Characteristics of two-phase flow heat transfer of R-22 and R-290 in horizontal circular small tube

Abstract

Hydrocarbon refrigerants have been widely used to replace HFCs. As hydrocarbon, R- 290 has no ODP (Ozone Depletion Potential) and negligible GWP (Global Warming Potential). This paper presents flow boiling heat transfer in small tube with R-290 and R-22. The test tube has inner diameter of 7.6 mm and length of 1.07 m. In order to determine the heat transfer coefficient, experiments were carried out for heat fluxes ranging from 10 to 25 kW/m2K, mass fluxes ranging from 204 to 628 kg/m2s, and saturation temperatures ranging from 1.87 to 11.9o C. The study analyzed the heat transfer through the local heat transfer coefficient along the flow under the variation of these different parameters. In comparison with R-22, R-290 provides higher heat transfer coefficients. In the prediction of the heat transfer coefficients of R-22 and R-290, the correlation of Shah (1982) and Choi et.al. (2009) best fitted the present experimental result, respectively.