Condensation pressure drops and heat transfer coefficients for refrigerant R134a flowing through rectangular microchannels with hydraulic diameters ranging from to are measured in small quality increments. The channels are fabricated on a copper substrate by electroforming copper onto a mask patterned by X-ray lithography and sealed by diffusion bonding. Subcooled liquid is electrically heated to the desired quality, followed by condensation in the test section. Downstream of the test section, another electric heater is used to heat the refrigerant to a superheated state. Energy balances on the preheaters and postheaters establish the refrigerant inlet and outlet states at the test section. Water at a high flow rate serves as the test-section coolant to ensure that the condensation side presents the governing thermal resistance. Heat transfer coefficients are measured for mass fluxes ranging from to for quality at several different saturation temperatures. Conjugate heat transfer analyses are conducted in conjunction with local pressure drop profiles to obtain accurate driving temperature differences and heat transfer coefficients. The effects of quality, mass flux, and saturation temperature on condensation pressure drops and heat transfer coefficients are illustrated through these experiments.
Skip Nav Destination
e-mail: srinivas.garimella@me.gatech.edu
Article navigation
Research Papers
Representative Results for Condensation Measurements at Hydraulic Diameters
Akhil Agarwal,
Akhil Agarwal
Shell Global Solutions, Inc.
, Houston, TX 77210
Search for other works by this author on:
Srinivas Garimella
Srinivas Garimella
George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: srinivas.garimella@me.gatech.edu
Georgia Institute of Technology
, Atlanta, GA 30332-0405
Search for other works by this author on:
Akhil Agarwal
Shell Global Solutions, Inc.
, Houston, TX 77210
Srinivas Garimella
George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering,
Georgia Institute of Technology
, Atlanta, GA 30332-0405e-mail: srinivas.garimella@me.gatech.edu
J. Heat Transfer. Apr 2010, 132(4): 041010 (12 pages)
Published Online: February 22, 2010
Article history
Received:
December 1, 2008
Revised:
April 28, 2009
Online:
February 22, 2010
Published:
February 22, 2010
Citation
Agarwal, A., and Garimella, S. (February 22, 2010). "Representative Results for Condensation Measurements at Hydraulic Diameters ." ASME. J. Heat Transfer. April 2010; 132(4): 041010. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4000879
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Cited By
Entropic Analysis of the Maximum Output Power of Thermoradiative Cells
J. Heat Mass Transfer
Molecular Dynamics Simulations in Nanoscale Heat Transfer: A Mini Review
J. Heat Mass Transfer
Related Articles
Measurement and Modeling of Condensation Heat Transfer Coefficients in Circular Microchannels
J. Heat Transfer (October,2006)
Modeling of Pressure Drop During Condensation in Circular and Noncircular Microchannels
J. Fluids Eng (January,2009)
Discussion “Pressure Drop During Refrigerant Condensation Inside Horizontal Smooth, Helical Microfin, and Herringbone Microfin Tubes” ( Olivier, J. A., Liebenberg, L., Kedzierski, M. A., and Meyer, J. P., 2004, J. Heat Transfer, 126(5), pp. 687–696 )
J. Heat Transfer (January,2008)
A Critical Review on Condensation Heat Transfer in Microchannels and Minichannels
J. Nanotechnol. Eng. Med (February,2014)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Liquid Cooled Systems
Thermal Management of Telecommunications Equipment
Thermal Design Guide of Liquid Cooled Systems
Thermal Design of Liquid Cooled Microelectronic Equipment
Liquid Cooled Systems
Thermal Management of Telecommunication Equipment, Second Edition