Flow and heat transfer characteristics of ice slurries in a helically-coiled pipe

Recently, ice slurry has attracted much attention due to its high energy efficiency and heat exchange ability. In this study, the flow and heat transfer characteristics of ice slurry in helically-coiled pipes of a dynamic ice-thermal storage system were investigated as a function of the ice packing factor, mean flow velocity, input heat flux, and coil radius. It was found that the flow resistance of ice slurry in helically-coiled pipes was influenced by the interaction between the buoyant force and the centrifugal force, due to secondary flow. In contrast, the heat transfer coefficient of ice slurry in helically-coiled pipes was influenced by the latent heat of the ice particles. Useful correlations for predicting the flow resistance and heat transfer coefficient of ice slurry were proposed in terms of several non-dimensional parameters.

► Ice slurry in coiled pipes induces the buoyant and centrifugal force.
► These forces are influence flow resistance and heat transfer of ice slurry in coiled pipes.
► Flow and heat transfer can be summarized by apparent thermo physical properties.
► We propose flow and heat transfer useful correlations of ice slurry in coiled pipes.