Single Phase and Two Phase Pressure Drops Across Sudden Contraction in Horizontal Rectangular Minichannel

Abstract

This paper presents experimental investigations on the effects of liquid properties on pressure drop for both single-phase and two-phase flows through sudden contraction in horizontal rectangular minichannel. In order to know the effects, water and viscoelastic liquid, namely 0.1 wt% polyacrylamide (PAM) aqueous solution are selected as the working liquid, while air as the working gas. Liquid single-phase and air-liquid twophase flow experiments were conducted at room temperature using a horizontal rectangular mini-channel with a sudden contraction. The cross-sectional dimensions of the channel with the height (H), the width (W) and the hydraulic diameter (D H) for the narrow channel are 2.79 mm, 3.09 mm and 2.94 mm, while those for the wide channel are 2.95 mm, 5.98 mm and 3.95 mm. The local pressure upstream and downstream from the contraction were measured with calibrated pressure transducer to determine the pressure drop due to the contraction. As an analysis, the resulting data on the pressure drop at the contraction were compared with several correlations in literature. Results of such experiment and analysis are reported in the present paper.

Non-Newtonian Two-Phase Flow Characteristics across Sudden Expansion in Horizontal Rectangular Minichannel

“…A schematic diagram of the test facility in the present study is shown in Figure 1, being the same as that used in our previous study [13]- [16]. Pressurized air from a compressor pushed the test liquid in a tank and supplies it to the test channel.…”

“…Recently, Santoso et al [14]- [16] in our group have investigated two-phase flow characteristic in rectangular minichannel with sudden expansion and sudden contraction in a horizontal plane. The cross-sectional sizes of the channel were from 3.09 mm by 2.79 mm to 5.98 mm by 2.95 mm for the sudden expansion and vice versa for the sudden contraction.…”