Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics of Slug Bubbly Flow in Micro Condensers

Abstract

Experiments were carried out to study the condensation flow pattern in silicon micro condenser using water as medium. Five flow patterns were identified under our experimental conditions. Slug-bubbly flow and droplet/liquid slug flow were found to be the two dominant flows in the micro condenser. These two flow patterns subsequently determined the heat transfer and pressure drop properties of the fluid. It was observed that only slug-bubbly flow existed in low steam mass flow and high heat flux conditions. When the steam mass flow rate increased or the heat flux dropped, mixed flow pattern occurred. An empirical correlation was obtained to predict when the transition of the flow pattern from slug-bubbly flow to mixed flow could appear. In the slug-bubbly flow regime, heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop in the micro condensers were studied. It was found that micro condensers with smaller channels could exhibit higher heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop. At constant heat flux, increasing the steam mass flow rate resulted in a higher heat transfer coefficient and also the pressure drop.