Condensation regime diagram for supersonic/sonic steam jet in subcooled water

This study was designed to determine the behaviour of the flow patterns of supersonic and sonic steam jet condensation in subcooled water. The effects of steam mass flux, water temperature and pressure ratio on the flow pattern were discussed. The results indicated that the flow pattern was not only affected by steam mass flux and water temperature, but also affected significantly by pressure ratio. The expansion and contraction ratios of the steam plume were influenced significantly by pressure ratio, and a correlation for predicting the expansion and contraction ratio was given based on the theoretical expansion ratio of sonic steam jet. At relatively low steam mass flux and high water temperature, the transition of flow pattern from stable jet to unstable jet was observed, and a criterion of stable–unstable jet transition was given. Moreover, the three-dimensional condensation regime maps, including stable steam plume shapes and unstable jet, for sonic and supersonic steam jet under different conditions were discussed. Four different shapes of the steam plume occurred in sonic steam jet regime map, and six different shapes of the steam plume occurred in supersonic steam jet regime map. The regime maps were also validated against the previous experiments.