Pressure-drop oscillations in a horizontal single boiling channel

The dynamic behavior of a horizontal boiling channel with a surge tank is i nvestigated through a nonlinear analysis. The surge tank is subject to a co nstant inlet flow rate and the outlet pressure-flow rate relation of the do wnstream boiling regime is described by a constitutive model containing a c ubic nonlinearity. Within certain operating regimes, the model exhibits sel f-excited periodic oscillations which can be identified with pressure-drop oscillations. In this study. these oscillations are described as relaxation oscillation and the qualitative features of the response can be understood in terms of the underlying model. Finally, the present model is compared w ith the experimental data available in literature.