Abstract
Experiments were performed on the convective boiling heat transfer in horizontal minichannels using propane. The test section was made of stainless steel tubes with inner diameters of 1.5 mm and 3.0 mm and lengths of 1000 mm and 2000 mm, respectively, and it was uniformly heated by applying an electric current directly to the tubes. Local heat transfer coefficients were obtained for a heat flux range of 5–20 kW m−2, a mass flux range of 50–400 kg m−2 s−1, saturation temperatures of 10, 5, and 0°C and quality ranges of up to 1.0. The nucleate boiling heat transfer contribution was predominant, particularly at the low quality region. Decreases in the heat transfer coefficient occurred at a lower vapor quality with a rise of heat flux and mass flux, and with a lower saturation temperature and inner tube diameter. Laminar flow appeared in the minichannel flows. A new boiling heat transfer coefficient correlation that is based on the superposition model for propane was developed with 8.27% mean deviation.
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This paper was recommended for publication in revised form by Associate Editor Jae Young Lee
Jong-Taek Oh received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Refrigeration Engineering from Pukyong National University, Korea. Dr. Oh is currently a Professor at Department of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineering, Chonnam National University at Yeosu, Korea. Dr. Oh’s research interests are in the area of boiling and condensation heat transfer and pressure drop of refrigerants with small tubes, heat pump and transportation refrigeration.
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Pamitran, A.S., Choi, KI., Oh, JT. et al. Two-phase flow heat transfer of propane vaporization in horizontal minichannels. J Mech Sci Technol 23, 599–606 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-008-0913-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-008-0913-8