ME315

Heat and Mass Transfer

DROPWISE AND FILMWISE CONDENSATION

Experiment no -7

Name – Sakshi yadav

Roll No. – 2001ME65
Group No. – G25

Date-25/08/2022
Objection:-
To study the heat transfer in the process of condensation.

Aim: -

a) To calculate the heat transfer coefficient for dropwise condensation

theoretically as well as experimentally.

b) To calculate the heat transfer coefficient for filmwise condensation

theoretically as well as experimentally.

Utilities Required

• PID

• Water tank

• Plates for condensation

• Water Supply

Theory: -
Condensation is a phase change process in which heat equivalent to the latent
heat of vaporization is removed from the vapour, while the temperature remains
constant, thus forming liquid. This phenomena is used in widely applications,
such as refrigerator, liquefaction processes in industry.

Steam may condense onto a surface in two distinct modes:

1. Filmwise Condensation: -

This type of condensation takes place on a plain condenser. Unless specially

treated, most materials are wettable & as condensation occurs, a film
condensate spreads over the surface. The thickening of the film depends upon a
number of factors, e.g. the rate of condensation, the viscosity of the condensate
and whether the surface is vertical or horizontal, etc. Heat is transferred to the
metal surface below by conduction through the film as new vapour condenses
on the film's exterior. As the film thickens it flows downward & drips from the
low points leaving the film intact & at an equilibrium thickness. The film of
liquid is a barrier to the transfer of heat and its resistance accounts for most of
the difference between the effectiveness of filmwise and dropwise
condensation.
2. Dropwise Condensation: -
Dropwise condensation takes place in a plated condenser. As the steam
condenses, a large number of generally spherical beads cover the surface. As
 condensation proceeds, the beads become larger, coalesce, and then strike
downwards over the surface. The “bare” surface offers very little resistance to
the transfer of heat and very high heat fluxes are therefore possible. Drop wise
condensation is much more effective than film wise condensation for the same
temperature difference between the steam and the surface, and for this reason
the former is preferred even though in practical plants it rarely occurs for
prolonged periods.

Some assumptions made in this experiment are:

• The surface is vertical and condensed film is under laminar flow.
• Heat transfer to vapour-liquid interface will occur only through
condensation, not by conduction through vapour.

Equipments Required:-

The apparatus consists of a Steam generator and a vent that connects it to the
Testing chamber. The testing chamber (steam chamber) consists of two
conductors, one plated and one non-plated. These conductors are connected to
respective water supply tubes. A control panel is provided to control the
temperature of the steam from the steam generator. It also shows the
temperature of the two Thermocouples each placed on both the conductors and
one thermocouple placed in between them. A Pressure gauge to measure
pressure from the steam and rotameter to measure the flow rate of the steam are
provided. Insulation foil to wrap around the steam vent and a stopwatch to
measure the time taken to experiment.
● Steam generator
● Steam vent
● Transparent testing chamber
● One plated conductor
● One Non-plated conductor
● Thermocouples - 5
● Control panel
● Valves with draining facility
● Pressure gauge
● Rotameter
● Stopwatch
● Insulation foil
Schematic
Specifications of the apparatus:

● Electricity Supply: Single Phase, 220 V AC, 50 Hz, 5-15 Amp combined socket with
earth connection.
● Water Supply: Continuous @ 2 LPM at 1 Bar.
● Floor drain required.
● Bench area required: 1m x 1m

Procedure :
Ensure that ON/OFF switches given on the panel are at OFF position.

1. Close all the valves V1-V10.

2. Open the funnel valve V8 and air vent valve V9.
3. Fill water in the steam generator up to 3/4th of its capacity by
observing the level of water in the level indicator.
4. Close funnel valve V8 and air vent valve V9 and switch on the main
supply.
5. Set the temperature of required steam with the help of PID (required
temperature 102-105oC)
6. Switch ON the heater and wait until steam temperature reaches to
required
value.
7. Open the air vent valve V9 to evacuate air from the steam generator
before opening the steam supply valve V1.
8. Now open the steam supply valve V1 and allow steam to pass through
the pipe.
9. Slowly open wet steam vent valve V2 to release wet steam from
the pipe.
10. Close the wet steam vent valve V2.
11. Open the valve V3 to allow steam in the test chamber and after 10-
12 seconds open valve V4 to release air present in the test chamber
and close it immediately after evacuation of air.

For plated condenser (Dropwise condensation):

1. Connect cooling water supply.
2. Open the valve V7 to allow water supply in the plain condenser. 3. Set
the flow rate of cooling water by adjust the
valve V5 (About 80-100 LPH).
4. Fully open the drain valve V4 and adjust the flow rate of steam by
 operating valve V3 so that no steam or very less steam should be
evacuated from valve V4.
5. Start the stopwatch and collect the steam condensed in the measuring
cylinder when the process value of temperature reaches the set value of
temperature.
6. Note down the time and volume of steam condensed.
7. At steady state, record the temperatures and flow rate of cooling water.

Closing Procedure:
1. Switch OFF the heater and the main power supply..
2. Stop the steam supply by closing the valve V3.
3. Partially open-air vent valve V9 to release the steam.
4. Stop cooling water supply to the condenser by closing the valve V5. 5.
Drain the water and condensed steam by opening the valve V4 and V10.

Formulae

Theoretical
Mass of water collected:

Enthalpy lost from

steam:

Total heat transfer rate:

Qs = Ms x λ*(W)

Theoretical Heat transfer coefficient is given by the formula:

Where

hth = theoretical heat transfer coefficient

ρ2 = density of condensate
g = acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s2)
Tsat =temperature of saturated steam
 Ts = average temperature of condenser
μ2 =viscosity of condensate
L = length of condenser
CP2 = specific heat of condensate
Experimental

Mass of water flowing:

Heat transfer from heated surface to cold

water: Qw = Mw x Cp1 x [Tcout – Tcin] (W)

Log mean temperature difference b/w inlet and outlet: ΔT1

= TS –Tcin & ΔT 2 = TS – Tcout

Heat transfer coefficient:

where

Fw = flow rate of cold water (regulated by rotameter)

Cp1 = specific heat of water
Tcout = output temperature of cold water
Tcin =input temperature of cold water
As = heat transfer area

Observation:
Results:-