Experimental and Numerical Study of Heat Pipe Heat Exchanger with Individually Finned Heat Pipes

Grzegorz Górecki, Marcin Łęcki, Artur Norbert Gutkowski, Dariusz Andrzejewski, Bartosz Warwas, Michał Kowalczyk and Artur Romaniak
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Grzegorz Górecki: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Turbomachinery, Lodz University of Technology, 219/223 Wolczanska Street, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Marcin Łęcki: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Turbomachinery, Lodz University of Technology, 219/223 Wolczanska Street, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Artur Norbert Gutkowski: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Turbomachinery, Lodz University of Technology, 219/223 Wolczanska Street, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Dariusz Andrzejewski: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Turbomachinery, Lodz University of Technology, 219/223 Wolczanska Street, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Bartosz Warwas: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Turbomachinery, Lodz University of Technology, 219/223 Wolczanska Street, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Michał Kowalczyk: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Turbomachinery, Lodz University of Technology, 219/223 Wolczanska Street, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Artur Romaniak: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Turbomachinery, Lodz University of Technology, 219/223 Wolczanska Street, 90-924 Lodz, Poland

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 17, 1-26

Abstract: The present study is devoted to the modeling, design, and experimental study of a heat pipe heat exchanger utilized as a recuperator in small air conditioning systems (airflow ≈ 300–500 m 3 /h), comprised of individually finned heat pipes. A thermal heat pipe heat exchanger model was developed, based on available correlations. Based on the previous experimental works of authors, refrigerant R404A was recognized as the best working fluid with a 20% heat pipe filling ratio. An engineering analysis of parametric calculations performed with the aid of the computational model concluded 20 rows of finned heat pipes in the staggered arrangement as a guarantee of stable heat exchanger effectiveness ≈ 60%. The optimization of the overall cost function by the “brute-force” method has backed up the choice of the best heat exchanger parameters. The 0.05 m traversal (finned pipes in contact with each other) and 0.062 m longitudinal distance were optimized to maximize effectiveness (up to 66%) and minimize pressure drop (less than 150 Pa). The designed heat exchanger was constructed and tested on the experimental rig. The experimental data yielded a good level of agreement with the model—relative difference within 10%.

Keywords: heat pipe heat exchanger; wickless heat pipe; heat transfer; individually finned tubes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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