Effect of Ambient Temperature Variation on Pressure Drop During Condensation in Long Inclined Tubes

Two-phase flow pressure drop during condensation of steam inside inclined tube heat exchangers was investigated over a wide range of ambient temperature. The ambient temperature changes from 3 to 45 °C, the steam mass flux varies from 3 to 18 kg/(m2 · s), vapor quality ranges from 0.51 to 0.86. 608 data points were experimentally obtained and compared with eight commonly used correlations from the available literatures. Frictional pressure drop increases with increasing temperature difference and fan speed. For the full experimental dataset, the best overall performing correlation was obtained by using the Wallis correlation (MAPE = 17.60%, NRMSE = 14.87%). For cold ambient temperatures, (Tamb < 20 °C, N = 298), the best overall performing correlation was obtained by using the Carey correlation (MAPE = 11.02%, NRMSE = 14.71%). For hot ambient temperatures (Tamb > 30 °C, N = 196), the Lockhart and Martinelli correlation has shown the best performance (MAPE = 16.84%, NRMSE = 20.45%). An improved two-phase frictional pressure drop correlation based on the Wallis correlation (Wallis, 1969, One Dimensional Two-Phase Flow, McGraw-Hill, New York) is proposed.