Experimental and numerical studies on capture of SO3 aerosols from flue gas using finned tube condenser with vortex generators

A heterogeneous condensation device of finned tube condenser equipped with vortex generators has been proposed for capturing SO3 aerosols and moisture from saturated flue gas. An original numerical model for simulating the growth and capture behavior of SO3 aerosols was proposed and verified. The simulation results show that the mean diameter and capture efficiency all increase gradually along the mainstream direction. The VGs can induce a large number of low-velocity recirculation zones on the fin surface, thereby promoting the agglomeration and deposition of SO3 aerosols. The experimental results show that the maximum number and mass capture efficiencies reached 81.1% and 40.1% respectively at SO3 concentration of 30 mg/m3. Besides, the rear end of the condenser has the smallest condensate volume and the lowest condensate pH value, which makes this part more susceptible to corrosion. Moreover, the effects of main parameters were also explored to provide references for engineering applications.