Numerical Investigation of Air-Steam Condensation in a Vertically Enhanced Tube with Concave and Convex Surfaces

Condensation heat transfer enhancement technology is an important problem for heat exchangers. The air-steam condensation inside a vertically enhanced tube with concave and convex surfaces is analyzed numerically, and the effects of relevant parameters on thermohydraulic performance are discussed. The numerical results show that the drop in steam and temperature between the inlet and outlet is improved by 53.8% and 96.8%, respectively, compared with smooth tubes. In the condensation process, the noncondensable gas accumulates near the wall, which leads to the deterioration of condensation. The structures of concave and convex surfaces disrupt the boundary layer flow and noncondensable gas film and promote flow mixing, leading to enhanced condensation heat transfer. All the numerical results provide guidance values for heat transfer enhancement technology in the applications of condensers.