Flashing Liquids

Source Models

Flashing Liquids
Adiabatic Flashing
Adiabatic Flashing through hole
Isothermal Flashing through hole
Liquid pool boiling

Flashing Liquids
We have considered source models
in terms of liquids leaking through a
hole or pipe and vapors leaking
through a hole or pipe.
For liquids stored under pressure
above their normal boiling points,
we need to consider flashing.

Adiabatic Flashing

Liquids stored
under pressure
above normal
boiling point.
Large release of
pressure (i.e.
ruptured vessel).
Energy to vaporize
comes from liquid

Adiabatic Flashing
Excess energy in superheated liquid

ml C p ,l dT hv dml
Separate variables

dml C p ,l

dT
ml
hv

Adiabatic Flashing
ml ,2

Tb

C p ,l
dml

dT
m ml T hv
l ,1
1

Cp,l & hv are functions of T. If you assume they are

constant at an average value

ml ,2
C p ,l
ln
Tb T1

m

h
l
,1
v

Adiabatic Flashing

Determining the fraction of liquid vaporized

ml ,1 ml ,2 mv ,2 mv ,1
ml ,2
fv

1
ml ,1
ml ,1
ml ,1

Substitute back in

ln 1 f v

C p ,l

C p ,l
hv

Tb T1

average between Tb and T1

Adiabatic Flashing
Design equation for fraction vaporized
C p ,l

fv 1 e

hv

Tb T1

C p ,l

1 e

hv

T1 Tb

Flashing Liquids
Adiabatic Flashing
Adiabatic Flashing through hole
Isothermal Flashing through hole
Liquid pool boiling

Adiabatic Flashing through holes

Liquids stored above saturation
pressure

Adiabatic Flashing through holes

If L < 10 cm, assume incompressible liquid is

flowing.

If L>10 cm, assume choked flow with P2=Psat.

Then design equation becomes:

sat
&
Qm AC0 2 l g c P1 P

Where Psat is at ambient conditions

Flashing Liquids
Adiabatic Flashing
Adiabatic Flashing through hole
Isothermal Flashing through hole
Liquid pool boiling

Isothermal Flashing through a hole

For liquids stored at saturation pressure,

P1=Psat.

Assume choked two-phase mass flow

Q&m A

gc
dv
dP

v is specific volume (1/density)

Isothermal Flashing through a hole

The two-phase specific volume is

v v fg f v v f

vfg is difference in specific volume

between liquid (fluid) and vapor (gas)
vf is the liquid (fluid) specific volume

fv is the mass fraction of vapor

Isothermal Flashing through a hole

Differentiate with respect to pressure

dv
df v
v fg
dP
dP

From before we determined

dml C p ,l

dT
ml
hv

Isothermal Flashing through a hole

All vapor formed is from liquid

dmv dml

Substitute in

C p ,l
dmv
df v
dT
ml
hv

Isothermal Flashing through a hole

Now substituted dfv into dv/dP relationship

v fg C p ,l dT
dv

dP
hv dP

Clausius-Clapyron equation give dT/dP

dP hv

dT Tv fg

Isothermal Flashing through a hole

Substitute in the inverse of the ClausiusClapyron relationship

dv

dP

v 2fg C p ,lT

hv

Substitute into final relationship

Q&m A

gc
v 2fg C p ,lT

2
h
v

Isothermal flashing through holes

Reduce to get design equation for vapor mass

flow rate flashing through a hole

hv A
gc
&
Qm
v fg
C p ,lT

When flashing at or near Psat small droplets of

liquid are entrained with the vapor. Typically
design assumption is that liquid mass is the
same as the mass of the vapor formed from
flashing

Flashing Liquids
Adiabatic Flashing
Adiabatic Flashing through hole
Isothermal Flashing through hole
Liquid pool boiling

Liquid Pool Boiling or Evaporating

Use same relationship derived

previously for evaporation

MKAP
&
Qm
RgTl

sat

Where K the mass transfer coefficient is estimated

from

M 0
K K0

1/ 3

ChE 258
Chemical Process Safety
In Class Problem

Calculate the mass flux (kg/m2s) of sulfur

dioxide that is leaking from a storage tank
that holds liquid sulfur dioxide at its vapor
pressure at 25C
Vapor pressure=0.39x106Pa
Heat of vaporization=3.56x105J/kg
vfg=0.09m3/kg

Heat capacity=1.36x103J/kgK

Solution

Use relationship derived in class

hv A
gc
&
Qm
v fg
C p ,lT

Flux is

Q&m hv

A
v fg

gc
C p ,l T

Solution cont.

Substitute in values

Q&m

3.56 105 J

3
m
0.09

kg

kg

Q&m
3 J kg
6.21 10
A
kg m 3

1 kg m

1.36 103 J

s 2 N

kg K

(25 273K )

kg m kg K J

2
s N J K N m

Solution cont

Finish reducing the units

Q&m
3 J
6.21 10 3
A
m

kg
2
2
s N

Q&m
J kg
3
3 kg
6.21 10 3
6.21 10 2
A
m s N
m s

Solution continued

If we assume that entrained liquid

droplets are being carried out with the
flashing liquid then

Flux( vapor &liquid )

Total flux

Q&m
3 kg
2
12.42 10 2

m s
A vapor

&
kg
Q
3
3 kg
m
6.21 10 2
12.4 10 2
m s
A
m s

ChE 258
Chemical Process Safety
In Class Problem

Calculate the mass flux (kg/m2s) of sulfur

dioxide that is leaking from a storage tank
that holds liquid sulfur dioxide at 300 psia
and at 25C. The wall thickness is 15 cm.
Vapor pressure at 25 C =0.39x106Pa
Heat of vaporization=3.56x105J/kg
Heat capacity=1.36x103J/kgK
Liquid density=1.455gm/cm3

Solution

Use relationship derived in class

sat
&
Qm AC0 2 l g c P1 P

Flux is

Q&m
sat
C0 2 l g c P1 P
A

Solution continued

Get common units

l 1.455 g

kg
cm 3 1000 g

100cm
kg

1455
3

m
m

101.3kPa 1000 Pa
(300 psig 14.7)
kPa
14.7
psia

m 2.169 106 N
m2
Pa

Solution cont.

Substitute in values

Q&m
kg kg m

6
6 N
C0 2 1455 3
2.169

10

0.39

10
2

2
m
A
m N s

Q&m
kg kg m N
4
C0 7.2 10
3
2
2
A
m N s m
Q&m
4 kg
C0 7.2 10
2
m s
A

Solution Continued

C0 has value of 0.61 for sharp edges,

1.0 for worst case

4 kg
4.4 10

Q&m
4 kg

7.2 10
2
2
m s A
m s

Approximately 10 times greater than

when stored at saturation pressure