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Visualization method for cross-sectional two-phase flow structure during the condensation of steam in a tube

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Abstract

This paper describes an experimental investigation in which the cross-sectional two-phase flow structure during condensation of steam inside various inclined tubes was visualized using an axial-viewing technique and a high-speed camera. The two-phase flow structure was visualized along the axis of the condensation tube by locating the camera in front of the viewer that was fitted at the outlet of the tube where a short section of it was illuminated. This innovative technique permitted direct viewing into the flow and imaging of the cross-sectional area in a pipe of 16.55 mm inner diameter at atmospheric pressure and a saturation temperature of 100 °C. The downward inclination angle of the condensation tube in this study was varied from 3° to 75°, and three steam qualities, with values of 0.17, 0.34, and 0.78, were examined at the outlet of the pipe. A visualization test was conducted at a low steam mass flux of 3.43 kg/m2 s. Cross-sectional two-phase flow was clearly visible and identified easily over the range of inclination angles used; stratified-wavy flow was the most commonly observed flow pattern. Also, downward inclination had a significant effect on condensation parameters, such as void fraction, wetted angle, and bottom film thickness, which, in turn, showed that gravitational effects may improve condensation phenomena.

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Abbreviations

θ wet :

Condensate wetted angle around the condensate layer at the bottom (°)

θ inc :

Downward inclination angle (°)

h fg :

Latent heat (J/kg)

L :

Length (m)

\(\dot{m}_{\text{cw}}\) :

Mass flow rate of cooling water (kg/s)

x :

Steam quality

R :

Radius (m)

T :

Temperature (°C)

ΔT :

Temperature difference (°C)

\(\dot{m}_{S}\) :

Steam mass flow rate (kg/s)

V L :

Volume of liquid inside the pipe (m3)

α :

Void fraction

\(\delta\) :

Bottom film thickness (m)

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the nuclear R&D program supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of the Korean government (No. 20141510400060). Also, it was supported by “Human Resources Program in Energy Technology” of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), granted financial resource from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Republic of Korea (No. 20164030200990).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Republic of Korea

    Andree Pusey & Hyungdae Kim

  2. Department of Precision Mechanical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea

    Dongeok Kim

  3. Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon, Republic of Korea

    Hyun-Sik Park & Tae-Soon Kwon

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  1. Andree Pusey
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  2. Dongeok Kim
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  3. Hyun-Sik Park
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  4. Tae-Soon Kwon
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  5. Hyungdae Kim
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Correspondence to Hyungdae Kim.

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Pusey, A., Kim, D., Park, HS. et al. Visualization method for cross-sectional two-phase flow structure during the condensation of steam in a tube. J Vis 20, 591–605 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12650-016-0408-0

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