OTEC performance tests of the Union Carbide enhanced-tube condenser

Technical Report · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5963405· OSTI ID:5963405

Yung, D T; Hillis, D L; Lorenz, J J; Sather, N F

Results of performance tests conducted on a Union Carbide enhanced-tube condenser with wire wrapping on the ammonia side and internal axial fins on the water side are reported. This unit performed satisfactorily and was free of operational difficulties. At design operating conditions (a heat duty of 3.2 million Btu/h, an inlet water temperature of 40/sup 0/F, and a water flow rate of 3200 gpm) the steady-state value of the overall heat transfer coefficient was found to be 818 Btu/h.ft/sup 2/./sup 0/F, and the ammonia-side and water-side heat transfer coefficients were 5180 and 1130 Btu/h.ft/sup 2/./sup 0/F, respectively. The water-side pressure drop was 1.8 psi. Varying the heat duty from 2.4 million to 4.0 million Btu/h had a negligible effect on thermal performance. The value obtained for the ammonia-side heat transfer coefficient at nominal conditions is about two times that predicted by the Nusselt expression for condensation on a smooth tube. The water-side coefficient is within 3% of the value predicted by the Noranda correlation for finned tubes.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5963405
• Report Number(s): ANL/OTEC-PS-2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140800* -- Solar Energy-- Ocean Energy Systems
AMMONIA
CONDENSERS
CONVERSION
ENERGY CONVERSION
ENERGY TRANSFER
FINS
FLOW RATE
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION
OCEAN THERMAL POWER PLANTS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PIPES
POWER PLANTS
PRESSURE DROP
SEAWATER
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
TEST FACILITIES
TESTING
TUBES
VAPOR CONDENSERS
WATER
WIRES