ARTICLE:

• PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF A FIN-TUBE HEAT EXCHANGER UNDER FROSTING CONDTIONS  download article

D. K. Yang
LG Electronics Inc., Seoul, Korea

K. S. Lee
Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea

S. Song
Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea

J. S. Kim
Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a mathematical model to predict the frosting behavior of a fin-tube heat exchanger. In the model, empirical correlations for average heat transfer coefficients are used for the cold plate and circular-tube surfaces, and the diffusion equation for water-vapor is employed. Numerical results are compared with experimental data for the frost mass and the heat transfer rate of a typical fin-tube heat exchanger. The numerical results are in close agreement with the experimental data. In order to improve the thermal performance and extend the operation time of the fin-tube heat exchanger, optimal values of design parameters under operating conditions of a household refrigerator/freezer are investigated using the Taguchi method. The average heat transfer rate in this optimum model is up to 5.5% higher than that of a reference model. The operation time of the optimum model is up to 12.9% longer than that of a reference model.

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