An Experimental Evaluation of the Thermal-Hydraulic Impact of Delta-Wing Vortex Generators in Plain-fin-and-Tube Heat Exchangers

Abstract

Longitudinal vortex generation is a technique for enhancing heat transfer. Recent studies have tried to simulate the conditions for vortex generators in heat exchangers. In this work, the effectiveness of delta-wing vortex generators for fin-and-tube heat exchangers is experimentally evaluated in full-scale testing. The heat transfer and pressure drop performance of a heat exchanger are tested before and after adding a single row of vortex generators. A heat transfer enhancement of 31 % was achieved, with a pressure drop penalty smaller than 10%. The results demonstrate the high potential for this method of heat transfer augmentation in plain-fin-and-tube heat exchanger applications.