Two-Phase Flow Patterns and Evaporation Heat Transfer of R134a in a Vertical Narrow Rectangular Channel

Abstract

This study experimentally investigated the flow pattern, void fraction, and evaporation heat transfer characteristic of R134a upward flow in a vertical narrow rectangular channel having a hydraulic diameter of 0.99[Formula: see text]mm, resembling a plate heat exchanger. Experiments were performed with mass velocities and vapor quality ranging between 30–200[Formula: see text]kgm[Formula: see text]s[Formula: see text] and 0.05–0.9, respectively, at a saturation temperature of 15[Formula: see text]C. Flow patterns were classified into bubble, slug, churn, and annular flows. The void fraction increased with increasing quality, and decreased with decreasing mass velocity in the low-quality region. Further, the influence of flow inlet/outlet positions remarkably appeared when the superficial gas velocity was low. The observed flow patterns and the measured void fraction were compared to that in previous studies. The effects of mass velocity and heat flux on the evaporation heat transfer coefficient were small, and the heat transfer through the thin liquid film was dominant.