arXiv subjects

Henrik Ström

Publications and source records attributed to Henrik Ström.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Terahertz Radar Inversion for Range-Resolved Solids Concentration Profiling in Gas--Solid Flows

A stable inversion method is developed to reconstruct millimeter-scale solids-concentration profiles in particulate suspensions from monostatic sub-terahertz frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar measurements. In industrial particulate flows, cumulative attenuation renders the direct inversion of the path-integrated volume-scattering radar equation ill-conditioned. The method resolves this by an ensemble-averaged Mie-scattering closure coupled to a stable backward-integration scheme, yielding an analytical solution for the range-resolved solids concentration without case-specific parameter fitting against reference concentration measurements. The required range-dependent system response is determined by absolute near- and far-field calibration via external substitution with an electrically large metallic sphere. The method was evaluated against solids-volume-fraction estimates derived from differential-pressure measurements in a 3.1 m-tall circulating fluidized-bed riser operated with ambient air and copper powder (median diameter 32.6 $μ$m, density 8920 kg m$^{-3}$). The radar-derived and pressure-derived profiles agreed well across three superficial gas velocities producing distinct axial solids distributions, and the radar indicates sensitivity down to solids volume fractions of order $10^{-6}$.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2023

Assessing passive scalar dynamics in bubble-induced turbulence using DNS

By using Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) of bubbly flows with passive scalars, we show a transition in the scalar spectra from a $k^{-5/3}$ to a $k^{-3}$ scaling with the wavenumber $k$, in contrast with those of single-phase isotropic turbulence. For cases with a mean scalar gradient in the horizontal direction, the scalar spectrum decays faster than $k^{-3}$ at high wavenumbers. While the $k^{-3}$ scaling is well established in the bubbly flow velocity spectrum, the scalar spectrum behaviour is not fully understood. We find that the transition length scale of the scalar spectra is comparable to or below the bubble diameter and decreases with the molecular diffusivity of the scalar in the liquid. We use DNS to compute the scalar spectra budget and show that the scalar fluctuations are produced by the mean scalar gradient at length scales above the bubble diameter, contrary to the velocity fluctuations. At length scales below the bubble diameter, the net scalar transfer scales as $k^{-1}$ inducing the $k^{-3}$ scaling of the scalar spectra. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis proposed by Dung et al. (2023) about the physical mechanism behind the $k^{-3}$ scaling. We also show dependencies of the bubble suspension's convective scalar diffusivity on the gas volume fraction and molecular diffusivity that differs based on the direction of the mean scalar gradient. For a mean scalar gradient in the vertical direction, we find and qualitatively explain a significant effect of the molecular diffusivity in the gas on the convective scalar diffusivity.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2020

Pore-Scale Transport and Two-Phase Fluid Structures in Fibrous Porous Layers: Application to Fuel Cells and Beyond

We present pore-scale simulations of two-phase flows in a reconstructed fibrous porous layer. The three dimensional microstructure of the material, a fuel cell gas diffusion layer, is acquired via X-ray computed tomography and used as input for lattice Boltzmann simulations. We perform a quantitative analysis of the multiphase pore-scale dynamics and we identify the dominant fluid structures governing mass transport. The results show the existence of three different regimes of transport: a fast inertial dynamics at short times, characterised by a compact uniform front, a viscous-capillary regime at intermediate times, where liquid is transported along a gradually increasing number of preferential flow paths of the size of one-two pores, and a third regime at longer times, where liquid, after having reached the outlet, is exclusively flowing along such flow paths and the two-phase fluid structures are stabilised. We observe that the fibrous layer presents significant variations in its microscopic morphology, which have an important effect on the pore invasion dynamics, and counteract the stabilising viscous force. Liquid transport is indeed affected by the presence of microstructure-induced capillary pressures acting adversely to the flow, leading to capillary fingering transport mechanism and unstable front displacement, even in the absence of hydrophobic treatments of the porous material. We propose a macroscopic model based on an effective contact angle that mimics the effects of the such a dynamic capillary pressure. Finally, we underline the significance of the results for the optimal design of face masks in an effort to mitigate the current COVID-19 pandemic.

physics.flu-dyn↗