Discharge from a smooth stratified two-phase region through two horizontal side branches located in the same vertical plane

Abstract

Experimental data are presented for the mass flow rate and quality of two-phase (air-water) discharge from a stratified region through two side branches (6.35 mm W.) with their parallel centrelines located in a vertical plane. These data correspond to different values of the interface level between the onset of gas entrainment at the upper branch to the onset of liquid entrainment at the lower branch for test-section pressures of 316 and 517 kPa, test-section-to-separators pressure difference ranging from 40 to 235 kPa, branch separating distance to diameter ratio ranging from 1.5 to 8 and different hydraulic resistances of the lines connecting the test section to the separators. Normalized plots are shown to be capable of absorbing the effects of some independent variables within the tested range of operating conditions. Empirical relations were developed for the prediction of the two-phase mass flow rate and quality in terms of normalized parameters. These relations represent the data with a high degree of correlation.