Enhancement of Absorption Performance Due to the Wavy Film of the Vertical Absorber Tube

Absorption performance at the vertical interface between refrigerant vapor and liquid solution of $LiBr-H_{2}O$ solution was enhanced by the waves formed due to the interfacial shear stress. The present study investigated experimentally and analytically the improvements of absorption performance in a falling film by wavy film flow. The dynamic parameter was the film Reynolds numbers ranged from 50 to 150. The energy and diffusion equations were solved simultaneously to find the temperature and concentration profiles at the interface of liquid solution and refrigerant vapor. Absorption characteristics due to heat and mass transfer were analyzed for the falling film of the LiBr aqueous solution contacted by refrigerant vapor in the absorber. Absorption performance showed a peak value at the solution flow rate of $Re_{f}>100$. Absorption performance for the wavy film flow was found to be greater by approximately 10% than that for uniform film flow. Based on numerical and experimental results, the maximum absorption rate was obtained for the wavy flow caused by spring insert. The difference between the measured and the predicted results were ranged from 5.8 to 12%.