Numerical study on the two-phase flow distribution in a T-junction

The main objective of this paper is to investigate the ability of a two-dimensional two-fluid computer code to predict the phase separation in a T-junction. A new semi-implicit numerical scheme is developed for solving the two-fluid model equations. Special attention is directed to the modelling of the constitutive for the interfacial friction term. Detailed distribution of void fraction, pressure and velocities are obtained for an air–water mixture in a vertical tee. Good agreement was obtained between the computer code results and the experimental data for the phase separation in the T-junction.     

Numerical and experimental evidence of the Fabri-choking in a supersonic ejector

The purpose of a supersonic ejector consists in the mixing of two fluids with different stagnation pressures in order to obtain a fluid at an intermediate stagnation pressure at the discharge. Depending on the geometry of the ejector and on the operating conditions, the entrained secondary stream may reach sonic/supersonic velocities within the ejector, leading to the capping of the entrained mass flow rate for fixed reservoir conditions. Although the associated limitation of the entrainment ratio (due to choking) is a well known phenomenon, there is still a lack of understanding of the complex flow phenomena at play within supersonic ejectors, and further detailed knowledge and modeling of the choking process is necessary. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the choking phenomenon through advanced post-processing of CFD calculations which are validated with experimental results both at the global and the local scales. This in-depth investigation of the choking phenomenon within the ejector is proposed both qualitatively and quantitatively for given reservoir conditions. The complex flow signature highlighted by means of the numerical results is then investigated and corroborated through experimental shadowgraphy. Studies combining experimental results (including visualizations) with numerical simulations are rather scarce in the open literature and to the knowledge of the authors, this study is the first one that proposes such a detailed analysis. For the present ejector geometry and operating conditions, the choking phenomenology of the secondary stream is found to closely correspond to the model of the Fabri-choking early postulated in Fabri and Siestrunck (1958).     

Numerical and experimental study of the forced convection inside a rotating disk-cylinder configuration

In this paper, axisymmetric bulk flow patterns generated by moderate disk rotation and counter-rotation inside a coaxial disk-cylinder configuration with a fixed aspect ratio are obtained both experimentally and numerically. Experimental results are based on chronophotographic visualization and image processing techniques, while numerical results are computed using the full stationary Navier-Stokes equations assuming two different dynamic boundary conditions (no-slip and meridional free-slip) for all rigid walls. A comparative analysis between both numerical distributing and the patterns obtained experimentally is carried out in terms of streamfunction and vorticity meridional distributions.     

A numerical and experimental study of a collapsing bubble-induced droplet ejector

This paper aims to study a novel drop-on-demand droplet generation mechanism in which the oscillation and deformation of a non-equilibrium bubble in close proximity to a free surface induce an axisymmetric liquid spike on the free surface. The evolution of the liquid spike and its deformation due to the effect of surface tension force lead to the formation of a droplet. The free surface can be accorded by either a circular hole on a horizontal flat plate or by the top opening/nozzle of a vertical cylinder. A high-speed camera capable of obtaining images at a frame rate of 15,000 fps is utilized to observe the droplet formation process. Numerical simulations corresponding to the experiments are performed using the boundary integral spatial solution coupled with the time integration, i.e., a mixed Eulerian–Lagrangian method. In the experiments the bubble is generated using a very low voltage (only 55 V) in contrast to the relatively much higher voltages usually employed in reported works. This is very attractive from a safety viewpoint and accords great simplification of the setup. A comparison is made between the numerical and experimental results. A reasonable agreement has been found. The influences of the main design parameters, namely, the bubble-free surface distance and the dimension of the hole/nozzle on the bubble dynamics and on the droplet formation process are discussed and the conditions of the bubble dynamics under which a satellite-free droplet can be generated are sought. Furthermore, the effects of different geometries, namely, the horizontal flat plate and the vertical cylinder on the bubble dynamics and on the droplet features are examined. One important feature of the proposed actuation mechanism is the capability of producing droplets much smaller than the nozzle size. The possible applications of this mechanism are those where the accurate direction of the ejected droplet is of great importance such as inkjet printing.      

Experiments on two-phase flow distribution inside parallel channels of compact heat exchangers

Uneven distribution in heat exchangers is a cause of reduction in both thermal and fluid-dynamic performances. Many papers have dealt with single-phase flow and both flow distribution data and analytical or numerical models are available for header design. With regard to two-phase flow, phase separation in manifolds with several outlets is so complicated that, to date, there is no general way to predict the distribution of two-phase mixtures at header-channel junctions. The design of headers for new generation compact heat exchangers and multi-microchannel evaporators is still based on an empirical approach, as a number of variables act together: geometrical parameters and orientation of the manifolds and of the channels, operating conditions, fluid physical properties.     

Numerical study of swirling one- and two-phase turbulent flows in a cylindrical channel

Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Mekhanikl I Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki, No. 2, pp. 51–58, March–April, 1988.     

An experimental study of two-phase turbulent coaxial jets

The effect of solid particles on the flow structure of axisymmetric turbulent coaxial jets has been studied. A laser-Doppler anemometer was used to measure the mean and fluctuation velocities of both phases, and a Malvern laser diffraction instrument was applied to measure particle size and concentration. A series of velocity ratios and particle loading ratios were investigated, and the results were analysed for the effects of these ratios on the mixing characteristic and the similarity behavior of the jet. The effects of particle diameter and its distribution were also studied as well as their influence on the coaxial jet behavior.     

Numerical study of condensing a small concentration of vapour inside a vertical tube

The purpose of this study is to analyse the combined heat and mass transfer of liquid film condensation from a small steam–air mixtures flowing downward along a vertical tube. Both liquid and gas stream are approached by two coupled laminar boundary layer. An implicit finite difference method is employed to solve the coupled governing equations for liquid film and gas flow together with the interfacial matching conditions. The effects of a wide range of changes of three independent variables (inlet pressure, inlet Reynolds number and wall temperature) on the concentration at exit tube, local Nusselt and Sherwood numbers, film thickness, accumulated condensate rate and temperature are carefully examined. The numerical results indicate that in the case of condensing a small concentration of vapours from a mixture, the resistance to heat and mass transfer by non-condensable gas becomes very intense. The comparisons of average Nusselt number and local condensate heat transfer coefficient with the literature results are in good agreement.     

Numerical study of the structure of a finely disperse unsteady two-phase jet

The structure of an unsteady two-phase jet is numerically studied within the framework of the model of a heterogeneous medium with nonequilibrium velocities and temperatures with allowance for particle collisions and intergranular pressure.Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 46, No. 2, pp. 91–97, March–April, 2005.     

Numerical and experimental study on mixing performance of a novel electro-osmotic micro-mixer

Meccanica - This paper presents the numerical and experimental study on mixing enhancement in a novel electro-osmotic micro-mixer in the presence of AC and DC electric fields. PDMS is used for the...     

A gas ejector system and a differential ejector

Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, No. 6, pp. 10–15, November–December, 1991.     

An experimental study of drag on a single tube and on a tube in an array under two-phase cross flow

In this work, the drag coefficient and the void fraction around a tube subjected to two-phase cross flow were studied for a single tube and for a tube placed in an array. The drag coefficients were determined by measuring the pressure distribution around the perimeter of the tube. Single tube drag data were taken when the tube was held both rigidly and flexibly. The test tube was made of acrylic and was 2.2 cm in diameter and 20 cm in length. In the experiments, liquid Reynolds number ranged from 430 to 21,900 for the single tube and liquid gap Reynolds number ranged from 32,900 and 61,600 for the tube placed in a triangular array. Free stream void fraction was varied from 0 to 0.4. At low Reynolds numbers, the ratio of two-phase to single-phase drag coefficient is found to be a strong function of εGr/Re2. However, at high Reynolds numbers only void fraction is the important parameter. Empirical correlations have been developed for the ratio of two-phase drag on a single tube and on a tube placed in an array.     

An experimental investigation of flow parameters inside a spherical swirl pre-chamber of a diesel engine under motoring condition

 The main aim of the present investigation is to experimentally study the flow parameters inside a spherical combustion chamber of an indirect injection diesel engine. For this a spherical chamber has been fitted in the cylinder head. Using a constant temperature hot-wire anemometer, measurements have been made under non-firing condition at 400 and 500 rpm during compression stroke. Mean velocity and turbulence intensity values are evaluated from the hot-wire signal. Measurements are made at three axial planes, six angular locations and four radial positions. Large variations of mean velocity and turbulence intensity have been observed within the chamber. From the measurements, the mean velocity and turbulence intensity are found to be maximum at 30° before compression TDC and these values are found to decrease towards the centre of the pre-chamber. The mean velocity and turbulence intensity distribution with respect to various locations and crank angles are presented and discussed. Received: 7 November 1995/Accepted: 26 October 1997     

Numerical and experimental study of driven flow in a polar cavity

A numerical and an experimental study of the flow of an incompressible fluid in a polar cavity is presented. The experiments included flow visualization, in two perpendicular planes, and quantitative measurements of the velocity field by a laser Doppler anemometer. Measurements were done for two ranges of Reynolds numbers; about 60 and about 350. The stream function-vorticity form of the governing equations was approximated by upwind or central finite-differences. Both types of finite-difference approximations were solved by a multi-grid method. Numerical solutions were computed on a sequence of grids and the relative accuracy of the solutions was studied. Our most accurate numerical solutions had an estimated error of 0.1 per cent and 1 per cent for Re = 60 and Re = 350, respectively. It was also noted that the solution to the second order finite difference equations was more accurate, compared to the solution to the first order equations, only if fine enough meshes were used. The possibility of using extrapolations to improve accuracy was also considered. Extrapolated solutions were found to be valid only if solutions computed on fine enough meshes were used. The numerical and the experimental results were found to be in very good agreement.     

Numerical and experimental studies of temperature field characteristic inside an irregularly-shaped cavity of a space environment simulator system

Numerical and experimental methods were used to explore temperature and pressure distributions inside an irregularly-shaped cavity of a novel three-dimensional space environment simulator (SES) system. In order to obtain better temperature and pressure distributions, a plenum chamber and airflow diffusion perforated plate were adopted. Three-dimensional heat and mass transfer characteristics were analyzed using the Standard k–ε turbulence model. Simulation results revealed that the temperature and pressure distributions were greatly improved with improved diffusion configuration design, the temperature gradient decreased from 5 K to 1 K, and the pressure gradient decreased to 0.5% of the former value. Based on the simulation results, an improved experimental system for simulating space environment was set up. This experiment system could supply airflow with temperature ranging from 193 K to 353 K for simulating the real space environment. Experimental results showed that the temperature and pressure fields had smaller gradients across the surface and the inner cavity, which agreed considerably with the numerical results. The results of this study present useful information for the design of similar cavity structure.     

Numerical study on heat transfer and resistance characteristics of supercritical water inside internally-ribbed tube

The effects of structural parameters for internally-ribbed tube on heat transfer and flow characteristics of supercritical water were studied numerically. The results show that the heat transfer and pressure loss increases with the increase of mass flow or heat flux. The Heat transfer and resistance coefficients of supercritical water increase with the spiral rising angle decrease or rib height increase, while rib width has a weak influence on heat transfer and pressure drop.     

Numerical study of nanofluid mixed convection in a horizontal curved tube using two-phase approach

Laminar mixed convection of nanofluid consisting of water/Al₂O₃ in a horizontal curved tube is investigated numerically. Three dimensional elliptical governing equations have been solved to study the simultaneous effect of the buoyancy and centrifugal forces throughout the curved tube. The effects of nanoparticle concentrations on the secondary flow and also on the contours of temperature are presented and discussed. Axial velocity profiles with respect to the horizontal and vertical diameter are shown. In addition, the effects of nanoparticle volume fractions on the axial evolution of the local peripheral average convective heat transfer coefficient and the local peripheral average skin friction coefficient are studied. It is shown that the average convective heat transfer coefficient augments with the nanoparticle concentrations. However, its effect on the average skin friction coefficient is negligible.     

Numerical and experimental study of free convection above a sinusoidal horizontal plate

A numerical and experimental analysis is performed to study the laminar free convection above a horizontal plate facing upward subjected to an uniform heat flux. The surface of the plate, in contact with the fluid, is described by a sinusoidal profile. The natural convection equations are discretized, using an implicit finite difference technique, based on the finite volume approach. The SIMPLE algorithm assumes the linkage between velocities and pressure fields. The top and the lateral boundaries of the space, where free convection is developing, are determined by using an iterative procedure. The temperature fields of the fluid, over the plate, are visualized by an experimental device, which can realize a simultaneous measurement of the temperature and the position. Qualitative information about the natural convection flow above the plate is obtained by using a laser tomography technique. The numerical results show that the flow and the heat transfer are strongly affected by the amplitude, the period of the sinusoidal profile and the type of fluid. Comparisons between numerical and experimental results show a good qualitative agreement.     

Experimental study on the performance of a novel structure for two-phase flow distribution in parallel vertical channels

Uniform flow distribution is critical to obtain high thermal performance in many heat and mass transfer devices. It especially plays an important role in a compact heat exchanger. In this paper, a two-phase flow distributor is proposed for the evaporator unit of the plate-fin heat exchanger to alleviate the phase maldistribution in the multiphase flow. Air and water mixture was adopted as two-phase medium and distributions into ten parallel channels were measured in detail. The results show that the proposed distributor can improve the two-phase flow distribution of the plate-fin heat exchanger.