EXPERIMENTAL AND NUMERICAL STUDY OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF A SINGLE-PHASE FLOW IN A SMALL CHANNEL HEAT EXCHANGER

摘要

This study focuses on the distribution of a single-phase flow in a small channel heat exchanger. A test section consisting of a cylindrical header connected to 8 multiport flat tubes of 7 parallel small channels (D_h = 0.889 mm) enables the measurement of singular and regular local pressure losses all along the header and the small channels, as well as the flow distribution in each small channel tube. The flat tubes are inserted up to the half of the manifold, i-e with an insertion height of 8 mm. We present and analyze the results of a header in vertical position: vertical down flow through the manifold and horizontal flow in the small channels (most of industrial applications). The experimental results are analyzed using a one-dimensional model and compared with those obtained by a numerical simulation.