Study of steam jet characteristics and regime maps for bevelled spray nozzles exhausting into quiescent water

Abstract

Steam-water direct contact condensation phenomenon is being widely used in industrial applications due to its rapid heat and mass transfer rates. The present experimental study explores the underlying physics of the steam jet characteristics by condensing supersonic steam exhausting from five different bevelled nozzles into quiescent water tank. Based on the image processing approach, the effects of steam pressure, water temperature and nozzle exit inclination angle on the size and shape of the steam jet have been studied. The dimensionless steam jet length and maximum expansion ratio have been found in the range of 1.18–5.64 and 1.03–2.70, respectively. The results show that the dimensionless penetration length increases with the increase of steam pressure and water temperature, and decreases with increase in nozzle exit inclination angle. Similarly, maximum expansion ratio of steam jet increases with steam pressure, water temperature and nozzle exit inclination angle. It was observed that steam jet exhausting from bevel nozzle undergoes deflection from its nozzle symmetry axis. The deflected angle increases with steam pressure and nozzle exit inclination angle. A theoretical model of steam jet length for bevelled nozzle has also been presented whose accuracy is found to be within ±30% of the experimental data. Additionally, condensation regime diagrams have been proposed on the basis of steam pressure, water temperature and nozzle exit inclination angle. Existence of seven different plume shapes in regime maps have been identified.