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Effect of critical atomizing-flow distributor on thermal–hydraulic performance of finned evaporator.

Author(s) : SUN Z., WANG J., WANG Q., SU G., BIE Q., ZHAO Y., CHEN J., ZHAO H., WANG Z., LIU X., LIU Y., ZHANG W., XUE H.

Type of article: IJR article

Summary

To address the issue of uneven distribution of gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant in finned evaporators, this study proposes a novel distribution strategy coupling atomizing flow formation with critical distribution. The novelty of this work lies in synergistically combining atomization-induced heat transfer enhancement with critical flowbased distribution stabilization. A systematic comparison was conducted on the performance of finned evaporators equipped with the critical atomizing-flow distributor (CAFD), the venturi distributor (VD), the orifice plate distributor (OPD), and the rectifying nozzle-type critical distributor (RNCD). The comparison focused on their heat transfer coefficient, cooling capacity, pressure drop and unevenness of superheating. Experimental results indicated that at a test chamber temperature of -18◦C, the evaporator equipped with the CAFD achieves cooling capacity enhancements of 20%, 13%, and 9% compared to the VD, OPD, and RNCD systems, respectively. Correspondingly, the heat transfer coefficient showed improvements of 36%, 10%, and 6%. All four distributors had a minimal impact on the evaporator's pressure drop, with pressure drops of approximately 0.01MPa across all operating conditions. The unevenness of superheating of the finned evaporator with the CAFD decreased by 19% and 2% compared to the VD and OPD, respectively, while slightly exceeding that of the RNCD by 4%. This research shows that dispersed atomizing flow with high specific surface area greatly enhances heat exchange efficiency, and the critical sonic nozzle suppresses upstream pressure oscillation propagation. The findings offer an efficient solution for finned evaporator performance improvement and a theoretical basis for atomizing flow applications in low-GWP environmentally friendly refrigerants.

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Details

  • Original title: Effect of critical atomizing-flow distributor on thermal–hydraulic performance of finned evaporator.
  • Record ID : 30034897
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Technology
  • Source: International Journal of Refrigeration - Revue Internationale du Froid - vol. 186
  • Publication date: 2026/06
  • DOI: http://dx.doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2026.106903

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