Experimental investigation on temperature distribution characteristics inside the condensing tube of the R134a two-phase natural circulation loop

Temperature distribution of two-phase flow inside the condensing tube can effectively reflect the heat transfer characteristic of the fluid, playing a pivotal role in the study of heat transfer in two-phase flow systems. In this study, we use the stainless steel capillary sealed distributed fiber Bragg grating (S-DFBGs) to measure and characterize the temperature distribution of R134a fluid inside the condensing tube under steady-state (pump-driven two-phase circulation) and unsteady-state (type I and II density wave instabilities in two-phase natural circulation loop) conditions, and the frequency and time domain characteristics of the fluid temperature distribution inside the tube has been investigated in detail. Through frequency-domain analysis, the temperature spectrum inside the condensing tube can indentify two types of the instability together with flowrate and pressure. Through time-domain analysis, temperature distribution inside the condenser can dermine the phase transition point, hence the condensation length. Moreover, two types of the instability exhibit different temperature fluctuation characteristics, providing reliable and effective information for further research on two phase natural circulation instability mechanisms.