About the project

Frost formation is undesired and unavoidable phenomenon in cooling systems. The frost causes the addition of a low thermal conductivity resistance on the outer surface of the heat exchangers, reducing the cooling capacity and coefficient of performance of the system. In addition, frost decreases the air flow due to narrowing of the channels through which air flows. Aiming to reduce the impact of frost formation on cooling systems, proposes to study the new geometry of heat exchangers, evaporators called peripheral fins (EAP). They are formed by hexagonal arrays of fins, consisting of six radial vanes, whose bases are connected to the pipes and whose ends are connected to peripheral fins. This gives the characteristics of a heat exchanger through interconnected pores that allow air to flow through alternative paths if there is blocking a part of the heat exchanger by frost. The study consists of experimental and numerical fronts. In the experimental front evaporators prototypes are tested in a wind tunnel to evaluate the variations of the heat transfer rate and pressure drop with time. Numerical front was to develop a mathematical model to predict the behavior of EAP under various operating conditions. The model consists of dividing the exchanger in control volumes in the direction of air flow, and treats it as a porous medium whose porosity, particle diameter and thermal properties vary with time due to the formation of frost.

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