scholarly journals An Investigation of Condensation Effects in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Compressors

Author(s):  
C. Lettieri ◽  
D. Yang ◽  
Z. Spakovszky

Supercritical CO2 (S-CO2) power cycles have demonstrated significant performance improvements in concentrated solar and nuclear applications. These cycles promise an increase in thermal-to-electric conversion efficiency of up to 50% over conventional gas turbines (Wright, S., 2012, “Overview of S-CO2 Power Cycles,” Mech. Eng., 134(1), pp. 40–43), and have become a priority for research, development, and deployment. In these applications the CO2 is compressed to pressures above the critical value using radial compressors. The thermodynamic state change of the working fluid is close to the critical point and near the vapor–liquid equilibrium region where phase change effects are important. This paper presents a systematic assessment of condensation on the performance and stability of centrifugal compressors operating in S-CO2. The approach combines numerical simulations with experimental tests. The objectives are to assess the relative importance of two-phase effects on the internal flow behavior and to define the implications for radial turbomachinery design. The condensation onset is investigated in a systematic manner approaching the critical point. A nondimensional criterion is established that determines whether condensation might occur. This criterion relates the time required for stable liquid droplets to form, which depends on the expansion through the vapor–pressure curve, and the residence time of the flow under saturated conditions. Two-phase flow effects can be considered negligible when the ratio of the two time scales is much smaller than unity. The study shows that condensation is not a concern away from the critical point. Numerical two-phase calculations supported by experimental data indicate that the timescale associated with nucleation is much longer than the residence time of the flow in the saturated region, leaving little opportunity for the fluid to condense. Pressure measurements in a converging diverging nozzle show that condensation cannot occur at the level of subcooling characteristic of radial compressors away from the critical point. The implications are not limited to S-CO2 power cycles but extend to applications of radial machines for dense, saturated gases. In the immediate vicinity of the critical point, two-phase effects are expected to become more prominent due to longer residence times. However, the singular behavior of thermodynamic properties at the critical point prevents the numerical schemes from capturing important gas dynamic effects. These limitations require experimental assessment, which is the focus of ongoing and future research.

Author(s):  
Shuangfeng Wang ◽  
Shigefumi Nishio

Heat transport rates of micro scale SEMOS (Self-Exciting Mode Oscillating) heat pipe with inner diameter of 1.5mm, 1.2mm and 0.9mm, were investigated by using R141b, ethanol and water as working fluids. The effects of inner diameter, liquid volume faction, and material properties of the working fluids are examined. It shows that the smaller the inner diameter, the higher the thermal transport density is. For removing high heat flux, the water is the most promising working fluid as it has the largest critical heat transfer rate and the widest operating range among the three kinds of working fluids. A one-dimensional numerical simulation is carried out to describe the heat transport characteristics and the two-phase flow behavior in the closed loop SEMOS heat pipe. The numerical prediction agrees with the experimental results fairly well, when the input heat through was not very high and the flow pattern was slug flow.   This paper was also originally published as part of the Proceedings of the ASME 2005 Pacific Rim Technical Conference and Exhibition on Integration and Packaging of MEMS, NEMS, and Electronic Systems.


Author(s):  
Kevin W. Brinckman ◽  
Ashvin Hosangadi ◽  
Zisen Liu ◽  
Timothy Weathers

Abstract There is increasing interest in supercritical CO2 processes, such as Carbon Capture and Storage, and electric power production, which require compressors to pressurize CO2 above the critical point. For supercritical compressor operation close to the critical point there is a concern that the working fluid could cross into the subcritical regime which could lead to issues with compressor performance if condensation was to occur in regions where the fluid dropped below the saturation point. Presently, the question of whether there is sufficient residence time at subcritical conditions for condensation onset in supercritical CO2 compressors is an unresolved issue. A methodology is presented towards providing a validated simulation capability for predicting condensation in supercritical CO2 compressors. The modeling framework involves the solution of a discrete droplet phase coupled to the continuum gas phase to track droplet nucleation and growth. The model is implemented in the CRUNCH CFD® Computational Fluid Dynamics code that has been extensively validated for simulation at near critical conditions with a real fluid framework for accurate predictions of trans-critical CO2 processes. Results of predictions using classical nucleation theory to model homogeneous nucleation of condensation sites in supersaturated vapor regions are presented. A non-equilibrium phase-change model is applied to predict condensation on the nuclei which grow in a dispersed-phase droplet framework. Model validation is provided against experimental data for condensation of supercritical CO2 in a De Laval nozzle including the Wilson line location. The model is then applied for prediction of condensation in the compressor of the Sandia test loop at mildly supercritical inlet conditions. The results suggest that there is sufficient residence time at the conditions analyzed to form localized nucleation sites, however, droplets are expected to be short lived as the model predicts they will rapidly vaporize.


Author(s):  
Ameen Muhammed ◽  
Dara W. Childs

In turbomachines, the transfer of energy between the rotor and the fluid does not—in theory—result in lateral forces on the rotor. In positive displacement machines, on the other hand, the transfer of energy between the moving components and the working fluid usually results in unbalanced pressure fields and forces. Muhammed and Childs (2013, “Rotordynamics of a Two-Phase Flow Twin Screw Pump,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power, 135(6), p. 062502) developed a model to predict the dynamic forces in twin-screw pumps, showing that the helical screw shape generates hydraulic forces that oscillate at multiples of running speed. The work presented here attempts to validate the model of Muhammed and Childs (2013, “Rotordynamics of a Two-Phase Flow Twin Screw Pump,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power, 135(6), p. 062502) using a clear-casing twin-screw pump. The pump runs in both single and multiphase conditions with exit pressure up to 300 kPa and a flow rate 0.6 l/s. The pump was instrumented with dynamic pressure probes across the axial length of the screw in two perpendicular directions to validate the dynamic model. Two proximity probes measured the dynamic rotor displacement at the outlet to validate the rotordynamics model and the hydrodynamic cyclic forces predicted by Muhammed and Childs (2013, “Rotordynamics of a Two-Phase Flow Twin Screw Pump,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power, 135(6), p. 062502). The predictions were found to be in good agreement with the measurements. The amplitude of the dynamic pressure measurements in two perpendicular plans supported the main assumptions of the model (constant pressure inside the chambers and linear pressure drop across the screw lands). The predicted rotor orbits at the pump outlet in the middle of the rotor matched the experimental orbits closely. The spectrum of the response showed harmonics of the running speed as predicted by the model. The pump rotor's calculated critical speed was at 24.8 krpm, roughly 14 times the rotor's running speed of 1750 rpm. The measured and observed excitation frequencies extended out to nine times running speed, still well below the first critical speed. However, for longer twin-screw pumps running at higher speed, the coincidence of a higher-harmonic excitation frequency with the lightly damped first critical speed should be considered.


Author(s):  
Dmytro Konovalov ◽  
Mykola Radchenko ◽  
Halina Kobalava ◽  
Andrii Radchenko ◽  
Roman Radchenko ◽  
...  

Complex gas turbine schemes with air intercooling are usually used to bring the compression process of working fluid in compressor closer to isothermal one. A promising way to realize it is to use an aerothermopressor. The aerothermopressor is a two-phase jet apparatus, in which the highly dispersed liquid (water) is injected into the superheated gas (air) stream accelerated to the speed closed to the sound speed value (Mach number from 0.8 to 0.9). The air pressure at the aerothermopressor outlet (after diffuser) is higher than at the inlet due to instantaneous evaporation of highly dispersed liquid practically without friction losses in mixing chamber and with an increase in pressure of the mixed homogenous flow. The liquid evaporation is conducted by removing the heat from the air flow. In the course of the experimental research, the operation of the aerothermopressor for gas turbine intercooling air was simulated and its characteristics (hydraulic resistance coefficients, pressure increase, and air temperature) were determined. Within contact cooling of air in the aerothermopressor, the values of the total pressure increase in the aerothermopressor were from 1.02 to 1.04 (2–4%). Thus, the aerothermopressor use to provide contact evaporative cooling of cyclic air between the compressor stages will ensure not only compensation for pressure losses but also provides an increase in total air pressure with simultaneous cooling. Injection of liquid in a larger amount than is necessary for evaporation ensures a decrease in pressure losses in the flow path of the aerothermopressor by 15–20%. When the amount of water flow is more than 10–15%, the pressure loss becomes equal to the loss for the “dry” aerothermopressor, and with a further increase in the amount of injected liquid, they are exceeded. The values of errors in the relative increase of air pressure in the aerothermopressor measurements not exceeded 4%. The results obtained can be used in the practice of designing intercooling systems for gas turbines.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Ida Bagus Putu Sukadana

Oscillating Heat Pipes one of the new family of heat pipe is two-phase heat transfer technologies with excellent performance capabilities, simple structure and low production costs. As one of the non-intrusive method in temperature measurement, thermography observation in OHP still very rarely to use although the result was able to explain the relation between temperature oscillation and fluidic motion of fluid. Furthermore this paper aims to study the behavior of thermal profile with the thermography observation. Water with filing ratio (45%) has been chosen as the working fluid for the close loop OHP. The heating power was varying into the evaporator section of OHP from 12 until 142 Watt. It was found that thermography observation very useful tools to define internal flow pattern inside OHP channel. Intermittent oscillation, circulation and dry-out phenomenon was captured more better than conventional temperature measurement. The lowest thermal resistance was found 0.234 °C/W corresponding with 3210 Watt/mK effective thermal conductivity at heat input 142 Watt.


Processes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 920 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiaorui Si ◽  
Chunhao Shen ◽  
Asad Ali ◽  
Rui Cao ◽  
Jianping Yuan ◽  
...  

Miniature drainage pumps with a radial blade are widely used in situations with critical constant head and low noise requests, but the stable operation state is often broken up by the entraining gas. In order to explore the internal flow characteristics under gas–liquid two phase flow, pump performance and emitted noise measurements were processed under different working conditions. Three-dimensional numerical calculations based on the Euler inhomogeneous model and obtained experimental boundaries were carried out under different inlet air void fractions (IAVFs). A hybrid numerical method was proposed to obtain the flow-induced emitted noise characteristics. The results show there is little influence on pump characteristics when the IAVF is less than 1%. The pump head slope degradation was found to increase with air content. The bubbles adhere to the impeller hub on the blade’s suction side and spread to the periphery with a big IAVF, leading to unstable operation. It is obvious that vortices appear inside the impeller flow passage as IAVF reaches 6.5%. The two-phase flow pattern has a small effect on the characteristic frequency distribution of pressure fluctuation and emitted noise, but the corresponding pulsation intensity and noise level will increase. The study could provide some reference for low noise design of the drainage pump.


2021 ◽  
Vol 345 ◽  
pp. 00012
Author(s):  
Aram Mohammed Ahmed ◽  
Attila R. Imre

Organic Rankine Cycles (ORC) and Trilateral Flash Cycles (TFC) are very similar power cycles; ideally, they have a reversible adiabatic (isentropic) compression, an isobaric heating, an isentropic expansion and an isobaric cooling. The main difference is that for ORC, the heating includes the full evaporation of the working fluid (prior expansion); therefore, the expansion starts in a saturated or dry vapour state, while for TFC, the heating terminates upon reaching the saturated liquid states. Therefore, for TFT, expansion liquid/vapour state (in bubbly liquid or in vapour dispersed with droplets), requiring a special two-phase expander. Being ORC a more “complete” cycle, one would expect that its thermodynamic efficiency is always higher than for a TFC, between the same temperatures and using the same working fluids. Surprisingly, it was shown that for very dry working fluids, the efficiency of TFC can exceed the efficiency of basic (i.e. recuperator- and superheater-free) ORC, choosing sufficiently high (but still subcritical) maximal cycle temperature. Therefore in these cases, TFC (having a simpler heat exchange unit for heating) can be a better choice than ORC. The presence of a recuperator can influence the situation; by recovering the proper percentage of the remaining heat (after the expansion), the efficiency of ORC can reach and even pass the efficiency of TFC.


2021 ◽  
Vol 67 (4 Jul-Aug) ◽  
pp. 040601
Author(s):  
C. A. Real-Ramirez ◽  
I. Carvajal-Mariscal ◽  
J. R. Miranda-Tello ◽  
J. Gonzalez-Trejo ◽  
R. Gabbasov ◽  
...  

This work describes a visualization technique that allows to register and analyze flow inside a Submerged Entry Nozzle (SEN) model. The internal flow has a swirling pattern that produces characteristic flow conditions that can be used in efficiently supplying liquid steel from the tundish to the mold in the continuous casting process. The visualization method is a first step in analyzing the characteristics of the internal flow and hence in designing new SENs. A LED light source is employed to illuminate the SEN which reduces the reflections in the images. To enhance visualizations and measurements, a transparent cell consisting of a cubic volume with reduced dimensions was used to capture images from the high-speed camera and to record the flow pattern within the SEN. The SEN model consists of a vertical, constant diameter tube with two rounded exit ports located at the bottom with a downward angle of 15° each. The working fluid is water and reaches Re=10,000 within the cell. We also use the laser illuminated Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV) to calculate the velocity of fluid within the SEN and close to the exit ports. We confirm previously reported formation of three vortexes that interact with each other altering the swirl motion of the exit flow. Experimental results were compared with numerical simulations. The comparisons contribute to the validation of findings of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Smoothed-Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) results. Qualitative and quantitative similarities were found. Both physical and numerical results display a high turbulent flow behavior at the lower zone of the SEN. Experimental and numerical methods may be used together as a development method to measure and evaluate the characteristics of the flow behavior inside and outside the SEN model in order to design a better SEN to increase the quality of the steel slab.


2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Ramaswamy ◽  
Y. Joshi ◽  
W. Nakayama ◽  
W. B. Johnson

The current study involves two-phase cooling from enhanced structures whose dimensions have been changed systematically using microfabrication techniques. The aim is to optimize the dimensions to maximize the heat transfer. The enhanced structure used in this study consists of a stacked network of interconnecting channels making it highly porous. The effect of varying the pore size, pitch and height on the boiling performance was studied, with fluorocarbon FC-72 as the working fluid. While most of the previous studies on the mechanism of enhanced nucleate boiling have focused on a small range of wall superheats (0–4 K), the present study covers a wider range (as high as 30 K). A larger pore and smaller pitch resulted in higher heat dissipation at all heat fluxes. The effect of stacking multiple layers showed a proportional increase in heat dissipation (with additional layers) in a certain range of wall superheat values only. In the wall superheat range 8–13 K, no appreciable difference was observed between a single layer structure and a three layer structure. A fin effect combined with change in the boiling phenomenon within the sub-surface layers is proposed to explain this effect.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 772
Author(s):  
Jean-Christophe Hoarau ◽  
Paola Cinnella ◽  
Xavier Gloerfelt

Transonic flows of a molecularly complex organic fluid through a stator cascade were investigated by means of large eddy simulations (LESs). The selected configuration was considered as representative of the high-pressure stages of high-temperature Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) axial turbines, which may exhibit significant non-ideal gas effects. A heavy fluorocarbon, perhydrophenanthrene (PP11), was selected as the working fluid to exacerbate deviations from the ideal flow behavior. The LESs were carried out at various operating conditions (pressure ratio and total conditions at inlet), and their influence on compressibility and viscous effects is discussed. The complex thermodynamic behavior of the fluid generates highly non-ideal shock systems at the blade trailing edge. These are shown to undergo complex interactions with the transitional viscous boundary layers and wakes, with an impact on the loss mechanisms and predicted loss coefficients compared to lower-fidelity models relying on the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations.


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