Refrigerant inventory of R-134a in a small-channel cross-flow condenser

This study is the first to model refrigerant inventory or quantity of R-134a in small-channel cross-flow condensers. The condenser in this study is used in automotive applications and uses smaller internal volumes than conventional heat exchangers to perform the same task. The model is a one-dimensi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zietlow, David C, Pedersen, Curtis O
Format: Conference Proceeding
Language:English
Subjects:
Computer simulation
Heat transfer
Optimization
Pressure drop
Refrigerants
Reynolds number
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:This study is the first to model refrigerant inventory or quantity of R-134a in small-channel cross-flow condensers. The condenser in this study is used in automotive applications and uses smaller internal volumes than conventional heat exchangers to perform the same task. The model is a one-dimensional, two-fluid (gas and liquid, single component) model that divides the condenser into several segments and modules. This model accurately predicts the rate of heat transfer and refrigerant pressure drop. The heat transfer was predicted within plus or minus 10% of the experiment and the pressure drop was predicted within plus or minus 30% for the majority of the data. More importantly, the model calculates refrigerant inventory within plus or minus 10% of the experiments for 95% of the data. In the inlet header, the slip ratio was correlated to the Reynolds and Froude numbers and the homogeneous liquid volume fraction. In the small channels, the Reynolds and Weber numbers and the homogeneous liquid volume fraction were used to determine the slip ratio.
ISSN:0001-2505