Evaluation of Selected Methods of Mitigation of Media Flow Maldistribution Impact in Finned Cross-flow Heat Exchangers

Abstract

The up to date investigations concerning media flow maldistribution in heat exchangers have shown that this phenomena could significantly affect the efficiency of heat exchanger operation. Analyses of a non-uniform gas inlet to cross-flow finned heat exchangers are conducted by means of numerical simulations and experiments for over ten years at the Institute of Thermal Technology of the Silesian University of Technology. This paper summarizes works aimed in evaluation of different methods of mitigating a negative impact of the non-uniform gas inflow on heat exchanger performance.

Numerical and experimental analysis of a tube-and-fin cross-flow heat exchanger with a controlled non-uniform inflow of gas

“…Due to various technical limitations, it may be impossible to make the flow of fluids uniform. The authors of [13] assumed that it was possible to increase the performance of the HE-1 heat exchanger operating in the conditions of a non-uniform flow of the mediums by applying a passive method. However, the application of an air turbulator in the form of a spirally wrapped and axially extruded metal sheet (see Fig.…”

“…2. Air turbulator used to improve the HE-1 heat exchanger operation in the conditions of a non-uniform flow of mediums [13] This paper presents the results of numerical and experimental analyses of a fin-and-tube air-water heat exchanger as presented in Fig. 3 (HE-2).…”