Numerical analysis of the two-phase pressure drop and liquid distribution in single-screw expander prototype

In this paper, the numerical simulations have been carried out to evaluate the two-phase pressure drop and liquid distribution in screw channel. The numerical models are validated against the present experimental data with statistical accuracy. The effects of pitch circle diameter (PCD), inlet velocity and inlet sectional liquid holdup on the pressure drop and liquid distribution characteristics in the screw channel are illustrated. It is found that decreasing the PCD and increasing the inlet sectional liquid holdup can increase the liquid holdup on the outer side in screw channel. The PCD and the inlet sectional liquid holdup need to be considered in evaluating the two-phase frictional pressure drop per unit length in the screw channel. The PCD has an effect on the development of the average pressure in the various cross sections, and the inlet sectional liquid holdup has no visible impact on the changing process of the pressure drop in the screw channel. The correlation developed predicts the two-phase frictional pressure drop in the screw channel with great statistical accuracy.