Study of heat transfer during steam condensation in the tubes of diesel radiator cores

The article contains an assumption about the practicability of using the processes of boiling and condensation of the coolant in the cooling system of a locomotive diesel in order to reduce the energy consumption of fans of the refrigerating chamber. The possibility of using of standard radiator cores of a diesel locomotive with flat tubes as steam condensers is considered. The results of the criterion equation of heat transfer from steam to a flat tube during condensation, obtained by the mathematical model of this process, are estimated. The assessment was carried out by comparison with experimental data. The influence of the initial steam velocity, the corresponding tube diameter, the working length of the tube, the physical properties of steam and condensate is considered. The comparison of the influence of these factors on heat transfer in round and flat tubes of a locomotive radiator core is carried out. The processed results of physical and numerical experiments for both circular and flat tubes are shown in the graphs and regression equations. The advantage of flat tubes over round ones in terms of heat transfer intensity during steam condensation, which can reach 24%, for a standard radiator core of a diesel locomotive was found.