• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2000.04b
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• pp.825-828
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• 2000

The objective of the present study is to develop a new device that the viscous characteristics of fluids are determined by applying the unsteady flow concept to the traditional capillary tube viscometer. The capillary tube viscometer consists of a small cylindrical reservoir, capillary tube, a load celt system oat measures the mass flow rate, interfacers, and computer. Due to the small size of the reservoir the height of liquid in the reservoir decreases as soon as the liquid in the reservoir drains out through the capillary and the mass flow rate in the capillary decreases as the hydrostatic pressure in the reservoir decreases resulting in a decrease of the shear rate in the capillary tube. The instantaneous shear rate and. driving force in the capillary tube are determined by measuring the mass flow rate through the capillary, and the fluid viscosity is determined from the measured flow rate and the driving force.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 1996

A numerical model of refrigerant flow through a capillary tube is developed, which considers the effects of underpressure for vaporization, kinetic energy, and roughness of capillary tube. The numerical model is based on homogeneous flow assumptions for the two-phase flow region. A characteristic chart of HFC refrigerants flow through capillary tubes and correction factor chart of geometry and relative roughness of capillary tube to select a proper capillary for refrigerating machines using alternative refrigerants is presented by this numerical model.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.1328-1338
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• 2001

The objective of this study is to present flow and pressure drop characteristics of R22 in adiabatic capillary tubes of inner diameters of 1.2 to 2.0mm, and tube lengths of 500 to 2000mm. Distributions of temperature and pressure along capillary tubes and the refrigerant flow rates through the tubes were measured for several condensing temperatures and various degrees of subcooling at the capillary tube inlet. Condensing temperatures of R22 were selected as 40, 45, and 50$^{\circ}C$ at the capillary tube inlet, and the degree of subcooling was adjusted to 1 to 18$^{\circ}C$. Experimental results including mass flow rates and pressure drops of R22 in capillary tubes were provided. A new correlation based on Buckingham II theorem to predict the mass flow rate through the capillary tube was presented considering major parameters which affect the flow and pressure drop characteristcis.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.31 no.1 s.256
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• pp.91-98
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• 2007

Air-conditioners use a spirally coiled capillary tube as an expansion device to enhance compactness of the unit. However, most empirical correlations in open literature were developed for straight capillary tubes without considering coiled effects on the mass flow rate. The objectives of this study are to investigate the flow characteristics of coiled capillary tubes and to develop a generalized correlation for mass flow rate through coiled capillary tubes. The mass flow rates through the coiled capillary tubes and straight capillary tubes were measured by varying operating conditions and tube geometry. The condensing temperatures varied at 40.5, 47.5 and $54.5^{\circ}C$, and subcoolings altered at 3.5, 6.5 and $11.5^{\circ}C$. The mass flow rates of the coiled capillary tubes decreased by 5 to 16% compared with those of the straight capillary tubes at the same operating conditions. An empirical correlation was developed by introducing equivalent length of capillary tube with non-dimensional parameters for coiled shape. The present correlation predicts the data with average and standard deviations of 0.33% and 3.24%, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.492-498
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• 1999

Mass flow rates of R407C and R290 through capillary tubes were measured with various capillary tube geometries and flow conditions. For all refrigerants tested in the present study, mass flow rate through the capillary tube was strongly dependent on the condensing pressure, subcooling and capillary length and diameter. The flow rate of R407C was 5~10［%］ higher than that of R22 at the same condensing temperature and degree of subcooling, while flow rate for R290 was 40［%］ lower than that for R22. Based on experimental results, an empirical correlation was developed using Pi theorem to predict the mass flow rate through capillary tubes. The predicted flow rates using the model were consistent with the experimental data within ${\pm}$10[%］.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.06e
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• pp.738-741
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• 2001

The purpose of the present study is to measure the viscosity of liquid in the capillary tube viscometer using the unsteady flow concept. The capillary tube viscometer is consisted of a small cylindrical reservoir, capillary tubes, and the mass flow rate measuring system interfaced with computer. Two capillary tubes with 1.152 and 3.002 mm I.D. are used to determine the diameter effects on the viscosity measurements. The instantaneous shear rate and gravitational driving force in the capillary tube are determined by measuring the mass flow rate through the capillary tube instantaneously. The measured viscosities of water and aqueous Separan solution are in good agreement with the reported experimental data.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.12 no.9
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• pp.791-801
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• 2000

An experimental study was conducted to analyze the effects of oil on refrigerant flow through adiabatic capillary tubes, and to develop a model for mass flow rates of refrigerant/oil mixture at various capillary tubes and flow conditions. Mass flow rates and the profiles of the pressures and temperatures along the capillary tubes was obtained with the oil concentration of R-22/SUNISO 4GS oil mixture at various test conditions. The flow trends as a function of geometry and flow conditions for pure refrigerant and refrigerant/oil mixture were similar in adiabatic capillary tubes. Mass flow rate of the refrigerant/oil mixture was less than that of pure refrigerant at the same test conditions.

• 한국전산유체공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.03a
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• pp.224-229
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• 2004

The objective of this work is not only to perform feasibility studies on the CFD (computational fluid dynamics) analysis for the capillary system design but also to provide an enhanced understanding of the autonomous capillary flow. The capillary flow is evaluated by means of the commercial CFD software of FLUENT, which includes the VOF (volume-of-fluid) model for multiphase flow analysis. The effect of wall adhesion at fluid interfaces in contact with rigid boundaries is considered in terms of static contact angle. Feasibility studies are first performed, including mesh-resolution influence on pressure profile, which has a sudden increase at the liquid/gas interface. Then we perform both 2D and 3D simulations and examine the transient nature of the capillary flow. Analytical solutions are also derived for simple cases and compared with numerical results. Through this work, essential information on the capillary system design is brought out. Our efforts and initial success in numerical description of the microfluidic capillary flows enhance the fundamental understanding of the autonomous capillary flow and will eventually pave the road for full-scale, computer-aided design of microfluidic networks.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.177-186
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• 1996

The characteristics of the flow of pure HFC refrigerants(R32, R125, and R134a) and their mixtures through capillary tubes were investigated experimentally. Two capillary tubes with 1.2mm and 1.6mm inner diameter and 1.5m length were adopted as test sections. Mass flow rates and temperatures and pressures were measured for several condensing temperatures and degrees of subcooling at capillary tube inlet. The effects of the condensing temperature, inner diameter of capillary tube, and subcooling on the mass flow rate of refrigerants were discussed, and the mass flow rates of HFC refrigerants were compared with that of R22. The pressure and temperature distributions along the capillary tube compared with that of R22. The pressure and temperature distributions along the capillary tube show that there is a metastable equilibrium state in the flow through the tube. Underpressure for vaporization increases as refrigerant mass flux increases and inlet subcooling decreases. Empirical correlation was suggested to predict underpressure for vaporization of the HFC refrigerants.

• International Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration
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• v.7
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• pp.11-21
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• 1999

The capillary tube and short tube orifice have been widely used as an expansion device in the refrigeration and air-conditioning system. To improve the system performance, expansion devices need to be optimized with the components of a refrigeration system. In the present study, a numerical model for a capillary, which could predict the flow rate and properties along a tube, was developed by assuming homogeneous two-phase flow. A semi-empirical flow model for evaluation of the flow rate through a short tube orifice was also developed by using the experimental data. Finally, the results of the numerical model for a capillary was compared with those of the semi-empirical model for a short tube orifice to identify the dominant flow factors for the expansion devices.