Hydrocarbon condensation flow and heat transfer in wave helical pipes: Effect of structure parameters

Abstract

In this study, two types of wave-structured pipes for heat exchangers that are easy to process are proposed, and the condensation pressure drop and heat transfer performances for hydrocarbon refrigerant upward flow in wave helical pipes are investigated. A numerical method based on the inhomogeneous two-fluid model is introduced and validated by experimental data in literature. The effect of wave parameters (wave height and wave length) on heat transfer, pressure drop and flow patterns are studied. At lower vapor quality conditions, it is found that as wave height increases, frictional pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient exhibit a trend of initially increasing, followed by decreasing, and then increasing again. However, under higher vapor quality conditions, frictional pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient continue to increase. Besides, both the frictional pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient increase with the decrease of wave length. The averaged enhancement on frictional pressure drop for vertical wave pipes and horizontal wave pipes are respectively 1.279–5.148 and 1.238–5.808 times, while the average augmentation in heat transfer coefficient is 1.243–3.006 and 1.316–3.579 times, respectively. The comprehensive thermal performance of wave pipes was assessed using the performance evaluation criterion. The range of averaged performance evaluation criteria (under different vapor qualities) in vertical wave pipes and horizontal wave pipes are respectively 1.150–1.737 and 1.230–2.026. The horizontal wave pipe when the wave height is 5 mm and wave length is 5.24 mm shows the best overall thermal performance, with an averaged performance evaluation criterion of 2.026. The two types of wave-structured pipes proposed in this paper can increase the pipe length of the spiral-wound heat exchanger at the same volume, while also improving the performance of the spiral-wound heat exchanger. The outcomes of the study can offer some assistance in creating simple but effective spiral wound heat exchangers.