PROBLEM 11.

7
KNOWN: Number, inner and outer diameters, and thermal conductivity of condenser tubes.
Convection coefficient at outer surface. Overall flow rate, inlet temperature and properties of water
flow through the tubes. Flow rate and pressure of condensing steam. Fouling factor for inner surface.
FIND: (a) Overall coefficient based on outer surface area, Uo, without fouling, (b) Overall coefficient
with fouling, (c) Temperature of water leaving the condenser.
SCHEMATIC:

ASSUMPTIONS: (1) Water is incompressible with negligible viscous dissipation, (2) Fully-
developed flow in tubes, (3) Negligible effect of fouling on Di.
-4 2
PROPERTIES: Water (Given): cp = 4180 J/kg⋅K, μ = 9.6 × 10 N⋅s/m , k = 0.60 W/m⋅K, Pr = 6.6.
6
Table A-6, Water, saturated vapor (p = 0.0622 bars): Tsat = 310 K, hfg = 2.414 × 10 J/kg.
ANALYSIS: (a) Without fouling, Eq. 11.5 yields

l l ⎛ D ⎞ D ln ( Do / Di ) l
= ⎜ o ⎟+ o +
U o h i ⎝ Di ⎠ 2 kt ho

( )
& 1 / π Di μ = 1.60 kg / s / π × 0.025m × 9.6 × 10 −4 N ⋅ s / m 2 = 21, 220, flow in the tubes is
With Re D = 4 m
i
turbulent, and from Eq. 8.60

⎛ k ⎞ ⎛ 0.60 W / m ⋅ K ⎞
⎟ 0.023 ( 21, 200 ) ( 6.6 )0.4 = 3400 W / m2 ⋅ K
4/5
h i = ⎜ ⎟ 0.023Re 4D/ 5 Pr 0.4 = ⎜
⎝ i⎠
D i ⎝ 0.025m ⎠
−1
⎡ l ⎛ 28 ⎞ 0.028 ln ( 28 / 25 ) l ⎤
Uo = ⎢ ⎜ ⎟+ + W / m2 ⋅ K =
⎣ 3400 ⎝ 25 ⎠ 2 × 110 10, 000 ⎥⎦

( )
−1
3.29 × 10−4 + 1.44 × 10−5 + 10−4 W / m 2 ⋅ K = 2255 W / m 2 ⋅ K <
(b) With fouling, Eq. 11.5 yields

( )
−1 −1
U o = ⎢⎡ 4.43 × 10−4 + ( Do / Di ) R ′′f ,i ⎤⎥ = 5.55 × 10−4 = 1800 W / m 2 ⋅ K <
⎣ ⎦
(c) The rate at which energy is extracted from the steam equals the rate of heat transfer to the water,
& c c p ( Tm,o − Tm,i ) , in which case
& h h fg = m
m

& h h fg
m 10 kg / s × 2.414 ×106 J / kg
Tm,o = Tm,i + = 15°C + = 29.4°C <
& c cp
m 400 kg / s × 4180 J / kg ⋅ K
COMMENTS: (1) The largest contribution to the thermal resistance is due to convection at the
&c
& 1 , either by increasing m
interior of the tube. To increase Uo, hi could be increased by increasing m
or decreasing N. (2) Note that Tm,o = 302.4 K < Tsat = 310 K, as must be the case.