| 摘要 |
Embodiments of the invention relate to apparatus for modifying the properties of a flow field and to a method of selecting an apparatus to achieve a desired flow field. The invention finds particular application in the control of the mixing of fluids, heat transfer within and between fluids, acoustic noise, oscillations in fluids, microchip cooling, structural vibrations and chemical reactions. Embodiments of the invention comprise a fractal fluid flow modification structure comprising: a plurality of turbulence-creating elements; and a support for holding the turbulence-creating elements in the fluid so as to allow movement of the fluid relative to the turbulence-creating elements, wherein said turbulence-creating elements include at least two different types of element, including a first type of element and a second type of element, and wherein the turbulence-creating elements are arranged in a fractal structure, the first type of element being arranged at a first level in said fractal structure and the second type of element being arranged at a second level in said fractal structure. Since the fluid flow modification structure comprises a plurality of levels of fractal structures, the surface area of the first type of element differs from that of the second type of element: varying the respective surface areas between fractal levels provides a convenient mechanism for controlling turbulence levels in the fluid. |
