Research Article

Numerical and Experimental Performance Assessment of Helical Screw Inserts in a Horizontal Evaporator Tube

Volume: 28 Number: 3 September 1, 2025

Numerical and Experimental Performance Assessment of Helical Screw Inserts in a Horizontal Evaporator Tube

Abstract

The influence of a helical screw insert on heat transfer and pressure drop in a circular tube under single-phase water flow conditions was investigated using both experimental techniques and CFD simulations with ANSYS Fluent. Experiments were conducted with water flowing through a horizontally oriented copper tube located in a pressurized tank, across seven different Reynolds numbers ranging from 24,000 to 100,000. A constant surface temperature was maintained via saturated pool boiling of R134a surrounding the tube. The internal flow characteristics were assessed based on measured pressure, temperature, and flow rate data, with convective heat transfer coefficients evaluated using the Wilson plot method. Simulations were conducted for both plain and insert-equipped tubes under identical conditions. The results for the helical insert case aligned well with experimental observations. Compared to literature correlations, heat transfer results were similar, though friction factor predictions were underestimated. A 19% improvement in heat transfer was observed with the insert, accompanied by a significant increase in pressure drop.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Energy Systems Engineering (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

June 16, 2025

Publication Date

September 1, 2025

Submission Date

May 19, 2025

Acceptance Date

June 10, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 28 Number: 3

APA
Tonyalı, İ. H., & Uralcan, Y. (2025). Numerical and Experimental Performance Assessment of Helical Screw Inserts in a Horizontal Evaporator Tube. International Journal of Thermodynamics, 28(3), 129-141. https://doi.org/10.5541/ijot.1702193
AMA
1.Tonyalı İH, Uralcan Y. Numerical and Experimental Performance Assessment of Helical Screw Inserts in a Horizontal Evaporator Tube. International Journal of Thermodynamics. 2025;28(3):129-141. doi:10.5541/ijot.1702193
Chicago
Tonyalı, İbrahim Hakkı, and Yalçın Uralcan. 2025. “Numerical and Experimental Performance Assessment of Helical Screw Inserts in a Horizontal Evaporator Tube”. International Journal of Thermodynamics 28 (3): 129-41. https://doi.org/10.5541/ijot.1702193.
EndNote
Tonyalı İH, Uralcan Y (September 1, 2025) Numerical and Experimental Performance Assessment of Helical Screw Inserts in a Horizontal Evaporator Tube. International Journal of Thermodynamics 28 3 129–141.
IEEE
[1]İ. H. Tonyalı and Y. Uralcan, “Numerical and Experimental Performance Assessment of Helical Screw Inserts in a Horizontal Evaporator Tube”, International Journal of Thermodynamics, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 129–141, Sept. 2025, doi: 10.5541/ijot.1702193.
ISNAD
Tonyalı, İbrahim Hakkı - Uralcan, Yalçın. “Numerical and Experimental Performance Assessment of Helical Screw Inserts in a Horizontal Evaporator Tube”. International Journal of Thermodynamics 28/3 (September 1, 2025): 129-141. https://doi.org/10.5541/ijot.1702193.
JAMA
1.Tonyalı İH, Uralcan Y. Numerical and Experimental Performance Assessment of Helical Screw Inserts in a Horizontal Evaporator Tube. International Journal of Thermodynamics. 2025;28:129–141.
MLA
Tonyalı, İbrahim Hakkı, and Yalçın Uralcan. “Numerical and Experimental Performance Assessment of Helical Screw Inserts in a Horizontal Evaporator Tube”. International Journal of Thermodynamics, vol. 28, no. 3, Sept. 2025, pp. 129-41, doi:10.5541/ijot.1702193.
Vancouver
1.İbrahim Hakkı Tonyalı, Yalçın Uralcan. Numerical and Experimental Performance Assessment of Helical Screw Inserts in a Horizontal Evaporator Tube. International Journal of Thermodynamics. 2025 Sep. 1;28(3):129-41. doi:10.5541/ijot.1702193