Validation of the STEG Code using Experiments on Two-Phase Flow Across an In-Line Tube Bundle

Making use of the STEG code, the two-phase flow along the horizontal tube bundle was simulated and the results were compared with Dowlati et al. (1990) experiments. The main aim of the experiments is to measure the void fraction and the friction pressure drop. The STEG code, which is a two-fluid 3D code, is briefly described. The interfacial drag model and the pressure drop in the tube bundle are also described as important laws that allow accurate simulations of experiments. Comparison of the computed void fraction and pressure drop with experimental findings reveal the shortcomings of the pressure drop correlations available in the STEG code. To reach good compliance with experiments in this paper, a new correlation of the pressure drop in the tube bundle is proposed. As a result, the mean absolute deviations between the STEG code predictions and the experimental data for the void fraction are < 4% and for the pressure drop are < 17.5%.