• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1801-1811
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• 2003

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of air-side fouling and cleaning on the performances of various condenser coils used in unitary air-conditioning systems. A total of six condenser coils with different fin geometry and row number were tested. Performance tests were performed at three different conditions: clean-as-received, after fouling, and after cleaning. In all cases, it was observed that the fouling was mostly confined to the frontal face of the heat exchanger as reported in the previous investigations. The amount of deposited dust was more dependent on fin geometry for the single-row heat exchangers than for the double-row heat exchangers. The predominant effect of fouling was to cause a more significant increase in air-side pressure drop than a degradation in heat transfer performance. For the single-row heat exchangers, the pressure drop increased by 28 to 31%, while the heat transfer performance decreased by 7 to 12% at the standard air face velocity of 1.53 m/s depending on fin shape. For the double-row heat exchangers, the pressure drop increased by 22 to 37%, and heat transfer performance decreased by only 4-5% at the same air face velocity. Once the contaminated coils were cleaned according to the given cleaning procedure the original performance of the heat exchangers could almost be recovered completely. The pressure drop could be restored within 1 to 7% and the heat transfer performance could be recovered to within 1 to 5% of the originally clean heat exchangers. Therefore, it is concluded that a periodic application of the specified cleaning technique will be effective in maintaining the thermal performance of the condenser coils.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.957-963
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• 2003

The present work was conducted to investigate the air-side thermal-hydraulic performance of the brazing fin-tube heat exchanger. Pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient for a plain and a louvered fin configuration were compared numerically and experimentally. It was found that the heat transfer characteristics for the plain fin were similar to the developing flow in the rectangular channel. The louver fin showed about twice better heat transfer coefficient than the plain fin. Previous empirical correlations presented by Davenport, Sunden and Svantesson, Sahnoun and Webb, Chang and Wang, Achaichia and Cowell, and Kang were compared with the present experimental data.

• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.519-524
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• 2008

In the present study, the air-side heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of the fin-tube and PF heat exchangers have been experimentally investigated under the cooling standard condition. Fin type of PF heat exchanger is a triangler and squarer form. The experimental data of the slit fin-tube and two kinds of PF heat exchangers are measured using the air-enthalpy calorimeter and the constant temperature water bath. As the inlet air velocity increases, the heat transfer rate and pressure drop of the heat exchanger increased. The heat transfer rate and pressure drop of PF-2 heat exchanger of the squarer fin is larger than that of PF-1 heat exchanger of the triangler fin. As the inlet air temperature increases, the heat transfer rate decreases and the pressure drop is nearly uniform.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.589-599
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• 1998

Air side heat transfer and pressure drop for fin-tube heat exchanger with wave and wave-slit fins were measured for various fin spacings and number of tube rows. Outer diameter of the tube including fin collar is 10.07mm, and experiments were done with dry surface condition. Longitudinal and transverse tube spacings of the heat exchangers are 21.65mm and 25mm respectively, and wave depth of the wave fin is 2mm. Experiments were conducted for 1, 2 and 3 rows and 3 different fin spacings, 1.3, 1.5 and 1.7mm. An attempt was made to demonstrate advantage of the enhanced fins over the plane fin by introducing the concept of fan power, Effect of the number of tube rows on heat transfer was discussed in connection with general mechanisms of heat transfer enhancement for fin-tube heat exchanger. Also the effect of hydrophilic coating was investigated. Lastly, correlations for Colburn j-factor and friction factor were developed.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.599-604
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• 2008

An experimental study has been performed to investigate the air-side capacity and pressure drop of the fin-tube heat exchanger for a fan coil unit under a cooling condition. The experimental data of five kinds of slit fin-tube heat exchangers were measured using an air-enthalpy calorimeter and a constant temperature water bath. Cooling capacities at the air and water rating flow rates were larger at the lower inlet water temperature. With increasing the water flow rate, the cooling capacity increased at the constant rate. Under the lower inlet water temperature, since the condensate was generated more on the fin-tube surface, the air-side pressure drop of the heat exchanger was larger.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.422-429
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• 2000

Plate and shell heat exchanger(P&SHE) is widely applied as evaporators or condensers in the refrigeration and air conditioning systems for their high efficiency and compactness. In order to set up the database for the design of the P&SHE, heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics for single phase flow of water in a plate & shell heat exchanger are experimentally investigated in this study. Single phase heat transfer coefficients were measured for turbulent water flow in a plate and shell heat exchangers by Wilson plot method. The shell side heat transfer resistance was varied and the overall heat transfer coefficients were measured. The single-phase heat transfer coefficients in a plate side were obtained by Wilson plot method. Single-phase heat transfer correlations based on projected heat transfer area and friction factor correlations have been proposed for single phase flow in a plate and shell heat exchanger.

• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.252-257
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• 2007

The present study investigated the effect of air velocity on frost formation of slit fin-and-tube heat exchanger under frosting condition. The slit fin-and-tube heat exchanger with outer tube diameter 7.0mm and 1 row was used. Air side pressure drop, photographs of frost distribution, frost accumulation and frost thickness were presented with respect to the frosting time. In the early stage of experiment, the case with air velocity of 1.5m/s showed 403% higher for the air pressure drop than the case with the air velocity of 0.5m/s. As the frost was accumulated, the effect of air velocity on air pressure drop was decreased. In the end stage of test, air pressure drops of two cases were very close and air pressure drop for the air velocity of 0.5m/s was higher than that of 2.0m/s. It was also shown in the photographs of frost distribution, frost accumulation and frost thickness. From frost thickness, fanning friction factor was presented.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.247-253
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• 2003

The new shape of louver-fin has been applied to a parallel flow condenser to enhance air-side heat transfer rate lot an automotive air-conditioner R- l34a is employed as a refrigerant inside the flat tube of the condenser, This problem is of particular interest in reducing the geometric size of the automotive air conditioner The effect of air flow rate on pressure drop as well as heat transfer in air side are studied in detail. Comparison of the performance is also made with that of a conventional parallel flow condenser, which is available in the market. The results obtained indicate that the total pressure drop through the pre sent condenser is not changed, while the heat transfer rate is increased by 24% at high veto city of air flow, compared with those of the conventional condenser. The parallel flow condenser with a new shape of louver-fin could be reduced in size by 20% for the equivalent condenser capacity, compared with the conventional parallel flow condenser.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2003

To reduce the air side pressure drop in air-cooled heat exchanger, tow-in type winglet vortex generators are applied. A specially designed multiple-channel test core was used in the experiments for the various geometry of winglet vortex generators. The proposed tow-in type vortex generator gives significant separation delay, reduces form drag, and removes the zone of poor heat transfer from near-wake of the tubes. The results show the significant pressure drop reduction for the tow-in win91e1 vortex generators with the similar enhancement of the heat transfer as other vortex generator applications in heat exchanger. In the range of Reynolds number of 350 to 2100 the pressure drop decrease 8∼15% and 34∼55% for the in-line and staggered tube banks, respectively, compared to those without vortex generators.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.157-163
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• 2008

The present study investigated the pressure drop and the total frost mass of the louvered fin type heat exchanger, which is widely used at the air-conditioning system. The pressure drop due to the frosting phenomenon and the total frost mass were investigated by changing the wet bulb temperature condition of the inlet air. Hence the brain of 55wt% was used as a cooling solution instead of a common refrigerant. The temperature difference between the brine and the tube outside wall at the outlet of heat exchanger was $10^{\circ}C$, at maximum, higher than that at the inlet of heat exchanger. As the wet bulb temperatures were increased, the pressure drop was linearly increased due to the increment of frost mass. And the increment of heat exchange rate was smaller than that of inlet air enthalpy due to the increment of frost mass. The pressure drop of air side was rapidly increased due to the progress of frosting phenomena. The run time that the pressure drop occurred rapidly was decreased by the growth of frost.