Mixed-Convection Laminar Film Condensation on an Inclined Elliptical Tube

The present theoretical study concerns with mixed-convection laminar film condensation outside an inclined elliptical tube with isothermal surface. The assumptions used are as in the classical Nusselt-Rohsenow theory, however, with considering the interfacial vapor shear by extending a circular-tube shear model developed in a previous study. An equivalent diameter, based on equal surface area, is introduced in the analysis to enable comparison with circular tubes. For zero ellipticity, the approach simplifies to the circular tube model developed in our previous work. A numerical solution has been obtained for a wide range of the independent parameters. The results indicate that the heat transfer performance of the inclined elliptical tube enhances with the increase of tube ellipticity compared to an inclined circular tube of equivalent diameter. For forced-convection-dominated film condensation, the rate of this enhancement in the heat transfer coefficient is found smaller than that for pure-free-convection film.