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Evaporation flow pattern and heat transfer of R-22 and R-134a in small diameter tubes

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Abstract

The flow patterns and heat transfer coefficients of R-22 and R-134a during evaporation in small diameter tubes were investigated experimentally. The evaporation flow patterns of R-22 and R-134a were observed in Pyrex sight glass tubes with 2 and 8 mm diameter tube, and heat transfer coefficients were measured in smooth and horizontal copper tubes with 1.77, 3.36 and 5.35 mm diameter tube, respectively. In the flow patterns during evaporation process, the annular flows in 2 mm glass tube occurred at a relatively lower vapor quality compared to 8 mm glass tube. The flow patterns in 2 mm glass tube did not agree with the Mandhane’s flow pattern maps. The evaporation heat transfer coefficients in the small diameter tubes (d i  < 6 mm) were observed to be strongly affected by tube diameters, and to differ from those in the large diameter tubes. The heat transfer coefficients of 1.77 mm tube were higher than those of 3.36 mm and 5.35 mm tube. Most of the existing correlations failed to predict the evaporation heat transfer coefficient in small diameter tubes. Therefore, based on the experimental data, the new correlation is proposed to predict the evaporation heat transfer coefficients of R-22 and R-134a in small diameter tubes.

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Abbreviations

d:

Diameter of tube (m)

dz:

Length of subsection (m)

f:

Two-phase multiplier

G:

Mass flux (kg m−2 s−1)

h:

Heat transfer coefficient (kW m−2 K−1)

ifg :

Latent heat (kJ kg−1)

i:

Enthalpy (kJ kg−1)

ID:

Inner diameter (m)

j:

Superficial velocity (m s−1)

k:

Thermal conductivity (W m−1 K−1)

L:

Total evaporation length, test section length (m)

N:

Number of data

M:

Mass flow rate (kg h−1)

q:

Heat flux (kW m−2)

Q:

Heat capacity (kW)

T:

Temperature (K)

x:

Vapor quality

zsc :

Subcooled length

Δ:

Difference

μ:

Dynamic viscosity (Pa s)

ρ:

Density (kg m−3)

X tt :

Martinelli parameter

avg:

Average

abs:

Absolute

cal:

Calculated

e:

Evaporation

exp:

Experimental

f:

Saturated liquid

g:

Saturated gas

i:

Inner diameter

in:

Inlet

l:

Liquid

L:

Local

OD:

Outer diameter

out:

Outlet

r:

Refrigerant

sat:

Saturation

t:

Turbulent

TP:

Two-phase

w:

Wall

wi:

Inside wall

wo:

Outside wall

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineering, College of Engineering, Pukyong National University, San 100, Yongdang-dong, Nam-gu, Pusan, 608-739, South Korea

    Hoo-Kyu Oh & Chang-Hyo Son

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  1. Hoo-Kyu Oh
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Correspondence to Chang-Hyo Son.

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Oh, HK., Son, CH. Evaporation flow pattern and heat transfer of R-22 and R-134a in small diameter tubes. Heat Mass Transfer 47, 703–717 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-011-0761-4

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