Boiling the immiscible water/ n-nonane system from a tube bundle

Abstract

A series of experiments is described in which water and the C 9 alkane n-nonane (b.p. 150.5°C, s.g. 0.72) was boiled in a short electrically heated shell and tube arrangement at heat fluxes up to 110 k W m −2. Vapour composition, temperatures of vapour and liquid and the boiling curves were measured over the whole range of boiler liquid compositions. Systematic variations are discussed. The nature of the boiling process is described. Provided that at least the bottom row of tubes is immersed in water the boiling heat transfer coefficient based on the temperature difference between tube wall and t sat water was very close to that for boiling pure water. The paper concludes with recommendations for design.