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Experimental Visualization of Flows in Packed Beds of SpheresThe flow experiment consisted of an oil tunnel, 76 x 76 mm in cross-section, packed with lucite spheres. The index of refraction of the working fluid and the spheres were matched such that the physical spheres invisible to the eye and camera. By seeding the oil and illuminating the packed bed with planar laser light sheet, aligned in the direction of the bulk flow, the system fluid dynamics becomes visible and the 2-D projection was recorded at right angles to the bulk flow. The planar light sheet was traversed from one side of the tunnel to the other providing a simulated 3-D image of the entire flow field. The boundary interface between the working fluid and the sphere rendered the sphere black permitting visualization of the exact locations of the circular interfaces in both the axial and transverse directions with direct visualization of the complex interstitial spaces between the spheres within the bed. Flows were observed near the surfaces of a plane and set of spheres as well as minor circles that appear with great circles and not always uniformly ordered. In addition to visualizing a very complex flow field, it was observed that flow channeling in the direction of the bulk flow occurs between sets of adjacent spheres. Still photographs and video recordings illustrating the flow phenomena will be presented.
Document ID
19970010765
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Hendricks, R. C.
(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Lattime, S.
(B and C Engineering Associates, Inc. Akron, OH United States)
Braun, M. J.
(Akron Univ. Akron, OH United States)
Athavale, M. M.
(CFD Research Corp. Huntsville, AL United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1997
Subject Category
Aircraft Propulsion And Power
Report/Patent Number
E-10527
NASA-TM-107365
NAS 1.15:107365
Meeting Information
Meeting: Pacific Symposium on Flow Visualization and Image Processing
Location: Honolulu, HI
Country: United States
Start Date: February 23, 1997
End Date: February 26, 1997
Sponsors: Hawaii Univ.
Accession Number
97N15916
Funding Number(s)
PROJECT: RTOP 233-1B-1B
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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