Similarity Analysis of Droplet Evaporation Trajectory in High-Temperature Gas Flow

Abstract

In this study, a similarity analysis of droplet evaporation trajectory in high-temperature air crossflow based on numerical calculations was conducted. The procedure used for modeling the evaporation of a water droplet involved the use of a low boiling point liquid droplet. The trajectories of water and acetone droplets over an extensive temperature range of 695–1194 K were investigated, and the relationships for the corresponding parameters of the two different droplets, as well as the scale effect, were discussed. The results identify the existence of a comparative trajectory for different kinds of droplets, as well as the main dimensionless numbers governing the trajectory, by determining the Reynolds, Stokes, and Nusselt numbers. For each given gas flow Reynolds number, the droplet evaporation trajectory has a unique correspondence with the airflow temperature. Given this, a method of calculation to determine the modeling parameters of the droplet and crossflow was proposed. The applicability of the similarity modeling method of a single droplet to the spray droplets was examined, from which the spray structure in high-temperature crossflow was obtained.

Additional information

Funding

The research is funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 51876167.

Notes on contributors

Haibin Zhang

Haibin Zhang is a Professor of Multiphase Flow and Heat Transfer at the Xi’an Jiaotong University, China. He obtained his Ph.D. in power engineering and engineering thermophysics at State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering of Xi’ an Jiaotong University in 2012. During 2014 to 2015, he worked at the Department of Chemical Engineering in Imperial College London as a visiting scholar with Prof. G. F. Hewitt. His current research focuses on experiments and modeling of multiphase flow and heat transfer, spray and atomization, evaporation, and mixing and their engineering applications. He has undertaken over 10 projects as the principal investigator and has published more than 30 papers in journals and conferences.

Bo Guan

Bo Guan is a master student at the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology of Xi’ an Jiaotong University, Xi’ an, Shanxi, China. He got his B.Eng. degree in process equipment and control engineering from China University of Petroleum (Beijing), China, in 2020. He is mainly engaged in the field of numerical simulation of gas-liquid two-phase flow processes, especially mass and heat transfer processes.

Bofeng Bai

Bofeng Bai is a Professor of the State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering at Xi’ an Jiaotong University, China. He is now the deputy director of the State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering. He has been funded by the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars. At present, he is working on fundamental issues on multiphase flows, multiphase flows in propulsion systems, petroleum engineering, and heat exchangers. He is an editorial board member of Interfacial Phenomena and Heat Transfer.

Feng Wu

Feng Wu is a researcher at AECC Sichuan Gas Turbine Establishment, China. He is mainly engaged in the research of aero-engine whole-engine tests and virtual test technology.

Quanzhong Xia

Quanzhong Xia is a senior engineer at AECC Chengdu Establishment, China. He is engaged in the research of aero-engine testing technology. He has received several awards for his work from AECC. He has undertaken a number of basic research projects of "Aero-engine and Gas Turbine". He is a member of AECC standards planning team of aero-engine testing field and responsible for the environment and swallowing tests.