Experimental study of wavy-annular flow in a rectangular microchannel using LIF method

This article aims at studying gas-liquid flow in a rectangular microchannel with a high aspect ratio (200 × 2045 μm). Liquid and gas phases were 95% ethanol and nitrogen mixture. Experimental flow characteristics are obtained using high-speed visualization and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) methods. Using the LIF method for wavy-annular flow, the average film thickness, liquid film distribution, and liquid film width were measured. The dependences of the liquid film width and the average film thickness on gas superficial velocity are presented in graphical form and analyzed. An increase in gas superficial velocity causes growth of the liquid film width and thickness of the liquid film, which indicates the process of liquid transfer from the menisci area to the liquid film. For different liquid velocities and the same gas superficial velocities, close values of averaged liquid film thickness were observed for flow with 2D waves and 3D waves on liquid film.

Study on Pressure Drop Characteristics of a Two-Stage Swirler Separator

Summary The vane swirler separator is widely used in the separation process of wet natural gas owing to a small volume, high efficiency, economy, and environmental protection. In addition to the separation efficiency, the pressure drop is also an important technical and operational index for evaluating the performance of the swirler. In this study, the pressure drop of a swirler vane separator was studied through laboratory experiments and numerical simulations. Through the visualization experimental study of the liquid membrane formation rule and its movement pattern, the reduced gas velocity on the pressure drop was divided into three stages. For a gas superficial velocity less than 5.69 m/s, the effect of gas superficial velocity on the pressure drop was small; for a gas superficial velocity greater than 16.57 m/s, the pressure drop increased significantly with an increase in gas flow rate, and the maximum pressure drop was generated by the two-stage swirler, downstream of which the pressure decreased precipitously. We also observed that when the liquid volume content was less than 3%, the gas superficial velocity was the dominant factor affecting the change in the pressure drop. The average relative error of the pressure drop prediction model based on the conservation of the energy law was 6.16%, which indicated a high calculation accuracy.

Composite Zn(II) Ferrocyanide/Polyethylenimine Cryogels for Point-of-Use Selective Removal of Cs-137 Radionuclides

The feasibility of several approaches to the fabrication of monolith composite cryogels containing transition-metal ferrocyanides for Cs+ ion uptake has been evaluated. Although in the series of investigated metal ion precursors (Cu(II), Zn(II), Ni(II), and Co(II)), in situ formation of the sorption active phase in polyethyleneimine (PEI) cryogel was feasible only in the case of Zn(II) ferrocyanide, this approach has shown significant advantages over the immobilization of ex situ synthesized ferrocyanide nanoparticles. Nanoparticles of the mixed ferrocyanide Zn1.85K0.33[Fe(CN)6] formed in situ had an average size of 516 ± 146 nm and were homogeneously distributed in the monolith located at the polymer surface rather than embedded in the matrix. The Young modulus of the PEI cryogel increased after modification from 25 to 57 kPa, but composites maintained high permeability to the flow. Sorption of Cs+ ions has been investigated at superficial velocity up to 8 m/h. Steep breakthrough profiles and uptake efficiency of >99.5% until breakthrough point confirmed that a supermacroporous structure of the monolith composite assured good mass transfer, so that intraparticle diffusion was not the limiting stage of sorption kinetics. Application of the rate-constant distribution model (RCD model) to analyze the breakthrough curves of Cs+ sorption allowed the identification of two types of sorption sites with a difference in sorption rate constants of ~1 log unit. Most likely, sorption on “fast” sorption sites was governed by ion exchange between Cs+ ions in solution and K+ ions in the ferrocyanide lattice. Cs-137 radionuclide removal was investigated using the monolith composite columns of various geometries at superficial velocity up to the 6.6 m/h; specific gamma activity was reduced from 265 kBq/L to the background level, showing high potential of these materials for POU application.

Void Fraction and Flow Pattern of R-290 in A Horizontal Evaporator: Effects of Pipe Diameter and Cooling Capacity

Void fraction and flow pattern play important roles in the performance of evaporator in an air conditioning system. In this paper, the behaviors of void fraction and flow pattern of refrigerant R-290 in a horizontal evaporator are discussed. To simplify the analysis, the evaporator was divided into 10 segments. The void fraction was calculated based on the refrigerant flow quality and the flow pattern was determined on the basis of superficial gas and liquid velocity plotted in the flow pattern map. The calculation was carried on air conditioning machines with nominal capacities of 2.64 kW, 3.62 kW, and 5.28 kW using the evaporator pipe diameters of 3/8 in and 5/16 in. Generally, the lower evaporating temperature results in the higher void fraction, higher gas superficial velocity, and lower liquid superficial velocity. For all ranges of evaporator diameter and cooling capacity, annular flow is found to be the dominant flow pattern. The wavy flow is only found in the lower cooling capacity and larger evaporator diameter. Meanwhile, the slug flow occupies 16.7% to 25.8% of evaporator segment.

Optimization of the separation paraments in inclined channels of liquid-solid fluidized bed

A new theoretical formula can be used to calculate superficial velocity for particle separation with a critical condition, and it is based on the size, density, terminal velocity, Reynold number of the particle and equipment parameters. In a continuous system, a series of fractionation experiments were conducted to quantify the separation performance for 0–2 mm coal particles under various factors, including channel spacing, solids throughput and split fluidization rate. The separation performance considers the ash content and yield of products varying with the particle size. A great fluidization environment can be created by the 6 mm channel spacing. For the solids throughput of 10.20 t/(m2h) provides a well effective separation in the narrow channels. In addition, the split fluidization of 0.0058 m/s can produce a higher shear induce force in the inclined channels to prevent the low-density particles from being lost in the underflow. The theoretical superficial velocity calculated by the new formula is 0.042 m/s, which can report the particles with the upper and lower size reach at 9-fold to the overflow, it is almost the same as the actual separation fluidization velocity of 0.04 m/s. Meanwhile, the data obtained under each separation condition is basically consistent with data of the sink-float mothed, which shows a good separation performance for the Reflux Classifier.

Review of Factors Affecting the Phase-Redistribution in the Branching T-Junction

Whenever T-junctions are used in chemical processes and petroleum industries for two-phase separation, a maldistribution of phases is observed between outlets of the junction. Currently, the regular T-junctions are utilized in the industry due to which equipment downstream faces high liquid carryovers. Unfortunately, downstream equipment is not capable of handling high liquid carryovers and they trip frequently, consequently. This review manuscript summarizes the effect of different factors that influence phase separation in the T-junction. This article refers to the geometrical parameters, phase superficial velocity flow regimes encounter during the separation process, and different side arm modifications. This article is a contribution to this field as it summarizes and concludes all these factors comprehensively, to give a verdict on ways to improve phase separation. It is also recommended that the effect of side arm modifications or combinations must be explored for further understanding.

Effect of Changing Crude Oil Grade on Slug Characteristics and Flow Induced Mechanical Stresses in Pipes

Slug multiphase flow is known to be the most prevalent regime because of its extensive encounters associated with chaotic behaviour, complexity and instability that cause significant fluctuations in operating conditions and thus lead to undesirable effects. In this study, the effect of varying crude oil grades on slug characteristics is numerically investigated. A partitioned one-way coupling framework of fluid–structure interaction (FSI) one-way coupling framework is adopted to investigate the influence of changing oil grades and slug characteristics on the maximum induced stresses in horizontal carbon steel pipe. It was found that increasing crude oil density causes frequent slugging and promotes the formation of liquid slugs further upstream near the inlet with high translational velocity and short wavelength. Therefore, the maximum induced stresses resulting from the interaction between slugs and the inner surface of pipes are strongly dependent on crude oil grade. In modelling extra heavy crude oil, a 40% increase in maximum induced stresses is recorded when the liquid superficial velocity decreases from 1 to 0.86 m/s at a constant natural gas superficial velocity.

Effect of Wall Heat Transfer on the Fluidization Process

The fluidized bed and the fluidization process and characteristics were studied in this paper numerically using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Ansys Fluent 15.0. Constant temperature was applied to both sides of the two-dimensional fluidized bed geometry. The superficial velocity of the working fluid ranged amid (0.08 – 0.5 m/s) and the initial height of the solid particles changed amid (0.05, 0.1, 0.2 m). Aluminum particles and water was used as working materials within the fluidized bed. The model used for the investigations was validated using Ngoh and Lim research results. The results showed that the fluidization head increases as the water inlet superficial velocity increases. As well as when the water inlet superficial velocity increases, the average solid phase temperature increases.

Empirical Modelization of Intermittent Gas/Liquid Flow Hydrodynamic Parameters: The Importance of Distinguishing between Plug and Slug Flows

Summary Intermittent flow is one of the most complex flow regimes in horizontal pipes. Various studies have classified this regime as two distinct subregimes: plug and slug flow. This classification has been made based on flow observations. In this work, the behavior of several flow parameters that characterize plug and slug flow are presented. Data from eight published works in the open literature were collected and studied to explain the behavior of both regimes. These data include pressure drop, void fraction, and slug frequency, as well as the lengths of liquid slugs and elongated bubbles for slug and plug regimes. It is observed from the evolution and analysis of these parameters that plug and slug flows have several different distinct features and should be considered as two separate regimes for the empirical modelization of the hydrodynamic parameters. The mixture Froude number, and to a lesser extent the liquid superficial velocity to gas superficial velocity ratio, seem to have significant impacts on the plug-to-slug flow transition.