Condensation of steam with and without the presence of non-condensable gases in a vertical tube Original Research Article

Condensation of steam and steam from non-condensable gases were investigated experimentally inside a vertical tube. The consistency and reliability of the measurements were checked by detailed energy balance. The experimental results show the effect of non-condensable gases on heat and mass transfer resistances in the gas phase of the condensation process. In the steam runs, the gas side heat transfer resistance was very small and the main resistance was due to condensate film. This resistance increased significantly for steam-air runs, particularly toward the top part of the tube. This occurred as a result of accumulation of the non-condensable gases near the surface as the condensation process proceeds, which act as an extra resistance to heat transfer.