Effect of vapour velocity on condensate retention on horizontal pin-fin tubes

Abstract

New experimental data for condensate retention angle as a function of vapour velocity (0–19m/s) are reported on six horizontal pin-fin tubes and an equivalent integral-fin tube (i.e. with same longitudinal fin spacing, tooth thickness, tooth height, inner and outer diameter as that of pin-fin tubes) using water, ethylene glycol and R-141b. Only geometric parameter varied was the circumferential pin spacing. For all tubes tested, an increase in vapour velocity causes an increase in condensate retention angle for the cases when retention angle was less than 90° at low approaching zero vapour velocity. For the cases when the retention angle was greater than 90° at low approaching zero vapour velocity, vapour velocity shows negligible effect on retention angle for all pin-fin tubes, while for the case of integral-fin tube (i.e. using R-141b as a test fluid where retention angle is greater than 90° at low approaching zero vapour velocity) retention angle decreased with increasing vapour velocity.