Simulation of Counter-Current Gas-Liquid Churn Flow

A transient simulation of air-water counter-current flow by the means of two-fluid model with interface sharpening is performed. The gas-liquid inhomogeneous model with both phases considered as incompressible is used. Turbulence is modelled for each phase separately using the two-equation eddy viscosity model. The numerical domain consists of an axisymmetric wedge with the porous wall inlet region representing a vertical pipe experimental test section. Evolution of volume fraction, velocities and pressure variations along the interface is presented. Simulation results are compared with the known experimental data (from the literature) for the wave frequency and velocity. The present simulation is also compared to a known numerical simulation found in literature that used volume of fluid method. Sensitivity study of several modelling parameters is performed to evaluate and discuss their impact on simulation results in an attempt to establish best practice guidelines for modelling of realistic counter-current flows, important in nuclear reactor systems.