Estimation of a tube diameter in a 'church window' condenser based on entropy generation minimization.

The internal diameter of a tube in a 'church window' condenser was estimated using an entropy generation minimization approach. The adopted model took into account the entropy generation due to heat transfer and flow resistance from the cooling-water side. Calculations were performed considering two equations for the flow resistance coefficient for four different roughness values of a condenser tube. Following the analysis, the internal diameter of the tube was obtained in the range of 17.5 mm to 20 mm (the current internal diameter of the condenser tube is 22 mm). The calculated diameter depends on and is positively related to the roughness assumed in the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]