Prediction of Flow Patterns During Condensation of Binary Mixtures in a Horizontal Tube

Abstract

In the present paper, experimental flow pattern data during forced convection condensation of binary mixtures of R-22 and R-12 inside a horizontal tube are reported for the first time. These visually observed flow patterns were plotted on existing condensing flow as well as on Baker’s adiabatic flow map. The mixture flow pattern data were found to best correlate on a flow regimes map suggested earlier by the present authors [8] with dimensionless gas velocity Jg* and (1 − α)/α coordinates (α is the void fraction). The criteria to delineate different flow regimes for mixtures have also been found to be the same as those proposed earlier for pure refrigerants.