A heat transfer and friction factor correlation for low air-side Reynolds number applications of compact heat exchangers (1535-RP). (2nd January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shinde, Pradeep; Lin, Cheng-Xian
• Is Part Of: Science and technology for the built environment. Volume 23:Number 1(2017)
• Page Start: 192
• Page End: 210
• Publication Date: 2017-01-02
• Subjects: Heating -- Periodicals; Ventilation -- Periodicals; Air conditioning -- Periodicals; Refrigeration and refrigerating machinery -- Periodicals; Indoor air quality -- Periodicals; Indoor air quality; Air conditioning; Heating; Refrigeration and refrigerating machinery; Ventilation; Periodicals; 697
• DOI: 10.1080/23744731.2016.1203240
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2374-474X

Abstract

Abstract : In this article, an experimental investigation of the heat transfer and pressure drop of compact heat exchangers with louvered fins and flat tubes was conducted within a low air-side Reynolds number range of 20< ReLp < 200. Using an existing low-speed wind tunnel, 26 sample heat exchangers of corrugated louver fin type, were tested. New correlations for Colburn factor j and Fanning friction factor f have been developed using eight nondimensional parameters based on the experimental data. Within the investigated parameter ranges, it seems that both the j and f factors are better represented by two correlations in two flow regimes (one for ReLp = 20 – 80 and one for ReLp = 80 – 200) than single regime correlation in the format of power-law. The results support the conclusion that airflow and heat transfer at very low Reynolds numbers behaves differently from that at higher Reynolds numbers.