Numerical analysis of the elevator boosting performance of flat-tube-and-fin heat exchanger

Abstract

In this work, elevators shaped by NACA 0012 were deployed on the outer surfaces of tubes in a Flat-tube-and-fin heat exchanger, and their structural details were numerically investigated. Then, following an infrared experiment validation, heat transfer coefficient, pressure loss and JF factor were numerically compared to confirm performance enhancement. It is found that the maximum deviations between numerical and experimental data, 6,31 % of heat transfer coefficient and 3,84 % of pressure loss, secure the accuracy of the following comparison, and the maximum increases of heat transfer coefficient, pressure loss, and JF factor are 7,20 %, 0,07 %, and 7,09 % at 12 m/s, respectively.

Keywords

• Flat-tube-and-fin heat exchanger
• NACA 0012
• performance enhancement
• elevator
• CFD