Experimental investigation of a cooled thick fin in dry and humid air flows

The results of a study are reported in which a cooled, thick vertical fin was tested in a closed loop tunnel with and without condensation from the air flowing over it. In particular, the temperature distributions for the dry and wet fin cases, together with the condensate film thickness in the wet fin case, were investigated. From a flow visualization investigation, it was found that the boundary layer separates at the leading edge, resulting in a higher air heat transfer coefficient. The wet fin test results also indicated that the mode of condensation was dependent on fin surface characteristics and that the wet fin performance was governed by the air flow parameter. Within the laminar air flow range, the condensate film flowed downward under the action of gravity. However, at higher air velocities, both gravity and shear forces affected the condensate flow, a variation in the condensate film in the direction of air flow being noticed.