The analysis of thermal and flow characteristics of the condensation of refrigerant zeotropic mixtures in minichannels

The paper presents the results of experimental heat transfer and pressure drop during condensation of the single component refrigerant R134a and zeotropic mixtures R404A, R407C, and R410A in tube minichannels of internal diameter from the range 0.31–3.30 mm. The local values and the average of heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop in the whole range of the change in mass quality were measured. On the basis of the obtained test results there was illustrated the influence of the change of mass vapor quality, the mass flux density, and the inner diameter of channel on the studied parameters. These results were compared with the calculation results based on the relations postulated by other authors. The discrepancy range was ± 50%. On the basis of given test results own correlation was developed to calculate the heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop of tested refrigerants which presents the obtained results in a range of discrepancy of ±25%.