University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Condensate Accumulation Effects on the Air-Side Thermal Performance of Slit-Fin Surfaces

Kim, G.J.; Jacobi, A.M.

Content Files
CR026.pdf

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/13333

Description

Title
Condensate Accumulation Effects on the Air-Side Thermal Performance of Slit-Fin Surfaces
Author(s)
  • Kim, G.J.
  • Jacobi, A.M.
Issue Date
2000-01
Keyword(s)
  • fin-and-tube heat exchangers
  • heat exchangers
Date of Ingest
2009-07-31T18:52:31Z
Abstract
Fin-and-tube heat exchangers are commonly used in air-conditioning systems and ,. improving the efficiency of this component is very important. For a fin-and-tube heat exchanger used as an evaporator, moisture from the air can condense on the heat exchanger when its surface temperature is below the dew point. The moisture on heat exchanger surface usually increases the air-side pressure drop across the heat exchanger and affects the overall thermal-hydraulic performance significantly. The purpose of this study is to investigate condensate accumulation effects on air-side heat transfer performance, particularly for the slit-fin-and-tube heat exchanger. Real-time and steadystate mass of retained condensate are measured in order to characterize retention behavior. Plain-fin-and-tube and slit-fin-and-tube heat exchangers with varying fin spacing, numbers of tube rows and surface coatings are tested under dry and wet conditions. Using dimensional analysis and the experimental data, correlations to predict the heat exchanger performance under dry and wet conditions are developed for a slit-finand- tube heat exchanger. The correlations predict most of the experimental data within 20%. A simple model to predict the mass of retained condensate for the uncoated, slit-fin-and tube heat exchanger is developed and compared to the experimental data, and the predictions agree with the experimental data relatively well.
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 CR-26
Type of Resource
text
Genre of Resource
Technical Report
Language
en
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/13333

Owning Collections

Contract Reports - Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center PRIMARY