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Empirical Correlations of Frost Properties on the Fin of a Heat Exchanger  

Kim, Kyoung-Min (School of Mechanical Engineering, Hanyang University)
Lee, Kwan-Soo (School of Mechanical Engineering, Hanyang University)
Publication Information
Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering / v.21, no.11, 2009 , pp. 629-635 More about this Journal
Abstract
In this study, fin surface temperature and frost properties, i.e., frost thickness and frost surface temperature on a heat exchanger, were experimentally analyzed with different fin thicknesses, fin sizes and thermal conductivities of fin. As a result, it is found that fin thickness and thermal conductivity of fin should be considered in order to design an efficient heat exchanger fin. Correlations of dimensionless average frost properties were proposed as functions of dimensionless air temperature, dimensionless fin base temperature, dimensionless fin thickness, absolute air humidity, Reynolds number and Fourier number. The correlations predicted well the average frost thickness with a maximum error of 10.5% and frost surface temperature with a maximum difference of $0.89^{\circ}C$, respectively.
Keywords
Empirical correlations; Frost properties; Heat exchanger fin; Non-uniform temperature distribution;
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Times Cited By KSCI : 2  (Citation Analysis)
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