• International Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.100-107
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• 2008

The heat transfer and friction characteristics of heat exchangers having convex louver fins are experimentally investigated, and the results are compared with those of wave fin counterparts. Eighteen samples (nine convex louver fin samples and nine wave fin samples) which had different fm pitches (1.81 mm to 2.54 mm) and tube rows (one to four) were tested. The convex angle was $11.7^{\circ}$. The j factors are insensitive to fin pitch, while f factors increase as fin pitch increases. The effect of fin pitch on f factor is more significant for the wave fin compared with the convex louver fin. It appears that the complex fin pattern of the convex louver fin induces intense mixing of the flow, and thus reduces the effect of fin pitch. Both the j and f factors decrease as the number of tube row increases. However, as the Reynolds number increases, the effect of tube row diminishes. Comparison of the convex louver fin j factors with those of wave fin reveals that convex louver fin j factors are 18% to 29% higher than those of wave fin. The f factors are 16% to 34% higher for the convex louver fin. The difference increases as fin pitch decreases. Existing correlation fails to adequately predict the present data. More data is needed for a general correlation of the convex louver fin geometry.