Numerical study on effect of gap width of narrow rectangular channel on critical heat flux enhancement Original Research Article

According to the flow passage characteristic of narrow rectangular channel and liquid film dry-out mechanics of annular flow critical heat flux (CHF), an annular flow CHF analytical model for narrow rectangular channel has been achieved. This model may be used to predict the CHF behavior of boiling two-phase flow in narrow rectangular channel with gap width of not being less than 0.0005 m (the equivalent diameter of this channel is 0.001 m). Through analyzing and calculating, when the inlet dimensionless gap width of narrow rectangular channel is within 30–85, the enhancement of CHF in channel is obvious. At the same time, according to the characteristic of two-phase flow, the new determinant laws of CHF in boiling two-phase flow system have been derived. Through analyzing and calculating, it is substantial that this determinant laws is appropriate. The best dimensionless gap width of heat flux enhancement has been achieved to be 45–75.