Mathematical Modelling and Simulation of Dropwise Condensation and Inclined Surfaces Exposed to Vapor Flux
Nirmal Kumar Battooa, Basant Singh Sikarwarb, Sameer Khandekarc and K. Muralidhard
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208 016, India.
abattoo@iitk.ac.in
bsikarwar@iitk.ac.in
csamkhan@iitk.ac.in
dkmurli@iitk.ac.in
ABSTRACT
Computer simulation of dropwise condensation on a substrate, having randomly spaced nucleation sites, is described. A numerical model is presented for simulation of dropwise condensation on flat and inclined surfaces exposed to a vapor flux. The model incorporates the effect of contact angle, inclination, contact angle hysteresis and saturation temperature at which the condensation is carried out. Simulation accounts for direct condensation growth, coalescence, fall-off and renucleation of droplets. Numerical computations are conducted for various contact angles and substrate inclination angle as a parameter. Drop size distributions and spatial patterns of condensation are presented. The simulation results are satisfactorily compared with experimental data.
Full Text (PDF)
|
