Abstract
An experimental study was conducted in order to investigate two-phase flow
regimes and fully developed pressure drop in a mini-size, horizontal
rectangular channel. The test section was machined in the form of an
impacting tee junction in an acrylic block (in order to facilitate
visualization) with a rectangular cross-section of 1.87-mm height on 20-mm
width on the inlet and outlet sides. Pressure drop measurement and flow
regime identification were performed on all three sides of the junction.
Air-water mixtures at 200 kPa (abs) and room temperature were used as the
test fluids. Four flow regimes were identified visually: bubbly, plug,
churn, and annular over the ranges of gas and liquid superficial
velocities of 0.04 ≤ JG ≤ 10 m/s and 0.02 ≤ JL ≤ 0.7 m/s, respectively,
and a flow regime map was developed. Accuracy of the pressure-measurement
technique was validated with single-phase, laminar and turbulent, fully
developed data. Two-phase experiments were conducted for eight different
inlet conditions and various mass splits at the junction. Comparisons were
conducted between the present data and former correlations for the fully
developed two-phase pressure drop in rectangular channels with similar
sizes. Wide deviations were found among these correlations, and the
correlations that agreed best with the present data were identified.
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