Some nonlinear dynamics of a heated channel

Abstract

Linear and nonlinear mathematical stability analyses of parallel channel density wave oscillations are reported. The two phase flow is represented by the drift flux model. A constant characteristic velocity v 0 ∗ is used to make the set of equations dimensionless to ensure the mutual independence of the dimensionless variables and parameters: the steady-state inlet velocity v , the inlet subcooling number N sub and the phase change number N pch . The exact equation for the total channel pressure drop is perturbed about the steady-state for the linear and nonlinear analyses. The surface defining the marginal stability boundary (MSB) is determined in the three-dimensional equilibrium-solution/operating-parameter space v − N sub − N pch . The effects of the void distribution parameter C 0 and the drift velocity V gj on the MSB are examined. The MSB is shown to be sensitive to the value of C 0 and comparison with experimental data shows that the drift flux model with C 0 > 1 predicts the experimental MSB and the neighboring region of stable oscillations (limit cycles) considerably better than do the homogeneous equilibrium model ( C 0 = 1, V gj = 0 ) or a slip flow model. The nonlinear analysis shows that supercritical Hopf bifurcation occurs for the regions of parameter space studied; hence stable oscillatory solutions exist in the linearly unstable region in the vicinity of the MSB. That is, the stable fixed point v becomes unstable and bifurcates to a stable limit cycle as the MSB is crossed by varying N sub and/or N pch .