Key
2239
Conference Year
2012
Keywords
evaporative, heat, mass, transfer
Abstract
Using an induced open-loop wind tunnel and a full cone water spray nozzle, the performance of a brazed aluminum heat exchanger with louvered fins is studied experimentally for wet conditions. The total capacity, pressure drop and water drainage behavior under various water usage rates and air face velocities are explored and compared to dry-condition data. The impact on spray orientation is also studied. The results are presented as plots of performance against water usage rate or water spray rate per unit heat transfer area. Fouling on the fin surface was observed in the experiment, and fouling distribution characteristics are discussed in this paper. The experimental data are used to validate the model presented in “Simultaneous heat and mass transfer in a wetted heat exchanger, part II: modeling”