CHARACTERISTICS OF A MICRO-FIN EVAPORATOR: THEORETICAL ANALYSIS AND EXPERIMENTAL VERIFICATION

Abstract

A theoretical analysis and experimental verification on the characteristics of a micro-fin evaporator using R290 and R717 as refrigerants were carried out. The heat capacity and heat transfer coefficient of the micro-fin evaporator were investigated under different water mass flow rate, different refrigerant mass flow rate, and different inner tube diameter of micro-fin evaporator. The simulation results of the heat transfer coefficient are fairly in good agreement with the experimental data. The results show that heat capacity and the heat transfer coefficient of the micro-fin evaporator increase with increasing logarithmic mean temperature difference, the water mass flow rate and the refrigerant mass flow rate. Heat capacity of the micro-fin evaporator for diameter 9.52 mm is higher than that of diameter 7.00 mm with using R290 as refrigerant. Heat capacity of the micro-fin evaporator with using R717 as refrigerant is higher than that of R290 as refrigerant. The results of this study can provide useful guidelines for optimal design and operation of micro-fin evaporator in its present or future applications.

Keywords

Dates

  • Submission Date2013-02-26
  • Revision Date2013-05-03
  • Acceptance Date2013-05-14
  • Online Date2013-12-28

DOI Reference

10.2298/TSCI1305443Z

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Volume 17, Issue 5, Pages1443 -1147