COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN OF MULTICOMPONENT CONDENSER

Abstract

The present investigation pertains to a theoretical study of computer aided design of multicomponent condenser. Basically it deals with the development of design algorithm for the multicomponent condenser. It also includes the comparison of present algorithm with the Kern's method. In the last it describes the effect of operating variables viz. vapour flow rate, vapour inlet temperature, coolant flow rate and coolant inlet temperature on the design parameters. Using the method proposed by Bell and Ghaly a design algorithm has been developed for the condensation of multicomponent vapour mixture in shell side of a shell and tube vertical condenser. Based on this algorithm a computer program has been developed and design has been obtained for the condensation of a hydrocarbon vapour mixture containing propane, butane, hexane, heptane and octane in the molar composition of 0.15, 0,25, 0.05, 0.30 and 0.25 respectively. The heat transfer area calculated by the present investigation has been compared with the Kern's method. It has been found that Kern's method provides lesser heat transfer area than the Bell and Ghaly's method which is used in the present investigation. This is due to the fact that Kern's method does not consider the mass transfer resistance and does not take care to handle the sensible heat transfer during condensation as these facts have been incorporated in the Bell and Ghaly's method by taking one phase heat transfer coefficient during vapour sensible heat transfer. The CPU time for the design of multicomponent condenser by this programme is found to be 0.5 second.