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Procedia Engineering 121 (2015) 558 – 566

9th International Symposium on Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (ISHVAC) and the 3rd
International Conference on Building Energy and Environment (COBEE)

Analysis on High-Pressure Water Separator

Long Chen, Xingjuan Zhang*, Chao Wang and Chunxin Yang
School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China

Abstract

High-pressure water separator (HPWS) is one of the most important components of airplane environmental control system (ECS).
Through introducing the Wall-Film Splashing Model into the simulation process, the trajectories of droplets, pressure drop and
water separation characteristics under different condensed water contents are researched with Ansys-Fluent. Comparison with the
experiment has proved that the Wall-Film Splashing Model can improve the accuracy for HPWS’s simulation. Meanwhile,
modeling results verified that the existence of splashing is the main cause of the relative low water separation efficiency of the
HPWS. So it’s of great importance to improve the design process and manufacture technique of the separation section of the
HPWS in order to increase its efficiency.
© 2015
© 2015The TheAuthors.
Authors. Published
Published by Elsevier
by Elsevier Ltd.
Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of ISHVACCOBEE 2015.
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of ISHVAC-COBEE 2015
Keywords: Water separator; Environmental control system; Droplet breakup; Pressure drop characteristics; Separation efficiency

Nomenclature

D Diameter of the water separator, m m Mass flow rate of condensed water, kg/s
CD Drag coefficient P Pressure of the air, kPa
I Resistance coefficient T Temperature of the air, K
g Gravity acceleration, m/s2 vi Gas phase velocity, m/s
G Total mass flow rate, kg/s ui Liquid phase velocity, m/s
Re Reynolds Number 'P Pressure drop, kPa

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +86-10-82339617.

E-mail address: zhangxingjuan@buaa. edu. cn

1877-7058 © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of ISHVAC-COBEE 2015
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2015.08.1034
 Long Chen et al. / Procedia Engineering 121 (2015) 558 – 566 559

Greek Symbols

K Water separation coefficient U Density, kg/m3

ı Surface tension force, N/m
Subscripts

in Inlet of water separator out Gas outlet of water separator

CW Condensed water, (g/(kg•air))

1. Introduction

Air cycle refrigeration system (ACRS) is the most popular system style of the commercial airplane ECS. HPWS
is one of the key components of ACRS, and is widely applied in the commercial airplanes, such as Boeing 757/767/
777/787 and Airbus320/330/340/380, etc.[1-2].
Published research work around the HPWS has been carried out. Hoyt et al.[3] who worked at NASA researched
the efficiency of a cyclone water separator with the Euler Two Fluid Model and got some detail characteristics data.
Yang[4] tested water separation performance for a type of HPWS. Results show that different swirl angles
significantly influence the water separation efficiency, and the water efficiency fluctuates greatly. Wang[5] and
Dang[6] studied a HPWS through experimental research and computational analysis. Results show that the diameters
of particles are in the range of  WR ȝP DQG WKH ZDWHU VHSDUDWLRQ HIILFLHQF\ DQG SUHVVXUH GURS LV UHVSHFWLYHO\
about 85% and 20 kPa at the design condition. Research also shows that only when the water separation efficiency is
higher than 95%, the outlet of turbine is not limited by the freeze point and could work reliably. Liu[7] optimized
and modified the structure of a HPWS which efficiency can reach 95% by theory analysis. Zhang[8] simulated a
HPWS and found that its efficiency is higher than 95% when the particle diameter is biggHUWKDQȝP
All the above-mentioned researches assume that the droplets will run into the collector with the shell force of the
air after hitting the wall. While during the practical applications, the droplets splash easily after they impact the solid
wall. Big droplets splash into small ones which run out of the HPWS with the main air flow, and therefore the water
separation ability of HPWS is decreased. That’s why the deviation between the simulated values and the
experimental ones exist. In this paper, the Wall-Film Splashing Model is introduced to simulate the phenomenon of
droplet splashing. With the comparison between the simulated results and the tested results about water separation
efficiency and resistance characteristics, the model’s accuracy is verified.

2. Methods

2.1 Typical Structural of the HPWS

As shown in Fig 1(a), HPWS is composed of 6 parts: air/water inlet, swirler, separation section, water collector,
water outlet and air outlet. Herein, the swirler and separation section are two key components which influence the
performance of HPWS. The 3D perspective drawing is shown in Fig 1(b).

(a) Structural Diagram (b) 3-D Perspective Drawing

Fig. 1. High Pressure Water Separator

560 Long Chen et al. / Procedia Engineering 121 (2015) 558 – 566

The work process of the HPWS is: Air/water mixture from the inlet is introduced to the swirler where the air and
water separated under the centrifugal force. The separated water is collected by the water collector and discharged
by the water outlet; the dry air flows to the air outlet. [1]

2.2 Simulation Model

CFD software Fluent 14.0[9] is used to simulate the flow field and droplets trajectories. The model is assumed as
the follows:
1) The droplets are spherical;
2) Diameters of the droplets are fit for the Rosin-Rammler distribution;
3) Droplets spread symmetrically in the air/water mixture inlet.

2.2.1 Air Flow Field Model

The heat transfer among the air, droplets and the circumstance is neglected. Fluid flow in the water separator
follows the law of conservation of mass and the law of conservation of energy. Steady state Navier-Stokes equations
are used for the simulation of air flow field. RNG k-İ two-equation turbulent model is adopted to close the equations
[10].

2.2.2 Particle Trajectories Model

Trajectories of the droplets in the water separator are tracked by Lagrangian method. Assumptions for the droplet
trajectories are: (1) droplets don’t affect the flow of the air; (2) quasi-steady state is assumed; (3) drag and other
forces are in equilibrium; (4) droplets are rigidity ball; (5) effect of viscous interaction is neglected.

dui g  Uw  U g 
FD  vi  ui   i 1, 2,3 (1)
dt Ug

18P CD Re w 3
2 U g u0 d
Where in, FD
U w d w2 24
, Re w Re w0 ¦ v
1
i  ui  , is the relative Reynolds Number, Re w0
P
.

2.2.3 Droplet Splashing Model

When the air/water mixture flows to the swirler, droplets will impact the wall under the centrifugal forces.
Ordinary, there are four situations after hitting the wall[11]: adhesion, deposition, rebound, and splashing, as shown
in Fig 2.

Fig. 2. Schematic diagram of droplet impinging wall

The performance of the droplets after impinged the wall is affected by the droplet scale, impinging velocity,
impinging angle and the physical properties of the solid wall. During the research on the effect of temperature to the
droplet impinging performance, Escure raised the criterion K for estimating the droplet impinging behavior[12].
 Long Chen et al. / Procedia Engineering 121 (2015) 558 – 566 561

K We1/ 2 Re1/ 4 (2)

Uu 2 D U ud
Wherein, We , Re .
V P

When K>57. 7, droplet will rebound and splash after hitting the wall. Mundo’s research indicated that the particle
group splashed the wall fits[13]:
2
§d·
§d· d ¨© D ¸¹ d max
f¨ ¸ 2 e ,D (3)
©D¹ D2 2

As for the whole water separation process, the droplets mass satisfy:

US
m0 f n d n3 (4)
6

2.2.4 Water Separation Model

Water separation efficiency can be figured out through analysing the mass of the ratio of air/water, separated
water, and water with the outlet air [5].

min  mout
K
(5)
min

Wherein, min G d CW,in , mout G dCW , out .
2.2.5 Resistance Characteristics
Resistance characteristics of the HPWS can be expressed:

§1 · 8R G 2T G 2T
'P [ ¨ U v 2 ¸ 2
[ I (6)
©2 ¹ S D4 P D4 P

Wherein, the coefficient can be derived through simulation.

3. Analysis

3.1 Mesh

The mesh for computation is shown in Fig. 3.

562 Long Chen et al. / Procedia Engineering 121 (2015) 558 – 566

Fig.3. Mesh for Computation

3.2 Experiment Research

The experiment results come from the Two-Wheel Bootstrap Environmental Control System Test Bench built by
the research group. The system schematic diagram is shown in Fig 3, and the working process can be found in the
reference of Zhang[14]. The moisture condensed in the hot side of condenser which could be separated in the HPWS.
Temperature and pressure could be tested with the temperature/pressure transducer. Considering humidity sensors
cannot measure exactly the humidity of air/liquid water mixture, herein, just the reheater’s hot side inlet and
reheater’s cold side outlet (turbine inlet) are furnished the humidity transducer; the humidity of HPWS inlet can be
calculated by considering its saturated state.

Water
Separator
P/T6
WS
P/T10 P/T9

To Turbine Compressor
Condenser
Cabin
T C
P/T5
P/T7
D2
P/T8
P/T3 P/T2
Reheater
D1
P/T4

Secondary Primary
Ram
Heat Heat
Air
Exchanger Exchanger
P/T1

Bleed
Air
Flow Meter(G)

Fig.4. Schematic diagram of the test-rig

4. Results

4.1 Work Conditions

As the HPWS is experimented in heat insulation condition, the heat transfer between HPWS and the environment
could be neglected. Considering the big velocity of the airflow, the heat transfer between the wall and the airflow
could be neglected as well, and thus the wall temperature approximately equals to the temperature of the airflow.
The work conditions of the experiment and simulation are selected in Table 1.
 Long Chen et al. / Procedia Engineering 121 (2015) 558 – 566 563

Table 1. Work Conditions

Mass Flow Rate Temperature Pressure Condensed Water Content
(kg/h) (ć) (kPa) of HPWS Inlet (g/(kg•air))
398.0 15.8 473.9 1.6
395.5 22.9 472.9 2.1
399.5 33.5 485.8 7.1
397.8 38.6 490.3 9.2
397.8 41.3 492.7 11.9

4.2 Simulation Results

4.2.1 Characteristics of the flow field

Based on the assumptions, the influence of the water contents on the flow field is neglected. Fig 5 shows the flow
field distribution at the condition for the inlet mass flow rates of 399.5 kg/h and the humidity of 7.1 g/(kg•air). It can
be seen that the reversed flow exists at the tail of the swirler. There is no doubt that the existence of reverse flow will
increase the resistance of the HPWS and cause the breakup of water droplets. Considering the results at the other
conditions are similar, in order to save the article page, they are omitted.

Fig.5. Flow Field Distribution of Typical Work Condition

The tragedies of the droplets are shown in Fig 6. The droplets run out of the water separator through the outlet
after rotational flow, cohesion, hitting the wall, and splashing. Since the separation section is too long, droplets
whirled several times, which will cause the dispersion of the droplets.
564 Long Chen et al. / Procedia Engineering 121 (2015) 558 – 566

Fig.6. Pathlines of Typical Work Condition

4.2.2 Resistance Characteristics

Fig 7 shows the comparison of the resistance characteristics under different main stream mass flow rate between
the tested and the simulated results. The results fit well with each other. And the correlation could be expressed:

G 2T G 2T
'P I 1.8 (7)
D4 P D4 P

Computational Result (kPa)

Fitting Curve
8 Experimental Result (kPa)
Fitting Curve
Resistance(kPa)

2
300 400 500 600 700
Mass Flowrate (kg/h)

Fig. 7. Resistance Characteristics

4.2.3 Water Separation Efficiency

Table 2 shows the water separation efficiency at the work condition which the mass flow rate is about 400 kg/h
with different humidity. Experimental results are compared with simulation ones, as is shown in Fig.8.

Table 2. Water Separation Efficiency

Condensed Water Content of Water Separation Efficiency

Condensed Water
Content of HPWS HPWS Outlet(g/(kgЬair))
Case
Modelling Experiment Relative Error
Inlet (g/(kggair))
Modelling Experiment (%) (%) (%)
 Long Chen et al. / Procedia Engineering 121 (2015) 558 – 566 565

1 1. 6 0.3 0.4 78.8 74.2 6.20

2 2.1 0.4 0.6 79.2 70.8 11.86
3 7.1 1.5 2.4 79.3 66.5 19.25
4 9.2 2.4 3.4 73.7 63.6 15.88
5 11.9 2.5 4.4 79.3 62.9 26.07

100

Computation Experiment

Water Separation Efficiency (%)

80

60

40

20

0
1 2 3 4 5
Case

Fig. 8. Water Separation Efficiency

From Fig. 8 can be seen that the water separation efficiency is in the range of 60% to 80% with the addition of the
Wall-Film Splashing Model. The possible reasons for the small error between the simulated results and the
experimented results maybe:
1) The droplet scale is given according to the Rosin-Rammler distribution, while the actual droplet size
depends on the scales of the condenser outlet;
2) The influence of the droplets size varies in the flow process is neglected;
3) The Wall-Film Splashing Model is got from the basic research with a plain board, while the wall of the
water separator is a barrel; the hitting angle affects the rebound coefficient as well.

5. Conclusions

Through introducing the Wall-Film Splashing Models into the simulation, the water separation efficiency and
resistance characteristics are researched based on the platform of Fluent. The simulated results fit well with the
experimented results. The method can be guidance for the related research. Taking into account the complexity of
the two phase flow in the HPWS, hydrophilic material, slotted separation section and porous structure will be
developed in the future work for the aim of decreasing possibility of the droplets’ splashing after hitting the solid
wall.

Acknowledgements

The research presented in this paper was financially supported by the National Key Basic Research and
Development Program of China (the 973 Program) through grant No. 2012CB720100.

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