Two-Phase Flow in Liquid Filled Vessels During the Depressurization by Periodic Venting

Author(s):  
Dieter Mewes ◽  
Dirk Schmitz

Pressurized chemical reactors or storage vessels are often partly filled with liquid mixtures of reacting components. In case of an unexpected and uncontrolled exothermic reaction the temperature might increase. By this the pressure follows and would exceed a critical maximum value if there would be no mechanism to decrease the pressure and the temperature in a very short period of time. A sudden venting by the opening of a safety valve or a rupture disc causes a rapid vaporization of the reacting liquid mixture. A two-phase flow will pass the ventline. Since two-phase gas-liquid flows cause high pressure losses and give rise to limited mass flows leaving the reactor, single-phase gas flows are preferred. This is emphasized by a periodic venting mechanism of the pressurized vessel. Each time the two-phase flow from the bubbling-up liquid inside the vessel reaches a certain cross-section close the entrance of the ventline. The outlet-valve is closed. Inside the vessel the increasing pressure stops the two-phase flow and only single phase flow is leaving the vessel. The two-phase bubbly flow inside the vessel is detected by a tomographic measurement device during the venting process. Experimental results for local and time dependant phase void fractions as well as pressures are compared with those obtained by numerical calculations of the instationary bubble swarm behavior inside the vessel.

Author(s):  
Aurelia Chenu ◽  
Konstantin Mikityuk ◽  
Rakesh Chawla

In the framework of PSI’s FAST code system, the TRACE thermal-hydraulics code is being extended for representation of sodium two-phase flow. As the currently available version (v.5) is limited to the simulation of only single-phase sodium flow, its applicability range is not enough to study the behavior of a Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) during a transient in which boiling is anticipated. The work reported here concerns the extension of the two-fluid models, which are available in TRACE for steam-water, to sodium two-phase flow simulation. The conventional correlations for ordinary gas-liquid flows are used as basis, with optional correlations specific to liquid metal when necessary. A number of new models for representation of the constitutive equations specific to sodium, with a particular emphasis on the interfacial transfer mechanisms, have been implemented and compared with the original closure models. As a first application, the extended TRACE code has been used to model experiments that simulate a loss-of-flow (LOF) accident in a SFR. The comparison of the computed results, with both the experimental data and SIMMER-III code predictions, has enabled validation of the capability of the modified TRACE code to predict sodium boiling onset, flow regimes, dryout, flow reversal, etc. The performed study is a first-of-a-kind application of the TRACE code to two-phase sodium flow. Other integral experiments are planned to be simulated to further develop and validate the two-phase sodium flow methodology.


1985 ◽  
Vol 107 (1) ◽  
pp. 142-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Langlinais ◽  
A. T. Bourgoyne ◽  
W. R. Holden

The calculation of single-phase and two-phase flowing pressure gradients in a well annulus is generally based on an extension of empirical correlations developed for Newtonian fluids in circular pipes. Various techniques for extending pipe flow correlations to an annular geometry have been presented in the literature which involve the representation of the annular well geometry with an equivalent circular diameter and the representation of non-Newtonian fluid behavior with an apparent Newtonian viscosity. Unfortunately, little experimental data have been available which would allow a comparison of the relative accuracy of the various proposed techniques. In this study, experimental pressure gradient data have been taken in two 6000-ft wells. Frictional pressure losses for single-phase flow (mud only) in two annuli were compared to values predicted by the Bingham plastic and power law models. These calculations utilized the equivalent diameters defined by the Crittendon criteria, the hydraulic diameter, and the slot approximation. Also, total pressure difference for two-phase flow was measured for one annular geometry. This data was compared to that predicted by the Poettmann and Carpenter, Hagedorn and Brown, Orkiszewski, and Beggs and Brill correlations. Comparison of experimental data with the various prediction techniques was favorable, each having advantage in certain situations. For the data investigated, the Crittendon criteria using a Bingham plastic model gave the best results. The two-phase flow data was best predicted by the Hagedorn and Brown correlation utilizing an equivalent hydraulic diameter.


1967 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Chisholm

Equations are developed for the flow of gas-liquid or vapour-liquid mixtures through sharp-edged orifices under conditions where the density change of the gas or liquid through the orifice is negligible. The theoretical development differs from previous treatments in allowing for the interfacial shear force between the phases, and leads to an equation which is shown to be in good agreement with available experimental evidence. The determination by experiment of a single coefficient characterizing the pipe and orifice arrangement permits the prediction of both the two-phase flow rate and the ratio of the phase velocities for a given pressure drop and gas-liquid weight ratio. The range of conditions examined extends over weight ratios of gas to total mixture from 0·1 to 98 per cent, and ratios of downstream to upstream pressures greater than 0·99. The accuracy of correlation of two-phase flow data is now approaching that of single-phase flow.


1983 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
pp. 372-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. A. Elfaghi ◽  
J. P. Langlinais ◽  
A. T. Bourgoyne ◽  
W. R. Holden

The vertical flow of mud and gas-mud mixtures in long pipes is of interest in the design and operation of subsea well control equipment where long choke lines are required. Heretofore, the question of two-phase flow of non-Newtonian drilling muds has not been investigated experimentally in full-scale well systems. Frictional-pressure losses were measured in a 2 3/8-in., 3000-ft long, vertical tubing when flowing drilling mud alone, and flowing mud-gas mixtures. The single-phase data was compared to values predicted by both the Bingham plastic and power law rheological models, which are commonly used to describe non-Newtonian fluids. The multiphase pressure loss data were used to evaluate various published correlation techniques.


2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 717-724
Author(s):  
V. N. Novozhilov ◽  
D. A. Baranov

1993 ◽  
Vol 115 (4) ◽  
pp. 781-783 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiyoshi Minemura ◽  
Tomomi Uchiyama

This paper is concerned with the determination of the performance change in centrifugal pumps operating under two-phase flow conditions using the velocities and void fractions calculated under the assumption of an inviscid bubbly flow with slippage between the two phases. The estimated changes in the theoretical head are confirmed with experiments within the range of bubbly flow regime.


Author(s):  
Suizheng Qiu ◽  
Minoru Takahashi ◽  
Guanghui Su ◽  
Dounan Jia

Water single-phase and nucleate boiling heat transfer were experimentally investigated in vertical annuli with narrow gaps. The experimental data about water single-phase flow and boiling two-phase flow heat transfer in narrow annular channel were accumulated by two test sections with the narrow gaps of 1.0mm and 1.5mm. Empirical correlations to predict the heat transfer of the single-phase flow and boiling two-phase flow in the narrow annular channel were obtained, which were arranged in the forms of the Dittus-Boelter for heat transfer coefficients in a single-phase flow and the Jens-Lottes formula for a boiling two-phase flow in normal tubes, respectively. The mechanism of the difference between the normal channel and narrow annular channel were also explored. From experimental results, it was found that the turbulent heat transfer coefficients in narrow gaps are nearly the same to the normal channel in the experimental range, and the transition Reynolds number from a laminar flow to a turbulent flow in narrow annuli was much lower than that in normal channel, whereas the boiling heat transfer in narrow annular gap was greatly enhanced compared with the normal channel.


2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
pp. 528-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Kim ◽  
S. S. Paranjape ◽  
M. Ishii ◽  
J. Kelly

The vertical co-current downward air-water two-phase flow was studied under adiabatic condition in round tube test sections of 25.4-mm and 50.8-mm ID. In flow regime identification, a new approach was employed to minimize the subjective judgment. It was found that the flow regimes in the co-current downward flow strongly depend on the channel size. In addition, various local two-phase flow parameters were acquired by the multi-sensor miniaturized conductivity probe in bubbly flow. Furthermore, the area-averaged data acquired by the impedance void meter were analyzed using the drift flux model. Three different distributions parameters were developed for different ranges of non-dimensional superficial velocity, defined by the ration of total superficial velocity to the drift velocity.


Author(s):  
S. Dhanasekaran ◽  
T. Karunanithi

This investigation reports the experimental and theoretical results carried out to evaluate the axial dispersion number for an air-water system in a novel hybrid rotating and reciprocating perforated plate bubble column for single phase and two phase flow conditions. Axial dispersion studies are carried out using stimulus response technique. Sodium hydroxide solution is used as the tracer. Effects of superficial liquid velocity, agitation level and superficial gas velocity on axial dispersion number were analyzed and found to be significant. For the single phase (water) flow condition, it is found that the main variables affecting the axial dispersion number are the agitation level and superficial liquid velocity. When compared to the agitation level, the effect of superficial liquid velocity on axial dispersion number is more predominant. The increase in superficial liquid velocity decreases the axial dispersion number. The same trend is shown by agitation level but the effect is less. The rotational movement of the perforated plates enhances the radial mixing in the section; hence, axial dispersion number is reduced. For the two phase flow condition, the increase in superficial liquid velocity decreases the axial dispersion number, as reported in the single phase flow condition. The increase in agitation level decreases the axial dispersion number, but this decreasing trend is non-linear. An increase in superficial gas velocity increases the axial dispersion number. Correlations have been developed for axial dispersion number for single phase and two phase flow conditions. The correlation values are found to concur with the experimental values.


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