Numerical investigation of discharge pressure effect on steam ejector performance in renewable refrigeration cycle by considering wet steam model and dry gas model

Abstract

Abstract In recent times, steam ejectors have garnered significant interest among researchers due to their environmental friendliness and the utilization of low-grade energy sources. However, a key drawback of the ejector refrigeration cycle (ERC) is its relatively low coefficient of performance (COP). Understanding the behavior of ejectors under various operating conditions is crucial for addressing this concern. This study specifically focuses on investigating the flow characteristics of ejectors in the single-choking mode. Both dry steam model (DSM) and wet steam model (WSM) are employed to analyze and evaluate the performance in this study. Based on the findings, it is evident that the discharge pressure (DP) significantly influences the flow characteristics. With increasing DP, there is a decrease in the Mach number and liquid mass fraction (LMF) within the ejector, while the temperature distribution shows an upward trend. Additionally, as the DP increases, there is a notable decline in the entrainment ratio (ER) and production entropy. With an increase in the DP, both the DSM and WSM exhibit similar trends. However, in the DSM, the ER reaches zero at an earlier stage compared to the WSM. Specifically, when the DP rises from 5000 Pa to 5600 Pa, there is a 12.6 % increase in the production entropy in the WSM, while the DSM experiences a slightly higher increase of 12.9 %.