Performance Improvement of a Fin-Tube Heat Exchanger Using Rectangular Winglet as Vortex Generator

Abstract

Heat transfer performance of fin-tube heat exchanger can be augmented by using longitudinal vortex generators. Numerical simulations have been performed in the present work for investigating the effect of punching a rectangular winglet having hole from fin surface, on the heat transfer and flow resistance characteristics in a fin-tube heat exchanger. The concept of punching out a rectangular winglet having hole from the fin-plate surface is being proposed here and studied in two configurations namely, common flow down and common flow up. Comparisons on the basis of heat transfer and flow resistance characteristics have been drawn for all the configurations under consideration using Colburn’s factor (j), friction factor (f) and performance evaluation criterion (PEC) also known as area goodness factor (j/f). Investigations have been performed considering Reynolds number in the range of 1500 to 9000 and angle of attack as 45°. The result clearly indicates that punched out rectangular winglet with hole having common flow down configuration at upstream location as exhibiting the best thermal performance, followed by common flow up at upstream location and, common flow down at downstream location.