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Investigation of the geometrical structure of louvered fins in fin-tube heat exchangers for determining the minimum distance of the headers

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Abstract

The effects of the geometrical arrangement of fins on the streamlines, pressure drop and heat transfer in louvered fin and tube compact heat exchangers were numerically studied using the ε-NTU method. The effects of pitch variation, angle, the number of louvers, and flow redirection location in a series of the fins, as well as non-louvered inlet and exit fin length were investigated. Also, the effects of the aligned, non-aligned, positive, and negative louver angles were examined. The simulation results show that the redirection of streamlines depends on the louver angle and the distance of flow re-direction location from the inlet edge of the fin and not on the non-louvered inlet and exit fin lengths, fin pitch, or the number of louvers. Moreover, based on the obtained results, the angle relative to horizon of suction or blowing direction does not affect heat exchanger efficiency. In contrast, the alignment of suction or blowing directions in multiple fins has a significant impact on heat exchanger performance, increasing the amount of heat transfer by 40 %. An analytical equation has been proposed for estimating the maximum height of flow deviation based on two effective parameters of louver angle and the distance of flow redirection location from the inlet edge of the fin.

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Abbreviations

Ac :

Cross section air flow [m2]

C:

Heat capacity rate [J/kg K]

Cf :

Pressure coefficient [-]

Cp :

Specific heat [J/kg K]

Cr :

Capacity rate ratio [-]

Dhf :

Hydraulic diameter [mm]

Fh :

Fin height [mm]

Fp :

Fin pitch [mm]

hc :

Heat transfer coefficient [W/m2 K]

Hf :

Radiator height [mm]

k:

Thermal conductivity [W/m K]

lf :

Fin length [mm]

Lp :

Louver pitch [mm]

Lf :

Radiator width [mm]

LL :

Louver height [mm]

LR :

Distance of inlet and redirection region [mm]

NL :

Louver number [-]

Nu:

Nusselt number [-]

NTU:

Number of transfer unit [-]

p:

Pressure [Pa]

Δp:

Pressure drop [Pa]

UA:

Overall heat transfer coefficient [W/K]

S1 :

Non-louvered inlet and exit fin length [mm]

S2 :

Redirection length [mm]

t:

Fin thickness [mm]

T:

Temperature [K]

tf :

Fin depth in flow direction [mm]

u:

Velocity [m/s]

ε:

Effectiveness

θL :

Louver angle [°]

ν:

Kinematic viscosity [NS/m2]

ρ:

Density [kg/m3]

α :

Thermal diffusivity [m2/s]

a:

Air

c:

Cold

f:

Fin

h:

Hot

in:

Inlet

max:

Maximum

min:

Minimum

out:

Outlet

w:

Water

m:

Average

s:

Surface

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express gratitude to Gholamhassan Javaherpour and Ebrahim Kohinpoor, senior managers of Radiator Iran Company, for the close cooperation and support of this work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran

    Rouhollah Moosavi

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University Campus 2, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

    Ahmad Vaisi

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

    Kourosh Javaherdeh

Authors
  1. Rouhollah Moosavi
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  2. Ahmad Vaisi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rouhollah Moosavi.

Additional information

Recommended by Editor Yong Tae Kang

Rouhollah Moosavi is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Yasouj University, Iran. He received his Ph.D. in 2014 in School of Mechanical Engineering in Iran University of Science & Technology. His current research interests include fluid mechanics, multiphase flow, thermal performance, porous media and nanofluids.

Ahmad Vaisi is a Ph.D. researcher in Mechanical Engineering, University of Guilan, Iran. His current research interests include fluid mechanics, multiphase flow, thermal performance, porous media and nanofluids.

Kourosh Javaherdeh is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Guilan, Iran. He received his Ph.D. in 1996 in Mechanical Engineering, University of Nancy II. His current research interests include non-Newtonian fluids, heat transfer, and thermodynamics.

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Moosavi, R., Vaisi, A. & Javaherdeh, K. Investigation of the geometrical structure of louvered fins in fin-tube heat exchangers for determining the minimum distance of the headers. J Mech Sci Technol 35, 1721–1731 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-021-0335-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-021-0335-4

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