Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Editorial For The Special Issue On Micromachines For Non-Newtonian Microfluidics, Lanju Mei, Shizhi Qian

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

In lieu of an abstract, this is an excerpt from the first page.

Microfluidics has seen a remarkable growth over the past few decades, with its extensive applications in engineering, medicine, biology, chemistry, etc [...]

Electroosmotic Flow Of Viscoelastic Fluid Through A Constriction Microchannel, Jianyu Ji, Shizhi Qian, Zhaohui Liu

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Electroosmotic flow (EOF) has been widely used in various biochemical microfluidic applications, many of which use viscoelastic non-Newtonian fluid. This study numerically investigates the EOF of viscoelastic fluid through a 10:1 constriction microfluidic channel connecting two reservoirs on either side. The flow is modelled by the Oldroyd-B (OB) model coupled with the Poisson–Boltzmann model. EOF of polyacrylamide (PAA) solution is studied as a function of the PAA concentration and the applied electric field. In contrast to steady EOF of Newtonian fluid, the EOF of PAA solution becomes unstable when the applied electric field (PAA concentration) exceeds a critical value for …

Electroosmotic Flow Of Viscoelastic Fluid In A Nanochannel Connecting Two Reservoirs, Lanju Mei, Shizhi Qian

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Electroosmotic flow (EOF) of viscoelastic fluid with Linear Phan-Thien–Tanner (LPTT) constitutive model in a nanochannel connecting two reservoirs is numerically studied. For the first time, the influence of viscoelasticity on the EOF and the ionic conductance in the micro-nanofluidic interconnect system, with consideration of the electrical double layers (EDLs), is investigated. Regardless of the bulk salt concentration, significant enhancement of the flow rate is observed for viscoelastic fluid compared to the Newtonian fluid, due to the shear thinning effect. An increase in the ionic conductance of the nanochannel occurs for the viscoelastic fluid. The enhancement of the ionic conductance is …

Interface Model Of Pem Fuel Cell Membrane Steady-Dtate Behavior, Russell L. Edwards, Ayodeji Demuren

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Modeling works which simulate the proton-exchange membrane fuel cell with the computational fluid dynamics approach involve the simultaneous solution of multiple, interconnected physics equations for fluid flows, heat transport, electrochemical reactions, and both protonic and electronic conduction. Modeling efforts vary by how they treat the physics within and adjacent to the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA). Certain approaches treat the MEA not as part of the computational domain, but rather an interface connecting the anode and cathode computational domains. These approaches may lack the ability to consistently model catalyst layer losses and MEA ohmic resistance. This work presents an upgraded interface formulation …

Electroosmotic Flow Of Viscoelastic Fluid In A Nanoslit, Lanju Mei, Hongna Zhang, Hongxia Meng, Shizhi Qian

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The electroosmotic flow (EOF) of viscoelastic fluid in a long nanoslit is numerically studied to investigate the rheological property effect of Linear Phan-Thien-Tanner (LPTT) fluid on the fully developed EOF. The non-linear Poisson-Nernst-Planck equations governing the electric potential and the ionic concentration distribution within the channel are adopted to take into account the effect of the electrical double layer (EDL), including the EDL overlap. When the EDL is not overlapped, the velocity profiles for both Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids are plug-like and increase sharply near the charged wall. The velocity profile resembles that of pressure-driven flow when the EDL is …

Distal Placement Of An End-To-Side Bypass Graft Anastomosis: A 3d Computational Study, John Di Cicco, Ayodeji Demuren

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

A three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics study of shear rates around distal end-to-side anastomoses has been conducted. Three 51% and three 75% cross-sectional area-reduced 6 mm cylinders were modeled each with a bypass cylinder attached at a 30-degree angle at different placements distal to the constriction. Steady, incompressible, Newtonian blood flow was assumed, and the full Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, turbulent kinetic energy, and specific dissipation rate equations were solved on a locally structured multiblock mesh with hexahedral elements. Consequently, distal placement of an end-to-side bypass graft anastomosis was found to have an influence on the shear rate magnitudes. For the …

A Magnetic Suspension System With A Large Angular Range, Colin P. Britcher, Mehran Ghofrani

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

In order to explore and develop technology required for the magnetic suspension of objects over large ranges of orientation, a small-scale laboratory system, the large-angle magnetic suspension test fixture (LAMSTF) has been constructed at NASA Langley Research Center. This apparatus falls into the category of large-gap, actively stabilized magnetic levitation systems. The hardware comprises five conventional electromagnets in a circular arrangement, each driven from a separate bipolar power amplifier. Electromagnet currents are commanded by a digital control system, implemented on a microcomputer, which in turn derives the position and attitude of the suspended element from an infrared optical system. The …

An Apparatus For Measuring The Thermal Conductivity Of Cast Insulation Materials, Christine A. Wilkins, Robert L. Ash

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

A steady-state apparatus has been developed for measuring the thermal conductivity of cast materials. The design has employed a novel thermal symmetry arrangement which can permit total electrical isolation of the test material from its surroundings. © 1980 American Institute of Physics

Effect Of Compliant Wall Motion On Turbulent Boundary Layers, Dennis M. Bushness, Jerry N. Hefner, Robert L. Ash

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

A critical analysis of available compliant wall data which indicated drag reduction under turbulent boundary layers is presented. Detailed structural dynamic calculations suggest that the surfaces responded in a resonant, rather than a compliant, manner. Alternate explanations are given for drag reductions observed in two classes of experiments: (1) flexible pipe flows and (2) water-backed membranes in air. Analysis indicates that the wall motion for the remaining data is typified by short wavelengths in agreement with the requirements of a possible compliant wall drag reduction mechanism recently suggested by Langley. Copyright © 1977 American Institute of Physics.