On Enhancement of Gas Entrainment Rate in Liquid-Gas Ejector Pump

The hydraulic performance of a modular liquid-gas ejector (LGE) unit with an air-water system is experimentally studied on a wide range of device scales and operating conditions. To maximize the LGE efficiency, three methods of gas entrainment rate enhancement were tested: ( i ) LGE flow orientation; ( ii ) liquid jet destabilization using a swirl in front of the nozzle; and ( iii ) using a high-loss nozzle producing a non-coherent liquid jet. Based on a broad database of experimental data, the optimal geometries for various process conditions are identified. It is shown that with the recommended geometry and liquid jet destabilization, the LGE gas entrainment rate can be multiplied compared to the performance with a coherent liquid jet. According to the LGE hydraulic analysis, a semiempirical model for effective LGE design is developed and validated