Turbulence Model Comparative Study for Complex Phenomena in Supersonic Steam Ejectors with Double Choking Mode

Abstract

Scholars usually ignore the non-equilibrium condensing effects in turbulence-model comparative studies on supersonic steam ejectors. In this study, a non-equilibrium condensation model considering real physical properties was coupled respectively with seven turbulence models. They are the k-ε Standard, k-ε RNG, k-ε Realizable, k-ω Standard, k-ω SST, Transition SST, and Linear Reynolds Stress Model. Simulation results were compared with the experiment results globally and locally. The complex flow phenomena in the steam ejector captured by different models, including shock waves, choking, non-equilibrium condensation, boundary layer separation, and vortices were discussed. The reasons for the differences in simulation results were explained and compared. The relationship between ejector performance and local flow phenomena was illustrated. The novelty lies in the conclusions that consider the non-equilibrium condensing effects. Results show that the number and type of shock waves predicted by different turbulence models are different. Non-equilibrium condensation and boundary layer separation regions obtained by various turbulence models are different. Comparing the ejector performance and the complex flow phenomena with the experimental results, the k-ω SST model is proposed to simulate supersonic steam ejectors.

Keywords

• steam ejector
• turbulence models
• non-equilibrium condensation
• shock wave
• boundary layer separation