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Numerical Study on the Effects of Gravity and Surface Tension on Condensation Process in Square Minichannel

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Abstract

A volume of fluid (VOF) method is adopted to simulate the condensation of R134a in a horizontal single square minichannel with 1 mm side length. The effect of gravity, surface tension and gas-liquid interfacial shear stress are taken into account. The result denotes that condensation is first appeared at the corner of channel, and then the condensation is stretched at the effect of surface tension until the whole channel boundary covered. The effect of gravity on the distribution of the liquid film depends on the channel length. In short channel, the gravity shows no significant effect, the distribution shape of steam in the cross section of the channel is approximately circular. In long channel, due to the influence of gravity, the liquid converges at the bottom under the effect of gravity, and the thickness of the liquid film at the bottom is obviously higher than that of the upper part of the channel. The effect of surface tension on condensation is also analysed. The surface tension can enhance the condensation heat transfer significantly when the inlet mass flux is low. Whilst, at high mass flux, the enhancement of surface tension on heat transfer is unobvious and can be neglected.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge supports provided by the China’s Manned Space Programme (TZ-1), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Projects No. 51606037), the Scientific Research Foundation of Graduate School of Southeast University (Projects No. YBJJ1641).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, People’s Republic of China

    Panpan Li, Zhenqian Chen & Juan Shi

  2. Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education of China, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Solar Energy Science and Technology, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China

    Zhenqian Chen

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  1. Panpan Li
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  2. Zhenqian Chen
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  3. Juan Shi
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Correspondence to Zhenqian Chen.

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This article belongs to the Topical Collection: Asian Microgravity Research in Physics, Materials and Life Science

Guest Editors: Ryoji Imai, Atsushi Higashitani

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Li, P., Chen, Z. & Shi, J. Numerical Study on the Effects of Gravity and Surface Tension on Condensation Process in Square Minichannel. Microgravity Sci. Technol. 30, 19–24 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-017-9570-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-017-9570-9

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