Abstract
ABSTRACT The influence of the air flow pattern on the effectiveness of a mechanical–draught heat exchanger under the influence of a cross–wind is studied. A thorough understanding of the flow field and associated phenomena is imperative for the optimal design of such systems. The flow field is modelled numerically and the governing equations are discretized using the finite volume method. The computational process is divided into three stages. During the first stage the flow through the heat exchanger is assumed to be uniform and the global flow field is calculated using the general purpose code PHOENICS. The pressure field is then used to calculate the performance of the individual fans during the second stage using the code FLOWAX. The global flow field is then recalculated in the third stage using the fan performance data. It is shown that the occurence of recirculation can have a significant effect on the effectiveness of the heat exchanger. It is important that the heat transfer should be based on the local flow conditions and that the influence of the flow field on the performance of the fans should be taken into account.
Published Version
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