Experimental investigation of sensible heat transfer in fin-and-tube cooling coils

The sensible heat transfer characteristics of ‘ at-fin, corrugated-fin and turbulated-fin cooling coils is investigated using a laboratory rig. Measurements at different fin geometry, inlet air conditions and inlet chilled water temperature were conducted. The Nusselt number was found to be largely independent of both inlet air and chilled water temperatures. The turbulated-fin coil was found to have the highest value of heat transfer coefficient. In particular, at the same rate of heat transfer, the corrugated- and turbulated-fin coil types required 11% and 30% less fin surface area than ‘ at-fin, respectively.