Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/K93365/01
Title:	FLOW REGIMES AND HEAT TRANSFER IN MICRO-CHANNELS
Principal Investigator:	Kew, Dr P
Other Investigators:	Cornwell, Professor K
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute University of Oxford
Department:	Mechanical & Chemical Engineering
Organisation:	Heriot-Watt University
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	07 April 1997	Ends:	06 April 2000	Value (£):	138,476
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Heat & Mass Transfer
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
Current developments in cmpact heat exchanger technology have led to the availability of heat exchangers incorporating channels having hydraulic diameters of 5mm and below. These have potential application as evaporators in the process and refrigeration industries and in the cooling of electronic systems. The range of available experimental data for such channels is limited but indicates that the flow regimes and heat transfer mechanisms dominant in micro-channels differ from those observed in larger channels.The programme invloves construction of one test rig to permit the study of adiabatic flow in transparent channels and development of an existing rig for measurement of heat transfer coefficients during heating (evaporation) and cooling (condensation) of a vapour-liquid mixture and for measurement of local, transient heat transfer coefficients and pressure drop in electrically heated thin-walled tubes.Each test wil compromise either a single channel or, to enable the effect of instabilities to be investigated, two channels in parallel. Measurement techniques used will include conventional thermometry and liquid crystal thermometry, flow visualisation will be carried out using high speed video recording and flash photography. The data will be used to develop flow regime-specific correlations suitable for use by designers of compact heat exchangers.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.hw.ac.uk