Droplet sweeping to enhance heat transfer during dropwise condensation

It is well known that dropwise condensation (DWC) can achieve heat transfer coefficients (HTCs) up to 5-8 times higher as compared to filmwise condensation (FWC). The interaction between the condensing fluid and the surface defines the condensation mode. Coatings that present low surface energy and high droplet mobility are a solution to promote DWC instead of FWC on metallic substrates. In the present paper, the effect of vapor velocity during DWC has been investigated over a sol-gel coated aluminum surface and a graphene oxide coated copper surface. Heat transfer coefficients and droplets departing radii have been measured at constant saturation temperature and heat flux, with average vapor velocity ranging between 3 m s−1 and 11 m s−1. A recent method developed by the present authors to account for the effect of vapor velocity on the droplet departing radius is here presented. The results of the proposed method, when coupled with the Miljkovic et al. [1] heat transfer model, are compared against experimental data.

Effect of condensate flow rate, surface tension, density and vapor velocity on condensate retention of wire wrapped tubes

Simulated condensation has been conducted on three wire wrapped tubes having same root diameter but different fin spacing of 1.5mm, 2mm and 2.5mm. Different fluids (Ethanol, Ethylene Glycol and Water) are used for condensation by providing them to the tubes through tiny holes in inter-fin spacing on the top of the surface of tubes. The major parameters are to be controlled in this research are fin spacing, vapor velocity, condensate flow rate and ratio of surface tension to density of the fluid. Obtained results show that flooding angle (calculated from the top of the tube to the level where fluid fills the fin) rises by increasing fin spacing. Also, retention angles increase by reducing ratio of surface tension to density of fluid. Acute flooding angles at zero air velocity and zero flow rate, elevates by increasing air velocity. However, obtuse flooding angles at static conditions drop by reducing air velocity. An interesting result is obtained regarding retention angle which remains almost even for the higher condensation flow rates until the tube gets inundated with condensation. Moreover, critical flow rates for all the tubes against using different working fluids are measured. Results obtained for static conditions have good correspondence with already available authentic data for flooding angle. Pictures showing condensate retention angles have been included in this paper.

Analytical Study on Gas-Oil Separation of a Heat Pump System under Lunar Gravity

A heat pump in the aerospace industry can significantly reduce the area of radiator by elevating the rejection temperature. Especially for a Lunar base, the heat pump can improve the heat rejection capability of the thermal control system to adapt the high-temperature environment. However, gravity on the Lunar (about 1/6 g) may have an adverse impact on a gas-oil separator of the heat pump, and solving this problem is the key for a heat pump used on Lunar base. At present, the gas-oil separator all based on gravity separation theories, the researches under low or micro gravity were blank. In this work, a gravity separation model based on a single-particle principle was built, and the effects of the vapor velocity, the oil droplet initial velocity, and the oil droplet diameter were investigated under normal gravity. Then the variations of the separation efficiency under Lunar gravity were discussed and the numerical calculation results showed that the separation efficiency was reduced when the vapor velocity or droplet initial velocity increased in a certain height of the separator whenever under normal or Lunar gravity. Particularly, the separation efficiency under Lunar gravity was reduced from 99% to 55% than it under normal gravity.

TECHNOLOGY OF CYCLIC DISTILLATION IN ALCOHOL PRODUCTION

Alternate changing of the steaming periods and liquid overflow allows to intensify mass transfer between liquid and steam and to reduce the specific consumption of heating steam in the process of separation of multicomponent mixtures. Known methods and models have not found widespread practical use due to the lack of mass transfer in the steam period, fluctuations in steam pressure in the collector, the complexity of constructive solutions to ensure cyclic mode, etc. The authors propose a technology for rectification, which involves the cyclic motion of the liquid without interrupting of the supply of heating steam and the construction of a rectification column for its implementation. The purpose of the work was to research the effectiveness of the proposed technology in the process of rectification of alcohol-containing fractions and to establish the specific flow rate of steam in the impurity concentration column. To ensure a cyclic mode, the column was equipped with movable liquid transfer devices connected to actuating mechanismes, which acted according to the controller program, and perforated (scale-shaped) trays. The primary task was to determine the hydrodynamic mode of operation of the contact devices - the lower and upper the critical vapor velocity of at which the liquid is retained on the plates and there is its entrainment. It is established that the vapor velocity in the free section of the column can reach 1.2 m/s or more, and in the openings of the scales must exceed the first critical velocity of 6.5-7.5 m/s. The weeping of the tray occurs at the vapor velocity in the holes of 1.5-1 m/s. The investigations were carried out in the production conditions of the Chudniv branch of SE “Zhytomyr liquor producer ”. It is experimentally proved that in the process of rectification of alcohol-containing fractions, the main impurities are removed completely, the degree of extraction of higher fusel alcohols is increased by 38%, methanol - by 15.6 %, the multiplicity of concentration of the main impurities is increased by 25 %, the higher alcohols - by 40 %, methanol – by 34 %, acrolein – by 36 %. The costs of heating steam are reduced by 30 % compared to typical installations and do not exceed 13 kg/dal of absolute alcohol introduced with feed. Exempted from the key impurities the bottom liquid of the impurity concentration column should be used for hydroselection in the purifying column.

Effects of Vapor Velocity and Pressure on Marangoni Condensation of Steam-Ethanol Mixtures on a Horizontal Tube

Careful heat-transfer measurements have been conducted for condensation of steam-ethanol mixtures flowing vertically downward over a horizontal, water-cooled tube at pressures ranging from around atmospheric down to 14 kPa. Care was taken to avoid error due to the presence of air in the vapor. The surface temperature was accurately measured by embedded thermocouples. The maximum vapor velocity obtainable was limited by the maximum electrical power input to the boiler. At atmospheric pressure this was 7.5 m/s while at the lowest pressure a velocity of 15.0 m/s could be achieved. Concentrations of ethanol by mass in the boiler when cold prior to start up were 0.025%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1.0%. Tests were conducted for a range of coolant flow rates. Enhancement of the heat-transfer coefficient over pure steam values was found by a factor up to around 5, showing that the decrease in thermal resistance of the condensate due to Marangoni condensation outweighed diffusion resistance in the vapor. The best performing compositions (in the liquid when cold) depended on vapor velocity but were in the range 0.025–0.1% ethanol in all cases. For the atmospheric pressure tests the heat-transfer coefficient for optimum composition, and at a vapor-to-surface temperature difference of around 15 K, increased from around 55 kW/m2 K to around 110 kW/m2 K as the vapor velocity increased from around 0.8 to 7.5 m/s. For a pressure of 14 kPa the heat-transfer coefficient for optimum composition, and at a vapor-to-surface temperature difference of around 9 K, increased from around 70 kW/m2 K to around 90 kW/m2 K as the vapor velocity increased from around 5.0 to 15.0 m/s. Photographs showing the appearance of Marangoni condensation on the tube surface under different conditions are included in the paper.

Research on Dropwise Condensation for Binary Mixed Vapor

An experiment for Marangoni condensation of ethanol-water mixtures was carried out and the departing radius and drop size distribution on vertical surface was presented. An amended formula was obtained after considering the effect of ethanol mass concentration, vapor velocity and condensing temperature difference based on Le Fevre’s formula concerning departing radius of pure water, The calculations were in good agreement with experimental result, had a maximum error less than 23%. Owing to the significant effect on drop size contribution, vapor velocity was introduced into Rose’s formula, and the correctional result compared well with the experimental data.

Effect of Vapour Velocity on Condensation of Ethylene Glycol on Horizontal Integral Fin Tubes: Heat Transfer and Retention Angle Measurements

Heat-transfer data are reported for forced-convection filmwise condensation of ethylene glycol flowing vertically downward over two single, horizontal instrumented integral-fin tubes and one plain tube. Vapor-side, heat-transfer coefficients were obtained by direct measurement of the tube wall temperature using two specially manufactured, instrumented tubes with thermocouples embedded in the tube walls. Both tubes have fin height of 1.6 mm and fin root diameter and 12.7 mm, with fin thickness and spacings of 0.3 mm and 0.6 mm, respectively for one of the tubes and 0.5 mm and 1 mm, respectively for the other. Tests were performed at low pressures; 5.59kPa, 8.15kPa and 11.23kPa, at nominal vapour velocities from 13m/s to 82 m/s. All the data show that both of the finned tubes provided an increase in heat flux at the same vapour-side temperature difference with increasing vapour velocity. Visual observations were made and photographs obtained of the fluid retention angle φf at each combination of vapor velocity and pressure tested. It was observed that the curvature of the meniscus was distorted by the increase in vapor velocity and in many cases, the extent of condensate flooding decreased compared to its value in the quiescent vapor case.