Numerical study on dominant oscillation frequency of unstable steam jet under heaving condition

Abstract

With its advanced efficiency in heat transfer, the steam direct contact condensation method is now extensively employed in many areas. The pressure oscillation characteristics of unstable steam jets under heaving conditions were investigated numerically in this study. The dominant oscillation frequency gradually rose with the decrease of the heaving period and the increase of the heaving amplitude. The dominant oscillation frequency under the heaving condition was higher than that under the static condition, with a maximum increase of 27.4%. The inertia and condensation dominated the evolution of steam bubbles at the necking stage under heaving conditions. With the decrease of the heaving period and the increase of heaving amplitude, the additional force induced by heaving movement increased, contributing to the condensation heat transfer enhancement. A dimensionless correlation predicting the dominant oscillation frequency at a low flow rate under heaving conditions was fitted, and the maximum error was within ±6.2%.