The bubbly-slug transition in a boiling two-phase flow under microgravityA theory is presented to describe, in reduced gravity flow boiling, the transition from bubbly two-phase flow to slug flow. It is shown that characteristics of the bubbly flow and the transition were controlled by the mechanism of vapor bubble growth dynamics. By considering in nucleate boiling, behavior of vapor bubbles at departure from a heated surface a condition required for transition was determined. Although required, this condition alone could not ensure coalescence of bubbles to cause the transition to slug two-phase flow. The condition leading to coalescence, therefore, was obtained by examining oscillations of vapor bubbles following their departure from the heated surface. The predicted transition conditions were compared with the prediction and test data reported for adiabatic reduced gravity two-phase flow, and good qualitative agreement was found.
Document ID
19930062587
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Kiper, Ali M. (George Washington Univ. Washington, United States)
Swanson, T. D. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)