Effect of flow topology on the calculation of two-phase frictional multipliers in uniformly heated flow of R-134a in a rectangular duct

The two-phase frictional multipliers for SUVA R-134a flowing in a rectangular duct (with DH = 4.8 mm) have been measured for three nominal system pressures (0.88, 1.34 and 2.34 MPa) and four nominal mass fluxes (510, 1020 and 1740, 2040 kg/m2/s) under uniform heat flux conditions. The data is compared with adiabatic data previously taken at similar flow conditions, as well as with several classical multiplier correlations. The comparisons reveal a strong effect of pressure and mass flux on the flow topology and, by extension, a large effect on the calculation of acceleration and frictional pressure drop components. For this fluid and this geometry, entrainment and fluid separation is enhanced at higher pressures and mass flux such that most of the liquid exists in the test section edges and as dispersed droplets in the core. For these cases, the classical simplified approach to calculate acceleration pressure drop fails to adequately predict the acceleration component and leads to erroneous calculations of frictional pressure drop from the measured total pressure drop. Best estimates of the true acceleration component are given, based on void profiles measured with a gamma densitometer system, comparisons to the adiabatic data, and recasting the data in terms of the total pressure drop multiplier as a function of the Martinelli parameter, Xtt.