Flow Phenomena In Nature

Do we have an adequate understanding of fluid dynamics phenomena in nature and evolution, and what physical models do we need? What can we learn from nature to stimulate innovations in thinking as well as in engineering applications? Concentrating on flight and propulsion, this unique and accessible book compares fluid dynamics solutions in nature with those in engineering. The respected international contributors present up-to-date research in an easy to understand manner, giving common viewpoints from fields such as zoology, engineering, biology, fluid mechanics and physics. This transdisciplinary approach eliminates barriers and opens wider perspectives to both of the challenging questions above. Contents: Applications in Engineering and Medicine; Inspiration from Nature; Steady and Unsteady Fluid Dynamics; Specific Numerical and Experimental Methods

Do we have an adequate understanding of fluid dynamics phenomena in nature and evolution, and what physical models do we need? What can we learn from nature to stimulate innovations in thinking as well as in engineering applications? Concentrating on flight and propulsion, this unique and accessible book compares fluid dynamics solutions in nature with those in engineering. The respected international contributors present up-to-date research in an easy to understand manner, giving common viewpoints from fields such as zoology, engineering, biology, fluid mechanics and physics. Contents: Introduction to Fluid Dynamics; Swimming and Flying in Nature; Generation of Forces in Fluids - Current Understanding; The Finite, Natural Vortex in Steady and Unsteady Fluid Dynamics - New Modelling; Applications in Engineering with Inspirations From Nature; Modern Experimental and Numerical Methods in Fluid Dynamics.

This book deals with the simulation of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations for laminar and turbulent flows. The book is limited to explaining and employing the finite difference method. It furnishes a large number of source codes which permit to play with the Navier-Stokes equations and to understand the complex physics related to fluid mechanics. Numerical simulations are useful tools to understand the complexity of the flows, which often is difficult to derive from laboratory experiments. This book, then, can be very useful to scholars doing laboratory experiments, since they often do not have extra time to study the large variety of numerical methods; furthermore they cannot spend more time in transferring one of the methods into a computer language. By means of numerical simulations, for example, insights into the vorticity field can be obtained which are difficult to obtain by measurements. This book can be used by graduate as well as undergraduate students while reading books on theoretical fluid mechanics; it teaches how to simulate the dynamics of flow fields on personal computers. This will provide a better way of understanding the theory. Two chapters on Large Eddy Simulations have been included, since this is a methodology that in the near future will allow more universal turbulence models for practical applications. The direct simulation of the Navier-Stokes equations (DNS) is simple by finite-differences, that are satisfactory to reproduce the dynamics of turbulent flows. A large part of the book is devoted to the study of homogeneous and wall turbulent flows. In the second chapter the elementary concept of finite difference is given to solve parabolic and elliptical partial differential equations. In successive chapters the 1D, 2D, and 3D Navier-Stokes equations are solved in Cartesian and cylindrical coordinates. Finally, Large Eddy Simulations are performed to check the importance of the subgrid scale models. Results for turbulent and laminar flows are discussed, with particular emphasis on vortex dynamics. This volume will be of interest to graduate students and researchers wanting to compare experiments and numerical simulations, and to workers in the mechanical and aeronautic industries.

A modern up-to-date introduction for readers outside statistical physics. It puts emphasis on a clear understanding of concepts and methods and provides the tools that can be of immediate use in applications.

Developments in Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 14A: Rockslides and Avalanches, 1: Natural Phenomena focuses on attempts to provide a foundation for studies of mass movement phenomena in the Western Hemisphere. The selection first elaborates on Albert Heim's observations on landslides and relevance to modern interpretations, Frank rockslide in Alberta, Canada, and Lower Gros Ventre slide in Wyoming, U.S.A. Discussions focus on geologic environment, events triggered by rise and fall of slide lake level, description of slide mass and zone of detachment, stability analysis, travel distance of sturzstrom deposits, and geometry of the Elm sturzstrom deposits. The publication then takes a look at Madison Canyon rockslide in Montana, U.S.A., Little Tahoma Peak rockfalls and avalanches in Mount Rainier, Washington, U.S.A., Sherman Glacier rock avalanche in Alaska, U.S.A., and Nevados Huascaran avalanches in Peru. Topics include rockslide kinematics, associated seismic activity, meteorological and hydrological conditions, mode of emplacement of other Alaskan rock avalanches, and applicability of mechanical fluidization to other rock avalanches. The text examines the mechanics of glacier movement, dynamics of snow avalanches, failure of snow slopes, and role of gravity in plate tectonics. The selection is a valuables reference for researchers wanting to study further rockslides and avalanches.

Fluid Flow Phenomena in Metals Processing outlines the fundamentals of fluid flow theory, emphasizing the potential applications of fluid flow concepts that are illustrated by actual problems drawn from the metallurgical literature. This book is divided into 10 chapters. Chapters 1 to 4 are devoted to the fundamentals of fluid flow, while Chapters 5 to 9 are concerned with the application of basic concepts to specific systems, such as electromagnetically driven flows, surface tension and natural convection driven flows, multiparticle systems, gas bubbles, and impinging jets. The discussion on flow measurements and introduction to physical modeling are provided in the last chapter. This publication is suitable for a one semester graduate level course for metallurgy and chemical engineering students.