Heat and mass transfer device

A heat and mass transfer device for transmitting heat between a fluid flowing within a pipe and a solution flowing on the outside of the pipe which absorbs the vapor of a solvent in the vicinity of that solution or where, heat transmitted from a hot fluid flowing within the pipe to the solution flowing along the outside of the pipe produces a vapor from said solution which surrounds the pipe, said heat and mass transfer device comprising:

• a. a pipe oriented vertically for effecting fluid flow therein;
• b. at least two fin assemblies fixedly positioned on the outer periphery of said pipe, axially spaced from each other and each defined by at least two axially spaced series of circumferentially spaced fins fixed at one end to the periphery of said pipe and extending outwardly and upwardly at equal angles .theta. to the pipe axis and formed of heat conductive material, wherein the fins of each series extend parallel to each other, are spaced at a distance (s) from each other and wherein the fin assemblies are spaced longitudinally along the periphery of the pipe such that the longitudinally adjacent fins of respective fin assemblies are set at an interval (d) from each other;
• and wherein, .theta. ranges from about 30.degree. to about 80.degree. and wherein the distance d is at least 2 times the distance s;
• c. means for applying a liquid to the outside of said pipe for flow vertically under gravity influence over said at least two fin assemblies;
• and
• d. means for flowing a fluid internally within said pipe and thereby effecting improved heat transfer between the internal fluid and the external liquid by periodic pulsation of the external liquid by periodic termination of the balance between surface tension on the liquid contained between the fins which maintains the film attachment state of the liquid and the gravity force acting on said contained liquid which breaks said surface tension.