The potential for additive manufacturing of compact horizontal spiral tube condensers

Research on heat transfer and pressure drop in Archimedean spiral coil heat exchangers is limited, with little focus on condensation applications and flow hydrodynamics. Despite challenges in fabrication, spiral coils offer advantages in compactness and enhanced heat transfer. Although centrifugal forces improve heat transfer, they simultaneously increase pressure losses. Heat transfer correlations for two-phase condensing flow in Archimedean spiral coils remain unpublished. Additive manufacturing offers a promising solution for the fabrication of Archimedean spiral coil heat exchangers. This paper reviews the application of Archimedean spiral coils in compact condensers, the thermo-hydraulic design of spiral coil heat exchangers, and explores the potential of additive manufacturing for their production.