Jet Stability During Direct Contact Condensation

Saturated vapor injected through a straight-edged orifice into cross-flowing subcooled liquid presents two predominant regimes: (1) a stable conical jet and (2) an unstable behavior characterized by bubble formation and collapse. The effect of process variables and nozzle diameter on the transition between these regimes and the frequency of bubble formation and collapse in the second regime is examined. The frequencies of jet oscillation and vortex bubble collapse events are investigated using acoustic and high-speed visualization techniques to relate undesirable noise to physical phenomena.