1.5. Application of Extended Surfaces To Heat Exchangers: 1.5.1. The Concept of The Controlling Resistance
1.5. Application of Extended Surfaces To Heat Exchangers: 1.5.1. The Concept of The Controlling Resistance
1.5. Application of Extended Surfaces To Heat Exchangers: 1.5.1. The Concept of The Controlling Resistance
+
=
1
2
(1.34)
41
The geometrical variables are defined in Fig. 1.50, and h
o
and R
fo
are respectively the actual convective heat transfer coefficient and
the actual fouling resistance on the fin side, based on the fin area.
An inspection of Eqs. (1.33) and (1.34) indicates that the fin
efficiency is higher for the better-conducting fin materials, and
higher as the outside heat transfer coefficient is lower. Finned
tubes are not generally used in applications where the fin
efficiency is less than 0.65.
The fin efficiency is applicable only to the fin area of the tube. It
is assumed that heat is transferred from the root area of the tube
(between the fins) with an efficiency of 1.00. Thus, we may write
the equation for the total heat transfer from the tube as:
( ) ( ) + =
o r fin o o r root o
T T A h T T A h Q (1.35)
where A
root
refers to the heat transfer area of the root portions
between the fins and A
fin
to the heat transfer area of all the fins on
the tube. This equation may be written as:
( )( )
fin root o r o
A A T T h Q + = (1.36)
or
( )
eq o r o
A T T h Q = (1.37)
where A
eq
, the equivalent or effective heat transfer area, is
fin root eq
A A A + = (1..38)
If the outside of the tube (including the fins) has a fouling film on it, Eqs. (1.35), (1.36) and (1.37) must be written:
( ) ( )
+
+
+
=
o r fin
fo
o
o r root
fo
o
T T A
R
h
T T A
R
h
Q
1
1
1
1
(1.39)
or
( )( )
fin root o r
fo
o
A A T T
R
h
Q +
+
=
1
1
(1.40)
or
( )
eq o r
fo
o
A T T
R
h
Q
+
=
1
1
(1.41)
42
and Eq. (1.38) is unchanged.
A
eq
may be divided by the total outside heat
transfer area of the tube A
o
to give a weighted
fin efficiency.
fin root
fin root
w
A A
A A
E
+
+
= (1.42)
and values of this ratio can be calculated for a
given tube as a function of material and
+
fo
o
R
h
1
once and for all. This has been
done in Figures 1.51 a, b, c for the Wolverine
Trufin Products.
F FT SQ Hr Btu
f h
fo o
+
. . / ,
/ 1
1
1.5.4. The Fin Resistance Method
Another way of representing the heat transfer
effectiveness of a finned tube is by the "fin resistance method," as first developed by Carrier and Anderson (13) and
further modified by Young and Ward (14). This is the method that will be generally used in the remainder of this
Manual. The line of argument that led to Eq. (1.16) was based upon a plain tube in which all of the outer heat transfer
was taken to be equivalent in its ability to transfer heat. The validity of that equation may be extended to finned tubes if
we rewrite the equation introducing an additional resistance due to heat conduction through the fin, R
fin
:
Fig. 1.51a Weighted Fin Efficiency of 19 Fin Type S/T Trufin
o o o
fo
o
fin
m w
w
i
fi
i i
o i
A h A
R
A
R
A k
x
A
R
A h
T T
Q
1 1
+ + +
+ +
= (1.43)
The third term in the denominator, referring
to the wall resistance, is evaluated for that
portion of the tube wall that lies between the
inside diameter and the root diameter, i.e.,
exclusive of the fins. Thus
( )
i r
d d x = 2 / 1
( )L x d A
i m
+
(1.44)
and
(1.45)
We now define an overall heat transfer
coefficient U
o
based on the entire outer
surface of the finned tube, A
o
:
( )
o i o o
T T A U Q =
F FT SQ Hr Btu
f h
fo o
+
. . / ,
/ 1
1
(1.46)
Fig 1.51b. Weighted Fin Efficiencies of 26 and 28 Fin Type S/T Trufin
43
Eliminating and ( between Eqs. (1.43) and (1.46) and rearranging, we have: Q )
o i
T T
+ + + =
i
o
i i
o
fi
m w
o
fin fo
o o
A
A
h A
A
R
A k
xA
R R
h U
1 1 1
(1.47)
As written, each term on the right-hand-side is a
resistance to heat transfer for the particular
process involved; the temperature drop across
each part of the process is proportional to the
magnitude of the corresponding resistance.
If we take the first three terms on the right side
of Eq. (1.47), the corresponding temperature
drop is that from the root to the external fluid,
, and the corresponding heat flow is (
o r
T T )
( )
+ +
=
fin fo
o
o o r
R R
h
A T T
Q
1
(1.48)
F FT SQ Hr Btu
f h
fo o
+
. . / ,
/ 1
1
This may be equated to Eq. (1.40) which uses
the fin efficiency , but which must give the
same heat flow. With some rearrangement
Fig.1.51c Weighted Fin Efficiencies of 32 & 40 Fin Type S/T Trufin
+
=
fo
o
fin
root
fin
R
h
A
A
R
1 1
fin
R
F FT SQ HR Btu
r h
fo o
+
. . / ,
/ 1
1
Fig. 1.52a Fin Resistance of 19 Fin Type S/T Trufin
(1.49)
Using Eqs. (1.33, 1.34) to evaluate ,
may be calculated as a function of
o
h
1
+
fo
R
for various fin materials and geometries: results
are given in Figures 1.52a, b, c for the standard
Wolverine Trufin Products.
An important feature of R
fin
is that it is nearly
constant for a given fin geometry and material
out to high values of the abscissa (relative to the
usual range of finned tube application.)
44
Fig. 1.52c Fin Resistance of 32 & 40 Fin Type S/T Trufin
Fig.1.52b Fin Resistance of 26 & 27 Fin Type S/T Trufin
1.5.5. Some Applications of Finned Tubes.
One major application of high-finned tubes is in air-cooled heat exchangers. Atmospheric air, like all low pressure
gases, gives a very low heat transfer coefficient at normal velocities. By contrast, the tube-side fluid, usually a liquid to
be sensibly cooled or a vapor to be condensed may have a coefficient up to 100 times higher, or even more. Therefore,
high-finned tubes are used in these exchangers to reduce the overall size of exchanger required. Even so, some of these
installations cover several acres. Construction details and design methods for this kind of heat exchanger are given in
Chapter 4 of this manual.
Low- and medium-finned tubes are used in a variety of sensible, condensing, and boiling services in shell and tube
exchangers. A typical sensible heat transfer application would be cooling a compressed gas in a compressor inter-
cooler, using cooling water in the tubes.
Low-finned tubes are used for condensing organic vapors, which have condensing coefficients only a third or a quarter
of that of the cooling water inside the tubes. In addition to providing additional heat transfer area, the fins provide drip
points that facilitate the drainage of the condensate. On the other hand, finned tubes are not used for condensing steam
or other high surface tension fluids on the fin side. The high surface tension causes the liquid to hang on the surface,
largely insulating it by a static film of liquid.
Finned tubes are also used in boiling services, especially when condensing steam is the heating medium inside the
tubes. The condensing coefficient in this case may be 2000 or 3000 Btu/hr.ft
2
.F, so even the high heat transfer
coefficients commonly associated with nucleate boiling may be relatively small by comparison, and the design can
benefit by the use of low-finned tubes.
45