International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer
2020

Estimation of the pressure oscillation in geyser process occurring in cryogenic fluid pipeline

Y. Ma^a,b, Y.Z. Li^a,b, L. Wang^a, F.S. Xie^a, J.J. Wang^a
aXi’an Jiaotong University, Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenic Engineering, Xi’an, 710049, China
^bState Key Laboratory of Technologies in Space Cryogenic Propellants, Beijing, 100028, China

摘要：

Geyser is a complex two-phase flow instability phenomenon that may lead to safety issues in many energy fields. However, the understanding and studies of geyser physics are still limited. In the present paper, the evolution of thermal oscillation and energy storage process during geyser is visualized. Different kinds of geyser with particular pressure oscillation regimes are analyzed. A new dimensionless parameter of maximum energy storage ability (Ae) is proposed to quantitatively characterize geyser’s occurrence and intensity. The effects of Ae on the oscillation of thermal parameters in geyser are analyzed. And then a transition boundary of weak and strong geyser is divided based on a critical Ae value. It is found that the energy storage inside the pipe is an essential mechanism for the geyser occurrence. With more energy is stored inside the pipe, both the geyser occurrence possibility and intensity increase. Moreover, the amount of energy storage inside the pipe and the pressure oscillation regimes could be predicted by Ae integrating multiple fundamental parameters. More energy could be stored in the pipe and released in the eruption process as Ae increasing, and it eventually facilitates the occurrence of geyser or enhances an existing geyser. The Ae also has a critical transition boundary value between 3 and 4 reflecting geyser from weak to strong regime. When Ae exceeds 4, a strong geyser with a harmful pressure peak might occur.