Thermal, Hydraulic and Drainable Performances of Slant Louver Fin for Automobile Applications

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the characteristics of pressure drop, heat transfer rate and drainability for a brazed aluminum heat exchanger. Scaled-up models with standard and 30 degree-slant louver fins were made, and their thermal and hydraulic performances were tested in a wind tunnel. The drainability of the fins was compared by measuring the retained water after dipping the heat exchangers. The slant louver fin showed a 13% higher pressure drop and 2% lower heat transfer coefficient than the standard louver fin. It also retained about half of the water that the standard louver fin did.