A New Experimental Technique for Measuring Surface Heat Transfer Coefficients Using Uncalibrated Liquid Crystals

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne N. O. Turnbull ◽  
Patrick H. Oosthuizen

Abstract A new experimental technique has been developed that permits the determination of local surface heat transfer coefficients on surfaces without requirement for calibration of the temperature-sensing device. The technique uses the phase delay that develops between the surface temperature response and an imposed periodic surface heat flux. This phase delay is dependent upon the thermophysical properties of the model, the heat flux driving frequency and the local heat transfer coefficient. It is not a function of magnitude of the local heat flux. Since only phase differences are being measured there is no requirement to calibrate the temperature sensor, in this instance a thermochromic liquid crystal. Application of a periodic surface heat flux to a flat plate resulted in a surface colour response that was a function of time. This response was captured using a standard colour CCD camera and the phase delay angles were determined using Fourier analysis. Only the 8 bit G component of the captured RGB signal was required, there being no need to determine a Hue value. From these experimentally obtained phase delay angles it was possible to determine heat transfer coefficients that compared well with those predicted using a standard correlation.

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne N. O. Turnbull ◽  
William E. Carscallen

Abstract An analytical and numerical investigation has been carried out to ascertain the possibility of using a pulsed periodic surface heat flux to measure local surface heat transfer coefficients. The proposed technique is an extension of a previously proven experimental method. It is based upon the premise that the harmonics of a surface temperature response to an imposed periodic pulse will display phase shifting behavior that is a function of the thermophysical properties of the surface, the local heat transfer coefficient and the harmonic frequency. The phase behavior is not a function of the magnitude of the energy deposited by the pulse. Since phase behavior is being investigated there is no requirement to calibrate the surface temperature-sensing device. The numerical solution confirms the analytical results, which were obtained using a non-rigorous mathematical assumption. Results indicate that in order to maximize the sensitivity of the proposed experimental technique the pulse frequency should be kept low, the surface layer thin and the substrate thermal conductivity and diffusivity as low as possible.


Author(s):  
Lindsey V. Randle ◽  
Brian M. Fronk

Abstract In this study, we use infrared thermography to calculate local heat transfer coefficients of top and bottom heated flows of near-critical carbon dioxide in an array of parallel microchannels. These data are used to evaluate the relative importance of buoyancy for different flow arrangements. A Joule heated thin wall made of Inconel 718 applies a uniform heat flux either above or below the horizontal flow. A Torlon PAI test section consists of three parallel microchannels with a hydraulic diameter of 923 μm. The reduced inlet temperature (TR = 1.006) and reduced pressure (PR = 1.03) are held constant. For each heater orientation, the mass flux (520 kgm−2s−2 ≤ G ≤ 800 kgm−2s−2) and heat flux (4.7 Wcm−2 ≤ q″ ≤ 11.1 Wcm−2) are varied. A 2D resistance network analysis method calculates the bulk temperatures and heat transfer coefficients. In this analysis, we divide the test section into approximately 250 segments along the stream-wise direction. We then calculate the bulk temperatures using the enthalpy from the upstream segment, the heat flux in a segment, and the pressure. To isolate the effect of buoyancy, we screen the data to omit conditions where flow acceleration may be important or where relaminarization may occur. In the developed region of the channel, there was a 10 to 15 percent reduction of the local heat transfer coefficients for the upward heating mode compared to downward heating with the same mass and heat fluxes. Thus buoyancy effects should be considered when developing correlations for these types of flow.


1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 850-858 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-C. Han ◽  
Y. M. Zhang

The influence of uneven wall temperature on the local heat transfer coefficient in a rotating square channel with smooth walls and radial outward flow was investigated for Reynolds numbers from 2500 to 25,000 and rotation numbers from 0 to 0.352. The square channel, composed of six isolated copper sections, has a length-to-hydraulic diameter ratio of 12. The mean rotating radius to the channel hydraulic diameter ratio is kept at a constant value of 30. Three cases of thermal boundary conditions were studied: (A) four walls uniform temperature, (B) four walls uniform heat flux, and (C) leading and trailing walls hot and two side walls cold. The results show that the heat transfer coefficients on the leading surface are much lower than that of the trailing surface due to rotation. For case A of four walls uniform temperature, the leading surface heat transfer coefficient decreases and then increases with increasing rotation numbers, and the trailing surface heat transfer coefficient increases monotonically with rotation numbers. The decreased (or increased) heat transfer coefficients on the leading (or trailing) surface are due to the cross-stream and centrifugal buoyancy-induced flows from rotations. However, the trailing surface heat transfer coefficients, as well as those for the side walls, for case B are higher than for case A and the leading surface heat transfer coefficients for cases B and C are significantly higher than for case A. The results suggest that the local uneven wall temperature creates the local buoyancy forces, which change the effect of the rotation. Therefore, the local heat transfer coefficients on the leading, trailing, and side surfaces are altered by the uneven wall temperature.


Author(s):  
M. W. Alnaser ◽  
K. Spindler ◽  
H. Mu¨ller-Steinhagen

A test rig was constructed to investigate flow boiling in an electrically heated horizontal mini-channel array. The test section is made of copper and consists of twelve parallel mini-channels. The channels are 1 mm deep, 1 mm wide and 250 mm long. The test section is heated from underneath with six cartridge heaters. The channels are covered with a glass plate to allow visual observations of the flow patterns using a high-speed video-camera. The wall temperatures are measured at five positions along the channel axis with two resistance thermometers in a specified distance in heat flow direction. Local heat transfer coefficients are obtained by calculating the local heat flux. The working fluids are deionised water and ethanol. The experiments were performed under near atmospheric pressure (0.94 bar to 1.2 bar absolute). The inlet temperature was kept constant at 20°C. The measurements were taken for three mass fluxes (120; 150; 185 kg/m2s) at heat fluxes from 7 to 375 kW/m2. Heat transfer coefficients are presented for single phase forced convection, subcooled and saturated flow boiling conditions. The heat transfer coefficient increases slightly with rising heat flux for single phase flow. A strong increase is observed in subcooled flow boiling. At high heat flux the heat transfer coefficient decreases slightly with increasing heat flux. The application of ethanol instead of water leads to an increase of the surface temperature. At the same low heat flux flow boiling heat transfer occurs with ethanol, but in the experiments with water single phase heat transfer is still dominant. It is because of the lower specific heat capacity of ethanol compared to water. There is a slight influence of the mass flux in the investigated parameter range. The pictures of a high-speed video-camera are analysed for the two-phase flow-pattern identification.


Author(s):  
Stephan Kabelac ◽  
Sebastian W. Freund

Experimental results on quasi-local heat transfer coefficients for evaporation and condensation in PHEs related to vapor quality, mass flow rate and heat flux are presented in this paper. The data is obtained from a refrigeration cycle involving a PHE evaporator and a PHE condenser with a secondary fluid loop. The considered refrigerants are ammonia and R-134a. Evaporator and condenser are equipped with multiple thermocouples along the plates, which allow for the deduction of local heat flux and heat transfer coefficients on seven subsections of the plates. The data resolves for the first time the complete evaporation and condensation process along a plate channel and thus may contribute to the understanding of flow distribution and heat transfer mechanisms. The results show an increase of heat transfer coefficients with the vapor quality and the effects of mass flux and heat flux. The results conclude that parallel flow arrangement is advantageous for evaporation while counter flow enhances condensation heat transfer. Plates with low pitch angle chevron corrugations increase the evaporation. Comparisons with the limited available data from literature and various correlations indicate the need for further theoretical development. The data may be suitable for developing correlations of the thermo-hydraulic performance of plate evaporators and condensers as a function of flow, heat flux and plate parameters, which are not established in literature.


Author(s):  
C. Aprea ◽  
A. Greco ◽  
G. P. Vanoli

R22 is the most widely employed HCFC working fluid in vapour compression plant. HCFCs must be replaced within 2020. Major problems arise with the substitution of the working fluids, related to the decrease in performance of the plant. Therefore, extremely accurate design procedures are needed. The relative sizing of each of the components of the plant is crucial for cycle performance. For this reason, the knowledge of the new fluids heat transfer characteristics in condensers and evaporators is required. The local heat transfer coefficients and pressure drop of pure R22 and of the azeotropic mixture R507 (R125-R143a 50%/50% in weight) have been measured during convective boiling. The test section is a smooth horizontal tube made of a with a 6 mm I.D. stainless steel tube, 6 m length, uniformly heated by Joule effect. The effects of heat flux, mass flux and evaporation pressure on the heat transfer coefficients are investigated. The evaporating pressure varies within the range 3 ÷10 bar, the refrigerant mass flux within the range 200 ÷ 1000 kg/m2s, the heat flux within 0 ÷ 44 kW/m2. A comparison have been carried out between the experimental data and those predicted by means of the most credited literature relationships.


Author(s):  
Joshua L. Nickerson ◽  
Martin Cerza ◽  
Sonia M. F. Garcia

The solution of the heat conduction equation in the liquid layer beneath a moving bubble’s base and the resulting local heat transfer coefficient are presented. An analytical model was constructed using separation of variables to solve the heat conduction equation for the thermal profile in the liquid film beneath the base of a bubble moving through a microchannel at a given velocity. Differentiating the resulting liquid thermal profile and applying the standard definition for the local heat transfer coefficient resulted in a solution for local heat transfer coefficient as a function of bubble length. Analysis included varying pertinent parameters such as film thickness beneath the bubble base, wall heat flux, and superheated temperature in the microchannel. Water and FC-72 were analyzed as prospective coolant fluids. Analytical data revealed that as the superheated temperature in the microchannel increases, local heat transfer coefficients increase and arrive at a higher steady-state value. Increasing wall heat flux achieved the same result, while increasing film thickness resulted in lower heat transfer coefficients. The model indicated that water had superior performance as a coolant, provided the dielectric fluid (FC-72) is not mandated.


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