Numerical investigation on the direct contact condensation of oxygen jets in a cryogenic pipe

In the present study, the direct contact condensation (DCC) performance of the superheat GOX in subcooling LOX is explored by numerical simulations based on the VOF two-phase model. The flow condensation characteristics are analyzed in a practical condenser of a cryogenic liquid rocket. The coalescence phenomenon of the GOX streams is examined. The possible regimes of the coalescence are summarized and their effects on the condensation performance are explored. Besides, an improved GOX entrance layout is proposed to avoid the coalescence phenomenon and improve condensation performance. The main conclusions are concluded as follows: The gas condensation is the main heat transfer form in most of the pipe region. The bending section of the condenser pipe that connects the vertical section and horizontal section is the most active region for DCC. It is found that there can be two types of coalescences namely, transverse coalescence and longitudinal coalescence. Both coalescence regimes have strong negative effects on the heat transfer ability and condensation performance of the condenser pipe. The improved entrance layout can successfully avoid the coalescence of the GOX streams and reduce the flow distance of the GOX by about 93%. It is also concluded that an improvement of the condenser pipe should be effectively accomplished by controlling the coalescence of the GOX streams after injection.