Heat transfer and pressure drop during hydrocarbon refrigerant condensation inside a brazed plate heat exchanger

This paper presents the heat transfer coefficients and pressure drop measured during HC-600a, HC-290 and HC-1270 saturated vapour condensation inside a brazed plate heat exchanger: the effects of refrigerant mass flux, saturation temperature (pressure) and fluid properties are investigated. The heat transfer coefficients show weak sensitivity to saturation temperature (pressure) and great sensitivity to refrigerant mass flux and fluid properties. A transition point between gravity controlled and forced convection condensation has been found for a refrigerant mass flux around 15-18 kg m(-2) s(-1). In the forced convection condensation region the heat transfer coefficients show a 35-40% enhancement for a 60% increase of the refrigerant mass flux. The frictional pressure drop shows a linear dependence on the kinetic energy per unit volume of the refrigerant flow. HC-1270 shows heat transfer coefficients 5% higher than HC-600a and 10-15% higher than HC-290, together with frictional pressure drop 20-25% lower than HC-290 and 50-66% lower than HC-600a. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd and IIR. All rights reserved.