Review on Research Status and Prospects of Two-phase Flow Distribution in Microchannel Heat Exchanger

Abstract

The non-uniform distribution of two-phase flow usually happens in a microchannel heat exchanger, which significantly reduces the performance of the microchannel heat exchanger. In this paper, research on the two-phase flow distribution in a microchannel heat exchanger is summarized and analyzed, with focus on the factors affecting the two-phase flow distribution characteristics in a microchannel heat exchanger, techniques to improve the distribution uniformity of a two-phase flow, simulation studies on a two-phase flow distribution of a microchannel heat exchanger, and applications of phase separation technology in microchannel heat exchangers. Finally, the research status and future direction of a two-phase flow in a microchannel heat exchanger is discussed

Keywords

• microchannel heat exchanger
• two-phase flow distribution
• distribution uniformity
• correlations
• phase separation