Liquid flow friction factor and heat transfer coefficient in small channels: an experimental investigation

This article presents friction factor and heat transfer coefficient experimental results obtained with a liquid flow of R134a in rectangular mini-channels. Two test sections made of aluminium. multi-port extruded (MPE) tubes.(channels dimensions 1.11 x 1.22 turn and 0.73 x 0.72 mm) were tested. Mass flux ranges from 65 to 2900 kg/m(2) s and heat flux from 210 to 49 700 W/m(2). The emphasis has been put on metrology problems and how they influence experimental results in mini-channels. Literature correlations for large tubes were found to predict our results reasonably well. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.