to capture the uniaxial test data and are subsequently programmed into commercially available ABAQUS code to transform the uniaxial material behavior to multiaxial loading domain. The developed evolutionary cyclic-plasticity approach is verified by both analytical and 3D-FE modeling of uniaxial fatigue test specimens. Results show that the developed material models can capture the time-dependence of material hardening and softening with great accuracy. In addition, results show that the material models not only can capture the material behavior under constant amplitude loading but also can capture the load-sequence effect under variable and random amplitude loading. The ANL developed approach is one of its kind, which shows first in the fatigue research community that fatigue evaluation of a component (in our case verified for laboratory scale fatigue test specimens with great accuracy) can be performed for its entire fatigue life, including the hardening and softening behavior, without using a conventional S~N curve based approach. Additionally results are presented related to fatigue evaluation of real reactor components such as of a pressurized water reactor (PWR) surge line (SL), under upset transient conditions. SLs of PWR experience complex thermal stratification due to the mixing of differential temperature flow from hot leg and pressurizer. A detailed parametric study of thermal stratification in SL is performed through both standalone computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and fluid-structure-interaction based coupled CFD and heat transfer analysis. Results show that the mass flow rate in SL substantially affects the extent of its thermal stratification. The resulting thermal boundaries conditioned are used as inputs for thermal-mechanical stress analysis and component level fatigue evaluation. Fatigue evaluation of SL pipe under example loading conditions was performed using the above-mentioned evolutionary-plasticity based approach and ASME code (for in-air life) and NUREG-6909 (for PWR environment life) based approaches. Results show that the evolutionary plasticity based approach estimate substantially different life compared to the conventional ASME based approach. To show the entirety of the proposed evolutionary fatigue-modeling framework, this report includes the results presented in semi-annual March report (ANL/LWRS-17/01). Sections 2-5 of March report are directly included as Sections 2-5 in this report, without any significant changes. However, Sections 6-9 of this report present the work performed during March-September of 2017. Whereas, Sections 1 and 10 present the organization of this report and the summary and future work, respectively. This report (ANL/LWRS-17/03 Rev. 1) is a slightly revised version of the earlier published report (ANL/LWRS-17/03). In this revised version, some of the results and associated discussion have been corrected/updated.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Optimization and Evaluation of Energy Savings for Connected and Autonomous Off-Road Vehicles

Off-road vehicles, such as wheel loaders, excavators, and harvesters, are extensively utilized across a wide range of industries, including construction, agriculture, and mining. These machines have become indispensable in supporting the day-to-day operational needs of a nation, playing a critical role in various sectors' infrastructure and productivity. However, despite their utility, off-road vehicles are significant consumers of fossil fuels, resulting in substantial emissions that contribute to environmental degradation. This highlights the pressing need for research and technological advancements aimed at improving their energy efficiency and reducing their carbon footprint. There are, however, two primary challenges that must be addressed to achieve these goals. First, off-road vehicles typically perform both driving and working tasks simultaneously, which introduces a high level of complexity into their overall dynamic systems. Analysis the interactions between these functions is challenging. Second, research into off-road vehicles is inherently interdisciplinary, demanding expertise across several domains such as fluid power systems, vehicle dynamics, control theory, optimization techniques, and real-world implementation. Recognizing these challenges, we proposed the project titled "Optimization and Evaluation of Energy Savings for Connected and Autonomous Off-Road Vehicles" as a comprehensive solution to enhance fuel efficiency while simultaneously improving productivity. This project specifically focuses on autonomous off-road vehicles, with particular attention to wheel loaders, and seeks to develop novel methods to optimize energy consumption without sacrificing operational performance. The project integrates real-time control algorithms, vehicle dynamics modeling, and co-optimization of powertrain system and vehicle system to achieve these goals. Our optimization strategy dynamically co-optimizes critical parameters at both the powertrain and vehicle levels, including vehicle speed, working tool movements, powertrain dynamics, and engine operations in real-time. To streamline this optimization process, we developed a vehicle model that captures the key dynamics while significantly enhancing computational efficiency. This allows the system to intelligently minimize fuel consumption, all while maintaining or even improving productivity through real-time calculations during various off-road operations. To validate the effectiveness of this energy optimization method, we introduced a state-of-the-art Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testbed. This reconfigurable testbed seamlessly integrates the actual engine with virtual models of the wheel loader's subsystems, allowing for accurate emulation of real-world operational loads and environments. By simulating these conditions, the HIL testbed enables us to evaluate the wheel loader’s performance under diverse working scenarios, ensuring the developed solution is applicable in real-world operations. This testbed proved to be instrumental in validating the optimization algorithms and demonstrating the system's practical effectiveness. During the evaluation and testing phase, we employed the HIL testbed to rigorously assess the energy savings and productivity improvements generated by the optimized system. The results were highly encouraging, revealing that the automated wheel loader achieved over 30% fuel savings compared to traditional, human-operated cycles, with comparable or even enhanced levels of productivity. The insights gained from this HIL-based testing provided critical validation of our approach and highlighted the potential for deploying these optimized autonomous technologies in real-world off-road vehicles.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

TCCSP Site Characterization and Feasibility Report

The Tulare County Carbon Storage Project (TCCSP) focused on establishing the geological and commercial viability of a 50 million metric ton (MMT) carbon storage complex located in Tulare County, California. The geologic scope of work included collecting new and existing subsurface data, such as two-dimensional (2D) seismic data, advanced geophysical logs, core and fluid samples, and specialized core-analysis datasets, to support the integration and interpretation of findings from earlier tasks. These efforts contributed to the comprehensive feasibility study for commercial carbon capture and storage (CCS) development at the TCCSP site and in the surrounding region. The TCCSP project team evaluated the feasibility of the Lower Monterey Group (Santa Margarita Sand Member or its equivalent), Temblor Formation sand members (Olcese, Jewett, Vedder), and Lodo-Martinez Zone (Domengine Sandstone, Walker Formation, Lodo Formation, and the Martinez Sand) to serve as commercial CCS reservoirs along with potential for the Upper Monterey Group (Reef Ridge, Antelope Members) and the Kreyenhagen Formation to vertically seal underlying reservoirs from shallow above-zones.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium. III - Helically symmetric fields. IV - Nonequilibrium of nonsymmetric hydrodynamic topologies

It is pointed out that plasma confinement in stable equilibrium states constitutes a fundamental and still unresolved question in plasma astrophysics and thermonuclear fusion research. The problem has two parts related to the equilibrium states themselves and their mechanical stability. The question of the existence of general solutions of the field and fluid equations for the steady dynamical interaction of inviscid compressible fluids of high electrical conductivity with magnetic and gravity fields is considered. In the absence of fluid motions, the presented equations become the familiar equations of magnetostatics supplemented by an equation of state. Starting from this simplest case of magnetostatic equilibrium, the investigation proceeds to the more complex case of magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium. Examples of helically symmetric fields are presented to illustrate the use of the formulation for treating the dynamics of helically symmetric hydromagnetic flows.

Tsinganos, K. C.↗

Turbine blade tip/outer airseal/platform flow analysis

The interaction between the main passage flow through a high pressure turbine and the secondary flows due to leakage through the wheelspace rim seals is reviewed. Various experimental and analytical studies of these interactions are outlined and a numerical investigation of the interaction between the main passage flow and a wheelspace cavity seal flow is described. The numerical investigation uses a structured grid method to study the overall interaction between the turbine stage components and the wheelspace seal flow, and an unstructured grid method to resolve the detailed flow features within the geometrically complex cavity seal. The numerical results agree with various observations from experimental studies under similar flow conditions. As the flow rate through the rim cavity seal is increased, the ingestion of fluid from the main passage flow into the rim seal area decreases rapidly. A small amount of main flow gas is ingested into the rim seal area, even at high seal flow rates.

Hah, C.↗

Potential Flow Analysis of Dynamic Ground Effect

Interpretation of some flight test data suggests the presence of a 'dynamic ground effect'. The lift of an aircraft approaching the ground depends on the rate of descent and is lower than the aircraft steady state lift at a same height above the ground. Such a lift deficiency under dynamic conditions could have a serious impact on the overall aircraft layout. For example, the increased pitch angle needed to compensate for the temporary loss in lift would reduce the tail strike margin or require an increase in landing gear length. Under HSR2 an effort is under way to clarify the dynamic ground effect issue using a multi-pronged approach. A dynamic ground effect test has been run in the NASA Langley 14x22 ft wind tunnel. Northup-Grumman is conducting time accurate CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) Euler analyses on the National Aerodynamic Simulator facility. Boeing has been using linear potential flow methodology which are thought to provide much needed insight in, physics of this very complex problem. The present report summarizes the results of these potential flow studies.

W. M. Feifel↗

Novel Shapes of Miscible Interfaces Observed

The dynamics of miscible displacements in a cylindrical tube are being investigated experimentally and numerically, with a view to understand the complex processes that occur, for example, in enhanced oil recovery, hydrology, and filtration. We have observed complex shapes of the interface between two liquids that mix with each other when the less viscous liquid is displaced by the more viscous one in a tube. A less viscous fluid that displaces a more viscous fluid is known to propagate in the form of a "finger," and a flight experiment proposed by Maxworthy et al. to investigate the miscible-interface dynamics is currently being developed by NASA. From the current theory of miscible displacements, which was developed for a porous medium satisfying Darcy's law, it can be shown that in the absence of gravity the interface between the fluids is destabilized and thus susceptible to fingering only when a more viscous fluid is displaced by a less viscous one. Therefore, if the interface is initially flat and the more viscous fluid displaces the less viscous fluid, the interface ought to be stable and remain flat. However, numerical simulations by Chen and Meiburg for such displacement in a cylindrical tube show that the interface is unstable and a finger of the more viscous fluid is indeed formed. Preliminary experiments performed at the NASA Glenn Research Center show that not only can fingering occur when the more viscous fluid displaces a less viscous one in a cylindrical tube, but also that under certain conditions the advancing finger achieves a sinuous or snakelike shape. These experiments were performed using silicone oils in a vertical pipette of small diameter. In the initial configuration, the more viscous fluid rested on top of the less viscous one, and the interface was nominally flat. A dye was added to the upper liquid for ease of observation of the interface between the fluids. The flow was initiated by draining the lower fluid from the bottom of the pipette, at speeds less than 0.1 mm/sec.

Balasubramaniam, Ramaswamy↗

Loop Heat Pipe Startup Behaviors

A loop heat pipe must start successfully before it can commence its service. The start-up transient represents one of the most complex phenomena in the loop heat pipe operation. This paper discusses various aspects of loop heat pipe start-up behaviors. Topics include the four start-up scenarios, the initial fluid distribution between the evaporator and reservoir that determines the start-up scenario, factors that affect the fluid distribution between the evaporator and reservoir, difficulties encountered during the low power start-up, and methods to enhance the start-up success. Also addressed are the thermodynamic constraint between the evaporator and reservoir in the loop heat pipe operation, the superheat requirement for nucleate boiling, pressure spike and pressure surge during the start-up transient, and repeated cycles of loop start-up andshutdown under certain conditions.

Loop Heat Pipes↗

Microchannel gel electrophoretic separation systems and methods for preparing and using

A micro-analytical platform for performing electrophoresis-based immunoassays was developed by integrating photopolymerized cross-linked polyacrylamide gels within a microfluidic device. The microfluidic immunoassays are performed by gel electrophoretic separation and quantifying analyte concentration based upon conventional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). To retain biological activity of proteins and maintain intact immune complexes, native PAGE conditions were employed. Both direct (non-competitive) and competitive immunoassay formats are demonstrated in microchips for detecting toxins and biomarkers (cytokines, c-reactive protein) in bodily fluids (serum, saliva, oral fluids). Further, a description of gradient gels fabrication is included, in an effort to describe methods we have developed for further optimization of on-chip PAGE immunoassays. The described chip-based PAGE immunoassay method enables immunoassays that are fast (minutes) and require very small amounts of sample (less than a few microliters). Use of microfabricated chips as a platform enables integration, parallel assays, automation and development of portable devices.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Microchannel gel electrophoretic separation systems and methods for preparing and using

A micro-analytical platform for performing electrophoresis-based immunoassays was developed by integrating photopolymerized cross-linked polyacrylamide gels within a microfluidic device. The microfluidic immunoassays are performed by gel electrophoretic separation and quantifying analyte concentration based upon conventional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). To retain biological activity of proteins and maintain intact immune complexes, native PAGE conditions were employed. Both direct (non-competitive) and competitive immunoassay formats are demonstrated in microchips for detecting toxins and biomarkers (cytokines, c-reactive protein) in bodily fluids (serum, saliva, oral fluids). Further, a description of gradient gels fabrication is included, in an effort to describe methods we have developed for further optimization of on-chip PAGE immunoassays. The described chip-based PAGE immunoassay method enables immunoassays that are fast (minutes) and require very small amounts of sample (less than a few microliters). Use of microfabricated chips as a platform enables integration, parallel assays, automation and development of portable devices.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Detailed analysis of geothermal potential in Crescent Valley, north-central Nevada

This study has synthesized geological, geochemical, and geophysical data sets to elucidate the structural architecture and history of the Crescent basin in order to assess its geothermal potential. The Crescent basin is a complex composite basin, consisting primarily of multiple east-tilted half grabens and horst blocks bounded by several major faults of variable strike. Fault kinematic data indicate a present-day west-northwesttrending least principal stress, which in turn suggests that north-northeast-striking normal faults have relatively high slip and dilation tendency. However, a protracted history of changing Cenozoic extension directions has produced a mosaic of fault patterns, which has generated both segmented fault geometries and multiple fault intersections. These structural complexities have ultimately primed the basin for geothermal activity. Detailed analyses and application of the play fairway methodology have respectively denoted and ranked 12 favorable structural settings capable of hosting geothermal fluids in the Crescent basin. Of the 12 favorable structural settings, five were identified as having a higher likelihood of hosting a relatively high-temperature (>130°C) geothermal system, including Hand-Me-Down Creek, Hot Springs Point, and three other unnamed areas. The Hand-Me-Down Creek hybrid structural setting along the Crescent Valley fault is the only documented relatively high temperature geothermal system identified in the basin. It contains an active 87°C hot spring actively depositing sinter and geothermometry greater than 170°C (possibly >180°C). Future exploration efforts at Hand-Me-Down Creek would benefit from focusing on targeting high permeability zones at depth utilizing densely spaced electromagnetic surveys, fluid flow modeling, and selective drilling that targets specific fault intersections within the greater step-over at depth. The Hot Springs Point hybrid structural setting along the Dry Hills fault hosts a geothermal system, but geothermometry, spring temperatures, and well temperatures indicate that fluids do not exceed ~100°C. Three other relatively promising areas include a fault intersection in the central part of the basin and two step-overs (relay ramps) along the Crescent Valley fault, but additional exploration is needed at these sites, such as 2-m temperature surveys in the dry season, measuring deeper subsurface temperatures through temperature-gradient drilling, and collecting water samples through geoprobe drilling to estimate geothermometry.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Computations of three-dimensional steady and unsteady viscous incompressible flows

The INS3D family of computational fluid dynamics computer codes is presented. These codes are used to as tools in developing and assessing algorithms for solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations for steady-state and unsteady flow problems. This work involves applying the codes to real-world problems involving complex three-dimensional geometries. The algorithms utilized include the method of pseudocompressibility including both central and upwind differencing, several types of artificial dissipation schemes, approximate factorization, and an implicit line-relaxation scheme. These codes have been validated using a wide range of problems including flow over a backward-facing step, driven cavity flow, flow through various types of ducts, and steady and unsteady flow over a circular cylinder. Many diverse flow applications have been solved using these codes including parts of the Space Shuttle Main Engine, problems in naval hydrodynamics, low-speed aerodynamics, and biomedical fluid flows. The presentation details several of these, including the flow through a Space Shuttle Main Engine inducer, vortex shedding behind a circular cylinder, and flow through an artificial heart.

Kwak, Dochan↗

Enhancement of EM Pump Performance through Modeling and Testing

Liquid sodium has seen development as a nuclear reactor coolant in the United States for over 50 years. While sodium has many desirable characteristics as a heat transfer fluid, its reactivity poses numerous engineering challenges for even the most basic plant components like pumps. Despite the challenges, mechanical pumps have seen success in sodium service albeit at the expense of simplicity and flexibility. In fact, significant failures of these pumps have been recorded which can be attributed to their complexity. Notwithstanding the complexity, mechanical pumps are still widely proposed for the main circuit pump of sodium cooled reactors. However, an alternative to mechanical pumps are Electromagnetic Induction Pumps (EMIPs) which use the principle of the Lorentz Force. EMIPs avoid mechanically moving parts in contact with sodium which simplifies the design by avoiding mechanical wear and seals. Therefore, these pumps are generally safer and more reliable than their mechanical counterparts. That being said, EMIPs suffer from relatively low efficiencies that range from 5% to 45%. Some of the inefficiencies are inherent to the EMIPs pumps; namely, inefficiencies arise in the form of resistive heating losses in the fluid itself. However, other inefficiencies arise from Edge Effects which include Finite Length and Finite Width effects. Due to the significant safety advantages EMIPs have compared to mechanical pumps, there is a strong motivation to integrate these technologies into the design of Generation IV liquid-metal-cooled nuclear power plants. However, EMIPs have low efficiencies partly attributed to Edge Effects. Much of the literature focusing on Edge Effects is dated or simply does not exist in the public domain. More recently, numerical models of EMIPs have shown promising results. However, these models are often custom solvers or use complex software suits which limit their application. This report describes the work completed to understand Edge Effects in two EMIPs designs. These designs are the Annular Linear Induction Pump (ALIP) and Permanent Magnet Induction Pump (PMIP) also known as a Moving Magnet Pump (MMP). The methodology developed during this project aim at measuring key performance parameters (pressure-flowrate and efficiency-slip performance) using high temperature liquid-sodium. Baseline experimental measurements were then used to verify the accuracy of numerical models developed in the software suit ANSYS/FLUENT. On the experimental side, instrumentation was developed to characterize the pressure-flowrate and efficiency-slip performance of both the ALIP and PMIP in high-temperature liquid-sodium. Additionally, instrumentation was developed to measure potential output pressure pulsations and the magnetic field distributions. Moreover, a specialized ALIP was constructed to study the impacts magnetic field tapering, also known as coil grading, on the Finite Length Effect. Lastly, experimental performance curves of the PMIP were collected at 300 oC and 600 oC and compared to analytical theory which accounted for Finite Width Effects. These results showed that the Finite Width Effect and non-uniform magnetic field in a PMIP impact the performance. On the numerical side, models were developed using the software suit FLUENT/ANSYS. These methods were initially compared against a simple MHD flow in a Permanent Magnet Electromagnet Flowmeter (PMEMFM). The results were significant in that they showed agreeance between the numerical model and demonstrated that PMEMFM’s could be calibrated numerically. These modeling methods were then applied to a prototypic PMIP. Results showed that this simple model provided reasonably accurate results of the PMIP p-Q performance.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Insights into mixing of non-isothermal multi-polymer melts for complex plastics recycling

Catalytic recycling or upcycling of plastics is often limited not by catalyst performance, but by transport, arising from highly viscous, non-Newtonian polymer melts. In this work, we develop a reactor-scale framework that integrates rheological measurements, constitutive modeling, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and experiments to quantify mixing, heat transfer, and dispersion in surrogate hydrocarbon melts representing mixed plastics systems. Temperature- and shear rate-dependent viscosity of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is measured to create two surrogate polymers (PLD and PHD) that capture the dominant shear-thinning flow behavior while neglecting strong elastic effects, enabling tractable simulation of non-isothermal, polymer-melt mixing using a Carreau-Arrhenius generalized Newtonian framework. Three-dimensional CFD simulations are employed to evaluate impeller performance in PLD using mixing time, cavern volume, thermal uniformity, and interfacial area for regimes in which viscoelastic effects are not dominant. We show that magnetic stir bars commonly used in lab-scale studies produce large thermal gradients (~60 °C) and poor mixing, even under idealized power delivery and polymer flow conditions. In contrast, close-clearance anchor impellers achieve near-isothermal operation, reduce mixing times by up to 5×, and provide >90% active circulation volume. We further demonstrate that, at low pseudo-Deborah number (De*), motor power requirements can be predicted directly from shear rate-dependent rheology using the Carreau-Arrhenius framework, enabling rational selection of operating conditions. Extension to surrogate immiscible multi-polymer systems based on PLD and PHD shows that interfacial area is highly sensitive to operating conditions and impeller design, with coaxial anchor-turbine configurations enhancing dispersion by up to 4 × .

Close-clearance impellers↗

Recent results and persisting problems in modeling flow induced coalescence

The contribution summarizes recent results of description of the flow induced coalescence in immiscible polymer blends and addresses problems that call for which solving. The theory of coalescence based on the switch between equations for matrix drainage between spherical or deformed droplets provides a good agreement with more complicated modeling and available experimental data for probability, P{sub c}, that the collision of droplets will be followed by their fusion. A new equation for description of the matrix drainage between deformed droplets, applicable to the whole range of viscosity ratios, p, of the droplets and matrixes, is proposed. The theory facilitates to consider the effect of the matrix elasticity on coalescence. P{sub c} decreases with the matrix relaxation time but this decrease is not pronounced for relaxation times typical of most commercial polymers. Modeling of the flow induced coalescence in concentrated systems is needed for prediction of the dependence of coalescence rate on volume fraction of droplets. The effect of the droplet anisometry on P{sub c} should be studied for better understanding the coalescence in flow field with high and moderate deformation rates. A reliable description of coalescence in mixing and processing devices requires proper modeling of complex flow fields.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Aeroelastic Analysis of Modern Complex Wings Using ENSAERO and NASTRAN

A process is presented by which static aeroelastic analysis is performed using Euler flow equations in conjunction with an advanced structural analysis tool, NASTRAN. The process deals with the interfacing of two separate codes in the fields of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and computational structural dynamics (CSD). The process is demonstrated successfully on an F/A-18 Stabilator (horizontal tail).

Bhardwaj, Manoj↗