Validation of in-tube condensation performance

Abstract

Paper presented to the 1st International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Kruger Park, 8-10 July 2002.

This paper reports on the condensation heat transfer and pressure drop performance of a heat pump water heater operating with R-22 at an average saturation temperature of 40°C with mass fluxes ranging from 300 - 800kg/m2s. The purpose of the experimental work was to validate the effectiveness of a computerized data acquisition system, as well as to establish a sound experimental procedure. Experimental flow regimes were determined using a well-known flow regime predictor. This showed that the experimental data points lay mainly in the annular flow region. The experimental heat transfer coefficients and pressure drops were compared with widely used correlations, and good agreement was obtained.