Experimental performance comparison between circular and elliptical tubes in evaporative condensers

Abstract In refrigeration systems, evaporative condensers have two main advantages compared to other condensation heat exchangers: They operate at lower temperature than traditional air-cooled and require a quantity of water pumping power towers. The mass transfer that occur on tube batteries are difficult study. aim this work is apply an experimental approach investigate the performance condenser reduced scale by means test bench, consisting transparent duct with rectangular section in which electric heaters, inside elliptical pipes (major axis 32 mm, minor 23 mm), simulate presence refrigerant during condensation. By keeping conditions fixed constant, operating air inclination geometry were varied, allowed carry out sensitivity analysis, depending some parameters influence thermo-fluid dynamic phenomena, as well comparison. results showed increases surface exposed directly result increase their inclination, has been varied range 0–20°. For investigated conditions, average increase, resulting 28%.