An experimental study of convective flow boiling of refrigerants inside smooth and microfin tubes

Author(s)

Enio Pedone Bandarra Filho

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Carlos.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC/SBD)
• Defense date: 2002-04-29

Examining board members

José Maria Saiz Jabardo; Luiz Fernando Milanez; Vivaldo Silveira Junior; Miriam Rocchi Tavares; Jurandir Itizo Yanagihara

• Advisor: José Maria Saiz Jabardo

Abstract

Present research deals with an experimental study of the heat transfer and pressure drop of pure and mixtures of refrigerants undergoing convective boiling inside horizontal smooth and microfin tubes. An experimental apparatus has been developed and constructed whose main component is a horizontal tube electrically heated. Experimental results have been grouped into two mass velocity ranges: the one corresponding to mass velocities lower than 200 kg/s.m2, where the stratified flow pattern is dominant, and that for mass velocities higher than 200 kg/s.m2, where typically the annular flow pattern can be found. Effects over the heat transfer coefficient of physical parameters such as mass velocity, heat flux, diameter, saturation temperature, and refrigerant have been investigated and analyzed. It has been found out that the thermo-hydraulic performance of microfin tubes is better than that of the smooth ones. Empirical correlations have been proposed for both the two-phase flow multiplier and the heat transfer coefficient for different ranges of operating conditions as well as for smooth and microfin tubes. Results from the proposed correlations can be deemed adequate for practical applications given the limited dispersion obtained with respect to their experimental counterpart. Noteworthy are the results obtained from correlations for both the two phase flow multiplier for microfin tubes and the heat transfer coefficient for the lower range of mass velocities in smooth tubes. Finally, worth mentioning is the photographic essay developed in present research involving the flow patterns that occur under convective boiling of refrigerants in horizontal tubes. (AU)