A numerical technique for analysis of transient two-phase flow in a vertical tube using the Drift Flux Model

This paper presents a numerical solution of one-dimensional transient two-phase flow in a vertical channel using the Drift Flux Model (DFM). The DFM treats the two phases as a mixture, but allows slippage between the gas and the liquid phase. The DFM was used for the calculation of velocity and fraction of each phase, combined with the most relevant closure relationships models for condensation, wall evaporation, and phasic velocities. The solution of the three conservation equations for the mixture and a continuity equation for the gas phases is obtained by a semi-implicit numerical method. A finite volume method is used to discretize the governing equations on a staggered grid in the computational domain. Satisfactory agreement is shown between predicted void fraction, RELAP5 code and available experimental data under both transient and steady state conditions. Numerical solution was also obtained for a wide two-phase flow conditions: system pressure, surface heat flux, mass flow rate and inlet sub-cooling to check the model ability to predict void fraction accurately. It is concluded, therefore, that the DFM is able to predict void fraction in subcooled flow boiling with sufficient accuracy. For pressures lower than 30 bars, the DFM overestimated the void fraction in comparison with the experimental data by about 15%. The model requires less computational power to simulate than other approaches and has no limitations on the nodalization process for numerical stability. It is therefore expected that development of presented model will be useful for the assessment of experimental data, as well as performing pre-test numerical experimentation.

► A numerical technique for transient two-phase flow in a vertical channel using the Drift Flux Model is presented.
► The proposed model was validated for wide range two-phase flow parameters.
► Good agreement between the predicted void fraction, RELAP5 code and the experimental data was obtained.
► The analysis lead to a better understanding of the basic mechanism of sub-cooled flow boiling.
► It was concluded that the model predicts the void fraction in two phase flow with sufficient accuracy.