Two-Dimensional Fin Efficiency of Plate Fin-Tube Heat Exchangers Under Partially and Fully Wet Conditions

This paper presents the two-dimensional analysis for the efficiency of continuous plate fin-tube heat exchangers in staggered and in-lined arrangements under the dry, partially wet, and fully wet conditions for different heat transfer coefficient (h = 20 W/m(2)K to h = 80 W/m(2)K) and air relative humidity over the full range from phi = 0 % to phi = 100%. It is shown that the fin efficiencies of the staggered arrangement are higher than those for the in-lined arrangement, and the fully wet fin efficiency is 10 similar to 20% lower than that for a dry fin. The conventional 1-D sector method underestimates the fin efficiency up to 4 % as compared to the 2-D analysis.