An Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Flow in a ShockWave Power Generator ™

An Experimental and Numerical An Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Flow in a ShockWave Analysis of Flow in a ShockWave

Power GeneratorPower Generator™™

Nicholas Doherty

Dr. T. J. Scanlon

Dr. M. T. Stickland

University of Strathclyde

Introduction to SPGIntroduction to SPG™™

Invented by James Griggs, patented 1993

Attempts to harness the energy release from cavitation

Flow mechanism present is not yet understood

Reduced Scale Clear Acrylic Reduced Scale Clear Acrylic ModelModel

Model made entirely of clear acrylic

Large cubic/cylindrical holes to assist visualisation

All other important dimensions remain to scale

Image De-rotationImage De-rotation

Image de-rotation allows a stationary view of a rotating component

De-rotator mirrors rotate at half the speed of the rotating object

Reveal relative flow hidden by dominant primary flow field

Experimental Set-UpExperimental Set-Up

Experimental EquipmentExperimental Equipment

Numerical AnalysisNumerical Analysis

FLUENT 5 CFD software Moving Reference Frame method Standard form of k- model SIMPLE algorithm for pressure-velocity

coupling Second order upwinding for convection

terms for momentum Steady State and Transient solutions solved

PIV ResultsPIV Results

Tests taken at 1,000 rpm

Evidence of vortex formation

Separation from inside wall and area of recirculation

CFD ResultsCFD Results

Reasonable correlation with PIV results

Vortex formation in hole

Separation from inside wall and recirculation area