Title: Numerical simulations of fin and tube air cooler and heat and mass transfer in cold storage

Authors: Kamil Śmierciew; Mirosława Kołodziejczyk; Jerzy Gagan; Dariusz Józef Butrymowicz

Addresses: Białystok University of Technology, ul. Wiejska 45C, Białystok, 15-351, Poland ' Białystok University of Technology, ul. Wiejska 45C, Białystok, 15-351, Poland ' Białystok University of Technology, ul. Wiejska 45C, Białystok, 15-351, Poland ' Białystok University of Technology, ul. Wiejska 45C, Białystok, 15-351, Poland

Abstract: Fin-and-tube heat exchangers are extensively used in refrigeration systems applied to cold storage. Performance of the heat exchangers strongly affects the efficiency of refrigeration systems. Prediction of temperature, humidity, as well as velocity distribution in cold storage chamber requires accurate prediction of the finned air cooler operation. The operation of the air cooler unit is usually taken into account in modelling of the cold storage chamber but with very simplified geometry and physics. Results of numerical modelling of cold storage chamber equipped with the fin-and-tube air cooler are presented in the paper. Porous media conditions were applied for modelling of the analysed heat exchanger. The numerical results were evaluated on the basis of the experimental data. Good agreement between numerical and experimental results was achieved.

Keywords: fin-and-tube; heat exchanger; CFD; porous media; cold storage; heat transfer modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/PCFD.2018.094620

Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal, 2018 Vol.18 No.5, pp.325 - 332

Received: 03 Nov 2016
Accepted: 13 Mar 2017
Published online: 10 Sep 2018 *

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