Numerical Evaluation of Fin Performance Under Dehumidifying Conditions

Abstract

A numerical model of moist air cooling in compact heat exchangers is presented. The model requires the solution of a coupled problem, since interface temperatures, obtained from the solution of the energy equation in adjacent fluid and solid regions, are used to set the appropriate boundary conditions for the transport equation of water vapor in moist air. The approach is completely general, even if the finite-element method is used for the simulations reported in the paper. The numerical results are favorably compared with the corresponding experimental results concerning the rectangular and wavy fins under dehumidifying conditions.