Aerodynamic Drag Study of the Heat Exchange Equipment with Different Fin Geometries

Abstract

This article is devoted to the method of numerical modelling of aerodynamics when the air flows around fins of a special design, which is implemented in SolidWorks Flow Simulation. The study was carried out for three types of rib orientation, and the aerodynamic drag coefficients were determined for different values of the Reynolds number. It was confirmed that the drag coefficient values depend significantly on the flow regime. The lowest value of the drag coefficient is observed when the fins are oriented from a larger diameter to a smaller one. In the laminar regime (Re < 2300), the average value of CX = 1.04, in the transitional regime (2300 < Re < 10,000), CX = 0.74, and in the turbulent regime (Re > 10,000), CX = 0.22. Characteristic for this case of orientation is a significant decrease in the drag coefficient during the transition from laminar to turbulent regime; the minimum is observed at the flow speed in the range between 2 and 3 m/s.