Experimental study of complex two-phase instabilities during the start-up of a vertical thermosyphon reboiler operating under vacuum

This paper reports experimental studies of the start-up at reduced pressures (0.105–0.171 bar) and low heat fluxes (1.23–1.55 kW m−2) of the thermosyphon reboiler research facility in the Morton Laboratory at the University of Manchester. This is a full scale replica of an industrial sized natural circulation thermosyphon reboiler comprising 50 vertically mounted 25 mm OD tubes of 3 m length with water as the process fluid in the tubes and with steam condensing in the shell side of the reboiler. Unstable behaviour is obtained at start-up with flow-induced instabilities (geysering) when the level of the liquid within the tubes of the bundle is up to the top tubesheet (100% submergence) and also at 83% submergence of the tubes irrespective of the process pressure. At 100% submergence of the tubes, intermittent reversed flows in the entire loop with substantial vibrations are obtained. Chaotic behaviour is obtained at the lower submergence level of 83%. However, start-up at process pressures of 0.22 and 1.04 bar, and low heat fluxes with the entire thermosyphon loop flooded with liquid completely alleviated the flow-induced instabilities observed at the lower submergence levels within the tubes. The flow in the closed loop of liquid is induced very soon after the steam is introduced into the reboiler due to the buoyancy forces emanating from differences in density around the loop. The start-up is smooth and relatively quick, but further instrumentation and control are required for the introduction of the feed to the thermosyphon system once vapour is generated. A control strategy and procedure is proposed which will avoid the instabilities that inherently occur with start-up procedures currently practised in industry.

Research highlights
► Thermosyphon reboiler start-up under vacuum at low heat fluxes of 1.23 kW m−2.
► Steam generated in 50 vertical 25 mm tubes of 3 m length.
► Start-up methodology and control procedure to ensure no instabilities.