Valery Chernoray

Air bubbles are released by thoracic endograft deployment: An in vitro experimental study

Purpose: Embolic stroke is a dreaded complication of thoracic endovascular aortic repair. The prevailing theory about its cause is that particulate debris from atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic wall are dislodged by endovascular instruments and embolize to the brain. An alternative source of embolism might be air trapped in the endograft delivery system. The aim of this experimental study was to determine whether air is released during deployment of a thoracic endograft. Methods: In an experimental benchtop study, eight thoracic endografts (five Medtronic Valiant Thoracic and three Gore TAG) were deployed in a water-filled transparent container drained from air. Endografts were prepared and deployed according to their instructions for use. Deployment was filmed and the volume of air released was collected and measured in a calibrated syringe. Results: Air was released from all the endografts examined. Air volumes ranged from 0.1 to 0.3 mL for Medtronic Valiant Thoracic and from <0.025 to 0.04 mL for Gore TAG. The largest bubbles had a diameter of approximately 3 mm and came from the proximal end of the Medtronic Valiant device. Conclusion: Air bubbles are released from thoracic endografts during deployment. Air embolism may be an alternative cause of stroke during thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

A study of the Blasius wall jet

A plane wall-jet flow is numerically investigated and compared to experiments. The measured base flow is matched to a boundary-layer solution developing from a coupled Blasius boundary layer and Blasius shear layer. Linear stability analysis is performed, revealing high instability of two-dimensional eigenmodes and non-modal streaks. The nonlinear stage of laminar-flow breakdown is studied with three-dimensional direct numerical simulations and experimentally visualized. In the direct numerical simulation, an investigation of the nonlinear interaction between two-dimensional waves and streaks is made. The role of subharmonic waves and pairing of vortex rollers is also investigated. It is demonstrated that the streaks play an important role in the breakdown process, where their growth is transformed from algebraic to exponential as they become part of the secondary instability of the twodimensional waves. In the presence of streaks, pairing is suppressed and breakdown to turbulence is enhanced.

Experiments on secondary instability of streamwise vortices in a swept-wing boundary layer

A detailed experimental study on the formation of crossflow vortex mode packets and their high-frequency secondary instability in a swept-wing boundary layer was carried out. Stationary vortex packets are most likely to be generated under natural flight conditions and transition to turbulence is quickest within these disturbances. In the present experiments, different methods of controlled excitation are used so that the crossflow vortex packets are generated by surface-roughness elements and by localized continuous suction. It is found that as the stationary disturbance reaches a significant amplitude, of about 10% of the free-stream velocity, while being below the saturation level, high-frequency secondary instabilities start to grow. Influence of the crossflow vortex packet magnitude on the development of the secondary instability is investigated in detail and below its threshold the crossflow vortex packet was found to be nearly neutrally stable. By studying the unstable packets, the frequency of natural secondary perturbations was identified and the travelling disturbances were forced in a controlled manner by periodic blowing-suction applied locally under the stationary vortex. Two modes of secondary instability were found to develop and the preferred mode was dependent on the properties of the primary stationary disturbance. Additionally, the underlying physics of the process of nonlinear formation and development of the vortices in the boundary layer is clarified. It was observed that the large-amplitude co-rotating vortices may interact, thus reducing their amplitude. Also a large-scale excitation by an isolated roughness element produced two individual stationary crossflow vortex packets at its tips, each with different preferred secondary instability modes.

Numerical Validations of Secondary Flows and Loss Development Downstream of a Highly Loaded Low Pressure Turbine Outlet Guide Vane Cascade

In this paper 3D numerical simulations of turbulent incompressible flows are validated against experimental data from the linear low pressure turbine/outlet guide vane (LPT/OGV) cascade at Chalmers in Sweden. The validation focuses on the secondary flow-fields and loss developments downstream of a highly loaded OGV. The numerical simulations are performed for the same inlet conditions as in the test-facility with engine-like properties in terms of Reynolds number, boundary-layer thickness and inlet flow angles with the goal to validate how accurately and reliably the secondary flow fields and losses for both on- and off-design conditions can be predicted for OGV’s. Results from three different turbulence models as implemented in FLUENT, k-epsilon Realizable, k-omega-SST and the RSM are validated against detailed measurements. From these results it can be concluded that the RSM model predicts both the secondary flow field and the losses most accurately.

Displacement Forces in Iliac Landing Zones and Stent Graft Interconnections in Endovascular Aortic Repair: An Experimental Study

OBJECTIVES Stent graft migration influences the long-term durability of endovascular aortic repair. Flow-induced displacement forces acting on the attachment zones may contribute to migration. Proximal fixation of aortic stent grafts has been improved by using hooks, while distal fixation and stent graft interconnections depend on self-expansion forces only. We hypothesized that flow-induced displacement forces would be significant at the distal end, and would correlate with graft movements. METHODS As part of an experimental study, an iliac limb stent graft was inserted in a pulsatile flow model similar to aortic in vivo conditions, and fixed-mounted at its proximal and distal ends to strain gauge load cells. Peak displacement forces at both ends and pulsatile graft movement were recorded at different graft angulations (0-90°), perfusion pressures (145/80, 170/90, or 195/100 mmHg), and stroke frequencies (60-100 b.p.m.). RESULTS Flow-induced forces were of the same magnitude at the proximal and distal end of the stent graft (peak 1.8 N). Both the forces and graft movement increased with angulation and perfusion pressure, but not with stroke rate. Graft movement reached a maximum of 0.29 ± 0.01 mm per stroke despite fixed ends. There were strong correlations between proximal and distal displacement forces (r = 0.97, p < .001), and between displacement forces and graft movement (r = 0.98, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Pulsatile flow through a tubular untapered stent graft causes forces of similar magnitude at both ends and induces pulsatile graft movements in its unsupported mid-section. Peak forces are close to those previously reported to be required to extract a stent graft. The forces and movements increase with increasing graft angulation and perfusion pressure. Improved anchoring of the distal end of stent grafts may be considered.

Effect of geometry deviations on the aerodynamic performance of an outlet guide vane cascade

Influence of the surface geometry variations on the flow in a low-pressure turbine outlet guide vane cascade is studied experimentally and numerically. Experiments are performed in a linear cascade facility at Chalmers, and numerical simulations are carried out at the rig conditions using steady RANS equations. Investigated surface nonconformances are specially designed two- and three-dimensional surface roughness elements which simulate a generic welding trace and a surface repair patch. These surface modifications were implemented on the cascade vanes at different surface locations, and the aerodynamics of the cascade with geometry deviations was compared to the baseline case without them. Investigated characteristics include the cascade performance in terms of the total pressure loss and flow turning angle as well as a detailed description of the downstream development of the secondary flow field. It is found that there is a range of locations on the vane surface where even relatively large roughness elements as were investigated (with height up to 20% of the blade maximum thickness) do not affect the OGV performance significantly. Another range of locations, where the effect is critical and the flow separation is triggered, are identified as well. An accurate prediction of the separation margins in the latter case was found a challenging task for turbulence models.Copyright

Hybrid-mounted micromachined aluminum hotwires for wall shear-stress measurements

In this paper, we present a micromachined metal hotwire anemometer sensor for use in wall shear-stress measurements. We describe its design and fabrication. A novel hybrid assembly method has been developed to make it possible to measure close to the surface without contacting leads interfering with the flow. Experimental results illustrate the behavior and characteristics of this sensor.

Experimental study of the K-regime of breakdown in straight and swept wing boundary layers

~Received 16 October 2000; accepted 28 February 2001!In this Brief Communication, the nonlinear evolution of periodical disturbances generated by anexternal sound field in a swept wing boundary layer is presented. All experimental results arecompared with corresponding data for a straight wing configuration. The Tollmien–Schlichtinginstability has been studied, and it was found that the disturbance flow field remained highlydeterministic and periodic in both time and space until the latest stages of the transition. Afrequency-wave number Fourier analysis shows that the disturbance spectra comprise only thefundamental wave and its higher harmonics. The K-type breakdown scenario was observed, and thenonsymmetry of flow patterns in the swept wing boundary layer was found to be due to the presenceof the cross flow.

Experimental study of multiphase flow in a model gearbox

This study concerns dynamics of a two-phase flow around a rotating solid body. Under consideration is a model of a gear wheel in a gearbox which rotates and is partially submerged in oil. The flow of interest is complex and involves effects of free surface dynamics, rotation, and formation of bubbles and drops. Occurring flow regimes include laminar, transitional and turbulent. The major focus of the investigation is on details of the developed flow, and the purpose is validation of numerical methods developed for design and optimization of such components. Current experiments are performed in a test rig which is modelling a generic simplified gearbox with a single isolated rotating wheel. The flow measurements are carried out by using particle image velocimetry (PIV) and the test rig is specially designed for this purpose with the optical access maximized. The flow similarity with respect to a real gearbox is fully maintained and the working fluid is a transparent mineral oil. The PIV measurements are performed at four different rotation speeds for two different wheel configurations in order to cover a spectrum of operational conditions needed for numerical modelling. The emphasis is on the result of experiments on a smooth wheel. The measurements are providing velocity distribution around the wheel and details on bubble and drop distribution.

Visualization of Sinusoidal and Varicose Instabilities of Streaks in a Boundary Layer

Nonlinear instabilities of boundary layer streaks are investigated experimentally. Extensive measurements visualizing the sinusoidal and varicose instabilities of streaky structures at nonlinear stage of the breakdown process in boundary layer are presented. The flow behaviour in the course of spatial evolution of the streaky structures with a secondary high-frequency disturbance generated on them is discussed. Various scenarios of origination and development of coherent vortex structures examined in physical experiments are considered. Specific features of the development of sinusoidal and varicose cases of destruction of the steady streamwise streaks are demonstrated, such as transverse and streamwise modulations of the streak by the secondary-disturbance frequency, appearance of new streaky structures in the downstream direction, and emergence and evolution of unsteady Λ-shaped structures localized in space in both cases.