A review on the two-phase pressure drop characteristics in helically coiled tubes

Abstract

Due to their compact design, ease of manufacture and enhanced heat transfer and fluid mixing properties, helically coiled tubes are widely used in a variety of industries and applications. In fact, helical tubes are the most popular from the family of coiled tube heat exchangers. This review summarises and critically reviews the studies reported in the pertinent literature on the pressure drop characteristics of two-phase flow in helically coiled tubes. The main findings and correlations for the frictional two-phase pressure drops due to: steam-water flow boiling, R-134a evaporation and condensation, air-water two-phase flow and nanofluid flows are reviewed. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide researchers in academia and industry with a practical summary of the relevant correlations and supporting theory for the calculation of the two-phase pressure drop in helically coiled tubes. A significant scope for further research was also identified in the fields of: air-water bubbly flow and nanofluid two phase and three-phase flows in helically coiled tubes.