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Evaluation of the constituent correlations for predicting the refrigerant flow characteristics in adiabatic helically coiled capillary tubes

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Abstract

Capillary tubes with straight, spiral, and helically coiled shapes have been widely used as expansion devices in small refrigeration systems. Many physical models are required to evaluate the refrigerant flow rate through a helically coiled capillary tube because of the complicated flow behavior in such tube. In this study, a numerical model was developed to evaluate refrigerant flow through a helically coiled capillary tube. The mass flow rates predicted using various combinations of empirical correlations were compared with the experimental data available in the open literature, including R22, R134a, R407C, R410A and LPG. On the basis of these comparisons, a recommended set of correlations was selected to calculate the mass flow rates through a helically coiled capillary tube. The present numerical model exhibited good agreement with the experimental data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Korea

    Won-Jong Lee & Ji Hwan Jeong

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  1. Won-Jong Lee
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  2. Ji Hwan Jeong
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Correspondence to Ji Hwan Jeong.

Additional information

Recommended by Associate Editor Hyoung-gwon Choi

Won-jong Lee obtained his Ph.D. in the School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, South Korea, in 2018. He is currently working as a postdoctoral researcher in the same university. His research interest includes heat exchangers and refrigeration systems.

Ji Hwan Jeong is a Professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea. He obtained his B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from Seoul National University in 1988 and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from KAIST in 1990 and 1995, respectively. His research interests include heat transfer augmentation, heat exchangers, heat pumps, and nuclear thermal hydraulics.

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Lee, WJ., Jeong, J.H. Evaluation of the constituent correlations for predicting the refrigerant flow characteristics in adiabatic helically coiled capillary tubes. J Mech Sci Technol 33, 2123–2136 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-019-0415-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-019-0415-x

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