Investigation on laminar convection heat transfer in fin-and-tube heat exchanger in aligned arrangement with longitudinal vortex generator from the viewpoint of field synergy principle

• Published in: Applied thermal engineering Vol. 27; no. 14; pp. 2609 - 2617
• Main Authors: Wu, J.M., Tao, W.Q.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aligned arrangement; Applied sciences; Devices using thermal energy; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Field synergy principle; Fin-and-tube heat exchanger; Heat exchangers (included heat transformers, condensers, cooling towers); Longitudinal vortex; Aligned arrangement; Longitudinal vortex; Field synergy principle; Fin-and-tube heat exchanger; Three dimensional model; Laminar flow; Heat exchanger; Reynolds number; Laminar convection; Numerical simulation; Heat transfer
• ISSN: 1359-4311
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2007.01.025

3-D numerical simulation results are presented for laminar flow heat transfer of the fin-and-tube surface with vortex generators. The effects of Reynolds number (from 800 to 2000), the attack angle (30° and 45°) of delta winglet vortex generator are examined. The numerical results are analyzed from the viewpoint of field synergy principle. It is found that the inherent mechanism of heat transfer enhancement by longitudinal vortex can be explained by the field synergy principle, the second flow generated by the vortex generators results in the reduction of the intersection angle between the velocity and fluid temperature gradient. In addition, the heat transfer enhancement of delta winglet with the attack angle of 45° is larger than that of 30°, while the delta winglet with the attack angle of 45° results in an increase of the pressure drop, however, the delta winglet with the attack angle of 30° results in a slight decrease.