Optimizing 7 mm diameter fin-and-tube for heat exchanger

Supported by Kelon company*
Time: Sep., 2010 ~ Nov., 2010
*Kelon is the Top 3 air conditioner manufacturer in China

In China, with energy standard for air conditioner increasing, more air conditioners can not arrive the new energy standard. As demand coming from Kelon company, the existent 7 mm diameter finn-and-tube for air conditioner are redesigned and optimized in this work.

Research steps:
1. Employing CFD tools to simulate performance of finned tube with different size. Through analyzing simulating results, the best size of fin was founded;

2. Based on the best size of fin, performance of finned tube with different configuration (slit and louver) is calculated by CFD tools. Then the best configuration of fin was found;

3. Although the optimized finned tube has a bigger fin size, the increasing of heat transfer capacity can result in less using of copper tube. So the material cost of air conditioner will decrease dramatically.

Research achievements
The optimized fin-and-tube heat exchanger help Kelon company save material cost about 3,100,000 U.S. dollars in first half of 2011