Effect of tube diameter on boiling heat transfer and flow characteristic of refrigerant R32 in horizontal small-diameter tubes

This study investigated the effect of tube diameter on flow boiling characteristics of refrigerant R32 in horizontal small-diameter tubes with 1.0, 2.2, and 3.5 mm inner diameters. The boiling heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop were measured at 15 °C saturation temperature. The effects of mass velocity, heat flux, quality, and tube diameter were clarified. The flow pattern of R32 for adiabatic two-phase flow in a horizontal glass tube with an inner diameter of 3.5 mm at saturation temperature of 15 °C was investigated. Flow patterns such as plug, wavy, churn, and annular flows were observed. The heat transfer mechanisms of forced convection and nucleate boiling were similar to those in conventional-diameter tubes. In addition, evaporation heat transfer through a thin liquid film in the plug flow region for low quality, mass velocity, and heat flux was observed. The heat transfer coefficient increased with decreasing tube diameter under the same experimental condition. The fictional pressure drop increased with increasing mass velocity and quality and decreasing tube diameter. The experimental values of the heat transfer coefficient and frictional pressure drop were compared with the values calculated by the empirical correlations in the open literature.     

Influence of oil on evaporator heat transfer (results for R 12 and Shell Clavus 68)

Experiments are described which investigated the influence of lubricating oil on the heat transfer and the refrigerant flow in refrigeration evaporators. The particular refrigerant was R 12, and the oil used was Shell Clavus 68. Efforts were made to model actual operation as closely as possible. It was found that the oil had a significant effect on the refrigerant flow and pressure drop. Measurements made on the heat transfer coefficient indicated that the oil had different effects depending on the fluid flow regime. For annular — wavy regimes, there was no apparent effect, while for annular and film flows, the presence of oil significantly reduced the heat transfer coefficient.The dependence of heat transfer coefficient on refrigerant quality was also investigated and was found to be a maximum when the quality lay between 0.6 and 0.8. This regime corresponds to fully developed annular flow.     

Influence of oil on evaporator heat transfer (results for R 12 and Shell Clavus 68)Influence de l'huile sur le transfert de chaleur dans l'évaporateur

Experiments are described which investigated the influence of lubricating oil on the heat transfer and the refrigerant flow in refrigeration evaporators. The particular refrigerant was R 12, and the oil used was Shell Clavus 68. Efforts were made to model actual operation as closely as possible. It was found that the oil had a significant effect on the refrigerant flow and pressure drop. Measurements made on the heat transfer coefficient indicated that the oil had different effects depending on the fluid flow regime. For annular — wavy regimes, there was no apparent effect, while for annular and film flows, the presence of oil significantly reduced the heat transfer coefficient.The dependence of heat transfer coefficient on refrigerant quality was also investigated and was found to be a maximum when the quality lay between 0.6 and 0.8. This regime corresponds to fully developed annular flow.     

Numerical Modelling of Flow Boiling Heat Transfer in Horizontal Metal‐Foam Tubes

The flow boiling heat transfer performance in horizontal metal‐foam tubes is numerically investigated based on the flow pattern map retrieved from experimental investigations. The flow pattern and velocity profile are generally governed by vapour quality and mass flow rate of the fluid. The porous media non‐equilibrium heat transfer model is employed for modelling both vapour and liquid phase zones. The modelling predictions have been compared with experimental results. The effects of metal‐foam morphological parameters, heat flux and mass flux on heat transfer have been examined. The numerical predictions show that the overall heat transfer coefficient of the metal‐foam filled tube increases with the relative density (1‐porosity), pore density (ppi), mass and heat flux.     

Heat transfer, pressure drop, and flow pattern recognition during condensation inside smooth, helical micro-fin, and herringbone tubes

This paper presents a study of flow regimes, pressure drops, and heat transfer coefficients during refrigerant condensation inside a smooth, an 18° helical micro-fin, and a herringbone tubes. Experimental work was conducted for condensing refrigerants R-22, R-407C, and R-134a at an average saturation temperature of 40 °C with mass fluxes ranging from 400 to 800 kg m⁻² s⁻¹, and with vapour qualities ranging from 0.85 to 0.95 at condenser inlet and from 0.05 to 0.15 at condenser outlet. These test conditions represent annular and intermittent (slug and plug) flow conditions. Results showed that transition from annular flow to intermittent flow, on average for the three refrigerants, occurred at a vapour quality of 0.49 for the smooth tube, 0.29 for the helical micro-fin tube, and 0.26 for the herringbone tube. These transition vapour qualities were also reflected in the pressure gradients, with the herringbone tube having the highest pressure gradient. The pressure gradients encountered in the herringbone tube were about 79% higher than that of the smooth tube and about 27% higher than that of the helical micro-fin tube. A widely used pressure drop correlation for condensation in helical micro-fin tubes was modified for the case of the herringbone tube. The modified correlation predicted the data within a 1% error with an absolute deviation of 7%. Heat transfer enhancement factors for the herringbone tube against the smooth tube were on average 70% higher while against the helical micro-fin tube it was 40% higher. A correlation for predicting heat transfer coefficients inside a helical micro-fin tube was modified for the herringbone tube. On average the correlation predicted the data to within 4% with an average standard deviation of 8%.     

微圆管内R1234ze(E)流动沸腾的环状流特性模拟研究

本文建立了制冷剂R1234ze(E)在微圆管内流动沸腾过程中的环状流模型,对传热和气液两相流动压降进行了模拟研究。综合考虑重力、表面张力及气液界面剪切力的影响,模拟分析了周向液膜不均匀分布特性及该特性对流动与换热的影响,经验证,计算结果与已有实验结果吻合较好。本文还研究了不同因素对环状流区域表面传热系数与压降的影响。模拟结果表明:在流动起始区域,截面液膜厚度的分布受重力作用影响,随着流动沸腾过程的进行,该影响作用开始减弱,且有重力作用时的环状流平均表面传热系数高于无重力作用时的环状流平均表面传热系数,随着重力加速度的增加,环状流的平均表面传热系数不断增大;随着质量流速的增大,表面传热系数与压降均随之增大;随着管径增大,表面传热系数与压降均随之减小。     

Boiling flow through diverging microchannel

An experimental study of flow boiling through diverging microchannel has been carried out in this work, with the aim of understanding boiling in non-uniform cross-section microchannel. Diverging microchannel of 4° of divergence angle and 146 μm hydraulic diameter (calculated at mid-length) has been employed for the present study with deionised water as working fluid. Effect of mass flux (118–1182 kg/m²-s) and heat flux (1.6–19.2 W/cm²) on single and two-phase pressure drop and average heat transfer coefficient has been studied. Concurrently, flow visualization is carried out to document the various flow regimes and to correlate the pressure drop and average heat transfer coefficient to the underlying flow regime. Four flow regimes have been identified from the measurements: bubbly, slug, slug–annular and periodic dry-out/ rewetting. Variation of pressure drop with heat flux shows one maxima which corresponds to transition from bubbly to slug flow. It is shown that significantly large heat transfer coefficient (up to 107 kW/m²-K) can be attained for such systems, for small pressure drop penalty and with good flow stability.     

Condensation heat transfer and pressure drop in flattened microfin tubes having different aspect ratios

In this study, condensation heat transfer coefficients and pressure drops of R-410A are obtained in flattened microfin tubes made from 7.0 mm O.D. round microfin tubes. The test range covers saturation temperature 45 °C, mass flux 100–400 kg m⁻² s⁻¹ and quality 0.2–0.8. Results show that the effect of aspect ratio on condensation heat transfer coefficient is dependent on the flow pattern. For annular flow, the heat transfer coefficient increases as aspect ratio increases. For stratified flow, however, the heat transfer coefficient decreases as aspect ratio increases. The pressure drop always increases as aspect ratio increases. Possible reasoning is provided based on the estimated flow pattern in flat microfin tubes. Comparison with existing round microfin tube correlations is made.     

Heat transfer coefficients for a vertical fluted-plate condenser with R113 and 114Coefficients de transfert de chaleur pour un condenseur à plaques rainurées verticales fonctionnant au R113 et au R114

Heat transfer coefficients were obtained for film condensation on four different vertical fluted plates. Freon 113 and Freon 114 were used as working fluids. The tests were carried out over a wide range of vapour velocities. Empirical correlations are proposed to predict the average condensation heat transfer coefficients on a vertical rectangular fluted surface, wavy fluted surface and triangular fluted surface, respectively.     

Heat transfer coefficients for a vertical fluted-plate condenser with R113 and 114

Heat transfer coefficients were obtained for film condensation on four different vertical fluted plates. Freon 113 and Freon 114 were used as working fluids. The tests were carried out over a wide range of vapour velocities. Empirical correlations are proposed to predict the average condensation heat transfer coefficients on a vertical rectangular fluted surface, wavy fluted surface and triangular fluted surface, respectively.     

Condensing two-phase pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient of propane in a horizontal multiport mini-channel tube: Experimental measurements

This article reports the condensing flow heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop results of propane (R290) flowing through a square section horizontal multiport mini-channel tube made of aluminium having an internal diameter of 1.16 mm and a condensing length of 259 mm. Pressure drop and two phase flow experiments were performed at saturation temperatures of 30, 40 and 50 °C. Heat flux was varied from 15.76 to 32.25 kWm⁻² and mass velocity varied from 175 to 350 kg m⁻² s⁻¹. The results show that the two-phase friction pressure gradient increases with the increase of mass velocity and vapour quality and with the decrease of saturation temperature. The heat transfer coefficients showed to increase with increases of vapour quality and mass velocity while increases of saturation temperature were observed to reduce heat transfer coefficient. The two phase frictional pressure drop correlations of Sun and Mishima and Agarwal and Garimella, and the two-phase flow heat transfer correlations of Koyama et al. and Wang et al. predicted well the experimental results.     

Two-phase heat transfer coefficients of three HFC refrigerants inside a horizontal smooth tube, part I: evaporationCoefficient d'échange diphasiques de trois fluides frigorifiques HFC à l'intérieur d'un tube lisse horizontal, première partie: évaporation

This paper presents experimental heat transfer results obtained during the evaporation of Isceon 59, R407C and R404A in a horizontal tube. The results have been compared with existing correlations which characterise the evaporative heat transfer coefficient to assess the validity of these models for refrigerant mixtures. The results compared well with the (Gungor K.E., Winterton, R.H.S. Simplified general correlation for saturated flow boiling and comparisons of correlations with data. The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering Research & Design 1987;65(2):148–156 and Shah M.M. Chart correlation for saturated boiling heat transfer: equations and further study. ASHRAE Transactions 1982;88(1):185–196) correlations over a 0.2 to 0.8 vapour quality range. These correlations, however, did not accurately predict the results obtained during the dry-out at high vapour quality. A model, developed by (Kattan N., Thome J.R., Favrat D., 1998. Flow boiling in horizontal tubes: part 1 — development of a diabatic two-phase flow pattern map. Journal of heat transfer, transactions of ASME, Vol. 120, pp. 140-147; Kattan N., Thome J.R., Favrat D., 1998. Flow boiling in horizontal tubes: part 2 — new heat transfer data for five refrigerants. Journal of Heat Transfer, Transactions of ASME, Vol. 120, pp. 148–155; Kattan N., Thome J.R., Favrat D., 1998. Flow boiling in horizontal tubes: part 3–development of a new heat transfer model based on flow pattern. Journal of Heat Transfer, Transactions of ASME, Vol. 120, pp. 156–165), was found to express the local variations in heat transfer during the whole evaporation process. This model was modified to fit the three new refrigerants. The modified Kattan model offers a good prediction of the heat transfer results, with a standard deviation of 6.1%.     

Heat transfer correlations for the forced convection boiling of R12-R13 mixturesCorrélations du transfert de chaleur pour l'ébullition en convection forcée de mélanges de R 12 et R 13

Correlations for predicting the local heat transfer coefficient during forced convection boiling of mixed refrigerants have been developed for four compositions of binary mixtures of R13 and R12. Of the several correlations examined with nearly equal promise, the Lavin-Young type has been found the best. Generalized correlations have also been developed for all mixture compositions. Effect of concentration factor, CF, has resulted in marginal improvement of the correlations. Liquid and vapour phase Prandtl numbers have also been found to affect the generalized correlations for predicting the local heat transfer coefficient.     

Heat transfer correlations for the forced convection boiling of R12-R13 mixtures

Correlations for predicting the local heat transfer coefficient during forced convection boiling of mixed refrigerants have been developed for four compositions of binary mixtures of R13 and R12. Of the several correlations examined with nearly equal promise, the Lavin-Young type has been found the best. Generalized correlations have also been developed for all mixture compositions. Effect of concentration factor, CF, has resulted in marginal improvement of the correlations. Liquid and vapour phase Prandtl numbers have also been found to affect the generalized correlations for predicting the local heat transfer coefficient.     

R290在水平微细圆管内沸腾换热特性研究

本文研究了R290在内径为1 mm、2 mm和4 mm水平微细圆管内的沸腾流动换热特性,在饱和温度为15℃条件下,质量流速为50～600 kg/(m²·s)、干度为0～1、热流密度为5～20 k W/m²时,对沸腾传热系数的影响进行了分析。通过实验发现,增大质量流速对传热系数具有增强作用,质量流速对传热系数的影响在低干度区域比高干度区域小。在热流密度方面,传热系数随着热流密度的增大而增大,且在1 mm和2 mm管内观察到了临界干度对传热系数的影响,这时传热系数有断崖式下降的趋势。在管径对于传热系数的影响方面,通过对不同管径换热特性的横向对比,发现在一定工况下传热系数随着管径的减小有所上升。此外本文还对R290已有的部分关联式进行了适配性验证。     

Mass transfer correlation for phenol biodegradation in a fluidized bed bioreactor

Experiments have been carried out in a draft tube fluidized bed bioreactor to study biodegradation of synthetic wastewater containing phenol. The microorganism employed in the study Psuedomonas putida has been immobilized on solid support particles. Studies have been carried out at different feed concentrations of phenol, air flow rates and feed flow rates. The mass transfer coefficient for phenol transfer from bulk phase to the surface of the biofilm on the solid particle has been estimated from observed experimental data using the conservation equations. The mass transfer coefficient was found to be in the range of 0.0726 x 10(-5) to 0.2012 x 10(-5) m s(-1). It was found to increase with increase in feed concentration, air flow rate and feed flow rate. A dimensionless correlation has been developed for the mass transfer coefficient in terms of Sherwood, Reynolds and Schmidt numbers, and the same has been compared with correlations available in literature.     

Flow pattern and heat transfer characteristics during flow boiling of CO2 in a horizontal micro fin tube and comparison with smooth tube data

Flow pattern observations and measurements of the heat transfer in a helical grooved micro fin tube are presented and compared with results for a smooth tube. The micro fin tube used (OD of 9.52 mm) was a Wieland Cuprofin EDX tube with 60 fins (height 0.25 mm) and a helix angle of 18°. The flow pattern observations at 39.7 bar (T_s=+5 °C, p_r=0.54) and 26.4 bar (T_s=−10 °C, p_r=0.36) show a wide range of the annular flow region. The transition from slug to annular flow does not occur, as expected, at constant vapour quality for all mass fluxes but there is an interdependence between transition vapour quality and mass flux. For the heat transfer in the micro fin tube, measurements at 39.7 bar are presented for heat fluxes up to 120 kW m⁻², mass fluxes between 75 and 250 kg m⁻² s⁻¹ and vapour qualities between 0.1 and 0.9.     

Research on the condensation of the ammonia–water mixture on a horizontal smooth tube

This paper reports on the experimental research and the theoretical analysis conducted to study the condensation of the ammonia–water mixture on a horizontal smooth tube. Experiments were carried out with ammonia concentrations and wall subcoolings ranging from 62% to 95% and from 45 °C to 90 °C, respectively. Experimental results of the overall condensation heat transfer coefficients (HTCs) are reported and discussed. A theoretical model based on the analytical method proposed by Colburn and Drew was developed. The model was able to predict the trends of the experimental HTCs for the ranges of concentrations and wall subcoolings considered in the experiments. The heat flow and the overall condensation HTCs were slightly overestimated with mean errors of 9.3% and 11.2%, respectively. The theoretical results revealed that the ammonia mass transfer in the vapour phase has a significant effect on the heat and mass transfer coefficients and, consequently, on the overall condensation HTCs. Finally, a calculation procedure was established to estimate the vapour mass and heat transfer coefficients from experimental data. The results are shown as dimensionless correlations.     

Development of a slug flow absorber working with ammonia–water mixture: part II—data reduction model for local heat and mass transfer characterization

This study deals with a data reduction model for clarifying experimental results of a counter-current slug flow absorber, working with ammonia–water mixture, for significantly low solution flow rate conditions. The data reduction model to obtain the local heat and mass transfer coefficient on the liquid side is proposed by using the drift flux model to analyze the flow characteristics. The control volume method and heat and mass transfer analogy are employed to solve the combined heat and mass transfer problem. As a result, it is found that the local heat and mass transfer coefficient on the liquid side of the absorber is greatly influenced by the flow pattern. The heat and mass transfer coefficient at the frost flow region is higher than that at the slug flow region due to flow disturbance and random fluctuation. The solution flow rate and gas flow rate have influence on the local heat and mass transfer coefficient at the frost flow region. However, it is insignificant at the slug flow region.     

Absorption of water vapour into falling films of aqueous lithium bromide

In this study, experiments have been performed for water vapour absorption into 50 and 60 mass% aqueous lithium bromide solution films flowing down a vertical surface to investigate the effects of liquid diffusivity values, molecular properties of the concentrated solutions and non-absorbable gases. The experimental results for wavy films over a film Reynolds number range of 15–90 indicate larger dimensionless mass transfer rates than for strictly laminar flow when the diffusivity of water in a concentrated lithium bromide solution is less than that in a dilute solution. The complete set of results shows that the physical property data for lithium bromide solutions including the diffusivities measured by Kashiwagi are sufficient to explain mass transfer behavior.