Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

“Studies on Heat Transfer of Condensation of Mixed Vapors”

Project Guide:- Prof. Radha Das

Submitted By:-
AKASH PODDAR (07/CHE/35)
NABAJYOTI MAZUMDER (07/CHE/39)
SAMARSHI CHAKRABORTY(07/CHE/54)

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE:
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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

The specific objective of this project is to find out the

overall heat transfer coefficient of binary, tertiary and
multi component mixture of some industrially applicable
and to develop a mathematical correlation with
experimental results, so that the correlation can be used
by the designers.

THEORY:
BOILING & CONDENSATION PHENOMENON:
We know from thermodynamics, when the temperature
of a liquid at a specified pressure is raised to the
saturation temperature Tsat at that pressure, boiling
occurs. Likewise, when the temperature of vapors is
lowered to Tsat condensation occurs. Although boiling and
condensation exhibits some unique features, they are
considered to be forms of convection heat transfer since
they involve fluid motion (such as the bubbles to the top
and the flow of condensate to the bottom).Boiling and
condensation differ from other forms of convection in that
they depend on the latent heat of vaporization hfg of the
fluid and the surface tension σ at the liquid vapor
interface, in addition to the properties of the fluid in each
phase. In practice, however, it is necessary to maintain
some difference between the surface temperature Ts and
Tsat for effective heat transfer. Heat transfer coefficients h
associated with boiling and condensation are typically
much higher than those encountered in other forms of
convection processes that involve a single phase.
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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

CONDENSATION:
Condensation is the change in the phase of matter from
the gaseous phase (of an element/ chemical species) into
liquid droplets or solid grains of the same element/
chemical species. Upon the slowing-down of the atoms/
molecules of the species, the overall attraction forces
between these prevail and bring them together at
distances comparable to their sizes.
Since the condensing atoms/ molecules suffer from
reduced degrees of freedom and ranges of motion, their
prior kinetic energy must be lost/ transferred to an
adsorbing colder entity — either a center of condensation
within the gas volume (colder molecules of the species,
cold grains of dust etc.) or some contact surface.
Condensation is initiated by the formation of atomic/
molecular clusters of that species within its gaseous
volume — like rain drop or snow-flake formation within
clouds — or at the contact between such gaseous phase
and a (solvent) liquid or solid surface.

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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

Condensation commonly occurs when a vapor is cooled

and/or compressed to its saturation limit when the
molecular density in the gas phase reaches its
maximal threshold. Vapor cooling and compressing
equipment that collects condensed liquids is called
"condenser

Condensation Mechanisms:
There are two main mechanisms of condensation:

• If the condensate "wets" the surface, a film forms as

the drops coalesce. The condensate forms a
continuous layer that flows over the tube (gravity
flow) in film type condensation. The primary heat
transfer resistance is in the film.
• If the condensate does not wet the surface, drops
form at nucleation sites (pits, dust, etc.) and remain
separated until carried away by gravity or vapor
flow. Only then do they coalesce, prior to falling off
the tube. This is dropwise condensation. Most of the
tube surface remains uncovered by liquid, so there is
little heat transfer resistance and very high transfer
rates.

In both cases, nucleation is typically the rate limiting

step, rather than heat transfer. Most industrial
applications are based on film mechanisms, since it is
tricky and expensive to build non-wetting surfaces.

After condensation, the liquid flows down the tube

surface under the influence of gravity (unless vapor rates
are high enough to produce vapor shear). The flow may
be laminar or turbulent, depending on the fluid, rate of
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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

condensation, tube size, etc. The film tends to thicken as

it flows to the bottom of the tube, and the weight of the
fluid may cause ripples to form. These will cause
deviations from pure laminar flow.

What causes condensation?

Condensation is caused by the air temperature becoming
too low to hold the water vapor that is in it. The factors
involved in condensation are as follows:
1. The amount of water vapor in the air of the home
(measured in relative humidity).
2. The circulation of the air within the home.
3. The air temperature. Both in the home and outside.
The air in a room contains water vapor. The amount of
water vapor in the air varies and is commonly expressed
in terms of relative humidity. Relative humidity is the
measure of the amount of water vapor actually in the air
compared to the maximum amount of water vapor the air
can hold at that particular temperature and pressure.
The fundamental principle concerning air and relative
humidity is: the warmer the air temperature, the greater
its capacity for holding water vapors. When warm air in a
room comes in contact with a cold surface the air around
that surface begins to cool. As it cools its ability to hold
water vapor decreases. Eventually, it reaches a
temperature at which it can no longer hold the water

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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

vapor. This is sometimes referred to as the dew point.

When the air reaches this point the water vapor begins to
condensate, forming as tiny droplets of water on the
cooler surface. An often time the glass in your windows is
the coolest visible surface and this is why you may see
condensation develop there first.

How does air circulation affect condensation?

Air circulation affects the supply of fresh air to the living
areas of your home. Poor air circulation within your home
will cause the air next to your windows to cool down
quickly. When air remains still, next to a cool surface, it
cools down sooner than air that is well circulated. As the
room air temperature decreases its ability to hold the
water vapor in it decreases. Using the same principle as a
defroster in an automobile, suppling fresh air circulation
to the glass area slows down the cooling process and
reduces condensation.
Drapes, blinds or other coverings tend to trap air next to
the window greatly reducing the air circulation around
them. Bay and bow windows and other windows that
extend from the walls of the home outward are also
susceptible to air circulation problems.

Filmwise Condensation:
Most heat transfer surfaces on a heat exchanger are
made of ‘wettable’ materials. During condensation, a film
of condensate spreads over these surfaces. As more
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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

vapor condenses on the outside of the film, itsthickness

increases and the film will start flowing downwards due
to its weight. Heat transfer occurs through this film of
condensate to the surface material beneath, then to the
cooling medium. The liquid filmis generally a poor
conductor of heat, contributing much to the thermal
resistance and inefficiency of this mode of condensation.
The heat transfer through the condensate film is
balanced by the heat transfer through the gas/vapor
interface which is sum of latent heat and sensible heat.
This yields
−1
 
1 1
h = + 
tot h h +h 
 f
 cond 
g

hcond – Condensation heat transfer coefficient , hf – Film

heat transfer coefficient
hg - Convective heat transfer coefficient

Where, hcond is given by eq.,

h (T - T ) =m // H
cond b i cond fg

The film heat transfer coefficient on vertical surface is

calculated by Nusselt equation :

ρ ( ρ − ρ g )gH′fg k 3l  4
1

h f = 0.943  l l for Ref < 30


 μ l L( Ti − Tw ) 

For condensation on horizontal tube the 0.943 is replaced

by 0.725 in Nusselt equation.
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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

Dropwise condensation:

If the heat transfer surfaces are treated to become

‘non-wettable’, the condensate that forms on the
surface will be shaped like spherical beads. These
beads adheres together to become larger as
condensation proceeds. The bigger beads will then
start to flow downwards due to their weight, thus
collecting all other static beads along the way. As
the beads increase in size, the velocity increases,
finally leaving a trail of bare surface free from
liquid film. This bare surface offers very little
resistance to the transfer of heat. Therefore, very
high heat fluxes are possible.

The advantages of dropwise over filmwise

condensation are apparent, resulting in a smaller
heat transfer area, smaller temperature difference
or larger heat transfer rate for a fixed set of
conditions.

Condensation of mixed vapors:

The vapors containing two or more volatile components

(unless it is an azeotropic mixture), the condensation
temperature is no longer constant at a given pressure.
Condensation gradients exist in both the vapor and liquid

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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

phases as the higher boiling point component or

components tend to condensed, enriching the vapor may
enriched the vapor in lower boiling point material. If the
coolant temperature is low enough, the entire vapor may
eventually be condensed; the composition of the
condensate will then be the same as that of the original
vapor. In other cases some of the low boiling point
material may not be condensed and most be vented from
condenser.

Because of the concentration gradients in the vapor there

is mass transfer of the higher boiling point components to
the condensate surface through the uncondensed lower
boiling components of the vapor. This occurs in parallel
with the heat transfer to remove sensible heat from the
vapor as it cools. In general the rates of heat and mass
transfer, and the corresponding heat and mass transfer
coefficients, vary throughout the condenser and must be
estimated at several points. The required area is then
found by an iterative procedure.

The presence of Non condensable gases in condensers:

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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

Schematic representation of the effect of non-condensable gas

on condensation

• Condensation occurs when the temperature of vapor is

reduced below its saturation temperature.
• Presence of even a small amount of Non-condensable
gas (e.g. air, N2, H2, He, etc.) in the condensing vapor
leads to a significant reduction in heat transfer during
condensation.
• The buildup of non-condensable gases near the
condensate film inhibits the diffusion of vapor from the
bulk mixture to the liquid film.

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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

Most condensers used in steam power plants operate at

pressures well below the atmospheric pressure (usually
under 0.1 atm) to maximize cycle thermal efficiency, and
operation at such low pressures raises the possibility of
air leaking into condenser.

The presence of even small amounts of noncondensible

gases drastically reduces heat transfer. It has been
suggested that only 1-2%(by mass) air in steam can
reduce heat transfer by 75%. Since the condensing vapor
in such systems must diffuse through a noncondensible
gas to reach the cooling surface, full consideration
requires modeling of both heat and mass transfer.

Vents are sometimes installed (as in old fashioned home

radiators) to bleed noncondensibles from the system.

Heat transfer coefficient:

The heat transfer coefficient, in thermodynamics and

in mechanical and chemical engineering, is used in
calculating the heat transfer, typically
by convection or phase change between a fluid and a
solid:

where
ΔQ = heat input or heat lost, W
h = heat transfer coefficient, W/(m2K)
A = heat transfer surface area, m2
ΔT = difference in temperature between the solid
surface and surrounding fluid area, K
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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

From the above equation, the heat transfer coefficient is

the proportionality coefficient between the heat flux, Q/
(AΔT), and the thermodynamic driving force for the flow
of heat (i.e., the temperature difference, ΔT).
The heat transfer coefficient has SI units in watts per
meter squared-kelvin: W/(m2K). Heat transfer coefficient
is the inverse of thermal insulance.
There are numerous methods for calculating the heat
transfer coefficient in different heat transfer modes,
different fluids, flow regimes, and under
different thermohydraulic conditions. Often it can be
estimated by dividing the thermal conductivity of
the convection fluid by a length scale. The heat transfer
coefficient is often calculated from the Nusselt
number (a dimensionless number).

Dittus–Boelter correlation (1930): forced convection inside

tubes:
A common and particularly simple correlation useful for
many applications is the Dittus–Boelter heat transfer
correlation for fluids in turbulent flow. This correlation is
applicable when forced convection is the only mode of
heat transfer; i.e., there is no boiling, condensation,
significant radiation, etc. The accuracy of this correlation
is anticipated to be ±15%.
For a liquid flowing in a straight circular pipe with
a Reynolds number between 10 000 and 120 000 (in
the turbulent pipe flow range), when the liquid's Prandtl
number is between 0.7 and 120, for a location far from
the pipe entrance (more than 10 pipe diameters; more

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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

than 50 diameters according to many authors) or other

flow disturbances, and when the pipe surface is
hydraulically smooth, the heat transfer coefficient
between the bulk of the fluid and the pipe surface can be
expressed as:

where
kw - thermal conductivity of the liquid (i.e.water)
DH - Di - Hydraulic diameter
Nu - Nusselt number
(Dittus-Boelter correlation)
Pr - Prandtl number
Re - Reynolds number
n = 0.4 for heating (wall hotter than the bulk fluid)
and 0.33 for cooling (wall cooler than the bulk fluid) .
The fluid properties necessary for the application of this
equation are evaluated at the bulk temperature thus
avoiding iteration.

Heat transfer coefficient of pipe wall:

The resistance to the flow of heat by the material of pipe
wall can be expressed as a "heat transfer coefficient of
the pipe wall". However, one needs to select if the heat
flux is based on the pipe inner or the outer diameter.
Selecting to base the heat flux on the pipe inner
diameter, and assuming that the pipe wall thickness is
small in comparison with the pipe inner diameter, then
the heat transfer coefficient for the pipe wall can be
calculated as if the wall were not curved:

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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

where k is the effective thermal conductivity of the

wall material and x is the wall thickness.
If the above assumption does not hold, then the wall
heat transfer coefficient can be calculated using the
following expression:

where di and do are the inner and outer diameters

of the pipe, respectively.
The thermal conductivity of the tube material
usually depends on temperature; the mean thermal
conductivity is often used.
Combining heat transfer coefficients
For two or more heat transfer processes acting in
parallel, heat transfer coefficients simply add:

For two or more heat transfer processes

connected in series, heat transfer coefficients
add inversely:

For example, consider a pipe with a fluid flowing inside.

The rate of heat transfer between the bulk of the fluid
inside the pipe and the pipe external surface is:

Where,
Q = heat transfer rate (W)

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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

h = heat transfer coefficient (W/(m2·K))

t = wall thickness (m)
k = wall thermal conductivity (W/m·K)
A = area (m2)
ΔT = difference in temperature.

Overall heat transfer coefficient:

The overall heat transfer coefficient U is a measure
of the overall ability of a series of conductive and
convective barriers to transfer heat. It is commonly
applied to the calculation of heat transfer in heat
exchangers, but can be applied equally well to other
problems.
For the case of a heat exchanger, U can be used to
determine the total heat transfer between the two
streams in the heat exchanger by the following
relationship:
Q = UAΔTLM
Where,
Q = heat transfer rate (W)
U = overall heat transfer coefficient (W/(m²·K))
A = heat transfer surface area (m2)
ΔTLM = log mean temperature difference (K)
The overall heat transfer coefficient takes into account
the individual heat transfer coefficients of each stream
and the resistance of the pipe material. It can be
calculated as the reciprocal of the sum of a series of
thermal resistances (but more complex relationships
exist, for example when heat transfer takes place by
different routes in parallel):

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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

Where,
R = Resistance(s) to heat flow in pipe wall (K/W)
Other parameters are as above.
The heat transfer coefficient is the heat transferred per
unit area per kelvin. Thus area is included in the equation
as it represents the area over which the transfer of heat
takes place. The areas for each flow will be different as
they represent the contact area for each fluid side.
The thermal resistance due to the pipe wall is calculated
by the following relationship:

Where,
x = the wall thickness (m)
k = the thermal conductivity of the material (W/(m·K))
A = the total area of the heat exchanger (m2)
This represents the heat transfer by conduction in the
pipe.
The thermal conductivity is a characteristic of the
particular material. Values of thermal conductivities for
various materials are listed in the list of thermal
conductivities.
As mentioned earlier in the article the convection heat
transfer coefficient for each stream depends on the type
of fluid, flow properties and temperature properties.
Some typical heat transfer coefficients include:

Air - h = 10 to 100 W/(m2K)

Water - h = 500 to 10,000 W/(m2K)

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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

Thermal resistance due to fouling deposits:

Surface coatings can build on heat transfer surfaces
during heat exchanger operation due to fouling. These
add extra thermal resistance to the wall and may
noticeably decrease the overall heat transfer coefficient
and thus performance. (Fouling can also cause other
problems.)
The additional thermal resistance due to fouling can be
found by comparing the overall heat transfer coefficient
determined from laboratory readings with calculations
based on theoretical correlations. They can also be
evaluated from the development of the overall heat
transfer coefficient with time (assuming the heat
exchanger operates under otherwise identical
conditions). This is commonly applied in practice, e.g. The
following relationship is often used:

=
where
Uexp = overall heat transfer coefficient based on
experimental data for the heat exchanger in the "fouled"

state,
Upre = overall heat transfer coefficient based on
calculated or measured ("clean heat exchanger")

data,

Rf = thermal resistance due to fouling,

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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

Choosing a bath fluid:

Having a bath for each temperature or fluid type is the
“ideal.”However, this may not be within your budget, so
more than one fluid may be needed. There are many
bath fluids on the market that may work well for the
temperature range of interest. As stated earlier, a single
fluid may not be available to cover the desired
temperature range. So try to choose fluids with the
widest range, lowest viscosity, and the highest flash
point. There may be some overlap in the temperature
ranges of each fluid, but this is fine. It is probably better
to have some overlap rather than being right on the
“fringe” of a fluid’s minimum or maximum temperature.
To avoid cross-contamination of fluids, thoroughly clean
all wetted parts before putting in the next fluid. Another
source for cross-contamination is moving thermometers
from a salt bath to an oil bath without cleaning off the
salt.
Silicone Oils
Silicone oils have unique properties because they are not
petroleum or
organic based. They were the first and only polymer
products made
from inorganic chemistry. Silicone oils vary in viscosity
and cover broad temperature range. (See Table1.) They
have good thermal characteristics and low flammability.
Even with their good qualities,
there are a few disadvantages. At high temperatures,
fuming occurs
and cleanup will require a solvent. Because baths are
“open” systems,
prolonged use at high temperatures cause the thinner
properties to boil off. As the hot oil comes in contact with
air, the oil will oxidize. The
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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

oxidation accumulates over time and will eventually

cause the oil to
gel or polymerize. When the color changes from light
honey to a darker color, this is a sign that oxidation has
taken place. The oxidation rate also depends on
contaminates. Bath salts are a heavy oxidizer; so avoid
getting them into the oil To minimize oxidation, turn the
bath off when it’s not in use or, keep it at low idling
temperature. To avoid polymerization, it’s recommended
that the oil be changed any time it becomes too dark or
the temperature becomes less stable. Some silicone oils
are designed for low-temperature use. However, at low
temperatures condensation will form. In locations where
the humidity is particularly high, more moisture will
condense. As with many oils, water and oil remain
separated. At cold temperatures, the water and oil will
pass over the cooling coils or cooled tank walls.
Generally, the water will freeze to these parts of the bath.
As the ice thickens, it will reduce the heat transfer
between the cooling coil or plate and the liquid. This will
prevent the bath from reaching cold temperature.
Hart Model # Description Usable Range Flash Point

5010 Silicone oil Type –40 to 130°C 133°C

200.05
5012 Silicone oil Type –30 to 209°C 211°C
200.10
5013 Silicone oil Type 10 to 230°C 232°C
200.20
5014 Silicone oil Type 30 to 278°C 280°C
200.50

Literature search:
1) Condensation heat transfer with noncondensable gas for
passive containment cooling of nuclear reactors:
Tauna Leonardi, Mamoru Ishii
Abstract:

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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

Noncondensable gases that come from the containment and the

interaction of cladding and steam during a severe accident
deteriorate a passive containment cooling system's performance
by degrading the heat transfer capabilities of the condensers in
passive containment cooling systems. This work contributes to
the area of modeling condensation heat transfer with
noncondensable gases in integral facilities. Previously existing
correlations and models are for the through-flow of the mixture of
steam and the noncondensable gases and this may not be
applicable to passive containment cooling systems where there is
no clear passage for the steam to escape. This work presents a
condensation heat transfer model for the downward cocurrent
flow of a steam/air mixture through a condenser tube, taking into
account the atypical characteristics of the passive containment
cooling system. An empirical model is developed that depends on
the inlet conditions, including the mixture Reynolds number and
noncondensable gas concentration.

2) On the design of cooler condenser for mixed vapor containing

uncondensable gas
Jer Ru Maa and Hsiao Ken Chuang
Abstract:
A design procedure for cooler condenser for mixed vapor
containing uncondensable gas is proposed. The vapor side
calculation is carried out by dividing the condenser into zones.
The sizes of the zones are determined by the residence time
distribution experiment using models geometrically similar to the
actual cooler condenser. The mass transfer coefficient is
estimated from the convective heat transfer coefficient based on
the similarity of Culburn j factors. This design procedure is
verified by experiment using a cooler condenser with helical
cooling coil.

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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

3) Experimental study of heat transfer at the total

condensation of mixed vapours of miscible liquid:
J. Bandrowski, A. Bryczkowski

Abstract:

Experimental studies of heat transfer at the atmospheric-pressure

condensation, on a horizontal tube, of binary and ternary vapours
of miscible liquids, have been carried out. As a result of treatment
of experimental data, a correlation equation presenting the
relationship between the Nusselt number and the condensation
number, was obtained.

4) The film condensation of mixed vapour in a vertical

column :
K Onda, E Sada, K Takahash

Abstract:

In the film condensation of mixed vapour, the heat-transfer

coefficient for the liquid film is given by the same equation as
previously presented for the condensation of pure vapour. The
dependence of the mass-transfer coefficient in vapour phase
upon the rate of condensation is explained by the film theory, but
for the mass transfer in liquid film, the agreement of the
experimental values of the masstransfer coefficients with the
values calculated on the basis of the penetration theory is
excellent.

5) Design of cooler condensers for gas-vapour mixtures:

T. Mizushina, N. Hashimoto, M. Nakajima

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Abstract:

Graphical method for design of cooler condensers by Mizushina

and Kotoo is extended to general gas-vapour systems including
air-water having high vapour concentrations. Moreover this is
applicable regardless of whether the mixtures continues
saturated or superheated, and also simpler than other methods
developed previously though it may be less rigorous.

Two examples of air-water system and one example of air-

benzene system are solved by this method. It is shown that there
are good agreement between the results of this method and
those of more rigorous ones, i.e. Colburn and Hougen method or
Bra modification.
The article presents an analysis of the theoretical and experimental data on hea

“Diagram of Experimental Setup”

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 Studies on heat transfer of Condensation of mixed vapor

vap condensation on a vertical surface, and it demonstrates the

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