Gas-liquid flow distributions in multipass channels with vertical upward branches

The gas-liquid flow distributions in multi-pass channels that simulate a compact evaporator used for an automobile air-conditioning system was examined experimentally. The test channel had a horizontal header with a square cross section of 20mm × 20mm and a length of 255mm, and ten upward branches with a length of 200mm were connected to it. Experiments were conducted in an isothermal air-water flow system. Special attention was directed to influences of (i) flow-inlet condition at the header entrance (stratified-flow inlet and mist-flow inlet), (ii) pressure condition at the branch outlets (uniform backpressure and non-uniform backpressure) and (iii) pressure-loss characteristics of branches (flat tubes and multi-port tubes) on the gas-liquid distribution characteristics. In addition to the gas-liquid distributions to branches, the pressure distributions in the headers were measured to make clear the pressure condition in a real evaporator. It was found that the outlet pressure condition of branches exerts great influence on the gas-liquid distributions to branches in the channel with flat tube branches, but it has only minor influence in the channel with multi- port tube branches. The flow-inlet condition at the header entrance has significant influence on the gas-liquid distribution, and the uniformity of the liquid distribution to branches is improved under the mist-flow inlet condition. The pressure in the headers showed uniform distributions in the longitudinal direction, suggesting that the uniform backpressure condition at the branch outlets is appropriate for reproducing the flow in a real compact evaporator with multi-pass channels.