Plate-fin condenser for condensation of low pressure steam in the presence of noncondensable gases

摘要

Condensation of steam in the presence of noncondensable gases was carried out in a plate-fin condenser. A three-water pass test unit was designed for the ocean-thermal energy conversion system in Hawaii. A point-wise calculation method was used for the cross-flow arrangement and the local heat- and mass-flux calculation was carried out on the basis of the Colburn-Hougen analysis. The test unit consisted of extruded water passages and finned surface on the steam side. The core unit was bonded with a thermally conductive epoxy (Loctite(reg sign)) with welded joints along seam lines. The present investigation provides a design basis for the development of plate-fin condensers for condensation of multicomponent vapor mixtures in the process industry.