A computational study of mixed convective heat and mass transfer from a shrouded vertical non-isothermal fin array during dehumidification process

Abstract

A computational study is made on simultaneous heat and mass transfer from a shrouded vertical non-isothermal finite thickness fin array representing dehumidification process undergoing mixed convection. Governing equations involve number of parameters, namely, dimensionless fin spacing (0.1⩽S∗⩽0.5), dimensionless clearance (0⩽tc∗⩽0.2), non-dimensional fin conductance parameter (2830.18⩽Ω⩽5660.37), thermal Grashof number (1.04×105⩽Grt⩽4.82×105), mass Grashof number (2.9×104⩽Grm⩽1.36×105), and dimensionless inlet mixed convection velocities (1123⩽Win,mix⩽2879). Induced velocity is decoupled from the mixed convection velocity and correlated with the governing parameters. Fin temperature distribution shows significant variation along the fin height as well as along the axial direction, especially near the entrance. Local thermal Nusselt number and local condensing Nusselt number show monotonic decreasing trend along the axial direction. Finally induced velocity, pressure drop, overall thermal Nusselt number, and overall condensing Nusselt number is correlated with the governing parameters.