Q15-3 Initial Visualization Studies of Shellside Phase Separation

R. C. Craft

2011

HTRI has constructed a visualization unit featuring a transparent shell-and-tube heat exchanger. We can record and analyze high-speed videos of air/water flow on both the shell and tube sides of this exchanger. This article presents preliminary findings of no-phase-change air/water flow on the shell side in a no-tubes-in-window bundle. Initial studies indicate that phase separation is an issue and that our current flow regime map does not accurately predict shellside flow regimes for this no-tubes-in-window geometry.