Open Access

ARTICLE

Convective Film Condensation in an Inclined Channel with Porous Layer

by Lazhar Merouani¹, Belkacem Zeghmati², Azeddine Belhamri³

1 Department of Science and Technology, University of Abbes Laghrour of Khenchela, Algeria
2 Laboratoire de Mathématiques et de Physique LAMPS, Univerité de Perpignan, France
3 Laboratory of Climatic Engineering, University of Mentouri of Constantine, Algeria

Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing 2013, 9(3), 267-290. https://doi.org/10.3970/fdmp.2013.009.267

Abstract

The present work is a numerical study of laminar film condensation from vapor-gas mixtures in an inclined channel with an insulated upper wall and an isothermal lower wall coated with a thin porous material. A two-dimensional model is developed using a set of complete boundary layer equations for the liquid film and the steam-air mixture while the Darcy-Brinkman-Forchheimer approach is used for the porous material. The governing equations are discretized with an implicit finite difference scheme. The resulting systems of algebraic equations are numerically solved using Gauss and Thomas algorithms. The numerical results enable to determine the velocity, temperature and vapor concentration profiles in the steam-air mixture, the liquid film and the porous substrate. The axial evolution of the condensate flow rate and the wall heat flux are also presented and analyzed for different operating conditions. It is found that the inclination angle, the inlet values of relative humidity and the Reynolds number exert an influence on the condensation process much more significant than that coming from a change in the porous layer properties.

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Keywords

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