Experimental Investigation on the Effect of Bubble Behavior on Flow Boiling Pressure Drop in Narrow Channel

Bubble behavior in narrow channel can be quite different with that in conventional channel. When the bubble reaches a size which is comparable with the channel dimension, the bubble is confined by the channel wall. This influences the bubble evolution significantly in the narrow channel. Then the characteristics of pressure drop in the narrow channel is affected significantly. In order to investigate the effect of bubble behavior on flow boiling pressure drop, a visual study was carried out with a high speed camera (5,000 frame per second was used) to record the bubble behavior. It is found that the OSV (Onset of Significant Vapor) emerges much earlier in narrow channel when comparing with that in conventional channel. A revised correlation for prediction of the real void fraction is proposed based on the experimental investigation. It is also found that the bubble behavior affects the pressure drop in narrow channel significantly, and the channel will be blocked easily when the confined vapor cluster appears. The pressure drop, however, dose not increase linearly with increasing void fraction, and the minimum pressure drop occurs with 60% void fraction. With increasing void fraction, the bubble behavior is more intense and turbulent, which induces more severe fluctuation in pressure drop.Copyright © 2012 by ASME