Two-Phase Pressure Drop Calculations in Small Diameter Inclined Tubes

  • Authors

    • Arun Autee Associate Professor, Marathwada Institute of Technology, Aurangabad.,M.S.(India)
    • S.Srinivasa Rao Professor, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, A.P., (India.)
    • Ravikumar Puli Professor, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, A.P., (India.)
    • Ramakant Shrivastava Associate Professor, Government College of Engineering, Aurangabad, M.S., ( India.)
    https://doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v1i3.81

    Received date: May 23, 2012

    Accepted date: June 6, 2012

    Published date: June 21, 2012

  • Abstract

    Effect of inclination on two-phase frictional pressure drop was investigated in small diameter circular tubes with inner diameters of 4.0, 6.0, 8.0 and 10.0 mm using air and water. Pressure drop was measured and compared with various existing models commonly used for macro and micro channels such as homogeneous, Lockhart-Martinelli, Chisholm, Friedel, Mishma Hibiki, and Zang Mishma. It was found that existing correlations are inadequate in predicting pressure drop for small diameter inclined tubes. The void fraction is calculated using a general void fraction correlation in two-phase flow for various pipe orientations. Based on analysis of present experimental frictional pressure drop data, a correlation is proposed for predicting Chisholm parameter “C” in small diameter inclined tubes. There was a significant ordering of pressure drop data with respect to Reynolds number, Webber number and Bond number for each diameter.

    Author Biographies

    • Arun Autee, Associate Professor, Marathwada Institute of Technology, Aurangabad.,M.S.(India)
      Department of Mechanical Engineering
    • S.Srinivasa Rao, Professor, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, A.P., (India.)
      Department of Mechanical Engineering
    • Ravikumar Puli, Professor, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, A.P., (India.)
      Department of Mechanical Engineering
    • Ramakant Shrivastava, Associate Professor, Government College of Engineering, Aurangabad, M.S., ( India.)
      Department of Mechanical Engineering
  • References

    1. Remi Revellin and John R. Thome, “Adiabatic two-phase frictional pressure drops in microchannels”, Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, vol. 31(2007), pp. 673-685.
    2. R.W.Lockhart, T.C.Martinelli, “proposed correlation of data for isothermal two-phase, two-component flow in pipes”, Chem. Eng. Prog, vol. 45 (1949), pp. 39-48.
    3. Friedel, L., “Improved friction pressure drop correlations for horizontal and vertical two-phase flow”, European two-phase flow group meeting, Ispra, (1979).
    4. Chisholm, D., “Pressure gradients due to friction during the flow of evaporating tow-phase mixtures in smooth tubes and channels”, International Journal Heat Mass Transfer, Vol.16 (1973), pp.347-358.
    5. K.Misma and T.Hibiki, “Some characteristics of air-water two phase flow in small diameter vertical tubes”, International Journal Multiphase Flow, vol.22, (1996), pp. 703-712.
    6. Chen.I.Y. Yang K., and Wang, C., “An experimental correlation for two-phase frictional performance in small diameter tubes”, International Journal Heat and Mass Transfer, vol.42 (2002), pp. 3667-3671.
    7. Garmellia. S., “Condensation flow mechanism in microchannels: basis for pressured drop and heat transfer models”, Heat Transfer Engineering, vol.25 (3), (2004) pp. 104-116.
    8. Triplett, K.A. Ghiaasiaan, S.M., Abdel-Khalik, S.L., LeMouel, A., and McCord, B.N., “Gas-liquid two-phase flow in minichannels, Part-II: Void fraction and pressure drop”, International Journal Multiphase Flow, vol. 25(3), (1999), pp. 395-410.
    9. Wei li and Zan Wu., “A general correlation for adiabatic two-phase pressure drop in micro/minichannels”, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, vol.53 (2010),pp. 2732-2739.
    10. C.Y.Lee S.Y.Lee, “Pressure drop of two phase plug flow in round minichannels: influence of surface wettability”, Expt. Therm.Sci. Vol.32 (2008), pp. 1716-1722.
    11. Swanand M. Bhagwat and Afshin J. Ghajar, “Flow patterns and void fraction in downward two phase flow”, ECTC proceeding ASME early career technical conference, (2011).
    12. Afshin J. Ghajar and Clement. C. Tang., “A general void fraction correlation in two-phase flow for various pipe orientation”, 14th April 2010.
    13. Beggs, H. D. and Brill, J. P., “A study of two-phase flow in inclined pipes”, Journal Pet. Tech., (1973) pp.607-617.
    14. Mukherjee, H. and Brill, J. P., “Empirical equations to predict flow patterns in two-phase inclined flow”, International Journal of Multiphase Flow, Vol. 11(3) (1985), pp. 299-315.
    15. M. Venkatesan, Sarit K. Das and A.R. Balkrishanan., “Effect of diameter on two-phase pressure drop in narrow tubes”, International Journal Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, Vol.35 (2011), PP. 531-541.
    16. Arun Autee et.al, “Experimental study on two-phase pressure drop of air-water in small diameter tubes at horizontal orientation”, Thermal Science, Online-First Issue 00, (2012), pp.4949 doi: 10.2298/TSCI111128049A.
    17. Natan J. English and Satish G. Kandlikar, “An experimental investigation into the effect of surfactants on air-water two-phase flow in minichannels”, Heat Transfer Engineering, 27(4) (2006), pp.99-109.
  • Downloads

  • How to Cite

    Autee, A., Rao, S., Puli, R., & Shrivastava, R. (2012). Two-Phase Pressure Drop Calculations in Small Diameter Inclined Tubes. International Journal of Engineering and Technology, 1(3), 168-181. https://doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v1i3.81