Approximate analysis for laminar film condensation of pure refrigerant on vertical finned surface

A numerical analysis for the free convective laminar film condensation of pure refrigerant on a vertical finned surface is carried out to clarify basic characteristics of heat transfer in plate-fin condensers. The fin and the liquid film shapes are simplified, and the governing equations of the liquid film and the one-dimensional heat conduction equation in the fin are solved numerically using the finite difference method. Three-dimensional distribution of the fin temperature and the distribution of the liquid film thickness along the vertical direction are obtained. The effects of fin shape parameters on the heat transfer enhancement ratio and the fin efficiency are also examined, and a dimensionless correlation equation for condensation heat transfer is proposed.