Abstract
The phenomenon of steam-water direct contact condensation has significance in a wide range of industrial applications. Superheated steam was injected upward into a cylindrical water vessel. Visual observations were conducted on a turbulent steam jet to determine the dimensionless steam jet length compared to the steam nozzle exit diameter and the steam maximum swelling ratio as a function of steam mass flux at the nozzle exit, with a gas steam flux ranging from 295-883 kg/m(2)s. The Reynolds number based on the steam jet's maximum expansion ranged from 41,000 to 93,000. Farther above of the condensation region, the jet evolved as a single-phase heated plume, surrounded by ambient water. Mean axial central velocity profiles were determined against the steam mass flux ranging from 295-883 kg/m(2)s to observe the exponential drop in the mean axial velocity as the vertical distance increased. The radial velocity distribution within the spread of the jet was determined to be self-similar, and the radial distribution of the velocity profile followed the Gaussian function, after the proper scaling of the vertical distance and the axial mean velocity.