Experimental investigation of two-phase flow splitting in an equal-sided impacting tee junction with inclined outlets

Abstract

Phase-distribution data have been generated for two-phase (air–water) flow splitting at an impacting tee junction with a horizontal inlet and inclined outlets. This investigation also considered the possibility of full separation at the junction and the effect of the outlet angle of inclination on partial separation at various inlet conditions. A flow loop with the ability to incline the outlets from horizontal to vertical was constructed. The operating conditions were as follows: test section inside diameter ( D) of 13.5 mm, nominal junction pressure ( P s) of 200 kPa (abs), near ambient temperature ( T s), inlet superficial gas velocities ( J G1) ranging from 2.0 to 40 m/s, inlet superficial liquid velocities ( J L1) ranging from 0.01 to 0.18 m/s, inlet qualities ( x 1) ranging from 0.1 to 0.9, mass split ratios ( W 3/ W 1) from 0 to 1.0, and inlet flow regimes of stratified, wavy, and annular. The data reveal that the degree of maldistribution of the phases depended on the inlet conditions, the mass split ratio at the junction, and the inclination angle of the outlets.