Optimization of the Relationship Between the Two-Phase Friction Factor and Reynolds Equivalent Number Model by Means of Genetic Algorithm

Author(s):  
Berna Bolat ◽  
Muhammet Balcilar ◽  
Ahmet Selim Dalkilic¸ ◽  
Somchai Wongwises

The two-phase friction factor of R134a in a copper smooth tube having an inner diameter of 8.1 mm and length of 0.5 m during downward condensation is investigated experimentally and numerically. The test runs were performed at average condensing temperatures of 40–50 °C. The mass fluxes were around 260, 340 and 456 kg m−2s−1 and the heat fluxes were between 11.3 and 55.3 kW m−2. Accuracy of the dataset was proven in many papers in the literature. The quality of the refrigerant in the test section is calculated considering the temperature and pressure obtained from the experiment. The pressure drop across the test section is directly measured by a differential pressure transducer. The equivalent Reynolds number is considered to be the significant variable for the analysis. A Genetic Algorithm (GA), is one of the most successful methods among evolution algorithms, is applied for the optimization of the relationship between the two-phase friction factor and Reynolds equivalent number model in this study. The annular flow condensation process in the vertical test tube is expressed using GA method successfully. Regression analysis was done including the Reynolds equivalent number and other measured values such as pressure drop and mass flux of R134a, and gave a convincing correlation based on 182 smooth tube data points for practical applications. The most suitable coefficients of the proposed correlations are depicted to be compatible with the experiment by way of the algorithm.

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 4617
Author(s):  
Sanghyun Nam ◽  
Dae Yeon Kim ◽  
Youngwoo Kim ◽  
Kyung Chun Kim

Heat transfer under flow boiling is better in a rectangular channel filled with open-cell metal foam than in an empty channel, but the high pressure drop is a drawback of the empty channel method. In this study, various types of metal foam insert configurations were tested to reduce the pressure drop while maintaining high heat transfer. Specifically, we measured the boiling heat transfer and pressure drop of a two-phase vertical upward flow of R245fa inside a channel. To measure the pressure and temperature differences of the metal foam, differential pressure transducers and T-type thermocouples were used at both ends of the test section. While the saturation pressure was kept constant at 5.9 bar, the steam quality at the inlet of the test section was changed from 0.05 to 0.99. The channel height, moreover, was 3 mm, and the mass flux ranged from 133 to 300 kg/m2s. The two-phase flow characteristics were observed through a high-speed visualization experiment. Heat transfer tended to increase with the mean vapor quality, and, as expected, the fully filled metal foam channel offered the highest thermal performance. The streamwise insert pattern model had the lowest heat transfer at a low mass flux. However, at a higher mass flux, the three different insert models presented almost the same heat transfer coefficients. We found that the streamwise pattern model had a very low pressure drop compared to that of the spanwise pattern models. The goodness factors of the flow area and the core volume of the streamwise patterned model were higher than those of the full-filled metal foam channel.


Author(s):  
Germano Scarabeli Custódio Assunção ◽  
Dykenlove Marcelin ◽  
João Carlos Von Hohendorff Filho ◽  
Denis José Schiozer ◽  
Marcelo Souza De Castro

Abstract Estimate pressure drop throughout petroleum production and transport system has an important role to properly sizing the various parameters involved in those complex facilities. One of the most challenging variables used to calculate the pressure drop is the friction factor, also known as Darcy–Weisbach’s friction factor. In this context, Colebrook’ s equation is recognized by many engineers and scientists as the most accurate equation to estimate it. However, due to its computational cost, since it is an implicit equation, several explicit equations have been developed over the decades to accurately estimate friction factor in a straightforward way. This paper aims to investigate accuracy of 46 of those explicit equations and Colebrook implicit equation against 2397 experimental points from single-phase and two-phase flows, with Reynolds number between 3000 and 735000 and relative roughness between 0 and 1.40 × 10−3. Applying three different statistical metrics, we concluded that the best explicit equation, proposed by Achour et al. (2002), presented better accuracy to estimate friction factor than Colebrook’s equation. On the other hand, we also showed that equations developed by Wood (1966), Rao and Kumar (2007) and Brkić (2016) must be used in specifics conditions which were developed, otherwise can produce highly inaccurate results. The remaining equations presented good accuracy and can be applied, however, presented similar or lower accuracy than Colebrook’s equation.


Author(s):  
I˙smail Teke ◽  
O¨zden Ag˘ra ◽  
Hakan Demir ◽  
S¸. O¨zgu¨r Atayılmaz

In this study, the several well known two-phase viscosity models were used for predicting two-phase flow pressure drop in a smooth tube using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software at homogenous flow conditions. Pressure drop for two different mass flux values (300 and 650 kg/m2s) for R134a with a saturation temperature of 45 °C in a smooth tube has been modeled according to the homogenous flow model and the results have been compared with the analytical formulas and experimental data from the literature. Three different average viscosity correlations were used. It is seen that the numerical results are in a good agreement with the homogenous flow model and fall in ± 30% band. Also, the results derived from the average viscosity expression are in a good agreement with the results calculated using separated two-phase flow correlations. In addition to this, Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) were employed for predicting the pressure drop in a horizontal smooth pipe. The trained network gives the best values over the correlations with less than 1% mean relative error.


Author(s):  
Sira Saisorn ◽  
Somchai Wongwises

The experimental investigation is performed to study two-phase flow pattern, void fraction and pressure drop characteristics in a vertical micro-channel. The test section is a fused silica tube with a diameter of 0.53 mm and a length of 320 mm. Air and water are used as working fluid which is introduced to the test section in vertical upward direction. The test runs are done at superficial velocities of gas and liquid ranging respectively from 0.375 to 21.187 m/s and 0.004 to 2.436 m/s. Stereozoom microscope mounted together with camera are employed to conduct flow visualization from which slug flow, throat-annular flow, churn flow, annular flow and annular-rivulet flow are observed. Based on image analysis, void fraction data are obtained and found to be linear relationship with volumetric quality. The frictional pressure drop is relatively high when the formation of churn flow is established. Besides, the two-phase frictional multiplier is found to be strongly dependent on both mass flux and flow pattern.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (04) ◽  
pp. 1950037
Author(s):  
Qais Abid Yousif ◽  
Normah Mohd-Ghazali ◽  
Agus Sunjarianto Pamitran ◽  
Yushazaziah Mohd-Yunos

Accurate prediction of the friction factor and consequently the pressure drop of two-phase flow in small channels is still an issue. Many correlations exist for the determination of the viscosity and the friction factor that appear in the frictional pressure drop and their combination often determined the degree of disagreements between the experimental data and predicted outcomes. Demands for environmentally friendly refrigerants have further posed a challenge to find compatible alternatives with as good a performance as the current coolants. Despite the many available correlations developed to date, many more are studied in effort to reduce the discrepancies. This paper presents the outcomes of a study comparing the optimized conditions when three different viscosity equations are paired with eight different friction factor correlations to minimize the frictional pressure drop. The approach used multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) to assist in selecting the best pairing. Comparison is then completed with available experimental data. The study showed that the Blasius friction factor paired with the Dukler viscosity produced the least percentage difference for R22, while when paired with the McAdams viscosity produced a lower difference for R290, an environmentally friendly refrigerant being considered to replace R22.


2011 ◽  
Vol 201-203 ◽  
pp. 2246-2249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zong Ming Liu ◽  
Guang Bin Duan ◽  
Guang Li Chen

This work concentrated on being able to predict the resistance properties of Y-shaped branch pipe in gas-solid two phase flow. Y-shaped branch pipeline with one branch angle keeping constant and the other being changeable experimental system was built up. Micro-glass bead and millet with similar particle diameter and different solid density were conveyed in the experimental system. As a result, trends of pressure drop on each branch pipe were expressed to perform resistance properties. It can be concluded that pressure drop of the two materials had similar trend and was significantly affected by the branch angle and gas velocity. Meanwhile, the deposition velocity was defined in this study. The relationship between the solids loading ratio and pressure drop on each branch pipe was given based on experimental data, which agreed the theoretical analysis well.


Author(s):  
Liqiang Pan ◽  
Yang Liu ◽  
Weihua Li ◽  
Yefei Liu

The two-phase flow instability of forced convection has been experimentally investigated in a vertical narrow channel with the hydraulic diameter of 2.857mm and aspect ratio of 20. Transparent, metallic and conductive films on external surfaces of the test section can provide visualization and uniform heating for deionized water. The heat flux is 6–18.2 kW · m−2. When the instability occurs at low vapor quality, a series of parameters are measured and visualized images are obtained by a high-speed camera. The results show that the large amplitude of pressure drop between the inlet and outlet in the test section is due to the elongated bubble, and the value of pressure drop is positively correlated with the volume of the bubble. The oscillation period of pressure drop decreases with the increase of heat flux, and the period can be determined by the method of the Fast Fourier Transform. The backflow phenomenon is analyzed, which has a greater effect on the oscillation of pressure drop than bubble nucleation, bubble growth, bubble coalescence and recoiling of bubble boundary.


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