7

Condensation

If vapor comes in contacts with a surface maintained at a temperature below the saturation temperature of the vapor, then condensation occurs. The liquid condensate will flow down on the surface under the influence of gravity. When the liquid wets the surface, spreads out and forms a film and this process is known as filmwise condensation. If the surface is not wetted by the liquid, then droplets form and run down the surface. This process is known as dropwise condensation. Heat transfer rate in dropwise condensation is nearly 10 times higher than in the filmwise condensation process. But dropwise condensation is very difficult to achieve in practical cases. All practical design methods are based on filmwise condensation. The heat ...

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