Experimental and numerical investigation on the mechanisms of novel heat transfer deterioration of supercritical CO2 in vertical tubes

Understanding the mechanisms of supercritical CO2 heat transfer deterioration (HTD) has significant importance for ensuring the safety and reliability of supercritical Brayton cycles. Therefore, the effects of mass flux, wall heat flux, and tube diameters on the heat transfer characteristics of supercritical CO2 inside vertical tubes are studied using experimental and numerical methods. Results indicate that the heat transfer performance is positively influenced by an increase in mass flux and heat flux, as well as a decrease in tube diameter. When HTD occurs, the overall heat transfer performance is indeed significantly compromised. When the bulk fluid temperature exceeds Tpc, the thermal acceleration effect amplifies the mainstream velocity, stabilizing the Kelvin -Helmholtz instability between the pseudo-two-phases, thereby causing a new type of HTD that is named Type II HTD in this paper. The so-called post-dryout HTD occurs when the bulk temperature surpasses T+, causing a complete transition from pseudo-liquid to pseudo-gas state and resulting in a pseudo-single-phase flow. The heat transfer capability of the low-density and low-thermal-conductivity pseudo-gas diminishes as the temperature rises, leading to post-dryout HTD. The present work explains the mechanisms of two types of HTD and highlights the similarities between subcritical boiling and supercritical pseudo-boiling flow structures. This study also establishes a theoretical foundation for understanding pseudo-two-phase flow patterns during pseudo-boiling.