Theoretical and empirical models for the gas void fraction (α) are reviewed. Simple rules are developed for obtaining rational bounds for the void fraction in two-phase flow. The lower bound is based on the separate cylinders formulation for turbulent-turbulent flow that uses the Blasius equation to predict the Fanning friction factor. The upper bound is based on the Butterworth relationship that represents well the Lockhart-Martinelli correlation. These two bounds are reversed in the case of liquid fraction (1−α). The bounds models are verified using published experimental data of void fraction versus mass quality at constant mass flow rate. The published data include different working fluids such as R-12 and R-22 at different pipe diameters, different pressures, and different mass flow rates. It is shown that the published data can be well bounded for a wide range of mass qualities, pipe diameters, pressures and mass flow rates. Further comparisons are made using the published experimental data of void fraction (α) and liquid fraction (1−α) versus the Lockhart-Martinelli parameter (X), for different working fluids such as R-12, R-22 and air-water mixtures.
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