Air-side thermal hydraulic performance of multi-louvered fin aluminum heat exchangers

An experimental study on the air-side heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics for multi-louvered fin and flat tube heat exchangers has been performed. For 45 heat exchangers with different louver angles (15–29°), fin pitches (1.0, 1.2, 1.4 mm) and flow depths (16, 20, 24 mm), a series of tests were conducted for the air-side Reynolds numbers of 100–600, at a constant tube-side water flow rate of 0.32 m³/h. The inlet temperatures of the air and water for heat exchangers were 21 and 45°C, respectively. The air-side thermal performance data were analyzed using effectiveness-NTU method for cross-flow heat exchanger with both fluid unmixed conditions. The heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop data for heat exchangers with different geometrical configurations were reported in terms of Colburn j-factor and Fanning friction factor f, as functions of Reynolds number based on louver pitch. The general correlations for j and f factors are developed and compared to other correlations. The f correlation indicates that the flow depth is one of the important parameters for the pressure drop.     

Assessment of condensation heat transfer correlations in the modelling of fin and tube heat exchangers

This is the second paper of a series that assesses the performance of a refrigeration system model by means of cycle parameters. In this case, the condensation temperature is the parameter to study and it is focused on fin and tube condensers. It also studies the influence of the heat transfer models on the estimation of this refrigeration cycle parameter and different correlations for the heat transfer coefficients have been implemented in order to characterise the heat transfer in the heat exchangers. The flow inside the heat exchangers is considered one-dimensional as in previous works. In the cycle definition, other submodels for all the cycle component have been taken into account to complete the system of equations that characterises the behaviour of the refrigeration cycle. This global system is solved by means of a Newton–Raphson algorithm and a known technique called SEWTLE is used to model the heat exchangers. Some experimental results are employed to compare the condensation temperatures provided by the numerical procedure and to evaluate the performance of each heat transfer coefficient. These experimental results correspond to an air-to-water heat pump and are obtained by using R-22 and R-290 as refrigerants.     

Heat transfer characteristics of flat plate finned-tube heat exchangers with large fin pitch

The objective of this study is to provide experimental data that can be used in the optimal design of flat plate finned-tube heat exchangers with large fin pitch. In this study, 22 heat exchangers were tested with a variation of fin pitch, number of tube row, and tube alignment. The air-side heat transfer coefficient decreased with a reduction of the fin pitch and an increase of the number of tube row. The reduction in the heat transfer coefficient of the four-row heat exchanger coil was approximately 10% as the fin pitch decreased from 15.0 to 7.5 mm over the Reynolds number range of 500–900 that was calculated based on the tube diameter. For all fin pitches, the heat transfer coefficient decreased as the number of tube row increased from 1 to 4. The staggered tube alignment improved heat transfer performance more than 10% compared to the inline tube alignment. A heat transfer correlation was developed from the measured data for flat plate finned-tubes with large fin pitch. The correlation yielded good predictions of the measured data with mean deviations of 3.8 and 6.2% for the inline and staggered tube alignment, respectively.     

间接空气冷凝扩展表面换热器结构优化

铝翅片管由于成本低、易于成型在间接空冷冷凝器上有广泛应用,其传热系数和阻力与空气速度之间的关系对铝翅片管换热器设计和运行很重要。应用计算流体力学（CFD）方法,对三种结构铝翅片换热器的换热及阻力性能进行了数值模拟,计算结果表明,对于相同的管径,单桥与双桥结构的传热系数基本相同,而双桥的阻力有所增大;对于单桥或双桥结构来说,大管结构的传热系数增大,同时阻力增大较多;当翅片减薄时,传热系数基本不变,而阻力有明显的减小。研究结果对提高空冷凝汽器乃至空冷电厂的运行经济性都具有重要的参考价值。     

干式风机盘管翅片管换热器流动换热的数值模拟与试验对比

利用CFD软件对干式风机盘管翅片管换热器空气侧的流动和换热特性进行数值模拟。同时,将模拟结果与试验数据进行对比分析,结果表明数值模拟计算方法是可行的,可为干式风机盘管产品的优化设计提供参考。     

Frost, defrost, and refrost and its impact on the air-side thermal-hydraulic performance of louvered-fin, flat-tube heat exchangers

The thermal-hydraulic performance under conditions of an initial frost growth on the air-side surface, and for subsequent ‘refrosting’ after a defrost period is experimentally studied for folded-louvered-fin, microchannel heat exchangers. In total, five heat exchangers are considered; the thermal performances during one frost-growth cycle for four different fin geometries are compared in terms of overall heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop, and j and f factors; the defrost and refrost characteristics of two heat exchangers are compared to explore geometry effects. Typically, the performance under refrosting conditions becomes periodic and repeatable after the third or fourth refrosting cycle. The allowable frost growth period (before a defrost is required), the defrost requirement, and the thermal-hydraulic performance depend on heat exchanger geometry for the specimens used in this study.     

Impact of plate design on the performance of welded type plate heat exchangers for sorption cycles

Numerical and experimental analysis was carried out to examine the heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of welded type plate heat exchangers for absorption application using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technique. The simulation results based on CFD are compared with experimental results. A commercial CFD software package (FLUENT) has been used to predict the characteristics of heat transfer, pressure drop and flow distribution within the plate heat exchangers. In this paper, a welded plate heat exchanger with a plate of chevron embossing type was tested by controlling mass flow rate, solution concentration, and inlet/outlet temperatures. The working fluid is H₂O/LiBr solution with the LiBr concentration of 54–62% in mass. The numerical simulation examines the internal flow patterns, temperature distribution and the pressure distribution within the channel of the plate heat exchanger. Three plates of embossing types; chevron embossing, elliptic and round, are proposed and simulated in this paper. The simulation results show reasonably good agreement with the experimental results. Also, the numerical results show that the plate with the elliptical shape gives better performance than the plate of the chevron shape from the viewpoints of heat transfer and pressure drop.     

Air-side performance of brazed aluminum heat exchangers under dehumidifying conditions

An experimental study for air-side thermal-hydraulic performance of brazed aluminum heat exchangers under dehumidifying conditions has been performed. For 30 samples of louvered fin heat exchangers with different geometrical parameters, the heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics for wet surface were evaluated. The test was conducted for air-side Reynolds number in the range of 80–300 and tube-side water flow rate of 320 kg/h. The dry- and wet-bulb temperatures of the inlet air for heat exchangers were 27 and 19 °C, respectively and the inlet water temperature was 6 °C. The air-side thermal performance data for cooling and dehumidifying conditions were analyzed using effectiveness-NTU method for cross-flow heat exchanger with both fluids unmixed. The test results are reported, compared with those for the dry surface heat exchangers, in terms of sensible j factor and friction factor f, as functions of Reynolds number based on louver pitch. The correlations for j and f factors are developed within rms errors of ±16.9 and ±13.6%, respectively.     

An experimental investigation of heat transfer and friction losses of interrupted and wavy fins for fin-and-tube heat exchangers

The present paper discusses the results of an extensive investigation about the performance of various fin configurations, carried out in the Luve Contardo experimental facilities and aimed to enhance the heat transfer capabilities of air-cooled condensers and liquid coolers. Test results here discussed are relative to 15 coil prototypes, having the same tube and fin geometry (25×21.65 mm staggered 5/8” tube banks, 2 mm fin spacing) but different fin surface geometry, from flat to wavy to louvered to “winglet”. Different rates of heat transfer and pressure loss enhancement were obtained, also depending on the quality of the pressing process. General approaches to evaluate the “goodness” of one fin design with respect to another one provided questionable results: pressure loss influence on the air flow cannot be properly evaluated unless the actual fan head curve and the coil dimensions (front area and rows number) are stipulated. The performance of air-cooled condensers was therefore predicted and compared, for various fin design and for coil arrangements of practical interest. The type of fin adopted strongly influences the heat exchanger performance and louvered fins generally provide the best results.     

整体翅片式微通道换热器的数值模拟

采用CFD数值模拟的方法,对整体翅片式微通道换热器空气侧的流动与传热特性进行研究,用场协同的原理分析翅片参数(长度、高度、间距)对换热器性能的影响,并与传统微通道换热器空气侧性能进行对比。结果表明:在考查的翅片尺寸范围内,随着翅片长度的缩短、高度的增加、间距的减小,温度场和速度场的协同性随之改善,有利于换热效果的提高;与传统的微通道换热器相比,整体翅片式微通道换热器空气侧换热性能变差,但是阻力大大降低,总体性能有所改善。     

Effects of thermal conduction in microchannel gas coolers for carbon dioxide

A numerical code was developed for an accurate fully three-dimensional simulation of crossflow compact heat exchangers using finned flat tubes with internal microchannels; such components are often employed as gas coolers in transcritical refrigerating machines CO₂ operated. The equations describing the system were discretised by means of a finite-volume and finite-element hybrid technique for strictly adhering to the real heat transfer process regarding the finned surfaces. The numerical code uses recent correlations by different authors for predicting the heat transfer coefficients both refrigerant side and air side. The results of simulations are verified against experimental data reported in the open literature.The aim of this work is to investigate the effects of thermal conduction inside metal on the overall performance of the considered gas coolers; high-resolution meshes for the discretisation of separating wall and fins makes it possible to avoid much of the approximations typical of the traditional approaches. In particular the efficiency of finned surfaces, the real distribution of thermal fluxes between the two fin roots and the effects of thermal conduction along the walls of microchannel flat tubes are extensively discussed.The numerical simulations confirm that the traditional approach for describing fins, which assumes them as adiabatic at the middle section in order to decouple the equations accounting for the effect of different temperatures at the fin roots, can be considered acceptable in a wide range of applications. In a similar way, the conduction on fins along the direction of the air velocity and the longitudinal conduction on tubes produce a negligible effect on the performance of the considered class of heat exchangers.     

Simulation of air-to-refrigerant fin-and-tube heat exchanger with CFD-based air propagation

A new model for simulating air-to-refrigerant fin-and-tube heat exchangers with computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based air propagation is introduced. This model is based on a segment-by-segment approach and is developed to be a general purpose and flexible simulation tool. The model superimposes a CFD mesh on the heat exchanger model’s geometric grid, interprets the CFD results, and processes them to generate the air propagation path through the heat exchanger. The model is capable of accounting for air flow maldistribution and other complex flow patterns including recirculation zones within the heat exchanger, as well as, entrainment of exit flow into the heat exchanger, using both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) CFD results. The modeling results show that the overall predicted heat load using 3D-CFD simulation results agrees within ±4% of the experimental data, without employing any multipliers on air side correlations.     

Numerical simulation of double-pipe condensers and evaporators

A detailed one-dimensional steady and transient numerical simulation of the thermal and fluid-dynamic behaviour of double-pipe heat exchangers (evaporators and condensers) has been carried out. The governing equations (continuity, momentum and energy) inside the internal tube and the annulus, together with the energy equation in the internal tube wall, external tube wall and insulation, are solved iteratively in a segregated manner. The discretized governing equations in the zones with fluid flow are efficiently coupled using an implicit step by step method. This formulation requires the use of empirical correlations for the evaluation of convective heat transfer, shear stress and void fraction. An implicit central difference numerical scheme and a line-by-line solver was used in the internal and external tube walls and insulation. A special treatment has been implemented in order to consider transitions (single-phase/two-phase, dry-out,…). All the flow variables (enthalpies, temperatures, pressures, mass fractions, velocities, heat fluxes,…) together with the thermophysical properties are evaluated at each point of the grid in which the domain is discretized. Different numerical aspects and comparisons with analytical and experimental results are presented in order to verify and validate the model.     

Air-side heat transfer enhancement of a refrigerator evaporator using vortex generation

In most domestic and commercial refrigeration systems, frost forms on the air-side surface of the air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger. Frost-tolerant designs typically employ a large fin spacing in order to delay the need for a defrost cycle. Unfortunately, this approach does not allow for a very high air-side heat transfer coefficient, and the performance of these heat exchangers is often air-side limited. Longitudinal vortex generation is a proven and effective technique for thinning the thermal boundary layer and enhancing heat transfer, but its efficacy in a frosting environment is essentially unknown. In this study, an array of delta-wing vortex generators is applied to a plain-fin-and-tube heat exchanger with a fin spacing of 8.5 mm. Heat transfer and pressure drop performance are measured to determine the effectiveness of the vortex generator under frosting conditions. For air-side Reynolds numbers between 500 and 1300, the air-side thermal resistance is reduced by 35–42% when vortex generation is used. Correspondingly, the heat transfer coefficient is observed to range from 33 to 53 W m⁻² K⁻¹ for the enhanced heat exchanger and from 18 to 26 W m⁻² K⁻¹ for the baseline heat exchanger.     

Heat transfer enhancement by winglet-type vortex generator arrays in compact plain-fin-and-tube heat exchangers

The potential of winglet type vortex generator (VG) arrays for air-side heat transfer enhancement is experimentally evaluated by full-scale wind-tunnel testing of a compact plain-fin-and-tube heat exchanger. The effectiveness of a 3VG alternate-tube inline array of vortex generators is compared to a single-row vortex generator design and the baseline configuration. The winglets are placed in a common-flow-up orientation for improved tube wake management. The overall heat transfer and pressure drop performance are assessed under dry-surface conditions over a Reynolds number range based on hydraulic diameter of 220 ≤ Re ≤ 960. It is found that the air-side heat transfer coefficient increases from 16.5% to 44% for the single-row winglet arrangement with an increase in pressure drop of less than 12%. For the three-row vortex generator array, the enhancement in heat transfer coefficient increases with Reynolds number from 29.9% to 68.8% with a pressure drop penalty from 26% at Re = 960 to 87.5% at Re = 220. The results indicate that vortex generator arrays can significantly enhance the performance of fin-tube heat exchangers with flow depths and fin densities typical to those used in air-cooling and refrigeration applications.     

十二排圆形翅片管换热器的传热与流动特性研究

采用数值计算方法研究12排大管圆形翅片表面空气侧流体的流动特性,获得不同雷诺数下圆形翅片的速度分布云图、温度分布云图和流线分布图,并将模拟的结果与实验和实验关联式分别进行验证。研究结果表明：翅片间距为9.6mm第一排管壁侧和翅片表面的传热系数分别是翅片间距为2.4mm的1.67和0.97倍;前面六排翅片表面和管壁表面的传热系数具有很强的波动,而在第六排后翅片表面和管壁表面的传热系数趋向于稳定。     

Development of a slug flow absorber working with ammonia–water mixture: part II—data reduction model for local heat and mass transfer characterization

This study deals with a data reduction model for clarifying experimental results of a counter-current slug flow absorber, working with ammonia–water mixture, for significantly low solution flow rate conditions. The data reduction model to obtain the local heat and mass transfer coefficient on the liquid side is proposed by using the drift flux model to analyze the flow characteristics. The control volume method and heat and mass transfer analogy are employed to solve the combined heat and mass transfer problem. As a result, it is found that the local heat and mass transfer coefficient on the liquid side of the absorber is greatly influenced by the flow pattern. The heat and mass transfer coefficient at the frost flow region is higher than that at the slug flow region due to flow disturbance and random fluctuation. The solution flow rate and gas flow rate have influence on the local heat and mass transfer coefficient at the frost flow region. However, it is insignificant at the slug flow region.     

正弦波纹翅片表冷器的传热及阻力特性实验研究

波纹式翅片具有良好的传热和阻力性能,应用于中央空调两器和末端设备中。以正弦波纹翅片换热器作为中央空调表面式冷却器进行了多种干、湿工况条件下的传热和阻力特性实验。对实验结果进行了分析处理,得出了正弦波纹翅片换热器的总传热系数关联式以及阻力特性的经验公式。实验结果对于中央空调两器和末端的设计具有重要的指导作用。     

Numerical study on effect of CuO-water nanofluid on cooling performance of two different cross-sectional heat sinks

In this paper, effect of CuO nanoparticles in distilled water on heat dissipation from electronic components is investigated numerically. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations are carried out to study the rectangular and circular cross-sectional shaped heat sinks, and influence of their sectional geometry on the flow and heat transfer characteristics. The three-dimensional governing equations for fluid flow and heat transfer are solved using finite volume method. The two-phase and single-phase models are used to simulate the nanofluid flow. Comparisons of the numerical results with corresponding experimental data show that the two-phase model is more accurate than the single-phase model. Also, effect of various nanoparticle volume fraction on thermal and hydrodynamic characteristics of the heat sink are discussed in details for two different geometry of channel. The results show that the heat sink with nanofluid has better heat transfer rate in comparison with the water-cooled heat sink. A comparison between rectangular and circular channels at the same Reynolds number and cross section area shows that the heat sink with rectangular channels has lower thermal resistance.