The effects of gas-liquid inlet geometry and mixing method on adiabatic gas-liquid two-phase flow in a microchannel of diameter have been investigated using a T-junction inlet with the same internal diameter as the microchannel. Two-phase flow patterns, void fraction, and friction pressure drop data obtained with the T-junction inlet were found to be significantly different from those obtained previously with a reducer inlet. For the T-junction inlet, the two-phase flow patterns in the microchannel were predominantly intermittent flows with short gas and liquid plugs/slugs flowing with nearly equal velocities. The void fraction data then conformed nearly to that of a homogeneous flow model, and the two-phase friction multiplier data could be described by the Lockhart–Martinelli correlation applicable to larger channels. However, when a reducer inlet was used previously and the diameter of the inlet section was much larger than that of the microchannel, an intermittent flow of long gas slugs separated by long liquid slugs became prevalent and the void fraction decreased to values far below the homogeneous void fraction. The differences in the two-phase flow characteristics between a T-junction inlet and reducer inlet were attributed to the differences in the gas bubble/slug generation mechanisms.
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April 2009
Research Papers
The Effects of Inlet Geometry and Gas-Liquid Mixing on Two-Phase Flow in Microchannels
M. Kawaji,
M. Kawaji
Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry,
University of Toronto
, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E5, Canada
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K. Mori,
K. Mori
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Osaka Electro-Communication University
, 18-8 Hatsu-cho, Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan 572-8530
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D. Bolintineanu
D. Bolintineanu
Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry,
University of Toronto
, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E5, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
M. Kawaji
Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry,
University of Toronto
, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E5, Canada
K. Mori
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Osaka Electro-Communication University
, 18-8 Hatsu-cho, Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan 572-8530
D. Bolintineanu
Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry,
University of Toronto
, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E5, CanadaJ. Fluids Eng. Apr 2009, 131(4): 041302 (7 pages)
Published Online: March 11, 2009
Article history
Received:
October 8, 2007
Revised:
January 19, 2009
Published:
March 11, 2009
Citation
Kawaji, M., Mori, K., and Bolintineanu, D. (March 11, 2009). "The Effects of Inlet Geometry and Gas-Liquid Mixing on Two-Phase Flow in Microchannels." ASME. J. Fluids Eng. April 2009; 131(4): 041302. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3089543
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