• Wind and Structures
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.303-312
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• 2022

As wind turbine rotors increase, the overall loads and dynamic response become an important issue. This problem is augmented by the exposure of wind turbines to severe atmospheric events with unconventional flows such as tornadoes, which need specific designs not included in standards and codes at present. An experimental study was conducted to analyze the loads induced by a tornado-like vortex (TLV) on horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWT). A large-scale tornado simulation developed in The Wind Engineering, Energy and Environment (WindEEE) Dome at Western University in Canada, the so-called Mode B Tornado, was employed as the TLV flow acting on a rigid wind turbine model under two rotor operational conditions (idling and parked) for five radial distances. It was observed that the overall forces and moments depend on the location and orientation of the wind turbine system with respect to the tornado vortex centre, as TLV are three-dimensional flows with velocity gradients in the radial, vertical, and tangential direction. The mean bending moment at the tower base was the most important in terms of magnitude and variation in relation to the position of the HAWT with respect to the core radius of the tornado, and it was highly dependent on the rotor Tip Speed Ratio (TSR).

• Wind and Structures
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.123-136
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• 2018

The effects of steep and shallow hills on a stationary tornado-like vortex with a swirl ratio of 0.4 are simulated and quantified as Fractional Speed Up Ratios (FSUR) at three different locations of the vortex with respect to the crests of the hills. Steady state Reynolds Averaged Naiver Stokes (RANS) equations closed using Reynolds Stress Turbulence model are used to simulate stationary tornadoes. The tornado wind field obtained from the numerical simulations is first validated with previous experimental and numerical studies by comparing radial and tangential velocities, and ground static pressure. A modified fractional speed-up ratio (FSUR) evaluation technique, appropriate to the complexity of the tornadic flow, is then developed. The effects of the hill on the radial, tangential and vertical flow components are assessed. It is observed that the effect of the hill on the radial and vertical component of the flow is more pronounced, compared to the tangential component. Besides, the presence of the hill is also seen to relocate the center of tornadic flow. New FSUR values are produced for shallow and steep hills.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.49-60
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• 2005

A tornado changes its wind speed and direction rapidly; therefore, it is difficult to study the effects of a tornado on buildings in a wind tunnel. The status of the tornado-structure interaction and various models of the tornado wind field found in literature are surveyed. Three dimensional computer modeling work using the turbulence model based on large eddy simulation is presented. The effect of a tornado on a cubic building is considered for this study. The Navier-Stokes (NS) equations are approximated by finite difference method, and solved by an semi-implicit procedure. The force coefficients are plotted in time to study the effect of the Rankine combined vortex model. The tornado is made to translate at a $0^{\circ}$ and $45^{\circ}$ angle, and the grid resolution is refined. Some flow visualizations are also reported to understand the flow behavior around the cube.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.209-220
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• 2003

A tornado changes its wind speed and direction rapidly; therefore, it is difficult to study the effects of a tornado on buildings in a wind tunnel. In this work, the status of the tornado-structure interaction is surveyed by numerical simulation. Various models of the tornado wind field found in literature are surveyed. Three-dimensional computer modeling work using the turbulence model based on large eddy simulation is presented. The effect of tornado on a cubic building is considered for this study. The Navier-Stokes (NS) equations are approximated by finite difference method, and solved by a semi-implicit procedure. The force coefficients are plotted in time to study the effect of the Rankine-Combined Vortex Model. Some flow visualizations are also reported to understand the flow behavior around the cube.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.179-190
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• 2018

Translation of tornadoes is an important feature in replicating the near-ground tornado flow field which has been simulated in previous studies based on Ward-type tornado simulators using relative motion of the ground plane. In this laboratory investigation, effects of translation on the near-ground tornado flow field were studied using the ISU Tornado Simulator that can physically translate over a ground plane. Two translation speeds, 0.15 m/s and 0.50 m/s, that scale up to those corresponding to slowly-moving tornadoes in the field were selected for this study. Compared with the flow field of a stationary tornado, the simulated tornado with translation had an influence on the spatial distribution and magnitude of the horizontal velocities, early reversal of the radial inflow, and expansion of the core radius. Maximum horizontal velocities were observed to occur behind the center of the translating tornado and on the right side of its mean path. An increase in translation speed, resulted in reduction of maximum horizontal velocities at all heights. Comparison of the results with previous studies that used relative motion of the ground plane for simulating translating tornadoes, showed that translation has similar effects on the flow field at smaller radial distances (~2 core radius), but different effects at larger radial distances (~4 core radius). Further, it showed that the effect of translation on velocity profiles is noticeable at and above an elevation of ~0.6 core radius, unlike those in studies based on the relative motion of the ground plane.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.163-177
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• 2018

Tornadoes are one of the world's deadliest natural phenomena. They are characterized by short life span and danger. It has been observed through post-damage surveys that localities with large numbers of buildings suffer major damage during a tornado attack resulting in huge loss of life and property. Thus,it is important to study interfering buildings exposed to tornado-like vortices. The present study focuses on external and internal pressures developed on building models exposed to translating tornado-like vortices in the presence of an interfering building model. The effects of translating speed and swirl ratio of a tornado-like vortex on external and internal pressures for a principal building in the vicinity of an interfering building are investigated. Results indicate that external and internal pressures are enhanced or reduced depending on the location of the interfering building with respect to the principal building.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.403-418
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• 2018

This study conducted synoptic and mesoscale analyses to understand the cause of Japan Tsukuba tornado development, which occurred at 0340 UTC 6 May 2012. Prior to the tornado occurrence, there was a circular jet stream over Japan, and the surface was moist due to overnight precipitation. The circular jet stream brought cold and dry air to the upper-level atmosphere which let strong solar radiation heat the ground with clearing of sky cover. A tornadic supercell developed in the area of potentially unstable atmosphere. Sounding data at Tateno showed a capping inversion at 900 hPa at 0000 UTC 6 May. Strong insolation in early morning hours and removal of the inversion instigated vigorous updraft with rotation due to vertical shear in the upper-level atmosphere. This caused multiple tornadoes to occur from 0220 to 0340 UTC 6 May 2012. When comparing Tateno's climatological temperature and dew-point temperature profile on the day of event, the mid-level atmosphere was moister than typical sounding in the region. This study showed that tornado development in Tsukuba was caused by a combination of (a) topography and potential vorticity anomaly, which increased vorticity over the Kanto Plain; (b) vertical shear, which produced horizontal vortex line; and c) thermal instability, which triggered supercell and tilted the vortex line in the vertical.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.288-294
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• 2005

This study was conducted to evaluate the grit removal efficiency of tornado block-type vortex grit separator. Vortex grit separator was manufactured for this study, and it was characterized by the impeller and tornado block installed in separator. Impeller was installed to increase water velocity in the separator and tornado block was installed to increase the grit lifting efficiency. Pilot study was also conducted in A sewage treatment plant (STP) in Gyeonggi province from November 2003 to May 2004 (64 days). Major findings are as follows. 1. Impeller was proven to increase water velocity in the grit separator, especially in low flow rate. This influence will increase separation ratio of organics from grits, preventing those organics from sedimentation. 2. Sand (with 0.2~0.3mm size) removal efficiency was over 98 % and 96 %, at the flow rate of $500m^3/day$ and $750m^3/day$ under the condition that impeller rotation velocity kept at 15 rpm. Originally that grit separator was designed to have the capacity of $500m^3/day$. $750m^3/day$ was tried to investigate the performance of this type of grit separator under overload condition. Stable grit removal was still available to the extent of 150% of designed capacity. 3. It took less than 3 minutes for the grit separator to completely lift out 3 kgs of 0.2-0.3 mm sized, settled sand at the bottom to 2,060 mm high above water surface. But it showed the tendency to spend a little more time on lifting the grit as the grit size and the vertical height of the lift increased. 4. During experimental duration in A STP, it was found that the average amount of inlet grit was about 981 g/day (160~1,685 g/day) under $500m^3/day$ of operation condition, but it varied so severely during the experimental duration. After classification of discharged grit according to its size, grit with 0.3-0.42 mm size was found as largest part of output.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2001

A flow visualization study using the oil film method and the smoke-laser light sheet arrangement is carried out to investigate the three-dimensional flow pattern around the free end surface region of a finite circular cylinder (aspect ratios of 1.25 and 4.25) mounted on a flat plate. The experiment is performed for the cases of two Reynolds numbers: 5.92${\times}$10$^3$and 1.48${\times}$10(sup)5. Various kinds of singular points on the free-end surface are disclosed from the oil surface flow visualization. The smoke-laser light sheet visualization, to aid in understanding the oil streak-line patterns, clearly demonstrates that a pair of tornado-like vortices marched along the downstream together with a pair of side tip vortices. A topological sketch to characterize the surface flow and the four vortices emanating from the top surface is included.