Study of Sonic Steam-Water Mixtures by Laser- Beam, Wire Anemometer, Pitot Tube and Digital Thermometer

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to determine the enthalpy and flow (and hence power) of geothermal steam- water mixtures discharging to the atmosphere from wells under test, using the simplest of portable equipment. Experimental apparatus consisted of a 10.8 inside diameter pipe discharging such mixtures at sonic velocity. The lip and jet efflux was explored by laser beam, hot-wire anemometer, pitot tube and probe of digital thermometer and correlations attempted with enthalpy for given values of lip pressure. characteristic shape of the jet was also found related to enthalpy. Best results were from a single-tube heat exchanger crossing the jet as a hydraulic analog of the hot-wire anemometer, which estimated enthalpy to Enthalpies synthesised were from 777 to that of dry steam at 2782 at lip pressures up to 3 bars, the limit of the equipment.