Computational fluid dynamics of flow boiling and conjugate heat transfer characteristics in a mini/micro-channel printed circuit steam generator

Numerical investigation of printed circuit heat exchanger PCHE was carried out for the water-steam system to optimize the design parameters for the possible use of PCHE as a steam generator in integral nuclear reactors- thus targeting efficient renewable energy by enhancing heat transfer. Heat fluxes, overall heat transfer coefficient (OHTC), and volume fraction of steam in a single channel of PCHE are reported for counter-current flow arrangement. The numerical model consisted of 1mm∗1.5mm single hot and cold channel. The heat transfer parameters were calculated using the Volume of Fluid (VOF) model in ANSYS Fluent with boundary conditions: top/bottom adiabatic; left/right periodic; mass flow inlet and pressure outlet. The effect of cold side degree of inlet subcooled (DISC) – varied from 100 to 0 K with a decrement of 20 K- and mass flux (200 to 500 kg/m².s on OHTC, vapor fraction, pressure drop, and effectiveness was studied. For the fixed degree of subcooled, the OHTC and pressure drop increase as cold side mass flux increases. Similarly, for the fixed mass flux at varying DISC, the OHTC increases and pressure drop decreases for low mass fluxes up to 200 kg/m².s because most of the channel remains in the nucleate boiling regime. However, with further increase in mass flux opposite trends in OHTC and pressure drop were observed due to single phased regime. The vapor fraction of steam increases with lower DISC at low mass fluxes and decreases with the increase in mass flux. The effectiveness decreases as the cold side inlet temperature approaches saturation temperature at 3 MPa.