Condensation flow patterns and heat transfer correction for zeotropic hydrocarbon mixtures in a helically coiled tube. (November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yu, Jiawen; Jiang, Yiqiang; Cai, Weihua; Li, Xiaojun; Zhu, Zuchao
• Is Part Of: International journal of heat and mass transfer. Volume 143(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-11
• Subjects: Zeotropic mixtures -- Condensation -- Hydrocarbon refrigerant -- Heat transfer -- Helical tube -- Flow pattern; Heat -- Transmission -- Periodicals; Mass transfer -- Periodicals; Chaleur -- Transmission -- Périodiques; Transfert de masse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 621.4022
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2019.118500
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0017-9310

Abstract

Highlights: Flow patterns for zeotropic hydrocarbon mixtures were observed. A new flow pattern transition line between annular and non-annular flow pattern was proposed. An improved heat transfer correlation was proposed. Abstract: An experimental and simulation investigation of condensation flow pattern and heat transfer characteristics of zeotropic hydrocarbon mixtures methane/propane and ethane/propane in a helical tube was presented. Flow visualization was conducted to capture flow pattern during flow condensation. The flow mechanisms were categorized into six different flow patterns: slug flow, stratified flow, transition flow, wavy flow, half-annular flow and annular flow. In addition, several existing two-phase flow pattern maps in horizontal tube were compared with the flow pattern data. Then a new flow pattern transition line between annular and non-annular flow pattern was proposed. Based on the flow pattern transition line, the heat transfer data under different flow pattern were compared with the existing heat transfer corrections. Finally, an improved heat transfer correlation was proposed and well coincided with the data with a mean absolute relative deviation (MARD) of 13.8%.