Two-Phase Flow Modelling in A Solar Concentrator With Ammonia Evaporation
Two-Phase Flow Modelling in A Solar Concentrator With Ammonia Evaporation
*Centro de Investigación en Energía-UNAM, Apdo. Postal 34, 62580, Temixco, Morelos, México
°Centro de Investigación en Energía-UNAM, Posgrado en Ingeniería-Energía,
Apdo. Postal 34, 62580, Temixco, Morelos, México, [email protected]
ABSTRACT
A solar concentrator of the compound parabolic concentrator type was studied as a vapour generator in an ammonia-water
absorption solar refrigerator. A methodology was developed in order to analyse the evaporation process, where the
temperature lift associated with the ammonia evaporation and the forced convection two-phase flow were taken into
consideration.
The system was considered in steady state and a one-dimensional analysis was applied. In order to model the ammonia-
water mixture behaviour during the evaporation process, the local fluid temperature, the ammonia concentration in liquid and
vapour phases, and the vapour-liquid relation at the two-phase intermixture must be determined. Local thermodynamic
equilibrium between the liquid and vapour phases was supposed; since the mixture temperature changed with position, the
equilibrium conditions always changed.
A one-dimensional numerical simulation of the thermal and fluid-dynamic behaviour of two-phase flow had been
developed. The governing equations (continuity, momentum and energy) inside the tube, together with the energy equation in
the tube wall and the thermal analysis in the solar concentrator, were solved iteratively in a segregated manner. The discretized
governing equations in fluid flow were coupled using an implicit step-by-step method.
Where:
( f 8 )( Re− 1000 ) Pr k
α f ,l = (3)
1 + 12.7 ( f 8 ) ( Pr 2 3 − 1) Di
Figure 1. CPC with tubular receptor
Fluid flow analysis. For each CV, a set of algebraic The energy governing equation was written as:
equations was obtained by governing equations discretization
(continuity, momentum and energy). ∂ P V2 ∂ Vx2
The transient terms of the governing equations were ρV h f − + x + m f
h + = qu (14)
discretized using the approximation: ∂t ρ 2 ∂x 2
∂φ ∂t ≅ (φ − φ o ) ∆t where φ = h, P, T , ρ ,... (5) The outlet enthalpy was calculated from the discretized of
Eq.(14), and Eq.(8):
Where superscript “o” indicates the value of the previous
( 2π Din ∆x ) qwall − ami + bmi −1 + cAt ∆x ∆t
instant. hi = (15)
The receptor tube was divided in N control volumes: mi + mi −1 + ρtpo At ∆x ∆t
i
φi ≅ φi ≡ (φi + φi +1 ) 2 (7) (16)
b = xgVg + (1 − xg )Vl
2
− hi −1
i −1
Based on the numerical approaches indicated above, the
final form of the governing equations is given below.
c = 2 ( pi −1 − p o
i −1 ) − ρ (h o
tp i −1 ) (
− 2hi o−1 − ρVi −21 − ρ oVi o−12 )
The continuity governing equation was:
This formulation of conservation equations was applied to
∂ρ ∂ ρVx
+
(
=0
) (8)
transient two-phase flow, as well as particular cases of steady
flow or single-phase flow.
∂t ∂x
Receptor tube wall. The conduction in the internal tube
The outlet mass flow rate was obtained from the discretized wall was calculated assuming the following hypotheses: one-
of Eq.(8): dimensional transient temperature distribution. A
characteristic CV is shown in Figure 3, where P represents the
At ∆x central node, E and W indicate its neighbours. The CV-faces
mi = mi −1 −
∆t
( ρtp − ρtpo ) (9) are indicated by e, w, n and s.
ρtp = ε g ρ g + (1 − ε g ) ρl (10)
( )
Pi = Pi −1 − + xgVg + (1 − xg )Vl (12) fluxes were evaluated from the Fourier law, this was:
At ∆x i
m
∂T ∂T
( )
− xgVg + (1 − xg )Vl qe = −α e a qw = −α w a (18)
∆x i −1 ∂x e ∂x w
The following equation was obtained for each node of the
( )
grid: −1
α t−, a1 − c α t−, r1− ex + (α ra , r − c + α t , a − r )
−1
1
aTa ,i = bTa ,i +1 + cTa ,i −1 + d U L ,i = + (23)
(19) α t , c − ex α t−, a1 − c + α t−, r1− ex + (α ra , r − c + α t , a − r )−1
Where the coefficients were:
Where individual heat loss coefficients were:
k A k A A ∆x
a = w ta + e ta + α f ,i ps ∆x + ta ρ Cp α t ,c − ex = α co ,c − en + α ra ,c − sk
∆x ∆x ∆t
k A k A α t , r − ex = α co ,r − en + α ra , r − sk
b = e ta c = w ta (20) (24)
∆x ∆x α t , a − c = α co , a − c + α ra , a − c
Ata ∆x
d = (α f , i psT f , i + qu , i pn ) ∆x + ρ CpTwo,i α t , a − r = α co , a − r + α ra , a − r
∆t
Ac
The coefficients mentioned above were applicable for α co ,c − en = (5.7 + 3.8υ ) (25)
2 ≤ i ≤ N − 1 ; for i = 1 and i = N adequate coefficients were Aa
used to take into account the axial heat conduction or
temperature boundary conditions. The set of heat conduction Ar
discretized equations was solved using the algorithm TDMA α co , r − en = (5.7 + 3.8υ ) (26)
Aa
[23].
5.2 Boundary Conditions Where the reflector area Ar was calculated by:
π
The ammonia-water mixture was subcooled at the receptor
ϕinv
2 φ par + θ C + ϕ − cos (ϕ − θ C )
1
tube inlet, then mass flow, pressure, temperature and
composition were known, therefore inner enthalpy could be
Ar = Do ∆x + ∫ 2
2 φinv 1 + sen (ϕ − θ C )
32
dϕ
4
calculated. The heat flux or useful energy gain qu through the
receptor tube wall had to be known. The energy balance in (27)
the CPC components had to be work out in order to obtain
this heat flux. This value was calculated taken account the
solar energy transferred through the solar concentrator α co , a − r = 3.25 + 0.0085
(T a ,i − Tr , i )
(28)
components until the receptor tube wall. Next section details 2 Do
the procedure.
The useful energy gain depends on solar absorbed energy S σ (Ta2,i + Tc2,i ) (Ta ,i + Tc ,i )
that is equal to the incident solar energy reduced by optical α ra , a − c = (32)
losses in the concentrator [24]. Thereby, absorbed energy S is 1 Ac 1
+ − 1
distributed as useful energy gain and thermal losses in the ε c Aa ε a
cover, the reflector and the receptor tube, represented as the
overall heat loss coefficient UL.
α co , a − c = 3.25 + 0.0085
(T a ,i − Tc , i )
(33)
Solar absorbed energy. Solar absorbed energy S is a 2 Do
function of radiative properties of CPC components
σ (Ta2,i + Tr2,i ) (Ta ,i + Tr ,i )
(reflectance, emittance, absorptance, and transmittance) and
environmental conditions that depends on solar time (solar α ra , a − r = (34)
radiation, solar position, and environmental temperature). 1 − ε r (1 − ε a ) Ar
Solar absorber energy was calculated with the method showed +
εr ε a Aa
by Duffie and Beckman [24].
Tc ,i =
(α ra , a − c + α co, a − c )Ta ,i + α ra , c − sk Tsk
+
Morelos, Mexico (18°50.36’ N, 99°14.07’ W), and for March
15 at solar noon, when solar absorbed energy per unit of area
α ra , a − c + α co , a − c + α ra ,c − sk + α co ,c − en − α ra , r − c -2
is 649.3Wm (the day with the highest radiation level during
(35)
α co, c − enTen − α ra , r − cTr , i the 2000 year).
The materials specified for the CPC designed were: carbon
α ra , a − c + α co, a − c + α ra , c − sk + α co, c − en − α ra , r − c
steel for the receptor tube (thermal conductivity of 16.3W
-1
(mK) , absorptance of 0.85, and emittance of 0.80), glass for
the cover (absorptance of 0.05, emittance of 0.85, and
Tr ,i =
(α ra , a − r + α co , a − r )Ta ,i + α co ,r − enTen
+
reflectance of 0.05) and highly polished aluminium for the
reflectors (absorptance of 0.10, emittance of 0.03, and
α ra , a − r + α co , a − r + α co , r − en + α ra , r − sk − α ra , r − c
(36) reflectance of 0.85).
α ra , r − sk Tsk − α ra , r − cTc ,i The receptor tube length established for the analysis was
α ra , a − r + α co, a − r + α co, r − en + α ra , r − sk − α ra , r − c 45m, except for the cases were the evaporation process did
not start at 45m. The mass flow rate was of 0.048kg/s for all
the calculations, with exception of the length for the
5.4 Numerical Solver saturation analysis presented in Figure 7.
The component temperatures, mixture quality, convective
At each time step the solution process was carried out on heat transfer fluid coefficient, useful energy gain and overall
the basis of a global algorithm that, in each CV, solves in a heat loss coefficient were recorded for certain conditions. The
segregated manner the flow inside the receptor tube, the heat analysis shows that the pressure loss in the receptor tube is
conduction in the receptor tube wall and the heat transfer in not significant.
the solar concentrator, in order to calculate all the variables at Figure 4 shows the temperatures of the reflector, the cover,
the outlet section, with the known values at the inlet section the receptor tube wall and the ammonia-water mixture,
and the boundary conditions. calculated with Rivera and Best model. The temperature lift
The coupling between the three main subroutines was in the subcooled zone was about 40°C, this is because of the
performed iteratively for each time step following the low fluid mass rate, and the low thermal conductivity of the
procedure: receptor tube.
140
Fluid flow inside the internal tube. The equations were
solved considering the receptor tube wall temperature 120
distribution as boundary condition, evaluating the convective Ta
heat transfer in each CV.
TEMPERATURE / (° C)
100
2
50
Ata cross section area of receptor tube [m ]
-1 -1
Cp calorific capacity [J kg K ]
40 D diameter [m]
f friction factor
-1
30 h enthalpy [J kg ]
-1 -1
k thermal conductivity [W K m ]
20 L length [m]
-1
m mass flux [kg s ]
10
p perimeter [m]
P pressure [Pa]
0 -2
0,02 0,03 0,04 0,05 0,06 0,07 0,08 0,09 0,10 0,11 0,12 0,13 0,14 0,15 qu useful energy gain per unit of area [W m ]
-2
MASS FLOW / (kg / s) qwall heat flux per unit of area from fluid to wall [W m ]
-2
S solar absorbed energy per unit of area [W m ]
Figure 7. Length of receptor tube necessary to start the t time [s]
ammonia evaporation as a function of mass flow. T temperature [K]
-1 -2
UL overall heat loss coefficient [W K m ]
7 CONCLUSIONS V volume [m ]
3
-1
Vx velocity in the axial direction [m s ]
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Cooling Technologies, Int. J. Refrigeration, vol. 25, pp.
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