Film Condensation on Inclined Plane Surfaces

Abstract

An experimental investigation of the effect of reduced gravity forces on film condensation heat transfer rates was carried out. Reduced gravity conditions parallel to the condensing surface were obtained by condensing saturated steam at atmospheric pressure on one surface of a copper block whose inclination to the vertical could be varied giving effective body forces from 0.1g to 1g in several discrete steps. Condensation heat transfer data were higher than predicted by Nusselt’s correlation. Such increases in heat transfer are shown to be well correlated by an empirical correlation suggested by Kutateladze.