Numerical analysis of coolant droplet deformation due to combined thermal and mechanical impact in a high-pressure reciprocating compressor
摘要
Unsteady heating of a mixture consisting of gas and liquid phases during its single-stage compression to high pressure in a reciprocating compressor is considered. Unsteady deformation of liquid droplet layers under the influence of temperature and pressure of the compressed gas is accounted for using the fundamental equations of energy and mass conservation, as well as the equation of state. Several dimensionless criteria for analysis of the unsteady droplet deformation process are proposed. Numerical experiments revealed the dominant dynamics of the inner layers’ deformation in the liquid droplet. The droplet growth was noticed in the beginning of the compression cycle until a certain angle of the crankshaft due to the droplet heating by the surrounding compressed gas. Afterwards, the droplet size decreases due to the impact of the compressed gas pressure, which dominates over the droplet heating at high pressure. By the end of the compression cycle, the droplet size is noticeably smaller as compared to its initial size.