An Investigation of Condensation

Retention on Pin-Fin Tubes

It is well understood that heat-transfer rate
is strongly influenced by available area. For
that reason a long time ago smooth tubes
were replaced by horizontal integral-fin
tubes in condensers.
No doubt, the addition of the fins provides

an increase in area that ultimately leads to

an enhancement in heat-transfer,
 Recently a new design of tubes is developed
namely pin-fin tubes which increase the
heat transfer rate but just like fins, a
significant amount of condensate is retained
on the pin-fin tubes due to capillary forces.
This phenomenon of trapped liquid between
fins/pins is known as condensate retention
or flooding. This retention decreases heat
transfer between pin fin tubes and the
vapors to be condensed. As a result, system
efficiency decreases. There is need to
investigate the condensate retention on pin-
fin tubes.
Aims & Objectives

The aim of this project is

To investigate the condensate retention on

horizontal pin-fin tubes and to explore the
factors which affect the retention of condensate

To see the effect of vapour velocity on

condensate retention pin fin tubes

Varying the circumferential pin spacing and see

its effect on condensate retention
 The objective for this thesis is

To compare the result obtained in case of

pin fin tube with integral fin tubes and
ultimately to increase the efficiency of
systems which involve heat transfer like
condensers used in power plants and heat
exchangers used in refrigeration and air
conditioning equipment.
Literature Review
Briggs A (2003) reported an Experimental
data for condensation of R-113 and steam
on six three dimensionally pin-fin tubes.
Enhancement of the vapor side heat
transfer coefficient between 3.6 and 9.9
were found for R-113 and 2.4 and 2.9 for
steam when compared to a plane tube at
the same vapor-side temperature side. .
Condensate retention between the pins
on the lower part of the tubes was lower
than for comparable two-dimensional fin
tubes but was still significant.
Briggs et al. (2009) reported Experimental data
for condensation of steam at atmospheric
pressure and low velocity on five three-
dimensional pin-fin tubes. The main geometric
parameters varied were the circumferential pin
spacing and thickness. It was shown that these
two parameters have a strong influence on
condensate retention.
The evidence suggests, however, that three-
dimensional fin profiles can produce
worthwhile enhancement over those obtained
from simple, two-dimensional, integral-fin
tubes, but that more work is needed to
understand the phenomena involved so that
more efficient geometries can be developed.
Ali (2012) reported for condensation of R-113
at nearatmospheric pressureand low velocity
on five three-dimensional pin-fin tubes. The
only geometric parameters varied were
circumferential spacing and thickness, since
these have been shown to have a strong
effect on condensate retention on pin-fin
tubes. Heat-transfer enhancement was found
to be strongly dependent on the active-area
enhancement.
 An increase in the vapour-side, heat-transfer
enhancement is noticed with the decreasing
values of pin spacing. The best performing
pin-fin tube gave a heat-transfer
enhancement about 14% higher than the
equivalent two-dimensional integral-fin tube
(i.e. with the same fin root diameter,
longitudinal fin spacing and thickness and fin
height).
Ali (2011) reported new experimental data for
free-convection condensation of ethylene glycol
and R-113 on three-dimensional pin-fin tubes.
He reported a semi-empirical model for
condensation heat transfer on horizontal pin fin
tubes.. For ethylene glycol, the best performing
pin-fin tube gave a heat-transfer enhancement
of 5.8, about 24 % higher than the equivalent
two-dimensional integral-fin tube (i.e. with the
same fin root diameter, longitudinal fin spacing
and thickness and fin height).
For R-113, the best enhancement was 5.9,
about 10 % higher than the equivalent
integral-fin tube. Circumferential pin thickness
had little effect on heat-transfer
enhancement. Effects of tube thermal
conductivity were found to be more significant
for ethylene glycol than R-113.
Ali (2012) presented a fundamental study into the
underlying mechanisms influencing heat transfer
during condensation on enhanced surfaces. New
experimental data are reported for condensation of
ethylene glycol at near atmospheric pressure and
low velocity on 11 different 3-dimensional pin-fin
tubes tested individually. Enhancements of the
vapor-side, heat-transfer coefficients were found
between 3 and 5.5 when compared to a plain tube at
the same vapor-side temperature difference. Heat-
transfer enhancement was found to be strongly
dependent on the active surface area of the tubes,
The best performing pin-fin tube gave a heat-
transfer enhancement of 5.5; 17% higher than
obtained from optimized two-dimensional fin-
tubes reported in the literature and about 24%
higher than the equivalent two-dimensional
integral-fin tube (i.e., with the same fin-root
diameter, longitudinal fin spacing and
thickness, and fin height). The effects of surface
area and surface tension induced enhancement
and retention are discussed in the light of the
new data and those of previous investigations.
Methodology of Research

Experimental Set Up

In this experimental set-up, different pin-fin

dimensions will be used. The whole set-up will
consist of a pin fin attachment assembly and a
mechanism in which vapors will be produced
and will be condense on pin fin tubes. The
condensate will be deal at the bottom of the
experiment. Heat-Transfer Coefficient
Calculation Method Direct Measurements
Predetermined Coolant- Side Correlation.

Experimental Setup

Result Expected

As suggested by the previous researchers, it

can be expected that the phenomenon of
condensate retention will be strongly
influence by varying circumferential pin
spacing and the effect of vapor velocity will
also play its rule in influencing the condensate
retention.
Utilization of Research Result

This increased surface area result by using

pin fin tube with best geometry like
circumferential fin spacing, pin height and
optimum vapor velocity can be used in new
designed condensers to increase the heat
transfer and overall efficiency of the plant.
 References
BRIGGS A (2002), Condensation of refrigerant on three-dimensional pin-
fin tubes, Conference: 13th International Symposium on Transport Phenomena
(Victoria, BC, Canada) from: 14/07/2002 to: 18/07/2002,

BRIGGS A (2002), Condensation of steam on pin-fin tubes, Conference: 1st
International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics & Thermodynamics
(Kruger National Park, South Africa)

Briggs A (2003), Enhanced condensation of R-113 and steam using three-
dimensional pin-fin tubes, Experimental Heat Transfer vol. 16, (1) 61-79.

Briggs, A., (2005), Liquid Retention on Three-Dimensional Pin-Fin Tubes,

2nd Int. Exergy, Energy and Environment Symp., Kos, Paper No. IEEES2-171.

Baisar M, Briggs A (2009) . Condensation of steam on pin-fin tubes: Effect of

circumferential pin thickness and spacing. vol. 30, 1017-1023.


Ali HM, Ali H, Briggs A et al. (2010), Enhanced Condensation of Ethylene Glycol
on Three-Dimensional Pin-Fin Tubes,11-17

Ali HM, Briggs A (2012) . Condensation heat transfer on pin-fin tubes: Effect of
thermal conductivity and pin height. Applied Thermal Engineering

Ali HM, Briggs A (2012), Condensation of R-113 on pin-fin tubes: Effect of
circumferential pin thickness and spacing, Heat Transfer Engineering vol. 33, (3)
205-212.

Ali HM, Briggs A (2012), Condensation of ethylene glycol on pin-fin tubes:
Effect of circumferential pin spacing and thickness, Applied Thermal
Engineering vol. 49, 9-13.

Ali HM, Briggs A (2012), Enhanced condensation of ethylene glycol on single
pin-fin tubes: Effect of pin geometry, Journal of Heat Transfer vol. 134, (1)