Flow regime transition criteria for two-phase flow in a vertical annulus

In this work, a new flow regime transition model is proposed for two-phase flows in a vertical annulus. Following previous works, the flow regimes considered are bubbly (B), slug (S) or cap-slug (CS), churn (C) and annular (A). The B to CS transition is modeled using the maximum bubble package criteria of small bubbles. The S to C transition takes place for small annulus perimeter flow channels and it is assumed to occur when the mean void fraction over the entire region exceeds that over the slug–bubble section. If the annulus perimeter is larger that the distorted bubble limit the cap-slug flow regime will be considered since in these conditions it is not possible to distinguish between cap and partial-slug bubbles. The CS to C transition is modeled using the maximum bubble package criteria. However, this transition considers the coalescence of cap and spherical bubbles in order to take into account the flow channel geometry. Finally, the C to A transition is modeled assuming two different mechanisms, (a) flow reversal in the liquid film section along large bubbles; (b) destruction on liquid slugs or large waves by entrainment or deformation. In the S to C and C to A flow regime transitions the annulus flow channel is considered as a rectangular flow channel with no side walls. In all the modeled transitions the drift-flux model is used to obtain the final correlations. The final equations for every flow regime transition are easy to be implemented in computational codes and not experimental input is needed. The prediction accuracy of the newly developed model has been checked against air–water as well as boiling flow regime maps. In all the cases, the new developed model shows better predicting capabilities than the existing correlations most used in literature.     

Counter current gas-liquid vertical flow, model for flow pattern and pressure drop

Counter-current flow pattern transition and pressure drop are modeled. Emphasis is placed on the understanding of the transition mechanisms from a mechanistic point of view.

Unlike the case of co-current flow, in counter-current flow, the situations of “no solution” as well as “multiple solutions” for the flow pattern and pressure drop exist. These possibilities are discussed and criteria for the actual flow pattern that will take place are suggested.

Some of the results are supported by data (from the literature), others are somewhat tentative suggesting future experimental verification is needed.     

Flow pattern transition for gas-liquid flow in horizontal and inclined pipes. Comparison of experimental data with theory

Experimental measurements of flow patterns for gas-liquid flow in inclined pipes are reported. The results compare well with a recently published theory for the prediction of flow patterns in horizontal and inclined pipes (Taitel & Dukler 1976).     

Flow pattern and flow characteristics for counter-current two-phase flow in a vertical round tube with wire-coil inserts

Flow pattern, void fraction and slug rise velocity on counter-current two-phase flow in a vertical round tube with wire-coil inserts are experimentally studied. Flow pattern and slug rise velocity are measured visually with a video camera. The void fraction is measured by the quick-closing valve method. Four kinds of coils with different coil pitches and coil diameters are used as inserts. The presence of wire-coil inserts induces disturbance into gas and liquid flows so that the shape and motion of gas slug or bubbles in a wire-coil inserted tube are quite different from those observed in a smooth tube without insert. The bubbly flow occurs in the low gas superficial velocity region in the wire-coil inserted tube, while the slug or churn/annular flow only appears in the smooth tube without insert over the all test range. The measured slug rise velocity in the wire-coil inserted tube is higher than that in the smooth tube. With modified mean flow velocity calculated with core area, the slug rise velocity in wire-coil tube inserted is in good agreement with Nicklin's correlation. The void fraction in a wire-coil inserted tube is lower than that in a smooth tube in the range of high gas superficial velocities. By introducing a simple assumption on considering the effective flowing area, the measured void fractions in a wire-coil inserted tube are in relatively good agreement with the predicted result based on the drift flux model proposed by others with the correlation for slug rise velocity given by others when the coil pitch is dense.     

Countercurrent gas-liquid flow in parallel vertical tubes

The subject of this paper is the flow between an upper reservoir, containing a liquid, and a lower reservoir, containing a gas, interconnected by parallel vertical tubes. The characteristics of the combined system are predicted from a knowledge of the behavior of flow in individual tubes. Numerous modes of possible operation are described analytically and demonstrated experimentally. The effects of system geometry, changes in gas supply characteristics, operating procedure and two-phase flow regimes on the transitions between modes and system stability are presented. Predictions are made for the limiting case of a large number of identical parallel channels.     

Turbulence viscosity in vertical adiabatic gas-liquid flow

An empirical correlation for the turbulence viscosity in two-phase flow is developed, based on the assumption that the fluctuations of the turbulent velocity may be divided into two components: one due to the momentum exchange of the liquid phase, the other due to the movement of the dispersed phase. The reliability of the correlation is checked against measurements from various sources, showing a standard deviation of 22 per cent.     

Statistical characteristics of two-phase gas-liquid flow in a vertical microchannel

This paper presents an experimental study of the structure of an upward gas-liquid flow in a vertical microchannel with a cross-sectional dimension of 0.67 × 2.00 mm and a length of 0.5 m. The tests were performed in the ranges of reduced rates of nitrogen 0.04–11.00 m/sec and water 0.07–0.41 m/sec. Using the method of two-beam laser scanning, we identified the main flow regimes (slug-bubble, slug, transient, emulsion, and annular) and determined the statistical characteristics of the two-phase flow. A map of flow regimes was constructed, the dependence of slug velocity on the reduced mixture velocity was obtained, and the friction factor for an upward gas-liquid flow in a microchannel was measured.     

Experimental study of gas-liquid slug flow in a small-diameter vertical pipe

Experimental investigation of upward gas-liquid slug flow in a vertical pipe in 15 mm ID has been carried out. The electrochemical method which permits the determination of the value and direction of instantaneous wall shear stress as well as the mean and fluctuating components of the liquid velocity is used for measurements. It is shown that the change of the sign of the velocity near the wall usually occurs at the moment of slug passage; the time-averaged wall shear stress at low liquid velocities is significantly lower than the value obtained by means of common prediction methods. The results of measuring of the local void fraction. liquid velocity and components of liquid velocity fluctuations are presented. The time-dependent behavior of the instantaneous hydrodynamic characteristics is described.     

Experimental study on convective heat transfer coefficient around a vertical hexagonal rod bundle

Research on convective heat transfer coefficient around a rod bundle has many diverse applications in industry. So far, many studies have been conducted in correlations related to internal and turbulent fully-developed flow. Comparison shows that Dittus-Boelter, Sieder-Tate and Petukhov have so far been the most practical correlations in fully-developed turbulent fluid flow heat transfer. The present study conducts an experimental examination of the validity of these frequently-applied correlations and introduces a manufactured test facility as well. Due to its generalizibility, the unique geometry of this test facility (hexagonal arranged, 7 vertical rods in a hexagonal tube) can fulfil extensive applications. The paper also studies the major deviation sources in data measurements, calibrations and turbulence of fluid flow in this. Finally, regarding to sufficient number of experiments in a vast fluid mean velocity range (3,800?<?Re?<?40,000), a new curve and correlation are presented and the results are compared with the above mentioned commonly-applied correlations.     

垂直上升气液环状流流动参数的数值计算

提出了一个新的气核-液膜耦合模型来求解垂直上升气液环状流在充分发展段的流动参数.本模型考虑了液膜、气核以及它们之间的相互影响和作用.模型中基本的气核区域和液膜区域的质量和动量方程由Fluent6.3.26进行求解,而液滴方程以及相界面上的夹带和沉积作用通过用户自定义接口函数UDF(User Defined Functi...     

A two-phase, two-component model for vertical upward gas-liquid annular flow

In this paper, a new two-fluid two-component computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed to simulate vertical upward two-phase annular flow. The two-phase VOF scheme is utilized to model the roll wave flow, and the gas core is described by a two-component phase consisting of liquid droplets and gas phase. The entrainment and deposition processes are taken into account by source terms of the governing equations. Unlike the previous models, the newly developed model includes the effect of liquid roll waves directly determined from the CFD code, which is able to provide more detailed and, the most important, more self-standing information for both the gas core flow and the film flow as well as their interactions. Predicted results are compared with experimental data, and a good agreement is achieved.     

Flow patterns in vertical two-phase flow

This paper is concerned with the flow patterns which occur in upwards gas-liquid two-phase flow in vertical tubes. The basic flow patterns are described and the use of flow pattern maps is discussed. The transition between plug flow and churn flow is modelled under the assumption that flooding of the falling liquid film limits the stability of plug flow. The resulting equation is combined with other flow pattern transition equations to produce theoretical flow pattern maps, which are then tested against experimental flow pattern data. Encouraging agreement is obtained.     

Direct numerical simulation of fluid flow in a 5x5 square rod bundle

Characterization of parallel flow through rod bundles is of key importance in assessing the performance and safety of several engineering systems, including a majority of nuclear reactor concepts. Inhomogeneities in the bundle cross-section can present complex flow phenomena, including varying local conditions of turbulence. With the ever-increasing capabilities of high-performance computing, Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of turbulent flows is becoming more feasible. Through resolving all scales of turbulence, DNS can serve as a “numerical experiment,” and can provide substantial insight into flow physics, but at considerable computational cost. Thus to date, the DNS in open literature for rod bundle flows is relatively scarce, and largely limited to unit-cell domains. Since wall effects are important in rod bundle flows, a multiple-pin DNS study can expand understanding of rod bundle flows while providing valuable reference data for evaluating reduced-resolution techniques. In this work, DNS of a 5x5 square bare rod bundle representative of typical light water reactor fuel dimensions was performed using the spectral element code Nek5000. Turbulent microscales based on an advanced Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes model were used to establish the required DNS resolution. Velocity and Reynolds stress fields are analyzed in detail, and invariant analysis is used for further investigation into flow physics. The results show stark changes in the structure of turbulence in the edge gaps, suggesting the presence of gap vortices in these regions. In addition, turbulent kinetic energy budgets are presented to more fully illustrate the various turbulent processes. These data can prove useful for rigorous evaluation of lower-fidelity turbulence modeling approaches.     

Identification of flow regimes in vertical gas-liquid two-phase flow using differential pressure fluctuations

Differential pressure fluctuations are used to estimate flow regimes of nitrogen gas-water mixtures in a vertical pipe because the fluctuations seem to be closely connected with the flow configuration. The regimes of vertical two-phase flow are classified by the peculiar features of statistical properties of the fluctuations, which are calculated from the data of static pressures measured at four locations along the flow direction. The results show that it is possible to identify the flow pattern from the configuration of probability density functions, the order of variance and the average value of differential pressures because these statistical properties depend on a flow pattern.     

A film model for the prediction of flooding and flow reversal for gas-liquid flow in vertical tubes

A model is presented which demonstrates that the process of flooding and flow reversal can be explained on the basis of a film mechanism. The model predicts well the gas flow rate at which flooding and flow reversal begins and ends for a given liquid flow rate and the presence of a hysteresis loop between flooding and flow reversal. The predictions of the theory are in satisfactory agreement with experimental flooding data.