Forced-Convection Condensation of Ethylene Glycol on Integral-Fin Tubes

This paper reports new experimental data for forced-convection condensation of ethylene glycol on a set of five single, copper, integral-fin tubes. The five tubes had fin root diameter of 12.7 mm, fin height and thickness of 1.6 mm and 0.25 mm respectively. Fin spacings were 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mm. A plain tube of outside diameter 12.7 mm was also tested. The tests, which were performed at near constant pressure of approximately 15 kPa, covered vapor velocities between 10 and 22 m/s and a wide range of heat fluxes. The best performing tube was that with a fin spacing of 0.5 mm, which had an enhancement ratio (compared to the plain tube at the same vapor-side temperature difference and vapor velocity) of 2.5 at the lowest vapor velocity tested, increasing to 2.7 at the highest. The increase in enhancement ratio with increasing vapor velocity, which is the opposite trend to that found in most earlier experimental studies, was thought to be due to a slight reduction in condensate flooding between the fins due to increased vapor shear.