A physical and mathematical model of annular film condensation in a miniature tube has been developed. In the model the liquid flow has been coupled with the vapor flow along the liquid-vapor interface through the interfacial temperature, heat flux, shear stress, and pressure jump conditions due to surface tension effects. The model predicts the shape of the liquid-vapor interface along the condenser and the length of the two-phase flow region. The numerical results show that complete condensation of the incoming vapor is possible at comparatively low heat loads. Observations from a flow visualization experiment of water vapor condensing in a horizontal glass tube confirm the existence and qualitative features of annular film condensation leading to the complete condensation phenomenon in small diameter (d < 3.5 mm) circular tubes.
Issue Section:
Phase Change and Multiphase Heat Transfer
1.
Baker
O.
1954
, “Simultaneous Flow of Oil and Gas
,” Oil and Gas Journal
, Vol. 53
, pp. 185
–195
.2.
Bankston
C. A.
Smith
H. J.
1973
, “Vapor Flow in Cylindrical Heat Pipes
,” ASME JOURNAL OF HEAT TRANSFER
, Vol. 95
, pp. 371
–376
.3.
Bell, E., Taborek, J., and Fenoglio, F., 1970, “Interpretation of Horizontal In-Tube Condensation Heat Transfer Correlations Using a Two-Phase Flow Regime Map,” CEP Symposium Series, Vol. 66, No. 102, pp. 150–163.
4.
Bowman, W. J., and Hitchcock, J. E., 1988, “Transient, Compressible Heat Pipe Vapor Dynamics,” Proc. ASME National Heat Transfer Conference, Vol. 1, Houston, TX, ASME, New York, pp. 329–338.
5.
Breber
G.
Palen
J. W.
Taborek
J.
1980
, “Prediction of Horizontal Tubeside Condensation of Pure Components Using Flow Regime Criteria
,” ASME JOURNAL OF HEAT TRANSFER
, Vol. 102
, pp. 471
–476
.6.
Cao
Y.
Faghri
A.
1984
, “Micro/Miniature Heat Pipes and Operating Limitations
,” Enhanced Heat Transfer
, Vol. 1
, No. 3
, pp. 265
–274
.7.
Chen, H., Groll, M., and Rosier, S., 1992, “Micro Heat Pipes: Experimental Investigation and Theoretical Modelling,” Proc. 8th Int. Heat Pipe Conf., Beijing, China.
8.
Collier, J. G., and Thome, J. R., 1994, Convective Boiling and Condensation, 3rd Ed., Oxford University Press, New York.
9.
Faghri, A., 1995, Heat Pipe Science and Technology, Taylor and Francis, Washington, DC.
10.
Faghri
A.
Chow
L. C.
1988
, “Forced Condensation in a Tube With Suction at the Wall for Microgravitational Applications
,” ASME JOURNAL OF HEAT TRANSFER
, Vol. 110
, pp. 982
–985
.11.
Jang
J. H.
Faghri
A.
Chang
W. S.
1991
, “Analysis of the Transient Compressible Vapor Flow in Heat Pipes
,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer
, Vol. 34
, pp. 2029
–2037
.12.
Lee, Y. S., Lee, Y. P., and Lee, Y., 1992, “An Experiment Study on Micro Two-Phase Closed Thermosyphons With Inserts,” Proc. 8th Int. Heat Pipe Conf., Beijing, China.
13.
Li, T., Cao, L., and Xiang, L., 1992, “Research and Application for the Heat Transfer Performance of Small Heat Pipes,” Proc. 8th Int. Heat Pipe Conf., Beijing, China.
14.
Munoz-Cobo
J. L.
Herranz
L.
Sancho
J.
Tkachenko
I.
Verdu
G.
1996
, “Turbulent Vapor Condensation With Noncondensible Gases in Vertical Tubes
,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer
, Vol. 39
, No. 15
, pp. 3249
–3260
.15.
Sardesai
R. G.
Owen
R. G.
Pulling
D. J.
1981
, “Flow Regimes for Condensation of a Vapour Inside a Horizontal Tube
,” Chem. Engr. Science
, Vol. 36
, pp. 1173
–1180
.16.
Seban
R. A.
Faghri
A.
1984
, “Film Condensation in a Vertical Tube With a Closed Top
,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer
, Vol. 27
, No. 6
, pp. 944
–948
.17.
Seban
R. A.
Hodgson
J.
1982
, “Laminar Film Condensation in a Tube With Upward Vapor Flow
,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer
, Vol. 25
, No. 9
, pp. 1291
–1299
.18.
Soliman
H. M.
Azer
N. Z.
1971
, “Flow Patterns During Condensation Inside a Horizontal Tube
,” ASHRAE Transactions
, Vol. 77
, Part 1, pp. 210
–244
.19.
Taitel
Y.
Dukler
A. E.
1976
, “A Model for Predicting Flow Regime Transitions in Horizontal and Near Horizontal Gas-Liquid Flow
,” AIChE Journal
, Vol. 22
, No. 1
, pp. 47
–55
.20.
Traviss
D. P.
Rohsenow
W. M.
1973
, “Flow Regimes in Horizontal Two-Phase Flow With Condensation
,” ASHRAE Transactions
, Vol. 79
, Part 2, pp. 31
–39
.21.
Wallis, G. B., 1969, One-Dimensional Two-Phase Flow, McGraw-Hill, New York.
This content is only available via PDF.
Copyright © 1999
by The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
You do not currently have access to this content.
