Heat Exchangers: Fundamentals and Design Analysis

Prof. Prasanta Kumar Das

Lecture – 38
Surface Condenser

So, if you recall we were discussing regarding condensers and initially I have shown you
in our last lecture I have shown you a power plan condenser, which is also known as a
Surface Condenser and we like to continue with surface condenser. But, but before doing
so, what I like to do, I like to go back to my previous lecture because, the last slide I have
told very important, I have supplied very important information to you I like to stress
upon it. So, if I go to back to my previous lecture; this was the last slide of the previous
lecture.

(Refer Slide Time: 01:05)

So, here you see that Nusselt film condensation; I have we have used so, let me tell a few
things regarding this and then again we will go back to the current lecture. So, you see
the Nusselt film condensation theory is very unique theory in heat transfer sorry so, what
Nusselt did? Nusselt first did this theory for a vertical flat plate.

So, let us say this is a vertical flat plate and this is a vertical flat plate and heat is being
taken from this vertical flat plate and this side there is vapor so, vapor is getting
condensed. So, we will get a film of condensation like this, I have shown and
exaggerated view, but this film will be really thin and then he has made quite a few
assumptions and based on that assumptions he has determined what could be the heat
transfer co efficient and Nusselt number and also average Nusselt number.

So, these analysis we have he has again extended for a circular tube. So, the assumptions
I like to tell certain thing regarding, the assumption the assumptions are the film is really
very thin. So, that there is no conviction within the thin film and it is heat transfer is only
due to conduction, from the wall to vapor heat transfer is taking place only due to only
due to conduction that is one thing.

Another thing that there is no seer at the outer at the interface of the vapor and liquid;
that means, the vapor is almost at the stationary condition or with a very low velocity.
Why I am telling these because these are all important when we will try to analyze a
surface condenser. And other assumptions which he has made that the vapor is in
saturated condition and the liquid film that is also not getting are cooled, these
assumptions are not always quickly applicable and people have devised methods by
which they can take care of these assumptions.

So, basically what you see that the film which forms on the outside of the tube is very
thin, then it thickens out because all the films are collected and film is become film
become thicker and thicker and ultimately as a thick stream it falls from the bottom of
the tube. And you know as I have told that heat transfer is due to conduction so, this
liquid film that is the conduction resistance and that goes on increasing; that goes on
increasing as we move from the top most point to the bottom most point of the tube.

So, obviously, the tube will be most effective in condensing vapor at the top most point
and where almost no condensation of vapor will take place at the bottom most point. So,
this is important and; obviously, that for an engineer it is not good that we have got a
thick field. So, I mean in there are many methods for reducing the film thickness and this
is a simple formula from all the properties and geometrical parameter it has come and it
is easy to use.

So, people can use this thing, with this few; word I can go back to the next slide or next
lecture so, this is my current lecture which is surface condenser and if we go to the
surface condenser.
(Refer Slide Time: 05:39)

So, I am showing some sort of a typical surface condenser of a steam power plant and
there are quite a few points I like to have your attention, you see this diagram which is
taken from the net very carefully. So, this is showing the tube layout, first you see the
tubes are laid in a very dense; configuration and the arrangement is not in line, but
staggered arrangement these are all important.

So, tubes are laid out in a staggered arrangement so, this is very important and in a
surface condenser of a steam power plant how the tubes will be laid out they are at
different patterns. So, some of the patterns I have shown here again taking from
published literature I have shown here. But, what is important and what I like you to give
some more attention please it is like this that in a steam power plant steam is condensing
in the condenser and steam is condensing in a condenser with the help of water which is
taken from the ambient atmosphere.

So, the temperature of the cooling water could be 30 degree, could be 25 degree and in
cold country it could be 10 15 degree even lesser than that. So, near that temperature if
this steam has to condense then, the steam pressure is sub atmospheric pressure. So, in
part of these; circulating fluid loop of a steam power plant the fluid is at a pressure
higher than the atmospheric pressure and at part of the loop the pressure is below
atmospheric pressure so, what will happen? Air leakage will take place inside the
circulating loop; that means, when the steam will come to the condenser for
condensation it will have air along with it air is a non condensing.

So, what will happen schematically again taking some sort of a figure from the published
figure I have shown, this is the cooling water; what is the cooling with, green color is the
cooling water, red color is the tube wall outside we can see the condensed film. But,
outside there will be a layer of air; that means, the air quite dense collection of air will be
there and obviously, then we do not have any vapor mass or any vapor molecule steam
molecule nearby.

So, after some time the condensation will get hinder more and more air will collect
inside the condenser which is not getting condensed, which is not going out of the
condenser and inside air quantity content will increase. So, that will increase the pressure
of the condenser so, there are quite a few things, first thing it will reduce the rate of heat
transfer, some sort of a snow balling effect is there, more it reduces the rate of heat
transfer, more air accumulates and there will be pressure rise.

So, if there is pressure rise then the steam is not able to expand fully. So, work done will
be less and this is what we get to see in summer situation that the power plant capacity of
producing work that reduces partially this phenomena is responsible for this.

Then, what is the way out? Way out is that we have to take this air out. So, there are air
extraction pumps suppose this could be the location of the air extraction pump and from
there air has to be continuously extracted from the condenser to maintain the back warm.
And this is a typical thing, this is a typical feature and the heat exchanger designer has to
take care of this when he is concerned with the design of a condenser for a steam power
plant application.
(Refer Slide Time: 10:21)

So, let us proceed here I have shown two very common situation of steam condensers
and these are basically tube layout and here you see here you see, there will be some sort
of some sort of greater density of cool antives. So, here we will have more cooling
capacity, more vapor will be cooled and air can get separated from vapor very easily and
then it will be taken out by some air extraction pump.

So, it can be taken out from this bottom portion or it can be taken out from the central
portion. The main issue here is that we have to have good cooling where air extraction
point is kept so, that we are not taking out vapor we are only taking out air. And also so,
if you cool the air density will increase so, we have to handle lesser amount of air
volume. So, that is also a secondary point so, this is one of the very unique design feature
of our surface condensers.
(Refer Slide Time: 11:37)

So, let us with this let us here I am showing this figure once again, I have shown it in my
earlier lecture here I am showing it once again. So, as I have told that though we like to
have drop wise condensation for obvious reason of very high rate of heat transfer, we are
unfortunate that we cannot sustain drop wise condensation on commercial tube surfaces.
There are certain tubes which are costly clean environment they can be used and they can
sustain drop wise condensation for longer period lot of research is going on, but that is
not for your steam condensers, steam power plant steel we have film wise condensation.

So, if we have got film wise condensation water film or condensed film is forming. Then
where that condensed film will go? Due to gravity it has to drain that is what is has been
shown here. Now, if it drains what happens, where it will fall? It will fall in the hot well
of the condenser ultimately which I have shown in our earlier lecture, but before that it
will fall on the tube which is right below it what is the effect so, let us see what is the
effect of it.
(Refer Slide Time: 13:00)

So, the effect has been shown here this is a tube row you will appreciate I have shown
you the cross section of a power plant heat sorry, condenser that how many tubes are
there? Very large number of tubes are there, one tube below another tube below another
tube like there. So, many tubes are there.

So, if so, many tubes are there let us say this is the first tube of a particular tube column.
Then here the condensate grows that condensate will fall on the top of the next tube,
what I have told at this point the tube has got the maximum capacity of condensing
steam here the film is thinnest. For the next tube I am killing this opportunity because,
the film from the tube above is falling on it and the film is already thicker here not only
that everywhere the film will be thicker.

So, whatever heat transfer I will get from the top tube I will not get from the second tube.
Whatever heat transfer I will get from the second tube, I will not get from the third tube
like this, this is called film condensation I mean this is film condensation in tube bundles
and this is what happens. Now slight; belief from this situation one can have, if we have
this kind of a tube layout which is staggered layout, but in staggered layout also we
cannot solve the problem fully.

If there is lot of vapor activity and if this film falls with a high velocity then there will be
ripple, splashing, turbulence, etcetera so, probably the situation will be something
different. And if there is a vapor flow across the tubes then it can take care of the liquid
condensate, but even then on the backside there will be some accumulation of condenser.

So, this is one thing which deteriorate the rate of heat transfer of a condenser tube, this
diminishes the rate of heat transfer of a condenser tube and we are not concerned with
one tube or see if we see again I will take you back to some figure earlier. So, here if you
see how many tubes are there from top to bottom very large number of tubes are there so;
obviously, what is happening to a particular tube we should not be bothered what is
happening the overall heat transfer considering all the tubes that should be our
consideration.

(Refer Slide Time: 16:10)

And for that what we have to do the plain analysis of Nusselt which we have done that is
inadequate. So, there is one phenomena called effect of condensation in inundation, what
is that? That from the top tube film is falling on the tube below it and changing it is heat
transfer capability.

Again Nusselt analysis we if we proceed with let us look into the; let us look into the last
diagram sorry last equation second equation of this let us say the first tube has got heat
transfer co efficient h 1 and Nth tube has got a heat transfer co efficient of h N. So, h N
by h 1 is given by this particular formula, it is dependent depending on the which number
of tube we are considering from the first tube.
And then considering all such tubes the average heat transfer co efficient for N number
of tubes vertically one after another vertically one after another, we are considering N
number of tubes vertically one after another this is our number 1 and this is our Nth tube.
Then for all the Nth tube taken together the mean heat transfer co efficient is given by
my given by the formula this one, this is from Nusselt analysis. So, you see our heat
transfer co efficient will reduce and these we have to take into cognition otherwise our
heat exchanger design will not be proper.

So, why I am telling all these things because when we will try to design or rather we will
try to see the design, see of a heat exchanger taking an example we will consider all
these kind of things. Here let me tell you that in this kind of a class or other in the
classroom any class the heat exchanger design cannot be taken to it is fullest extent. You
can understand the complexity we will take some example to analysis method towards
design that is what is the solid purpose of the course that can be explained to some
extent, you can be familiarized with different issues. Otherwise in a practical design of a
condenser it will be really difficult and; I mean it is quite a few activities iterative
procedures which cannot be taken care of in a classroom teaching.

But we will try to supply the critical issues crucial points and the physiques which goes
behind it particularly from the heat transfer and from the fluid flow point of view. So,
continuing with the inundation of condensation if we go to the next slide.

(Refer Slide Time: 19:39)

So, that means, the first tube analysis will be done by Nusselt analysis and then for
average heat transfer co efficient we have to reduce the heat transfer co efficient obtained
from Nusselt analysis. And the factor by which it has to be reduced is given by the
formula show in the last slide and it can also be from the formula it is shown here and
then experimentally people have got some value.

So, the experimental value is like this and you see experimental value is having some
sort of a constant plus some sort of a power of N, where N is the number of tubes in a
particular column. So, this is regarding inundation of the condensed film and which is
very important when we will consider the condensed design so, we will keep it in mind
and let us cross it.

(Refer Slide Time: 21:30)

So, next slide I like to give one problem for practice, this is a very simple problem we do
not have any complexity in it, but even then; there should be some sort of a there should
be some sort of a; practice of what we have learnt. So, that is why I have picked up this
problem so, it says quiescent refrigerant 134 A vapor at a saturation temperature of 47
degree Celsius is condensing upon a horizontal smooth copper tube whose outside wall
temperature is maintained constant at 40 degree Celsius. The outside tube diameter is 19
millimeter. Calculate the average condensation heat transfer co efficient of the on the
tube.

(Refer Slide Time: 22:47)

So, basically if we try to look into this problem so, basically what we are looking into let
us say we have got one tube. So, this is our tube let us say some coolant is passing
through the tube and the coolant is passing with sufficient velocity etcetera. So, that the
outer wall temperature is kept constant this is T W so, that is kept constant this is actually
TW wall so, that is kept constant.

So, this is also one assumption of Nusselt condensation theory so, Nusselt condensation
theory that assumes that condensation takes place over a over an isothermal surface. So,
this is also another assumption so, as we have shown earlier the condensed film will be
something like this and this. So, condensed film will grow and Nusselt analysis has given
us the value of average film thickness over the surface over the tube surface so, directly
we can use this.

And then if we go back to our previous the average heat transfer co efficient can be
calculated using Nusselt expression equation some equation number we have given
which is irrelevant, but the equation which I have told you. This is from some source we
have taken this data the thermo physical property of R 134-A at 47 degree Celsius are
given here this is from some source.

So, basically this problem has been taken from the book of Kakac the heat exchanger
book whose reference I have given. So, from there this has been taken I showed the
properties that has been taken from that book. So, what are the property? Liquid
refrigerant density, refrigerant vapor density thermal conductivity of the liquid
refrigerant viscosity of the liquid refrigerant and the, I mean the enthalpy that is also
given that should be the latent heat of the vaporization that that is also given.

(Refer Slide Time: 25:39)

Then substituting the equation related to overall heat transfer co efficient this is just one
line. So, we will substitute this one and we will get the mean heat transfer co efficient
like 1620.8 watt per meter square Kelvin. So, this is simple guess to show how to use
this thing which properties are relevant and this is what we have done and probably this
kind of problem you have done already in your heat transfer course, but before going to a
really difficult example we like to solve this problem.

With this we will come to an end of today’s lecture and then we will proceed we have
seen condensation on a single tube then we will see on multiple tube and probably we
will go to a heat exchanger particularly the thermal aspects of heat. So, some of the
points which I have told are very important please have a look into that inundation of
condensation inundation in condensation particularly when there is a column of tube that
is very important. Because, that has got it is effect on entire condenser design and
particularly relevant for steam condenser design. So, this is one point I would like you to
give an attention and probably you can also; look into literature from internet to know
more about it.

Thank you.