Liquid-vapor flow regime transitions for use in design of heat transfer loops in spacecraft: An investigation of two-phase flow in zero gravity conditions
Abstract
The behavior of viscous (or low velocity) two-phase vapor-liquid flow under zero gravity was simulated in the laboratory by using two immiscible fluids of equal density flowing together in a one inch diameter glass tube. The fluids used were Polypropylene Glycol (PPG) which simulated the liquid phase and water which simulated the vapor phase. Various tests were conducted varying flow rates and entrance conditions. Four existing flow regime models were analyzed, modeled on a computer, and extrapolated to predict zero-gravity conditions. The flow regimes were the Horizontal Dukler-Taitel, Vertical Dukler-Taitel, Vertical Weisman and Horizontal Weisman. None of these models when extrapolated to zero-g conditions agreed well with the lab data, and some of the observed flow regimes were not predicted at all.
- Publication:
-
NASA STI/Recon Technical Report N
- Pub Date:
- May 1985
- Bibcode:
- 1985STIN...8619559L
- Keywords:
-
- Flow Velocity;
- Heat Transfer;
- Loops;
- Prediction Analysis Techniques;
- Two Phase Flow;
- Weightlessness Simulation;
- Computerized Simulation;
- Extrapolation;
- Glycols;
- Liquid Phases;
- Models;
- Polypropylene;
- Vapor Phases;
- Viscous Fluids;
- Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer