Numerical Investigation of Dropwise Condensation on Smooth Plates with Different Wettability

Abstract

Condensers are used in various energy-intensive processing industries. Improving their efficiency plays a crucial role in the optimization of energy consumption. Dropwise Condensation is a highly attractive form of heat transfer. This project investigates the effects of different wettability characteristics in drop-wise condensation on smooth plates. It involves a Volume of Fluid (VOF) based Computational Fluids Dynamics (CFD) model to carry out the simulations in Open FOAM on smooth plates various wettability’s. Different parameters such as receding angle, advancing angle, and various radii of droplets have been used for investigation. A base case with droplets’ radius of 12.5μm, receding angle, and advancing angles of (34°, 90°) was used. Three sets of simulations were performed. In Set 1, the angles were (34°, 90°). The radius of the first droplet was kept constant at 12.5μm and the radius of the second droplet changes 1:4 progressively. In Set 2, the angles are changed to (154°, 162°), and the radius of the second droplet changes in the same manner above. In Set 3, the angles were kept at (107°, 117°). The radius changes as above. In some cases, the droplets merge and condense. In others, the momentum created by merging of the droplets creates repeated oscillation or even a lift-off, from the cooling plate.