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Integrated positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging of flow phenomena in twisted tape swirl flow
Abstract A combined positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) technique is presented, and its utility is demonstrated through investigation of flow in a pipe with twisted tape swirl insert with varying flow conditions (diameter-based Reynolds numbers 16,300–63,300). A description of this technique is given, as well as data handling practices used to relate geometric information captured by CT to fluid flow data gathered via PEPT. It is found that the CT component is readily capable of capturing the stainless steel insert geometry in this present system, but the use of combined plastic and metal materials leads to artifacts in imaging of the plastic surface. Nonetheless, CT data are related to PEPT flow measurements, and average velocity fields are calculated via a pseudo-framing and interpolation scheme and used to visualize and interrogate key flow phenomena within the system. Radial velocity profiles of the mean flow characteristics are seen to collapse to a nearly common form across all flow conditions considered. Helical vortices are seen propagating through the flow field, generated by bypass flow around the gap between the insert and pipe wall, with additional coherent secondary flow structures seen in the higher Reynolds number cases. These findings enhance the understanding of the mixing mechanisms in these swirl flows and encourage the continued development of PEPT-CT methodologies for 3D flow measurements in optically inaccessible systems.
Noninvasive interrogation of local flow phenomena in twisted tape swirled flow via positron emission particle tracking ($\mathrm{PEPT}$)
Twisted tape inserts are often used to enhance the performance of heat exchangers. Previous simulations suggest the existence of secondary vortices and modified axial velocity profiles in these swirled flows, with only limited experimental evidence for these predictions. Here in this work, positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) is used to interrogate turbulent twisted tape swirl flow in a pipe. PEPT is a noninvasive, radiotracer based flow measurement technique that does not require optical access, making it suitable for measurements in a number of engineering flow systems. The existence of the modified velocity profile and secondary flows is confirmed using PEPT, and flow is seen to still be developing 20 diameters downstream of the twisted channel entrance. Secondary vortices are further confirmed by the presence of increased vorticity in these regions, and turbulent fluctuations are seen to increase in magnitude near these flow structures. These results are in line with predictions and point to possible regions of reduced heat transfer and hot spots in twisted tape based heat exchangers. Suggestions are made for future experiments to investigate heated flows, utilizing the ability of PEPT to image flows in opaque systems for validating simulation of flows in engineering equipment, such as nuclear heat transport equipment.
Coregistered positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) for engineering flow measurements
Increasingly, fully 3D experimental measurements of flow in complex engineering geometries are required to validate computational fluid dynamics models that support and inform reactor design and licensing. One barrier to such measurements is the complexity of typical reactor components and subsequent lack of optical access in these systems. To overcome this, the deployment of coregistered positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) is explored for flow measurement in reactor thermal hydraulic components and model (scaled) systems. Through this methodology, fully 3D flow information (via PEPT) and detailed internal geometry (via CT) are captured in opaque systems such as pipes, rod bundles, packed beds, etc. The reconstructed flow field and geometry can then be overlain to reveal detailed flow features around internal structures within a given test section. This is enabled through the use of a combined preclinical PET/CT scanner with overlapping PET and CT fields of view. Such measurements are useful for characterizing flow inside such intricate nuclear thermal hydraulic components as core geometries and heat exchangers, among others, and providing valuable 3D validation data for CFD models. In this work, basic tests of this 3D flow/geometry mapping are presented, and the implications of such measurements are discussed. Further, preliminary measurements are made with both point sources and flow in a simple pipe flow geometry to evaluate the capabilities of this technique. PEPT and CT features are coregistered with up to 0.1 mm precision, and pipe flow mean velocity and Reynolds stresses are reconstructed with similar accuracy to previous PEPT demonstrations. The utility of PEPT/CT is shown herein, and suggestions for future measurements are made.
Bio-active molecules modified surfaces enhanced mesenchymal stem cell adhesion and proliferation
Surface modification of the substrate as a component of in vitro cell culture and tissue engineering, using bio-active molecules including extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins or peptides derived ECM proteins can modulate the surface properties and thereby induce the desired signaling pathways in cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the behavior of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) on glass substrates modified with fibronectin (Fn), collagen (Coll), RGD peptides (RGD) and designed peptide (R-pept) as bio-active molecules. The glass coverslips were coated with fibronectin, collagen, RGD peptide and R-peptide. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were cultured on different substrates and the adhesion behavior in early incubation times was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal microscopy. The MTT assay was performed to evaluate the effect of different bio-active molecules on MSCs proliferation rate during 24 and 72 h. Formation of filopodia and focal adhesion (FA) complexes, two steps of cell adhesion process, were observed in MSCs cultured on bio-active molecules modified coverslips, specifically in Fn coated and R-pept coated groups. SEM image showed well adhesion pattern for MSCs cultured on Fn and R-pept after 2 h incubation, while the shape of cells cultured on Coll and RGD substrates indicated that they might experience stress condition in early hours of culture. Investigation of adhesion behavior, as well as proliferation pattern, suggests R-peptide as a promising bio-active molecule to be used for surface modification of substrate in supporting and inducing cell adhesion and proliferation. - Highlights: • Bioactive molecules modified surface is a strategy to design biomimicry scaffold. • Bi-functional Tat-derived peptide (R-pept) enhanced MSCs adhesion and proliferation. • R-pept showed similar influences to fibronectin on FA formation and attachment.
Numerical and experimental comparison of tracer particle and averaging techniques for particle velocities in a fluidized bed
Particle tracking methods using emitted radiation show potential for following motion in opaque systems such as granular materials. Leading examples are Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT) and Radioactive Particle Tracking (RPT). The application of such techniques sometimes requires the use of tracer particles which differ in size, density and/or shape from the particles of interest. This study investigates the extent to which such differences affect the result of the study by using the open source MFIX-DEM software to model particle motion in the travelling fluidized bed experiments. The results are compared with previously reported experimental studies using both PEPT and RPT. Consistent numerical results were obtained for both PEPT and RPT tracer particles. In determining averaged velocities using such techniques, there is a choice to be made between averaging velocities of particles crossing a virtual plane over a period of time (the “face-average” approach) or those passing through a defined volume over time (the “volume-average” approach). The differences between results obtained with these two methods are shown to be significant in this case, for both computation and experiment.