Condensation Heat Transfer and Pressure Gradient Inside Multiport Minichannels

Abstract

In this paper, the experimental heat transfer coefficients measured during condensation of R134a and R410A inside multiport minichannels are presented. The frictional pressure gradient was also measured during adiabatic two-phase flow. The need for experimental research on condensation inside multiport minichannels comes from the wide use of those channels in automotive air-conditioners. The perspective for the adoption of similar channels in the residential air conditioning applications also calls for experimental research on new high pressure refrigerants, such as R410A.

Experimental data are compared against models to show the accuracy of the models in the prediction of heat transfer coefficients and pressure drop inside minichannels.