Empirical Correlation of Factors Influencing Departure From Nucleate Boiling in Steam-Water Mixtures Flowing in Vertical Round Tubes

An empirical correlation of forced convection DNB for steam-water mixtures between 500 and 3000 psia in uniformly heated vertical tubes is proposed. DNB quality is expressed in terms of pressure, mass flow, inlet enthalpy, heated length from inlet to DNB point, and tube dia. The experimental data of the authors at 2000–3000 psia, 250,000–1,000,000 lb/hr sq ft² mass flow, and 40,000–180,000 Btu/hr sq ft heat flux, obtained from a 6 ft long, 3/4-in-ID electrically heated vertical tube, are correlated with other published results ranging from 500 to 2000 psia.