Multi-objective shape characterization of airside performance in sinusoidal wavy fin-and-tube heat exchangers with large-diameter tubes using CFD

This investigation aims to evaluate the airside performance of sinusoidal wavy fin-and-tube heat exchangers (FTHXs) that incorporate large-diameter round and oval tube configurations. The influence of seven critical parameters is assessed to determine their impact on pressure drop and airside thermal performance. The study found that tube diameter significantly influences hydraulic performance (36.42 %). Additionally, fin pitch impacted the airside thermal performance most significantly (13.03 %). Finally, the optimized design was discovered, resulting in a 79.2 % increase in the figure of merit, j/f^1/3, compared to the baseline. Furthermore, it has been discovered that the number of tubes primarily influences the hydraulic and thermal performance of the tube pitch.