Experimental research on convection–condensation heat transfer characteristics and sootblowing operation strategy of waste heat recovery heat exchanger for dryer exhaust

In this study, air/water vapor mixture with ash particles was used to simulate actual dryer exhaust gas. An experimental study of the convection–condensation heat transfer characteristics of air/vapor mixtures with ash particles across horizontal tube-bundles was conducted under various water vapor mass fractions and concentrations of ash particles. The variation of convection–condensation heat transfer coefficient with time presented four different types, as follows: almost did not change with time; decreased first, then reached stable values; decreased continuously in the experimental time; and decreased rapidly, decreased slowly, and decreased rapidly, with potential to increase again. In general, the convection–condensation heat transfer coefficient decreased with increasing concentration of ash particles and increased with increasing water vapor mass fraction. The reducing effect on the convection–condensation heat transfer coefficient by ash deposition would be weakened by increasing the water vapor mass fraction, but the heat exchanger would be blocked further easily by increasing the concentration of ash particles. Then, a distribution diagram was drawn to present different types of convection–condensation heat transfer curves under various working parameters. Sootblowing operation strategies were proposed under different working conditions to provide reference for the actual operation of the waste heat recovery heat exchanger for dryer exhaust.