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Flow pattern-based pressure drop correlations for refrigerant condensation in smooth and enhanced tubes.

Author(s) : LIEBENBERG L., OLIVIER J., THOME J. R., et al.

Summary

This paper presents a study of pressure drops during refrigerant condensation inside a smooth, an 18°-helical micro-fin, and a herringbone tube. Experimental work was conducted for condensing refrigerants R22, R407C, and R134a at an average saturation temperature of 40 °C with mass fluxes ranging from 300-800 kg/m2.s, and with vapour qualities ranging from 0.05-0.15 at condenser outlet, to 0.85-0.95 at condenser inlet. These test conditions represent annular and intermittent (slug and plug) flow conditions. The pressure gradients encountered in the herringbone tube were about 79% higher than that of the smooth tube and about 27% higher than that of the helical micro-fin tube. A widely used pressure drop correlation for condensation in helical micro-fin tubes was modified for the case of the herringbone tube. The modified correlation predicted the data within plus or minus 1% error with an absolute deviation of 6.8%. Flow pattern transition criteria were also developed for transition from intermittent to annular flow. The prevailing flow regime was observed by using digital video cameras. The derived flow pattern transition criteria provide for objective predictors during flow condensation in enhanced tubes, and facilitate the accurate determination of pressure drop in the three types of tubes that were investigated.

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Pages: 2005-3

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Details

  • Original title: Flow pattern-based pressure drop correlations for refrigerant condensation in smooth and enhanced tubes.
  • Record ID : 2006-0590
  • Languages: English
  • Source: Commercial Refrigeration. Thermophysical Properties and Transfer Processes of Refrigerants. Proceedings of the IIR International Conferences.
  • Publication date: 2005/08/02

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