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Computational modeling and experimental investigation of aqueous potassium carbonate droplets in superheated steam flow

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Abstract

The paper describes a computational study and an experimental investigation of aqueous potassium carbonate droplets in superheated steam flow for potential applications in mitigation of superheated geothermal steam. The computational model included the boiling point elevation due to the droplet salt concentration as well as other concentration-dependent physical properties of the salt solution. Various phenomena involved in the process, such as breakup, transport, heat transfer, boiling and coupling between droplet and steam phase were taken into account. To validate the simulation results from the model, a laboratory scale experimental setup was built and experiments were carried out for different salt solution injection concentrations upto 5.27 mol kg−1 in superheated steam at 421 K. Results from the simulation were in accordance with experimental measurements, showing an increase in boiling point elevation with an increase in injection salt solution concentration. The temperature values obtained from the simulation are slightly higher than those measured with an average deviation of 1.5 K, which can be explained by a small degree of heat loss from the apparatus not accounted for in the model. Results from the simulation for concentration were also in accordance with the experimental measurement, showing an increase in concentration of the salt solution droplets, collected at the separator bottom. The concentration values obtained from the simulation are lower than that from the measurement with an average deviation of 20%.

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Abbreviations

a :

activity

A :

surface area (m2)

A ϕ :

Debye-Huckel constant

c :

concentration

Cd :

drag coefficient

d :

diameter (m)

F :

force (N)

g :

acceleration due to gravity (ms−2)

h :

heat transfer coefficient (W m−2 K−1)

H :

specific enthalpy (J kg−1 K−1)

I :

Identity matrix

k :

thermal conductivity (W m−1 K−1)

m :

mass (kg)

Nu :

Nusselt number

p i :

Pitzers parameters

P :

pressure (Nm−2)

Pr :

Prandtl number

R :

gas constant (J mol−1 K−1)

Re :

Reynolds number

S :

source term

t :

time (s)

T :

temperature (K)

T 0 :

saturation temperature (K)

tr :

trance operator

ts :

transpose operator

V :

velocity (ms−1)

z :

charge

μeff :

effective dynamic viscosity

λ eff :

effective thermal diffusivity

ρ :

density (kg m−3)

ø:

osmotic coefficient

ε:

ionic strength

α :

specific heat capacity (J K−1)

ΔT :

degree of superheat

ΔH :

latent heat of vaporization (J kg−1)

s :

steam

d :

droplet

w :

water

M :

mass

V :

momentum

H :

heat

D :

drag

g :

gravitation and buoyancy

i :

ith ion

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Acknowledgements

The work was funded by the Icelandic Research Fund through GEORG, Landsvirkjun, Reykjavik Energy, HS Orka, Orkustofnun and the IDDP project. The authors wish to thank Finnbogi Oskarrson and Iceland Geological Survey (ISOR) for providing valuable support and technical advice required for sample analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Science and Engineering, Reykjavik University, Menntavegur 1, 101, Reykjavík, Iceland

    Vijay Chauhan, Maria Gudjonsdottir & Gudrun Saevarsdottir

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  1. Vijay Chauhan
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  2. Maria Gudjonsdottir
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  3. Gudrun Saevarsdottir
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Correspondence to Vijay Chauhan.

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Chauhan, V., Gudjonsdottir, M. & Saevarsdottir, G. Computational modeling and experimental investigation of aqueous potassium carbonate droplets in superheated steam flow. Heat Mass Transfer 56, 1307–1316 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-019-02781-0

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