Flow structure of steam–water mixed spray Original Research Article

In this study, the flow structure of a steam–water mixed spray is studied both numerically and experimentally. The velocity and pressure profiles of single-phase flow are calculated using numerical methods. On the basis of the calculated flow fields, the droplet behavior is predicted by a one-way interaction model. This numerical analysis reveals that the droplets are accelerated even after they are sprayed from the nozzle. Experimentally, the mixed spray is observed using an ultra-high-speed video camera, and the velocity field is measured by using the oarticle image velocimetry (PIV) technique. Along with this PIV velocity field measurement, the velocities and diameters of droplets are measured by phase Doppler anemometry. Furthermore, the mixing process of steam and water and the atomization process of a liquid film are observed using a transparent nozzle. High-speed photography observations reveal that the flow inside the nozzle is annular flow and that most of the liquid film is atomized at the nozzle throat and nozzle outlet. Finally, the optimum mixing method for steam and water is determined.