Copyright @ 2007 RT Edwards Inc.Boiling heat transfer in small diameter tubes has been experimentally investigated using R134a as the working fluid. The heat transfer periments were conducted with two stainless steel tubes of internal diameter 4.26 mm and 2.01 mm respectively. Other parameters were varied in the range: mass flux 100 – 500 kg/m2s; pressure 8 – 14 bar; quality up to 0.9; heat flux 13 - 150 kW/m2. The heat transfer coefficient was found to be independent of vapour quality when the quality was less than about 40% to 50% for the 4.26 mm tube and 20% to 30 % for the 2.01 mm tube. Above these quality values, the heat transfer coefficient decreases with vapour quality. Furthermore, at high heat flux values this decrease occurs for the entire quality range. The heat transfer rates were compared with existing correlations.
