Performance of flow distribution in a microchannel parallel flow gas cooler with stepped protrusion depth header

Ke Wang; Jiaqi Liu; Zunchao Liu; Yongqing Wang; Dan Wang

doi:10.1515/ijcre-2021-0060

Article

Performance of flow distribution in a microchannel parallel flow gas cooler with stepped protrusion depth header

Ke Wang , Jiaqi Liu , Zunchao Liu , Yongqing Wang and Dan Wang

Published/Copyright: October 14, 2021

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From the journal International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering Volume 20 Issue 2

Abstract

Microchannel parallel flow gas cooler is commonly used in transcritical carbon dioxide automotive air conditioning system. To investigate the influence of the flat tube protrusion depth on fluid distribution, a numerical calculation model of microchannel parallel flow gas cooler with D-shaped header is established. With the object of even flow distribution, a novel stepped protrusion depth header is proposed. The effects of new header on the flow distribution of gas cooler were studied by numerical simulation. The results show that the flow distribution performance of gas cooler can be improved by changing the flat tube protrusion depth. Changing the protrusion depth of three groups of flat tubes simultaneously can achieve a better flow distribution performance of gas cooler than changing the protrusion depth of only one or two groups of flat tubes. When compared with the protrusion depth of all flat tubes is 0, the novel stepped protrusion depth header reduces the total flow distribution nonuniformity of gas cooler by 34–51%. The research in this paper provides a method for improving the flow distribution performance of gas coolers.

Keywords: D-shaped header; flow distribution; gas cooler; protrusion depth; supercritical pressure CO2

Corresponding author: Zunchao Liu, School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, No.100, Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, 450001, China, E-mail: zchliu@zzu.edu.cn

Funding source: National Natural Science Foundation of China http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001809

Award Identifier / Grant number: 51776190

Award Identifier / Grant number: 51376163

Funding source: Key Science and Technology Research Project of Henan Province

Award Identifier / Grant number: 212102310577

Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: The work of this research paper is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51776190 and No. 51376163) and the Key Science and Technology Research Project of Henan Province (No. 212102310577).
Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding this article.

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Received: 2021-03-18

Accepted: 2021-10-01

Published Online: 2021-10-14

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/ijcre-2021-0060

Keywords for this article

D-shaped header; flow distribution; gas cooler; protrusion depth; supercritical pressure CO2