Heat transfer , condensation and fog formation in crossflow plastic heat exchangers
-In this paper heat transfer of air-water-vapour mixtures in plastic crossflow heat exchangers is studied theoretically and experimentally. First, a model for heat transfer without condensation is derived, resulting in a set of classical differential equations. Subsequently, heat transfer with wall condensation and fog formation are considered in some detail. Separate attention is paid to the heat transfer and condensation of pure steam in the heat exchanger. Finally, the experiments performed are reported and the results compared with the models presented. From this comparison it can be learnt that the models are well able to predict the rate of heat transfer and phenomena such as condensation and fog formation.
Film models for transport phenomena with fog formation : the fog film model
In a preceding paper (Brouwers and Chesters, Int. J. Heal Mass Transfer 35, l-11 (1992)) possible supersaturation in a film and in the bulk of a binary mixture has been discussed. In the present analysis the exact conditions for fog formation and the magnitude of the fogging and superheated regions in the film are first determined. Next, the governing equation of diffusion and energy (coupled with the saturation condition) of the fog layer is solved numerically. An evaluation of various mixtures of water vapour and air illustrates the substantial effect of fog formation on heat and mass transfer rates. Subsequently, a thorough asymptotic analysis of the fog layer’s governing equation yields an excellently matching approximation solution. Furthermore, this solution leads to analytical film model correction factors for the combined effects of fog formation and injection/suction on transfer rates. Finally, the fog film model is applied to channel flow of a binary mixture. This approach provides new procedures for the computation of condensers and evaporators, allowing both fog formation in the film (affecting transfer rates) and/or in the bulk (affecting the incremental balances of mass and energy).
A multicomponent film model incorporating a general matrix method of solution to the Maxwell-Stefan equations
Convenient expressions for calculating multicomponent gas phase mass transfer coefficients and transfer rates are obtained by use of an exact matrix method of solution to the Maxwell-Stefan equations. The results are seen to be exact matrix analogues of classical binary relations and may also be applied as an approximation to describe liquid phase transport.