Head losses and friction factors of steady turbulent flows in plastic pipes

Many hydraulic engineering applications, which were once limited to the use of traditional materials, are progressively executed using prefabricated plastic pipes, particularly in the case of larger diameters. There is relatively little information specifically on the laws of flow resistance in plastic tubes, or that has been obtained directly for these materials. In this work, head losses and friction factors were determined experimentally in turbulent steady water flows established in conduits made of different plastics. Several pressure pipes, governed by gravity and forced, with nominal diameters until 110 mm, were used with Reynolds numbers ranging from 4E3 to approximately 6E5. Pairs of values, friction factor vs. Reynolds number, were computed and plotted using logarithmic scales. The layout of the points seems to be generally well represented by the Colebrook-White equation, for each relative roughness. Important absolute roughness variations for the different pipes were found by trend analysis. Blasius and Scimemi empirical formulas for smooth pipes were also plotted and also showed a satisfactory agreement with the experimental data, for Re up to 1E5 and a little less than 1E6, respectively.     

胥浦活水泵站肘形进水流道流态分析及优化

胥浦活水泵站为一座长江边低扬程引水泵站,设计流量5.0 m3/s,最大扬程3.3 m。为适应其低扬程、小流量的特点,选用了全贯流潜水泵,在原胥浦节制闸底板上改建安装。为了保证在长江低水位时,水泵进水口完全淹没,进水流道型线平顺,流道内无涡带或其他不良流态,机组启动正常和运行稳定,利用三维数值建模、边界条件设置与三维湍流流动模拟,运用计算流体动力学CFD方法,进行进水流道内部流动数值模拟,多方案分析和比较进水流道内部流态、水泵进水条件和流道的水力损失。计算结果表明,进口尺寸1.1 m×3.4 m(高×宽),出口直径1.2 m的型线B方案进水条件好,流道水头损失小,满足水泵高效运行的要求。优化设计方案为泵站安全运行提供最优的设计进水流道型线和设计参数。     

Pressure waves as a tool for leak detection in closed conduits

In recent decades, growing water demand and a scarcity of easily exploitable high-quality water sources has reinvigorated interest in the further development of already stressed groundwater resources. Since leakage reduction often means the acquisition of new high-quality water resources, utility managers are realizing that water loss must be considered in plans to extend water supply and leak detection is now perceived as a money-saving expense. Among leak detection methodologies, those based on transient analysis can be some of the fastest and cheapest. This article briefly outlines the properties of pressure waves in closed single pipe systems. Past findings from the analysis of pressure signals within the time domain framework are reviewed and time series of pressure variations acquired in laboratory experiments at one measurement section are examined. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of transient test results in the frequency domain and the use of the wavelet transform for interpreting pressure signals. Both a single pipe system and a wastewater outfall system are examined and discussed.     

并联输水管道设计方法

针对长距离并联输水系统的特点，以年费用最小为目标，应用动态规划建立了优化设计数学模型。对模型求解中涉及到的并联输水管管径的选定和流量分配问题作了探讨，推导了连接管设置间距计算式。算例表明，所设计的并联输水管道，可明显节省年费用。     

Developments in tubular daylight guidance systems

Tubular daylight guidance systems are linear devices that channel daylight into the core of a building. They consist of a light transport section with, at the outer end, some device for capturing natural light and, at the inner end, a means of distributing the light within the interior. This technology is examined in terms of performance, cost, design issues and governance (codes) for the different generic types of systems. Gaps in the knowledge on a range of issues, particularly operational human factors, are identified as key determinants delaying the wider implementation of this technology.     

DEPOSITIONAL AND DIAGENETIC BARRIERS,BAFFLES AND CONDUITS: PERMIAN – CARBONIFEROUS UNAYZAH RESERVOIR,NUAYYIM FIELD,CENTRAL SAUDI ARABIA

The Unayzah Formation is one of the most important Palaeozoic reservoir systems in Saudi Arabia. In the Nuayyim field, Central Saudi Arabia, it produces light, sweet crude oil and consists of three main reservoir units, in descending stratigraphic order: Unayzah A, B and C. These reservoir units include a wide range of depositional facies deposited under a variety of climatic conditions, from high‐latitude glacio‐fluvial to more temperate playa/lacustrine, floodplain and braided‐fluvial to hot‐arid aeolian environments. Together with the diagenetic changes superimposed on the various depositional facies, this has produced complex reservoir heterogeneity. The effects of this diagenetic and sedimentologic complexity on reservoir quality and compartmentalization are the subject of this paper. Approximately 816 ft of core and 611 core plug samples were examined from three wells which penetrate, completely or in part, the Unayzah reservoir. We combine petrographic and scanning electron microscope analysis with porosity and permeability data and calculated pore throat dimensions to identify fluid conduits, barriers and baffles to fluid flow. A rock classification scheme is proposed which takes into account whether the pore‐level control on fluid flow is due to depositional or diagenetic processes and the composition of depositional or diagenetic phases within the pores. Distinguishing depositional versus diagenetic controls on fluid flow is important for predicting the three‐dimensional geometry of conduits, barriers and baffles, and a priori knowledge of potential reactions between injected fluids and reservoir rocks is important for designing enhanced oil recovery fluids. In the three wells studied, it appears that the Unayzah reservoir is compartmentalized vertically due to the occurrence of diagenetic and depositional barriers and baffles. There is insufficient data to assess the lateral or areal extent of the barriers, baffles and fluid conduits, but the understanding of pore‐level controls on reservoir quality and the rock classification schemes introduced here will provide a starting point for future studies. These studies should combine well logs, seismic and engineering data with data presented here to assist mapping conduits, barriers and baffles across the field. The proposed classification schemes may also prove to be useful for assessing reservoirs in other fields both within Saudi Arabia and elsewhere.     

Undular Hydraulic Jumps in Circular Conduits

Undular hydraulic jumps in circular conduits are considered with an experimental approach. Based on previous findings in rectangular channels, this research indicates differences in terms of shape effects. All present results depend on the filling ratio of the upstream conduit flow in addition to the upstream Froude number. The results include information on the wave crests and troughs, wave lengths, and generalized axial surface profiles. The wall surface profile is shown to be similar to the axial wave profile, but with smaller wave extrema and a wave shift. The design of conduits containing undular jumps should be avoided because of unstable flow. It is also demonstrated that conduits may choke in the presence of undular jumps, with a previously established choking number relating to a design limit. For flows with choking numbers in excess of 1, choking occurs associated with a transition from the free surface to the pressurized conduit flow.     

Gellan-Xanthan Hydrogel Conduits with Intraluminal Electrospun Nanofibers as Physical,Chemical and Therapeutic Cues for Peripheral Nerve Repair

Optimal levels of functional recovery in peripheral nerve injuries remain elusive due to the architectural complexity of the neuronal environment. Commercial nerve repair conduits lack essential guidance cues for the regenerating axons. In this study, the regenerative potential of a biosimulated nerve repair system providing three types of regenerative cues was evaluated in a 10 mm sciatic nerve-gap model over 4 weeks. A thermo-ionically crosslinked gellan-xanthan hydrogel conduit loaded with electrospun PHBV-magnesium oleate-N-acetyl-cysteine (PHBV-MgOl-NAC) nanofibers was assessed for mechanical properties, nerve growth factor (NGF) release kinetics and PC12 viability. In vivo functional recovery was based on walking track analysis, gastrocnemius muscle mass and histological analysis. As an intraluminal filler, PHBV-MgOl-NAC nanofibers improved matrix resilience, deformation and fracture of the hydrogel conduit. NGF release was sustained over 4 weeks, governed by Fickian diffusion and Case-II relaxational release for the hollow conduit and the nanofiber-loaded conduit, respectively. The intraluminal fibers supported PC12 proliferation by 49% compared to the control, preserved up to 43% muscle mass and gradually improved functional recovery. The combined elements of physical guidance (nanofibrous scaffolding), chemical cues (N-acetyl-cysteine and magnesium oleate) and therapeutic cues (NGF and diclofenac sodium) offers a promising strategy for the regeneration of severed peripheral nerves.     

Gold and Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles Modified Poly-Propylene Poly-Ethylene Glycol Membranes in Poly (ε-Caprolactone) Conduits Enhance Nerve Regeneration in the Sciatic Nerve of Healthy Rats

Reconstruction of nerve defects is a clinical challenge. Autologous nerve grafts as the gold standard treatment may result in an incomplete restoration of extremity function. Biosynthetic nerve conduits are studied widely, but still have limitations. Here, we reconstructed a 10 mm sciatic nerve defect in healthy rats and analyzed nerve regeneration in poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) conduits longitudinally divided by gold (Au) and gold-cobalt oxide (AuCoO) nanoparticles embedded in poly-propylene poly-ethylene glycol (PPEG) membranes (AuPPEG or AuCoOPPEG) and compared it with unmodified PPEG-membrane and hollow PCL conduits. After 21 days, we detected significantly better axonal outgrowth, together with higher numbers of activated Schwann cells (ATF3-labelled) and higher HSP27 expression, in reconstructed sciatic nerve and in corresponding dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in the AuPPEG and AuCoOPPEG groups; whereas the number of apoptotic Schwann cells (cleaved caspase 3-labelled) was significantly lower. Furthermore, numbers of activated and apoptotic Schwann cells in the regenerative matrix correlated with axonal outgrowth, whereas HSP27 expression in the regenerative matrix and in DRGs did not show any correlation with axonal outgrowth. We conclude that gold and cobalt-oxide nanoparticle modified membranes in conduits improve axonal outgrowth and increase the regenerative performance of conduits after nerve reconstruction.