Luigi Martinelli (engineer)

Luigi Martinelli was an Italian engineer known for his contributions to the field of fluid dynamics, particularly in the areas of two-phase flow and heat transfer. His research significantly advanced the understanding of boiling phenomena and the prediction of pressure drop in two-phase flow systems.

Martinelli is most recognized for the Martinelli-Nelson correlation, developed in collaboration with Donald B. Nelson in the late 1940s. This correlation provides a widely used method for estimating pressure drop during the flow of boiling fluids in pipes and channels. The Martinelli parameter, a dimensionless number relating the frictional pressure drop of the liquid and vapor phases in a two-phase flow, is a key component of this correlation.

While the Martinelli-Nelson correlation has been refined and modified by subsequent researchers, it remains a foundational tool in the design and analysis of systems involving boiling and condensation, such as nuclear reactors, steam generators, and refrigeration systems.

Further information on Luigi Martinelli's life and career beyond his engineering work is limited in readily available sources.