Predicting the Air-Side Thermal -Hydraulic Performance Characteristics of Flat-Tube Louver-Fin Heat Exchangers Under Dry and Wet Conditions
Park, Young-Gil
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/83874
Description
Title
Predicting the Air-Side Thermal -Hydraulic Performance Characteristics of Flat-Tube Louver-Fin Heat Exchangers Under Dry and Wet Conditions
Author(s)
Park, Young-Gil
Issue Date
2007
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Jacobi, Anthony M.
Department of Study
Mechanical Engineering
Discipline
Mechanical Engineering
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Engineering, Mechanical
Language
eng
Abstract
A simple area-partitioning method for analyzing the wind-tunnel data is developed for flat-tube heat exchangers under partially wet conditions, and new air-side performance correlations are presented for both dry- and wet-surface conditions. Correlations between the Colbum j or f factors and the Reynolds numbers are developed in the conventional way and compared to multivariate non-parametric regressions. The conventional correlations significantly extend prior work by expanding the parameter space and establishing a physical basis for the form of the fits. However, it is found that multivariate non-parametric regressions can dramatically reduce the RMS errors if a large, well-structured dataset is used. Furthermore, this method provides statistical indicators that can be used to prevent over-fitting when the dataset is limited. Important condensate retention and drainage mechanisms are identified and modeled using analytical and numerical methods. When condensate obstructs the louver gap, boundary layer re-starting does not occur, and the most important heat transfer enhancement mechanism in these flows lost. It is shown that surface tension can maintain inter-louver condensate bridges against gravity and flow-generated shear and pressure forces, even at air-side Reynolds numbers much higher than are typical to the applications of interest. Thus, maintaining wet-surface heat transfer performance depends on avoiding the initial formation of inter-louver bridges.
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