The study of heat transfer during condensation on inclined pipes by gradient heatmetry

The paper presents results of studying of heat transfer during condensation on the outer surface of inclined pipe by using gradient heatmetry. The proposed approach made it possible to estimate distribution of local heat flux per unit area in several sections along the pipe’s length. Combination of gradient heatmetry and thermometry allows us to show dependence of heat transfer coefficient from the angle of pipe inclination. Under experimental conditions the maximal average heat transfer coefficient, α = 6.94 kW/(m 2 • K), was observed when the pipe was tilted at the angle of ψ = 20° from vertical. The relative uncertainty of measured heat flux per unit area was of 7.5 %, and for heat transfer coefficient it does not exceed the level of 8.4%. The use of gradient heatmetry in this study provides us information about films thickness distribution over the pipe surface without optical visualization, which is especially important in experiments at industrial heat exchangers.