Critical Heat Flux in Tubes Near the Critical Pressure

Abstract

Critical Heat Flux (CHF) data collected at pressures near the critical point of water (i.e., 22.1 MPa) have been compiled from available literature. Variations of these data with experimental conditions (i.e., thermodynamic quality, mass flux, and pressure) were examined. Overall, data obtained recently have exhibited some scatter compared to those obtained before the 90s. The compiled database was applied in assessing the prediction accuracy of a CHF look-up table. Within the applicable range of the CHF look-up table, the data were predicted with an average and a root mean square (rms) errors of 1.7% and 26%, respectively. However, the prediction accuracy deteriorates further when extrapolating beyond the applicability limits of the look-up table. Outside the applicable range, the CHF look-up table overpredicted the data with an average and an rms errors of 63% and 66%, respectively.