Giovanni Luzi

Numerical Solution and Experimental Validation of the Drawing Process of Six-Hole Optical Fibers Including the Effects of Inner Pressure and Surface Tension

Microstructured optical fibers (MOFs) achieve their desired performance via a pattern of holes that run trough the whole length of the fiber. The variation of the hole pattern allows the production of a variety of optical effects. However, the cross-sectional hole structure can be different from that designed in the preform, due to the combined effects of surface tension and internal pressure. The present paper focuses on the comparison between experiments and numerical calculation of a six hole-optical fiber taking into account the effects of surface tension and internal hole-pressure, since those are of essential importance during drawing. It is shown that the numerical computations deliver reliable results for practical applications and can be used as a predictive tool for fiber development, as long as the inner pressure or the temperature do not exceed too high values.

Influence of Surface Tension and Inner Pressure on the Process of Fibre Drawing

The present contribution deals with thermofluidynamical features occurring during the drawing of capillaries for microstructured optical fibres. Here, the process stability depends strongly on flow and thermal processes taking place as a preform is heated and drawn in the furnace. This is the case particularly for hollow fibres for which the existence of the inner hole directly depends on material parameters such as the surface tension and the rheological properties and on process parameter such as hole internal pressure and the process temperature. A fluid-mechanics model suggested in the literature that makes use of asymptotic analysis based on small aspect ratio of the micro capillaries, has been revisited and improved recently and the leading-order equations have been then examined in some asymptotic limits by Luzi et al. Starting from the novel class of solutions of the simplified equations of motion the present paper focuses on the effect of both surface tension and internal hole pressure since those are of essential importance during drawing. Thus, comparisons with experimental data are performed, in order to validate the analytical model developed in, which will be briefly presented here. The theoretical model gives very accurate predictions both when the internal hole is pressurized or when no pressure is applied, as long as the temperature does not reach too high values.

Comparison Between an Analytical Asymptotic Fiber Drawing Model With Full Navier-Stokes Solution Taking Into Account the Effects of Inner Pressure and Surface Tension

A fluid-mechanics model that make use of asymptotic analysis based on small aspect ratio of capillaries has been compared with the full 3-D set of the N.-St. equations, for modelling the fabrication of capillary tubes. The final asymptotic equations are solved numerically and then compared with the N.-St. solutions, obtained with a commercial finite elements solver. The present paper focuses on the comparison of the solution of the two methods taking into account the effects of surface tension and internal hole pressure, since those are of essential importance during drawing. It is shown that the analytical asymptotic method delivers reliable results for practical applications, as long as the inner pressure or the temperature does not exceed too high values.

Asymptotic Analysis of Flow Processes at Drawing of Single Optical Microfibres

Microstructured optical fibres (i.e. fibres that contain holes) have assumed a high profile in recent years, and given rise to many novel optical devices. The problem of manufacturing such fibres by heating and then drawing a preform is considered for both the cases of annular microfibres and annular capillaries. A fluid-mechanics model suggested in literature that uses asymptotic analysis based on the small aspect ratio of capillaries is analysed and revised. The leading-order equations are examined in some asymptotic limits, many of which give valuable practical information about the control parameters that influence the drawing process. Additionally, the solution obtained for a single capillary provides a suitable basis for describing more complicated fibre structures.

Hybrid Numerical Simulation of Fluid Flow and Light Distribution in a Bubble Column Photobioreactor

Cultivation of phototrophic microorganisms occurs often in closed photobioreactors (PBR). Thereby, the distribution of light inside PBR is a key factor for phototrophic growth and reactor productivity. To predict local light intensities, it is often assumed that the absorption rate is constant in space, and scattering by microorganisms is negligible. The present contribution aims to present a hybrid model to simulate fluid flow characteristics and its impact on light fields in a bubble column PBR. First, numerical simulations of bubble column flow have been performed. Afterwards, the computed local air volume fractions have been used to obtain local radiation characteristics of the gassed suspension, and polychromatic light fields were computed and compared to the optically homogeneous case.

Visually Based Characterization of the Incipient Particle Motion in Regular Substrates: From Laminar to Turbulent Conditions

Two different experimental methods for determining the threshold of particle motion as a function of geometrical properties of the bed from laminar to turbulent flow conditions are presented. For that purpose, the incipient motion of a single bead is studied on regular substrates that consist of a monolayer of fixed spheres of uniform size that are regularly arranged in triangular and quadratic symmetries. The threshold is characterized by the critical Shields number. The criterion for the onset of motion is defined as the displacement from the original equilibrium position to the neighboring one. The displacement and the mode of motion are identified with an imaging system. The laminar flow is induced using a rotational rheometer with a parallel disk configuration. The shear Reynolds number remains below 1. The turbulent flow is induced in a low-speed wind tunnel with open jet test section. The air velocity is regulated with a frequency converter on the blower fan. The velocity profile is measured with a hot wire probe connected to a hot film anemometer. The shear Reynolds number ranges between 40 and 150. The logarithmic velocity law and the modified wall law presented by Rotta are used to infer the shear velocity from the experimental data. The latter is of special interest when the mobile bead is partially exposed to the turbulent flow in the so-called hydraulically transitional flow regime. The shear stress is estimated at onset of motion. Some illustrative results showing the strong impact of the angle of repose, and the exposure of the bead to shear flow are represented in both regimes.

Experimental Simulation of Methane Hydrate Extraction at High Pressure Conditions: Influence of the Sediment Bed

Being a clean alternative to other fossil fuels, Methane Hydrate (MH) is currently considered as one of the most important potential sources for hydrocarbon fuels [1]. In addition, the high energy density of MH and its stability at higher temperatures as compared to LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) makes MH a potential greener method for energy transportation. At the same time, the low thermodynamic stability of MH strongly questions the future exploitation of gas hydrate deposits, turning its extraction into a possible geohazard [2]. Fluctuations in pressure, temperature, salinity, degree of saturation or sediment bed properties may cause methane gas release from the water lattice. We experimentally study the influence of the sediment bed geometry during formation-dissociation of MH. For this purpose, MH is synthesized within regular substrates in a 93 cm3 high pressure vessel. The regular substrates are triangular and quadratic arrangements of identical glass spheres with a diameter of 2 and 5 mm, respectively. MH formation within regular substrate reduces the possibility of spontaneous nucleation to a unique geometrical configuration. This fact permits us to characterize the kinetics of MH formation-dissociation as a function of the sediment bed geometry. Preliminary experimental results reveal a strong dependence of MH formation on the geometry of the regular substrate. For instance, under the same pressure and temperature, the kinetics of MH production is found to change by a factor 3 solely depending on the substrate symmetry, i.e. triangular or quadratic.

Flows due to pressure induced dissociation-formation of gas hydrates

During the last decade, Gas Hydrates (GH) have attracted the interest of the scientific community for engineering applications. Carbon dioxide hydrate (CO2H), for instance, may play an important role for capture and sequestration methods in order to reduce global climate change. Despite the extensive literature, the transport phenomena involved during CO2H formation are not yet fully understood. CO2 transfer from gas or liquid phase to the bulk of water is expected to happen not only by molecular diffusion but also driven by natural convective currents induced by CO2 dissolution in water. Using particle tracer methods, we experimentally characterize the flow velocity of the bulk of water during CO2H formation. For that purpose, CO2H is grown inside an optical cell with a volume of 12 mL at various pressures and temperatures. Due to CO2 dissolution, convection currents are noticed prior to hydrate formation. Our experimental results point to a significant correlation between this process and the subsequent hydrate formation. Two well-differentiated hydrate growth patterns were observed depending on the hydrate induction time and the corresponding CO2 concentration distribution inside water. For long induction times, CO2 can be provided from the water phase resulting in rapid growth. Short induction times resulted in slow growth at the interface creating a solid barrier accompanied by a significant drop in the flow velocity. In some cases, the hydrate layer appeared to be unstable and convection could restart.