Adiabatic two-phase pressure drop of refrigerants in small channels

Brandon S. Field, Pega Hrnjak

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

The adiabatic pressure drop of two-phase refrigerant flow in small channels has been investigated. A rectangular channel with dh = 148.0 μm has been tested with four refrigerants: R134a, R410A, Propane (R290) and Ammonia (R717). This data has been combined with data taken from five different channels, with dh varying from 70 μm to 305 μm, of R134a. The measured pressure drops are compared to many published separated-flow and homogeneous pressure drop models. A new correlation for C, the Chisholm parameter, has been developed based on Reynolds number of the vapor phase (which contains the majority of the kinetic energy) and the dimensionless grouping Ψ - a dimensionless ratio of viscous to surface tension effects taken from the analysis of capillary flow performed by Sou and Griffith (1964). This allows the new correlation to account for the varying fluid properties (including surface tension) that are found in the different refrigerants. The new correlation takes flow regime into account by means of a Weber number based flow transition criteria, following the flow map of Akbar et al. [10].

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 4th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels and Minichannels, ICNMM2006
PublisherAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers
Pages1173-1180
Number of pages8
ISBN (Print)0791847608, 9780791847602
DOIs
StatePublished - 2006
Externally publishedYes
Event4th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels and Minichannels, ICNMM2006 - Limerick, Ireland
Duration: Jun 19 2006Jun 21 2006

Publication series

NameProceedings of the 4th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels and Minichannels, ICNMM2006
Volume2006 B

Other

Other4th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels and Minichannels, ICNMM2006
Country/TerritoryIreland
CityLimerick
Period6/19/066/21/06

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Engineering

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