Behaviour of liquid films and flooding in counter-current two-phase flow—Part 1. Flow in circular tubes

Experimental results are presented on the flooding gas velocity in tubes over a wide range of parameters—tube diameter, tube length, liquid flow rate, liquid viscosity and surface tension. The flooding phenomenon is caused by interaction between the waves on the liquid film and the upward gas stream. By measuring variation of the maximum height of the wavy liquid films with an increase of the gas flow rate, the complicated effects of tube length and surface tension on flooding are revealed. The data of the flooding velocity are empirically correlated in termes of nondimensional groups for each tube length.     

Behaviour of liquid films and flooding in counter-current two-phase flow. Part 2. Flow in annuli and rod bundles

Experiments are described on the gas velocity at the onset of flooding and the maximum height of the wavy liquid film flowing downwards on a rod surface. On the basis of a simple analysis for a large amplitude wave on the liquid film, a flooding condition relating the maximum wave height to the gas velocity at the onset of flooding is derived. The values predicted by this condition show a good agreement with the measured results.An equivalent diameter of the channel is defined for the flooding velocity. Applying this diameter, the present data for annuli and rod bundles are well correlated by the same empirical equation as that for flow in circular tubes presented previously.     

槽道内涡波流场的POD分析

对槽道内涡波流场的瞬态速度矢量场进行了2DPIV测量实验,将2DPIV测量的矢量场数据进行POD分析,根据POD分解的各阶模态的能量比确定了表征涡波流场主导结构的前15阶模态。结果表明,POD分解的前15阶模态发现槽道内涡波流场是由槽道壁面剪切层诱导的涡列以及伴随的波状主流组成;流场中大尺度的涡旋发展为涡对,对波状主流的脉动频率产生影响;根据涡波流场中的驻点和鞍点,获取了流场的大尺度涡对、平均流场以及Helmholtz涡环等明显特征;最后根据POD分解的前15阶模态对槽道内涡波流场进行重组,重组流场表征了槽道内层流状态下波状主流的形态和涡旋共存的涡波结构以及驻点和鞍点的位置处涡旋的变化等主要特征,有效地剔除了PIV测量流场中的随机信息,保留了PIV测量流场的主导特征。     

应用PIV技术测试涡旋波流场

涡旋波流动作为一种特殊的流动现象,可以使流体在相对较宽的槽道中产生较强的波动和对流混合,从而在小Re数条件下起到强化传质的效果。本文利用PIV流场显示技术,对振荡流在非对称槽道中所形成的涡旋波的产生机理和发展规律进行了实验研究和定量分析,测得了涡旋波流场的速度矢量图,阐明了涡旋波流场周期性变化的特点。分析了Re数和St数对涡旋波流动的影响,并得出了旋涡涡心位置以及涡心处涡量的动态变化规律。     

Wave behavior in horizontal annular air–water flow

In this study, non-intrusive pressure drop, liquid base film thickness distribution, and wave behavior measurements have been obtained for 206 horizontal annular two-phase (air–water) flow conditions in 8.8, 15.1, and 26.3 mm ID tubes. Reliable wave velocity measurements are available for 185 of these flow conditions, while 131 flow conditions allow for reliable wave frequency measurements. The wave velocity is found to be predicted to within 9% by gas friction velocity and 6% by an optimized correlation of similar structure. Wave frequency can also be predicted with a simple correlation to within 5% for the 8.8 and 15.1 mm tubes, but a separate relation is required to explain 26.3 mm frequency data. The differences in wave behavior between the annular and wavy-annular/wavy regimes are also discussed.     

Wavy flow of a liquid film in the presence of a cocurrent turbulent gas flow

Wavy downflow of viscous liquid films in the presence of a cocurrent turbulent gas flow is analyzed theoretically. The parameters of two-dimensional steady-state traveling waves are calculated for wide ranges of liquid Reynolds number and gas flow velocity. The hydrodynamic characteristics of the liquid flow are computed using the full Navier-Stokes equations. The wavy interface is regarded as a small perturbation, and the equations for the gas are linearized in the vicinity of the main turbulent flow. Various optimal film flow regimes are obtained for the calculated nonlinear waves branching from the plane-parallel flow. It is shown that for high velocities of the cocurrent gas flow, the calculated wave characteristics correspond to those of ripple waves observed in experiments.     

Modeling study of three-phase low liquid loading flow in horizontal pipes

A theoretical study is conducted to model the flow characteristics of three-phase stratified wavy flow in horizontal pipelines with a focus on the low liquid loading condition, which is commonly observed in wet gas pipelines. The model predictions are compared to the experimental data of Karami et al. (2016a, b). These experiments were conducted with water or 51 wt% of MEG in the aqueous phase, and inlet aqueous phase fraction values from 0 to100%.Modeling of three-phase flow can be described as a combination of two-phase gas-liquid flow modeling, and a liquid phase oil-water mixing modeling. A mechanistic model is proposed to predict flow characteristics of three-phase stratified wavy flow in pipeline. For the gas-liquid interactions, Watson's (1989) combined momentum balance equation derivation was applied. However, the calculation procedure was reversed, and the wave celerity was assumed as an input, while interfacial friction factor was one of the model's outputs. The liquid-liquid interactions were modeled using a simple energy balance equation and shift in liquid phase center of gravity calculations. The liquid phases can be separated, partially mixed, or fully mixed. The bottom aqueous film velocity was calculated using the law of the wall formulation, and was used to calculate the flowing aqueous phase fraction.The model predictions of different flow characteristics for two and/or three-phase flows were compared with available experimental data. The pressure gradient, wave amplitude, and aqueous phase fraction predictions were in good agreement with the experimental data. However, the liquid holdup predictions were slightly under-predicted by the model. Overall, an acceptable agreement was observed for all cases.Most of the common multiphase stratified flow models are developed with the assumption of steady-state conditions and with constant interfacial friction factor value. This study proposes a novel method to model stratified flow. The predictions are in acceptable agreement with experimental data conducted under stratified wavy flow pattern conditions.     

Nonlinearwaves in a liquid film-gas flow system

The instability and regular nonlinear waves in the film of a heavy viscous liquid flowing along the wall of a round tube and interacting with a gas flow are investigated. The solutions for the wave film flows are numerically obtained in the regimes from free flow-down in a counter-current gas stream to cocurrent upward flow of the film and the gas at fairly large gas velocities. Continuous transition from the counter-current to the cocurrent flow via the state with a maximum amplitude of nonlinear waves and zero values of the liquid flow rate and the phase velocity is investigated. The Kapitsa-Shkadov method is used to reduce a boundary value problem to a system of evolutionary equations for the local values of the layer thickness and the liquid flow rate.     

Shock–vortex interactions in a soap film

This work experimentally visualizes the interaction of a quasi-one-dimensional moving shock wave with a two-dimensional vortex in a soap film for the first time. A vertical soap film shock tube was used to generate a quasi-one-dimensional moving shock wave and a NACA-0012 airfoil intruded into the soap film was towed to shed the starting vortex. The interesting interaction phenomena were then visualized using a traditional high-speed flash photography. The concentration of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) used was 0.5 CMC (critical micelle concentration) to keep the surfactant molecules behave as two-dimensional gases. A sequence of pictures shows that the shock is distorted non-symmetrically as it passes through the spiral vortex flow field and the vortex structure is compressed in the direction normal to the shock. These flow features observed in soap films are qualitatively similar to their counterparts in gases. In addition, the visualization of the interactions of a quasi-one-dimensional moving shock wave with a Kármán vortex street are presented.      

A model for pressure loss, film thickness, and entrained fraction for gas-liquid annular flow

A two-component (air-water) annular flow model is presented requiring only flow rates, absolute pressure, temperature, and tube diameter. Film thicknesses (base film and wave height) are calculated from a critical film thickness model. Modeled pressure gradient is weighted by wave intermittency to compute average pressure gradient. Film flow rate and wave velocity are estimated using the universal velocity profile in the waves and a piecewise linear profile in the base film. For vertical flow, mean absolute errors for film thickness, wave velocity, and pressure gradient are 9%, 9%, and 19%, respectively. In horizontal flow, mean absolute errors for pressure gradient, base film thickness, and disturbance wave velocity are 17%, 10%, and 14%, respectively, on par with those from single-behavior models that require additional film thickness or other data as inputs.     

Evaporation of pure liquids with increased viscosity in a falling film evaporator

The present study investigated fluid dynamics and heat transfer of viscous pure liquids in a falling film evaporator. This is of special benefit as it avoids mass transfer effects on the evaporation behaviour. Experiments at a single-tube glass falling film evaporator were conducted. It allowed a full-length optical film observation with a high-speed camera. Additionally the evaporator was equipped with a slotted weir distribution device. Test fluids provided viscosities ranging from μ = 0.3 to 41 mPa s. The Reynolds number was between 0.7 and 1,930. Surface evaporation and the transition to nucleate boiling were studied to gain information about the film stability at maximum wall superheat. A reliable database for laminar and laminar-wavy viscous single component films was created. The experimental results show a significant enhancement in the wave development due to the film distribution. A wavy flow with different wave velocities was superposed to the film in each liquid load configuration without causing a film breakdown or dry spots on the evaporator tube. It was found that nucleate boiling can be allowed without causing film instabilities over a significant range of wall superheat.     

Numerical study on the effect of initial flow velocity on liquid film thickness of accelerated slug flow in a micro tube

Numerical simulation of air–water slug flows accelerated from steady states with different initial velocities in a micro tube is conducted. It is shown that the liquid film formed between the gas bubble and the wall in an accelerated flow is significantly thinner than that in a steady flow at the same instantaneous capillary number. Specifically, the liquid film thickness is kept almost unchanged just after the onset of acceleration, and then gradually increases and eventually converges to that of an accelerated flow from zero initial velocity. Due to the flow acceleration, the Stokes layer is generated from the wall, and the instant velocity profile can be given by superposition of the Stokes layer and the initial parabolic velocity profile of a steady flow. It is found that the velocity profile inside a liquid slug away from the bubble can be well predicted by the analytical solution of a single-phase flow with acceleration. The change of the velocity profile in an accelerated flow changes the balance between the inertia, surface tension and viscous forces around the meniscus region, and thus the resultant liquid film thickness. By introducing the displacement thickness, the existing correlation for liquid film thickness in a steady flow (Han and Shikazono, 2009) is extended so that it can be applied to a flow with acceleration from an arbitrary initial velocity. It is demonstrated that the proposed correlation can predict liquid film thickness at Re < 4600 within the range of ±10% accuracy.     

Experimental investigation of a twice-shocked spherical gas inhomogeneity with particle image velocimetry

Results are presented from an experimental investigation into the interaction of a planar shock wave with a vortex ring. A free-falling spherical soap bubble is traversed by the incident shock wave and develops into a vortex ring as a result of baroclinically deposited vorticity (?r×?p 1 0{\nabla\rho\times\nabla p \neq 0}). The vortex ring translates with a velocity relative to the particle velocity behind the shock wave due to circulation. After the shock wave reflects from the tube end wall, it traverses the vortex ring (this process is called “reshock”) and deposits additional vorticity. Planar Mie scattering is used to visualize the atomized soap film at high frame rates (up to 10,000 fps). Particle image velocimetry (PIV) was performed for an argon bubble in nitrogen accelerated by a M = 1.35 shock wave. Circulation was determined from the PIV velocity field and found to agree well with Kelvin’s vortex ring model.     

Experimental and numerical study on the falling film flow characteristics outside circular tube applied in floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) under offshore conditions

Spiral wound heat exchanger (SWHE) relying on falling film evaporation and boiling is often used for FLNG. The performance of SWHE can be impacted strongly by the motion of the FLNG caused by the wave and typhoon. The falling film characteristics of SWHE outside circular tube are studied experimentally and numerically by a visualization experimental device based on the high-speed camera and a numerical model based on the dynamic grid. The results show that the wave crest of the liquid film moves to the titled side under offshore conditions. The evolution process of falling film flow pattern outside circular tube with the tilt angle of 9° can be divided into four stages: droplet formation and migration, liquid column formation and migration, liquid column coalescence, liquid sheet formation. A correlation permitting the prediction of the falling film flow pattern outside circular tube and the other one permitting the prediction of the average film thickness of circular tube are developed respectively based on the experimental and numerical data.     

Pure steam condensation model with laminar film in a vertical tube

A new physical model for calculating the liquid film thickness and condensation heat transfer coefficient in a vertical condenser tube is proposed by considering the effects of gravity, liquid viscosity, and vapor flow in the core region of the flow. To estimate the velocity profile in the liquid film, the liquid film was assumed to be in Couette flow forced by the interfacial velocity at the liquid–vapor interface. For simplifying the calculation procedures, the interfacial velocity was estimated by introducing an empirical power-law velocity profile. The resulting film thickness and heat transfer coefficient from the model were compared with the experimental data and the results obtained from the other condensation models. The results demonstrated that the proposed model described the liquid film thinning effect by the vapor shear flow and predicted the condensation heat transfer coefficient from experiments reasonably well.     

Forced-convection film condensation on a horizontal cylinder with wavy surface structure

The forced-convection film condensation on a horizontal cylinder with wavy surface structure was performed by boundary-layer-approximation. The local/mean heat fluxes were obtained for the effects of tube temperature, wave number, and wave amplitude. The mean heat flux increases with decreasing wavy amplitude and tube temperatures. Furthermore, when β = 20 and α = 0.005, the mean heat flux slightly increases from 1.1 to 3.6% compared with that of smooth tube, depending on tube temperature.     

On the flow behaviour of confined finite-length wavy cylinders

Confined aspect-ratio of 6 wavy cylinders with a mean blockage-ratio of 0.5 were studied using time-resolved particle-image velocimetry at a sub-critical Reynolds number of 2700. Wavelengths and wave amplitudes of 2–4 and 0.1–0.3 mean diameters respectively were investigated. Results show that vortices are generally shed from the wavy cylinder and channel walls regularly, reminiscent of the unsteady symmetric flow configuration in confined non-wavy cylinders. Furthermore, vortex formation lengths for confined wavy cylinders are generally shorter than their unconfined counterparts, though their variations with respect to geometrical changes remain consistent with unconfined flow conditions. Gross cross-stream flow behaviour does not differ significantly between confined and unconfined wavy cylinders, indicating that finite-length effects are independent of the present confinement. Confined wavy cylinder wake regions are more sensitive towards geometrical changes and a combination of small wavelength and large wave amplitude leads to significant suppression of coherent cylinder and wall vortex-shedding. This is supported by phase-averaged flow reconstructions derived from Proper Orthogonal Decomposition analysis. Lastly, larger wave amplitudes lead to redistributions of dominant flow energy further downstream and to higher mode numbers, which suggests a causal link to the formation of stronger and more coherent streamwise vortices.     

Comparison of different theoretical approaches to experiments on film flow down an inclined wavy channel

We study the flow of a liquid down an inclined channel with a sinusoidal bottom profile. We show how wavy bottom variations, which are long compared with the film thickness or the amplitude, modify the flow with respect to that down a flat inclined channel. We consider different perturbation analyses. Their results are compared with experimental data on the velocity profiles and on the film thickness. We discuss the effect of waviness, inclination angle, film thickness, and Reynolds number.     

Propagation of pressure waves in two-phase flow

We deal with a pressure wave of finite amplitude propagating in a gas and liquid medium or in the fluid in an elastic tube. We study the effects of pipe elasticity on the propagation velocity of the pressure wave. Pressure waves of finite amplitude progressing in the two-phase flow are treated considering the void fraction change due to pressure rise. The propagation velocity of the two-phase shock wave is also investigated, and the behavior of the reflection of the pressure wave at the rigid wall is analyzed and compared to that in a pure gas or liquid. The results are compared to experimental data of a pressure wave propagating in the two-phase flow in a vertical shock tube.     

Some Observations of Vortex Breakdown in a Confined Flow with Solid Body Rotation

The occurrence of breakdown in slender vortex flows as a ``bubble'' or ``spiral'' pattern depends on the degree of radial deflection of the vortex core from its original axis as shown in [1]. A smooth transition from a bubble to a spiral-type ``mode'' can be forced by inducing a small asymmetric disturbance which led to the conclusion, that the patterns do not represent different fundamental modes of breakdown. The subject presented herein addresses the following question: how does breakdown evolve in a swirling flow in which the vortex core is forced on a straight axis? In addition, what is the effect of turbulent inflow conditions? This type of vortex conditions is achieved in a spinning tube flow. The swirl is introduced at the entrance of the rotating tube with a honeycomb package and maintained by the viscous action in the boundary layer of the spinning tube. A diffuser at the end induces an adverse pressure gradient to force the breakdown. Flow visualization experiments are carried out to characterize the nature of breakdown over a range of different flow conditions. For some selected characteristic stages, detailed velocity fields were obtained using the method of Digital Particle-Image-Velocimetry (DPIV). The results show, that for the range of parameters investigated, breakdown is initiated at Rossby-numbers below a critical value of Ro ≈ 0.6 similar to those observed in other experiments. The bursted part of the vortex has a near axi-symmetric slender conical shape containing approximately stagnant flow. Its downstream end is characterized by a jump-like contraction where the flow evolves into a jet with enhanced swirl on the axis. It is only in this region downstream of the jump-like contraction that asymmetric instabilities and wavy flow patterns could be observed. Perturbations caused by them travel upstream but do not change the near-axisymmetric shape of the bursted part of the vortex.