Experimental study of constructal distributor for flow equidistribution in a mini crossflow heat exchanger (MCHE)

This paper examines experimentally the effects of constructal distributors or collectors, built on a binary pattern of pores, on flow equidistribution in a multi-channel heat exchanger. Thermal performance and pressure drop have been determined with different assembly configurations of constructal distributors, conventional pyramid distributors and a mini crossflow heat exchanger (MCHE). Experimental results show that the integration of constructal distributors/collectors could homogenize the fluid flow distribution and consequently lead to a better thermal performance of the MCHE, but it also results in higher pressure drops. Among all tested assembly configurations, the configuration where the inlet is equipped with a conventional pyramid distributor, and the outlet is equipped with a constructal collector (Apec) shows a relatively better thermal performance as well as low pressure drops under experimental conditions considered.