Numerical Simulation of Flow Structure and Heat Transfer in a Swirling Gas-Droplet Turbulent Flow Through a Pipe Expansion

Abstract

The effect of droplets evaporation on the flow structure, turbulence modulation and heat transfer enhancement in a swirling two-phase flow in a pipe with sudden expansion is numerically investigated. The numerical model is based on the Eulerian approach. The gas phase is treated as a continuum while the droplets are considered as the dispersed phase. The set of steady-state 3D RANS equations is used for the computations of the gas phase. In the study the second moment closure (SMC) is used for the gas phase. Two-way coupling is used along with the particulate feedback onto the mean distribution of the gas phase. Intensification of the heat transfer by increasing the swirl parameter (the maximum increase in heat transfer is up to \(50\,\%\)) is shown. The position of the maximum heat transfer shifts upstream. The predicted results are in good agreement with the measurement data for the confined two-phase swirling flow with solid particles.