Phase transition, droplet dynamics and efficiency predictions in high-speed vapor flows

本研究是多相计算流体动力学（CFD）研究的延续，强调高速气/液系统的非平衡相变。由于不可逆的热力学损失，非平衡相变对发电系统的效率有重要影响。随着全球重新努力提高发电厂的效率，并以这种方式减少危险排放（即影响全球变暖的排放），目前正在强调以显著不可逆性运行的发电厂部件的改进设计。在大型电力生产中，几乎所有流体输送部件都使用CFD作为设计工具。然而，高速蒸汽流动相变的CFD模型是一个活跃的研究领域，特别是在高度三维流动具有广泛相变行为的工业环境中的应用。本提案支持这一正在进行的研究重点。这项研究也支持了NSERC在先进计算技术方面的战略机械工程研究重点。所开发的计算模型的一般性质将适用于替代能源系统的开发，也是机械工程的战略研究领域。

This proposal is a continuation of research efforts in multiphase Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) emphasizing nonequilibrium phase transition in high-speed gas/liquid systems.  Nonequilibrium phase transition in power production systems has a significant impact on efficiency due to irreversible thermodynamic losses.   With renewed global efforts to improve the efficiency of power plants, and in this manner reduce dangerous emissions (i.e. those impacting global warming), an emphasis on improved design of power plant components that operate with significant levels of irreversibility is now on-going.  The use of CFD as a design tool is commonplace for almost all fluid transport components in large-scale power production. However CFD models for phase transition in high speed vapor flows is an area of active research, particularly for application in industrial settings where flows are highly three-dimensional with a wide range of phase transition behavior.  This proposal supports this on-going research emphasis.   The research is also supportive of NSERC's strategic mechanical engineering research emphasis in advanced computational technologies.  The general nature of the computational models developed will be applicable to the development of alternative energy systems, also a strategic research area in mechanical engineering.