Numerical simulation of R134a evaporation in a cold water production system

Abstract In this paper, we introduce a numerical model designed to analyze the evaporation process of R134a refrigerant within a cold water production system. Using the ANSYS Fluent CFD software, our simulation solves the Navier–Stokes equation, thus offering insights into the system’s flow dynamics. Our investigation underscores the efficacy of CFD as a reliable tool for modeling and forecasting flow behaviors within complex systems. Specifically, we delved into the impact of varying the empirical coefficient in the Lee model. Our results indicate that augmenting the coefficient value amplifies the R134a flow rate at the evaporator outlet. Notably, a coefficient value of 0.25 closely matches the experimental flow rate. Furthermore, we analyzed the ascending velocity of R134a vapor, achieving a robust agreement between our numerical simulations and experimental observations. This study underscores the potential of numerical modeling in enhancing our understanding and prediction of refrigerant evaporation dynamics within cooling systems.