Effects of Geometrical Parameters to the Performance of Louvered Fin Heat Exchangers

Abstract:

Numerical study using ANSYS Fluent is conducted to investigate the effects of louver angle on pressure drop and heat transfer of a heat exchanger. Flow simulations are conducted on 3D modeling of multi stacks louvered fins at three different parameters of louver angles which are 22.0o, 25.5o and 29.0o with Reynolds number ranging from 200 to 1000. These Reynolds numbers are based on louver pitch and fin pitch. The flow temperature is set at 300K which is the room temperature, while temperature of louver fin is set at 400K. The results show that Reynolds number based on fin pitch 2.02 mm and louver angle of 22.0o generate higher performance of heat exchanger compared to louver pitch of 1.40 mm and the other louver angles. Therefore, configuration of Reynolds number based on fin pitch 2.02 mm and louver angle 22.0o is preferred to be adopted in the design process of heat exchanger.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 773-774)
• Pages: 398-402
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.773-774.398
• Online since: July 2015
• Authors: Hissein Didane Djamal*, Qiu Yik Woon, Md Seri Suzairin, Shahrin Hisham Amirnordin
• Keywords: Fin Pitch, Heat Exchanger, Louver Angle, Louver Pitch, Louvered Fins

References

[1] M. J. Lawson, K.A. Thole, Heat transfer augmentation along the tube wall of a louvered fin heat exchanger using practical delta winglets, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 51 (9–10) (2008): 2346-2360.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2007.08.016

[2] S.H. Amirnordin, D.H. Didane, M.N. Mansor, A. Khalid, S.M. Seri, V.R. Raghavan, Pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of louvered fin heat exchangers, Applied Mechanics and Materials Journal Vol. 465-466 (2014) pp.500-504.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.465-466.500

[3] T'Joen, C., A. Jacobi, M. De Paepe, Flow visualisation in inclined louvered fins, Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science 33(4) (2009) 664-674.

DOI: 10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2009.01.003

[4] Malapure, V. P., Sushanta K. Mitra, and A. Bhattacharya. Numerical investigation of fluid flow and heat transfer over louvered fins in compact heat exchanger., International journal of thermal sciences 46. 2 (2007): 199-211.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2006.04.010

[5] Zhang, X., and D. K. Tafti. Flow efficiency in multi-louvered fins., International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 46. 10 (2003): 1737-1750.

DOI: 10.1016/s0017-9310(02)00482-9

[6] Bellows, K. D. Flow visualization of louvered-fin heat exchangers. Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center. College of Engineering. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign., (1997).

[7] Al-Bakhit, Hussien, and Ahmad Fakheri. Numerical simulation of heat transfer in simultaneously developing flows in parallel rectangular ducts., Applied thermal engineering 26. 5 (2006): 596-603.

DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2005.07.002

[8] Achaichia, A., and T. A. Cowell. Heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of flat tube and louvered plate fin surfaces., Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science 1. 2 (1988): 147-157.

DOI: 10.1016/0894-1777(88)90032-5