Heat transfer characteristics in vertical tube condensers: Experimental investigation and numerical validation

Abstract

The paper establishes a vertical steam condensation heat transfer experimental device to investigate the process of liquid film condensation heat transfer under the countercurrent heat transfer of a secondary coolant. An improved experimental method, integrating measurements and simulations, accurately calculates local heat transfer coefficients and heat flux. The validity of the data is confirmed through comparison with established condensation correlations, affirming the method's effectiveness. The correlations of previous research (i.e., Numrich, Carey, Oh, Lee, and Shah) demonstrate greater consistency with the experimental results, with mean relative deviations (MRD) of −4.90%, 7.18%, 11.42%, −8.63% −4.45%, and mean absolute relative deviations (MARD) of 11.61%, 21.57%, 23.60%, 18.97%, and 12.53%, respectively. Numrich's correlation demonstrated the closest congruence. Based on these results, the research proposes a new coupled heat transfer model, effectively simulating the interaction between external cooling water and steam condensation. This model simplifies the process by pre-defining coolant temperature changes per unit length, thereby reducing the need for extensive iterative calculations and eliminating assumptions about wall temperature. It accurately predicts the wall temperature, local condensing temperature, and coolant temperature in a vertical condenser. These experimental methods and models offer valuable insights for optimizing vertical condenser design and analysis. The study underscores the significance of combining simulation models with experimental measurements to enhance the understanding of heat transfer in complex systems. The findings promise to advance research in film condensation heat transfer and assist in condenser design and optimization.