S-SS-3-3 Performance of 11 Fin/Inch Medium-High Fin Tubes in Shell-and-Tube Exchangers with Segmental and Double-Segmental Baffles
The performance of Wolverine S/T type 11 fins/in. medium-high finned tubes was tested in two shell-and-tube exchanger, one with segmental and one with double-segmental baffles. Fluids used were air, dieselene, and Alta-Vis, which produced a Reynolds number range of 20 (deep laminar flow) to 40,000 (highly developed turbulent flow).
In general, it was found that the medium-finned bundles produced a duty of about 1.7 to 4 times that of an identical plain tube bundle under the same conditions, depending on the Reynolds number. Comparisons were also made against the previously tested 19 fins/in. low-finned tube. It was found that the medium-finned tube was much more effective in laminar flow and had about the same effectiveness in turbulent flow for the type exchangers tested.
Modifications were made to HTRI design methods which produced excellent prediction of the performance of this type tube. An analysis of the effectiveness and potential areas of utilization of finned tubes is discussed, and areas of most profitable future research are recommended.