Thermo-Hydraulic performance of Internal finned tube Automobile Radiator

ABSTRACT Thermo-fluid behaviour of finned and finless tube was investigated experimentally and numerically using Fluent 14. One meter length aluminium tube of diameter 0.044 m subjected to constant heat flux on the outer surface was chosen both for numerical and experimental purpose. High velocity of air supplied by the blower and orifice meter was used to measure the flow rate. The thermocouples are used for measuring the inlet, outlet and wall temperatures. Finned tube consisting of longitudinal rectangular sectioned fins attached on the inner periphery of the tube. The numerical simulations were performed by solving 3-D conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy with two equation based k-? turbulent model. It was found from the investigations that for the same heat flux and Reynolds number, the wall temperature was lowest, Nusselt number was 2.5 times for 8 numbers of internal fins finned tube compared to plain tube and convective resistance was minimum for 8 numbers of internal finned tubes.