Effect of domain boundary set on natural convection heat transfer characteristics for vertical annular finned tube heat exchanger. (June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Han-Taw; Chiu, Yu-Jie; Tseng, Hung-Chia; Chang, Jiang-Ren
• Is Part Of: International journal of heat and mass transfer. Volume 109(2017)
• Page Start: 668
• Page End: 682
• Publication Date: 2017-06
• Subjects: CFD along with inverse method -- Computational domain boundary set -- Natural convection -- Finned tube; Heat -- Transmission -- Periodicals; Mass transfer -- Periodicals; Chaleur -- Transmission -- Périodiques; Transfert de masse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 621.4022
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2017.02.043
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0017-9310

Abstract

Highlights: The selection of the flow model can be dependent on the computational domain boundary set. Grid independence assumption may not be appropriate. The effect of the boundary set on air velocity and air temperature profiles is more obvious. Abstract: The main purpose of this study is to use the three-dimensional commercial package along with experimental data and the inverse result of the heat transfer coefficient to investigate the effect of the computational domain boundary set on the natural convection heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics of single-tube vertical annular fin and tube heat exchanger in a box with an upward opening. Various flow models are introduced. The air temperature and velocity profiles, fin temperature and heat transfer coefficient on the fins are determined by the commercial package. More accurate numerical results and an appropriate flow model can be obtained if the resulting heat transfer coefficient and the fin temperature are close to the inverse result and experimental fin temperature data, respectively. However, differences in boundary condition set at the side walls of the box can affect air velocity and temperature profiles. The choice of the appropriate flow model can also be related to the boundary set of the computational domain. Thus, the suitability of the boundary condition set must be checked at the side walls of the box.