CFD Simulations of Cap-Bubbly Two-Phase Flows Using Two-Group Interfacial Area Transport Equation

Author(s):  
Xia Wang ◽  
Xiaodong Sun

Knowledge of cap-bubbly flows is of great interest due to its role in understanding of flow regime transition from bubbly to slug or churn-turbulent flow. One of the key characteristics of such flows is the existence of bubbles in different sizes and shapes associated with their distinctive dynamic natures. This important feature is, however, generally not well captured by available two-phase flow models. In view of this, a modified two-fluid model, namely a three-field two-fluid model, is proposed. In this model, bubbles are categorized into two groups, i.e., spherical/distorted bubbles as Group-1 while cap/churn-turbulent bubbles as Group-2. A two-group interfacial area transport equation (IATE) is implemented to describe the dynamic changes of interfacial structure in each group, resulting from intra- and inter-group interactions and phase changes due to evaporation and condensation. Attention is also paid to the appropriate constitutive relations of the interfacial transfers due to mechanical and thermal non-equilibrium between different fields. The proposed three-field two-fluid model is used to predict the phase distributions of adiabatic air-water flows in a narrow rectangular duct. Good agreement between the simulation results from the proposed model and relevant experimental data indicates that the proposed model may be used as a reliable computational tool for two-phase flow simulations in narrow rectangular flow geometry.

Author(s):  
Mamoru Ishii ◽  
Seungjin Kim ◽  
Xiaodong Sun ◽  
Takashi Hibiki

A dynamic treatment of interfacial area concentration has been studied over the last decade by employing the interfacial area transport equation. When coupled with the two-fluid model, the interfacial area transport equation replaces the flow regime dependent correlations for interfacial area concentration and eliminates potential artificial bifurcation or numerical oscillations stemming from these static correlations. An extensive database has been established to evaluate the model under various two-phase flow conditions. These include adiabatic and heated conditions, vertical and horizontal flow orientations, round, rectangular, annulus, and 8×8 rod-bundle channel geometries, and normal-gravity and reduced-gravity conditions. Currently, a two-group interfacial area transport equation is available and applicable to comprehensive two-phase flow conditions spanning from bubbly to churn-turbulent flow regimes. A framework to couple the two-group interfacial area transport equation with the modified two-fluid model is established in view of multiphase computational fluid dynamics code applications as well as reactor system analysis code applications. The present study reviews the current state-of-the-art in the development of the interfacial area transport equation, available experimental databases, and the analytical methods to incorporate the interfacial area transport equation into the two-fluid model.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xia Wang ◽  
Xiaodong Sun

An interfacial area transport equation (IATE), proposed to dynamically describe the interfacial structure evolution of two-phase flows, could help improve the predictive capability of the two-fluid model. The present study aims to investigate the well-posedness issue of a one-dimensional two-fluid model with the IATE (named “two-fluid-IATE model” hereafter) using a characteristic analysis. The momentum flux parameters, which take into account the coupling of the volumetric fraction of phase and velocity distributions over the cross-section of a flow passage, are employed. A necessary condition for the system to achieve hyperbolicity under an adiabatic flow condition is identified. A case study is performed for an adiabatic liquid-liquid slug flow, which shows that the hyperbolicity of the two-fluid-IATE model is guaranteed if appropriate correlations of the momentum flux parameters are applied in the two-fluid-IATE model.


Author(s):  
David Heinze ◽  
Thomas Schulenberg ◽  
Lars Behnke

A simulation model for the direct contact condensation of steam in subcooled water is presented that allows determination of major parameters of the process, such as the jet penetration length. Entrainment of water by the steam jet is modeled based on the Kelvin–Helmholtz and Rayleigh–Taylor instability theories. Primary atomization due to acceleration of interfacial waves and secondary atomization due to aerodynamic forces account for the initial size of entrained droplets. The resulting steam-water two-phase flow is simulated based on a one-dimensional two-fluid model. An interfacial area transport equation is used to track changes of the interfacial area density due to droplet entrainment and steam condensation. Interfacial heat and mass transfer rates during condensation are calculated using the two-resistance model. The resulting two-phase flow equations constitute a system of ordinary differential equations, which is solved by means of the explicit Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg algorithm. The simulation results are in good qualitative agreement with published experimental data over a wide range of pool temperatures and mass flow rates.


Author(s):  
Xiaodong Sun ◽  
Yang Liu ◽  
Basar Ozar ◽  
Mamoru Ishii ◽  
Joseph M. Kelly

To apply the two-fluid model to a wide range of flow regimes in gas-liquid two-phase flows, the gas phase is categorized into two groups: small spherical/distorted bubbles as Group 1 and large cap/slug/churn-turbulent bubbles as Group 2 in the modeling of interfacial area transport. The interfacial transfer terms of momentum and energy for the gas phase are then divided into two groups accordingly in the implementation of the two-group interfacial area transport equation to the two-fluid model. Thus, the drag coefficients and the interfacial heat transfer for each group bubbles need to be developed. An approach has been sought for evaluating the drag coefficients of each bubble group based on a comprehensive experimental data base obtained in air-water upward flows in various size round pipes. Comparisons have been made with the theory of the drag coefficients and it was found that the agreement is not very satisfactory although the general trends can be predicted by the current approach.


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