School of Mechanical Engineering The University of Western Australia Heat and Mass Transfer (CHPR2432) Course lecturer and

Unit coordinator: Prof. Hui Tong Chua E-mail id: htchua@mech.uwa.edu.au, Tel no.: 64881828 Direct expansion cross-flow heat exchanger and electric heater References 1. PA Hilton Ltd. Experimental, Operating & Maintenance Manual: Recirculating Air Conditioning Unit A770, A770M/E/2, 1987. 2. V. Gnielinski, A. ukauskas and A. Skrinska, Banks of plain and finned tubes, Section 2.5.3, in Hemisphere handbook of heat exchanger design, ed. GF Hewitt, Hemisphere Publishing Group, 1990. 3. RA Bowman, AC Mueller and WM Nagle, Mean temperature difference in design, Trans. ASME, 62, 283, (1940). Objectives This experiment assists you to achieve the following objectives: Understand heat transfer in banks of radial high finned1 tubes in cross flow. Understand heat transfer in a circular tube-continuous fin heat exchanger. Perform a realistic estimation of heat-exchange parameters in a direct expansion cross-flow heat exchanger and an electric heater.

Fins are considered high when their height exceeds 1.6mm.

Hardware specifications Electric heater (Pre-heater): extended fin electric heating elements. s SL

ST u, T h d D a = ST/d b = SL/d

Figure 1 Schematic of the electric heater in the facility Tube diameter, d Fin pitch Fin thickness Fin height, h Fin diameter, D Fin spacing, s Longitudinal pitch, SL Transverse pitch, ST Duct cross section = 8.3 mm = 234 per meter = 0.05 mm = 5.9 mm = 20.1 mm = 5.6 mm = 20 mm = 41 mm = 250257 mm2

Direct-expansion evaporator: staggered circular tube-continuous fins heat exchanger Cooling capacity Number of tube rows = 1.7 kW approx. =4

Referring to the figure 1 above, we can idealize that to the following staggered tube bank configuration.

SL

SD ST

u, T A2 A2 Staggered Figure 2 Staggered configuration for a tube bank.

A tube bank is typically characterized by the tube diameter D, longitudinal pitch SL, and transverse pitch SD. The heat transfer coefficient for a particular tube depends heavily on its position in the bundle. The coefficient for tubes in the first row is approximately similar to that for a single tube in cross flow. Tubes in the inner rows enjoy larger heat transfer coefficients as they benefit from the turbulence created by tubes in front of them. Heat transfer correlations for tube bank in cross flow are usually provided in reference to ReD,max which is defined as

A1 D

Re D, max

u max D

(1),

where umax is the maximum fluid velocity within the tube bank. For the staggered design, referring to figure 2, umax may occur either at A1 or A2. It will be found at A2 if
2(S D D ) < (ST D )

(2).

The factor of 2 is due to the channeling of flow when the fluid flows from plane A1 to the two A2 planes. Hence, from (2) umax is found at A2 when
2 S S D = S 2 + T L 2 12

<

ST + D 2

(3).

The corresponding umax is then given by

u max =

ST u 2(SD D )

(4).

One has to check if umax occurs instead at A1 as well. The fluid velocity at A1 can be computed as u max = ST u ST D (5).

The actual umax will be the larger of the two values computed from equations (4) and (5), respectively. Referring to figure 1, the average Nusselt number correlation is given by the following (Gnielinski et al., 1990). a s Nu = 0.19 b d u d 10 2 < Re d ,max = max where u max
0.2 0.18

h d

0.14

Re 0.,65 Pr 0.33 d max (6)

< 2 10 4
12

2 ST 2 ST ST = max S d u , 2(S d ) u and SD = SL + 2 . D T

Experimental procedures

(i) (ii) (iii)

Rotate the fan speed controller fully clockwise. Switch on the electrical supply at the isolator. Switch on the unit at the main switch. The following are immediately operative: (a) (b) (c) (d) The fan (this should run as soon as the switch is made). The mains warning lamp. The voltmeter. The temperature indicator.

The ammeter switches are biased. When any one of them is pressed, the ammeter will indicate the current passing through the component adjacent to the switch. No more than one switch should be pressed at any one time, in order to maintain measurement accuracy. (v) The fan speed is adjusted by its controller on the panel. This must be set to the maximum for starting. The controller cannot be set below a certain value since it is essential that there is always some air flow through the duct to prevent over-heating. To ensure reliable results from the wet bulb thermometers, the air flow should not be less than about 0.07 kg/s. (vi) When conditions have stabilized make the observations set out below. (vii) Reduce the air flow rate. (viii) When the system stabilizes, repeat the observation.
Measured Results

(iv)

1 Dry-bulb temperature of air before pre-heater, t3 (C) Screen temperature of air before preheater, t4 (C) Dry-bulb temperature of air after pre-heater, t5 (C) Screen temperature of air after preheater, t6 (C) Dry-bulb temperature of air after evaporator, t7 (C) Screen temperature

of air after evaporator, t8 (C) Dry-bulb temperature of air at intake, t1 (C) Wet-bulb2 temperature of air at intake, t2 (C) Orifice differential (intake), Z (mmH2O) R12 pressure evaporator, pe (bar g) R12 temperature evaporator inlet, t12 (C) R12 temperature evaporator outlet, t13 (C) R12 pressure condenser, pc (bar g) R12 temperature condenser outlet, t11 (C) & R12 flow rate, m r (g/s) Voltage, E (V) Pre-heater current (0.5 kW nom.), Ip1 (A) Pre-heater current (1.0 kW nom.), Ip2 (A)

There is no difference between the screen and wet-bulb temperatures at intake. This is because the wetbulb sensor is located at the vena-contracta of the intake orifice where the air velocity is typically in excess of 4m/s.

Derived Results

1 Wet-bulb temperature of air before pre-heater, t4 (C) Specific volume of air before pre-heater, 3 (m3/kg dry air) Specific enthalpy of air before pre-heater, h3 (kJ/kg dry air) Wet-bulb temperature of air after pre-heater, t6 (C) Specific enthalpy of air after pre-heater, h5 (kJ/kg dry air) Wet-bulb temperature of air after evaporator, t8 (C) Specific enthalpy of air after evaporator, h7 (kJ/kg dry air) Specific volume of air at intake, 1 (m3/kg dry air) & Mass flow rate of air, m a 3 (kg dry air/s) Air-side heat transfer rate across electric heater, qheater,air (kW) Electricity-side heat transfer rate across electric heater, qheater,elec = E(Ip1+Ip2) (kW) Air velocity before preheater, u,3 (m/s) Maximum velocity in electric heater tube bank, umax (m/s) Mean dry-air temperature across tube bank, t3,5 = (t3 + t5)/2, (C)
3

& m a [kg s] = 0.0757

Z[mmH 2 O] 1 m 3 kg dry air

Kinematic viscosity of dry-air at t3,5, 3,5 (m2/s) Dry-air Red,max across electric heater Dry-air Prandtl number at t3,5, Pr Dry-air thermal conductivity at t3,5, k (W/mK) Average heat transfer coefficient over electric heater, h (W/m2K) R12 abs. pressure evaporator, pe,abs (bar) R12 abs. pressure condenser, pc,abs (bar) Specific enthalpy of subcooled R12 at condenser outlet, h11 = f(t11, pc,abs) (kJ/kg) Specific enthalpy of R12 at evaporator inlet, h12 = h11 (kJ/kg) Specific enthalpy of superheated R12 at evaporator outlet, h13 = f(t13, pe,abs) (kJ/kg) Air-side heat transfer rate across evaporator, qevap,air (kW) Refrigerant-side heat transfer rate across evaporator, qevap,ref (kW) Counter-flow log mean temperature difference, Tlm,CF4 (C) Heat exchanger correction factor F5

Tlm,CF =

(t 5 t13 ) (t 7 t12 ) ln[(t 5 t 13 ) (t 7 t 12 )]

t5 t7 t t12 and P = 13 . t 5 t 12 t 13 t 12

Refer to the last chart in this set of instruction sheets. Note that R =

UA-value for evaporator, UA = q evap,air (FTlm,CF )

(kW/K)
Data Analysis

(1) Discuss the energy balance for the electric heater and the direct-expansion evaporator in relation to the experimental condition. (2) Plot the average heat transfer coefficient across the electric heater with respect to u,3. Discuss the trend. (3) Plot the UA-value for the evaporator with respect to u,3. Discuss the trend.

Relevant information

Comments about screen and sling wet bulb temperatures

In the course of your experiment, you will notice that since your measured air velocities are between 1.0 m/s and 2.0 m/s, the wet bulb temperatures which you measure are classified as screen wet bulb temperatures. The screen wet bulb temperatures are not the wet bulb temperatures used for engineering calculations; they have to be corrected using the chart above. The reason for the correction is that the screen wet bulb temperatures are sensitive to the prevailing air velocities. In other words, if you were to increase the air velocities beyond 2.0 m/s, you will find that your measured wet bulb temperatures will decrease further. In other words, the screen wet bulb temperature is sensitive to air velocities. You will find that the progressive decrease in wet bulb temperature will asymptote when the air velocity exceeds 3.5 m/s. At which point, we classify the wet bulb temperature as the sling wet bulb temperature. This is the value used in engineering calculations, as the measured wet bulb temperature in this regime is then independent of the air velocity. The chart above will help you to arrive at the sling wet bulb temperature based on your measured screen wet bulb temperature. Obviously the screen wet bulb temperature will be higher than the sling wet bulb temperature.

Analysis of a cross flow heat exchanger

You have by now learnt about the use of the following expression
q = UATlm

(7)

in relation to heat transfer analysis, where Tlm refers to the log mean temperature difference. This expression is particularly relevant when the temperature difference across which heat transfer occurs changes along the length of the heat transfer process. In your first lab session, you had learnt about a simple co-axial counterflow heat exchanger. Specifically in a counter-flow configuration (figure 3), the hot and cold fluids enter from the opposite ends and leave at opposite ends. Thot, in

Tcold, in

Tcold, out

Thot, out Figure 3 A simple counterflow heat exchanger. The log mean temperature difference in a counterflow heat exchange scheme, Tlm, CF is accordingly expressed as
Tlm ,CF =

(T

hot ,in

Tcold ,out ) (Thot ,out Tcold ,in ) T Tcold ,out ln hot ,in T hot ,out Tcold ,in

(8).

In the current particular case of a cross flow heat exchanger for the direct expansion evaporator, the affiliated heat transfer rate can still be computed by invoking the log mean temperature difference and introducing a correction factor, so that

q = UAFTlm,CF

(9).

F is the appropriate correction factor when it is used in conjunction with the log mean temperature difference by assuming a counterflow scheme. Its appropriate value in the current context can be found from the figure below as developed by Bowman et al. (1940).