High Injection Pressure Spray Impingement

Sponsor: Department of Energy

  • Technology Summary: The proposed approach aims at developing a robust vaporization VOF sub-model, which is capable of accurate prediction of evaporation of sprays, impingement of spray on a wall with arbitrary geometry, and subsequent liquid evaporation. This will be accomplished by building upon the piecewise linear interface calculation (PLIC)-VOF methodology for volume-tracking three-phase flows forming contact lines that are moving on 3D arbitrary surfaces. Extensive experimentation of the spray-wall interaction is planned to validate the VOF model and for development of the evaporation sub-model.
  • Technology’s Impact: The unique and innovative approach is to establish accuracy-improved, physics-based CFD model without extensive need of parameter tuning. This technology has the potential for significant near term impact on the understanding of the high-density ratio vaporizing processes on spray wall wetting. The project will further impact the entire industry through advancement in modeling and filling a critical knowledge gap on predictive spray-wall interaction and film formation.
  • Proposed Project Goals: The goal of the proposed work is to develop the evaporation sub-model for VOF by tracking three-phase flows forming contact line to predict a spray interacting with a wall, which will be validated through the experimentation.
  • Project’s Key Idea/Takeaway: The vaporization VOF sub-model will be based upon vaporizing contact lines on 3D surfaces. A robust treatment of velocities induced by evaporation in the liquid and vapor phases is of utmost importance to ensure accurate advection of phase interfaces, especially at such high density ratios. We will employ consistent mass and momentum advection schemes along with the geometrical information offered by interface reconstruction to achieve such robust treatment. The experimental validation with LIF, RIM, and high-speed camera imaging will be used to gain an in-depth understanding of the film growth and interaction process.