Geometric effects of 90-degree Elbow in the development of interfacial structures in horizontal bubbly flow

Present study investigates the geometric effects of flow obstruction on the distribution of local two-phase flow parameters and their transport characteristics in horizontal bubbly flow. The round glass tubes of 50.3 mm in inner diameter are employed as test sections, along which a 90-degree Elbow is located at L/D = 206.6 from the two-phase mixture inlet. In total, 15 different flow conditions are examined within the air–water bubbly flow regime. The detailed local two-phase flow parameters are acquired by the double-sensor conductivity probe at four different axial locations. The effect of elbow is found to be evident in both the distribution of local parameters and their development. The elbow clearly promotes bubble interactions resulting in significant changes in interfacial area concentration. It is also found that the elbow-effect propagates to be more significant further downstream (L/D = 250) than immediate downstream (L/D = 225) of the elbow. Furthermore, it is shown that the elbow induces significant oscillations in the flow in both vertical and horizontal directions of the tube cross-section. Characteristic geometric effects due to the existence of elbow are also shown clearly in the transport of one-dimensional interfacial area concentration and void fraction along the flow.