A Simple and Fast Method for Calculating Properties Across a Condensation Shock

Abstract

A simple procedure for calculating the pressure at the onset and termination of condensation shocks that occur in steam nozzles and steam turbine blade passages is presented. In addition, the location of the termination of the condensation shock with reference to the throat location is also predicted. The procedure is based entirely on thermodynamic and gas dynamic considerations, without using a model for droplet nucleation and growth and the nozzle profile. The only input required is the stagnation condition at the inlet to the nozzle. The procedure requires the solution of a system of algebraic equations which can be accomplished quite easily. Calculations have been carried out for several inlet stagnation conditions and the predictions are compared with the available experimental data. The agreement is seen to be reasonable considering the simplicity of the procedure.