• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.741-748
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• 2002

The present study investigated the two-phase flow characteristics of refrigerant R-22 in T-branch with horizontal and vertical inlet tube The key experimental parameters were the orientation of inlet and branch tubes (horizontal and vertical), diameter ratio of branch tube to inlet tube (1 and 0.61), inlet mass flux (200~500 kg/$m^2$s) and inlet quality (0.1~0.4). Predicted pressure profile agreed with the measured data within 25.4%. The flow distribution ratio decreased as the mass flux increased. The flow distribution ratio decreased by 12~25% as the tube diameter ratio decreased from 1 to 0.61, and decreased by 38~47% as the orientation of branch changed from horizontal to vertical upward for horizontal inlet tubes. As the orientation of inlet tube changed from horizontal to vertical upward for horizontal branch, the flow distribution ratio increased by 15~68%, but the quality in the branch tube decreased by 28~92% due to phase separation.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.9 no.6 s.39
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• pp.9-16
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• 2006

Performance characteristics of an axial flow fan having distorted inlet flow have been investigated using numerical analysis as well as experiment. Two kinds of hub-cap, rounded and right-angled front shape, are tested to investigate the effect of inlet flow distortion on the fan performance. Numerical solutions are validated in comparison with experimental data measured by a five-hole probe downstream of the fan rotor. It is found from the numerical results that non-uniform axial inlet velocity profile near the hub results in the change of inlet flow angle. Large recirculation flow upstream the fan rotor for the right-angled hub-cap induces a negative incidence, thus invokes separated flow on the blade surfaces and deteriorates the performance of fan rotor.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.217-224
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• 1995

The effects of duct inlet conditions on fan characteristics and upper wind velocity fields were investigated for two kinds of impellers. As the duct inlet condition, the relative positions between duct inlet and fan impeller and the size of baffle plate mounted on a duct inlet were selected. The 3-dimensional velocity components in flow fields were measured by a 5-holes pitot tube. From the results of measurements, it was found that the size of baffle plate scarecely effect on upper wind flow fields and characteristics of fan. It was also confirmed that the upper wind velocity distributions can be estimated by the potential flow field with large baffle plate at duct inlet.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.326-333
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• 2013

This paper presents the performance enhancement of a double-inlet centrifugal blower by the shape optimization of an inlet duct. Two design variables, a length of anti circulation vane and an angles of inlet guide, are introduced to improve the inlet flow uniformity leading to the blower performance. Three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations are used to analyze the blower performance and the internal flow of the blower. From the shape optimization of the inlet duct of the double-inlet centrifugal blower, the optimal positions of each design variable are determined. Throughout the analysis of sensitivity, it is found that the angle of the inlet guide is more effective than the length of the anti-circulation vane to increase flow uniformity at the outlet of the duct. Efficiency and pressure for the optimal inlet duct shape are successfully increased up to 3.55% and 3.2% compared to those of reference blower at the design flow condition, respectively. Detailed flow field inside the blower is also analyzed and compared.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.36-47
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• 2000

Three-dimensional compressible turbulent flow fields within the passage of a diffusing S-duct have been simulated by solving the Navier-Stokes equations with SIMPLE scheme. The average inlet Mach number is 0.6 and the Reynolds number based on the inlet diameter is $1.76{\times}10^6$ The extended $k-{\varepsilon}$ turbulence model is applied to modeling the Reynolds stresses. Computed results of the flow in a circular diffusing S-duct provide an understanding of the flow structure within a typical engine inlet system. These are compared with experimental wall static-pressure, total-pressure fields, and secondary velocity profiles. Additionally, boundary layer thickness, skin friction values, and streamlines in the symmetric plane are presented. The computed results depict the interaction between the low energy flow by the flow separation and the high energy flow by the reversed duct curvature. The computed results obtained using the extended $k-{\varepsilon}$ turbulence model.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2002.08a
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• pp.611-614
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• 2002

Rotating stall in vaneless diffusers of centrifugal compressor occurs in the diffuser wall due to flow separation at large inlet flow angle. For this reason, the critical inlet flow angles are suggested by several researchers. Beyond this critical angle, flow separates in the diffuser, and develops into rotating stall. This paper studied this critical flow angle. Rotating stall is measured through eight fast-response pressure transducers which are equally spaced around the circumference at the inlet and exit of a vaneless diffuser. Experiments are done from 20000rpm to 60000rpm for the diffuser stall. Two-cell structure which rotates at $6{\~}l0{\%}$ of impeller speed is fully developed at $20000{\~}40000rpm$, and three-cell structure which rotates at $7{\~}9{\%}$ of impeller speed is fully developed at $50000{\~}60000rpm$. This paper shows that the critical inlet flow angle is not constant but related with tip speed of impeller. As tip speed increases, so does the critical inlet flow angle.

• International Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.130-136
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• 2008

The refrigerant R-134a flow distributions are experimentally studied for a round header/ten flat tube test section simulating a brazed aluminum heat exchanger. Three different inlet orientations(parallel, normal, vertical) were investigated. Tests were conducted with downward flow for the mass flux from 70 to 130 $kg/m^2s$ and quality from 0.2 to 0.6. In the test section, tubes were flush-mounted with no protrusion into the header. It is shown that normal and vertical inlet yielded approximately similar flow distribution. At high mass fluxes or high qualities, however, slightly better results were obtained for normal inlet configuration. The flow distribution was worst for the parallel inlet configuration. Possible explanation is provided based on flow visualization results.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.324-330
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• 2013

The main objective of this work is to experimentally investigate the effect of inlet geometries on the distribution of two-phase annular flow at header-channel junctions simulating the corresponding parts of compact heat exchangers. The cross-section of the header and the channels were fixed to $16mm{\times}16mm$ and $12mm{\times}1.8mm$, respectively. Experiments were performed for the mass flux and the mass quality ranges of $30{\sim}140kg/m^2s$ and 0.3~0.7, respectively. Air and water were used as the test fluids. Three different inlet geometries of the header were tested:no restriction (case A), a single 8 mm hole at the center (case B), and nine 2 mm holes around the center (case C) at the inlet, respectively. The tendencies of the two-phase flow distribution were different, in each case. For cases B and C (flow resistance exists), more uniform flow distribution results were seen, compared with case A(no flow resistance), due to the flow pattern change to mist flow from annular flow at the inlet, and the flow recirculation near the end plate of the header.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.7
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• pp.2540-2549
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• 2022

For a pressurized water reactor power plant, the reactor coolant pump (RCP) is a kernel component. And for a canned motor RCP, the rotor system's properties determines its safety. The liquid coolant inside the canned motor RCP fills clearance between the metal shields of rotor and stator, forming a lengthy clearance flow. The influence of inlet preswirl on rotordynamic coefficients of clearance flow in canned motor RCP and their effects on the rotordynamic characteristics of the pump are numerically and experimentally investigated in this work. A quasi-steady state computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method has been used to investigate the influence of inlet preswirl. A vertical experiment rig has also been established for this purpose. Rotordynamic coefficients on different inlet preswirl ratios (IR) are obtained through CFD and experiment. Results show that the cross-coupled stiffness of the clearance flow would change significantly with inlet preswirl, but other rotordynamic coefficients would not change significantly with inlet preswirl. For the case of clearance flow between the stator and rotor cans, influence of inlet preswirl is not so significant as the IR is not large enough.

• Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.198-214
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• 2016

Oval substrates are widely used in automobiles to reduce the exhaust emissions in Diesel oxidation Catalyst of CI engine. Because of constraints in space and packaging Oval substrate is preferred rather than round substrate. Obtaining the flow uniformity is very challenging in oval substrate comparing with round substrate. In this present work attempts are made to optimize the inlet cone design to achieve the optimal flow uniformity with the help of CATIA V5 which is 3D design tool and CFX which is 3D CFD tool. Initially length of inlet cone and mass flow rate of exhaust stream are analysed to understand the effects of flow uniformity and pressure drop. Then short straight cones and angled cones are designed. Angled cones have been designed by two methodologies. First methodology is rotating flow inlet plane along the substrate in shorter or longer axis. Second method is shifting the flow inlet plane along the longer axis. Large improvement in flow uniformity is observed when the flow inlet plane is shifted along the direction of longer axis by 10, 20 and 30 mm away from geometrical centre. When the inlet plane is rotated again based on 30 mm shifted geometry, significant improvement at rotation angle of $20^{\circ}$ is observed. The flow uniformity is optimum when second shift is performed based on second rotation. This present work shows that for an oval substrate flow, uniformity index can be optimized when inlet cone is angled by rotation of flow inlet plane along axis of substrate.