Heat transfer analysis of fin-and-tube heat exchangers with flat and louvered fin geometries

•We analyzed the fluid flow and heat exchange in a heat exchanger.•The numerical results were compared with experimental data.•Results show minimal Nusselt number deviation and good corresponding pressure drop.•The Nusselt number values appear overestimated by 10% in the whole examined range.•The increase in heat transfer performance of 58% was obtained at the ReH = 350.

This paper analyzes the fluid flow and heat exchange on the air side of a multi-row fin-and-tube heat exchanger. A comparison is given between fin-and-tube heat exchanger characteristics with flat and louvered fins in a wider range of operating conditions defined by Reynolds number (based on fin spacing and air frontal velocities). The detailed representation of calculated data for the louvered heat exchanger shows significantly better heat transfer characteristics and a slightly higher pressure drop. The CFD procedure was validated by comparing the numerical simulation results with the experimental results showing the minimal average Nusselt number deviation and an almost perfectly corresponding pressure drop.