Air-Side Flow and Heat Transfer in Compact Heat Exchangers: A Discussion of Enhancement Mechanisms

The behavior of air flows in complex Heat exchanger passages is reviewed with a focus on the heat transfer effects of boundary-layer development, turbulence, spanwise and streamwise vortices, and wake management. Each of these flow features is discussed for the plain, wavy, and interrupted passages found in contemporary compact Heat exchanger designs. Results from the literature are used to help explain the role of these mechanisms in Heat transfer enhancement strategies.