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Conduction effects in cross-counterflow supercritical gas coolers for natural refrigerants.

Author(s) : GARIMELLA S.

Summary

A cross-counterflow gas cooler for CO2 air-conditioning systems was modelled in the study. This configuration, which uses microchannel tubes and multilouver fins, is ideally suited for the non-isothermal heat transfer in CO2 gas coolers. The model uses heat exchanger geometry and inlet conditions as the inputs to predict the overall duty as well as temperature profiles of the refrigerant and air. The effects of design conditions such as air and CO2 mass flow rates, and geometric parameters on heat transfer rates and pressure drops can be investigated using this model. A previously developed model of this geometry reported that a gas cooler heat load of about 7 kW, typical of an automobile air-conditioning system, can be transferred in a very small envelope (0.546 m x 0.408 m x 19 mm) due to the use of the counterflow serpentine tube-side flow configuration. In the study, that model was further improved to consider the effects of axial conduction along the tube length, as well as conduction between adjacent tubes through the air-side fins attached to them. The various temperature gradients in each of these directions were analysed to estimate the deterioration in performance that can be expected from these parasitic heat transfer processes. The variation in such performance losses with changes in fin design was also modelled.

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Details

  • Original title: Conduction effects in cross-counterflow supercritical gas coolers for natural refrigerants.
  • Record ID : 2004-2695
  • Languages: English
  • Source: 21st IIR International Congress of Refrigeration: Serving the Needs of Mankind.
  • Publication date: 2003/08/17

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