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Modeling and Simulation of Dropwise Condensation: A Review

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Abstract

In this review, we present significant developments that have been made in the mathematical modeling and simulations of dropwise condensation. In dropwise condensation, vapor condenses in the form of distinct drops. Modeling of DWC involves modeling heat transfer through a single drop and applying it to a population of drops. In the first part, we discuss heat transfer through a single droplet and compare the approximate analytical solution with the results of numerical simulations. We also address the shortcomings of the analytical model. In the second part, we present methods utilized to find the drop size distribution which are coupled with a model for heat transfer through the single droplet to obtain overall dropwise condensation heat transfer rate. In particular, we discuss the population balance method and the Monte Carlo method to predict drop size distribution and heat transfer rate. We support our discussion with the results from the literature.

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Figure 1:
Figure 2:

Reprinted from Vemuri et al.25 Copyright 2005, with permission from Elsevier.

Figure 3:

Reprinted from Daniel et al.21 Copyright 2001, with permission from AAAS.

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Reprinted from Singh et al.24 Copyright 2018.

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Reprinted with permission from Chavan et al.34. Copyright 2016, American Chemical Society.

Figure 8:

Reprinted from Phadnis and Rykaczewski35. Copyright 2017, with permission from Elsevier.

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Reprinted with permission from Xu et al.37. Copyright 2018, American Chemical Society.

Figure 10:

Reprinted with permission from Xu et al.37. Copyright 2018, American Chemical Society.

Figure 11:
Figure 12:

Reprinted from Singh et al. 24 Copyright 2018.

Figure 13:

Reprinted from Burnside and Hadi49. Copyright 1999, with permission from Elsevier.

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Author notes

  1. Manjinder Singh, Nilesh D. Pawar contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India

    Manjinder Singh, Nilesh D. Pawar & Supreet Singh Bahga

  2. School of Mechanical Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Khurda, 752050, Odisha, India

    Sasidhar Kondaraju

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  1. Manjinder Singh
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  2. Nilesh D. Pawar
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  4. Supreet Singh Bahga
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Correspondence to Supreet Singh Bahga.

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Singh, M., Pawar, N.D., Kondaraju, S. et al. Modeling and Simulation of Dropwise Condensation: A Review. J Indian Inst Sci 99, 157–171 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41745-019-0106-8

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