Prediction of cooling-coil performance

under condensing conditions

D . R. M i r t h a n d So R a m a d h y a n i
Ray W. Herrick Laboratories, School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

The possibility of predicting chilled-water cooling-coil performance under condensing

conditions using dry-surface heat transfer correlations is examined. Experimentally de-
termined wet-surface Nusselt number data are presented and compared with dry-surface
data obtained from the same cooling coils. The wet-surface Nusselt numbers show
considerable scatter; some of the results are higher than the corresponding dry-surface
correlations, while others are lower. A sensitivity analysis is presented to illustrate that the
wet-surface Nusselt numbers are very sensitive to the uncertainties in the measured inlet
dew-point temperature and the measured heat transfer rate. It is demonstrated that the
use of dry-surface Nusselt number correlations in a coil model result in wet-surface heat
transfer predictions that are generally within 5 percent of the experimentally determined
value.

Keywords: cooling coil; fin tube heat exchanger; condensation

Introduction transfer rate is found to be relatively insensitive to variations

in the air-side heat transfer correlations. In this paper, it will
Chilled-water cooling coils are plate-fin-tube heat exchangers be shown that it is possible to predict heat transfer rates under
that are used to cool and dehumidfy air in large building air a wide range of wet-surface conditions with good accuracy
conditioning systems. Figure 1 schematically depicts a typical using only dry-surface heat transfer correlations. The results
four-row coil. The air enters the coil on the left side, as shown, that will be presented are for coils operating with relatively
and flows through passages formed by closely spaced wavy fin low, inlet water temperatures (3-5°C), which are typical of
surfaces. Cold water flows in a cross-counterflow arrangement, air-conditioning systems employing thermal storage units
cooling and dehumidifying the warm air.
When attempting to predict the heat transfer performance
of such cooling coils, it is necessary to have an air-side heat
transfer correlation that is valid for the specific coil geometry. FL coil " - ~
The industry standard (ARI 1987) requires that two such
correlations be developed for each coil geometry. One
correlation is required for coils operating under dry-surface
conditions, while another is to be used for coils operating under
wet-surface conditions. As will shortly be discussed, several
previous studies have indicated that the heat transfer
coefficients under wet- and dry-surface conditions might be
significantly different from each other. These studies differ on
whether wet-surface heat transfer coetficients exceed, or are
lower than, the dry-surface values.
In general, both the wet- and dry-surface heat transfer
correlations are developed from laboratory tests, in which the
coil heat transfer rates and the inlet and outlet dry-bnlb and
dew-point temperatures are measured over a range of operating
Air ~ We,oil
conditions. The measurements are used as inputs to a coil heat
transfer model to extract the unknown air-side heat transfer
coefficients. It will be shown in this study that wet-surface heat
transfer coefficients determined in this way are extremely
sensitive to errors inherent in the measurements of dew-point
temperature and overall heat transfer rate. Consequently, large
uncertainties are associated with wet-surface heat transfer
correlations. Conversely, however, when coil heat transfer
models are used to predict coil performance, the predicted heat

Address reprint requests to Professor Mirth at the Owens/Coming

Technical Center 73-7, 2790 Columbus Road, Rt. 16, Granville,
OH, USA.
Received 24 August 1992; accepted 17 February, 1993 Figure 1 Schematicof a four-row chilled-water cooling coil
© 1993 Butterworth-Heinemann
Int. J. Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 14, No. 4, December 1993 391
Prediction of cooling-coil performance: D. R. Mirth and S. Ramadhyani

(Nasr 1990). Because the condensation rate is greater at these coefficient, Bettaniui performed some dry-surface experiments
relatively low water temperatures, an accurate prediction of the with gypsum drops on the surface of the wall. He concluded
latent heat transfer due to condensation is especially important. that the flow disturbances caused by the drops enhanced the
In the ensuing paragraphs, a brief review of previous papers heat transfer, hut not by the amount seen in the dropwise
reporting wet-surface heat transfer results will first be given. condensation experiments.
The experimental apparatus used to obtain the data presented For developing flow between parallel plates (no tubes),
in this paper, and the air-side heat transfer model used in the Guillory and McQuiston (1973) reported heat transfer
analysis, will then be described. This will be followed by a coefficients obtained under wet-surface conditions to be 30
presentation and comparison of dry- and wet-surface Nusselt percent higher than the corresponding dry-surface values. Tree
number data, along with a discussion of the sensitivity of these and Helmet (1976) found that values of the heat transfer
data to various experimental measurements. Finally, the coefficient were the same under both dry- and wet-surface
validity and accuracy of using dry-surface Nusselt number conditions for laminar flow between parallel plates with a fully
correlations to predict wet-surface heat transfer performance developed velocity profile. This result is not surprising, since
will be addressed. fully developed laminar flow is insensitive to roughness effects.
Jacobi and Goldschmidt (1990) studied the wet- and
dry-surface behavior of a baffled, annuiar-finned-tube heat
Literature review exchanger. The correlated wet-surface heat transfer coefficients
were 17-50 percent lower than the correlated dry-surface
When a surface is wetted, the water may interact with the values, with the largest discrepancy being at the lower Reynolds
airstream and change the heat transfer characteristics of the numbers. The authors speculated that the wet-surface heat
surface. Although results reported in the literature generally transfer coefficients were lower due to flow blockage caused by
indicate that the sensible heat transfer coefficient increases condensate retention between adjacent fins.
when a surface is wetted, some authors have reported the For flat, plate-finned-tube heat exchangers, Myers (1967),
opposite trend. Elmahdy (1975), and Eckels and Rabas (1987) reported 10-25
Bettanini (1970) found that the heat transfer coefficients for percent increases in the heat transfer coefficient under
a wet surface were 10 percent higher than the dry-surface values wet-surface conditions. McQuiston (1978a, 1987b), however,
for filmwise condensation and 35 percent higher for dropwise found that wet-surface conditions increased the heat transfer
condensation on a vertical wall (with no tubes). In order to coefficient for flat plate coils with fewer than 10 fins per inch,
determine the reason for the increase in the heat transfer and decreased it for coils with more than 10 fins per inch.

Notation Ri Water-side resistance

Rm Total metal resistance
Af Surface area of fin Rt Tube wall resistance
Ap Surface area of primary surface Rio t Total air-side resistance
Astep Total air-side surface area for a single step Re Reynolds number
Atot Total air-side surface area s Spacing between fins
Cari Parameter defined in Equation 18 T Temperature
Cp Specific heat Vm=x Maximum velocity
CPO Coil performance overprediction as defined in W Parameter defined in Equation 10
Equation 22
Di Tube inside diameter
Do Tube outside diameter
Friction factor
Greek symbols
f
h Heat transfer coefficient AP Pressure drop
heft Effective heat transfer coefficient 6 Fin thickness
i Enthalpy 0 Fin efficiency
i, Equivalent saturated enthalpy V Kinematic viscosity
k Thermal conductivity Combined fin and prime surface efficiency
L, Total tube length # Viscosity
Leq Length of equivalent efficiency straight fin
m Fin efficiency parameter defined in Equation 4
?hda Mass flow rate of dry air Subscripts
m" The slope of the enthalpy-saturation temperature
curve at the mean surface temperature a Air
Average air mass flow rate da Dry air
rhw Water mass flow rate dew Dew point
Ns, ep Number of steps dry Dry surface condition
Nu Nusselt number f Fin
Pr Prandtl number i Inlet condition
q Heat transfer rate ma Moist air
Q Heat transfer rate o Outlet condition
qmtep Heat transfer rate for individual step t Tube
a¢ol Radius of fin collar s Equivalent saturated surface condition
Radius of equivalent area circular fin w Water
Rf Fin metal resistance wet Wet surface condition

392 Int. J. Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 14, No. 4, December 1993
 Prediction of cooling-coil performance: D. R. Mirth and S. Ramedhyani

For configured surfaces, such as corrugated or wavy fins, it

might be expected that any heat transfer enhancement due to
water on the surface would be reduced, since the fins already
have mechanisms to disrupt and mix the flow. The available
experimental evidence, however, is inconclusive. Senshu et al.
(1981) noted no increase in the heat transfer coefficient for
louvered fins, but Yoshii et al. (1983) reported a 20-40 percent
increase in the heat transfer coefficient for a wavy, plate-finned
cooling coil operating under wet-surface conditions. It thus
appears that additional experimental data are required before
this issue can be clarified.

Experimental apparatus
The purpose of the experimental setup was to obtain heat
transfer and pressure drop data from commercially available
chilled water cooling coils for a wide range of operating
conditions. A summary of the geometric characteristics of the
five coils tested is given in Table 1. Figure 2 provides a
schematic representation of the fin-and-tube geometries of the
-Iw, F
cooling coils. The range of inlet air and water temperatures for
each data run is listed in Table 2. The design of the
experimental apparatus follows the general guidelines pre-
sented in ASHRAE Standard 33-78 (1978) and is briefly Figure 2 Schematic of the fin-and-tube geometries of the cooling
described in the following paragraphs. coils

Table 1 Cooling coil geometries

Coil 1 Coil 2 Coil 3 Coil 4 Coil 5

Manufacturer A A A B B
Rows 8 8 4 4 8
s (mm) 3.05 1.47 1.47 2.11 2.11
Do (ram) 13.2 13.2 13.2 16.4 16.4
Di (mm) 12.4 12.4 12.4 15.3 15.3
St (mm) 31.8 31.8 31.8 38.1 38.1
Coil face height (m) 0.45 0.45 0.45 0.46 0.46
W¢o, (m) 0.91 0.91 0.91 0.86 0.86
L coil (m) 0.22 0.22 0.11 0.13 0.26
Circuiting 1 1 1 1/2 1/2
(mm) 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.15
wl (mm) 10.9 10.9 10.9 11.0 11.0
wh (ram) 2.38 2.38 2.38 3.25 3.25

Table 2 Range of inlet air and water conditions for wet-surface data

Face Water
Tdew.=,i Taj Twi velocity velocity
Coil Run (°C) (°C) (°C) (m/s) (m/s)

1 1 12.1-13.1 23.1-23.7 4.0-4.5 1.3-2.1 1.0

2 12.0-12.2 26.2-26.9 4.2-4.4 1.3-2.1 1.0
3 14.8-16.7 26.0-26.8 5.0-5.4 1.4-2.1 1.0
4 15.0-16.5 23.3-25.3 4.6-4.7 1.2-2.1 0.80
5 17.7-20.8 26.0-27.1 4.2-4.5 1.3-2.1 1.0
6 19.5--20.5 24.9-25.6 4.5-5.0 1.3-2.1 1.0
2 1 18.8-19.7 28.5-30.2 5.1-6.3 1.1-1.8 1.0
2 15.1-15.8 23.7-25.2 5.0-5.2 1.1-1.8 1.0
3 1 19.3-19.9 25.5--26.2 3.9-4.5 1.0-2,1 0.95
2 15.1-18.5 22.5--23.0 3.1-3.4 1.1-2.2 0.93
4 1 12.2-12.5 24.7-25.0 3.2-3.3 1.3-2.9 1.1
2 15.5-.15.9 25.5-26.2 3.0-3.3 1.4-2.2 1.2
2a 15.8-15.9 23.0--23.2 3.0-3.1 2.4-2.8 1.1
3 19.7-20.2 24.9-25.1 3.3-3.5 1.3-2.2 1.2
3a 18.6-19.0 23,9-24.0 3.3-3.5 2.4-2.7 1,1
5 1 12.2-12.7 23.6-24.5 3.1-3.2 1.3-2.3 1.1
2 14.9-15.4 22.5--23.5 3.1-3.3 1.3-2.3 1.1
3 17.8-18.6 25.2-25.9 3.3-3.6 1,3-1.9 1.1

Int. J, Heat end Fluid Flow, Vol. 14, No. 4, December 1993 393
Prediction of cooling-coil performance: D. R. Mirth and S. Ramadhyani

In order to humidify the air for the purpose of obtaining

Air side wet-surface data, a steam injector was placed in the duct
A schematic of the experimental apparatus is shown in Figure immediately downstream of the fan. The steam flow rate was
3. Air flow in the open-loop wind tunnel was provided by a adjusted manually until the desired dew-point was reached at
centrifugal fan controlled through the use of a variable speed the inlet to the test section. Six meters (20 ft) of duct length was
drive on the fan motor. The flow rate was determined by constructed between the steam injectors and the test section to
measuring the pressure drop across two or three (depending ensure that the mist ejected from the steam line was completely
upon the flow rate) 152.4-mm (6-in.) diameter, long-radius flow evaporated before the air reached the cooling coil. O'Dell
nozzles. The pressure drop was measured by a differential (1977) reported that 3-3.6 m (10-12 ft) of duct length was
pressure transducer, which was periodically calibrated against sufficient to completely evaporate the water droplets.
a precision pressure gage. The discharge coefficients of the The dew-point was measured upstream and downstream of
nozzles were determined to be approximately 1.0 (ASHRAE the coil using a chilled-mirror device at each location. The
1985). The calibrated pressure transducer was capable of accuracy of the chilled-mirror devices was reported by the
measuring the pressure drop with an accuracy of + 1.0 mm of manufacturer to be +0.55°C. Before any wet-surface data were
water. The resulting accuracy of the mass-flow measurements taken, the two chilled-mirror devices were compared with each
was +0.03 kg/s when three nozzles were in use (flow rates other by placing them both in the duct and varying the
greater than 1 kg/s), and +0.015 kg/s when two nozzles were dew-point temperature from 10°C to 20°C. The maximum
in use. This accuracy results in uncertainties in the air mass difference between the measured dew-point temperatures was
flow rate and their air-side Reynolds number of _ 3 percent. 0.34°C. The accuracy of the chilled-mirror devices was also
In order to reduce fan-generated turbulence that could affect checked by measuring the condensate runoff (through the use
the heat transfer performance of the test coils (Zozulya 1973), of a stopwatch and a graduated cylinder) from steady state,
a matrix of approximately 27,000 milk straws, followed by a wet-surface tests, and comparing the results with those
wire screen, was placed 0.9 m upstream of the cooling coil. The obtained using the measured inlet and outlet dew-point
straws, which were packed wall-to-wall in the duct, were temperatures. The two different methods of determining the
14.6 mm long and 3.2 mm in diameter. The wire screen had a condensation rate initially produced results that were within 3
mesh of 1.18 by 1.18 wires per mm. Loehrke and Nagib (1972) percent of one another. When this check was repeated after
reported that this combination of straws and a screen would testing was completed on the first three coils, however, it was
reduce free-stream turbulence levels to an acceptable level of found that the different methods produced condensation rates
1-2 percent (free-stream turbulence is expressed as a ratio of that differed from each other by as much as 8.5 percent. The
the rms velocity fluctuation to mean velocity). These flow inlet and outlet chilled-mirror devices were subsequently
conditioners also served to flatten the velocity profile of the air compared with a new, more sophisticated chilled-mirror device
entering the test section. that had a reported accuracy of _+0.2°C. The new device

® Valves v

Chiller Water
Reservoir

Pump
Flowmeter

D-
mixer
steam injector /T
Taj rw, =o Tnozz
Tl X iI T ,, nozzles

straw matrix
APe°" AP.o e
condensate drain
F/gure 3 Schematic of the experimental apparatus

394 Int. J. Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 14, No. 4, December 1993
 Prediction of cooling-coil performance: D. R. Mirth and S. Ramadhyani

measured dew-point temperatures an average of 0.66°C higher rate by the enthalpy change between inlet and outlet. The
than those measured by the chilled-mirror device installed at differences between the air-side and the water-side heat transfer
the inlet of the coil, while measuring an average of 0.4°C higher rates were less than 5 percent for all the data reported in this
than the chilled-mirror device installed at the outlet of the coil. paper, and less than 3 percent for 80 percent of the data.
Consequently, the new device was used to measure the inlet
dew-point temperatures for all subsequent tests (coils 4 and 5).
The condensation rates for coils 4 and 5 were determined by Coil model
directly measuring the condensate runoff.
The experimental apparatus did not include a means of This section will describe the coil model that was used to reduce
controlling the air-side coil inlet temperature, T=.i. Instead, the the experimental data, as well as to predict coil performance.
inlet air temperature was determined by the room conditions. The following basic assumptions were used in this model:
Although the room temperature varied from about 20°C (68°F)
to 28°C (83°F) over the course of the experimental testing, it (1) the air-side heat transfer coefficient, h, was assumed to be
was usually constant within I°C (1.8°F) during the individual constant through the coil;
experimental runs. (2) air and water properties were evaluated at the average of
All of the air-side temperatures were measured with the inlet and outlet temperatures; and
individual platinum resistance temperature devices (RTDs). A (3) psychrometric relations were obtained f r o m equations
louvered mixer was placed after the test coil to insure that a given in O'Dell (1977).
uniform temperature profile was achieved before the outlet air
The air-side of the coil was modeled using essentially the
conditions were measured. Both the inlet and outlet coil
same procedure as given in ARI Standard 410-87 (1987). The
air-temperature profiles were periodically checked to ensure
only noteworthy difference is that the present model uses a
that the profiles were uniform in both the vertical and
discretized approach, as opposed to ARI's log-mean-temper-
horizontal directions.
ature-difference (or enthalpy-<lifference, for wet surfaces) ap-
The RTDs used to measure the inlet and outlet air
proach. The coil is modeled as a pure counter-flow heat
temperatures were placed so that they could not "see" the
exchanger. Each tube is actually perpendicular to the air flow
cooling coil, thus eliminating any possible measurement errors
direction, but the several tube passes considered together result
from radiative effects. The inlet RTD was placed upstream of
in a configuration that is effectively counterflow. The counter-
the straw matrix, while the outlet RTD was placed downstream
flow model for such coils has been shown to be valid if the
of the mixer. Heat losses from the duct and cooling coils were
number of tube passes exceeds three (Stevens 1957). The coil
minimized by heavily insulating the duct and the test section
is discretized into 600 sections in the air flow direction, and
with a combination of fiberglass mat and foam-rubber sheet
calculations are conducted for each section by marching along
insulation. The insulation thickness was calculated to limit the
the sections from air inlet to outlet. The number of discrete
heat loss to less than 1 percent of the coil's heat transfer rate.
steps was selected after a numerical study indicated that the
All of the RTDs used to measure the air and water
solution was insensitive to further increases in the number of
temperatures were periodically checked by placing them in a
steps. The accuracy was further verified by demonstrating that
water bath along with a mercury-in-glass thermometer that
results obtained for a dry coil using this step size were well
could be accurately read to within +0.1°C. The temperatures within 1 percent of results obtained using a log-mean-tempera-
measured by the RTDs agreed within +0.16°C of those
ture-difference approach, all other variables being equal. The
measured by the thermometer.
present approach offers the advantage of calculating the varia-
tions in fin efficiency along the length of the coil instead of
utilizing a single constant value. In addition, this approach
Water side offers the flexibility of utilizing alternative procedures for calcu-
The water flow rate was controlled by manually adjusting one lating the air-side heat transfer that cannot be implemented via
or more of the valves shown in Figure 3. The mass flow rate a log-mean-enthalpy-difference approach.
of the water was measured with a Coriolis mass flowmeter. The In order to use the program to predict the performance of
factory calibration of this flowmeter resulted in a reported a coil, an initial guess for the outlet water temperature is
accuracy of +0.5 percent for the mass flow rates used in this required. The program involves a step-by-step march through
study (around 1 kg/s). This calibration was checked by the coil in the direction of increasing x, as shown in Figure 4.
comparing the mass flow rate measured by the flowmeter with The free-stream and coil surface conditions are calculated at
the flow rate obtained using a weigh tank. The values each step (see Figure 4) using the appropriate dry- or wet-
determined using the weigh tank were within 1 percent (which surface heat transfer equations. At the end of the heat ex-
is the approximate accuracy of the scale) of those obtained from changer, the program checks the calculated water inlet tem-
the flowmeter. perature with the given inlet temperature. If the two values
The chiller was run continuously during each experiment. differ by more than a prespecified tolerance, the program
The water in the reservoir was maintained at a constant adjusts the value of the outlet water temperature and repeats
temperature by adding city water to the reservoir at a rate that the calculation. Iterations are continued until convergence is
balanced the chiller's load with its capacity. Thus, the city-water achieved.
flow rate was adjusted until the inlet water temperature, T,,.l, As noted previously, the heat and mass transfer on the air
was constant. In accordance with recommended practice side is modeled using the method outlined in ARI Standard
(ASHRAE 1978), the RTDs used to measure the inlet and outlet 410-87. The definitions of certain basic parameters needed in
water temperatures were placed immediately downstream of the calculations will now be provided, along with a brief
two consecutive 90 ° bends in order to ensure that the water description of how each is determined.
was well mixed at the point of measurement. For a dry coB, the fin efficiency, O, is found using the method
The heat transfer rate of the coil was determined by presented by Schmidt (1949) for an annular fin that has an area
averaging the values obtained independently from the air side equivalent to the hexagonal unit cell around each tube in an
and the water side of the coofing coil. For each side, the heat equilateral triangle arrangement. For a wet fin, the same
transfer rate was calculated by multiplying the fluid mass flow procedure is followed, except that an effective heat transfer

Int. J. Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 14, No. 4, December 1993 395
Prediction of cooling-coil performance: D. R. Mirth and S. Ramadhyani

Cooling Coil, The total mean resistance, Rm, is the summation of the tube
Ta, i =1" [-~Ta,o wall resistance, Rt, and Rf,
ia,i - * " R m ---- R t + R f (8)
II •
r h a --=- I; where
II
Tw,o-~--- ,, -Tw,i
R, = - - (9)
2~ktL,
--~ // Ta'°ld--~F----]-'~ Ta'new The sequence of calculations porforraed at each step will now
be described. When a forward step is taken, the surface is
initially assumed to be wet. In accordance with the procedure
given in ARI (1987), the equivalent saturated surface tempera-
ture, T,, and the corresponding saturated enthalpy, i,, are first
\ ~ Ts,old-''~l ~ T s,new calculated at that location in the heat exchanger, using a
~" --~i -~[ [--... i
" s,old s,new
resistance network between the water and the free-stream air
conditions. This calculation involves defining the parameter
I I Rm + Ri
Tw,old---~] ]-'~Tw,new w=
c 1
(10)

I I
where
1
Ri = - - (11)
Figure 4 Schematic of coil model discretizatioq
hiAi
The water-side heat transfer coefficient, hi, is determined from
the correlation developed by Gnielinski (1976):
coefficient is u s e d in the fin-efficiency c a l c u l a t i o n (f/gXRe- 1000)Pr
Nu = (12)
1 + 12.7(f/8)t/2(pr(2/3)- 1)
h,ff = h a . (dryfin) (1)
where the friction factor, f, is given by
hw=tm"
h e tf = - - (wet fin) (2) f = (0.79 In Re - 1.64)2 (13)
Cp, ma

m", which is depicted schematically in Figure 5, is the slope of T~ and i, are related to W through the following equation:
the enthalpy-saturation temperature curve for moist air at the W -- T~. . . . -- [Link] (14)
mean surface temperature, T,. The efficiency is then found from
ia, old -- is, new
• = tanh (mL®q) (3) The two unknowns, T~.... and i..... in Equation 14, are
mLeq calculated by solving the equation iteratively in conjunction
with the psychometric relationship between T, and i,. If T, is
where less than the free-stream dew-point temperature, the following
(2heff'~°'s wet-surface equations are used to find the desired parameters.
m = \k-~-/ (4)
and

L,q = (R.q - R,o,)[I + 0.35 In (R~--~j)1 (5) ~

tf, bas¢ ts, is
Equation 3 is the analytical expression for the efficiency of a '~
straight fin. L®q is defined in such a way as to permit the use
of this equation to calculate the efficiency of an annular fin
(Schmidt 1949).
The efficiency of the total surface (including the fin and the ",
prime surface) is found from
• Ar + Ap
'1 = - - (6) r~
Atot

The fin metal resistance for a wet surface, Rf, is given by Saturation temperature (t)
1-~/ 1
(7) Figure 5 Schematic representation of the dope of the enthalpy
saturation curve, n-/', at the mean surface temperature, TI

396 Int. J. Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 14, No. 4, December 1993
 Prediction of cooling-coil performance: D. R. Mirth and S. Ramadhyani

Otherwise, dry-surface equations, presented subsequently, are 17

used. correlation A'~
F o r a wet surface, the heat transfer at each step is found from 16.
[] Run I ~ ' -
h,.,A.,.p A Run 2 , / ' - "
15
qltep "~" (it. old - - i. . . . . ) (15) o
¢p, mat
el
14
An energy balance is then used to find the new value of
z
free-stream enthalpy and the new water temperature as follows: 13
q.,., = rh.(i. . . . . - i..o:d) = tlb, Cp.w(T,, . . . . -- T,,.om) (16) 12
The new dry-bulb temperature is found from
11
T, . . . . = T, + (T,.o~d -- T , ) e x p ( - - C , , . 3 (17)
10
where 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
C,a = A.t®ph,,,, (18) Re It
rhda cp, ma
F/gure 6 Dry-surface data plotted with the dry-surface correlation
Attep is the air-side surface area for an individual step. If T, is for coil 1
determined to be greater than the dew-point temperature, the
dry-surface equations must be used. To this end, the heat
transfer at each step is found from 15.
1 (T. *m- Tw o,d'~ 14.
Correlation
q,tep = N~tep \ RI -I- R a + ' R t ] (19) [] Run 1 ~1"
/, Run 2
13.
where
1 12.
R. = - - (20) ,.t ¢~
r/hdryAt,, z
11
The new air and water temperatures are then calculated using
an energy balance 10

q,t,p = Ih,cp.m( T` .... - T,.,ld) = K't,,cp.,,(T,,.,,,, -- T,.otd) (21) 9.

Once the new air and water conditions have been de- 8 - - . ,, • • . ,. • . . : . • • : - ', - -
termined, another step is taken in the direction of the air flow, 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
and the process is repeated.
Rea

Figure 7 Dry-surface data plotted with the dry-surface correlation

Results for coil 4

Comparison of dry- and wet-surface Nusselt

number data The air-side Reynolds n u m b e r is defined as

Dry-surface Nusselt n u m b e r correlations were obtained from V=~(2s)

Re, = - - (23)
experimental data for each of the five coils tested in this study, Va
and are listed in Table 3. Figures 6 and 7 show two of these
correlations plotted with the dry-surface data for coils 1 and where V=, is the air velocity calculated at the m i n i m u m
4. The air-side Nusselt number, plotted on the ordinate, is cross-sectional area on the air side of the coil. Both figures
defmed as illustrate the excellent repeatability in the determination of the
dry-surface heat transfer coefficients. As shown in Table 3, the
h(2s) standard deviation of the data from the dry-surface correlations
Nua = (22)
k, is less than 0.17 for all five coils.

Table 3 Dry-surface Nusselt number correlations

Coil Dry-surface correlation Range of data Standard Deviation

1 Nu, = 0.130 Re°'eTpr,1/a 473 < Rea < 785 0.095

2 Nu, = 0.011 Re°'UPrl- n 867 < Re, < 1680 0.115
3 Nu, = 0.327 Re°'S°Pr~/3 441 < Re,, < 878 0.147
4 Nua = 0.149 Re°'eaPr.1/3 1007 < Re= < 1598 0.114
5 Nu,, = 0.0545 Re°'7'~Pd/3 712 < Re, < 1440 0.167

Int. J. Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 14, No. 4, December 1993 397
Prediction of cooling-coil performance: D. R. Mirth and S. Ramadhyani

Figures 8, 9, and 10 show dry-surface correlations plotted 15

along with wet-surface Nusselt numbers for coils 1, 3, and 4, 14 Dry correlation
respectively. The different wet-surface data runs are distin- -[:3- Run 1
guished primarily by differences in the inlet dew-point tempera- 13 -~ Run2
ture. In marked contrast to the dry-surface data, Figure 11 . <3 Run 3
illustrates the large amount of data scatter that is possible when
attempting to determine wet-surface heat transfer coefficients.
The wet-surface results scatter around the dry-surface correla-
tion, with the average value being slightly higher than the zo 10 ~ _/.~y-~ "P-~-
.,,-" - " - " ~ "
corresponding dry-surface result. In general, the wet-surface
Nusselt numbers for this coil decrease with increasing inlet
dew-point temperature. The wet-surface data for coil 3 shown
in Figure 9, on the other hand, are in good agreement with the
:
dry-surface correlation for both data runs. The wet-surface 7,
Nusselt number data for coil 4, shown in Figure 10, lie 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
uniformly below the dry-surface values and display consider- Air-side R e y n o l d s n u m b e r
able scatter. Variations of the wet-surface data with the inlet
dew-point are not systematic for this coil. A comparison of the Figure 10 Wet-surface data plotted w i t h the dry-surface correla-
tion for coil 4
data for these three coils thus indicates that the wet-surface
Nusselt numbers display much greater scatter than the dry-
surface values and inconclusive trends with respect to varia- 24.a
tions in the inlet dew-point temperatures. Adjusted parameter Baseline value
--Q-- Q
In order to provide perspective on the cause of this scatter 22.
in the wet-surface data, a sensitivity analysis of the data was
undertaken. The uncertainties associated with the experimental 20. \ -o T ,
\-o- Twao~
18. \
..~¢g
17 z _ _ -.:
Dry correlation
16 Run 1
-~ Run2
• o Run 3 _ . ~ - ' / ~ c~ z~ . . . . . . . . ~" . . . . . a-- . .O
15
- ' ~ - Run 4 , £ 3-~. ; z ~ . . ~ s 2" 12. - -®" " "
- i - Run 5 / ,, .,,A,,~.," "
14 •• RunS / ~.~_.<~ .O 10 -.O ....... 0 ..... O" . . . .
~1m ...- 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600
z 13.
,,- _. . ,,
Re I
~,o / ° e w ' "
12 :e'"
13.b
11 Adjusted I ~ m m e t e r Baseline value
12. -Q-Q --41- ,El
10 -~ T
600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
-o- T we Pl / ¢v*
~ . - x >A x-, \ ~ / . ~,~..<>",.~'~
*
Re a
10 , ."~:~g'~,. I~ , , ' J ~ "
-," ~.X>~j~, "'~ , " ~ ' . . . ®
Figure 8 Wet-surface data plotted w i t h the dry-surface correlation
for coil 1 z 9. / <,'~/IP" o - ' ' ~ . . ~'.o"
• .. ...
8" " O''" "O''"
9,
& / " 7.
8.5 O
Dry correlation .
_ - o - Run 1 , 6,t . • - : - . . : - - . : . - - : . . .
8, 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
7.5 Re a

-,'= 7. Figure 11 Sensitivity of the reduced wet-surface, air-side Nusselt

z numbers to increases in the measured heat transfer rate, and inlet
6.5 air, water and dew-point temperatures: (a) coil 1, run 4; (b) coil
4, run 2
6

5.5 measurements of the inlet air, water and dew-point tempera-

tures, and the heat transfer rate were first estimated. The
5 estimated maximum measurement error for these parameters
200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 are
Re
Air and water temperatures + 0.2°C
F/gure 9 Wet-surface data plotted with dry-surface correlation for Dew-point temperature +0.6°C
coil 3 Heat transfer rate + 3 percent

398 Int. J. Heat and Fluid Flow, VoL 14, No. 4, December 1993
 Prediction of cooling-coil performance: D. R. Mirth and S. Ramadhyani

24. The air-side Nusselt number is also sensitive to small changes

Adjusted parameter Baseline value
in the inlet air and water temperatures, but the relatively small
22. -13-- Q estimated errors associated with measuring these temperatures
- ~ - Tat cause these measurements to be less serious sources of un-
2o. IR. <o _ -13" , r ~
certainty in the reduced Nusselt number values.
It is believed that the scatter and nonrepeatability of the
~" 18. B - - ~ ~" .®"....O
wet-surface Nusselt number data are primarily due to the
.. • A.
uncertainty and nonrepeatability of the dew-point temperature
measurements, and the related task of determining the air-side
16. o "" " - " "z=" ° latent heat transfer rate. Although the dry- surface Nusselt
® ..... number is very sensitive to errors in the experimentally de-
14 ~....~.. o ~,.." termined heat transfer rate, the determination of this heat
transfer rate is considerably more accurate and repeatable
12 h. ". ." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,, when there is no latent heat transfer occurring on the air side
900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 of the coil.
Re /I
Use of dry-surface correlation to predict wet-surface
Figure 12 Sensitivity of the reduced dry-surface, air-side Nusselt heat transfer
numbers to increases in the measured heat transfer rate, and inlet
air and water temperatures (coil I, run 3) While the studies listed previously compared wet- and dry-
surface heat transfer coefficients, the more important considera-
tion is whether or not a model using a dry-surface Nusselt
number correlation can predict the wet-surface heat transfer
Nusselt numbers were then predicted by increasing each of the performance. In order to address this issue, the dry-surface heat
parameters in turn, from their baseline values, by the extent of transfer correlations developed for each of the five coils used
the estimated uncertainty. To simplify the sensitivity analysis, in this study were inserted into the coil model, which was then
the average heat transfer rate was assumed to be constant used to predict wet-surface performance. The results are pre-
(except, of course, when studying the sensitivity to variations sented in terms of a percent overprediction (CPO), which is
in the measured heat transfer rate) and equal to the originally defined as
determined water-side heat transfer rate. Figures l la and 1lb
illustrate the effect of these variations on experimentally de- CPO = (Qpredieted -- QexPertm©nt=l~X 100 (24)
termined wet-surface Nusselt numbers from coils 1 and 4, while \ (~experimental /
Figure 12 shows their effect on dry-surface data from coil 1.
These figures show that the computed Nusselt number is The model was used to predict the wet-surface heat transfer
extremely sensitive to small changes in the measured heat rates for over 80 data points taken from tests on the five coils.
transfer rate. As can be seen in Figures l l a and 12, this The results of these predictions are shown in Figure 13. It can
sensitivity can be especially severe at low air-side Reynolds be seen that, with the exception of two points, the model using
numbers (thus low air-side mass flow rates). This sensitivity is dry-surface correlations was able to predict the heat transfer
due to the fact that, when the heat transfer coefficient is rate within + 5 percent of the experimentally measured value.
increased in the data-reduction program in order to match the The results shown in Figure 13 demonstrate that, despite the
increase in the given heat transfer rate, the temperature differ- fact that the impact of condensation on the heat transfer
ence between the air and the finned-tubes, which drives the coefficient is as yet unresolved, it is still possible to accurately
heat transfer, is decreased. The decreased temperature differ- predict wet-surface heat transfer performance using dry-surface
ence necessitates a further increase in the heat transfer coeffi- heat transfer correlations.
cient. Thus, the required proportion of change in the heat
transfer coefficient exceeds the change in the heat transfer rate.
The sensitivity is more severe at low air-side flow rates because 10
the coil is asymptotically approaching its maximum possible
heat transfer rate for the given water-side conditions (achieved 7.5'
when the air temperature is equal to temperature of the tube
- -- CPO = 5% ~ ,E} :£1
surface at the outlet of the coil), and further increases in the 5 ............ ~ ...... ,~-,z ........
air-side heat transfer coefficient have a diminishing impact on
the predicted heat transfer rate. 2.5
Varying the inlet dew-point temperature by the maximum O - coil 2
estimated error in its measurement also results in large differ- o. 0
O
ences in the computed Nusselt numbers. The Nusselt number
is sensitive to the inlet dew-point temperature, since the dew- -2.5
point controls the driving force for latent heat transfer, which "5'
can be half or more of the total heat transfer of the coil. When . . . . . CPO = - 5 %
the dew-point temperature is increased, the data-reduction -7.5
program reduces the heat transfer coefficient in order to main-
tain the same total heat transfer rate. As the heat transfer -10 'I I I I I
coefficient is decreased, however, the temperature of the coil 0 400 800 1200 1600 2000
surface also decreases, thus increasing the driving force values Re a
for sensible and latent heat transfer. These increases in the
driving forces cause the need for a further reduction in the heat Figure 13 Coil performance predictions under condensing condi-
transfer coefficient, thus causing the Nusselt number to be tions using dry-surface correlations to determine the air-side heat
highly sensitive to small changes in the dew-point temperature. transfer coefficient

Int. J. Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 14, No. 4, December 1993 399
Prediction of cooling-coil performance: D. R. Mirth and S. Ramadhyani

Summary Elmahdy, A. H. 1975. Analytical and Experimental Multi-Row, Finned-

Tube Heat Exchanger Performance during Cooling and Dehumidifica-
Experimentally determined wet-surface Nusselt number data tion Processes. Ph.D. Thesis, Mechanical Engineering Dept., Carle-
were presented and compared with dry-surface data obtained ton University, Ottawa, Canada
Gnielinski, V. 1976. New equations for heat and mass transfer in
from the same cooling coils. The wet-surface Nusselt numbers
turbulent pipe and channel flow. Int. Chem. Eng., 16, 359-368
showed considerable scatter, with some of the wet-surface Guillory, J. and McQuiston, F. 1973. An experimental investigation of
results being higher than the corresponding dry-surface correla- air dehumidification in a parallel plate. ASHRAE Trans., 79(2),
tions, while others were lower than the dry-surface values. A 146-151
sensitivity analysis revealed that the wet-surface Nusselt num- Jacobi, A. M. and Goldschmidt, V. W. 1990. Low Reynolds number
bers were very sensitive to the uncertainties in the measured heat and mass transfer measurements of an overall counterflow,
inlet dew-point temperature and the measured heat transfer baffled, finned-tube, condensing heat exchanger. Int. J. Heat Mass
rate. It was also determined that the use of dry-surface Nusselt Transfer, 33(4), 755-765
number correlations in a coil model resulted in wet-surface heat Loehrke, R. I. and Nagib, H. M. 1972. Experiments on management
of free-stream turbulence. AGARD Report No. 598, NATO
transfer predictions that were generally within 5 percent of the McQuiston, F. C. 1978a. Heat, mass and momentum transfer data for
experimentally determined value. five plate-fin-tube heat transfer surfaces. ASHRAE Trans., 84(1),
266-293
McQuiston, F. C. 1978b. Correlation of heat, mass and momentum
transport coefficients for plate-fin-tube heat transfer surfaces with
staggered tubes. ASHRAE Trans., 84(1), 294-308
Acknowledgments
Myers, R. J. 1967. The Effect of Dehumidification on the Air-Side Heat
Transfer Coefficient for a Finned-Tube Coil. M.S. thesis, Mechanical
This research was conducted under EPRI contract RP2732-11. Engineering Dept., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
The program manager for this project was Mukesh Khattar. Nasr, K. 1990. Energy Use Estimates of Ice Storage~Heat Recovery
Systems in Large Office Buildings. M.S. thesis, Mechanical Engineer-
ing Dept., Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
O'Dell, L. 1977. Considerations for sizing and installing commercial
and industrial steam humidifiers. ASHRAE Trans., 83, 745-750
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400 Int. J. Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 14, No. 4, December 1993