Hie-Chan Kang
Kunsan National University
Ralph L. Webb
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
The literature contains test data on a variety of fin shapes used in finned-tube heat exchangers for air cooling. Based on use of scaling laws, this work seeks to compare the performance of four basic enhancement geometries, including the louver fin, convex louver, offset strip, and herringbone-wavy. The data are compared as Jm (= ηsj) and f vs. Re, and h and Δfm vs. Vfm for the same fm thickness and tube diameter. For the various strip fin geometries, the Jm was well correlated with the Reynolds number based on the average louver length and the free flow velocity. The friction factor associated with the fin was correlated with the ratio of the louver area to the base fm area and the Reynolds number. This work is useful in assessing the relative performance of different fin geometries.