Simulation study on the two-phase flow characteristics of the water separator in aircraft air conditioning systems

In high-humidity environments, some air cycle system turbines experience water ingress and corrosion issues, highlighting the need to focus on the performance of water separators in aircraft air conditioning systems. Currently, research on water separators in China is insufficient, with a noticeable gap in separation efficiency compared to international leading standards. Therefore, an in-depth study from fundamental principles is required. This study utilizes commercial software ANSYS Fluent to perform numerical simulations, varying inlet velocity, droplet size, and other operational conditions to explore the two-phase flow characteristics of the water separator in aircraft air conditioning systems. The findings of this research will help bridge the gap in domestic water separator studies, enhance system efficiency and reliability, provide guidance for improving existing systems, and ultimately address issues such as turbine water ingress and corrosion. This will provide technical support and assurance for the development of aircraft air conditioning systems.