LAMINAR HEAT TRANSFER CHARACTERISTICS OF A PLATE-LOUVER FIN SURFACE OBTAINED BY THE DIFFERENTIAL FLUID ENTHALPY METHOD

Abstract

In order to establish the Colburn factor vs Reynolds number correlation from single blow experimental data of a particular plate-fin surface, the Differential Fluid Enthalpy Method (DFEM) has been applied. This method overcomes the deficiencies of previously known methods and simply deals with the realistic exponential inlet temperature signal. In this paper the method is modified to enable simultaneous determination of the test matrix specific heat as well. The correlation obtained is based on one hundred experimental runs covering the range 385 less than Re less than 1930. The compact surface sample has been cut out by electro-erosion from a completely manufactured (brased aluminum) crossflow heat exchanger core. For completeness, the corresponding Fanning factor results are included in the paper.