Three-dimensional performance analysis of plain fin tube heat exchangers in transitional regime

• Published in: Applied thermal engineering Vol. 50; no. 1; pp. 445 - 454
• Main Authors: Bhuiyan, Arafat A., Amin, M. Ruhul, Islam, A.K.M. Sadrul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 10.01.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Computational methods in fluid dynamics; Devices using thermal energy; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fluid dynamics; Fluid flow; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Heat exchanger; Heat exchangers (included heat transformers, condensers, cooling towers); Heat transfer; Numerical method; Physics; Theoretical studies. Data and constants. Metering; Numerical method; Heat exchanger; Heat transfer; Fluid flow; Performance evaluation; Three-dimensional calculations; Laminar flow; Computational fluid dynamics; Fin
• ISSN: 1359-4311
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2012.07.034

Three-dimensional CFD simulations are carried out to investigate heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics of a four-row plain fin-and-tube heat exchanger using the Commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics Code ANSYS CFX 12.0. Heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of the heat exchanger are investigated for Reynolds numbers ranging from 400 to 2000. Fluid flow and heat transfer are simulated and results compared using both laminar and turbulent flow models (k-ω) with steady and incompressible fluid flow. Model validation is carried out by comparing the simulated case friction factor (f) and Colburn factor (j) with the experimental data of Wang et al. [1]. Reasonable agreement is found between the simulations and experimental data. In this study the effect of geometrical parameters such as fin pitch, longitudinal pitch and transverse pitch of tube spacing are studied. Results are presented in the form of friction factor (f) and Colburn factor (j). For both laminar and transitional flow conditions heat transfer and friction factor decrease with the increase of longitudinal and transverse pitches of tube spacing whereas they increase with fin pitches for both in-line and staggered configurations. Efficiency index increases with the increase of longitudinal and transverse pitches of tube spacing but decreases with increase of fin pitches. For a particular Reynolds number, the efficiency index is higher in in-line arrangement than the staggered case. ► 3D CFD simulations for plain-fin-and-tube heat exchanger. ► Validated with experimental data. ► Parametric study for the effects of fluid flow and heat transfer.