• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.1681-1691
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• 2002

The heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of heat exchangers with louver fins were experimentally investigated. The samples had small fin pitches (1.0 mm to 1.4 mm), and experiments were conducted up to a very low frontal air velocity (as low as 0.3 m/s). At a certain Reynolds number (critical Reynolds number), the flattening of the heat transfer coefficient curve was observed. The critical Reynolds number was insensitive to the louver angle, and decreased as the louver pitch to fin pitch ratio (L$_{p}$F$_{p}$) decreased. Existing correlations on the critical Reynolds number did not adequately predict the data. It is suggested that, for proper assessment of the heat transfer behavior, the louver pattern in addition to the flow characterization need to be considered. The heat transfer coefficient increased as the fin pitch decreased. At low Reynolds numbers, however, the trend was reversed. Possible explanation is provided considering the louver pattern between neighboring fins. Different from the heat transfer coefficient, the friction factor did not show the flattening characteristic. The reason may be attributed to the form drag by louvers, which offsets the decreased skin friction at a low Reynolds number. The friction factor increased as the fin pitch decreased and the louver angle increased. A new correlation predicted 92% of the heat transfer coefficient and 90% of the friction factor within $\pm$10%.10%.