CONDENSATION HEAT TRANSFER PERFORMANCE OF REFRIERANTS IN MULTIPORT MINI-CHANNEL TUBES: AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION

Abstract

This research presents experimental results on convective heat transfer
coefficients for the refrigerants R410A, R32, R22, and propane during
condensation within a multiport mini-channel tube. The experiments were
carried out under controlled conditions with an average saturation temperature
of 48°C and a mass flux ranging from 50 to 300 kg/m²s. The findings indicate a
direct relationship between mass flux and heat transfer coefficient across all
tested refrigerants, with propane demonstrating the highest heat transfer
coefficient followed by R410A, R22, and R32. These new correlations showcasing
predictive performance with a maximum deviation of less than 15.3% from
experimental values. This study offers valuable insights for the design and
enhancement of mini-channel multiport heat exchangers employing refrigerants
such as R410A, R32, R22, and propane.