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In-Tube Flow Boiling of R-407C and R-407C/Oil Mixtures - Part I: Microfin Tube

ABSTRACT:

In-tube evaporation tests for R-407C and R-407C/oil are reported for a microfin tube. The tests were run at a nominal inlet pressure of 645 kPa (93.5 psia) at mass velocities of 100, 200 and 300 kg/(m²·s) (20.5, 41, and 61 lb/s·ft² ) over nearly the entire vapor quality range. At similar operating conditions, pure R-407C performed similarly to previous pure R-134a tests at the highest mass velocity, but lower than R-134a for the other mass velocities. Any amount of oil tended to decrease local R-407C microfin heat transfer coefficients, especially at high vapor qualities where degradations of as much as 50% or more occurred. Two-phase pressure drops were increased by the presence of oil, especially at high vapor qualities. Buildup of the local oil mass fraction in the microfin test sections was observed at high vapor qualities, together with the formation of slowly flowing viscous liquid films, a phenomenon that became more acute at lower mass velocities.

AUTHOR: Olivier Zürcher; John R. Thome, Ph.D.; Daniel Favrat, Ph.D.
CITATION: ASHRAE Trans. 1999
KEYWORDS: Winter, Chicago, year1999
YEAR: 1999