Flow Boiling Characteristics for R1234ze(E) in 1.0 and 2.2 mm Circular Channels

Abstract

Experimental flow boiling heat transfer results are presented for horizontal 1.0 and 2.2 mm I.D. (internal diameter) stainless steel tubes for tests with R1234ze(E), a new refrigerant developed as a substitute for R134a with a much lower global warming potential (GWP). The experiments were performed for these two tube diameters in order to investigate a possible transition between macro and microscale flow boiling behavior. The experimental campaign includes mass velocities ranging from 50 to 1500 kg/m2 s, heat fluxes from 10 to 300 kW/m2 , exit saturation temperatures of 25, 31 and 35 °C, vapor qualities from 0.05 to 0.99 and heated lengths of 180 mm and 361 mm. Flow pattern characterization was performed using high speed videos. Heat transfer coefficient, critical heat flux and flow pattern data were obtained. R1234ze(E) demonstrated similar thermal performance to R134a data when running at similar conditions.