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Condensation Definition
A phase is a region of space (a thermodynamic system),
throughout which all physical properties of a material are
essentially uniform.
A phase transition is the transformation of a thermodynamic
system from one phase or state of matter to another one by
heat transfer.
Condensation is the change of the physical state of matter
from gas phase into liquid phase, and is the reverse of
vaporization
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Modes of Condensation
Vapour
Direct
Homogeneous
Dropwise
Filmwise
Modes of Condensation
Homogeneous
Dropwise /
filmwise
Direct-contact
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When vapour is exposed to plate below the saturation temperature of the vapor,
condensate will form on the surface and under the action of gravity will flow down the plate.
If the liquid wets the surface, a smooth film is formed, and the process is called film
condensation
the liquid does not wet the surface, droplets are formed that fall down the surface in
some random fashion. This process is called dropwise condensation.
The heat-transfer rates in dropwise condensation may be as much as 10 times higher than
in film condensation
due to film thermal resistance to heat transfer
but in dropwise condensation a large portion of the area of the plate is directly
exposed to the vapor
dropwise condensation would be preferred to film condensation,
However extremely difficult to maintain dropwise condensation since most surfaces
become wetted after exposure to a condensing vapor over an extended period of time
Special coatings can enable dropwise condensation for specific applications but not
in generic
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Filmwise Condensation
Most widely adopted in chemical process applications
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Filmwise condensation
Laminar region- Heat flux calculation
Assumptions
Viscous shear of the vapor on the
film is negligible at y=.
A linear temperature distribution
exists in the condensate film
Non condensable gas not exist in
vapour
Force balance
The weight of the fluid element of
thickness dx between y and is
balanced by the viscous shear force
at y and the buoyancy force due to
the displaced vapor
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Filmwise condensation
Laminar region- Heat flux calculation
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Filmwise condensation
Laminar region- Heat flux calculation
As the flow proceeds from x to x + dx, the film grows from to +d as a result of
the influx of additional condensate. The amount of condensate added between x
and x+dx is
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Filmwise condensation
Laminar region- Heat flux calculation
The heat-transfer coefficient
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Filmwise condensation
Laminar region- Heat flux calculation
Average value of the heat-transfer coefficient
Applicable for vertical plates and cylinders and fluids with Pr >0.5 and cT/hfg 1.0.
All properties to be
evaluated at film
temperature
Take into account
a nonlinear temperature profile in the film
additional energy to cool the film below the saturation temperature
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For laminar film condensation on horizontal tubes, Nusselt obtained the relation
d is the diameter of the tube
For laminar film condensation on Inclined Surfaces
g =g sin
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Kirkbride, C.G. HeatTransfer by CondensingVapors onVerticalTubes, Trans. AIChE, vol. 30, p. 170, 1934.
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