TRANSIENT CONJUGATE CONDENSATION PROCESS ON A VERTICAL PLATE WITH FINITE THERMAL INERTIA

In this paper we analyse the transient condensation process of saturat ed vapor in contact with one surface of a vertical thin plate, caused by a uniform cooling rate on the other surface of the plate, applied a t a time t = 0. The effects of longitudinal and transversal hear condu ction, as well as the thermal inertia for the plate, are considered. T he nondimensional governing equations are reduced to a system of four partial differential equations with six nondimensional parameters. The transient evolution of the condensed layer thickness and the temperat ure of the plate are obtained using different realistic limits,includi ng the cases of very good and poor conducting plates. Copyright (C) 19 96 Elsevier Science Ltd.