Clarification of Refrigerant Boiling Behavior in an Evaporator Utilizing Neutron Imaging

Abstract

For downsizing of an evaporator used for a car air conditioning, comprehension of refrigerant boiling behavior is required. Because the evaporator is generally made from metal material (e.g. aluminum), there is no way to visualize refrigerant boiling state directly until now. Although numerical simulation and thermoviewer analysis allow estimation of the boiling state, but not enough. We are trying to visualize refrigerant boiling state directly by utilizing neutron imaging, from view points following: Constituent metal material of the evaporator and gas refrigerant are transparent for neutron beam, on the other hand, liquid refrigerant can intercept the neutrons. In this paper, our case study of neutron imaging for refrigerant boiling in an evaporator is disclosed.