High pressure refrigerants condensation in vertical pipe minichannels

Abstract

The paper consists a description of thermal and flow experimental research on high-pressure refrigerants condensation process in vertical minichannels. The influence of mass flux density, heat flux density, the vapour quality and minichannel's internal diameter on the condensation process was investigated. Under the same conditions, R404A, R407C, R410A refrigerants were condensed. The study also consists a summary of data obtained during condensation process of all three investigated refrigerants. The results of experimental studies were compared with the results of theoretical modeling according to the dependencies developed by other authors. The compliance of the modeling data with the results of the experiment was considered unsatisfactory. Based on the results of experimental data, heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop prediction models for low heat fluxes (q up to 5000 W/m2) were obtained.