GAS-DROPLET FLOW STRUCTURE AND HEAT TRANSFER IN AN AXISYMMETRIC DIFFUSER WITH A SUDDEN EXPANSION

This paper presents the results of a numerical study of the effect of a positive longitudinal pressure gradient in a pipe with a sudden expansion on the turbulent two-phase flow structure and local heat transfer. It is shown that a longitudinal pressure gradient has a significant effect on flow characteristics and heat transfer in separated gas-droplet flow. Increasing the diffuser opening angle leads to a significant increase in the degree of flow turbulence (almost twofold increase compared to gas-droplet flow in a pipe with a sudden expansion at $$\varphi=0^\circ$$ ). It is found that in the flow under study, the length of the recirculation zone is significantly increased in comparison with separation gas-droplet flow at $$\varphi=0^\circ$$ and the point of maximum heat transfer rate is shifted downstream. Furthermore, the coordinate of the point of maximum heat transfer rate does not coincide with the coordinate of the reattachment point of the detached two-phase flow.