Numerical investigation on the longitudinal distribution characteristics of falling film flow outside a vertical tube

In order to design the vertical falling film evaporators applied in the sewage source heat pump systems, a numerical study employing the VOF (Volume of Fluid) method has been carried out to determine the thickness and the wave behavior of falling liquid film outside a vertical tube. The effects of the annular gap, tube diameter, tube length, spray density, viscosity and surface tension are discussed. The simulation results demonstrate that spray density and the fluid viscosity are the two most influential factors affecting the film thickness. Besides, when spray density is larger than 0.100 kg/(m∙s), the film thickness decreases slightly with the increase of the flow distance. So the influence of tube length on film thickness cannot be ignored and it also should be considered in the film thickness prediction model. On the other hand, the tube diameter and the surface tension have little effect on the film thickness. It mainly have a significant impact on the wave amplitude of the liquid film at low flowrate. Besides, the annular gap provides a limited effect on the outlet section of the falling film. On the basis of the simulation results, a new correlation incorporating the tube length is developed to effectively predict the falling film thickness. Compared with the experimental data, it is found that the prediction accuracy of the correlation can be controlled within ±15%. The present research provides a theoretical basis for designing falling film evaporators.