A comprehensive review on computational studies of falling film hydrodynamics and heat transfer on the horizontal tube and tube bundle

Falling film evaporation is a promising technology widely applied in refrigeration, desalination and beyond applications owing to the great advantages. However, the liquid film hydrodynamics and heat transfer performance are studied insufficiently. Compered with experiments, numerical simulations are economical and efficient especially in the study of liquid film, through which some microscopic understandings are expected to be extracted. In this paper, a comprehensive review for a large pool of computational studies about falling liquid film flow and heat transfer on the horizontal tube and tube bundle is presented. Computational methods of liquid–gas two-phase flow and mass transfer model, as well as relevant researches were first introduced. Then, the studies on the falling film hydrodynamics, film thickness, sensible heat transfer, flow pattern, evaporation and boiling outside the single tube, tube bundle, special-shaped tube and entire evaporator studied with 2D and 3D models are respectively reviewed in order. Then, the investigations on the falling film breakout and dryout are reviewed. And then, the numerical predictions of falling film thickness and heat transfer coefficient are involved. Afterthat, the benchmark data for falling film numerical simulation are summarized. Finally, some future needs and recommendation relating to crucial technologies that must be solved are proposed.