Accurate and efficient computations of phase-changing flows in thermal vapor compressors. (5th January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Min, Daeho; Kim, Hyeongjun; Lee, Hoon; Lee, Chaesoo; Kim, Chongam
• Is Part Of: Applied thermal engineering. Volume 128(2018)
• Page Start: 320
• Page End: 334
• Publication Date: 2018-01-05
• Subjects: 00-01 -- 99-00; Heat engineering -- Periodicals; Heating -- Equipment and supplies -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 621.40205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2017.08.149
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-4311

Abstract

Abstract: This paper focuses on the limitations of single-phase computations which have been widely applied to the numerical simulations of flow fields around thermal vapor compressors (TVCs), and provides computational improvements through multi-phase flow modeling and analysis. In order to capture the multi-phase flow physics accurately and provide reliable results, several numerical methods and models, including the shock-stable multi-phase AUSMPW+ scheme, phase-changing models, cell-by-cell adaptive mesh refinement technique, and the IAPWS-97 equation of states, are combined into a numerical solver. We then simulate various TVC systems and compare the computed system performance and local flow physics between the single- and multi-phase computations. Based on the computational results and comparisons, we examine phase-changing process and its influence on two major local physical features, namely shock-train region and shear layer.