Drainage Characteristics and Heat Transfer Performance of Fin Surfaces in Desert Greenhouse Environments

Mingzhi Zhao (), Feng Bai, Rong Yu, Yuru Liu, Yixuan Ma, Yingjie Liu and Bakhramzhan Rasakhodzhaev
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Mingzhi Zhao: College of Energy and Power Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, China
Feng Bai: College of Energy and Power Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, China
Rong Yu: College of Energy and Power Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, China
Yuru Liu: College of Energy and Power Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, China
Yixuan Ma: Department of Power Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, China
Yingjie Liu: College of Energy and Power Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, China
Bakhramzhan Rasakhodzhaev: National Scientific Research Institute of Renewable Energy Sources, Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan, Tashkent 100170, Uzbekistan

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 8, 1-19

Abstract: As desertification intensifies, greenhouses in arid regions are increasingly challenged by severe water scarcity and low water utilization efficiency. Traditional greenhouse HVAC systems are often inadequate in efficiently recovering condensate water. This study addressed these challenges by investigating, through wind tunnel experiments, the fin angle and inlet wind speed for optimal condensation and heat transfer performance of a straight-fin heat exchanger in desert greenhouse environments. The experimental findings revealed that under low-temperature conditions, vertical fins facilitated gravity-driven droplet removal, resulting in a maximum condensate amount of 524.2 g within 120 min. Conversely, under high-temperature conditions, a fin angle of 45° optimally balanced turbulent disturbances and liquid film stability, producing a condensate amount of up to 887.1 g in the same timeframe. Additionally, wind speed tests at a 45° fin angle identified a critical wind speed of 1.5 m/s, beyond which the condensate amount significantly decreased. Furthermore, when the fin inclination reached or exceeded 60°, flow separation occurred, reducing the effective heat transfer area and negatively impacting the exchanger efficiency. Overall, the study provides significant insights into water conservation and sustainable environmental utilization by enhancing condensate recovery efficiency.

Keywords: finned-tube heat exchanger; condensation management; inclination angle; wind speed; flow separation (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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