Flow boiling heat transfer and pressure drop analysis of R134a in a brazed heat exchanger with offset strip fins

The saturated flow boiling heat transfer and friction analysis of R 134a were experimentally analyzed in a brazed plate fin heat exchanger with offset strip fins. Experiments were performed at mass flux range of 50-82 kg/m(2) s, heat flux range of 14-22 kW/m(2) and quality of 0.32-0.75. The test section consists of three fins, one refrigerant side fin in which the boiling heat transfer was estimated and two water side fins. These three fins are stacked, held together and vacuum brazed to form a plate fin heat exchanger. The refrigerant R134a flowing in middle of the test section was heated using hot water from upper and bottom sides of the test section. The temperature and mass flow rates of water circuit is controlled to get the outlet conditions of refrigerant R134a. Two-phase flow boiling heat transfer and frictional coefficient was estimated based on experimental data for offset strip fin geometry and presented in this paper. The effects of mass flux, heat flux and vapour quality on heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop were investigated. Two-phase local boiling heat transfer coefficient is correlated in terms of Reynolds number factor F, and Martinelli parameter X. Pressure drop is correlated in terms of two-phase frictional multiplier phi(f) , and Martinelli parameter X.