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Numerical investigation of the effect of primary nozzle geometries on flow structure and ejector performance for optimal design

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Abstract

A numerical simulation of the internal flow structure of a steam ejector is conducted in a jet refrigeration system. The previous studies widely used traditional performance curves for assessment of ejector performance. However, a critical performance curve which is obtained by connecting each critical point at various generator temperatures has been rarely studied. In this paper, we design a range of primary nozzles with same or different area ratio by varying the nozzle’s throat and exit diameters, and the impact of nozzle geometries on the critical performance curve is mainly explored. Moreover, we proposed a linear fractional fitting function of generator temperature to predict the critical entrainment ratio and compression ratio for different nozzles. It is found that the nozzle throat diameter is a key parameter affecting the ejector performance and shock wave structure, and the hot source may provide some guidance for the adjustment of nozzle size.

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Abbreviations

a, b, c :

Coefficients

A :

Cross sectional area

c cr :

Critical sound velocity

c 1, c 2, c 3 :

Coefficients

COP :

Coefficient of performance

CR :

Compression ratio

D :

Diameter

k :

Specific heat ratio

m :

Mass flow rate

Ma :

Mach number

NPX :

Nozzle exit position

P :

Pressure

R :

Gas constant

Rm :

Entrainment ratio

T :

Temperature

V :

Velocity

β :

Momentum correction coefficient

λ :

Velocity coefficient

δ :

Flow turning angle at the primary nozzle exit

c :

Condenser

cr :

Critical

e :

Exit

evap :

Evaporator

gen :

Generator

m :

The mixing fluid

p :

The primary fluid

s :

The secondary fluid

t :

Throat

w :

Wall

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by Research Program supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 12102331 and 51790512).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Energy and Power Engineering, **’an Jiaotong University, **’an, Shaanxi, P.R. China

    Anna Li, Jianan Chen, Guang ** & Zhu Huang

Authors
  1. Anna Li
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  2. Jianan Chen
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  3. Guang **
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  4. Zhu Huang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhu Huang.

Additional information

Zhu Huang is an Associate Professor of the Department of Fluid Machinery and Engineering, **’an Jiaotong University, **’an, China. He received his Ph.D. in Fluid Machinery and Engineering from **’an Jiaotong University. His research interests include turbulence modeling, uncertainty quantification and machine learning in CFD, spectral methods and high order shock capturing schemes, hydrodynamics stability, transition to turbulence.

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Li, A., Chen, J., **, G. et al. Numerical investigation of the effect of primary nozzle geometries on flow structure and ejector performance for optimal design. J Mech Sci Technol 37, 2139–2148 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-023-2101-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-023-2101-2

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