Theoretical Analysis of Effects of Wall Suction on Entropy Generation Rate in Laminar Condensate Layer on Horizontal Tube

The effects of wall suction on the entropy generation rate in a two-dimensional steady film condensation flow on a horizontal tube are investigated theoretically. In analyzing the liquid flow, the effects of both the gravitational force and the viscous force are taken into account. In addition, a film thickness reduction ratio, Sf, is introduced to evaluate the effect of wall suction on the thickness of the condensate layer. The analytical results show that, the entropy generation rate depends on the Jakob number Ja, the Rayleigh number Ra, the Brinkman number Br, the dimensionless temperature difference ψ, and the wall suction parameter Sw. In addition, it is shown that in the absence of wall suction, a closed-form correlation for the Nusselt number can be derived. Finally, it is shown that the dimensionless entropy generation due to heat transfer, NT, increases with an increasing suction parameter Sw, whereas the dimensionless entropy generation due to liquid film flow friction, NF, decreases

High-Efficiency HVAC System with Defog/Dehumidification Function for Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles (EVs) generally use an electric heating system to provide heat. However, the heating system consumes a large amount of energy, and therefore reduces the mileage of the vehicle. The energy consumption can be reduced by replacing the electric heating system with a heat pump air conditioning system. Such systems achieve an effective heating of the vehicle interior, but do not provide a defog or dehumidification function. Consequently, the inside surface of the windshield tends to fog in cold weather; leading to poor driver visibility and an impaired road safety. Accordingly, the present study proposes a novel high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system with both heating and defog/dehumidification functions for electric vehicles. The effectiveness of the proposed system is investigated experimentally using a simulated cabin placed in a temperature and humidity-controlled test chamber. The experimental results confirm that the HVAC system achieves the required cooling, heating and defog/dehumidification functions and meets the corresponding standards. Moreover, the application of HVAC in EVs could lead to significant electrical power saving effect

Analytical Investigation into Effects of Capillary Force on Condensate Film Flowing over Horizontal Semicircular Tube in Porous Medium

A theoretical investigation is performed into the problem of laminar filmwise condensation flow over a horizontal semicircular tube embedded in a porous medium and subject to capillary forces. The effects of the capillary force and gravity force on the condensation heat transfer performance are analyzed using an energy balance approach method. For analytical convenience, several dimensionless parameters are introduced, including the Jakob number Ja, Rayleigh number Ra, and capillary force parameter Boc. The resulting dimensionless governing equation is solved using the numerical shooting method to determine the effect of capillary forces on the condensate thickness. A capillary suction velocity can be obtained mathematically in the calculation process and indicates whether the gravity force is greater than the capillary force. It is shown that if the capillary force is greater than the condensate gravity force, the liquid condensate will be sucked into the two-phase zone. Under this condition, the condensate film thickness reduces and the heat transfer performance is correspondingly improved. Without considering the capillary force effects, the mean Nusselt number is also obtained in the present study as Nu ¯|V2∗=0=2Ra Da/Ja1/2∫0π1+cos θ1/2dθ