Study of an air-lift system,Part II: Heat transfer in co-current,vertical two-phase,non-boiling flows

Heat transfer at the inner wall for co-current vertical air-water mixture flow has been investigated in a 161.5 mm diameter pumping tube of an air-lift system. The experimental heat transfer coefficients were found to be significantly higher than those calculated from a single liquid phase correlation for the same liquid flow rate. The enhancement of heat transfer was found to be related to the flow pattern. A decrease of the heat transfer coefficient was observed in the transition region from slug flow to churn flow. Hydrodynamic and heat transfer models have been used to describe heat transfer during the slug flow regime and a correlation is proposed for the heat transfer coefficient in the liquid plug behind the gas bubble.