Pressure drop during forced convection boiling of binary refrigerant mixtures

An experimental investigation was carried out in an electrically heated horizontal tube to measure pressure drop for various flow rates and heat fluxes during forced convection boiling of pure refrigerant 12 and four compositions of refrigerants 13 and 12 mixtures. The Martinelli-Nelson correlation, using the properties of the flowing refrigerant mixture, could not predict satisfactorily the pressure drop data. Total, as well as frictional pressure drops were found to be function of concentration. Two separate models each for total, as well as frictional pressure drop were developed for predicting the corresponding pressure drop. In each case, the maximum per cent deviation between predicted and measured pressure drop was within $\text{± 30\%}$.     

Effects of fluid properties and pipe diameter on two-phase flow patterns in horizontal lines

Extensive new data have been obtained on the transitions between two-phase flow patterns during co-current gas liquid flow in horizontal lines. Fluid properties were varied in a systematic manner to determine the effects of liquid viscosity, liquid density, interfacial tension and gas density. Line sizes varied from 1.2 to 5 cm for most of the tests. Visual observations were supplemented by an analysis of pressure drop fluctuations and hence the present data are believed to be less subjective than most past observations.

The transition data from the present tests, as well as available literature data, were compared to the most frequently used transition line correlations. In almost all cases serious deficiencies were observed. Revised dimensionless correlations which fit present data, and those previously available, are presented.     

Anomalous flow properties of spherical micelle surfactant solutions passing through small-sized slits

The flow properties of complex fluids, such as aqueous solutions of polymers and surfactants, have been investigated in many studies, which revealed interesting and anomalous tendencies for several types of complex fluids in abrupt contraction and expansion flows, such as flows passing through small-sized orifices and slits. In the study, the jet thrust and excess pressure drop (net differential pressure) for experimentally observing their flow properties of water and aqueous solutions of several types of surfactants with spherical micelles in slit flows were measured. Different properties were observed for various surfactant solutions depending on the charge of the solute. The resultant jet thrust and excess pressure drop of cationic and non-ionic surfactant solutions were lower than the experimental values of water. For anionic surfactant solutions, the experimental results were similar to those of water. The types can be arranged as cationic > non-ionic > anionic in order of diminishing the jet thrust and excess pressure drop. Moreover, the effect of strong strain, boundary slip, contraction ratio, size effect, concentration, and interface phenomena was discussed.     

Pressure drop fluctuations and bubble-slug transition in a vertical two phase air-water flow

Evolution of the probability density function of pressure drop fluctuations with increasing volumetric quality in a vertical two phase air-water flow is is presented. The measurements are used to develop two quantitative criteria for identification of the bubble-slug transition.     

Experimental investigation into vortex structure and pressure drop across microcavities in 3D integrated electronics

Hydrodynamics in microcavities with cylindrical micropin fin arrays simulating a single layer of a water-cooled electronic chip stack is investigated experimentally. Both inline and staggered pin arrangements are investigated using pressure drop and microparticle image velocimetry (μPIV) measurements. The pressure drop across the cavity shows a flow transition at pin diameter–based Reynolds numbers (Re _d ) ~200. Instantaneous μPIV, performed using a pH-controlled high seeding density of tracer microspheres, helps visualize vortex structure unreported till date in microscale geometries. The post-transition flow field shows vortex shedding and flow impingement onto the pins explaining the pressure drop increase. The flow fluctuations start at the chip outlet and shift upstream with increasing Re _d . No fluctuations are observed for a cavity with pin height-to-diameter ratio h/d = 1 up to Re _d ~330; however, its pressure drop was higher than for a cavity with h/d = 2 due to pronounced influence of cavity walls.     

Evaluating cavitation regimes in an internal orifice at different temperatures using frequency analysis and visualization

Experiments on a water cavitating orifice were conducted to investigate the influence of pressure and temperature on flow regime transition due to cavitation. The thermal effects could be important in cases with cryogenic cavitation or hot fluid injection. The investigations were based on CCD observations and a pressure fluctuations frequency analysis.The high-speed photographic recordings were used to analyze the cavitation evolution and individuate the frequency content of the two-phase flow by processing the pixel-intensity time-series data.The cavitating structures showed different behaviors and characteristics with variations in operating conditions, as the pressure inside the orifice and the flow temperature .The flow regime map for the cavitating flow was obtained using experimental observations to analyze the occurrence of the different two-phase flow regime transitions at various operating conditions.As the pressure at the orifice inlet increased, at the same downstream pressure, cavitation inception occurred. The decrease of the cavitation number brought a significant increase in cavitation zone extension. As the pressure drop inside the orifice increased, the cavitation was characterized by an evident increase in cavitation zone length to the outlet of the orifice. With a further cavitation number decrease, the transition to jet cavitation was evident.The temperature influenced both the cavitation intensity and the cavitation number at which different two-phase flow regime transitions occurred, which tended to increase with temperature.The vapor fraction was estimated using an image processing algorithm.The frequency content given by the pressure fluctuations was analyzed and compared with the frequency spectra obtained from the visual observations. The behavior of the different cavitating flows could be correlated to the frequency spectrum of the pressure fluctuations measured upstream and downstream of the orifice. The cavitation number reduction and consequent increase in cavitating area width were related to a corresponding significant increase in the amplitude of typical frequency components. The transition to jet cavitation was characterized by a significant increase in the first peak in the frequency spectrum; weaker spectral peaks were also present at high cavitation numbers.     

Transition from laminar to turbulent flow in liquid filled microtubes

The transition to turbulent flow is studied for liquids of different polarities in glass microtubes having diameters between 50 and 247 µm. The onset of transition occurs at Reynolds numbers of ~1,800–2,000, as indicated by greater-than-laminar pressure drop and micro-PIV measurements of mean velocity and rms velocity fluctuations at the centerline. Transition at anomalously low values of Reynolds number was never observed. Additionally, the results of more than 1,500 measurements of pressure drop versus flow rate confirm the macroscopic Poiseuille flow result for laminar flow resistance to within –1% systematic and ±2.5% rms random error for Reynolds numbers less than 1,800.An erratum to this article can be found at     

Ceramic foam substrates for automotive catalyst applications: fluid mechanic analysis

Several properties of ceramic foams render them promising substrates for various industrial processes. For automotive applications, the foam properties that need to be further studied include the substrate impact on the exhaust gas flow, in terms of pressure drop and flow uniformity. In this paper, pressure drop measurements are performed with different honeycomb and ceramic foam substrates, and pressure drop correlations are discussed. The flow uniformity upstream and downstream of the substrates is evaluated using particle image velocimetry. The results show that ceramic foam substrates induce higher pressure drop, while increasing the uniformity of the flow. In contrast to honeycomb monoliths, the flow uniformity downstream of ceramic foams does not decrease with increasing flow velocity. The higher flow uniformity of ceramic foams is not only caused by their higher pressure drop, but also by flow homogenization that occurs inside the ceramic foam structure, as a result of the momentum exchange perpendicular to the main flow direction.     

Characteristics of wall pressure fluctuations in separated and reattaching flows over a backward-facing step: Part I. Time-mean statistics and cross-spectral analyses

 Laboratory measurements were made of wall pressure fluctuations in separated and reattaching flows over a backward-facing step. An array of 32 microphones in the streamwise as well as the spanwise directions was utilized. The statistical properties of pressure fluctations were scrutinized. Emphasis was placed on the flow inhomogeneity in the streamwise direction. One-point statistics such as the streamwise distribution of rms pressure and autospectra were shown to be generally consistent with the prior results. The peak frequency and the fall-off rate of autospectra demonstrated the shear layer-originated nature of pressure fluctuations. The coherences and wavenumber spectra in the streamwise and spanwise directions were indicative of the presence of dual modes in pressure; one is associated with the large-scale vortical structure in the low-frequency region and the other is the boundary-layer-like decaying mode in the high-frequency region. Received: 18 August 1999/Accepted: 17 May 2000     

Experimental study of the pressure drop after fractal-shaped orifices in turbulent pipe flows

Fractal-shaped orifices are thought to have a significant effect on the flow mixing properties downstream a pipe owing to their edge self-similarity shape. Here, we investigate the pressure drop after such fractal orifices and measure the pressure recovery at different stations downstream the orifice. A direct comparison is made with the pressure drop measured after regular circular orifices with the same flow area. Our results show that the fractal-shaped orifices have a significant effect on the pressure drop. Furthermore, the pressure drop measured across the fractal-shaped orifices is found to be lower than that from regular circular orifices of the same flow areas. This result could be important in designing piping systems from the point of view of losses. It looks promising to use the fractal-shaped orifices as flowmeters as they can sense the pressure drop across them accurately with lower losses than the regular circular-shaped ones.     

FLOW LIMITATION IN UNIFORM THICK-WALLED COLLAPSIBLE TUBES

To investigate the flow-rate limitation behaviour of the same thick-walled silicone-rubber tubes with aqueous flow as have previously been characterized by this laboratory in terms of their pressure-drop limitation behaviour, we measured how the pressure drop along the tube varied with flow rate, when both the upstream head and the external pressure were varied in such a way as to keep the transmural pressure at the upstream end to the tube at a series of constant values. Flow limitation with ‘negative effort dependence’ occurred, and it was found that the flow rate depended not just on the upstream transmural pressure but also on its history, in a hysteretic manner. Furthermore, when external pressure was being reduced to the required point, either flow limitation or absence of collapse could be obtained for the same values of upstream transmural pressure. The reductions in flow rate when flow limitation came into effect were typically much greater, relative to the flow-limited flow rates themselves, than has been reported by others using thinner tubes and lower flow rates. Large-amplitude self-excited oscillation was confined to this reducing-flow-rate transition when external pressure was being increased to set the required point, and largely confined to this transition when it was being reduced. Flow limitation was mostly associated with only small-amplitude noise-like fluctuations of the downstream pressure. The transition was analysed and explained by reference to modified control-space diagrams, which show explicitly all oscillatory and divergent instabilities as closed regions. The prominence of the transition in these results forced consideration of whether flow limitation occurs when the flow rate ceases to increase or when it becomes substantially independent of the pressure drop. In adopting the latter definition, we were led to hypothesize that the initial collapse-inducing instability is not the result of choking.     

Assessment of the organization of a turbulent separated and reattaching flow by measuring wall pressure fluctuations

The effect of local forcing on the organization of a turbulent separated and reattaching flow was assessed by measuring wall pressure fluctuations. Multi-arrayed microphones were installed on the surface to measure the simultaneous spatial and temporal wall pressure fluctuations. Local forcing at the separation edge was applied to the separated flow over a backward-facing step through a thin slit. The organization of the separated and reattaching flow was found to be greatest at the effective forcing frequency. The flow structure was diagnosed by analyzing several characteristics of the wall pressure fluctuations: the wall pressure fluctuation coefficients, wall pressure spectrum, wavenumber-frequency spectrum, coherence, cross-correlation, and multi-resolution autocorrelations of pressure fluctuations using the maximum overlap discrete wavelet transform and continuous wavelet transform. Features indicative of the amalgamation of vortices under the local forcing were observed; this amalgamation process accounted for the observed reduction of the reattachment length. Examination of the wall pressure fluctuations revealed that introduction of local forcing enhanced flapping motion as well as the streamwise and spanwise dispersions of vortical structures.     

围压下自振空化射流冲蚀性能实验研究

自振空化射流是利用瞬态流和水声学原理调制而成的一种新型射流,为研究围压下自激振荡空化射流的冲蚀破碎规律,利用高压釜装置测量了1.0mm出口直径的风琴管自振空化喷嘴在各种射流参数情况下冲蚀铝试样的冲蚀质量,并与同等条件下锥形喷嘴冲蚀效率进行了对比。测量结果表明,冲蚀质量基本与射流压力成正比;存在最优喷距和围压,使得冲蚀效果最佳,在本实验条件,分别为喷嘴出口直径的5～7倍和2MPa左右;相同条件下,自振空化喷嘴冲蚀质量约为同等条件下锥形喷嘴冲蚀的1～2倍,这为自振空化射流提高钻井速度等实际应用提供了实验依据。     

Boiling heat transfer,pressure drop,and flow pattern in a horizontal square minichannel

This study experimentally investigated the flow boiling heat transfer, pressure drop, and flow pattern in a horizontal square minichannel with a hydraulic diameter of 2.0 mm, and the effects of mass flux, vapor quality, heat flux, and refrigerant properties on the flow boiling characteristics were clarified. The heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop of R32 and R1234yf were measured in a mass flux range of 50–400 kgm⁻²s⁻¹ at a saturation temperature of 15 °C. The flow pattern of the square minichannel outlet was observed and was classified as plug, wavy, churn, and annular flows. The heat transfer coefficients in the square minichannel were larger than those in the circular minichannel with a similar hydraulic diameter at low mass flux conditions. The heat transfer coefficients of R32 indicated higher values compared with those of R1234yf at same mass flux and qualities. An empirical heat transfer model taking into account the forced convection, nucleate boiling, and thin liquid film evaporation was developed for horizontal square and circular minichannels. The frictional pressure drop of R32 was 1.5–2 times higher than that of R1234yf at same mass flux and vapor quality condition, and the effect of channel shape on the frictional pressure drop was small unlike the boiling heat transfer.     

微纳结构超疏水表面的湍流减阻机理研究

超疏水表面的优异性质使其在现代生活和工业生产中具有十分广泛的潜在应用价值. 本文采用了碳纳米管缠绕技术和聚氟硅氧烷疏水化处理方法制备了具有二级微纳米结构的超疏水表面. 测量了由该超疏水表面构建的槽道中的流动压降,将其与普通表面构建的槽道内的流动压降进行比较,发现在层流情况下,流动阻力减小最多达到了22.8%. 在湍流的情况下,超疏水表面的减阻比例约为53.3%,减阻效果比层流更加明显.利用PIV (particle image velocimetry) 技术测量了具有超疏水表面的槽道内的速度场,通过超疏水表面速度滑移和湍动脉动场信息,分析了湍流减阻效果比层流更加明显的物理机制.     

The flow behavior of fiber suspensions in Newtonian fluids and polymer solutions.

This is the second part of a study examining the mechanical properties and capillary flow of fiber suspensions in Newtonian fluids and in polymer solutions. In part I results for the viscous and elastic properties of the fiber suspensions were presented and it was shown that the fiber suspensions exhibited normal stresses in Newtonian as well as in viscoelastic suspending media. It was thus expected that circulating secondary flows would occur near the entrance to a capillary. Four types of fillers (glass, carbon, nylon and vinylon fibers) suspended in glycerin, HEC solutions and Separan solutions were investigated. The entrance flow patterns were visualized and the pressure fluctuations measured. The visualization enabled the eddies occurring in the fiber suspensions in Newtonian fluids to be analysed and classified into two tpyes. The results from the flow visualization were correlated with the pressure fluctuations. Empirical equations for the tube length correction factor due to the elasticity were obtained.     

Periodic boiling in parallel micro-channels at low vapor quality

Based on experimental investigations the present study evaluates instability and heat transfer phenomenon under condition of periodic flow boiling of water and ethanol in parallel triangular micro-channels. Tests were performed in the range of hydraulic diameter 100–220 μm, mass flux 32–200 kg/m² s, heat flux 120–270 kW/m², vapor quality x = 0.01–0.08. The period between successive events depends on the boiling number and decreases with an increase in the boiling number. The initial film thickness decreases with increasing heat flux. When the liquid film reached the minimum initial film thickness CHF regime occurred. Temporal variations of pressure drop, fluid and heater temperatures were periodic. Oscillation frequency is the same for the pressure drop, for the fluid temperature at the outlet manifold, and for the mean and maximum heater temperature fluctuations. All these fluctuations are in phase. The CHF phenomenon is different from that observed in a single channel of conventional size. A key difference between micro-channel heat sink and single conventional channel is amplification of parallel-channel instability prior to CHF. The dimensionless experimental values of the heat transfer coefficient are presented as the Nusselt number dependence on the Eotvos number and the boiling number.     

Multiphase drag reduction: Effect of eliminating slugs

Two-phase pressure drop measurements were taken for air/water mixtures in a 0.052-m diameter horizontal pipe with special focus on the superficial liquid velocity range of 0.03–1.2 m/s at superficial gas velocities of 3.8, 5.2, and 6.6 m/s. It was found that the addition of 400 ppm of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to the water reduced the pressure drop by 25–40% when compared to equal flow rates without SDS. The pressure drop reduction occurred where the SDS eliminated the occurrence of the intermittent flow present with water. It was also found that the same concentration of SDS had virtually no effect on single phase liquid pressure drop. The pressure drop reduction appears to be due solely to the suppression of intermittent flow patterns.     

润滑脂极压抗磨添加剂的发展现状

本文综述了润滑脂极压抗磨添加剂的发展现状及其最近的研究和开发动向,阐述了两种或两种以上极压抗磨添加剂的复合效应,并且提出了当前值得注意的几个重要的研究内容。     

Measurement of the shear viscosity using a newly developed GRLDA-viscometer

A two-point laser-Doppler anemometer is used to determine velocity gradients. Measuring additionally the pressure drop in channel flow allows one to use this instrument as a viscometer. This is demonstrated by measuring two polymer solutions as well as water. Besides the velocity gradient, the system also furnishes the velocity as well as velocity fluctuations. For surfactant solutions the sudden increase in these fluctuations go hand-in-hand with the sudden shear thickening reported. This behavior thus seems to be caused by a change in type of flow field (structural turbulence) rather than a change in the rheology of the surfactant solutions.This paper is dedicated to Professor Hanswalter Giesekus on the occasion of his retirement as Editor of Rheologica Acta.