Research on the structural optimization of ejector nozzle baffle in natural gas transportation systems and the enhancement of ejector performance.

This article focuses on improving the performance of natural gas ejectors used to boost wellhead pressure for pipeline transportation. It investigates the addition of baffles at the nozzle outlet to enhance ejector back pressure—specifically the critical back pressure (CBP) and breakdown pressure (BDP)—and analyzes how variations in baffle length and shape affect the entrainment ratio (ER) and flow stability. Numerical simulations and laboratory tests show that appropriately designed baffles can increase CBP by up to 11.1% and BDP by 7.9%, though they may reduce ER in the choked flow state; this reduction can be mitigated by optimizing the baffle’s upper sidewall profile using proportional or quadratic function shapes, which improve low-pressure fluid flow and jointly enhance ER and back pressure. The study provides a cost-effective structural modification to ejectors that improves natural gas transport efficiency without adding auxiliary equipment, while noting that further research is needed on fluid-structure interactions and broader applicability.