Enhancement of Round Tube and Flat Tube-Louver Fin Heat Exchanger Performance Using Deluge Water Cooling

An experimental study has been conducted to evaluate the performance of a compact round-tube louver-fin condenser, each with frontal areas of 0.25 m in both dry and wet conditions. Deluge water cooling is achieved by incorporating a perforated bottom plate-type water distributor on top of the round tube heat exchanger. Water is used as a refrigerant, and enters the heat exchanger tubes at 35°C temperature. Ambient air and deluge cooling water are both maintained at 22°C temperature. Heat exchanger capacity and air-side pressure drop are measured with the heat exchanger angle set at 0° and 21° from vertical, with a frontal air velocity of 1.4 m/s and 3.5 m/s without deluge water cooling, and a frontal air velocity of 1.4 m/s with deluge water cooling. For both heat exchangers, the capacity was significantly enhanced with the use of deluge water cooling and with the heat exchanger angle set at 21° from vertical.