Transition from annular flow to plug/slug flow in condensation of steam in microchannels

A visualization study has been conducted to investigate the transition from annular flow to plug/slug flow in the condensation of steam in two different sets of parallel microchannels, having hydraulic diameters of 90 mu m and 136 mu m, respectively. The steam in the parallel microchannels was cooled on the bottom by forced convection of water and by natural convection of air from the top. It is found that the location, where the transition from annular flow to plug/slug flow takes place, depends on mass flux and cooling rate of steam. The effects of mass flux and cooling rate on the occurrence frequency of the injection flow in a single microchannel, having a hydraulic diameter of 120 mu m and 128 mu m, respectively, are investigated. It is found that two different shapes of injection flow occur in the smooth annular flow in microchannels: injection flow with unsteady vapor ligament occurring at low mass flux (or high cooling rate) and injection flow with steady vapor ligament occurring at high mass flux (or low cooling rate). It is also found that increase of steam mass flux, decrease of cooling rate, or decrease of the microchannel diameter tends to enhance instability of the condensate film on the wall, resulting in occurrence of the injection flow further toward the outlet with an increase in occurrence frequency. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.