Experimental investigation and visualization of steam condensation heat transfer on horizontal conical surfaces with microgrooves

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper presents a novel conical copper plate with microgrooves structure to enhance heat transfer by removing accumulated condensate in horizontal surface condensation. The experimental investigation focuses on the condensation occurring on horizontal conical plates under atmospheric pressure. Results show that the heat transfer performance of all conical grooved plates surpasses that of smooth plates. Increasing groove number enhances heat transfer coefficient while having negligible influence on pressure drop. In contrast, increasing top diameter leads to higher pressure drop values. The optimal surface heat transfer coefficient strengthening ratio reaches 1.58, providing valuable insights for future studies and practical engineering applications.