High Flux Tube Research Articles

Flow Boiling Heat Transfer of R141b in Sintered Porous Tubes

In this paper, the high flux tubes of 25 mm outer diameter with the content of 8% and 12% nanoparticles were experimentally studied with the refrigerant R141b under atmospheric pressure. The liquid mass flux was controlled from 128.30 to 252.03 kg/m2·s, the maximum heat flux provided by the electric heating rod was 80 kW/m2, and the range of the superheated degree was from −7 to 4 °C. The results indicate that the porous media promotes the phase change at a low superheated degree, and the heat transfer capacity is 1.88 times that of the smooth tube. Additionally, the vapor quality increases significantly with the increase of nanoparticle concentration. Moreover, the heat transfer coefficient decreases as the outer wall temperature increases due to the formation of the gas film but increases with the increase of nano-powder content. Under the same superheated degree condition, the maximum heat transfer coefficient of the sintered porous tube with 12% nano-powder content is 1.3 times that of the tube with 8% nano-powder content.

On the solar activity dependence of midnight equatorial plasma bubbles during June solstice periods

The occurrence of midnight Equatorial Plasma Bubbles (EPBs) during the June solstice period of the ascending phase of solar cycle 24, from 2010 to 2014, was studied using data from the 47 MHz Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR) at Kototabang, Indonesia. The analysis shows that the occurrence of midnight hour EPBs was at its maximum during the low solar activity year 2010 and monotonically decreased thereafter with increasing solar activity. Details of the dependence of midnight hour EPB occurrence on solar activity were investigated using SAMI2 model simulation with a realistic input of <i><b>E</b></i> × <i><b>B</b></i> drift velocity data obtained from the CINDI-IVM onboard the C/NOFS satellite. Results obtained from term-by-term analysis of the flux tube integrated linear growth rate of RT instability indicate that the formation of a high flux tube electron content height gradient (steep vertical gradient) region at higher altitudes, due to the elevated F layer, is the key factor enhancing the growth rate of RT instability during low solar activity June solstices. Other factors are discussed in light of the relatively weak westward zonal electric field in the presence of the equatorward neutral wind and north-to-south transequatorial wind around the midnight hours of low solar activity June solstices. Also discussed are the initial seeding of RT instability by MSTIDs and how the threshold height required for EPB development varies with solar activity.

Nucleate Pool Boiling Heat Transfer from High-Flux Tube with Dielectric Fluid HFE-7200

In the present experimental study, nucleate pool boiling heat transfer measurements of two high-flux tubes (sample A and sample B) were conducted at atmospheric pressure with HFE-7200 as the working fluid. Both high-flux tubes were made from a sintered Cu-Ni (high-flux) alloy powder. The porous high-flux surface was coated inside the test tube and it is tested within the heat flux ranging from 2.6 to 86 kW/m2. The major difference between sample A and sample B was the coating thickness, where sample B (0.6 mm) was much larger than that of sample A (0.07 mm). Both tubes showed about three times enhancement in heat transfer coefficient (HTC) when compared to plain tube. Even though sample B contained a higher HTC than sample A, it also revealed a faster level-off phenomenon regarding the HTC vs. wall superheat. The major parameter which characterizes the boiling performance of high-flux tube was the ratio of coating thickness to pore diameter which also yielded different trends upon HTC vs. wall superheat amid sample A and B. It was found that the porous based Nishikawa correlation can well predict the performance of sample A but not sample B. This is because the ratio of coating thickness to pore diameter is far outside the applicable range of the Nishikawa correlation. Hence, a modified Nishikawa correlation is proposed. The predicted capability of the proposed modified Nishikawa correlation against sample A and sample for HTC was within ±28% deviation. The standard mean deviation of the Nishikawa correlation with experimental data for sample A and sample B was 0.302 (12.48%) and 5.64 (73%), respectively.

Resonant absorption in expanding coronal magnetic flux tubes with uniform density

Aims.We investigate the transfer of energy between a fundamental standing kink mode and azimuthal Alfvén waves within an expanding coronal magnetic flux tube. We consider the process of resonant absorption in a loop with a non-uniform Alfvén frequency profile but in the absence of a radial density gradient.Methods.Using the three dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code, Lare3d, we modelled a transversely oscillating magnetic flux tube that expands radially with height. An initially straight loop structure with a magnetic field enhancement was allowed to relax numerically towards a force-free state before a standing kink mode was introduced. The subsequent dynamics, rate of wave damping and formation of small length scales are considered.Results.We demonstrate that the transverse gradient in Alfvén frequency required for the existence of resonant field lines can be associated with the expansion of a high field-strength flux tube from concentrated flux patches in the lower solar atmosphere. This allows for the conversion of energy between wave modes even in the absence of the transverse density profile typically assumed in wave heating models. As with standing modes in straight flux tubes, small scales are dominated by the vorticity at the loop apex and by currents close to the loop foot points. The azimuthal Alfvén wave exhibits the structure of the expanded flux tube and is therefore associated with smaller length scales close to the foot points of the flux tube than at the loop apex.Conclusions.Resonant absorption can proceed throughout the coronal volume, even in the absence of visible, dense, loop structures. The flux tube and MHD waves considered are difficult to observe and our model highlights how estimating hidden wave power within the Sun’s atmosphere can be problematic. We highlight that, for standing modes, the global properties of field lines are important for resonant absorption and coronal conditions at a single altitude will not fully determine the nature of MHD resonances. In addition, we provide a new model in partial response to the criticism that wave heating models cannot self-consistently generate or sustain the density profile upon which they typically rely.

Heat Transfer Characteristics of Aviation Kerosene Flowing in Enhanced Tubes at Supercritical Pressure

Abstract Results of an experimental investigation on heat transfer characteristics of kerosene flowing in vertical upward high-flux tubes at supercritical pressures are presented. Three metal powder-coated tubes (high-flux tubes) and one smooth tube have been tested and compared. The three high-flux tubes all perform much better than the smooth tube at the same parameters of the tube and same working conditions. The observed enhancement in heat transfer is mainly due to the disturbance introduced in the low field by the metal powder coatings and the differences in the thermophysical properties. The heat transfer coefficient in the metal-coated tube (200 mesh) has been found to be 2.5 times that in the smooth tube. Yet, it has been found that both too large and too small of a particle diameter of the metal powder coating on the tube surface could cause the heat transfer to deteriorate. The high-flux tube with a particle diameter of 200 mesh was found to exhibit the best cooling performance. The pressure drop was observed to increase with the increase of the particle diameter. However, the pressure drop was found to be three orders of magnitude smaller than the working pressure in the test section, thus the pressure drop for all practical purposes may be neglected. The density, viscosity, and thermal conductivity of kerosene at different temperatures and supercritical pressures were evaluated using the extended corresponding state principle, which has been proven to show good consistency with the experimental results.

Tubes with coated and sintered porous surface for highly efficient heat exchangers

Surface modification is a direct and effective way to enhance the efficiency of heat exchangers. Surface modification by forming a microporous coated layer can greatly enhance the boiling heat transfer and thus achieve a high performance. In this paper, we systematically investigate the boiling behavior on a plain surface with/without sintered microporous coatings of copper powder. The results demonstrated that the sintered surface has a better performance in nucleate boiling due to the increased nucleation sites. The superheat degree is lower and the bubble departure diameter is larger for the sintered surface than for the plain surface, so the heat can be carried away more efficiently on the sintered surface. In addition, the heat transfer capacity on the sintered surface depends on both the powder size and the coating thickness for a high flux tube. The optimum heat transfer capacity can be obtained when the thickness of the microporous coating layer is 3–5 times of the sintered powder diameter. As a result, the heat transfer coefficient tube can be up to 3 times higher for the tube with a sintered surface than that with a plain surface, showing a pronounced enhancement in heat transfer and a high potential in chemical engineering industry application.

On the fresh development of equatorial plasma bubbles around the midnight hours of June solstice

AbstractUsing the 47 MHz Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR) at Kototabang, Indonesia, the nocturnal evolution of equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) was examined during the moderate solar activity years 2011–2012. While the evolution of EPBs was mostly (86%) confined to post sunset hours (1900–2100 LT) during equinoxes, in contrast, the majority of EPBs (~71%) in June solstice found evolve around the midnight hours (2200–0300 LT). The mechanisms behind the fresh evolution of summer time midnight EPBs were investigated, for the first time, through SAMI2 model simulations with a realistic input of background ExB drift variation derived from CINDI IVM on board C/NOFS satellite. The term‐by‐term analysis of linear growth rate of RT instability indicates that the formation of high flux tube electron content height gradient (KF) (steep vertical gradient) region at higher altitudes is the key factor for the enhanced growth rate of RT instability. The responsible factors are discussed in light of relatively weak westward zonal electric field in the presence of equatorward neutral wind and bottomside recombination around the midnight hours of June solstice. The effects of neutral winds and weak westward electric fields on the uplift of equatorial F layer were examined separately using controlled SAMI2 simulations. The results indicate that relatively larger linear growth rate is more likely to occur around midnight during June solstice because of relatively weak westward electric field than other local times in the presence of equatorward meridional wind.

Jets, Bulk Matter, and their Interaction in Heavy Ion Collisions at the LHC

We discuss a theoretical scheme that accounts for bulk matter, jets, and the interaction between the two. The physical picture of our approach is the following: Initial hard scatterings result in mainly longitudinal flux tubes, with transversely moving pieces carrying the pt of the partons from hard scatterings. These flux tubes constitute eventually both bulk matter (which thermalizes, flows, and finally hadronizes) and jets, according to some criteria based on partonic energy loss. High energy flux tube segments will leave the fluid, providing jet hadrons via the usual Schwinger mechanism of flux-tube breaking caused by quark-antiquark production. But the jets may also be produced at the freeze-out surface. Here we assume that the quark-antiquark needed for the flux tube breaking is provided by the fluid, with properties (momentum, flavor) determined by the fluid rather than the Schwinger mechanism. Considering transverse fluid velocities up to 0.7c, and thermal parton momentum distributions, one may get a "push" of a couple of GeV to be added to the transverse momentum of the string segment. This will be a crucial effect for intermediate pt jet hadrons.

Separating jets from bulk matter in heavy ion collisions at the LHC

We discuss a theoretical scheme that accounts for bulk matter, jets, and the interaction between the two. The physical picture of our approach is the following: Initial hard scatterings result in mainly longitudinal flux tubes, with transversely moving pieces carrying the pt of the partons from hard scatterings. These flux tubes constitute eventually both bulk matter (which thermalizes, flows, and finally hadronizes) and jets, according to some criteria based on partonic energy loss. High energy flux tube segments will leave the fluid, providing jet hadrons via the usual Schwinger mechanism of flux-tube breaking caused by quark-antiquark production. But the jets may also be produced at the freeze-out surface. Here we assume that the quark-antiquark needed for the flux tube breaking is provided by the fluid, with properties (momentum, flavor) determined by the fluid rather than the Schwinger mechanism. Considering transverse fluid velocities up to 0.7c, and thermal parton momentum distributions, one may get a "push" of a couple of GeV to be added to the transverse momentum of the string segment. This will be a crucial effect for intermediate pt jet hadrons.

Falling Films on Arrays of Horizontal Tubes with R-134a, Part I: Boiling Heat Transfer Results for Four Types of Tubes

A new falling film heat transfer test facility has been built for the measurement of local heat transfer coefficients on a vertical array of horizontal tubes, including flow visualization capabilities, for use with refrigerants. Presently, the facility has been used for evaporation tests on four types of tubes at three tube pitches and three nominal heat flux levels for R-134a at 5°C. A new method for determining local heat transfer coefficients using hot water heating has been applied, and test results for a wide range of liquid film Reynolds numbers have been measured for arrays made of plain, Turbo-BII HP, Gewa-B, and High-Flux tubes. The results show that there is a transition to partial dryout as the film Reynolds number is reduced, marked by a sharp falloff in heat transfer. Above this transition, the heat transfer coefficients are nearly insensitive to the film Reynolds number, apparently because vigorous nucleate boiling is always seen in the liquid film. The corresponding nucleate pool boiling data for the four types of tubes were also measured for direct comparison purposes. Overall, about 15,000 local heat transfer data points were obtained in this study as a function of heat flux, film Reynolds number, tube spacing, and type.

Rupture analysis of CuCrZr plasma facing component during a loss of flow accident in Tore-Supra

The copper chromium zirconium (CuCrZr) alloy is extensively used in the Tokamak Tore Supra as a structural material for high heat flux components (HHFC). This precipitation-hardened material has also been selected for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) for its good thermomechanical properties at elevated temperature. During a loss of coolant occurred in Tore Supra, a brittleness rupture occurred in CuCrZr high heat flux tube structure at high temperature. The scope of the analysis presented in this paper is to describe the rupture scenario and fracture mode.

Modeling of Autothermal Steam Methane Reforming in a Fluidized Bed Membrane Reactor

Fluidized bed reactors for steam methane reforming, with and without immersed membrane surfaces for withdrawal of hydrogen, are modeled with oxygen added in order to provide the endothermic heat required by the reforming reactions. Porous alumina, palladium and palladium-coated high-flux tubes are investigated as separation materials, the latter two being permselective. Hydrogen yield and permeate hydrogen molar flow are predicted to decrease with increasing oxygen flow, and to increase with temperature. When the steam-to-carbon ratio increases, permeate hydrogen yield decreases slightly, while the total hydrogen yield increases for all configurations. The flow of oxygen required to achieve autothermal conditions depends on such factors as the reactor temperature, steam-to-carbon ratio and preheating of the feed.

A comparison between HIGHFLUX and plain tubes, boiling pentane in a horizontal kettle reboiler

An experimental study has been undertaken into the enhancement obtained in the heat-transfer coefficients when HIGHFLUX tubes are used in preference to plain tubes while boiling pentane. The study involved two experimental facilities, a single-tube pool boiler and a 241 tube, 17 row by 17 column, thin slice kettle reboiler. The pool boiling results show that the HIGHFLUX tubes produce heat-transfer coefficients that are up to five times larger than their plain tube counterparts. In flow boiling the enhancement is 3–6 times. In both cases, HIGHFLUX tube performance is shown to deteriorate when small degrees of subcooling are present in the liquid. The deterioration still leaves the HIGHFLUX tubes with a significantly higher heat-transfer coefficient than the plain tubes. Existing flow boiling design methodologies are shown to produce performance characteristics that HIGHFLUX tubes do not follow.

Development of compact heat exchangers for CO 2 air-conditioning systems

Compact and lightweight heat exchangers are needed for motor vehicle air-conditioning systems and for several types of unitary equipment. The high-pressure natural refrigerant CO 2 is now being evaluated for use in such applications, and efficient heat exchangers are being developed and investigated. Carbon dioxide heat exchangers are designed for high refrigerant mass flux and use small-diameter tubes or extruded flat microchannel tubes. Refrigerant-side heat transfer coefficients are higher than with fluorocarbons, and reduced internal surface areas can therefore be tolerated. Both small-diameter mechanically expanded round-tube heat exchangers and brazed microchannel-type units have been built and tested successfully. Results show that compact heat exchangers optimized for CO 2 are very competitive with baseline HFC/HCFC units in terms of physical dimensions, exchanger mass and thermal performance. Smaller tube and manifold dimensions can give reduced size compared with HFC-134a equipment. The temperature approach between air inlet and refrigerant outlet is much lower in CO 2 gas coolers than in baseline system condensers of equal size and capacity, and the reduced refrigerant exit temperature has a marked influence on the coefficient of performance, Microchannel heat exchangers give the best overall efficiency. Refrigerant distribution in multiport manifolds and heat transfer tubes does not seem to be a problem.

POOL BOILING TESTS ON PLAIN AND ENHANCED TUBES USING A WIDE-BOILING-RANGE MIXTURE

Abstract Boiling tests on the equimolar pentane/tetradecene mixture at 1 aim over plain, HIGHFLUX, TURBO-B, GEWA-TX, and LOW-FIN tubing are described. Heat fluxes ranged from 5 to 60 kW/m2. A large reduction in heat transfer coefficient compared to boiling pure pentane was observed. Surfaces with tunnel structures performed only as well as the LOW-FIN surface. In all but the HIGHFLUX tube case, an unstable film of tetradecene-rich liquid built up and periodically broke away from the surface. This behavior increases the difficulty of developing successful nucleate boiling predictions for wide-boiling mixtures.

Boiling heat transfer performance of plain and porous tubes in falling film flow of refrigerant R114

The falling film flow characteristic and heat transfer performance of four types of commercially available porous tubes (High flux tube by Union Carbide, Gewa-T, Wieland, Thermoexcel-E and -EC by Hitachi) were compared with an ordinary sand-blasted tube and a plain copper tube. The test evaporator consisted of a single 2 m vertical tube. The evaporating liquid was refrigerant R 114 flowing down the outside of the test tube. Flow observations were made by high-speed photography. Nucleate boiling was dominant in all the tests with porous surfaces. No boiling hysteresis was observed. All structured surfaces showed an excellent performance compared with plain tube.

Enhanced boiling of mixtures

The degradation in the mixture pool boiling heat transfer coefficient is demonstrated to be much different for an enhanced boiling tube than for an ordinary smooth tube operating under identical conditions, usually being substantially less pronounced. This phenomenon is explored in the present study for the High Flux tube with its thin, porous metallic enhancement layer. The reduced degradation in the enhanced boiling heat transfer coefficient is shown to be the result of a liquid Prandtl number augmentation of the liquid-phase convection process inside the porous matrix, which partially counterbalances the negative effect of mass diffusion on the thin film evaporation process in enhanced boiling. It is thus concluded that the existing mixture boiling correlations for conventional smooth tubes, which only include the mass transfer effect on evaporation, will not be able to correlate the mixture effect for enhanced surfaces.