Numerical and Experimental Study of Multiphase Transient Core-Annular Flow Patterns in a Spouted Bed

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling Zhou ◽  
Chen Han ◽  
Ling Bai ◽  
Weidong Shi ◽  
Ramesh Agarwal

Abstract Dense solid–gas bubbling systems with combined fluid-particle motion are among one of the most extensively used fluidization forms used in the chemical industry. Therefore, it is important to have a good understanding of the hydrodynamic behavior of bubbles. In this paper, both the experiment and numerical simulations are used to investigate the flow patterns in a spouted bed. For numerical simulations, the bidirectional coupling simulations using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with discrete element method (DEM) are conducted. The results show that the simulations can accurately predict the bubbles morphology compared with the experimental results. When the number of particles is 30,000, only a single core-annular flow pattern appears. When the number of particles is increased to 36,500, the single bubble in the spouted bed transitions into two and a double core-annular flow pattern emerges. As the number of particles is increased to 43,000, a complex multicore-annular flow pattern appears. These flow patterns are also observed in the experiments using high-speed imaging camera. This paper analyzes and explains the causes of these flow phenomena from the dynamic characteristics of particle phase and fluid phase. These results have great significance in providing guidance for optimization of dense phase bubbling spouted beds.

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 2440
Author(s):  
Youngwoo Kim ◽  
Dae Yeon Kim ◽  
Kyung Chun Kim

A flow visualization study was carried out for flow boiling in a rectangular channel filled with and without metallic random porous media. Four main flow patterns are observed as intermittent slug-churn flow, churn-annular flow, annular-mist flow, and mist flow regimes. These flow patterns are clearly classified based on the high-speed images of the channel flow. The results of the flow pattern map according to the mass flow rate were presented using saturation temperatures and the materials of porous media as variables. As the saturation temperatures increased, the annular-mist flow regime occupied a larger area than the lower saturation temperatures condition. Therefore, the churn flow regime is narrower, and the slug flow more quickly turns to annular flow with the increasing vapor quality. The pattern map is not significantly affected by the materials of porous media.


2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Prahl Wittberg ◽  
Magnus Björkman ◽  
Gohar Khokhar ◽  
Ulla-Britt Mohlin ◽  
Anders Dahlkild

Abstract The flow pattern in the grooves plays a major role for the homogeneity of refining as well as for the transfer and loading of fiber flocs in refining position on the bar edges. However, it is an area where very little information is available. In the present study, flow conditions in the grooves in a Low-Consistency (LC) - disc refiner were studied both experimentally and numerically. The experimental study involved high-speed imaging through a 3 cm peephole into a commercial refiner. The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation focused on the flow condition in a radial groove, considering both Newtonian and non-Newtonian flows. Flow conditions for stator and rotor grooves were modeled along the groove at different angular speeds and pressure differences over the refiner. Both the experimental and the modeling results show a dual flow pattern in the grooves; a rotational/spiral movement at the top of the groove and a flow in the direction of the groove at the bottom, which to the authors knowledge has not been reported in literature. The strong vortical motion at the top of the grooves observed both for the rotor and the stator are believed to be important for placing the fibers onto the bar edges and to induce shear forces in such a way that the fibers get treated. Moreover, a large sensitivity to suspension properties in terms of the development of flow pattern was detected.


Author(s):  
Claudi Marti´n-Callizo ◽  
Bjo¨rn Palm ◽  
Wahib Owhaib ◽  
Rashid Ali

The present work reports on flow boiling visualization of refrigerant R-134a in a vertical circular channel with internal diameter of 1.33 mm and 235 mm in heated length. Quartz tube with a homogeneous ITO-coating is used allowing heating and simultaneous visualization. Flow patterns have been observed along the heated length with the aid of a digital camera with close-up lenses. From the flow boiling visualization, seven distinct two-phase flow patterns have been observed: Isolated bubbly flow, confined bubbly flow, slug flow, churn flow, slug-annular flow, annular flow, and mist flow. Two-phase flow pattern observations are presented in the form of flow pattern maps. Finally, the experimental flow pattern map is compared to models developed for conventional sizes as well as to a microscale map for air-water mixtures available in the literature, showing a large discrepancy.


2011 ◽  
Vol 78 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sidney Chocron ◽  
Trenton Kirchdoerfer ◽  
Nikki King ◽  
Christopher J. Freitas

Ballistic tests were performed on single-yarn, single-layer and ten-layer targets of Kevlar® KM2 (600 and 850 denier), Dyneema® SK-65 and PBO® (500 denier). The objective was to develop data for validation of numerical models so, multiple diagnostic techniques were used: (1) ultra-high speed photography, (2) high-speed video and (3) nickel-chromium wire technique. These techniques allowed thorough validation of the numerical models through five different paths. The first validation set was at the yarn level, where the transverse wave propagation obtained with analytical and numerical simulations was compared to that obtained in the experiments. The second validation path was at the single-layer level: the propagation of the pyramidal wave observed with the high speed camera was compared to the numerical simulations. The third validation consisted of comparing, for the targets with ten layers, the pyramid apex and diagonal positions from tests and simulations. The fourth validation, which is probably the most relevant, consisted of comparing the numerical and experimental ballistic limits. Finally for the fifth validation set, nickel-chromium wires were used to record electronically the waves propagating in the fabrics. It is shown that for the three materials the waves recorded during the tests match well the waves predicted by the numerical model.


Author(s):  
Bai Bofeng ◽  
Liu Maolong ◽  
Su Wang ◽  
Zhang Xiaojie

An experimental study was conducted on the air-water two-phase flow patterns in the bed of rectangular cross sections containing spheres of regular distribution. Three kinds of glass spheres with different diameters (3 mm, 6 mm, and 8 mm) were used for the establishment of the test section. By means of visual observations of the two-phase flow through the test section, it was discovered that five different flow patterns occurred within the experimental parameter ranges, namely, bubbly flow, bubbly-slug flow, slug flow, slug-annular flow, and annular flow. A correlation for the bubble and slug diameter in the packed beds was proposed, which was an extended expression of the Tung/Dhir model, Jamialahmadi’s model, and Schmidt’s model. Three correlations were proposed to calculate the void friction of the flow pattern transition in bubble flow, slug flow, and annular flow based on the bubble model in the pore region. The experimental result showed that the modified Tung and Dhir model of the flow pattern transition was in better agreement with the experimental data compared with Tung and Dhir’s model.


Author(s):  
Noritoshi Minami ◽  
Michio Murase ◽  
Akio Tomiyama

In this paper, results of experiments and numerical simulations for counter-current flow in a pressurized water reactor hot leg under reflux cooling are summarized. In the experiments, we used two types of small scale PWR hot legs. One was a 1/5th scale rectangular duct, and the other was a 1/15th scale circular pipe. Air and water were used for gas and liquid phases. The air flow rate and the supplied water flow rate were varied to observe flow pattern and measure the counter-current flow limitation (CCFL) characteristics. Flow patterns in the elbow and the inclined section were strongly affected by those in the horizontal section. In the 1/15th scale circular pipe experiments, CCFL characteristics obtained by increasing the air flow rate differed from those obtained by decreasing it. CCFL characteristics corresponded to the flow pattern transition. In the numerical simulations, we used a three-dimensional two-fluid model to evaluate the capability of predicting counter-current flow in the hot leg. Good agreements between measured and predicted flow patterns and CCFL characteristics were obtained by using an appropriate set of correlations for interfacial friction coefficient. We also carried out simulations of actual hot leg conditions to examine the effects of fluid properties and size. Predicted flow patterns and CCFL characteristics were close to those of scale model calculations. We concluded the combination of calculation model and interfacial friction coefficients used in this study can predict the counter-current flow in a hot leg.


Author(s):  
Zhenqiang Xie ◽  
Xuewen Cao ◽  
Fachun Liang ◽  
Jun Zhang

Abstract The problem of accumulated liquid is very common in wet gas gathering pipelines which varies with the topography, this phenomenon is much more serious especially in upward inclined pipelines. The existence of accumulated liquid at the bottom of the pipeline would decrease the area of the cross section that gas flows through. This makes the gas velocity fluctuate unpredictably and even results in shocks and blocks in pipelines which may cause danger in the safety management of oil and gas production. Swirl tool is a kind of rigid tool which can transfer different flow patterns to a flow pattern similar to annular flow and it has been successfully used to exhaust accumulated liquid in oil fields. However, the mechanism of swirling flow generation in a swirl tool is not fully understood and few researchers have explained how the annular-similar flow decays. In this paper, the formation mechanism of swirling flow in a swirl tool is analyzed using a physical method. The flow pattern transfer procedure and distribution of gas and liquid in the cross section of the pipeline in the swirl tool is simulated with FLUENT (a commercial CFD code). Following the swirling flow formation analysis, the decay of the annular-similar flow from the outlet of the swirl tool is also simulated with FLUENT (a commercial CFD code). Also, the effects of different superficial gas velocities and different liquid rates on the decay of the annular-similar flow are studied with the swirl tool fixed at the bottom of the upward inclined pipeline. The results show that the formation of swirling flow in a swirl tool is mostly affected by the geometric structure of the swirl tool. The centrifugal force is the main force which transfers different flow patterns to a flow pattern similar to annular flow. The centrifugal force that acts on liquid is larger than that of gas since the density of the liquid is much bigger than gas. The annular-similar flow starts to take shape in the swirl tool after the first thread pitch, but the annular-similar flow is nonuniform. After about three thread pitches, the annular-similar flow becomes uniform with liquid surrounding the inner wall of the pipe and gas flowing in the core region of the pipe. The distance of the annular-similar flow sustains longer when the superficial gas velocity increases which means the decay of the swirling flow is slower. Since sufficient liquid rate is critical to maintain annular-similar flow after the tool when the gas flow rate is fixed, the distance of the annular-similar flow goes longer if there is a little increase in liquid rate.


Author(s):  
Antonio C. Bannwart ◽  
Oscar M. H. Rodriguez ◽  
Carlos H. M. de Carvalho ◽  
Isabela S. Wang ◽  
Rosa M. O. Vara

Abstract This paper is aimed to an experimental study on the flow patterns formed by heavy crude oil (488 mPa.s, 925.5 kg/m3 at 20 °C) and water inside vertical and horizontal 1 in. pipes. The interfacial tension was 29 dynes/cm. Effort is concentrated into flow pattern characterization, which was visually defined. The similarities with gas-liquid flow patterns are explored and the results are expressed in flow maps of the superficial velocities. In contrast with other studies, the annular flow pattern (‘core annular flow’) was observed in both horizontal and vertical test sections. In fact this flow pattern typically occurs in heavy oil-water flows at low water input fractions. Because of the practical importance of core flow in providing an effective means for heavy oil production and transportation, this paper discusses two criteria that favor its occurrence in pipes.


Author(s):  
H. Yang ◽  
T. S. Zhao ◽  
P. Cheng

Characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow patterns in a miniature square cross-section channel having a gas permeable sidewall have been investigated visually using a high-speed motion analyzer. The problem under consideration is encountered in the design of Direct Feed Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFC). The test section was a horizontally oriented rectangular transparent (Lucite material) channel with its lower wall consisting of a porous plate. Liquid was fed into the test section from its entrance, while gas was injected uniformly into the test section along the lower porous sidewall. The visual study shows the typical flow patterns found in the test section include bubbly flow, plug flow, slug flow, and annular flow. However, unlike the conventional co-current two-phase flow in a channel with gas and liquid uniformly entering from one of its ends, for the flow configuration considered in this work, it was found that two or three of the above mentioned flow patterns appeared simultaneously at different locations of the channel. The length of each flow pattern varied with the flow rates of liquid and gas. A distinct feature of annular flow for the present flow configuration is that small bubbles were continuously generated from the porous plate, which grew by blowing up the liquid film, formed a semi-sphere shape, and then ruptured and released gas into the core flow.


2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (3) ◽  
pp. 184-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio C. Bannwart ◽  
Oscar M. H. Rodriguez ◽  
Carlos H. M. de Carvalho ◽  
Isabela S. Wang ◽  
Rosa M. O. Vara

This paper is aimed to an experimental study on the flow patterns formed by heavy crude oil (initial viscosity and density 488 mPa s, 925.5kg/m3 at 20°C) and water inside vertical and horizontal 2.84-cm-i.d. pipes. The oil-water interfacial tension was 29 dyn/cm. Effort is concentrated into flow pattern characterization, which was visually defined. The similarities with gas-liquid flow patterns are explored and the results are expressed in flow maps. In contrast with other studies, the annular flow pattern (“core annular flow”) was observed in both horizontal and vertical test sections. These flow pattern tends to occur in heavy oil-water flows at low water input fractions. Because of the practical importance of core flow in providing an effective means for heavy oil production and transportation, this paper discusses criteria that favor its occurrence in pipes.


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