Multiphase Flow and Heat Transfer

ME546

-Sudheer Siddapureddy
sudheer@iitp.ac.in
 Two Phase Flow

Reference:
S. Mostafa Ghiaasiaan, Two-Phase Flow, Boiling and Condensation,
Cambridge University Press.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511619410
 Two Phase Flow - Introduction

• Two phase flows are commonly found in ordinary life and in

industrial processes
• Gas-liquid flow also occurs in boiling and condensation
operations
• Inside pipelines which carry oil or gas alone, but which actually
carry a mixture of oil and gas.
 Two Phase Flow – How They Differs

Single phase flow

Laminar, transition, and turbulent
When the flow regime changes from laminar to turbulent
the personality of the fluid completely changes
the phenomena governing the transport processes change
Two phase flow
Similar situation
However, there is a multitude of flow regimes
The behavior of a gas–liquid mixture depends strongly on the
flow regimes.
Methods for predicting the major flow regimes are required,
for the modeling and analysis of two-phase flow systems
 Two Phase Flow Patterns

Morphological variations
1. Δρ between phases. Respond differently to gravity and
centrifugal forces
2. The deformability of the gas-liquid interphase that often
results in incessant coalescence and breakup processes
3. Surface tension forces, maintains one phase dispersal
 Two Phase Flow Patterns

Morphological variations
1. Δρ between phases. Respond differently to gravity and
centrifugal forces
2. The deformability of the gas-liquid interphase that often
results in incessant coalescence and breakup processes
3. Surface tension forces, maintains one phase dispersal
Flow regimes and their ranges of occurrence are sensitive to
• fluid properties, system configuration/and orientation, size
scale of the system, occurrence of phase change, etc.
• Most widely used: steady-state and adiabatic air-water and
steam-water in uniform-cross-section long vertical pipes, or
large vertical rod bundles with uniform inlet conditions
 Basic Definitions

Quality and void fractions are two parameters which characterize

two-phase flows.

Equilibrium Quality
ℎ − ℎ𝑓
𝑥𝑒 =
ℎ𝑓𝑔
 Quality

Flow quality
𝑚𝑔
𝑥=
𝑚𝑔 + 𝑚𝑓
Represents the true flow fraction of vapor in a flow stream,
irrespective of whether equilibrium exists or not
Static quality
𝑚𝑔
𝑥𝑠 =
𝑚𝑔 + 𝑚𝑓
Represents mass fraction of vapor phase at a particular cross
section. The static quality is important for a closed system
thermodynamic analysis and in nuclear applications for such
things are reactivity calculations.
 Void Fraction

Void Fraction: Time averaged volume fraction of the vapor in a

two phase control volume.

𝑉𝑔
𝑑𝑉 𝑉𝑔 Δ𝑧 𝐴𝑔
𝑑𝐴𝐴𝑔
𝛼= = = =
𝑉
𝑑𝑉 𝑉𝑔 + 𝑉𝑓 Δ𝑧 𝐴
𝑑𝐴 𝐴

In choosing a control volume of thickness Δz, the randomness and

transient is left in the area term. Void fraction, like the flow is a
random, fluctuating quantity. However, it is assumed that the VF is
a stationary random process such that the simple time average
and ensemble average are the same such that the void fraction as
defined above is a time-averaged deterministic quantity.
 Velocity

Phase Velocity: The one-dimensional velocity of each phase is

defined as the volumetric flow of the given phase through its
individual phase cross sectional area.
𝑄𝑓 𝑄𝑔
𝑢𝑓 = , 𝑢𝑔 =
𝐴𝑓 𝐴𝑔

Volumetric flux or Superficial velocity: Volumetric flow of a

particular phase divided by the total flow area of the field.
𝑄𝑓 𝑄𝑔
𝑗𝑓 = , 𝑗𝑔 =
𝐴 𝐴
Vertical, Co-current, Upward Flow
Vertical, Co-current, Upward Flow
Vertical Co-current Flow (Adiabatic)
Vertical Co-current Flow (Adiabatic)

Bubbly – bubbles are of uniform size.

Least interaction at very low QG, but
increase in number density with QG.
At higher QG, bubbles interact,
leading to their coalescence and
breakup.
Plug/Slug – Forms very large
bubbles. Bullet-shaped (Taylor
bubbles) with hemispherical caps
and are separated by liquid slugs
(contains small bubbles). The
maximum Ls/D ~ 16,
Churn – highly unstable/chaotic
motion flow of an oscillatory nature:
the liquid near the tube wall
continually pulses up and down.
Vertical Co-current Flow (Adiabatic)

Wispy annular - The liquid in the

film is aerated by small gas bubbles
and the entrained liquid phase
appears as large droplets which have
agglomerated into long irregular
filaments or wisps.
Annular – liquid travels partly as an
annular film on the walls of the tube
and partly as small drops distributed
in the gas which flows in the center
of the tube
 Vertical Co-current Flow (Boiling Channels)

Inverted-annular – This flow regime takes place in channels subject to high

wall heat fluxes and leads to an undesirable departure from nucleate
boiling.
Dispersed-droplet – superheated vapor containing entrained droplets flows
in a dry channel. Occurs when massive evaporation has already caused the
depletion of most of the liquid.
Flow regimes of air-water flow in a
2.6 cm diameter vertical tube
Horizontal, Co-current
Horizontal, Co-current – Low Liquid Flow Rate
Horizontal, Co-current – High Liquid Flow Rate
 Horizontal Co-current Flow (Adiabatic)

Bubbly – bubbles flows on top

Plug – Small bubbles have
coalesced to produce long plugs
Stratified – interface is smooth.
This doesn’t occur usually
Wavy – wave amplitude increases
as the gas velocity increases
Slug – wave amplitude is so large
that the wave touches top of tube
Annular – similar to vertical
annular flow except that the liquid
film is much thicker at the bottom
of the tube than at the top.
Horizontal, Co-current
 Idealized Response of a Void Fraction Probe

Various instruments like gamma ray densitometry, capacitance

probe and resistance probes give the distribution of void fraction
Results are rarely so conclusive
 Summary

1. Flow regimes and conditions depends on

• geometry: size, shape, aspect ratio of channel, flow
disturbances
• liquid properties: σ, μ, ρl/ρg
 Summary

1. Flow regimes and conditions depends on

• geometry: size, shape, aspect ratio of channel, flow
disturbances
• liquid properties: σ, μ, ρl/ρg
2. Basic regimes occur in all system configurations.
 Summary

1. Flow regimes and conditions depends on

• geometry: size, shape, aspect ratio of channel, flow
disturbances
• liquid properties: σ, μ, ρl/ρg
2. Basic regimes occur in all system configurations.
3. There could be multitude of subtle flow regimes.
 Summary

1. Flow regimes and conditions depends on

• geometry: size, shape, aspect ratio of channel, flow
disturbances
• liquid properties: σ, μ, ρl/ρg
2. Basic regimes occur in all system configurations.
3. There could be multitude of subtle flow regimes.
4. The regime change boundaries are generally difficult to define
due to the occurrence of extensive “transitional” regimes
 Summary

1. Flow regimes and conditions depends on

• geometry: size, shape, aspect ratio of channel, flow
disturbances
• liquid properties: σ, μ, ρl/ρg
2. Basic regimes occur in all system configurations.
3. There could be multitude of subtle flow regimes.
4. The regime change boundaries are generally difficult to define
due to the occurrence of extensive “transitional” regimes
5. Bubbly, plug/slug, churn, annular flows also occur in
minichannels (100 μm ≤ D ≤ 1 mm)
 Summary

1. Flow regimes and conditions depends on

• geometry: size, shape, aspect ratio of channel, flow
disturbances
• liquid properties: σ, μ, ρl/ρg
2. Basic regimes occur in all system configurations.
3. There could be multitude of subtle flow regimes.
4. The regime change boundaries are generally difficult to define
due to the occurrence of extensive “transitional” regimes
5. Bubbly, plug/slug, churn, annular flows also occur in
minichannels (100 μm ≤ D ≤ 1 mm)
6. Regimes in phase change are significantly different from
adiabatic
 Flow Pattern Maps

Flow pattern maps are 2D graphs to separate the space into areas
corresponding to the various flow patterns

Hewitt and Roberts Map – Vertical upflow in a tube

Baker Map – Horizontal flow
Taitel and Dukler Map – Horizontal flow
Vertical, Co-current: Hewitt and Roberts

Gas Mass Flow Rate

Gg 
Tube Cross sectional Area

Liquid Mass Flow Rate

Gl 
Tube Cross sectional Area

This map works

reasonably well for
water-air and
water-steam systems
over a range of
pressures, again in
small diameter tubes
 Baker’s Map (1954) - Modified Scott (1963)

• One of the earliest flow pattern maps for horizontal adiabatic

flow
• Developed based on air-water data
• Identifies stratified, plug, slug, wavy, annular, bubbly flow
patterns
 Procedure to Use Baker’s Map (1954)

Determine mass velocities of the liquid (Gl) and vapor (Gg)

Calculate gas-phase parameter λ and liquid-phase parameter ψ
0.5
𝜌𝑔 𝜌𝑙 Gas Mass Flow Rate
𝜆= Gg 
𝜌air 𝜌water Tube Cross sectionalArea

1
2 3
𝜎water 𝜇𝑙 𝜌water Gl 
Liquid Mass Flow Rate
𝜓= Tube Cross sectionalArea
𝜎 𝜇water 𝜌𝑙
 Procedure to Use Baker’s Map (1954)

Determine mass velocities of the liquid (Gl) and vapor (Gg)

Calculate gas-phase parameter λ and liquid-phase parameter ψ
0.5
𝜌𝑔 𝜌𝑙 Gas Mass Flow Rate
𝜆= Gg 
𝜌air 𝜌water Tube Cross sectionalArea

1
2 3
𝜎water 𝜇𝑙 𝜌water Gl 
Liquid Mass Flow Rate
𝜓= Tube Cross sectionalArea
𝜎 𝜇water 𝜌𝑙
• Properties of air and water are evaluated at standard
atmospheric pressure and room temperature
• Standard dimensionless parameters λ and ψ take into account
the variation in the properties of the fluid
 Horizontal, Co-current: Baker (1954)

Works for R12 in 8 mm diameter horizontal tube

 Taitel and Dukler Map, 1976

• Proposed in 1976 for horizontal flow in tube

• Originally developed for adiabatic flow with no phase change
• The map uses Martinelli parameter (Xtt) the gas Froude number
(FrG) and the parameters T and K
Procedure
 Taitel and Dukler Map, 1976

• Proposed in 1976 for horizontal flow in tube

• Originally developed for adiabatic flow with no phase change
• The map uses Martinelli parameter (X) the gas Froude number
(Frg) and the parameters T and K
Procedure
• If (Frg, X) falls in annular flow regime, then the flow is
• If (Frg, X) falls in the lower left zone
• Using (K, X), identify stratified-wavy or fully stratified
• If (Frg, X) falls in the right zone
• Using (T, X), identify bubbly or intermittent (plug/slug)
The map was tested for condensation with water, methanol,
propanol, R113, N-pentane in 24.4 mm tube
 𝐺𝑔
𝐹𝑟𝑔 = 1
𝜌𝑔 𝜌𝑙 − 𝜌𝑔 𝐷𝑔 2

1
𝑑𝑝/𝑑𝑧 𝐿
2
𝑇=
𝑔 𝜌𝑙 − 𝜌𝑔
1
𝐾= 𝐹𝑟𝑔 𝑅𝑒𝑙2
1
𝑑𝑝/𝑑𝑧 𝑙
2
𝑋=
𝑑𝑝/𝑑𝑧 𝑔
𝐺𝑓 𝐷
Re𝑓 = , 𝑓 is either 𝑔 or 𝑙
𝜇𝑓
2𝑓𝑓 𝐺𝑓2
𝑑𝑝/𝑑𝑧 𝑓 =
𝜌𝑓 𝐷
16
, Re𝑓 ≤ 2000
Re𝑓
𝑓𝑓 =
0.079
, Re𝑓 > 2000
Re𝑓
 Problem: Flow Pattern in Vertical and Horizontal

Find the flow pattern when 4 kg/s of steam-water mixture of

quality 20% at 20 bar flows in a 0.1 m circular tube.
ρl = 850 kg/m3, ρg = 10 kg/m3, μl = 128×10-6 Pa s, μg = 16×10-6 Pa s
 Problem: Flow Pattern in Vertical and Horizontal

Find the flow pattern when 4 kg/s of steam-water mixture of

quality 20% at 20 bar flows in a 0.1 m circular tube.
ρl = 850 kg/m3, ρg = 10 kg/m3, μl = 128×10-6 Pa s, μg = 16×10-6 Pa s
𝐺𝑔
Quality, 𝑥 =
𝐺
 Problem: Flow Pattern in Vertical and Horizontal

Find the flow pattern when 4 kg/s of steam-water mixture of

quality 20% at 20 bar flows in a 0.1 m circular tube.
ρl = 850 kg/m3, ρg = 10 kg/m3, μl = 128×10-6 Pa s, μg = 16×10-6 Pa s
𝐺𝑔
Quality, 𝑥 =
𝐺
Vertical Upflow:

4 2s
𝐺= = 509 kg/m
𝜋 0.12 /4
𝐺𝑔 = 𝑥𝐺 = 102 kg/m2 s
𝐺𝑙 = 1 − 𝑥 𝐺
 Problem: Flow Pattern in Vertical and Horizontal

Find the flow pattern when 4 kg/s of steam-water mixture of

quality 20% at 20 bar flows in a 0.1 m circular tube.
ρl = 850 kg/m3, ρg = 10 kg/m3, μl = 128×10-6 Pa s, μg = 16×10-6 Pa s
𝐺𝑔
Quality, 𝑥 =
𝐺
Horizontal flow:

4 2s
𝐺= = 509 kg/m
𝜋 0.12 /4
𝐺𝑔 = 𝑥𝐺 = 102 kg/m2 s
𝐺𝑙 = 1 − 𝑥 𝐺