RP-47 -- Finned Coils in Cross Flow Forced Convection Frosting of Air PDF

The purpose of this thesis was the prediction of heat exchanger performance under frosting conditions. An extensive experimental program was undertaken in an effort to determine the effect of inlet air temperature, inlet air relative humidity, inlet air velocity, heat exchanger surface temperature, and heat exchanger geometry on the heat exchanger performance under frosting conditions.

It was found that the over-all heat transfer coefficient was independent of the number of tube rows and decreased with increasing fin spacing and increasing mass transfer potential. It was also shown that the friction factor exhibited a maximum value with respect to the number of tube rows and increased with decreasing fin spacing and increasing mass transfer potential.