Effects of Experimental Parameters on Condensation Heat Transfer in Plate Fin Heat Exchanger

This study aims to provide an experimental investigation and comparison of the condensation heat transfer characteristics in a plate–fin heat exchanger (PFHE). The heat flux, mass flux, and saturation pressure were adjusted as experimental parameters to verify the effects on the condensation heat transfer. In addition, condensation heat transfer correlation of two-stream PFHEs was provided based on the experimental data for utilization as a design reference for the heat exchanger. The turbulence is the most influential in heat transfer. One of the ways to foster turbulence is to increase shear stress. The higher flow velocity results in the higher shear stress. That was why increasing mass flux or the flow with higher vapor quality showed the higher heat transfer coefficient (HTC). Refrigerant properties such as viscosity and specific volume of vapor changed according to the saturation pressure. It is expected they affect the degree of turbulence too in similar manners. The mass flux was more influential than the heat flux and saturation pressure. Thus, the equivalent mass flux of the refrigerant is dominant in the derived correlation model. The average difference between experimental and calculated HTC from correlations was about 6.5%. Multi-stream PFHE comprises an additional heat transfer surface, which implies a more active droplet formation. The average pressure drop in the multi-stream is 15% larger than that of the two-stream.

Nusselt number correlation for turbulent heat transfer of helium–xenon gas mixtures

A gas-cooled nuclear reactor combined with a Brayton cycle shows promise as a technology for high-power space nuclear power systems. Generally, a helium–xenon gas mixture with a molecular weight of 14.5–40.0 g/mol is adopted as the working fluid to reduce the mass and volume of the turbomachinery. The Prandtl number for helium–xenon mixtures with this recommended mixing ratio may be as low as 0.2. As the convective heat transfer is closely related to the Prandtl number, different heat transfer correlations are often needed for fluids with various Prandtl numbers. Previous studies have established heat transfer correlations for fluids with medium–high Prandtl numbers (such as air and water) and extremely low-Prandtl fluids (such as liquid metals); however, these correlations cannot be directly recommended for such helium–xenon mixtures without verification. This study initially assessed the applicability of existing Nusselt number correlations, finding that the selected correlations are unsuitable for helium–xenon mixtures. To establish a more general heat transfer correlation, a theoretical derivation was conducted using the turbulent boundary layer theory. Numerical simulations of turbulent heat transfer for helium–xenon mixtures were carried out using Ansys Fluent. Based on simulated results, the parameters in the derived heat transfer correlation are determined. It is found that calculations using the new correlation were in good agreement with the experimental data, verifying its applicability to the turbulent heat transfer for helium–xenon mixtures. The effect of variable gas properties on turbulent heat transfer was also analyzed, and a modified heat transfer correlation with the temperature ratio was established. Based on the working conditions adopted in this study, the numerical error of the property-variable heat transfer correlation was almost within 10%.

High-output diesel engine heat transfer: Part 2 – instantaneous spatially averaged heat transfer correlation

A new temporally resolved spatially averaged heat transfer correlation was developed using the local piston heat flux data presented in the first part of this paper. The new correlation extends previous correlations that relate the Nusselt and Reynolds numbers through a power law by adding a dimensionless chemical energy release rate term. The new term, which arises from dimensional analysis, should enable similitude for diesel engines. Additionally, the characteristic velocity used in the Reynolds number was modified to include the integrated fuel mass injection rate. The new correlation was calibrated to the experimental data by minimizing the least squares error, and compared to existing correlations from the literature. On average, the new formulation was found to match the experimental data better than the existing models even when the existing models’ constants were adjusted to best fit the measured data.

Improved heat-transfer correlation for transcritical methane based on a velocity profile correction term

In this paper, three-dimensional numerical simulations of the transcritial flow and heat transfer of methane in a rectangular channel under asymmetric heating are performed. The accuracy of four different Nusselt number correlations in the calculation of transcritical methane flow and heat transfer is compared, while an improved heat transfer correlation is proposed by adding a velocity correction term. The results exhibited that the proposed heat transfer correlation can accurately predict the heat transfer of transcritical methane, and the maximum error between calculated and simulated values was 6.8%. Under severe heat transfer deterioration conditions, the proposed heat transfer correlation overestimated the convective heat transfer coefficient near the inlet. However, the improved heat transfer correlation presented good calculation accuracy under different boundary conditions, with the error between the calculated and simulation values of the average Nusselt number being less than 10% in most conditions.