ALBERT

Description: A computational study of three-dimensional vortex-cylinder interaction is reported for the case where the nominal orientation of the cylinder axis is normal to the vortex axis. The computations are performed using a new tetrahedral vorticity element method for incompressible viscous fluids, in which vorticity is interpolated using a tetrahedral mesh that is refit to the Lagrangian computational points at each timestep. Fast computation of the Biot-Savart integral for velocity is performed using a boxpoint multipole acceleration method for distant tetrahedra and Gaussian quadratures for nearby tetrahedra. A moving least-square method is used for differentiation, and a flux-based vorticity boundary condition algorithm is employed for satisfaction of the no-slip condition. The velocity induced by the primary vortex is obtained using a filament model and the Navier-Stokes computations focus on development of boundary-layer separation from the cylinder and the form and dynamics of the ejected secondary vorticity structure. As the secondary vorticity is drawn outward by the vortex-induced flow and wraps around the vortex, it has a substantial effect both on the essentially inviscid flow field external to the boundary layer and on the cylinder surface pressure field. Cases are examined with background free-stream velocity oriented in the positive and negative directions along the cylinder axis, with free-stream velocity normal to the cylinder axis, and with no free-stream velocity. Computations with no free-stream velocity and those with free-stream velocity tangent to the cylinder axis exhibit similar secondary vorticity structures, consisting of a vortex loop (or hairpin) that wraps around the primary vortex and is attached to the cylinder boundary layer at two points. Computations with free-stream velocity oriented normal to the cylinder axis exhibit secondary vorticity structure of a markedly different character, in which the secondary eddy remains close to the cylinder boundary and has a quasi-two-dimensional form for an extended time period.

Description: Results of a computer simulation of the performance of a solar flat plate collector powered electrical generation system are presented. The simulation was configured to include locations in New Mexico, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Massachusetts, and considered a water-based heat-transfer fluid collector system with storage. The collectors also powered a Rankine-cycle boiler filled with a low temperature working fluid. The generator was considered to be run only when excess solar heat and full storage would otherwise require heat purging through the collectors. All power was directed into the utility grid. The solar powered generator unit addition was found to be dependent on site location and collector area, and reduced the effective solar cost with collector areas greater than 400-670 sq m. The sites were economically ranked, best to worst: New Mexico, North Dakota, Massachusetts, and Tennessee.