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Enhanced tubing thermal performance for innovative MSF system

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Abstract

Existing MSF systems experience severe mechanical difficulties due to fouling deposited inside the bore of the condenser tubes. The idea of replacing smooth tubing with enhanced tubing is discussed for innovative design. Performance analysis between enhanced and plain tubes is investigated experimentally, using a simulated design test rig. The study is performed for corrugated and smooth resemblance aluminum-brass tubes of 1100 mm length and 23 mm bore. Pumping different coolants as steady transition/turbulent flow, fresh water and authentic brine are conducted to simulate actual environmental conditions. Three different flow velocities are examined: 0.1, 0.1645, and 0.2398 m/s. Comparing results of the brine with that of fresh water shows the effects of fouling on significantly lowering values of overall heat transfer coefficient versus time. The results confirm that the smooth tube has a greater fouling tendency than the corrugated tube. The effect of fouling is reduced as flow speed increases, and consequently, the asymptotic value of overall heat transfer coefficient U* increases. Values of U* for the enhanced tube are much higher than that of the smooth tube. The highest difference occurs at velocity 0.2398 m/s by a factor of about 1.5. Overall, by utilizing real brine, the results proved that heat performance of the employed corrugated tube is superior to the plain, over the studied time period, 140 hrs, and on the studied range of flow speeds.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Technological Studies, Public Authority for Applied Education & Training, P.O. Box 42325, Shuwaikh, 70654, Kuwait

    A. Kalendar, T. Galal, A. Al-Saftawi & M. Zedan

Authors
  1. A. Kalendar
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  2. T. Galal
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  3. A. Al-Saftawi
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  4. M. Zedan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Galal.

Additional information

This paper was recommended for publication in revised form by Associate Editor Man Yeong Ha

Ahmad Kalendar is an assistant professor in the Mechanical Engineering Dept., College of Technological Studies, Kuwait.. He has a B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University, USA. He received his Ph.D degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Wales, Cardiff Wales, UK in 2000. His research interests include the areas of desalination technology, fouling in heat exchanger, and cold-store design.

Tarek Galal received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from An Shams University, Cairo, Egypt, in 1973, his M. Eng. degree from McGill University, Montreal, Canada in 1982, and his Ph.D. degree from Franche-Comte Universite, France in 1989. He is currently a lecturer at the Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology at the Public Authority for Applied Education & Training in Kuwait. His research interests are in the areas of heat transfer and solar energy.

Mohamed G. Zedan is an assistant professor in the Mechanical Engineering Dept., College of Technological Studies, Kuwait. He was a Staff Engineer in the gas turbine engine department, Textron Lycoming, Stratford, CT, U.S.A. He was a Sr. Research Engineer in the gas turbine engine department, Allison Gas Turbine GMC, IN, U.S.A. He has a B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cairo University, Egypt. He has a M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from University of Waterloo, Canada.

Abdelfattah Elsaftawy was a lecturer with the Mechanical Engineering Dept., College of Technological Studies, Kuwait. He has a B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cairo University, Egypt 1968. He has a M.Sc. in thermal power engineering from Cranfield Institute of Technology UK in 1979, and he received his Ph.D degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Cairo University, Egypt in 1998. His research interest is in the area of thermal and fluid flow apparatus designs.

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Kalendar, A., Galal, T., Al-Saftawi, A. et al. Enhanced tubing thermal performance for innovative MSF system. J Mech Sci Technol 25, 1969–1977 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-011-0524-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-011-0524-7

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