An Investigation of the Performance of Confined, Saw-Tooth Shaped Wire-on-Tube Condensers

Petroski, S.J.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/11901 Copy

Description

Title

An Investigation of the Performance of Confined, Saw-Tooth Shaped Wire-on-Tube Condensers

Author(s)

Petroski, S.J.

Contributor(s)

Clausing, A.M.

Issue Date

1999-08

Keyword(s)

• wire condensers
• tube condensers

Abstract

This thesis presents the results of an experimental investigation of the performance of several saw-tooth shaped wire-on-tube condensers with respect to a forced air flow. The condensers were confined in a variable height wind tunnel test section and subjected to free-stream velocities ranging from 0.2 to 2.0 mls (0.66 to 6.6 ft/s). An overall energy balance was applied to the 'refrigerant' (water for this study) giving the total heat transfer rate from the condenser. The heat loss due to radiation was estimated and accounted for, as was the fin efficiency of the wires. As a result, the air-side convection heat transfer performance was determined and compared for each of the condensers. To get a more complete understanding of the performance, the air pressure drop through the condensers also was measured, which allowed the calculation of the fan power required to cool the coils. Influences of condenser orientation (\jI = 0 for air flow normal to the wires and \jI = nl2 for air flow normal to the tube passes), saw-tooth amplitude, wire spacing, and clearance (degree of confinement) on the performance were determined in this investigation.

Publisher

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center. College of Engineering. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Series/Report Name or Number

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center TR-153

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/11901

Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Project 67

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