Numerical study and visualization on flow characteristics of reflux condensation in air-cooled condenser

•Flow of reflux condensation in air-cooled condenser tube is studied numerically.•A model-based approach to determine the condensation length is proposed.•Effect of varying vapor/air operations on reflux condensation is considered.•Dynamic behavior relating to complete and countercurrent condensatio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied thermal engineering 2019-02, Vol.148, p.1310-1323
Main Authors: Deng, Hui, Liu, Jizhe, Yang, Tingting, Wu, Sai
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerodynamics
Air-cooled condenser
Computational fluid dynamics
Computer simulation
Condensates
Condensation
Condenser tubes
Condensers
Entrainment
Flow characteristics
Fluid flow
Numerical analysis
Numerical simulation
Reflux condensation
Reynolds number
Simulation
Velocity distribution
Void fraction
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Summary:•Flow of reflux condensation in air-cooled condenser tube is studied numerically.•A model-based approach to determine the condensation length is proposed.•Effect of varying vapor/air operations on reflux condensation is considered.•Dynamic behavior relating to complete and countercurrent condensation is visualized. A numerical simulation was presented to investigate and visualize the flow characteristics of reflux condensation in core tube related to air-cooled condenser. The simulation had been performed in a flat tube under a saturation pressures of 13 kPa. The sensitivity of condensation length, condensate thickness and interfacial shear was examined with varying the vapor mass flux and cooling air Reynolds number. In addition, the condensate-void and vapor-absence corresponding to complete condensation were visualized in a transient simulation. Interfacial rivulets, film climbing and liquid entrainment corresponding to flow-through condensation were identified by contours of liquid void fraction and further explained by the cross-sectional velocity profiles. Meanwhile, several recommendations to experiment and operation on upflow finned tubes were proposed based on numerical results.
ISSN:1359-4311
1873-5606
DOI:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2018.11.109