Local nonsimilarity method for the two-phase boundary layer in mixed convection laminar film condensation

Abstract

The two-phase boundary layer in laminar film condensation was solved by Koh for the free convection regime and forced convection regime using the similarity method. But the problem on mixed convection does not admit similarity solutions. The current work develops a local nonsimilarity method for the full spectrum of mixed convection, with a generic boundary layer formulation reduced to two specific cases mathematically identical to Koh's formulations on the two limiting cases for either free or forced convection. Other solution methods for mixed convection in the literature are compared and critically evaluated to ensure a high level of accuracy in the current method. The current solution is used to extend Fujii's correlation for mixed convection to the region where the energy convection effect is significant but has been hitherto neglected. The modified Fujii correlation provides a practical engineering tool for evaluating laminar film condensation with a mixed convection boundary layer.