A State-of-the-Art Review on Two-Phase Flow-Induced Noise in Expansion Devices

Abstract

This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of the literature concerning flow-induced noise in expansion devices. The topics covered are theoretical natural frequency models of bubbles with spherical and cylindrical shapes and flow-induced noise in capillary tubes, such as orifice, thermal and electric expansion valve. Several parametric conditions affect the flow-induced noise in capillary tubes, such as outlet capillary geometry, capillary inner diameter and length, flow orientation, outlet vapor quality, mass velocity, pressure drop, in/outlet flow pattern, evaporation temperature, and refrigeration cycle operational conditions. Despite the broad use of orifice, there is a lack of knowledge in the literature of flow-induced noise in these devices. The flow-induced noise seems primarily a function of mass velocity, vapor quality, and flow pattern. It seems that outlet intermittent flow patterns lead to significant noise in capillary tubes and expansion valves. In general, for the noise evaluated outside the expansion device, electric expansion valves exhibited higher sound pressure levels than capillary tubes. Furthermore, the present literature review indicates that efforts should be made to perform tests for a wide range of conditions evaluating the noise within and outside the expansion device, device wall acceleration and flow topology for current and new refrigerants, simultaneously.

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge Grants given by CNPq (National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development of Brazil) under Contract Numbers 141946/2017-2, 305673/2017-3 and 302486/2018-6 and CAPES (Coordination of the Improvement of Higher-Level Personnel of Brazil)—Finance Code 001.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Erivelto dos Santos Filho

Erivelto dos Santos Filho is a Ph.D. student at São Carlos School of Engineering (EESC), University of São Paulo (USP) at Brazil, under supervision of Prof. Gherhardt Ribatski. He received his M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2017 from the same university, and he is in the last year of his doctorate. He is working on flow-induced noise issues, especially focused on the applicability of thermal/electrical expansion valves.

Leopoldo Pisanelli Rodrigues de Oliveira

Leopoldo Pisanelli Rodrigues de Oliveira is an Associate Professor at the São Carlos School of Engineering from the University of São Paulo (EESC—USP) in Brazil. He received his M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from EESC-USP in 2003 and his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from KU Leuven (Belgium) in 2009. His fields of interest include noise and vibration engineering, active and passive control, sound quality, and experimental techniques.

Gherhardt Ribatski

Gherhardt Ribatski is a Professor at São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil. He received his B.S., M.S., and Doctoral degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of São Paulo. He has presented more than ten keynote lectures and taken part in the scientific committee of several international conferences. He has over 100 refereed journal publications, 6 book chapters, and over 120 refereed papers in conferences. His main field of interest are multiphase flows, heat transfer, and phase-change processes.