Flow Boling H3.1 Flow Patterns in Evaporator Tubes Dieter Steiner’ - Matthias Kind Karlsruhe, Germany 1 Flow Patterns in Vertical Tubes. 2 Flow Patterns in Horizontal and Slightly Inclined Tubes 796 Phase distribution can be described by the observation of flow patterns in unheated sight glasses, and the patterns can be predicted by flow regime maps. The regimes formed by the dividing lines in the maps represent idealized states because, in reality, continuous transitions occur between the individual flove patterns. 1 Flow Patterns in Vertical Tubes Upward flow patterns that have been observed are sketched in Hig. 1 Up © now, measurements of upward and downward flows in vertical sabes have failed to reveal any effect ofthe flow patiemns on heat transfer. Since the heated walls always, except inmist low, completely weted, there is no point in reproducing flow pattern maps here. Maps for upward and downward flows can be found in the literature [1-4]. (Por literature and special symbols, see © Subchap. 113.8) 2 Flow Patterns in Horizontal and Slightly Inclined Tubes In horizontal and slightly inclined tubes and under certain flow conditions, stratification of two phases occurs due to gravity Flow pattern for horizontal and slightly inclined tubes (angle of inclination to the horizontal © = +10" at the most) are sketched in Fig 2, For hydraulic reasons, only part ofthe heated wall is wetted in stratified, wavy, and slug flows. Since incom- plete wetting exerts an effect on the heat transfer cocficent, a knowledge ofthe flow pattern is essential. Steiner [5] adapted a publication by Taitel and Dukler (6] as a basis for revising the regime transitions for wavy flow into slug, plug, and annular flow regimes and in checking them against measured data. Accordingly, the flow pattern map reproduced in Fig. 3 applies for liquids with low and medium boiling points. "Deen 2.1 Application of the Flow Pattern Map ss ssoeesss01-796 2.2 Determination of the Boundary Curves in the Flow Pattern Map, eeccen ee 9B 2.1 Application of the Flow Pattern Map ‘The following scheme is advised for application of the map. (a) Determination of the Martinelli parameter X caer eye (b) If @ is the angle of inclination to the horizontal, the four dimensionless numbers are given by Itap/ae) [(@pF82)c) Qa) anew) ole evie( (ResPH,)"°= ( res Pa)g 608 ‘The Reynolds number and the friction factor are obtained from the following equations: ri 2) ) Re, Me 6 a (6) 03164 = i) (6) The next step is to sound out the limiting conditions in the light of the actual value of the Martinelli parameter X. The following magnitudes with the subscript “lim” correspond to the limiting curves in Fig, 3. In order to obtain a definite resull itis essential that the limiting conditions are sounded cout in the following sequence,Flow Pattems in Evaporator Tubes Direction of low —= 12.1, Fig. 1. How pattems for upward flow in vertical tubes Direction of low Pug Statitiod flow Annular tow Mist ‘low 3.1, Fig. 2. Flow patterns in horizontal tubes Flow is stratified if (RexFr)"*< (Reve). If (We/Fr), is taken into consideration, the condition for wavy flow is Anaular wispy flow flow FHS < (Prom in Bubble flow exists if (PrBu)*> (BrEo Under the following conditions, plug or slug flow exists: X 2034 and FS > (Prom) 1 Dependent on (We/Fr),; the condition for mist flow is, X<051 and Fr’, > (From)03 ‘The final alternative is annular flow, and itis defined by more than one boundary curves. ‘The limits for turbulent flow of both the gas and the liquid (subscript “tt") and also for laminar liquid and turbulent gas flow (subscript “Lt”) are indicated in Fig. 3. Since the diferences are of no significance in practice, the only equations that have been given are those that apply to the turbulent case. Exemp- tions are cited in the literature [5]. Example 1 Refrigerant R 12 flows in a horizontal evaporator tube of d= 14 mm at a pressure of p = 1.51 bar at its boiling point (Ty= -20°C), The areaspecific mass flow rate is tit = 80 kg /(m? 5}. Determine the flow patterns that are formed atthe following values of: 0.01; 0.025 0.1; 0.2; 0.3; 0.5; 0.7; 0.85 and 0.9. It is assumed that the heat flux is moderate, i.e, 4 $5 EW/m, so that the flow pattems formed can be roughly determined ftom Fig. 3 for unheated tubes. The requited properties of RI2 are i, = 1459.9kg/m?, 7, =3.25-10-* kg/(ms), ic, = 9:15 kg/m’, ng = 1.08 10-5 kg/m 3) 7 = 143-10 kg/st, © =0" The solution is obtained from Eqs. (1-7) and the flow pattern ‘map (Fig. 3). The sequence stipulated above must be adhered to in sounding out the likely low patterns, The results are listed in Table 1 197Flow Boling (Re Fra 3.1. Fig. 3. Flow pattern map for horizontal pipe flow (0 = 0°) 3.1, Table 1, Results obtained in specimen calculation (Example 1) i 001 002 ot fo2 fos os‘ oz os —*os. x 675 365 083 oat fo2s [ora [ose [0036 [oor eke (1.09 218 1044 1969 (2762 - 5 5 5 Fe 0019 0037 0187 joara_foser fossa [rai 15 168 a 00m 0019 E E E E = S (Werf = = = = = = 196) 196___*[196 Rey saa7___|33783___| 31025 a ooata _fooars _[ooara Resut (Fig 3)[Swatiied —[swatifed [Svatiied [Wavy |Wavy [Wavy [Annular | Wavy [Wavy flow flow flow tow" [tow |ftow | ow flow [flow “necting to © Subchap WA the sratied-wary flow range acts at — 02, because (Re Fi)" <2( Re Free Hn accordance with the eters for seunding out the boundaries, the other imensionles numbers are not raquled, the numerical value te not sted in the table, 2.2 Determination of the Boundary Curves in the Flow Pattern Map The requisite correlations with X must be known for the com: puter plotting of the boundary curves and for sounding out the anticipated flow pattern, The relationships between the given parameters and the equations for the dimensionless numbers have already been formated (Pq, (1) and Eas. (2-7), espe erm, ti 7 tively]. Another relationship that applies is Depo, — payin ©Flow Pattems in Evaporator Tubes 799 - 03164 t= So (a0) Reg = qn) 7 ‘The other dimensionless variables that are required for an analy sis can be derived from the geometry (see Fig. 4) for a given hight h of liquid or fora given relative liquid level hi, which is given by h =g (2) The subscripts “L," “G" and “i” in the following equations indicate the liquid and gas (vapor) phases and the phase inter face. The one that is appropriate or the case in question should be inserted in the equation concerned. Tio A (3) ano 0 For. < hy < Vis aay hy us) Case hy, < 0.5, with y = 360° — yp (y see Fig. 4): = Arcsin 08) 7 ( a=% 7) tg=n-G,, (18) = sin(yi80/n) —_ (as) fo = tA e) Case hy, > 0.5: 4, Cross-sectional and peripheral fractions in 2 circular tube. G=n- to, (23) o ~ sin(p180/a - estes) es) (25) Since Ui,c, = fl) and Ac = f(li,), the average reference liguid height (X) can be obtained from Ea, (8) by iteration, For ths purpose «suitable approximate solution should gener- ally be known. Apart from the case of hy ~ 0.5, atelible ap- proximate vale also permits a decision tobe taken on whether fi, <05 of h, > 0.5 and thas on which equations are valid ‘The mean liquid height in stratified flow patterns can be obtained from the void fraction « as defined in ® Chap. H®. The following correlation proposed by Rouhani(7] agrees well with the measured values [3 Ala al 118( (26) The angle y in radians subtended by the unwetted surface is, obtained by iteration from ¢, ie, en ‘Thea with this value of determined jg =— Se) (2) 8(3 sin y/2 + 4 sin p/4) The limiting curves can now be delineated by inserting the now values forthe relative liquid height i (X) in the required functions A, Ac Ui. In doing so, itis essential to adhere to the following sequence in sounding out the boundary condi- tions in order to obtain a unique result and Stratified flow: ReiFY $ (RE.Pnin = Aas, (29) Wavy flow From © (Fromusin 1h myi- (th -1) =| (30) Bubble flow: (Feta), > [Cty] yg eA en Plug or slug flow: IX > 0.34, Rey > 1,187, and Rec > 1,187, the following must apply Fron > (FtGm)sin + (32)Flow Boling ‘The following conditions must be satisfied for turbulent gas and laminar liquid flow, ie, Reg > 1,187 and Re, < 1,187: X2051 and From romain (3) Mis ov x 0.5", suffice for a significant shift in the limits. This applies to the boundary between stratified and wavy flow and from wavy to plug or «lug and annular flow. The mathematically predicted transitions agree quite well with the observations by Bornea eta. [9]. If the tubes ate not circular, acceptable approximations for determining the flow pattern can be obtained by substituting the hydraulic diameter d, for the diameter d in all the above dimensionless numbers. Thus, 44 4=F. (37) ‘where U'is the wettable periphery in the assumed case that the ‘entire cross-sectional area Ais filled by the liquid. Recently, Katan etal, [10] and Thome and El Hajal [11] have reconsidered the above procedure and transformed the above dimensionless representation of the limiting curves into non. dimensionless representations of mass flow density rt versus quality & Charts produced in this manner are more easy to read than Fig, 3, nevertheless they are only valid for a single system ata given pressure,