Abstract
A numerical study of steam condensation over horizontal fluted tubes is presented. Condensate is driven by surface tension to the groove valley where it is drained by gravity.
From the bottom to the top the groove domain is divided into a valley section, crest section with large variations of condensate layer curvature, and tip section with gradual change of condensate layer curvature.
In the valley section the effect of indentation angle α, the minimum condensate height α
o and the circumferential angle θ on the drainage flow rate ·m are studied. In the crest section ( heat transfer domain ) the effect of α, α
o and θ on the heat transfer coefficient h is investigated.
Results showed that, a decrease in α increases both h, and ·m per groove. The groove flooding conditions could be obtained by comparing ·m in the valley and crest sections with more flooding for small values of α. The smaller the α angle, the larger the ·m provided that no excessive flooding occurs.