Film Condensation of Saturated Vapor Over Horizontal Noncircular Tubes With Progressively Increasing Radius of Curvature Drawn in the Direction of Gravity

A theoretical study has been made to determine the heat transfer coefficient in film condensation of slowly downward flowing saturated vapor over horizontal noncircular tubes with progressively increasing radius of curvature drawn in the direction of gravity. The noncircular tube profile considered for the present work, is an equiangular spiral described by a curve in polar coordinate as $Rp=aemθ$ (a and m being parametric constants). Nusselt number in case of noncircular tube has been determined on the basis of an equivalent diameter of a circular tube that equals the surface area of the noncircular tube with that of the circular one. It has been recognized that both the local Nusselt number $Nuθ$ and average Nusselt number $Nu¯$ become a function of m, $Ra/Ja1/4$ and $Nσ=σ/ρ−ρgR2.$ An enhancement in heat transfer coefficient has been observed in case of a noncircular tube over that of a circular tube of same surface area because of the combined effect of gravity force component and surface tension driven favourable pressure gradient in the direction of flow of the liquid film. The relative weightage of both the components in the enhancement of heat transfer has been reported. An estimation of pressure drop of cooling liquid flowing through the circular and noncircular tubes of same surface area has been made to compare the values against the enhancement in heat transfer rate.