Flow pattern and pressure drop of gas-liquid two-phase swirl flow in a horizontal pipe

The gas-liquid two-phase swirl flow can increase the gas-liquid two-phase contact area and enhance the heat and mass transfer efficiency between gas and liquid.The swirl flow has important practical application value for promoting gas hydrate formation and ensuring the flow safe of natural gas hydrate slurry.The experimental section was made of plexiglass pipe and the experimental medium was air and water.The flow pattern of the gas-liquid two-phase swirl flow in the horizontal pipe was divided,according to a high-definition camera and the overall characteristics of the gas-liquid interface.The flow pattern map of the gas-liquid two-phase swirl flow in a horizontal pipe was studied.The influence of the flow velocity and vane parameters on pressure drop was investigated.Two types of gas-liquid two-phase swirl flow pressure drop models was established.The homogeneous-phase and split-phase pressure drop models have good prediction on swirl bubble flow,swirl dispersed flow,swirl annular flow and swirl stratified flow,and the predictive error band is not more than 20%.

Resistance characteristics of the ball packed-bed regenerator of the new-type swirl flow hot blast stove

A renovation project of miniaturization and high efficiency is provided for the hot blast stove .The experimental data tested feasibility of the new-type swirl flow hot blast stove. The normal and hot state experiments have been done through changing the angle of gas entering into the regenerator. Factors influencing pressure drop have been studied and analyzed. The experimental results can be formulated in the form of the Ergun equation. The regression equation is obtained. And two modified coefficients are offered to the regenerator pressure drop of the new-type swirl flow hot blast stove.

Effect of Pre-Swirling Flow on Performance and Flow Fields in Semi-Opened Axial Fan

In this study, we tried to improve the performance by giving a pre-swirling flow to the radial inflow that occurred in the semi-opened axial fan. In addition, the flow fields of rotor outlet were clarified experimentally, and the effect of pre-swirling flow was considered. The experiment was carried out using a performance test wind tunnel with a square cross section of 880 mm. Three types of casings were prepared, in which the blade tip protruded 0%, 20%, and 40% of the meridional chord length. They were called R25, R15, and R05, respectively, in the casing bellmouth model code. Guide blades for generating a pre-swirling flow were installed on the vertical wall surface of the casing. In addition, a vertical wall was installed 60% upstream of the meridional chord length as an obstacle to prevent axial inflow. The velocity fields of the rotor outlet were measured using a hot-wire anemometer. From the results, the pre-swirling flow did not significantly affect the fan performance. When there was no obstacles wall upstream, there was a partial increase in efficiency, but the difference was not so large. When there was an obstacle wall upstream, the efficiency increased overall in the case of R15, but in the case of R05, the efficiency increased only in the low flow rate region, and conversely decreased in the high flow rate region. By observing the blade outlet flow fields when the performance was improved, it was confirmed that the influence of the tip leakage vortex was weakened.

Precessing motion in stratified radial swirl flow

Vortex/flame interaction is an important mechanism for unsteady combustion in a swirl combustion system. Technology of low emission stirred swirl （TeLESS）, which is characterized with stratified swirl flow, has been developed in Beihang University to reduce NOx emission. However, large-scale flow structure would be induced in strong swirl flow. Experiments and computational fluid dynamics （CFD） simulation were carried out to investigate the unsteady flow feature and its mechanism in TeLESS combustor. Hotwire was firstly applied to testing the unsteady flow feature and a distinct mode with 2244 Hz oscillation frequency occurred at the pilot swirl outlet. The flow mode amplitude decayed convectively. Large eddy simulation （LES） was then applied to predicting this flow mode and know about its mechanism. The deviation of mode prediction compared with hotwire test was 0.8%. The spiral isobaric structure in pilot flow passage indicates that precessing vortex core （PVC） existed. The velocity spectrum and phase lag analysis suggest that the periodic movement at the pilot outlet was dominated by precessing movement. Negative tangen- tial momentum gradient reflects that the swirl flow was unstable. Another phenomenon was found out that the PVC movement was intermittently rotated alon~ the symmetric axis.

Flow Field Investigation in a Trapezoidal Duct with Swirl Flow Induced by Impingement Jets

An enlarged model of trapezoidal duct near the leading-edge in the blade is built up. The effects of impingement jets, swirl flow, cross flow and effusion flow are considered. Experiments are performed to measure flow fields in this confined passage and exit holes on one of its side walls. Cross flow and effusion flow are induced in the channel by the outflow of side exit hole （SEH） and film cooling hole （FCH）, which are oriented on one end wall and bottom wall of the passage. Detailed flow structures are measured for two impingement angles of 35° and 45° with 6 combinations of outflow ratios. Results show that the small jets impinge the target wall effectively while the large jets contribute to inducing and impelling a strong counter-clockwise vortex in the upper part of the passage. Cross flow plays a dominate role for the flow structures in the passage and exit holes. It deflects jets, enhances swirl and deteriorates side exit conditions. Impingement angle is another significant factor for the flow characteristics. Its effect reveals more evidently with cross flow. Within the present test conditions, the mass flow rates and outflow positions of FCHs have no distinct effect on the main flow structures.

Flow characterization and dilution effects of N_2 and CO_2 on premixed CH_4/air flames in a swirl-stabilized combustor

Numerically-aided experimental studies are conducted on a swirl-stabilized combustor to investigate the dilution effects on flame stability, flame structure, and pollutant emissions of premixed CH4/air flames. Our goal is to provide a systematic assessment on combustion characteristics in diluted regimes for its application to environmentally-friendly approaches such as biogas combustion and exhanst-gas recirculation technology. Two main diluting species, N2 and CO2, are tested at various dilution rates. The results obtained by means of optical diagnostics show that five main flame regimes can be observed for Nz-diluted flames by changing excess air and dilution rate. CO2-diluted flames follow the same pattern evolution except that all the domains are shifted to lower excess air. Both N2 and CO2 dilution affect the lean blow- out （LBO） limits negatively. This behavior can be counter-balanced by reactant preheating which is able to broaden the flammability domain of the diluted flames. Flame reactivity is degraded by increasing dilution rate. Meanwhile, flames are thickened in the presence of both diluting species. NOx emissions are significantly reduced with dilution and proved to be relevant to flame stability diagrams： slight augmentation in NOx emission profiles is related to transitional flame states where instability occurs. Although dilution results in increase in CO emissions at certain levels, optimal dilution rates can still be proposed to achieve an ideal compromise.

Experimental study of droplet behavior in a swirl flow field induced by two kinds of guiding vanes and inlet structure optimization

Droplet breakage is a common phenomenon in converting a pipe flow to a swirl flow in a vane-type pipe separator(VTPS)’inlet.The evaluation of the dispersed droplet sizes after breakage is crucial to the optimum design of the inlet structure and the estimation of the oil-water separation performance.This paper studies the droplet behavior in a swirl flow produced by guiding vanes.Experiments are performed with two different guiding vanes at the inlet of the VTPS.The sizes of the produced oil droplets at the downstream of the guiding vanes are measured in situ using a Malvern Insitec SX.The results indicate that the streamlined deflector is superior to the semi-elliptical plate for the VTPS’optimization based on the comparison of the droplet sizes in their respective induced swirl flow fields,which can be explained by a modified T-model.Our study suggests that the use of the modified T-model is a reliable method to optimize the design of the guiding vane in the swirling generating stage.

Laws of Jet Mixing of the Swirled Flows in a Pipe

Results of experimental research of the mixing process of coaxial flows in a pipe with swirled peripheral jet are presented in this paper. Distribution of temperature and concentration of gases on the axis and wall of the channel under the influence of such factors as the regime flow, ratio of density of flows and swirl degree of the peripheral jet are studied. Research of temperature, swirl angle, circulation in cross sections along with the channel have shown that their distributions have the jet-like character and are described by known dependences for the layer of mixture.

Comparison Between LES and RANS Modeling of Turbulent Swirling Flows and Swirling Diffusion Combustion

Turbulent swirling flows and methane-air swirling diffusion combustion are simulated by both large-eddy simulation (LES) using a Smagorinsky-Lilly subgrid-scale (SGS) turbulence model, a second-order moment (SOM) subgrid-scale combustion model and an eddy break up (EBU) combustion model and Reynolds-averaged NavierStokes (RANS) modeling using the Reynolds stress equation model and a second-order moment (SOM) combustion model. For swirling flows, the LES statistical results give better agreement with the experimental results than the RANS modeling, indicating that the adopted subgrid-scale turbulence model is suitable for swirling flows. For swirling combustion, both the proposed SOM SGS combustion model and the RANS-SOM model give the results in good agreement with the experimental results, but the LES-EBU modeling results are not in agreement with the experimental results.

ON BASIC EQUATIONS OF TURBULENT SWIRLING GAS-SOLID FLOWS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN CYCLONES

The basic equations of turbulent gas-solid flows are derived by using the pseudo-fluid model of particle phase with a refined two-phase turbulence model.These equations are then applied to swirling gas-particle flows for analyzing the collection efficiency in cyclone separators.

COMPUTATION OF RECIRCULATING SWIRLING FLOW WITH THE GLM REYNOLDS STRESS CLOSURE

A Reynolds stress closure based on the generalized Langevin model (GLM), developed by Haworth and Pope, is applied to the flow calculation with swirl-induced recirculation. The purpose of the work is to assess the performance of this model under the complex flow conditions caused by the presence of strong swirl which gives rise to both unconventional recirculation in the vicinity of the symmetry axis and strong anisotropy in the turbulence field. Comparison of the computational results are made both with the experimental data of Roback and Johnson and the computational results obtained with the typical isotropization of production model (IPM) and the k-∈ type Boussinesq viscosity model.

Numerical Study on Heat Transfer and Flow Characteristics for Laminar Flow in a Circular Tube with Swirl Generators

This study investigated the heat transfer and flow characteristics of one kind of swirlgenerator in a circular heat exchanger tube through a numericalsimulation. The swirlflow induced by this type of swirlgenerator can obtain a high heat transfer rate with minimalpressure drop penalty. The simulations were carried out to understand the physicalbehavior of this kind of mesoscale heat enhancement component. By visualizing the heat transfer and flow characteristics, it is found that the swirlflow is induced by swirlgenerator in the circular tube couples with the impinging jet effect. After passing through the swirlgenerator, the localfriction factor of liquid can quickly return to lower levelmore quickly, while the localNusselt number maintains higher values for a distance; thus, the evaluation criterion of localperformance is improved. Single-factor optimization is used for three geometric parameters, i.e., the angle of swirlgenerator(25o, 45o, and 60o), the length of swirlgenerator(0.005, 0.01, and 0.02 m), and the center rod radius(1, 2, and 3 mm). The optimum parameters of the swirlgenerator for laminar flow of air in a circular tube are obtained, which should be 60o, 0.005 m, and 3 mm, respectively.

Large-eddy structures of turbulent swirling flows and methane-air swirling diffusion combustion

Turbulent swirling flows and methane-air swirling diffusion combustion are studied by large-eddy simulation （LES） using a Smagorinsky-Lilly subgrid scale turbulence model and a second-order moment （SOM） SGS combustion model, and also by RANS modeling using the Reynolds Stress equation model with the IPCM＋wall and IPCM pressure-strain models and SOM combustion model. The LES statistical results for swirling flows give good agreement with the experimental results, indicating that the adopted subgrid-scale turbulence model is suitable for swirling flows. The LES instantaneous results show the complex vortex shedding pattern in swirling flows. The initially formed large vortex structures soon break up in swirling flows. The LES statistical results of combustion modeling are near the experimental results and are as good as the RANS-SOM modeling results. The LES results show that the size and range of large vortex structures in swirling combustion are different from those of isothermal swirling flows, and the chemical reaction is intensified by the large-eddy vortex structures.

Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Swirling Pipe Flow with an Internal Conical Bluff Body

Turbulent swirling flow inside a short pipe interacting with a conical bluff body was simulated using the commercial CFD code Fluent.The geometry used is a simplified version of a novel liquid/gas separator used in multiphase flow metering.Three turbulence models,belonging to the Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes(RANS)equations framework,are used.These are,RNG k-ε,SST k-ωand the full Reynolds stress model(RSM)in their steady and unsteady versions.Steady and unsteady RSM simulations show similar behavior.Compared to other turbulence models,they yield the best predictions of the mean velocity profiles though they exhibit some discrepancies in the core region.The influence of the Reynolds number on velocity profiles,swirl decay,and wall pressure on the bluff body are also presented.For Reynolds numbers generating a Rankine-like velocity profile,the width and magnitude of flow reversal zone decreases along the pipe axis disappearing downstream for lower Reynolds numbers.The tangential velocity peaks increase with increasing Reynolds number.The swirl decay rate follows an exponential form in accordance with the existing literature.These flow features would affect the performance of the real separator and,thus,the multiphase flow meter,noticeably.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON SWIRLING AND RECIRCULATING TWO-PHASE FLOW FIELD IN A COLD MODEL OF DUAL-INLET SUDDEN-EXPANSION COMBUSTOR

The axial and tangential velocities of gas and particle phases and particle concentration for turbulent swirling and recirculating gas-particle (simulating gas-droplet) flows in a cold model of a dual-inlet sudden-expansion combustor with partially tangential central tubes, proposed by the present authors, were measured by using a 2-D LDV system and a laser optic fiber system combined with a sampling probe. The results show that there are both gas and particle strongly reverse flows and swirling flows in the head part of the combustor. The velocity slip between gas and particle phases is remarkable. The particle concentration is higher near the wall and lower near the axis. There are two peaks in the concentration profiles near the inlet tubes. The above-obtained flow characteristics are favorable to ignition, flame stabilization and combustion. The results can also be used to validate the numerical modeling.

Effects of Four Types of Pre-swirls on the Leakage, Flow Field, and Fluid-Induced Force of the Rotary Straight-through Labyrinth Gas Seal

The labyrinth seal in turbomachinery is a key element that restricts leakage flow among rotor-stator clearances from high-pressure regions to low-pressure regions. The fluid-induced forces on the rotor from seals during machine operation must be accurately quantified to predict their dynamic behavior effectively. To understand the fluid-induced force characteristics of the labyrinth seal more fully, the effects of four types of pre-swirls on the leakage, flow field, and fluid-induced force of a rotary straight-through labyrinth gas seal (RSTLGS) were numerically investigated using the proposed steady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method based on the three-dimensional models of the RSTLGS. The leakage, flow field, and fluid-induced force of the RSTLGS for six axial pre-swirl velocities, four radial preswirl angles, four circumferential positive pre-swirl angles, and four circumferential negative pre-swirl angles were computed under the same geometrical parameters and operational conditions. Mesh analysis ensures the accuracy of the present steady CFD method. The numerical results show that the four types of pre-swirls influence the leakage, flow field, and fluid-induced force of the RSTLGS. The axial pre-swirl velocity remarkably inhibits the fluid-induced force, and the circumferential positive pre-swirl angle and circumferential negative pre-swirl angle remarkably promote the fluid-induced force. The effects of the radial pre-swirl angle on the fluid-induced force are complicated, and the pressure forces and viscous forces show the maximum or minimum values at a specific radial pre-swirl angle. The pre-swirl has a negligible impact on the leakage. The four types of pre-swirls affect the leakage, flow field, and fluidinduced force of the RSTLGS to varying degrees. The pre-swirl is the influence factor affecting the leakage, flow field, and fluid-induced force of the RSTLGS. The conclusions will help to understand the fluid-induced force of labyrinth seals more fully, by providing helpful suggestions for engineering practices and a theoretical basis to analyze the fluid–structure interaction of the seal-rotor system in future research.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Swirling Flow on Triple Elbow Pipe Layout

The secondary flow downstream of a triple elbow layout was studied experimentally and numerically to visualize the flow behavior under swirling inlet flow conditions. The inlet swirling condition was generated by a swirl generator, consisting of a rotary pipe and honeycomb assembly. The experiments were carried out in turbulent water flow condition at Reynolds number Re = 1 × 104 and inlet swirl intensity S = 1. Ultrasonic measurements were taken at four locations downstream of the third elbow. The two-dimensional velocity field of the flow field was measured using the phased array ultrasonic velocity profiler technique to evaluate the flow field with separation. Furthermore, a numerical simulation was performed and its results were compared with the experimental data. The numerical result was obtained by solving three-dimensional, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations with the renormalization group k-ε turbulence model. The experimental results confirmed that the swirling flow condition modified the size of the separation region downstream of the third elbow. A qualitative comparison between the experimental and CFD simulation results of the averaged velocity field downstream of the third elbow showed similar tendency on reverse flow.

THE DECAY OF SWIRLING FLOWS IN A TYPE OF CROSS-SECTION-VARYING PIPES

The decay of weakly swirling flows in a type of cross-section-varying pipes was discussed analytically. For laminar swirling flow, the feature of exponential decay was demonstrated. For turbulent swirling flow, in spite of the decay of circulation flux, a necessary condition for local circulation to amplify along downstream was obtained under the Boussinesq's hypothesis.

Heat transfer in turbulent tube flow inserted with loose-fit multi-channel twisted tapes as swirl generators

Heat transfer and flow behaviors in three-dimensional circular tubes with loose-fit multiple channel twisted tapes were numerically studied. The investigation was examined for Reynolds numbers （Re） ranging from 5000 to 15,000, by using air as testing fluid. Effects of the multiple channel number （N = 2, 3, and 4）, clearance ratio （CR = 0.0, 0.025, 0.05, and 0.075） on heat transfer enhancement and flow friction were examined. The numerical results indicate that the tubes with loose-fit multiple channel twisted tapes perform higher heat transfer rates than the plain tube. The enhanced heat transfer rate is escorted with larger pressure drop. Both heat transfer and pressure drop increase with increasing multiple channel number （N） and decreasing clearance ratio （CR）. Heat transfer augmented by the loose-fit multiple channel twisted tape with N = 4 is higher than those enhanced by the ones with N = 2 and 3 by around 9.5-17.8% and 5.8-7.8%, respectively. In addition, the loose-fit multiple channel twisted tapes with clearance ratio of 0.025, 0.05, and 0.075 give lower heat transfer rates than the one with CR = 0.0 by around 8.4%, 17.5%, and 28.8%, respectively.

Discussion on Stability Criterion of Inviscid Compressible Swirling Flow

The stability condition for compressible and incompressible swirling flow is discussed and compared. It is found that Eckhoff and Storesletten's necessary condition for stability of inviscid compressible swirling flow seems incorrect.