Comparative evaluation of the evaporation heat transfer characteristics of a low-GWP refrigerant R-1234ze(E) between shell-and-plate and plate heat exchangers

•Evaporation heat transfer features of R-1234ze(E) in a SPHE are analyzed.•Evaporation heat transfers of the SPHE and PHE are compared in terms of EF and PF.•SPHE exhibits better thermal performance in the mass flux range of 30–35 kg m–2 s–1.•Empirical correlations of Nu and ftp are developed using dimensionless parameters.