A Mechanistic Model for Predicting Heat and Mass Transfer in Vertical Two-Phase Flow

The mass transfer coefficient plays an important role in predicting corrosion rates. Using similarities between heat and mass transfer mechanisms, a mechanistic model is proposed to predict heat and mass transfer coefficients for two-phase flow in vertical pipes. The mechanistic model is evaluated by using water-air heat transfer experimental data obtained from the literature. The mechanistic model is also compared with commonly used empirical correlations. In comparison with available heat transfer correlations, the mechanistic model performs very well for vertical annular flow, bubbly flow and slug or intermittent flow that were considered. The mechanistic model is based on physics of two-phase flow and thus is expected to be more general than empirical correlations.