Physics-Based Modelling of Plate-Fin Heat Exchangers

Mattia Grespan (), Adriano Leonforte, Luigi Calò, Marco Cavazzuti and Diego Angeli ()
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Mattia Grespan: DISMI – Dipartimento di Scienze e Metodi dell’Ingegneria, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola 2, Pad. Buccola, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
Adriano Leonforte: DISMI – Dipartimento di Scienze e Metodi dell’Ingegneria, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola 2, Pad. Buccola, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
Luigi Calò: DISMI – Dipartimento di Scienze e Metodi dell’Ingegneria, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola 2, Pad. Buccola, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
Marco Cavazzuti: DISMI – Dipartimento di Scienze e Metodi dell’Ingegneria, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola 2, Pad. Buccola, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
Diego Angeli: DISMI – Dipartimento di Scienze e Metodi dell’Ingegneria, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola 2, Pad. Buccola, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-34

Abstract: Aluminium plate-fin heat exchangers are widely used in automotive, aerospace, and other industrial applications. Extensive research has been conducted on these coolers, yet accurate predictive tools for their thermo-hydraulic performance are still lacking, due to the wide variety of geometric parameters and working fluids involved. This work proposes an original approach based purely on physical principles and established models, combining detailed numerical models for the extended surfaces and manifolds, with global models aimed at accurately evaluating overall head losses and heat transfer rates in plate-fin heat exchangers. Extended surfaces are studied by means of computational models of unitary fin modules under fully developed flow conditions. Entrance effects are analysed through dedicated numerical models. Numerical results on extended surfaces are extended to whole heat exchangers by global models for heat transfer and head losses, based on the ε − NTU method and the Darcy–Weisbach equation, respectively. The proposed approach is presented and validated through the analysis of a case study comprising several heat exchangers featuring different geometries and working fluids. Numerically derived heat transfer rates and head losses are compared with experimental data showing maximum deviations of ±20% for most of the tested configurations, highlighting the strength of the proposed modelling methodology.

Keywords: plate and fin heat exchanger; offset-strip fins; wavy fins; CFD; correlations; multiscale approach (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: 2025
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