Film condensation of steam on a vertical tube is investigated numerically and experimentally,   in the present work. A mathematical model was set based on the basic conservation laws of mass   and energy, Nusselts analysis of film condensation, and empirical equations available in the   literature. Then, a simulation program in FORTRAN language was developed which simulates the   film condensation of steam on a vertical tube. A complete steam tables subprogram was also   developed and incorporated with the main program. The experimental work was carried out using a   steam condensation test bench. The inlet and outlet cooling water temperatures, steam temperature   and pressure, tube surface temperature at center, and cooling water flow rate are recorded during   each experimental test run. The inlet cooling water temperature, steam temperature, and cooling   water flow rate are used as an input for the numerical program, then the program calculates tube   surface temperature distribution, cooling water temperature distribution, local heat transfer rate,   local condensation heat transfer coefficient, condensate boundary layer thickness distribution, total   heat transfer rate, and average condensation heat transfer coefficient. The effect of various   parameters on the condensation heat transfer coefficient, such as steam temperature, steam-surface   temperature difference, and the presence of non-condensable gas were investigated and reported   graphically. It was found that increasing (steam-surface) temperature difference while keeping the   steam temperature constant results in an increase in condensate boundary layer thickness, which in   turn causes a decrease in condensation heat transfer coefficient. On the other hand, increasing steam   temperature and keeping the (steam-surface) temperature difference constant leads to an increase in   condensation heat transfer coefficient. In addition, the presence of non-condensable gas with   different concentrations was also investigated and it was shown that it causes a noticeable reduction   in the average condensation heat transfer coefficient. An equation for calculating average   condensation heat transfer coefficient on a vertical tube was also developed. The experimental data   obtained from the test runs were compared with numerical results and showed good agreement.   Thus, it can be concluded that the present computational program is suitable for simulating steam   condensation on a vertical tube.