Local measurement of interfacial parameters and velocity in developing bubbly two-phase flow in horizontal channels

Technical Report · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:103016

Kocamustafaogullari, G; Huang, W D ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (United States)

This paper describes an experimental study of the internal structure of air-water flowing horizontally. The double-sensor resistivity probe technique was applied for measurements of local interfacial parameters, including void fraction, interfacial area concentration, bubble size distributions, bubble passing frequency and bubble interface velocity. Bubbly flow patterns at several flow conditions were examined at three axial locations, L/D = 25, 148 and 253, in which the first measurement represents the entrance region where the flow develops, and the second and third may represent near fully-developed bubbly flow patterns. The experimental results are presented in three-dimensional perspective plots of the interfacial parameters over the cross section. These multi-dimensional presentations showed that the local values of the void-fraction and interfacial area concentration were nearly constant over the cross section at L/D = 25 with slight local peaking close to the channel wall. Although similar local peakings were observed at the second and third locations, the internal flow-structure segregation due to buoyancy appeared to be very strong in the axial direction. A simple comparison of profiles of the interfacial parameters at the three locations indicated that the flow-pattern development was a continuous process and that the so-called {open_quotes}fully developed{close_quotes} bubbly two-phase flow pattern cannot be established in a horizontal pipe. Finally, it was shown that there was no strong correspondence between void fraction and interface velocity profiles.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-87ER13764
• OSTI ID: 103016
• Report Number(s): CONF-9404137--; ON: DE94017694
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
AIR
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLOW MODELS
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TWO-PHASE FLOW
VOID FRACTION
WATER