微重力池沸腾过程中的气泡热动力学特征研究

微重力池沸腾过程中的气泡热动力学特征研究项目是实践十号返回式卫星科学实验任务之一,主要关注微重力池沸腾过程中孤立生长气泡周围局部流动与传热机理.目前,实验装置SOBER-SJ10正样产品已完成研制和地面测试,并开展了一系列地面对比实验.地面实验结果表明设备工作正常,性能指标达到设计要求.地面实验结果表明过冷度对起始沸腾过热度影响甚微.空间飞行实验将于近期进行,其结果将加深对沸腾传热机理的认识.     

不同重力条件下管内冷凝现象研究进展

本文对不同重力环境中水平管内冷凝气液两相流动与传热现象的研究现状进行了全面评介, 重点关注于航天应用中的小管径、低流量和以氨为工质的情形,以及部分重力条件下冷凝现象中的重力效应. 冷凝现象中管壁四周液膜的存在,导致水平管内冷凝气液两相流与沸腾或绝热气液两相流在构型上存在着明显的不同, 表面张力的作用增大,向波状和分层流转换所对应的临界Bond数也随之增大, 进而使小管径、低流量水平管内冷凝气液两相流动与传热现象中的重力效应减弱,甚至可以忽略不计. 实验发现该情形中摩擦压降要小于基于常规气液两相流实验数据的经验关联式的预测结果, 而更接近光滑环状流情形; 对冷凝两相传热系数的预测,只有采用基于空隙率与界面剪切率相互耦合的模型, 才能够给出较好的结果.      

T型微通道反应器内气液两相流动机制及影响因素

基于液滴或气泡的多相微流控是近年来微流控技术中快速发展的重要分支之一.本文利用高速显微摄影技术和数字图像处理技术对T型微通道反应器内气液两相流动机制及影响因素进行实验研究.实验采用添加表面活性剂的海藻酸钠水溶液作为液相,空气作为气相.研究T型微通道反应器内气液两相流型的转变过程,并根据微通道内气泡的生成频率和生成气泡的长径比对气泡流进行分类.研究发现当前的进料方式下,可以观测到气泡流和分层流2种流型,且依据气泡生成频率和微通道内气泡的长径比可将气泡流划分为分散气泡流、短弹状气泡流和长弹状气泡流3种类型,并基于受力分析确定3种气泡流的形成机制分别为剪切机制、剪切-挤压机制和挤压机制.考察不同液相黏度和表面张力系数对不同类型气泡流范围的影响规律.结果表明:液相黏度相较于表面张力系数而言,对气泡流生成范围影响更大.给出不同类型气泡流流型转变条件的无量纲关系式,实现微通道生成微气泡过程的可控操作.      

T型微通道反应器内气液两相流动机制及影响因素

基于液滴或气泡的多相微流控是近年来微流控技术中快速发展的重要分支之一.本文利用高速显微摄影技术和数字图像处理技术对T型微通道反应器内气液两相流动机制及影响因素进行实验研究.实验采用添加表面活性剂的海藻酸钠水溶液作为液相,空气作为气相.研究T型微通道反应器内气液两相流型的转变过程,并根据微通道内气泡的生成频率和生成气泡的长径比对气泡流进行分类.研究发现当前的进料方式下,可以观测到气泡流和分层流2种流型,且依据气泡生成频率和微通道内气泡的长径比可将气泡流划分为分散气泡流、短弹状气泡流和长弹状气泡流3种类型,并基于受力分析确定3种气泡流的形成机制分别为剪切机制、剪切–挤压机制和挤压机制.考察不同液相黏度和表面张力系数对不同类型气泡流范围的影响规律.结果表明:液相黏度相较于表面张力系数而言,对气泡流生成范围影响更大.给出不同类型气泡流流型转变条件的无量纲关系式,实现微通道生成微气泡过程的可控操作.     

微重力条件下气/液两相流流型的研究进展

气／液两相流流型是两相流研究领域最基本的课题之一,至今已有数十年的研究历史．但是,由于气／液两相流动现象极为复杂,目前还没有得到一致的结论．近十多年来,利用微重力环境减弱甚至完全消除重力的影响,简化流动中各种不同因素间的相互作用及流型特征,大大促进了对气／液两相流动特征及流型产生与转换机理的研究．同时,微重力条件下的气／液两相流动是空间技术领域必须解决的关键技术问题之一,具有重要的学术意义和重大的应用价值．本文简要总结了微重力条件下气／液两相流流型研究的基本方法以及实验结果和理论进展,指出今后研究中应该注意的一些方向．      

微重力气/液两相泡状流的摩擦压降

针对微重力条件下气／液两相泡状流动特征,建立了其摩擦压降的半理论模型：ｆＴＰ＝ＡＲｅ＾－１ＴＰ,并利用献报道的微重力实验数据,确定了模型参数Ａ的数值。     

垂直向下管内两相流泡状-弹状流型转换研究

建立实验系统,在维持管道出口压力为0.2MPa的条件下,对内径分别为15mm、25mm、40mm、65mm的垂直向下管内空气-水气液两相流动进行了实验研究,获得了两相流泡状-弹状流型分布。实验研究发现:管径对于泡状流与弹状流流型特征有较大影响,并且进一步影响流型转换边界,随着管径增加,泡状流-弹状流的流型转换边界向折算气速减小的方向移动。基于理论推导及实验数据,建立了垂直向下管内气液两相流泡状流-弹状流流型转换预测模型,该模型对本文实验工况条件下的垂直向下管内空气-水气液两相流流型转换具有良好的预测效果,预测模型的计算结果与实验数据之间的误差小于10%。     

微管内气液两相流中液膜厚度的实验测量

微通道内气液两相流中气柱(plug bubble)与通道壁之间液膜厚度的实验测量,是微热管、微流动、微电子冷却以及气泡雾化等研究中普遍关注的问题.本文利用基于光学干涉和快速傅立叶变换的空间频谱分析方法,实验测量获取了含表面活性剂水中气柱在750μm 通道内运动时其与通道壁面之间的液膜厚度.实验结果表明:表面活性剂对液膜厚度的影响比较明显,即当表面活性剂浓度在一定范围内增大时,液膜厚度会减小;此外,当气柱运动速度在一定范围内增大时,液膜厚度也会减小.     

垂直上升管内油—气—水三相弹状流压力降的研究

给出一种垂直上升油－气－水三相弹状流压力降的计算模型。该模型考虑弹状流中Ｔａｙｌｏｒ气泡周围下降液膜的变化历程。通过油－气－水弹状流的实验研究发现，该模型的数值模拟结果与低压工况下的实验值符合得较好。本模型是计算垂直油－气－水三相弹状流中液相的连续相为水相时的压力降的有效方法。     

热毛细对流的液桥几何位形及浮力效应

本文讨论重力对不同高度、直径比液桥的热毛细对流的影响。当液桥高度、直径比增大时,液桥中的等流函数线呈双涡结构,这种流动图样并不必然与热毛细振荡流相联系。在地面热毛细对流实验中模拟空间微重力情况,液桥高度需小于1.5mm。在微重力环境中,液桥内的流场和温度分布介于地面相同参数液桥的上部加热和下部加热两种结果之间。因此,可以用地面实验结果估计空间液桥的对流和热输运情况。     

Two-phase flow and pool boiling heat transfer in microgravity

Researches on two-phase flow and pool boiling heat transfer in microgravity, which included ground-based tests, flight experiments, and theoretical analyses, were conducted in the National Microgravity Laboratory/CAS. A semi-theoretical Weber number model was proposed to predict the slug-to-annular flow transition of two-phase gas–liquid flows in microgravity, while the influence of the initial bubble size on the bubble-to-slug flow transition was investigated numerically using the Monte Carlo method. Two-phase flow pattern maps in microgravity were obtained in the experiments both aboard the Russian space station Mir and aboard IL-76 reduced gravity airplane. Mini-scale modeling was also used to simulate the behavior of microgravity two-phase flow on the ground. Pressure drops of two-phase flow in microgravity were also measured experimentally and correlated successfully based on its characteristics. Two space experiments on pool boiling phenomena in microgravity were performed aboard the Chinese recoverable satellites. Steady pool boiling of R113 on a thin wire with a temperature-controlled heating method was studied aboard RS-22, while quasi-steady pool boiling of FC-72 on a plate was studied aboard SJ-8. Ground-based experiments were also performed both in normal gravity and in short-term microgravity in the drop tower Beijing. Only slight enhancement of heat transfer was observed in the wire case, while enhancement in low heat flux and deterioration in high heat flux were observed in the plate case. Lateral motions of vapor bubbles were observed before their departure in microgravity. The relationship between bubble behavior and heat transfer on plate was analyzed. A semi-theoretical model was also proposed for predicting the bubble departure diameter during pool boiling on wires. The results obtained here are intended to become a powerful aid for further investigation in the present discipline and development of two-phase systems for space applications.     

Observations on braided thin wire nucleate boiling in microgravity

A microgravity experiment was conducted on the Space Shuttle Endeavor (STS-108) to observe sustained nucleate boiling of water. Subcooled water was boiled with a single strand and a braid of three 0.16 mm diameter and 80 mm long Nichrome resistive wires. A CCD video camera recorded the experiment while six thermistors recorded the temperature of the fluid at various distances from the heating element. This paper reports experimental results in observations, measurements, and data analysis. Bubble explosions were found to take place shortly after the onset of boiling for both the single and braid of wires. The explosion may produce a high heat transfer rate, as it generates a cloud of microbubbles. The number, size, and departure rate of the bubbles from the heater wire were measured and compared with theoretical models as a function of time. The temperature measurements revealed a complex temperature distribution in the fluid chamber due to bubbles ejected from the wire that carried thermal energy close to the temperature sensors. Drag forces on departing bubbles were calculated based on bubble movement and used to predict bubble propagation. Results from this experiment provided further understanding of nucleate boiling dynamics in microgravity for the eventual design and implementation of two-phase heat transfer systems in space applications.     

Transport-mechanisms in natural nucleate boiling in absence of external forces

In literature it is generally supposed that under terrestrial conditions the driving force in natural, nucleate boiling heat transfer is namely buoyancy caused by earth gravity, which is expressed in the empirical correlations for technical applications. However, experiments in microgravity performed during the past three decades demonstrate unanimously that up to a medium level heat flux the overall heat transfer in pool boiling is nearly independent from gravity. We refer and discuss in this paper on results of experiments performed with various liquids and liquid states and also using various heater geometries on mission platforms which provide low gravity for short and long periods. Beside the measurements of the experimental parameters to determine the heat transfer, we observed the macroscopic boiling process itself with movie films and videos in order to study the bubble dynamics. From these records we learned about the mechanisms of heat and vapour bubble transport, about the interaction between solid heater, superheated liquid, and vapour without gravity or other external force only generated by the bubbles themselves, and we observed significant details about the boiling process not recognized so far. These findings are essential for a better understanding of the complex physical process; and therefore they are important for the formulation of empirical correlations, and in future for numerical simulations to predict properly boiling heat transfer for technical applications.     

Influence of gravity on pool boiling on a flat plate: Results of parabolic flights and ground experiments

Experiments of pool boiling of HFE7000 on a flat plate have been performed in both earth and microgravity conditions in parabolic flights. The effects of pressure, subcooling and gravity are studied. Experiments show that in fully developed boiling regime gravity and subcooling have a weak influence on heat transfer. By identifying mechanisms that control heat transfer, the weak influences of gravity and subcooling are explained.     

Effect of force fields on pool boiling flow patterns in normal and reduced gravity

This paper reports the observations of boiling flow patterns in FC-72, performed during a microgravity experiment, recently flown aboard of Foton-M2 satellite, in some instances with the additional aid of an electrostatic field to replace the buoyancy force. The heater consisted of a flat plate, 20 × 20 mm², directly heated by direct current. Several levels of liquid subcooling (from 20 to 6 K) and heat fluxes up to 200 kW/m² were tested. A complete counterpart test, carried out on ground before the mission, allowed direct comparison with terrestrial data. The void fraction in microgravity revealed much larger than in normal gravity condition: this may be attributed to increased bubble coalescence that hinders vapor condensation in the bulk of the subcooled fluid. In several cases, an oscillatory boiling behavior was detected, leading to periodical variation of average wall overheating of some degrees. The electric field confirmed to be very effective, even at low values of applied voltage, in reducing bubble size, thus improving their condensation rate in the bulk fluid, and in enhancing heat transfer performance, suppressing the boiling oscillations and preventing surface dryout.     

2D lattice Boltzmann investigation of saturated pool boiling using a tunable surface tension model: Prandtl number effects on film boiling

In this paper, the saturated pool boiling is investigated using lattice Boltzmann method. The written FORTRAN code is validated in two aspects: For flow, the thermodynamic consistency test and Laplace law are applied and for heat transfer, the space- and time- averaged Nusselt number is compared with Berenson analytical solution in film boiling regime. In addition, the results of bubble generation and departure are compared with some well-known analytical solutions to show the accuracy of the code. It is confirmed that bubble departure diameter and the departure frequency are related to the gravity acceleration with powers of ? 0.505 and 0.709, respectively, which is in a very good agreement with the existing analytical expressions. The present model has the ability to tune different surface tensions independent of liquid/vapor density ratio, which was unreachable using other existing numerical models of boiling. Thus, the sole effects of surface tension on boiling can also be taken into consideration using the present model. It is also shown that the departure diameter is related to the surface tension with a power of 0.485, which is in good agreement with the analytical expressions. Temperature contours are shown together with flow lines to have a better viewpoint for studying the bubble’s behavior. An intensive temperature gradient is observed in the necking area at the departure time. All the four boiling regimes in the boiling curve are simulated under constant temperature boundary condition. The Prandtl number effects on vapor bubble dynamics in the film boiling regime are investigated using the improved Shan and Chen model for the first time. Results revealed that bubbles are more resistant to depart from the vapor blanket with increasing the Prandtl number.     

The bubble fossil record: insight into boiling nucleation using nanofluid pool-boiling

Subcooled pool boiling of Al₂O₃/water nanofluid (0.1 vol%) was investigated. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to observe surface features of the wire heater where nanoparticles had deposited. A layer of aggregated alumina particles collected on the heated surface, where evidence of fluid shear associated with bubble nucleation and departure was “fossilized” in the fluidized nano-porous surface coating. These structures contain evidence of the fluid forces present in the microlayer prior to departure and provide a unique understanding of boiling phenomena. A unique mode of heat transfer was identified in nanofluid pool boiling.     

Nucleate pool boiling in microgravity: Recent progress and future prospects

Pool boiling on flat plates in microgravity has been studied for more than 50 years. The results of recent experiments performed in sounding rocket are presented and compared to previous results. At low heat flux, the vertical oscillatory motion of the primary bubble is responsible for the increase in the heat transfer coefficient in microgravity compared to ground experiments. The effect of a non-condensable gas on the stabilisation of the large primary bubble on the heater is pointed out. Experiments on isolated bubbles are also performed on ground and in parabolic flight. The effect of a shear flow on the bubble detachment is highlighted. A force balance model allows determining an expression of the capillary force and of the drag force acting on the bubble.     

Enhancement of pool boiling heat transfer in a horizontal water layer through surface roughness and screen coverage

An experimental investigation was carried out to study the augmentation of heat transfer in saturated pool boiling of a liquid water layer on a heated horizontal stainless steel plate by roughing the surface and/or covering it with a single layer of stainless steel screen. The results were presented in terms of the boiling curves. Effects of various parameters – the surface roughness, liquid level and size of the stainless steel mesh on the boiling heat transfer were examined in detail. The measured data clearly indicated that a lowering of the liquid level from 60 to 5?mm in water depth causes heat transfer reduction. Roughing the surface was found to sig- nificantly enhance the heat transfer. Use a layer of metal screen to cover the heated surface was shown to substantially augment the heat transfer especially for a shallow water layer if the mesh size is comparable with the bubble departure diameter. Covering the rough surface with the metal mesh, however, reduced the heat transfer.     

Effects of dynamic load on flow and heat transfer of two-phase boiling water in a horizontal pipe

An experimental investigation was performed to obtain the flow and heat transfer characteristics of single-phase water flow and two-phase pipe boiling water flow under high gravity (Hi-G) in present work. The experiments were conducted on a rotating platform, and boiling two-phase flow state was obtained by means of electric heating. The data were collected specifically in the test section, which was a lucite pipe with inner diameter of 20 mm and length of 400 mm. By changing the parameters, such as rotation speed, inlet temperature, flow rate, and etc., and analyzing the fluid resistance, effective heat and heat transfer coefficient of the experimental data, the effects of dynamic load on the flow and heat transfer characteristics of single phase water and two-phase boiling water flow were investigated and obtained. The two-phase flow patterns under Hi-G condition were obtained with a video camera. The results show that the dynamic load significantly influences the flow characteristic and boiling heat transfer of the two-phase pipe flow. As the direction of the dynamic load and the flow direction are opposite, the greater the dynamic load, the higher the outlet pressure and the flow resistance, and the lower the flow rate, the void fraction, the wall inner surface temperature and the heat transfer capability. Therefore, the dynamic load will block the fluid flow, enhance heat dissipation toward the ambient environment and reduce the heat transfer to the two-phase boiling flow.