An Experimental Study on Air-Side Performance of Fin-and-Tube Heat Exchangers Having Compound Enhanced Fins Under Wet Condition

Abstract

In this study, wet surface heat transfer and friction characteristics of compound enhanced fin-and-tube heat exchangers were experimentally investigated. Louver-finned heat exchangers were also tested for comparison purpose. The effect of fin pitch on j and f factor was negligible. Both j and f factor decreased as number of tube row increased. Compound enhanced fin samples yielded higher j and f factors than louver fin samples. For one row, j and f factors of compound enhanced fin samples were 11% and 43% higher than those of louver fin samples. For two row, those were 8% and 50%, and for three row, those were 17% and 53%. Heat transfer capacities at the same pressure drop of the compound enhanced fin samples were 2.0% for one row, 3.1% for two row and 8.4% for three row larger than those of louver fin samples, Data were compared with predictions of existing louver fin correlations.