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Performance assessment of the evaporator tubes of a natural circulation boiler by different two-phase flow models

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Abstract

The objective of the present work is to evaluate the performance of the evaporator tubes of a natural circulation boiler under different operating pressure and heat flux. A significant concern of the present work is assessing the dry-out/critical heat flux limit and the critical circulation ratio (CR) of an existing evaporator downcomer system of a natural circulation boiler. The analysis of these parameters is crucial from a safe operation perspective. To carry out the study, three two-phase flow models, namely homogeneous flow model (HFM), separated flow model (SFM), and drift-flux model (DFM), are developed. The sensitivity of the models on various thermo-hydraulic parameters, change of flow regime, and circulation ratio is assessed. A rigorous validation exercise is carried out for a host of experimental, numerical, and plant design data pertaining to two-phase flow thermosyphon. The results indicate that the safe circulation ratio at low (< 40 bar) and intermediate (40–80 bar) pressure predicted by HFM is relatively high and differs substantially from the two other models. However, beyond 80 bar pressure (high operating pressure), the CR predicted by different models is considerably less and in closer agreement with each other. The practical boiler performance studies with different capacities indicate that the maximum difference of critical heat flux predicted by different models for boilers of different capacities lies within a 15% margin. These data will help the engineers associated with boiler operation and the associated persons with the boiler design sector.

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Abbreviations

\(C\) :

Coefficient

\(C_{{{\text{dp}}}}\) :

Distribution parameter

\(C_{{\text{f}}}\) :

Friction factor

\(C_{{{\text{f}}_{0} }}\) :

Friction factor for water

\(d\) :

Diameter

\({\text{d}}T\) :

Temperature difference

\(F_{{{\text{sub}}}}\) :

Subcooling factor

\(G\) :

Mass flux of mixer inside the evaporator

\(G_{{\text{D}}}\) :

Mass flux of water in downcomer

\(g\) :

Gravitational acceleration

\(H\) :

Height

\(H_{{{\text{sub}}}}\) :

Subcooled length

\(h\) :

Enthalpy

\(h_{ws}\) :

Latent heat \(\left( { = h_{s} - h_{w} } \right)\)

\(h_{2P}\) :

Multiphase heat transfer coefficient

\(j\) :

Drift-flux

\(m\) :

Mass flow rate

\(m_{{{\text{total}}}}\) :

Total mass flow rate

\(m_{{{\text{steam}}}}\) :

Total mass flow rate of steam

\(n\) :

Number of tubes

\(P\) :

Pressure

\(q\) :

Heat flux

\(R_{f}\) :

Diameter ratio \(\left( {{{ = d_{w} } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{ = d_{w} } {d_{r} }}} \right. \kern-0pt} {d_{r} }}} \right)\)

\(R_{n}\) :

Tube ratio \(\left( {{{ = n{}_{w}} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{ = n{}_{w}} {n{}_{r}}}} \right. \kern-0pt} {n{}_{r}}}} \right)\)

\(T\) :

Temperature

\(u\) :

Velocity

\(\overline{u}_{jg}\) :

Mean drift velocity

\(u_{jg}\) :

Drift velocity of the gaseous phase

\(u_{mx}\) :

Mixer velocity

\(V\) :

Volume

\(v\) :

Specific volume

\(v_{ws}\) :

Specific volume difference \(\left( { = v_{s} - v_{w} } \right)\)

\(w\) :

Work done

\(x\) :

Steam quality

\(X\) :

Martinelli parameter

\(z\) :

Vertical direction

\(\alpha\) :

Void fraction

\(\mu\) :

Viscosity

\(\phi_{{f_{0} }}^{2}\) :

Two-phase flow multiplier

\(\theta\) :

Inclination angle

\(\rho\) :

Density

\(\sigma\) :

Surface tension

\(\tau\) :

Shear stress

\(\Delta \rho\) :

Density difference \(\left( { = \rho_{f} - \rho_{g} } \right)\)

amb :

Ambient

e :

Exit

\(f\) :

Water phase

\(g\) :

Vapor phase

\(mx\) :

Mixer phase

\(r\) :

Evaporator tubes

\(r\_out\) :

Evaporator tube outside

sat :

Saturated

\(w\) :

Downcomer tubes

\(w\_out\) :

Downcomer tube outside

\({\text{wall}}\) :

Evaporator tubes wall

wall_out :

Evaporator tubes wall outside

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The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College, Jalpaiguri, WB, India

    Md Naim Hossain

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India

    Koushik Ghosh & Nirmal K. Manna

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  1. Md Naim Hossain
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  2. Koushik Ghosh
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  3. Nirmal K. Manna
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Contributions

“MNH developed the model, carried out the work, and generated all results including validation studies. He gave an active effort in the interpretation and organization of the results. Further, he took an effort in writing the first draft of the manuscript. KG conceptualized the problem and took an active role in developing the multiphase model and methodology used in the work. He also gave an effort in the interpretation of results. He also revised the final draft of the paper and took an active effort in the organization of the manuscript. NKM took an active role in reviewing the paper. He also took the role of guidance to write the paper.”

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Correspondence to Md Naim Hossain.

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Hossain, M.N., Ghosh, K. & Manna, N.K. Performance assessment of the evaporator tubes of a natural circulation boiler by different two-phase flow models. J Braz. Soc. Mech. Sci. Eng. 45, 425 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40430-023-04354-z

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