Heat Exchange and Condensation in Reduced Gravity

Author(s):  
Masood Parang ◽  
Viatcheslav Naumov

The present investigation was sponsored by the NASA Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunity Program and was conducted by the University of Tennessee students aboard KC-135 in parabolic flights. The goal of the experiment was to study saturated air-water mixture to simulate the dynamics of condensation and heat exchange in two-phase flows and gain a better understanding of condensation under reduced gravity condition. In the experimental apparatus saturate air/water mixture is pumped through a one-inch cooled horizontal test pipe (condenser). Sets of thermocouples record change of temperature of liquid water, temperature of saturated air across the condenser, and temperature of liquid and fog after the test section. The water temperature measurements indicate lower water temperature and larger exit fog temperature at the condenser exit under reduced gravity as compared with normal gravity results. It was also observed that for relatively small water flow rate and velocity heat exchange between air and water streams was larger for reduced gravity conditions relative to normal gravity conditions.

2021 ◽  
Vol 312 ◽  
pp. 04003
Author(s):  
Amedeo Amoresano ◽  
Paolo Iodice ◽  
Giuseppe Langella ◽  
Vincenzo Niola ◽  
Giuseppe Quaremba

The convective heat exchange mechanism in two-phase regime, can allow high exchange coefficients, as long as particular conditions are respected, in terms of vapor quality. In evaporator tubes this problem is particularly important as a deviation from the optimal flow conditions can drastically drop the efficiency of the heat exchange. This work describes an innovative methodology for identifying the different two-phase flow regimes in evaporator pipes, through the processing of the vibrational data acquired on the pipe itself. An experimental apparatus with transparent pipes has been built up to recognize flow patterns by a fast image acquisition camera. Images have been associated to vibration data acquired on pipes by accelerometer. The analysis of frequency spectrum, led to first interesting results thus it is possible to distinguish between “no bubbles” regimes and different “bubbles” regimes. A wide test campaign has been realized on vertical and horizontal pipes, simulating steam bubbles with nitrogen bubbles, reproducing the main flow patterns. The paper demonstrates the possibility to design smart and non-intrusive sensor to be applied on evaporated tubes for the recognizing of anomalous thermal flow condition and sets the stage for future engineering work.


Author(s):  
S. Zeguai ◽  
S. Chikh ◽  
O. Rahli ◽  
L. Tadrist

An experimental apparatus is setup to analyze a two phase air-water upward flow in a vertical tube with an inner diameter of 3 mm. Air is axially injected through a microduct of 260 μm inner diameter. Various inlet conditions for air pressure and water flow rate are tested covering a wide range of superficial velocities JL = 0.221 to 0.312 m/s and JG = 0.061 to 0.083 m/s for a given position of air injection (x = 8cm). A fast camera with 250 fps is used to visualize different flow regimes. Experiments showed that the flow type is very sensitive to inlet conditions and several flow regimes were observed namely: the bubbly flow, the slug flow and the annular flow.


2014 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 27-31
Author(s):  
R.Kh. Bolotnova ◽  
U.O. Agisheva ◽  
V.A. Buzina

The two-phase model of vapor-gas-liquid medium in axisymmetric two-dimensional formulation, taking into account vaporization is constructed. The nonstationary processes of boiling vapor-water mixture outflow from high-pressure vessels as a result of depressurization are studied. The problems of shock waves action on filled by gas-liquid mixture volumes are solved.


Author(s):  
E. de Langre ◽  
J. L. Riverin ◽  
M. J. Pettigrew

The time dependent forces resulting from a two-phase air-water mixture flowing in an elbow and a tee are measured. Their magnitudes as well as their spectral contents are analyzed. Comparison is made with previous experimental results on similar systems. For practical applications a dimensionless form is proposed to relate the characteristics of these forces to the parameters defining the flow and the geometry of the piping.


Author(s):  
Afshin Goharzadeh ◽  
Keegan Fernandes

This paper presents an experimental investigation on a modified airlift pump. Experiments were undertaken as a function of air-water flow rate for two submergence ratios (ε=0.58 and 0.74), and two different riser geometries (i) straight pipe with a constant inner diameter of 19 mm and (ii) enlarged pipe with a sudden expanded diameter of 19 to 32 mm. These transparent vertical pipes, of 1 m length, were submerged in a transparent rectangular tank (0.45×0.45×1.1 m3). The compressed air was injected into the vertical pipe to lift the water from the reservoir. The flow map regime is established for both configurations and compared with previous studies. The two phase air-water flow structure at the expansion region is experimentally characterized. Pipeline geometry is found to have a significant influence on the output water flow rate. Using high speed photography and electrical conductivity probes, new flow regimes, such as “slug to churn” and “annular to churn” flow, are observed and their influence on the output water flow rate and efficiency are discussed. These experimental results provide fundamental insights into the physics of modified airlift pump.


Author(s):  
Arvind Jayaprakash ◽  
Sowmitra Singh ◽  
Georges Chahine

The dynamics of a primary relatively large bubble in a water mixture including very fine bubbles is investigated experimentally and the results are provided to several parallel on-going analytical and numerical approaches. The main/primary bubble is produced by an underwater spark discharge from two concentric electrodes placed in the bubbly medium, which is generated using electrolysis. A grid of thin perpendicular wires is used to generate bubble distributions of varying intensities. The size of the main bubble is controlled by the discharge voltage, the capacitors size, and the pressure imposed in the container. The size and concentration of the fine bubbles can be controlled by the electrolysis voltage, the length, diameter, and type of the wires, and also by the pressure imposed in the container. This enables parametric study of the factors controlling the dynamics of the primary bubble and development of relationships between the bubble characteristic quantities such as maximum bubble radius and bubble period and the characteristics of the surrounding two-phase medium: micro bubble sizes and void fraction. The dynamics of the main bubble and the mixture is observed using high speed video photography. The void fraction/density of the bubbly mixture in the fluid domain is measured as a function of time and space using image analysis of the high speed movies. The interaction between the primary bubble and the bubbly medium is analyzed using both field pressure measurements and high-speed videography. Parameters such as the primary bubble energy and the bubble mixture density (void fraction) are varied, and their effects studied. The experimental data is then compared to simple compressible equations employed for spherical bubbles including a modified Gilmore Equation. Suggestions for improvement of the modeling are then presented.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 167
Author(s):  
Hasan Alimoradi ◽  
Madjid Soltani ◽  
Pooriya Shahali ◽  
Farshad Moradi Kashkooli ◽  
Razieh Larizadeh ◽  
...  

In this study, a numerical and empirical scheme for increasing cooling tower performance is developed by combining the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm with a neural network and considering the packing’s compaction as an effective factor for higher accuracies. An experimental setup is used to analyze the effects of packing compaction on the performance. The neural network is optimized by the PSO algorithm in order to predict the precise temperature difference, efficiency, and outlet temperature, which are functions of air flow rate, water flow rate, inlet water temperature, inlet air temperature, inlet air relative humidity, and packing compaction. The effects of water flow rate, air flow rate, inlet water temperature, and packing compaction on the performance are examined. A new empirical model for the cooling tower performance and efficiency is also developed. Finally, the optimized performance conditions of the cooling tower are obtained by the presented correlations. The results reveal that cooling tower efficiency is increased by increasing the air flow rate, water flow rate, and packing compaction.


1997 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2223-2225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis S. Tucker ◽  
Gary L. Workman ◽  
Guy A. Smith

The effects of gravity on the crystal nucleation of heavy metal fluoride fibers have been studied in preliminary experiments utilizing NASA's KC-135 reduced gravity aircraft and a microgravity sounding rocket flight. Commercially produced fibers were heated to the crystallization temperature in normal and reduced gravity. The fibers processed in normal gravity showed complete crystallization while the fibers processed in reduced gravity did not show signs of crystallization.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document