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Experimental investigation on the heat transfer characteristics and flow pattern in vertical narrow channels heated from one side

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Abstract

Experimental investigation for the flow boiling of water in a vertical rectangular channel was conducted to reveal the boiling heat transfer mechanism and flow patterns map aspects. The onset of nucleate boiling went upward with the increasing of the working fluid mass flow rate or the decreasing of the inlet working fluid temperature. As the vapour quality was increased, the local heat transfer coefficient increased first, then decreased, followed by various flow patterns. The test data from other researchers had a similar pattern transition for the bubble-slug flow and the slug-annular flow. Flow pattern transition model analysis was performed to make the comparison with current test data. The slug-annular and churn-annular transition models showed a close trend with current data except that the vapor phase superficial velocity of flow pattern transition was much higher than that of experimental data.

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Abbreviations

A :

Heat transfer area from channel inlet, m2

A i :

The specific heat transfer area from inlet, for i = 1 to 8

A sect :

Area of channel cross-section, m2

Bond :

Bond number

C d :

Distribution parameter

C p :

Specific heat capacity, kJ kg−1 K−1

d :

Channel diameter, mm

D :

Diameter, mm

d h :

Channel hydraulic diameter, mm

g :

Gravitational acceleration, m s−2

G :

Mass flux, kg m−2 s−1

G t :

Vapor and liquid total mass flux, Lb ft−2 h−1

H :

Channel depth, mm

h :

Specific enthalpy, kJ kg−1

h fg :

Latent heat of vaporization, kJ kg−1

h local :

Local heat transfer coefficient, kW m−2 K−1

h ovg :

The surface coefficient of heat transfer, kW m−2 K−1

J :

Volumetric flux

J L :

Superficial liquid velocity, m s−1

J g :

Superficial vapor velocity, m s−1

L :

Channel length, mm

l c :

Channel diameter, mm

\( \dot{m} \) :

Mass flow rate, kg s−1

P :

Pressure, kPa

\( \dot{q} \) :

Heat flux, kW m−2

\( \dot{Q}_{heater} \) :

Heater power, kW

\( \dot{Q}_{loss} \) :

Heat loss, kW

S :

Heated perimeter of channel, mm

T :

Temperature, K

V gj :

Drift velocity, m s−1

W :

Channel width, mm

Z :

Distance from the channel inlet, mm

Z i :

The specific distance from inlet, for i = 1 to 8

σ :

Surface tension, N m−1

ρ :

Density, kg m−3

λ:

Thermal conductivity, kW m−1 K−1

χ :

Vapour quality

α :

Void fraction

S slip :

Slip ratio

1/X tt :

Martinelli parameter

μ :

Viscosity, Pa s

Δρ:

Density difference between liquid and vapor, kg m−3

axial :

Axial direction

crit :

Critical value

cross :

Cross section

fluid:

Fluid

g :

Vapor

L :

Liquid

local :

Local

in :

Inlet

sat :

Saturation

sect:

Cross-section

W :

Wall

AR:

Aspect ratio

DAQ:

Data acquisition

ONB:

Onset of nucleate boiling

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Energy and Power Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093, People’s Republic of China

    Lihao Huang & Leren Tao

  2. Ingersoll Rand Engineering and Technology Center-Asia Pacific, Shanghai, 200051, People’s Republic of China

    Gang Li

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  1. Lihao Huang
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  2. Gang Li
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  3. Leren Tao
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Correspondence to Gang Li.

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Huang, L., Li, G. & Tao, L. Experimental investigation on the heat transfer characteristics and flow pattern in vertical narrow channels heated from one side. Heat Mass Transfer 52, 1343–1357 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-015-1645-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-015-1645-9

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