Optimum Efficiency of a Steam Ejector for Fire Suppression Based on the Variable Mixing Section Diameter

Abstract

The steam ejector is valuable and efficient in the fire suppression field due to its strong fluid-carrying capacity and mixing ability. It utilizes pressurized steam droplets generated at the exit to extinguish the fire quickly and the steam droplet strategy allows for an expressive decrease in water consumption. In this regard, the fire suppression process is influenced by the steam ejector efficiency, the performance of the pressurized steam, and the ejector core geometry, which controls the quality of the extinguishing mechanisms. This study investigated the impact of different mixing section diameters on the pumping performance of the ejector. The results showed that change in the diffuser throat diameter was susceptible to the entrainment ratio, which significantly increased, by 4 mm, by increasing the throat diameter of the diffuser and improved the pumping efficiency. Still, the critical back pressure of the ejector reduced. In addition, the diameter effect was studied and analyzed to evaluate the ejector performance under different operating parameters. The results revealed a rise in the entrainment ratio, then it diminished with increasing primary fluid pressure. The highest entrainment ratio recorded was 0.5 when the pressure reached 0.36 MPa at the critical range of back pressure, where the entrainment ratio remained constant until a certain back pressure value. Exceeding the critical pressure by increasing the back pressure to 7000 Pa permitted the entrainment ratio to reduce to zero. An optimum constant diameter maximized the ejector pumping efficiency under certain operating parameters. In actual design and production, it is necessary to consider both the exhaust efficiency and the ultimate exhaust capacity of the ejector.

Numerical Investigation of Transonic Flow-Induced Spontaneous Condensation in Micro-Ejector Nozzles

“…The flow field in a steam ejector can be described as constant, compressible, steady, axial, and invariant [ 27 , 28 ]. The Favre-averaged Navier–Stokes equation is more applicable when the fluid concentration varies.…”

Performance Evaluation of a Steam Ejector Considering Non-Equilibrium Condensation in Supersonic Flows

“…Recently, the steam ejector refrigeration system gained much research attention because of its capability to recycle working fluid to generate a second flow stream. The heat exchanges occurred between the second stream and the evaporator, thereby consistently cooling down the evaporator with the continuous flow of the second stream [6][7][8].…”

“…A recent analysis of the steam ejector's internal flow and heat transfer provided crucial data as references to improvise the design structure of the steam ejector [7,19,20]. It was agreed in many studies that the optimization of design structures accounted for the parameters of the choking flow [21][22][23].…”

Interdisciplinary Studies of Jet Systems using Euler Methodology and Computational Fluid Dynamics Technologies

“…Yan et al [35] and Zhang et al [36] investigated multiflow ejectors of different structures. Han et al [37] analyzed the effect of mixing chamber size on ejector performance. Kartas [38], Bayles & Nash [39], Volker & Sausner [40] investigated the curved ejector.…”