Accurate prediction of the friction factor and consequently the pressure drop of two-phase flow in small channels is still an issue. Many correlations exist for the determination of the viscosity and the friction factor that appear in the frictional pressure drop and their combination often determined the degree of disagreements between the experimental data and predicted outcomes. Demands for environmentally friendly refrigerants have further posed a challenge to find compatible alternatives with as good a performance as the current coolants. Despite the many available correlations developed to date, many more are studied in effort to reduce the discrepancies. This paper presents the outcomes of a study comparing the optimized conditions when three different viscosity equations are paired with eight different friction factor correlations to minimize the frictional pressure drop. The approach used multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) to assist in selecting the best pairing. Comparison is then completed with available experimental data. The study showed that the Blasius friction factor paired with the Dukler viscosity produced the least percentage difference for R22, while when paired with the McAdams viscosity produced a lower difference for R290, an environmentally friendly refrigerant being considered to replace R22.

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This article displays a numerical investigation on natural convection within non‐Darcy porous layer surrounded by two horizontal surfaces having sinusoidal temperature profiles with difference in phase and wave number. The Darcy–Brinkman–Forchheimer model and local thermal nonequilibrium condition have been employed. Simulations have been performed for wide ranges of inertia coefficient (10–4 ≤ Fs/Pr* ≤ 10–2), thermal conductivity ratio (0.1 ≤ K r ≤ 100), phase difference (0 ≤ β ≤ π), modified Rayleigh number (200 ≤ Ra* ≤ 1000), wavelength (3 ≤ k ≤ 12), and nondimensional heat transfer coefficient (0.1 ≤ H ≤ 100). Results demonstrate that Nusselt number highly relies on Fs/Pr*, K r, β, Ra*, and k as compared to H. A considerable enhancement in fluid, solid, and overall Nusselt numbers has been observed with diminishing Fs/Pr* and β and increasing k, K r, and H. The raising in β has a significant impact on Nu for smaller k and this effect is almost ignored when k > 12. The increase in Ra*, K r, β, and H and decrease in Fs/Pr* and k acts to reduce the severity of nonequilibrium zone and increase the size of thermal equilibrium zone. The influence of H on nonequilibrium area is more evident than K r.

Today, the air-conditioning and refrigeration industry is still searching for environmentally friendly refrigerants that could replace hazardous, ozone-depleting coolants -refrigerants that behave similarly, if not better, than the present ones. The present study examines optimization of the frictional pressure drop of R22 and R290 using genetic algorithm. Outcomes are compared against the measured pressure drop obtained from a horizontal 7.6 mm channel with a length of 1.07 meters. Three equations have been used for calculating the Darcy friction factor and two-phase flow pressure drop for both laminar and turbulent flow regimes in smooth and rough tubes. The effects of the different correlations for the friction factor and pressure drop utilized are demonstrated. The results illustrate that the differences between values of the Darcy friction factor are very small for the two refrigerants examined, with the frictional pressure of R-290 higher than R-22. Use of a smaller channel induced a much higher frictional pressure drop, as well.

Evaporation process inside diffuser filled with porous medium is numerically investigated. The governing equations have been made dimensionless form and discretised using Finite Volume Method (FVM). Effects of the relevant parameters on the temperature distribution and liquid saturation have been carefully analysed. Numerical results showed that the smoothing treatment of effective diffusion coefficient promote the undesired "jump" in the temperature profile. Furthermore, the inlet Reynolds number, heat flux, outlet radius, length of spread section, and pipe length have a strong effect on the beginning and ending of evaporation process, while porosity and Darcy number have slight influence. Finally, the investigation exhibits a helpful instrument for structuring a diffuser evaporator with goal to hold the system under safety conditions.