Flow visualization of wave-type vortex generators having inline fin-tube arrangement

This study presents visual observation of enlarged fin-and-tube heat exchangers with and without the presence of vortex generators. Three samples of fin-and-tube heat exchanger having inline arrangements are examined, including one plain fin and two wave-type vortex generators. For plain fin geometry at Re=500, the horseshoe vortex generated by the tube row is not so pronounced, and a very large secondary flow circulation is seen between the first and second row. This flow re-circulation phenomenon is almost disappeared with the presence of proposed vortex generators. The presence of vortex generators significantly increase the vortrical motions of the horseshoe vortices hitting on the tubes. A much better mixing characteristics is seen by introducing the vortex generators. The frictional penalty of the proposed vortex generators are about 25-55% higher than that of the plain fin geometry. The penalty of pressure drops of the proposed vortex generators relative to plain fin geometry is relatively insensitive to change of Reynolds number.     

Thermal performance of a single-row fin-and-tube heat exchanger

Experiments were carried out to study the heat transfer characteristics of a single-row aluminum fin-and-tube crossflow heat exchanger with an emphasis in the regime of low flow rate of the in-tube fluid. The Chilton-Colburn analogy, in conjunction with the least-squares power-law technique, was used to correlate experimental data. Both air- and water-side heat transfer correlations were developed in the form of the Nusselt numbers as a function of Reynolds and Prandtl numbers. The experimental observations are quantitatively compared to the predictions of correlations available in the published literature. Different transfer mechanisms were found to be operative in the ranges of water-side Reynolds numbers based on the hydraulic diameter. In a range of Reynolds number from 1,200 to 6,000, the water-side thermal resistance accounts for less than ten percent of the overall thermal resistance. The dominant thermal resistance is always on the air-side. On the other hand, the thermal resistance of water-side is nearly equal to that of air-side in a Reynolds number range from 500 to 1,200.     

Novel structural designs of fin-tube heat exchanger for PEMFC systems based on wavy-louvered fin and vortex generator by a 3D model in OpenFOAM

Heat management is crucial to the stable and high-efficiency operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) system. However, fin-tube heat exchangers (FTHE) of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles require further optimizations to be applicable to PEMFC vehicles. In the paper, a three-dimensional steady-state radiator model is developed in OpenFOAM to investigate three novel structural designs based on wavy-louvred (WL) fin and vortex generators (VGs). The established model has been carefully validated against experimental data and correlation reference. To comprehensively evaluate radiator performances, the air side heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop, outlet air temperature, heat flux, and JF factor are adopted. It is found that the FTHE with L-VGs has the highest heat transfer coefficient while the FTHE with WL-VGs has the highest pressure drop. The temperature, velocity, and pressure distribution are further demonstrated to reveal performance enhancement mechanisms. It is seen that the heat exchangers with additional VGs produce two sections of high-temperature wakes near the wall, which not only promotes the heat convection but also contributes to the heat exchange in the nearby area. Meanwhile, a low-speed vortex zone behind VGs appears and generates longitude vortex, making the air stream stay longer at fin surfaces. The air flow in FTHE with WL is not as much separated as the conventional FTHE since the zigzag wavy louver restricts flow separation. The paper gives valuable suggestions for cooling capability improvement and radiator volume diminution.     

Second law analysis and heat transfer in a cross-flow heat exchanger with a new winglet-type vortex generator

In this paper a second law analysis of a cross-flow heat exchanger (HX) is studied in the presence of a balance between the entropy generation due to heat transfer and fluid friction. The entropy generation in a cross-flow HX with a new winglet-type convergent–divergent longitudinal vortex generator (CDLVG) is investigated. Optimization of HX channel geometry and effect of design parameters regarding the overall system performance are presented. For the HX flow lengths and CDLVGs the optimization model was developed on the basis of the entropy generation minimization (EGM). It was found that increasing the cross-flow fluid velocity enhances the heat transfer rate and reduces the heat transfer irreversibility. The test results demonstrate that the CDLVGs are potential candidate procedure to improve the disorderly mixing in channel flows of the cross-flow type HX for large values of the Reynolds number.     

Influence of inclination angle,attack angle,and arrangement of rectangular vortex generators on heat transfer performance

We have studied the enhancement of heat transfer by vortex generators. Experiments were performed on rectangular‐type vortex generators mounted on a parallel‐plate heater, and the heat transfer coefficient of the heater surface and pressure drop in the duct were measured. These measurements indicated that a rectangular vortex generator (called a double‐inclined winglet), with inclination angle of the vortex generator surface to the heater surface (β) at 60°, and the attack angle to the flow direction (γ) at 45°, maximizes the local Nusselt number of the heater surface. It was also found that a group of double‐inclined winglets has an optimal arrangement in a winglet array, longitudinal pitch and transverse pitch, that maximizes the ratio [Colburn's dimensionless heat transfer coefficient J_H]/[friction factor f]. The results of numerical calculations showed that the double‐inclined winglet was superior to the conventional rectangular vortex generator in heat transfer. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 32(3): 253–267, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/htj.10089     

开缝布置方式对开缝翅片管换热器 传热与阻力特性的影响

为了获得开缝布置方式对开缝翅片管换热器传热与阻力特性的影响规律,对5种不同翅片管换热器进行了数值模拟研究,并进行了模化试验验证。结果表明：增加开缝会提高翅片管换热器的传热性能,但阻力也随之增加;与开缝位置相比,开缝数量对开缝翅片管换热器传热与阻力特性的影响更大;在Re=4800~7500日时,开缝翅片管换热器综合流动传热性能 随着Re数的增大而增大;在5种翅片中,开缝翅片的综合流动传热性能高于普通平直翅片;数值模拟与试验结果偏差较小,采用数值模拟方法能够比较准确地分析开缝翅片管换热器的传热与阻力特性。     

Transient behavior simulation of fin-and-tube heat exchangers for the variation of the inlet temperatures of both fluids

In this article, a transient behavior simulation of fin-and-tube heat exchangers has been studied. Energy equation for fluid flow and tube wall is derived and solved numerically. The variation of the temperatures of both fluids with time and position are obtained for a step-change in the inlet temperatures of the water and air fluids. The results show that in step-change of inlet water-side temperature, outlet water-side temperature will get steady faster than air-side, while in step-change of inlet air-side temperature, outlet air-side temperature will become steady state faster than water-side. Also, the time constant (the time interval that the flow will reach steady state) of the system is not influenced by the step-change amplitude of inlet air and water temperatures. The inlet water temperature expands along the tube and after a time interval, it reaches the outlet section of the tube. But, the inlet air temperature reaches the outlet section without time delay.     

Effect of a delta-winglet vortex pair on the performance of a tube–fin heat exchanger

The experimental analysis of the effects of delta-winglet vortex generators on the performance of a fin and tube radiator is presented. The winglets were arranged in flow-up configuration, and placed directly upstream of the tube. This is a hitherto untested configuration, but is thought to have certain advantages. In addition to vortex generation the flow is guided onto the tube surface increasing the localised velocity gradients and Nusselt numbers in this region. The study includes dye visualisation and full scale heat transfer performance measurements. The results are compared to a standard louvre fin surface. It was found that the winglet surface had 87% of the heat transfer capacity but only 53% of the pressure drop of the louvre fin surface.     

Heat transfer augmentation in a wedge-ribbed channel using winglet vortex generators

Experimental investigations have been carried out to study the effect of combined wedge ribs and winglet type vortex generators (WVGs) on heat transfer and friction loss behaviors for turbulent airflow through a constant heat flux channel. To create a reverse flow in the channel, two types of wedge (right-triangle) ribs are introduced: wedge ribs pointing downstream and pointing upstream. The arrangements of both rib types placed inside the opposite channel walls are in-line and staggered arrays. To generate longitudinal vortex flows through the tested section, two pairs of the WVGs with the attack angle of 60° are mounted on the test channel entrance. The test channel has an aspect ratio, AR = 10 and height, H = 30 mm with a rib height, e/H = 0.2 and rib pitch, P/H = 1.33. The flow rate in terms of Reynolds numbers is based on the inlet hydraulic diameter of the channel ranging from 5000 to 22,000. The presence of the combined ribs and the WVGs shows the significant increase in heat transfer rate and friction loss over the smooth channel. The Nusselt number and friction factor values obtained from combined the ribs and the WVGs are found to be much higher than those from the ribs/WVGs alone. In conjunction with the WVGs, the in-line wedge pointing downstream provides the highest increase in both the heat transfer rate and the friction factor while the staggered wedge pointing upstream yields the best thermal performance.     

加涡产生器的管片式换热器换热与阻力特性的数值研究

通过数值模拟的方法,研究了小翼式涡产生器对错排圆管管片式换热芯子换热与阻力特性的影响,比较了光板与加涡产生器强化板芯的速度场、横向平均Nu数以及平均对流换热系数、阻力系数的变化规律,为进一步提高其换热性能、改进翅片结构、设计新型换热器提供了理论依据。     

板翅式换热器在燃气轮机进气冷却系统中的应用

将板翅式换热器应用于吸收式燃气轮机进气冷却系统中，降低燃气轮机压缩机进口温度，提高燃气轮机高温条件下的出力，在国内尚无先例。针对板翅式换热器，简要介绍了结构、布置形式和性能。通过实测的运行数据，对板翅式换热器和管式换热器的性能进行了对比。结果表明：板翅式换热器在传热系数、体积、进气阻力等方面，性能优于管式换热器，是一种值得发展的换热设备。最后提出了该板翅式换热器在实际应用中存在的一些问题及对应的处理方法。     

石墨烯-PFA复合材料换热器与金属换热器的传热性能对比

氟塑料换热器以其耐腐蚀、耐磨损等优点而备受关注,但氟塑料热导率较低,换热能力差,限制了其广泛应用。石墨烯-PFA复合材料兼具石墨烯优异的导热性和可熔性聚四氟乙烯(PFA)良好的耐酸碱腐蚀性,是新一代的换热器材料。搭建了余热回收测试实验台,对石墨烯-PFA复合材料换热器和金属换热器的传热性能进行对比。研究了不同烟气流速、不同进口烟气温度以及不同石墨烯配比对复合材料传热性能的影响。结果表明:对于金属换热器和复合材料换热器,当烟气流速从2.0增加到4.0 m/s时,传热系数分别增加到原来的1.19和1.34倍;随着进口烟温的升高,两种材质的传热系数分别降低了15.6%和14.7%;随着石墨烯含量增加,复合材料的导热系数以及传热系数均增加。     

Transversal tube pitch effects on local heat transfer characteristics of the flat tube bank fin mounted vortex generators and their sensitivity to nonuniform temperature of the fin

The tube bank fin is commonly used to increase the area of the heat transfer surface with a small heat transfer coefficient of a heat exchanger. If vortex generators (VGs) are punched on the fin surface, the heat transfer performance of the fin can be improved. This paper focused on the effect of transversal tube pitch on the local heat transfer performance of the three-row flat tube bank fin mounted with VGs. On the fin surface, constructing the flow channel but without mounted VGs, the transversal tube pitch was greater, and the span averaged Nusselt number downstream was larger because fewer interactions of vortices would be generated from different VGs located upstream. When the area goodness factor was used as the criteria on the condition of one tube unit of heat exchanger for commonly used fin materials and fin thickness, the transversal tube pitch has considerable effect on the heat transfer enhancement of VGs. Large transversal tube pitch is more sensitive to fin material than to fin thickness.     

烟气脱硫系统中热管式换热器流动阻力计算

热管换热器的阻力降问题涉及到其研发、设计、应用以及防腐措施等方面,是热管式换热器研究的一个重要方面。文章尝试使用换热器局部数值模拟、宏观多孔介质模拟以及传统经验公式,用三种不同的计算方法对换热器的流动阻力进行计算,并对其结果进行比较和相互验证,较全面地描述热管式换热器宏观和局部的流动阻力场,为包括脱硫腐蚀研究在内的有关热管换热器的进一步研究提供参考。     

翅片间距对平直翅片管换热器传热与阻力特性影响试验研究

为了获得翅片间距Pf对平直翅片管换热器的传热与阻力特性的影响规律,根据相似模化原理对3种不同Pf的平直翅片管换热器进行了试验研究。结果表明:雷诺数Rea在4 000~8 000范围内,努赛尔数Nua数随Rea的增大而增加,欧拉数Eua随Rea的增大而降低;同一Rea下,Nua随Pf减小而增加,但增加不明显,Eua随Pf增大而降低;同一Rea下,Pf越大,综合流动传热性能越好,但实际换热面积会减小,需综合考虑。研究成果可为汽轮发电机平直翅片管换热器的结构和性能优化提供依据。     

板式换热器传热和阻力特性的实验研究

利用搭建的液-液型板式换热器试验平台,根据实验数据运用定性雷诺数法拟合出传热关联式,找出Nu与摩擦因子f之间的通用关系式,为板式换热器的设计计算提供了依据。运用传热量与功率的消耗比来评价板式换热器的性能,找出了影响其性能的主要因素,进一步澄清了单纯依靠提高流速来增加传热性能是不经济的。     

Experimental Study on Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop Characteristics of Four Types of Plate Fin－and－TUbe Heat Exchanger Surfaces

ＥｘｐｅｒｉｍｅｎｔａｌＳｔｕｄｙｏｎＨｅａｔＴｒａｎｓｆｅｒａｎｄＰｒｅｓｓｕｒｅＤｒｏｐＣｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｉｓｔｉｃｓｏｆＦｏｕｒＴｙｐｅｓｏｆＰｌａｔｅＦｉｎ－ａｎｄ－ＴＵｂｅＨｅａｔＥｘｃｈａｎｇｅｒＳｕｒｆａｃｅｓ￥Ｈ．Ｊ．Ｋａｎｇ；Ｗ．Ｌ...     

Heat transfer enhancement by using a rectangular wing vortex generator on the triangular shaped fins of a plate‐fin heat exchanger

The present numerical analysis pertains to the heat transfer enhancement in a plate‐fin heat exchanger employing triangular shaped fins with a rectangular wing vortex generator on its slant surfaces. The study has been carried out for three different angles of attack of the wing, i.e., 15°, 20° and 26°. The aspect ratio of the wing is not varied with its angle of attack. The flow considered herein is laminar, incompressible, and viscous with the Reynolds number not exceeding 200. The pressure and the velocity components are obtained by solving the continuity and the Navier– Stokes equations by the Marker and Cell method. The present analysis reveals that the use of a rectangular wing vortex generator at an attack angle of 26° results in about a 35% increase in the combined spanwise average Nusselt number as compared to the plate‐triangular fin heat exchanger without any vortex generator. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/htj.20285     

Numerical studies on flow and heat transfer in membrane helical-coil heat exchanger and membrane serpentine-tube heat exchanger

The flow and heat transfer characteristics of synthesis gas (syngas) in membrane helical-coil heat exchanger and membrane serpentine-tube heat exchanger under different operating pressures, inlet velocities and pitches are investigated numerically. The three-dimensional governing equations for mass, momentum and heat transfer are solved using a control volume finite difference method. The realizable k-ε model is adopted to simulate the turbulent flow and heat transfer in heat exchangers. There flows syngas in the channels consisting of the membrane helical coils or membrane serpentine tubes, where the operating pressure varies from 0.5 to 3.0 MPa. The numerically obtained heat transfer coefficients for heat exchangers are in good agreement with experimental values. The results show that the syngas tangential flow in the channel consisting of membrane helical coils is significant to the heat transfer enhancement to lead to the higher average heat transfer coefficient of membrane helical-coil heat exchanger compared to membrane serpentine-tube heat exchanger. The syngas tangential velocity in the membrane helical-coil heat exchanger increases along the axial direction, and it is independent of the gas pressure, increasing with the axial velocity and axial pitch rise and decreasing with the radial pitch rise.     

多种纵向涡发生器配置方案流动换热的数值模拟

为了深入挖掘三角翼纵向涡发生器在两个相对壁面布置的强化换热潜力,采用数值模拟方法,在雷诺数3 000～18 000的范围内研究了5种纵向涡发生器配置的流动换热情况,配置方式包括单面布置的共同上、下流配置,双面布置的共同上、下流配置,以及混合配置。结果表明：纵向涡可以很好地提高场协同效果,换热强度不完全取决于通道中的二次流强度,还取决于通道中的场协同性;在所有配置中,混合配置具有最高的二次流强度、最佳的场协同效果以及换热性能,可以将光滑通道的Nu提高28.3%～35.3%;另外4种配置可分别将光滑通道的Nu提高21.4%～32.0%,20.0%～29.2%,26.3%～34.3%和23.7%～28.0%;建议选用Re<6 000范围内的混合配置,此时其具有1.03～1.10的综合换热因子以及1.32～1.35的Nu/Nu₀。