Flow Pattern Study and Pressure Drop Prediction of Two-Phase Boiling Process in Different Surface Wettability Microchannel

An experimental study of two-phase flow pressure drop using R-134a is conducted on three types of different surface wettability microchannels with superhydrophilic (contact angle of 0°), hydrophilic (contact angle of 43°) and common (contact angle of 70°, unmodified) surfaces, all with a hydraulic d...

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Main Authors: Yuqi Zhang, Haoxian Wu, Ling Zhang, Yunbo Yang, Xiangdong Niu, Zerong Zeng, Bifen Shu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-04-01
Series:Micromachines
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/5/958
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author Yuqi Zhang
Haoxian Wu
Ling Zhang
Yunbo Yang
Xiangdong Niu
Zerong Zeng
Bifen Shu
author_facet Yuqi Zhang
Haoxian Wu
Ling Zhang
Yunbo Yang
Xiangdong Niu
Zerong Zeng
Bifen Shu
author_sort Yuqi Zhang
collection DOAJ
description An experimental study of two-phase flow pressure drop using R-134a is conducted on three types of different surface wettability microchannels with superhydrophilic (contact angle of 0°), hydrophilic (contact angle of 43°) and common (contact angle of 70°, unmodified) surfaces, all with a hydraulic diameter of 0.805 mm. Experiments were conducted using a mass flux of 713–1629 kg/m<sup>2</sup>s and a heat flux of 7.0–35.1 kW/m<sup>2</sup>. Firstly, the bubble behavior during the two-phase boiling process in the superhydrophilic and common surface microchannel is studied. Through a large number of flow pattern diagrams under different working conditions, it is found that the bubble behavior shows different degrees of order in microchannels with different surface wettability. The experimental results show that the hydrophilic surface modification of microchannel is an effective method to enhance heat transfer and reduce friction pressure drop. Through the data analysis of friction pressure drop and C parameter, it is found that the three most important parameters affecting the two-phase friction pressure drop are mass flux, vapor quality, and surface wettability. Based on flow patterns and pressure drop characteristics obtained from the experiments, a new parameter, named flow order degree, is proposed to account for the overall effects of mass flux, vapor quality, and surface wettability on two-phase frictional pressure drop in microchannels, and a newly developed correlation based on the separated flow model is presented. In the superhydrophilic microchannel, the mean absolute error of the new correlation is 19.8%, which is considerably less than the error of the previous models.
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spelling doaj.art-865882b9b57c4e15a075bb4ead14e0442023-11-18T02:29:42ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2023-04-0114595810.3390/mi14050958Flow Pattern Study and Pressure Drop Prediction of Two-Phase Boiling Process in Different Surface Wettability MicrochannelYuqi Zhang0Haoxian Wu1Ling Zhang2Yunbo Yang3Xiangdong Niu4Zerong Zeng5Bifen Shu6School of Physics, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaSchool of Physics, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaShuifa Singyes Energy (Zhuhai) Co., Ltd., Zhuhai 519000, ChinaSchool of Physics, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaShuifa Singyes Energy (Zhuhai) Co., Ltd., Zhuhai 519000, ChinaShuifa Singyes Energy (Zhuhai) Co., Ltd., Zhuhai 519000, ChinaSchool of Physics, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaAn experimental study of two-phase flow pressure drop using R-134a is conducted on three types of different surface wettability microchannels with superhydrophilic (contact angle of 0°), hydrophilic (contact angle of 43°) and common (contact angle of 70°, unmodified) surfaces, all with a hydraulic diameter of 0.805 mm. Experiments were conducted using a mass flux of 713–1629 kg/m<sup>2</sup>s and a heat flux of 7.0–35.1 kW/m<sup>2</sup>. Firstly, the bubble behavior during the two-phase boiling process in the superhydrophilic and common surface microchannel is studied. Through a large number of flow pattern diagrams under different working conditions, it is found that the bubble behavior shows different degrees of order in microchannels with different surface wettability. The experimental results show that the hydrophilic surface modification of microchannel is an effective method to enhance heat transfer and reduce friction pressure drop. Through the data analysis of friction pressure drop and C parameter, it is found that the three most important parameters affecting the two-phase friction pressure drop are mass flux, vapor quality, and surface wettability. Based on flow patterns and pressure drop characteristics obtained from the experiments, a new parameter, named flow order degree, is proposed to account for the overall effects of mass flux, vapor quality, and surface wettability on two-phase frictional pressure drop in microchannels, and a newly developed correlation based on the separated flow model is presented. In the superhydrophilic microchannel, the mean absolute error of the new correlation is 19.8%, which is considerably less than the error of the previous models.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/5/958pressure drophydrophilic microchannelflow order degreetwo-phase flow
spellingShingle Yuqi Zhang
Haoxian Wu
Ling Zhang
Yunbo Yang
Xiangdong Niu
Zerong Zeng
Bifen Shu
Flow Pattern Study and Pressure Drop Prediction of Two-Phase Boiling Process in Different Surface Wettability Microchannel
Micromachines
pressure drop
hydrophilic microchannel
flow order degree
two-phase flow
title Flow Pattern Study and Pressure Drop Prediction of Two-Phase Boiling Process in Different Surface Wettability Microchannel
title_full Flow Pattern Study and Pressure Drop Prediction of Two-Phase Boiling Process in Different Surface Wettability Microchannel
title_fullStr Flow Pattern Study and Pressure Drop Prediction of Two-Phase Boiling Process in Different Surface Wettability Microchannel
title_full_unstemmed Flow Pattern Study and Pressure Drop Prediction of Two-Phase Boiling Process in Different Surface Wettability Microchannel
title_short Flow Pattern Study and Pressure Drop Prediction of Two-Phase Boiling Process in Different Surface Wettability Microchannel
title_sort flow pattern study and pressure drop prediction of two phase boiling process in different surface wettability microchannel
topic pressure drop
hydrophilic microchannel
flow order degree
two-phase flow
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/5/958
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