The characteristics of condensation in brazed plate heat exchangers with different chevron angles

Experiments to measure the condensation heat transfer coefficient and the pressure drop in brazed plate heat exchangers (BPHEs) were performed with the refrigerants R410A and R22. Brazed plate heat exchangers with different chevron angles of 45degrees, 35degrees, and 20degrees were used. Varying the mass flux, the condensation temperature, and the vapor quality of the refrigerant, we measured the condensation heat transfer coefficients and the pressure drops. Both the heat transfer coefficient and the pressure drop increased proportionally with the mass flux and the vapor quality and inversely with the condensation temperature and the chevron angle. Correlations of the Nusselt number and the friction factor with the geometric parameters are suggested for the tested BPHEs.