Vapor condensation on nonisothermal curvilinear fins

An analytical expression is obtained for the optimum curvature of a nonisothermal fin featuring stationary condensation of motionless vapor under the conditions of a significant influence of the surface tension on the motion of a condensed liquid. An algorithm is proposed and realized that finds the optimum surface shape for an unknown temperature distribution in the nonisothermal fin. The algorithm is based on a joint solution of the equations of heat conduction and condensed liquid film flow on the fin surface. Allowance for the thermal conductivity of a material in optimization of the fin shape provides for a significant increase in the condensate outflow as compared to the case of the optimum isothermal fin shape and a finite thermal conductivity of the material.