Vapor/liquid interaction and entrainment in shell-and-tube evaporators
The problem of vapor/liquid interaction and entrainment in shell-and-tube evaporators is analyzed. Attention is focused primarily on the horizontal tube falling film evaporators, which have been proposed for use in Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) power plants. In the horizontal tube design, liquid falls from one tube to the next in either a droplet or column mode. A criterion is derived for predicting the transition from the droplet mode to the column mode. Models are developed for predicting the deflection of droplets and columns due to vapor crossflow. Based on an experimental study of drop detachment and breakup, a correlation is established for determining the resulting droplet sizes. For high vapor crossflow velocities, a criterion is presented for predicting the inception of liquid entrainment by a process known as stripping. Based on the foregoing models, conditions are defined under which vapor/liquid interaction and entrainment are important for OTEC evaporators.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., Ill. (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 6868306
- Report Number(s):
- ANL-OTEC-78-2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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