Pulsating flows: Experimental equipment and its application

Abstract

Investigations of time-dependent laminar and transitional flows need accurate and reproducible generation of the flow as a function of time. For this purpose, an electronically controlled air valve, with which the mass flow rate is controlled, was designed and built. The working principle and lay-out of the valve are explained and the performance of the valve is demonstrated. It was found that with the present equipment one can study any non-periodic and periodic flow and the flow can be adjusted to be laminar, transitional and turbulent. The investigations on laminar and transitional time-dependent flows are reported. Laminar flow investigations showed that the generated sinusoidal mass flow rates agree well with that of analytical solution. Non-periodic transient and periodic sinusoidal pulsatile transitional flows were investigated. It was shown that elucidation of the transition in non-periodic transient flows may help in understanding the transition in periodic flows.