• Energy Research

Pressure wave devices use shock waves to transfer energy directly between fluids without additional mechanical components, thus having the potential for increased efficiency. The wave rotor is a promising technology which uses shock waves in a self-cooled dynamic pressure exchange between fluids. For high-pressure, high-temperature topping cycles, it results in increased engine overall pressure and temperature ratio, which in turn generates higher efficiency and lower specific fuel consumption. Designing a wave rotor mainly focuses on predicting the behavior of shock and expansion waves. The extant literature presents numerous examples of wave rotor designs, but most of them rely on complicated numerical analyses as well as computer code developed specifically for this application. This paper presents an initial scheme used for designing wave rotors employing thermodynamic and gasdynamic analysis as well as computational fluid dynamic analysis. Basic theory and a simplified model of the wave rotor are used to predict the travel time and strength of waves. The model is then refined using a more advanced numerical scheme on the basis of the Lax–Wendroff method and FLUENT, a commercial CFD code.

Pressure wave devices use shock waves to transfer energy directly between fluids without additional mechanical components, thus having the potential for increased efficiency. The wave rotor is a promising technology which uses shock waves in a self-cooled dynamic pressure exchange between fluids. For high-pressure, high-temperature topping cycles, it results in increased engine overall pressure and temperature ratio, which in turn generates higher efficiency and lower specific fuel consumption. Designing a wave rotor mainly focuses on predicting the behavior of shock and expansion waves. The extant literature presents numerous examples of wave rotor designs, but most of them rely on complicated numerical analyses as well as computer code developed specifically for this application. This paper presents an initial scheme used for designing wave rotors employing thermodynamic and gasdynamic analysis as well as computational fluid dynamic analysis. Basic theory and a simplified model of the wave rotor are used to predict the travel time and strength of waves. The model is then refined using a more advanced numerical scheme on the basis of the Lax–Wendroff method and FLUENT, a commercial CFD code.

This paper discusses the capabilities of side spoilers to improve the aerodynamic properties of a sports car exposed to a non-zero yaw angle flow. In such conditions, the aerodynamic drag and lift both increase with the introduction of a side force and a yawing moment, which contribute to the decrease of the car’s handling properties and force the car to change its driving path. Elements mounted on the side of the car make it possible to obtain an asymmetric aerodynamic load distribution and generate additional forces that can be used to counter these effects. The performance of the side spoilers was analyzed at yaw angles ranging from 0° to 15° using the results of numerical calculations. It was established that the side spoilers made it possible to generate at low yaw angles aerodynamic forces that exceeded those caused by a crosswind.

This paper discusses the capabilities of side spoilers to improve the aerodynamic properties of a sports car exposed to a non-zero yaw angle flow. In such conditions, the aerodynamic drag and lift both increase with the introduction of a side force and a yawing moment, which contribute to the decrease of the car’s handling properties and force the car to change its driving path. Elements mounted on the side of the car make it possible to obtain an asymmetric aerodynamic load distribution and generate additional forces that can be used to counter these effects. The performance of the side spoilers was analyzed at yaw angles ranging from 0° to 15° using the results of numerical calculations. It was established that the side spoilers made it possible to generate at low yaw angles aerodynamic forces that exceeded those caused by a crosswind.

This paper presents the concept of one possible but unconventional implementation of a Low Pressure Tube Transport (LPTT) system for a network with station-to-station distances of 300 km, based on the use of circular tunnels in which modular vehicles consisting of three interconnected functional segments move on wheels with airless tires. The physical limitations associated with high-speed vehicle travel in tunnels are presented. The reasons for the expected inconvenience in the travel system, compensated by short travel times, are justified. Assumptions for the use of locomotion, safety, and passenger segments in the construction of a vacuum modular vehicle are presented, as well as systems to ensure the efficient conversion of serial traffic in tunnels to parallel traffic in station areas. Schemes of station construction and traffic organization in the station area are presented, as well as assumptions for a number of systems increasing the safety of vehicle traffic used in emergency situations. Visualizations of some solutions are presented. Details of the construction of a locomotive segment based on a multi-wheel system of airless wheels with the use of a system of linear motors for acceleration and an inertial drive system between them to reduce its weight are presented. Some conclusions from tests conducted on built simulators, mechanical and virtual, of the passenger segment of a vacuum vehicle are discussed.

This paper presents the concept of one possible but unconventional implementation of a Low Pressure Tube Transport (LPTT) system for a network with station-to-station distances of 300 km, based on the use of circular tunnels in which modular vehicles consisting of three interconnected functional segments move on wheels with airless tires. The physical limitations associated with high-speed vehicle travel in tunnels are presented. The reasons for the expected inconvenience in the travel system, compensated by short travel times, are justified. Assumptions for the use of locomotion, safety, and passenger segments in the construction of a vacuum modular vehicle are presented, as well as systems to ensure the efficient conversion of serial traffic in tunnels to parallel traffic in station areas. Schemes of station construction and traffic organization in the station area are presented, as well as assumptions for a number of systems increasing the safety of vehicle traffic used in emergency situations. Visualizations of some solutions are presented. Details of the construction of a locomotive segment based on a multi-wheel system of airless wheels with the use of a system of linear motors for acceleration and an inertial drive system between them to reduce its weight are presented. Some conclusions from tests conducted on built simulators, mechanical and virtual, of the passenger segment of a vacuum vehicle are discussed.

This paper investigates the thermodynamic potential of using multi-stage variable speed counter rotating axial impellers as part of a water chiller system to compress water vapor (R718) as refrigerant. For this multi-stage compressor a modified cycle with an intercooling strategy is used between stages. Multi-stage compression with flash intercooling results in at least 30\% improvement of coefficient of performance (COP) at full load compared to conventional refrigerants like R134a. Novel axial composite impellers, manufactured at extremely low cost, are proposed to take the compression role. To predict this counter rotating axial impeller’s thermodynamic capacity, a numeric CFD approach is taken in the study to generate steady state performance maps; based on the maps it is found that maximum pressure ratio of single counter rotating stage reaches 1.3 with isentropic efficiency around 70\%. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that this counter rotating novel axial impeller has the potential to produce a high enough pressure ratio, and with a practical isentropic efficiency, in a multi-stage compressor to compress water vapor as refrigerant.

This paper investigates the thermodynamic potential of using multi-stage variable speed counter rotating axial impellers as part of a water chiller system to compress water vapor (R718) as refrigerant. For this multi-stage compressor a modified cycle with an intercooling strategy is used between stages. Multi-stage compression with flash intercooling results in at least 30\% improvement of coefficient of performance (COP) at full load compared to conventional refrigerants like R134a. Novel axial composite impellers, manufactured at extremely low cost, are proposed to take the compression role. To predict this counter rotating axial impeller’s thermodynamic capacity, a numeric CFD approach is taken in the study to generate steady state performance maps; based on the maps it is found that maximum pressure ratio of single counter rotating stage reaches 1.3 with isentropic efficiency around 70\%. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that this counter rotating novel axial impeller has the potential to produce a high enough pressure ratio, and with a practical isentropic efficiency, in a multi-stage compressor to compress water vapor as refrigerant.