Sharp interface limits of phase-field models

The use of continuum phase-field models to describe the motion of well-defined interfaces is discussed for a class of phenomena, that includes order/disorder transitions, spinodal decomposition and Ostwald ripening, dendritic growth, and the solidification of eutectic alloys. The projection operator method is used to extract the ``sharp interface limit'' from phase field models which have interfaces that are diffuse on a length scale $\xi$. In particular,phase-field equations are mapped onto sharp interface equations in the limits $\xi \kappa \ll 1$ and $\xi v/D \ll 1$, where $\kappa$ and $v$ are respectively the interface curvature and velocity and $D$ is the diffusion constant in the bulk. The calculations provide one general set of sharp interface equations that incorporate the Gibbs-Thomson condition, the Allen-Cahn equation and the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figure

Modeling flow of mineralized carbon dioxide slurry

Direct mineral carbonation was investigated at Albany Research Center (US DOE) as a means to sequester carbon dioxide into stable mineral matrices. Although previous work focused on treating Mg-containing minerals in conventional autoclaves, recent work has been done using pipeline-reactor technology for the high-temperature, high-pressure (HTHP) reaction of the minerals in aqueous/CO2 media. Sequestration of CO2 using above-ground reactors may be uneconomical, but the technology may also be applicable in geological sequestration of CO2. Progress is described in using a prototype HTHP flow-loop reactor to model flow in the dynamic three-phase system to help determine the pumping-energy requirements to optimize reactivity

3-D Inlet Shock-Boundary Layer Interactions - PIV Database for the Second SBLI Workshop

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/97090/1/AIAA2012-3214.pd

On the challenges facing the handling of solid biomass feedstocks

With a major global emphasis on the management of waste, alternative resources and a shift to environmentally sustainable technologies, demand for large volumes of heterogeneous solid biomass feedstocks for energy or chemical use is expected to rise significantly. In transforming a sporadic supply of a low-value, highly variable product, to continuous and controlled high through-put systems, a thorough understanding of the feedstock properties will increase in importance. Appropriate characterisation tests are necessary to define technical specification and selection criteria for handling equipment and to appraise the requirement and location for additional processes or pre-treatment to be integrated into the handling chain. Such tests may also influence the material characteristics to be used in the conversion process. This paper discusses the main feedstock attributes associated with a number of handling chain phases and the approach to obtain them. The framework for a holistic approach to the characterisation and design of biomass feedstock handling systems for further development and practical implementation is also proposed

Influence of the Helicopter Configuration on its Electrostatic Charging

A helicopter flying through an atmosphere containing particulates may accumulate high electrostatic charges which can challenge its operational safety. In this paper we report on the influence of the helicopter configuration on its electrification. Our study is based on a recently developed numerical approach according to which the turbulent air flow around the rotorcraft is estimated via large eddy simulations while the particulate flow is computed via Lagrangian particle tracking. Also, this approach incorporates a model for the triboelectric charge transfer during particle-helicopter collisions that is briefly described herein. The configurations that we examined in our study include rotor systems of two different sizes equipped with two, three or four blades. Our results reveal that a helicopter with fewer blades accumulates less electric current even though the charge on each individual blade is higher. Further, the location of the charge build-up on the rotor disk depends strongly on the number of blades. Also, according to our computations, a reduction of the rotor size leads to a reduction of its electrification, if all other parameters are kept constant

Numerical computation of multi-phase flows A lecture course

26.60LD:4371.33(HTS--81/8). / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo