Research on the refrigerant distribution and distinctive flow phenomena in a two-phase loop thermosyphon through a holistic visualization method

The distribution of water in the diffuser of a wet gas compressor is not well understood. Measurements of water film thickness across the diffuser surface would improve the understanding of two-phase flow phenomena in wet gas compressors. Electromagnetic probes were designed in order to measure water film thickness in the diffuser of a SwRI-designed wet gas compressor. The probes consisted of two electrode foils plated on a thin insulating substrate, allowing them to be bonded in place without drilling through the diffuser. An AC signal was passed between the electrodes, and the voltage across a resistor in series with the electrodes was recorded. As the water level covering the electrodes increased, the recorded voltage increased. A method of calibrating the probes was developed and used prior to installation in the diffuser. Testing showed the probes to be effective at detecting the presence of water in the diffuser and indicating the general water level. Improvements in probe design, calibration, and installation are needed to provide more precise water film thickness data.

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Two-phase (gas—liquid) flow phenomena—I Pressure drop and hold-up for two-phase flow in vertical tubes

Chemical Engineering Science ◽

10.1016/0009-2509(60)87004-2 ◽

1960 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 109-126 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

G.H. Anderson ◽

B.G. Mantzouranis

Keyword(s):

Pressure Drop ◽

Liquid Flow ◽

Two Phase Flow ◽

Phase Flow ◽

Two Phase ◽

Flow Phenomena ◽

Gas Liquid Flow ◽

Vertical Tubes

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Effect of Tube Diameter on Flow Phenomena of Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Microchannels

ASME 2015 13th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels ◽

10.1115/icnmm2015-48143 ◽

2015 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hideo Ide ◽

Eiji Kinoshita ◽

Ryo Kuroshima ◽

Takeshi Ohtaka ◽

Yuichi Shibata ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pressure Drop ◽

High Speed ◽

Water Solution ◽

Flow Direction ◽

Flow Characteristics ◽

Tube Diameter ◽

Two Phase ◽

Frictional Pressure Drop ◽

Flow Phenomena ◽

The Waves

Gas-liquid two-phase flows in minichannels and microchannels display a unique flow pattern called ring film flow, in which stable waves of relatively large amplitudes appear at seemingly regular intervals and propagate in the flow direction. In the present work, the velocity characteristics of gas slugs, ring films, and their features such as the gas slug length, flow phenomena and frictional pressure drop for nitrogen-distilled water and nitrogen-30 wt% ethanol water solution have been investigated experimentally. Four kinds of circular microchannels with diameters of 100 μm, 150 μm, 250 μm and 518 μm were used. The effects of tube diameter and physical properties, especially the surface tension and liquid viscosity, on the flow patterns, gas slug length and the two-phase frictional pressure drop have been investigated by using a high speed camera at 6,000 frames per second. The flow characteristics of gas slugs, liquid slugs and the waves of ring film are presented in this paper.

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