Chapter 5

NUMERICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THE JET EJECTOR

5.1 Model Description

Based on the geometry description in Table.5.1, a 2D model of the jet ejector is created. Due
to symmetric in nature, only half of the geometry was generated and meshed using GAMBIT 6.26. A
detailed grid independent study was carried out for the present model. The optimum structured
quadrilateral grid size of 0.25 mm was used in the present model. The meshed geometry for present
model of the jet ejector is shown in Fig. 5.1. Pressure inlet boundary condition was used at primary
nozzle inlet. Pressure inlet boundary condition was implemented at secondary flow inlet, and pressure
outlet at exit of the jet ejector. The meshed geometry is exported to ANSYS 6.5 - FLUENT for the
simulations. In order to view the 2D flow analysis, axis-symmetric solver was used in the FLUENT.
The geometrical design parameters of the jet ejector were obtained by solving the steady state, Navier-
Stokes equations and mass and energy transport equations for compressible flows, which is given in
Eq. 2-4. Turbulent k- model was used to solve the equations using CFD package, FLUENT.

Fig.5.1. Meshed Geometry of the Jet Ejector

𝜕(𝜌𝑢𝑖 )
=0 (1)
𝜕𝑥𝑖

𝜕(𝜌𝑢𝑖 𝑢𝑗 ) 𝜕𝑃 𝜕(𝜏𝑖𝑗 −𝜌𝑢𝑖 𝑢𝑗 )

= 𝜌𝑔𝑖 − + (2)
𝜕𝑥𝑖 𝜕𝑥𝑗 𝜕𝑥𝑖
 𝜕𝑇
𝜕(𝜌𝐶𝑃 𝑢𝑗 𝑇) 𝜕(𝜆 −𝜌𝐶𝑃 𝑢𝑗 𝑇 )
𝜕𝑥𝑖
= +𝜇Φ (3)
𝜕𝑥𝑖 𝜕𝑥𝑖

Where
𝜏𝑖𝑗 Symmetric stress tensor,
𝜌𝑢𝑖 𝑢𝑗 , Reynolds stress
𝜌𝐶𝑃 𝑢𝑗 𝑇 Turbulent dissipation rate and
𝜇Φ Viscous dissipation

Table.5.1. Specifications of Jet ejector

Part name Dimension

Primary nozzle inlet diameter 18mm

Primary nozzle outlet diameter 6mm

Secondary nozzle inlet diameter 26 mm

Mixing tube diameter 8 mm

Length of mixing tube 30 mm

Length of the diffuser 101 mm

Diameter of the diffuser at outlet 26 mm

Diffuser semi cone angle 8˚

Length of the jet pump 163 mm

5.2 Boundary Conditions

The boundary conditions used are

 Pressure inlet at primary nozzle inlet

 Pressure inlet at secondary nozzle inlet and
  Pressure outlet at exit of diffuser

Table-5.2 Operating parameters used for simulation of jet compressor

Description Absolute P (bar)

Primary inlet 2

Secondary inlet 1.03

Axi- symmetric solver is chosen in the FLUENT to stimulate 2D jet compressor model. The
flow inside the jet compressor is governed by the compressible steady –state turbulent equations.
Table 3 given below describes the various parameters used for simulation in FLUENT.

Table-5.3 Parameters used for simulation in FLUENT

Description Parameters

Versions 2D

Solver Segregated – pressure based

Formulation Implicit

Space Axi-symmetric

Gradient option Green –Gauss Node Based

Multiphase Model Eulerian

Number of Phases 2

Viscous Model K-Epsilon, Standard, standard wall function

Material Phase 1 Water-Liquid

Material Phase 2 Air

 Operating Pressure 1.01325 bar

5.2.1 Primary Nozzle Boundary conditions

The boundary condition at Primary nozzle inlet are describes in table detailed below

Table-5.4 Parameters used for primary nozzle boundary condition

Description Parameters

Primary Pressure Inlet 2 bar

Volume fraction of Phase I (Water) 1

Volume fraction of Phase II (Air) 0

5.2.2 Secondary Nozzle Boundary condition

The boundary condition at secondary nozzle inlet are describes in table detailed below

Table-5.5 Parameters used for secondary nozzle boundary condition

Description Parameters

Secondary Pressure Inlet 1.01325 bar

Volume fraction of Phase I (Water) 0

Volume fraction of Phase II (Air) 1

5.2.3 Diffuser Outlet Boundary condition

The boundary condition at diffuser outlet are describes in table detailed below

Table-5.6 Parameters used for diffuser outlet boundary condition

 Description Parameters

Pressure outlet in bar 0.5,1,1.5,2

Numerical investigations of Liquid-Air jet compressor were carried out for the applied above

boundary conditions. The pressure and velocity contours are obtained and shown in Fig5.2. The

contours for Liquid –Air jet compressor are shown in the Fig.5.2. (a) and 5.2(b).

Fig 5.2(a).Pressure contours for Liquid-Air Jet Compressor

The static pressure variation at various sections in the jet compressor is shown in Fig (5.2a).
Water from the pump enters the jet compressor as motive stream at an absolute pressure of 2 bar. It
expands in the nozzle and comes out at a reduced pressure of 0.5 bar. Due to the low pressure
developed at the nozzle exit, atmospheric air is sucked through the convergent region of secondary
nozzle. Both the streams get mixed in the mixing chamber at approximately constant pressure and
enter into the diffuser. In the diffuser section the pressure of the mixed stream increases to the outlet
pressure of 0.5 bars.
 Fig 5.2(b).Velocity contours for Liquid-Air Jet Compressor

Figure (5.2b) shows the velocity contour map inside the jet compressor. It is seen from the
contour plot that the maximum flow velocity occurs at the exit of the primary nozzle of the
compressor, after which the velocity decreases because of exchange of momentum and mixing with
the secondary fluid stream. It is also observed that due to the boundary layer effect a velocity gradient
is observed from the wall to the centre line flow of the jet compressor. Further, in the diffuser section
the remaining kinetic energy is converted to pressure energy.

Fig 5.3 Static pressure vs curve length

 Figure (5.3) shows the static pressure change at different regions of the jet compressor for the
static pressure is almost found constant for the entire mixing and the throat section after which it
gradually rises in the diffuser section.

Fig 5.4 velocity magnitude vs curve length

The flow velocity plot obtained from the simulation results shown in figure (5.4). The steep
rise in velocity for the initial length 4mm of the jet compressor corresponds to the flow expanding at
the primary nozzle where the pressure energy is converted into kinetic energy. At the end of the
primary nozzle, the flow changes which is responsible for the entrainment of the secondary fluid, it is
observed that the velocity of the motive fluid is almost maintained constant till the end of the throat
section. In the diffuser section of the jet compressor the flow velocity of the mixed fluid decreases
again to velocity converting the kinetic energy to pressure energy.