Drop size measurements for annular two-phase flow in a 20 mm diameter vertical tube

Abstract

As part of a study on the effect of tube diameter on the mean drop size and liquid film flow rate in annular two-phase flow, data was obtained for the vertical upflow of an air-water system in a 20 mm internal diameter tube, held at a pressure of 1.5 bar and ambient temperature. This complements data taken in earlier experiments on 10 and 32 mm tubes. Increases in the superficial gas velocity caused reductions in the mean drop size whilst increasing the liquid mass flux in all but the lowest gas velocity case, caused the drop size to rise. Comparisons were made between the current drop size data and that from a 10 mm and 32 mm internal diameter tube, for similar conditions of temperature and pressure. The current drop size measurements, which fall between those from earlier work, confirm the dependence of drop size on tube diameter. The performance of several drop size correlations have been tested. Because the correlations do not account for the influence of tube diameter, they fail to predict the drop size data accurately. The influence of gas and liquid flow rate on the measured film flow rate show trends similar to those seen in data from the 10 mm and 32 mm diameter tubes. Models, to calculate the entrained liquid mass flux were tested; good predictions were given.