An Experimental Investigation on the Airside Performance of Fin-and-Tube Heat Exchangers Having Nonsymmetrical Slit Fins

Abstract

In this study, the heat transfer and friction characteristics of nonsymmetric slit-finned heat exchangers are experimentally investigated. Louver-finned heat exchangers are also tested for comparison purpose. The effect of fin pitch on j and f factors is negligible. Considering the small variation of the fin pitch (from 1.3 mm to 1.5 mm), the foregoing argument should hold true for the present samples. Louver fin samples yield higher j and f factors than slit fin samples. Both j and f factors increase as the number of tube rows decreases. The row effect is true for both slit and louver fin samples. For one-row configuration, j/f ratios of louver fin samples are larger than those of slit fin samples. The trend is, however, reversed for three-row configuration. Data are compared with available correlations.