Carbon Dioxide-Lubricant Two-Phase Flow Patterns in Small Horizontal Wetted Wall Channels: The Effects of Refrigerant/lubricant Thermophysical Properties

Seeton, Christopher John

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Description

Title

Carbon Dioxide-Lubricant Two-Phase Flow Patterns in Small Horizontal Wetted Wall Channels: The Effects of Refrigerant/lubricant Thermophysical Properties

Author(s)

Seeton, Christopher John

Issue Date

2009

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Hrnjak, Predrag S.

Department of Study

Mechanical Engineering

Discipline

Mechanical Engineering

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

Engineering, Mechanical

Language

eng

Abstract

This research developed measurement capabilities for measuring the solubility, miscibility, liquid density, liquid viscosity, and interfacial tension of lubricant-refrigerant mixtures. For the first time, interfacial tension measurements for refrigerant-lubricant mixtures over the range of concentrations from neat lubricant to pure refrigerant have been measured and published. The research has also lead to the development of a new prediction and modeling method for liquid viscosity and extends the historic lubricant only mixing rules to systems of lubricants with dissolved liquefied gases. A high-speed, high-pressure (< 100 bar, 1500 psia) video system has been constructed to capture the two-phase flow patterns of CO2 flows near the critical point with and without coexisting lubricant inside 0.5 mm tubes. A new flow map based on the thermophysical properties of the flowing fluid has been developed to account for the viscous and interfacial tensions effects on two-phase flows in channels below the criteria for interfacial tension affected flows.

Graduation Semester

2009

Type of Resource

text

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