Numerical investigation of the mechanism of two-phase flow instability in parallel narrow channels

Abstract

In this paper, the mechanism of two-phase flow instability in parallel narrow channels is studied theoretically, and the characteristic of the flow instability is discussed in detail. Due to the significant confining effect of the narrow channel on the vapor–liquid interface, the two-phase flow resistance in the narrow channel is probably different from that in conventional channel. Therefore, the vapor confined number (Nconf), defined by the size of narrow channel and bubble detachment diameter, is considered in the “Chisholm B model” to investigate the two-phase flow pressure drop. The flow instability boundaries are plotted in parameter plane with phase-change-number (Npch) and subcooling-number (Nsub) under different working conditions. It is found that the predicted result agrees well with the experimental result. According to the predicted result, the oscillation behaviors near the flow instability boundary indicate that the Supercritical Hopf bifurcation appears in high sub-cooled region and the Subcritical Hopf bifurcation appears in low sub-cooled region. Also, a detailed analysis about the effects of key parameters on the characteristic of two-phase flow instability and the flow instability boundary is proposed, including the effects of inlet subcooling, heating power, void distribution parameter and drift velocity.