Heat transfer from horizontal tubes in pool boiling: influence of three-dimensional heat conduction in the wall of the evaporator tube—a finite element analysis

In pool boiling, the electrically heated tube releases the energy non-uniformly to the liquid, due to different surface roughness and flowing liquid. The heat transfer coefficient therefore varies with axial and azimuthal position on the tube. Hence a finite element analysis has been carried out on a horizontal 1in. copper tube for evaporation in pool boiling for three-dimensional conduction heat transfer. A test tube has been made with different surface structures, tested and analysed for heat conduction effects. It has been observed that significant amount of heat flows in azimuthal and axial directions in addition to the heat flow in radial direction.