University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Experimental and Simulation Analysis of Microchannel Evaporators

Song, S.; Bullard, C.W.

Content Files
CR047.pdf

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/13406

Description

Title
Experimental and Simulation Analysis of Microchannel Evaporators
Author(s)
  • Song, S.
  • Bullard, C.W.
Issue Date
2002-03
Keyword(s)
  • Experimental and Simulation Analysis of Microchannel Evaporators
  • microchannel evaporators
  • microchannel condensers
  • heat pumps
Date of Ingest
2009-08-06T21:10:24Z
Abstract
Microchannel condensers have dominated the automotive a/c market by maximizing performance for a fixed size and weight, but must operate as evaporators if they are to be used in heat pumps. This report presents a microchannel evaporator model, along with experimental validation. The new model structure provides a user-friendly interface and makes it much easier to have good initial guesses. Two different approaches for predicting wetted surface heat and mass transfer are discussed and compared, and the effects of inlet humidity and inclination angle were explored experimentally. Superheat measurements were used, together with the model to detect significant refrigerant maldistribution that reduced capacity approximately 3%. Frost patterns were used to observe two-phase flow distribution in a microchannel evaporator, and the balance between inertial, gravitational and shear forces was investigated for the vertical headers.
Publisher
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center. College of Engineering. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Series/Report Name or Number
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center CR-47
Type of Resource
text
Genre of Resource
Technical Report
Language
en
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/13406

Owning Collections

Contract Reports - Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center PRIMARY