Experimental setup for the investigation of condensation

The pilot plant is used for the experimental investigation of condensation in the outer pillow plate channels. With this plant, the condensation of pure substances as well as of mixtures can be investigated. Based on the experimental results, models are developed to calculate the condensation behavior as a function of the operating parameters.

Condensers
• construction type: pillow-plate heat exchanger
• 3 pillow-plates (0.3 m width and 1 m in length), 2 vapor channels
• separate cooling media supply for individual pillow-plates (mass flow control, temperature measurement)
• measurement of vapor temperatures along the condensation path

Operating conditions
• condensation heat flows up to 90 kW in total
• operation at pressures from 0.05 to 1.1 bar abs
• operation at temperatures from 10 to 110 °C
• inert gas (nitrogen) feeding via an external gas cylinder bundle
• compliance with ATEX directive 1999/92/EC, BGR 104, TRBS 1201 BGI / GUV-I 5139, DIN EN 60079 and VDE 0165-1
• condensing media: water, isopropyl alcohol, water / isopropyl alcohol mixtures, other flammable liquids possible
• liquid volume of the experimental medium: approx. 100l

Measurement technique
• temperatures: 70 Pt1000 class A four-wire circuit
• pressures: 10 absolute and differential pressures
• flow rates: 4 Coriolis flow sensors for the most relevant measuring points in the cooling media and inert gas, 4 impeller flow sensors for the less relevant measuring points in the cooling media, 1 thermal mass flow sensor
• oxygen sensor
• safety monitoring of the atmosphere