Search Results (6)

Recently, phase change materials (PCMs) have gained great attention from engineers and researchers due to their exceptional properties for thermal energy storing, which would effectively aid in reducing carbon footprint and support the global transition of using renewable energy. The current research attempts to enhance the thermal performance of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger by means of using PCM and a modified tube design. The enthalpy–porosity method is employed for modelling the phase change. Paraffin wax is treated as PCM and poured within the annulus; the annulus comprises a circular shell and a fined wavy (trefoil-shaped) tube. In addition, copper nanoparticles are incorporated with the base PCM to enhance the thermal conductivity and melting rate. Effects of many factors, including nanoparticle concentration, the orientation of the interior wavy tube, and the fin length, were examined. Results obtained from the current model imply that Cu nanoparticles added to PCM materials improve thermal and melting properties while reducing entropy formation. The highest results (27% decrease in melting time) are obtained when a concentration of nanoparticles of 8% is used. Additionally, the fins’ location is critical because fins with 45° inclination could achieve a 50% expedition in the melting process. Full article

The performance of heat exchangers is severely limited by airside thermal resistance. The effect of redirection louvers (RLs) on the airside thermal performance of a compact flat-tube louvered fin heat exchanger was investigated. A steady-state 3D numerical analysis was conducted for different fin configurations by varying the number of RLs (N_RL = 1, 2, 3, and 5). Conjugate heat transfer analysis was performed at the low Re (50–450) for domestic and transport air-conditioning applications. Geometric parameters such as louver pitch, louver angle, fin pitch, and flow depth were set as 1.7 mm, 27°, 1.2 mm, and 20 mm, respectively. The effective heat transfer fin surface areas of different fin configurations were also kept identical for a comparative analysis. The influence of the RLs on the airside thermal–hydraulic performance was analysed by exploring the local and average Nusselt numbers, pressure drop, Colburn j factor, friction factor f, performance evaluation criteria (PEC), and flow efficiency of different fin configurations. The numerical results revealed that the asymmetric fin configuration with two RLs (N_RL = 2) showed the best heat transfer performance for the entire Re range. It resulted in a 33% higher average Nusselt number, causing a 24% higher pressure drop compared to $N_{RL}=5$. At low flow velocities (Re < 75), N_RL = 3 showed better PEC; however, at high flow velocities (Re > 75), N_RL = 1 outperformed other fin configurations. Finally, it was noted that increasing the number of RLs reduced the amplitude of the wavy-shaped flow formed between the neighbouring louvered fin, consequently deteriorating the flow efficiency. Full article

The results of optimisation calculations presented in the article are related to longitudinally finned tubes of a heat pump evaporator operating under natural wind-induced flow of outdoor air conditions. The finned surface is characterised by an unusual, wavy fin shape. The article presents the methodology applied to seeking optimal geometric parameters of the finned tube in which thermal calculations were performed by modelling a mixed convection process on the finned surface using the finite volume method. In the case of maximising the heat flow with the minimum mass of the fins, the optimal solution was dominated by the minimum mass of the fins and thus geometric parameters correspond to the number of fins n = 6, fin height h = 0.065 and fin thickness s = 0.0015 m. Optimisation calculations made for maximum efficiency of the exchanger at constant mass indicated that the tube with ten fins (n = 10) with a height of h = 0.11 m and a thickness of s = 0.0018 m allowed maximum heat flow at the assumed mass of the fins in the exchanger tube model. The article proposes a simplified method of determining the optimal geometric parameters of the profile for any mass and maximum thermal efficiency. Full article

Heat exchanger performance can be improved via the introduction of vortex generators to the airside surface, based on the mechanism that the generated longitudinal vortices can disrupt the boundary layer growth, increase the turbulence intensity and produce secondary fluid flows over the heat transfer surfaces. The key objective of this paper is to provide a critical overview of published works relevant to such heat transfer surfaces. Different types of vortex generator are presented, and key experimental techniques and numerical methodologies are summarized. Flow phenomena associated with vortex generators embedded, attached, punched or mounted on heat transfer surfaces are investigated, and the thermohydraulic performance (heat transfer and pressure drop) of four different heat exchangers (flat plate, finned circular-tube, finned flat-tube and finned oval-tube) with various vortex-generator geometries, is discussed for different operating conditions. Furthermore, the thermohydraulic performance of heat transfer surfaces with recently proposed vortex generators is outlined and suggestions on using vortex generators for airside heat transfer augmentation are presented. In general, the airside heat transfer surface performance can be substantially enhanced by vortex generators, but their impact can also be significantly influenced by many parameters, such as Reynolds number, tube geometry (shape, diameter, pitch, inline/staggered configuration), fin type (plane/wavy/composite, with or without punched holes), and vortex-generator geometry (shape, length, height, pitch, attack angle, aspect ratio, and configuration). The finned flat-tube and finned oval-tube heat exchangers with recently proposed vortex generators usually show better thermohydraulic performance than finned circular tube heat exchangers. Current heat exchanger optimization approaches are usually based on the thermohydraulic performance alone. However, to ensure quick returns on investment, heat exchangers with complex geometries and surface vortex generators, should be optimized using cost-based objective functions that consider the thermohydraulic performance alongside capital cost, running cost of the system as well as safety and compliance with relevant international standards for different applications. Full article

This study performs a 3D turbulent flow numerical simulation to improve heat transfer characteristics of wavy fin-and-tube heat exchangers. A compound design encompassing louver, flat, and vortex generator onto wavy fins can significantly enhance the heat transfer performance of wavy fin-and-tube heat exchangers. Replacement of wavy fins around tubes with flat fins is not effective as far as the reduction of thermal resistance is concerned, although an appreciable pressure drop reduction can be achieved. Adding two louvers with a width of 8 mm to the flat portion can reduce thermal resistance up to 6% in comparison with the reference wavy fin. Increasing the louver number and width can further decrease the thermal resistance. Also, it is found that the optimum louver angle is equal to the wavy angle for offering the lowest thermal resistance. Therefore, compound geometry with three louvers, a width of 12 mm, and the louver angle being equal to wavy angle with waffle height to be the same as fin pitch of the reference wavy fin has the most reduction in thermal resistance of 16% for a pumping power of 0.001 W. Adding punching longitudinal vortex generators on this compound geometry can further decrease thermal resistance up to 18%. Full article

Enhancing the heat transfer mechanism by increasing the heat exchanger surface area is a standard way to overcome low heat transfer on the gas side of heat exchangers. Different geometrical shapes, for example, plain, wavy, or interrupted fin geometries for plate-fin or tube-fin heat exchangers, are used for this task. Wire structures with dimensions in the submillimeter range are already used in regenerators for their heat capacity, but are rarely used in recuperators as heat transfer enhancers. New textile developments enable the fabrication of adapted structures with irregular grid sizes, and purpose-built for heat exchanger application. These wire structures allow for enlarging the heat transfer surface area, decreasing material utilization, and enabling flexibility of different geometrical dimensions. Possibilities for manufacturing and design selection are studied in the project, EffiMet, and thereafter at Fraunhofer ISE for the implementation of highly efficient heat exchanger geometries based on wire structures. Full article