A combined experimental-numerical approach for two-phase flow boiling in a minichannel

Abstract

The paper addresses experimental and numerical modeling of the two-phase flows in an asymmetrically heated horizontal minichannel. Experimental measurements concerned flows of evaporating ethanol in a minichannel with rectangular cross section 1.8mm × 2 mm. In order to observe the flows, measuring system was designed and built. The system measured and recorded basic heat and flow parameters of flowing fluid, and the temperature of external surface of the heater by using infrared camera and recorded images of flow with high-speed camera. The second aim of the paper was to formulate appropriate flow boiling heat transfer model, which would minimises the use of experimentally determined constants. The procedure of calculating the temperature of the ethanol is coupled with concurrent process of determining the temperature distributions in the isolating foil and the heating surface. The two-dimensional temperature distributions in three subsequent domains were calculated with Trefftz method. Due to the Robin condition, heat transfer coefficient at the heating surface-ethanol interface was calculated based on the known temperature distributions of the foil and liquid. Additionally, the paper describes the relation between two sets of functions used in the calculation. Numerical calculations made by Trefftz method were performed with using experimental data.