Passive, heat actuated ejector pumps offer simple and energy-efficient options for a variety of end uses with no electrical input or moving parts. In an effort to obtain insights into ejector flow phenomena and to evaluate the effectiveness of commonly used computational and analytical tools in predicting these conditions, this study presents a set of shadowgraph images of flow inside a large-scale air ejector and compares them to both computational and first-principles-based analytical models of the same flow. The computational simulations used for comparison apply k-ε renormalization group (RNG) and k-ω shear stress transport (SST) turbulence models to two-dimensional (2D), locally refined rectangular meshes for ideal gas air flow. A complementary analytical model is constructed from first principles to approximate the ejector flow field. Results show that on-design ejector operation is predicted with reasonable accuracy, but accuracy with the same models is not adequate at off-design conditions. Exploration of local flow features shows that the k-ω SST model predicts the location of flow features, as well as global inlet mass flow rates, with greater accuracy. The first-principles model demonstrates a method for resolving the ejector flow field from relatively little visual data and shows the evolving importance of mixing, momentum, and heat exchange with the suction flow with distance from the motive nozzle exit. Such detailed global and local exploration of ejector flow helps guide the selection of appropriate turbulence models for future ejector design purposes, predicts locations of important flow phenomena, and allows for more efficient ejector design and operation.
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Research-Article
Visualization and Validation of Ejector Flow Field With Computational and First-Principles Analysis
Adrienne B. Little,
Adrienne B. Little
George W. Woodruff School
of Mechanical Engineering,
of Mechanical Engineering,
Georgia Institute of Technology
,Atlanta, GA 30332
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Yann Bartosiewicz,
Yann Bartosiewicz
Institute of Mechanics, Materials,
and Civil Engineering (iMMC),
e-mail: yann.bartosiewicz@uclouvain.be
and Civil Engineering (iMMC),
Université catholique de Louvain (UCL)
,Louvain-la-Neuve 1348
, Belgium
e-mail: yann.bartosiewicz@uclouvain.be
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Srinivas Garimella
Srinivas Garimella
George W. Woodruff School
of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: sgarimella@gatech.edu
of Mechanical Engineering,
Georgia Institute of Technology
,Atlanta, GA 30332
e-mail: sgarimella@gatech.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Adrienne B. Little
George W. Woodruff School
of Mechanical Engineering,
of Mechanical Engineering,
Georgia Institute of Technology
,Atlanta, GA 30332
Yann Bartosiewicz
Institute of Mechanics, Materials,
and Civil Engineering (iMMC),
e-mail: yann.bartosiewicz@uclouvain.be
and Civil Engineering (iMMC),
Université catholique de Louvain (UCL)
,Louvain-la-Neuve 1348
, Belgium
e-mail: yann.bartosiewicz@uclouvain.be
Srinivas Garimella
George W. Woodruff School
of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: sgarimella@gatech.edu
of Mechanical Engineering,
Georgia Institute of Technology
,Atlanta, GA 30332
e-mail: sgarimella@gatech.edu
Contributed by the Fluids Engineering Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF FLUIDS ENGINEERING. Manuscript received July 4, 2014; final manuscript received October 22, 2014; published online February 9, 2015. Assoc. Editor: John Abraham.
J. Fluids Eng. May 2015, 137(5): 051107 (12 pages)
Published Online: May 1, 2015
Article history
Received:
July 4, 2014
Revision Received:
October 22, 2014
Online:
February 9, 2015
Citation
Little, A. B., Bartosiewicz, Y., and Garimella, S. (May 1, 2015). "Visualization and Validation of Ejector Flow Field With Computational and First-Principles Analysis." ASME. J. Fluids Eng. May 2015; 137(5): 051107. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4029534
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