An Experimental Comparison of Thermal Properties in Spiral Heat Exchangers with Circumferential Fins
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Abstract
Heat exchangers are widely used in water treatment, air conditioning, refrigeration and automobiles. Radiators, a common type device, transfer heat by air flowing through finned tubes, gradually lowering fluid temperature. With growing energy demands, improving heat transfer efficiency while reducing size and energy consumption has become essential. To address this, a compact spiral heat exchanger was developed as an alternative to the conventional air-cooled fin-and-tube design. Comparative testing was carried out using two configurations: a circumferential copper tube with copper fins and aluminium tube with copper fins. Numerical studies using the ε-NTU method evaluated flow characteristics and thermal performance. Results revealed that the copper tube with copper fins outperformed the aluminium-based design, achieving a 15% higher heat transfer rate and 14% greater effectiveness. Thus, the spiral heat exchanger demonstrates improved efficiency and compactness, making it a promising solution for modern thermal management applications.
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