Design and simulation of a new type of fin-and-tube heat exchanger with trapezoidal slit fins

Abstract

Slit fin-and-tube heat exchangers are extensively utilized in industry. The design of fin structure is crucial for improving the performance of heat exchanger and reducing energy losses. In this study, a new type of fin-and-tube heat exchanger with trapezoidal slit fins was proposed in this study. To determine the performance of the fins, physical and mathematical models of heat exchanger with the fin spacing Fp of 2.65 mm were established. The effects of structural parameters on heat exchanger performance were investigated by numerical simulation, which includes the slit height Sh, slit width Sw, transverse tube spacing Pt, and longitudinal tube spacing Pl. The effects of the four structural parameters on the comprehensive performance were analyzed by the evaluation index. The results revealed that the comprehensive performance of trapezoidal slit fins had increased by 9.6 % compared to flat fins. Furthermore, the influence degree of structural parameters on heat transfer performance was obtained based through the orthogonal experiments. The order of influence degree was as follows: Pl > Pt > Sh > Sw. Additionally, the optimal parameter combination was also obtained as follows: Sh = 1.47 mm, Pt = 42 mm, Pl = 27.5 mm, and Sw = 4 mm.