An improved heat transfer correlation for developing post-dryout region in vertical tubes

A developing post-dryout region is characterized by significant heat transfer enhancements compared with the fully developed post-dryout region. The heat transfer enhancements are mainly due to upstream disturbance and entrained droplets in the region immediately downstream of the critical heat flux location. In this paper, an improved heat transfer correlation is developed for the developing post-dryout regions in vertical tubes over a wide range of flow conditions. The correlation represents a correction factor for the fully developed film-boiling look-up table to be applied to the developing post-dryout region. The new correlation significantly improves the heat transfer prediction in the developing post-dryout regions and provides very good agreement with the experimental data.