Countercurrent Two-Phase Flow Regimes and Void Fraction in Vertical and Inclined Channels

1995 ◽  
Vol 119 (3) ◽  
pp. 182-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Ghiaasiaan ◽  
K. E. Taylor ◽  
B. K. Kamboj ◽  
S. I. Abdel-Khalik
Author(s):  
Shao-Wen Chen ◽  
Caleb S. Brooks ◽  
Chris Macke ◽  
Takashi Hibiki ◽  
Mamoru Ishii ◽  
...  

In order to investigate the possible effect of seismic vibration on two-phase flow dynamics and thermal-hydraulics of a nuclear reactor, experimental tests of adiabatic air-water two-phase flow under low-frequency vibration were carried out in this study. An eccentric cam vibration module operated at low motor speed (up to 390rpm) was attached to an annulus test section which was scaled down from a prototypic BWR fuel assembly sub-channel. The inner and outer diameters of the annulus are 19.1mm and 38.1mm, respectively. The two-phase flow operating conditions cover the ranges of 0.03≤<jg> ≤1.46m/s and 0.25≤<jf>≤1.00m/s and the vibration displacement ranges from ±0.8mm to ±22.2mm. Steady-state area-averaged instantaneous and time-averaged void fraction was recorded and analyzed in stationary and vibration experiments. A neural network flow regime identification technique and fast Fourier transformation (FFT) analysis were introduced to analyze the flow regimes and void signals under stationary and vibration conditions. Experimental results reveal possible changes in flow regimes under specific flow and vibration conditions. In addition, the instantaneous void fraction signals were affected and shown by FFT analysis. Possible reasons for the changes include the applied high acceleration and/or induced resonance at certain ports under the specific flow and vibration conditions.


Author(s):  
Shao-Wen Chen ◽  
Takashi Hibiki ◽  
Mamoru Ishii ◽  
Michitsugu Mori ◽  
Fumitoshi Watanabe

In order to investigate the possible effect of seismic vibration on two-phase flow dynamics and thermal-hydraulics of a nuclear reactor, experimental tests of adiabatic air-water two-phase flow under low-frequency vibration were carried out in this study. An eccentric cam vibration module operated at low motor speed (up to 390 rpm) was attached to an annulus test section which was scaled down from a prototypic boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel assembly subchannel. The inner and outer diameters of the annulus are 19.1 mm and 38.1 mm, respectively. The two-phase flow operating conditions cover the ranges of 0.03 m/s ≤ 〈jg〉 ≤ 1.46 m/s and 0.25 m/s ≤ 〈jf〉 ≤ 1.00 m/s and the vibration displacement ranges from ±0.8 mm to ±22.2 mm. Steady-state area-averaged instantaneous and time-averaged void fraction were recorded and analyzed in stationary and vibration experiments. A neural network flow regime identification technique and fast Fourier transformation (FFT) analysis were introduced to analyze the flow regimes and void signals under stationary and vibration conditions. Experimental results reveal possible changes in flow regimes under specific flow and vibration conditions. In addition, the instantaneous void fraction signals were affected and shown by FFT analysis. Possible reasons for the changes include the applied high acceleration and induced void/flow structure changes at certain ports under the specific flow and vibration conditions.


2002 ◽  
Vol 124 (2) ◽  
pp. 144-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Pettigrew ◽  
C. E. Taylor ◽  
V. P. Janzen ◽  
T. Whan

The results of a series of tests describing the vibration behavior of several rotated triangular tube bundles subjected to two-phase cross flows are presented. Tube bundles with a pitch-to-diameter ratio of approximately 1.5 were tested over a broad range of void fractions and mass fluxes. Fluidelastic instability, random turbulence excitation, hydrodynamic mass, two-phase damping and local void-fraction were investigated. Well-defined fluidelastic instabilities were observed in continuous two-phase flow regimes. However, intermittent two-phase flow regimes had a dramatic effect on fluidelastic instability leading to lower than expected threshold flow velocities for instability. This effect was more pronounced in Freon two-phase flow than in air-water, and appeared well correlated to the transition between continuous and intermittent flow regimes. Generally, random turbulence excitation forces were much lower in Freon than in air-water. Although very dependent on void fraction, as expected, damping was quite similar in air-water and Freon.


2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Pawloski ◽  
C. Y. Ching ◽  
M. Shoukri

The void fractions, flow regimes, and pressure drop of air-oil two-phase flow in a half-inch diameter pipe over a wide range of test conditions have been investigated. The flow regimes were identified with the aid of a 1000 frames per second high-speed camera. A capacitance sensor for instantaneous void fraction measurements was developed. The mean and probability density function of the instantaneous void fraction signal can be used to effectively identify the different flow regimes. The current flow regime data show significant differences in the transitional boundaries of the existing flow regime maps. Property correction factors for the flow regime maps are recommended. The pressure drop measurements were compared to the predictions from four existing two-phase flow pressure drop models. Though some of the models performed better for certain flow regimes, none of the models were found to give accurate results over the entire range of flow regimes.


2005 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-65
Author(s):  
Bui Dinh Tri

This paper will present a method to identify flow patterns (bubble & slug flow) in vertical air-water two-phase flow by void fraction measurement (using an impedance probe) at Inst. of Mechanics Hanoi.


Author(s):  
Xiuzhong Shen ◽  
Kaichiro Mishima ◽  
Hideo Nakamura

The flow-induced void fraction transition phenomenon was observed in an upward air-water two-phase flow in a vertical pipe with inner diameter D = 200 mm and height z = 25 m. As the two-phase flow develops in a vertical pipe, the void fraction increases firstly in the flow direction in bubbly flow, then decreases in the flow direction, finally increase again. The flow-induced void fraction transition shows an N-shaped changing manner. The present experimental investigation revealed that this phenomenon was attributed to the formation and the growth of local dominant large bubbles in the flow. According to the bubble sizes and behaviors observed in the experiment, the flow regimes were classified into bubbly, churn and slug flows in a vertical large-diameter pipe. The drift velocities in the three flow regimes were measured in this paper. New constitutive equation for drift velocities in bubbly, churn and slug flows was proposed and confirmed in this study. The flow-induced void fraction transition in N-shaped manner can be predicted by using the drift flux model with the newly developed constitutive equations.


Author(s):  
J. Pawloski ◽  
C. Ching ◽  
M. Shoukri

The flow regimes and pressure drop of air-oil two-phase flow in a half-inch diameter pipe over a wide range of test conditions have been investigated. The flow regimes were identified with the aid of a 1000 frames per second high-speed camera. The current flow regime data show significant differences in the transitional boundaries from the flow regime maps of Mandhane et al. (1974), Taitel and Dukler (1974) and Spedding and Nguyen (1980). The pressure drop measurements were compared to the predictions from four existing pressure drop models: Homogeneous, Martinelli (1948), Chisolm (1973) and Olujic (1985). The Chisolm and Martinelli models were found to be the most accurate, with an average error of about 35 percent. A capacitance sensor for instantaneous void fraction measurement was developed. Results indicate the data from the sensor could be used to identify the different flow regimes.


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