Experimental and Numerical Study of Heat Pipe Heat Exchanger with Individually Finned Heat Pipes

Abstract

The present study is devoted to the modeling, design, and experimental study of a heat pipe heat exchanger utilized as a recuperator in small air conditioning systems (airflow ≈ 300–500 m3/h), comprised of individually finned heat pipes. A thermal heat pipe heat exchanger model was developed, based on available correlations. Based on the previous experimental works of authors, refrigerant R404A was recognized as the best working fluid with a 20% heat pipe filling ratio. An engineering analysis of parametric calculations performed with the aid of the computational model concluded 20 rows of finned heat pipes in the staggered arrangement as a guarantee of stable heat exchanger effectiveness ≈ 60%. The optimization of the overall cost function by the “brute-force” method has backed up the choice of the best heat exchanger parameters. The 0.05 m traversal (finned pipes in contact with each other) and 0.062 m longitudinal distance were optimized to maximize effectiveness (up to 66%) and minimize pressure drop (less than 150 Pa). The designed heat exchanger was constructed and tested on the experimental rig. The experimental data yielded a good level of agreement with the model—relative difference within 10%.

Numerical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow: A Review of Contributions to the Special Issue

“…[16]. Górecki et al [17] conducted experimental and numerical studies on heat pipe heat exchangers with individually finned heat pipes. The authors conducted a study on modeling, design, and experiments on a heat pipe heat exchanger comprised of individually finned heat pipes utilized as a recuperator in small air conditioning systems with airflow between 300 m 3 /h and 500 m 3 /h.…”

“…In accordance with the authors statement, the method can improve a heat pipe heat exchanger efficiency significantly. Future research should focus on intensifying heat transfer by using turbulators in an individually finned tube bundle located between heat pipes [17].…”

Thermal and viscous irreversibilities in the heat exchanger of individually finned heat pipes using freon R404A as the working fluid

“…The pioneering method advocated was initially applied locally in the evaporator and Condenser. The results obtained locally were used for theoretical-experimental comparison using global experimental results obtained for the heat exchanger under analysis [1] .…”

“…The heat exchanger under analysis consisted of individually finned heat pipes and was taken from theoretical-experimental work, presented through reference [1] . The apparatus was designed so that the configuration of the heat pipes is in a staggered formation.…”

Thermo-Hydraulic Optimization of Shell and Externally Finned Tubes Heat Exchanger by the Thermal Efficiency Method and Second Law of Thermodynamics

“…Górecki, et al [6] elaborate on a tubular heat exchanger project composed of individually finned heat tubes and conduct an experimental study and mathematical modeling to develop a thermal model based on empirical correlations obtained from experimental work. Based on the "brute force" method, the global cost optimization process made it possible to determine the most suitable parameters for the heat exchanger under analysis.…”