Study of Hydrodynamic Characteristics Of Two Phase Flow Mixture

PMMT Lab Report

SESSION 2010-12

By
Qazi Tanveer Ahmad Khan MS Process Engineering

ABSTRACT
This experiment demonstrates the hydrodynamic study of two phase mixture by using bubble column equipment. In experiment water and air is used as two phase mixture. Initial height of water column for zero air flowrate was measured, now by increasing air flowrate void fraction, different flow patterns and pressure drop of two phase mixture was observed. Initial height of water for zero air flowrate was 83 cm,but when air is introduced from the bottom of bubble colum,first flow pattern observed was bubbly flow. Similarly by increasing air flowrate observed mixed bubbly and churn flow patterns respectively. Plug flow is not observed because diameter of column is lager for this gas flowrate and also no annular and flow is observed due to the reason that water quantity was much high as compared to air flowrate.For all these flow patterns pressure drop and void fraction are also calculated. Pressure drop and void fraction observed were maximum for churn flow, 1.102kpa and 0.135 respectively.

INTRODUCTION:
Two phase flow takes several forms, as shown in figure. These have been observed only in adiabatic two phase two component flow, such as with air and water. However there is a good reason to believe that they exist in non-adiabatic flow two-phase flow that is called diabatic flow. Bubble flow is the case in which individual dispersed nearly spherical bubble move up the channel, these are normally at lower vapor concentration. The bubble diameter is considerably small as compared to the channel in which they are flowing. In this case bubble has little interaction at low gas velocity. Slug or Plug flow is the case where patches of coalesced vapor fill most of the channel cross section as they move up. The shape of bubble is like bullets that have approximately hemispherical caps and are separated from each other by liquid slugs. The liquid slugs contain little vapor bubble. Slug flow has been reported as being both stable and an unstable transition flow between bubble flow and the next type, annular flow. Churn Flow comes at higher gas flow rates, here disruption of the large Taylor bubble leads to Churn flow (froth flow). Chaotic motion of the irregular- shaped gas pockets takes place, with literally no discernable interfacial shape. Both phases may appear to be contiguous, and incessant churning and oscillatory backflow are observed. Churn flow also occur at the entrance of vertical channel before slug develops Annular flow is a type of flow in which vapor forms continuous phase, carrying only dispersed liquid droplets, and travel up the channel core, leaving an annulus of super heated adjacent to the walls The forth type is the Homogeneous, fog or dispersed flow. This is the opposite to first type bubble flow, in that in latter case the vapor fills the entire column and liquid is dispersed through out the vapor in form of small droplets

Figure 1 Void Fraction:

It is defined as the ratio of the volum of vapor in the mixture to the Total Volume of the bed.It is very important parameter for two phase flow as it si the key to determine the other physical parameter in two phase flows like density, viscosity of the mixture as well as relative abverage velocity of two phases. It has great importance for heat transfer and pressure drop calculations. Pressure Drop: Pressure loses in two phase gas- liquid system varies from single phase because an interface can be smooth or rough depending upon the flow regime, as in churn flow there is no definite boundary or interface. Two-phase pressure drop may be up to a factor of 10 higher than those in single phase. Most of the correlations for pressure drop prediction are empirical so they are limited by the range of applicability. The pressure drop can vary significantly between different regimes. Various models have been formed to predict pressure drop. One of then is as follows.The basis of correlation is that the two phase pressure drop is equal to single phase pressure drop of either phase multiplied by a factor that is derived by the single phase pressure drop of the two phases. Theoretically a modulus of pressure drop is calculated and is multiplied by the gas phase pressure drop. This modulus is calculated by different correlations each stand for one type of flow regime. Here pressure drop has been calculated with the help of void fraction and static head.. Pressure drop increases with the increase in void fraction. Experimental ranges are given in tabulated form.

OBSERVATIONS & CALCULATIONS:

Height of bed before injecting air into Column = Hi cm Height of bed after injecting air into Column = Ho cm Thickness of the Column Wall, Tw = 0.5 in. =0.52.5 =1.25 cm Diameter of column ,D = 19.15cm Bed volume, Vb = (Area of cross-section) (Bed Height) Bed volume, Vb = A H0

m3

Area of Cross-section, A Void Fraction, Void Fraction

((/4)D2) = 0.0283m = Volume of airTotal volume of bed = (AH)/Vb

Table 1
Sr.No . 123456Gas Flow rate (L/m) 12 13 14 15 37 42 Hi (cm) 83 83 83 83 83 83 Ho (cm) 84.8 85.5 86.1 87 91 96 H (cm) 1.8 2.5 3.1 4 8 13 Flow regime Bubbly Bubbly Mixed bubbly Mixed bubbly Churn Churn Vb m3 0.02399 0.0239 0.0241 0.0243 0.02548 0.0268 0.0210 0.0292 0.0360 0.0460 0.0879 0.135

B)- PRESSURE DROP CALCULATION: Pressure Drop ,P = mgH Where; m = density of Mixture g= Gravitational constant =9.8 m/sec2 H= Bed Expansion m = A + (1- )W A =1.29kg/m3 W =1000kg/m3 Superficial velocity, = Gas Volumetric Flow rate/Area of cross-section of column

Table 2
Sr.N o. 1Gas Flow rate (L/m) 12

m/sec
1.190E-04

m kg/m3 979.02 7

P pa 172.70

23456-

13 14 15 37 42

1.290E-04 1.389E-04 1.488E-04 3.671E-04 4.167E-04

970.83 8 964.04 6 954.05 9 912.21 3 865.17 4

237.86 292.88 373.99 715.18 1102.23

Figure 2

RESULTS & DISCUSSION: Theoretical Results: At the start when air flow rate was low, bubbly flow regime was observed as shown

Figure 3

Figure 4

Bubbly Flow in vertical Channel Numerous bubbles are observable as the air is dispersed in the form of discrete bubbles in continuous liquid phase. Bubbles vary widely in size and shape but they are spherical and much smaller as compared to the diameter of the column. For bubbly flow void fraction is .021, this is much smaller as mentioned in literature. This error may be due to the malfunctioning of the rotameter. Slug flow pattern only observed for small diameter column or also in lager one with high air flowrates,in which bubbles collide and coalesce to form lager bubbles which

are similar to the column diameter. Here slug flow was not observed because the diameter of the column is much lager for this air flow arrangement. Next flow pattern observed was mixed bubbly, in between churn and bubbly. Void fraction and pressure drop increases because at higher air flowrate more resistance. Increasing the velocity of air further, the structure of flow become unstable with fluid travelling up and down in oscillatory fashion but with net upward flow. This instability is the result of gravity and shear forces acting opposite directions on the thin film of liquid bubble.

Figure 5 Churn Flow

Graphical Results:

Figure 6 Graph is very steep in churn flow regime which shows that void fraction is very rapid increases here. While at lower flow rate this increase is not as sharp. Pressure drop increases as air flow rate increases, because at higher air flowrates more resistance is offered by water. When air flow rate is increased, void fraction is also increased and total consequently total height of two phase mixture also increased, which offer more resistance to air flow

References:

1) http://wins.engr.wisc.edu/teaching/mpfBook. 2) Moustafa Ghiaasiaan: Two Phase Flow Boiling and Condensation In Conventional and Miniature systems, Cambridge University press, UK, 2008.