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Influence of the 2-phase Flow Models on Prediction of Absorber Tube Performance

  • Research Article-Mechanical Engineering
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Abstract

It is crucial to identify flow regimes/patterns in order to calculate the pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient (HTC) with high accuracy in flow boiling. Researchers have not paid too much attention to the two-phase (2-phase) phenomena and the influence of the 2-phase flow parameters on the performance of absorber tubes. This parametric study sheds the light on some of the well-known and widely used 2-phase flow models/correlations and their impact on absorber performance prediction. The results of 2-phase flow models were compared with experimental data for refrigerants and water to validate these models. Different HTC models are studied. However, the main parameters affecting the absorber tube performance are analyzed and validated. The results showed that for the refrigerant R134a case Wojtan et al. HTC model exhibited the best fit with the experimental data, while in the case of water Shah correlation found to be the best. Moreover, for the pressure drop, Lockhart–Martinelli model showed the best agreement with the experimental data especially at high qualities.

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Abbreviations

\(h\) :

Heat transfer coefficient (W/m2 k)

\(X_{tt}\) :

Martinelli parameter (–)

\(\rho\) :

Density (kg/m3)

\(\sigma\) :

Surface tension (N/m)

\(k\) :

Thermal conductivity (W/m k)

\(C_{p} \) :

Heat capacity (J/kg k)

\(\mu\) :

Liquid dynamic viscosity (Pa.s)

\(T\) :

Temperature (°C)

\(P\) :

Pressure (kpa)

\(v\) :

Specific volume (m3/kg)

\(\gamma\) :

Liquid holdup (–)

\(D\) :

Absorber inner diameter (m)

\(G\) :

Mass flux (kg/m2 s)

\(i\) :

Enthalpy (J/kg)

\({\Delta }P\) :

Pressure drop (kpa)

\(x \) :

Vapor quality (–)

\(h_{{\rm b}} S\) :

Bubble formation (W/m2 k)

\(h_{{\rm L}} F\) :

Convection (W/m2 k)

\(C_{o}\) :

Convection number (–)

\(S \& F\) :

Correction and enhancement factors (–)

\(\phi_{fo}^{2}\) :

2-phase multiplier

\(\phi\) :

Friction multiplier

C:

Constant depends on the flow (turbulent or laminar)

\({\Omega }\) :

Correction factor

\(B_{o}\) :

Boiling number (–) \(= \frac{Q}{{h_{fg} \rho V}}\)

\(\mathrm{Pr}\) :

Prantdl number (–) \(= Cp.\mu /k\)

\(\mathrm{Fr}_{H}\) :

Fraud number = \(\frac{{G^{2} }}{{gD\rho_{{\rm h}}^{2} }}\)

\({ }E\) :

\( = \left( {1 - x} \right)^{2} + \frac{{x^{2} \rho_{{\rm L}} f_{GO} }}{{\rho_{G} f_{LO} }} \;{\mathrm{parameter }}\;{\mathrm{in }}\;{\mathrm{Eq}}{.}\;\left( {31} \right)\)

\(F\) :

\(= x^{0.78} \left( {1 - x} \right)^{0.224} , \;{\mathrm{parameter }}\;{\mathrm{in }}\;{\mathrm{Eq}}{.}\;\left( {31} \right)\)

\(H \) :

\( = \left( {\frac{{\rho_{{\rm L}} }}{{\rho_{G} }}} \right)^{0.91} \left( {\frac{{\mu_{G} }}{{\mu_{{\rm L}} }}} \right)^{0.19} \left( {1 - \frac{{\mu_{G} }}{{\mu_{{\rm L}} }}} \right)^{0.7} \;{\mathrm{parameter }}\;{\mathrm{in }}\;{\mathrm{Eq}}{.}\;\left( {31} \right)\)

\(W{\mathrm{e}}\) :

Weber number \(= \frac{{G^{2} D}}{{\sigma \rho_{{\rm h}} }}\)

\(\rho_{{\rm h}}\) :

Homogeneous density  =  \(\left( {\frac{x}{{\rho_{G} }} + \frac{1 - x}{{\rho_{{\rm L}} }}} \right)^{ - 1}\)

tp:

2-phase flow

fo:

1-phase flow

g:

Gas

l:

Liquid

b:

Nucleate boiling

tpn:

Nucleate boiling is dominant

bc:

Bulk convective

w:

Wall

sat:

Saturation

h:

Homogenous

Bf:

Bankoff

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals for their support under Project No. IN171039.

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  1. Mechanical Engineering Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia

    K. A. Khalid, A. Al-Sarkhi & H. M. Bahaidarah

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  1. K. A. Khalid
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Correspondence to A. Al-Sarkhi.

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Khalid, K.A., Al-Sarkhi, A. & Bahaidarah, H.M. Influence of the 2-phase Flow Models on Prediction of Absorber Tube Performance. Arab J Sci Eng 46, 2833–2844 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-020-05232-9

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