Study of Interfacial Structures: Bubbly Flow in 1.27 cm Diameter Pipe

Abstract

The objective of the present research is to study the flow regime map, the detailed interfacial structures, and the bubble transport in an adiabatic air-water two-phase flow mixture, flowing upward through a vertical round pipe having 1.27 cm. inner diameter. The flow regime map is obtained by processing the characteristic signals acquired from an impedance void meter, using a self-organized neural network. The local two-phase flow parameters are measured by the state-of-the-art four-sensor conductivity probe at three axial locations in the pipe. The measured local parameters include void fraction (α), interfacial area concentration (ai), bubble frequency (fb), bubble velocity (Ub) and bubble Sauter mean diameter (Dsm). The radial profiles of these parameters and their development along the axial direction reveals the structure of the two phase mixture and the bubble interaction mechanisms.