Experiments on a Crossflow Heat Exchanger With Tubes of Lenticular Shape

Abstract

Measurements of pressure losses and heat transfer rates were made for an unconventional crossflow heat exchanger with tubes of lenticular cross section so spaced to reduce variation in the velocity of the fluid outside the tubes, thus reducing separation and drag. The results of these experiments are reported for various tube spacing and demonstrate that the performance of the lenticular tube heat exchanger is superior to that of conventional circular tubes by 20 percent at Reynolds numbers of 20,000 to 50,000.