Performance Enhancement of Air-Cooled Condenser (A.C.C) by utilizing Nano-composite fins at various air gaps

The present study evaluated the effect of simultaneous change of the material of tube bundle fins and air gap between rows of fins in consecutive tube bundles on the performance of A.C.C in order to improve their performance. Changing this air gap as well as the fin material can affect the heat transfer coefficient, air pressure drop, and weight of the tube bundle. In this paper, the suitable material for fin was first determined in different air gap, and then the effect of the velocity of inlet air on tube bundle as well as ambient temperature conditions on the thermo-hydraulic performance of airflow on the selected tube bundle side was studied. According to the results, among the 54 simulated tube bundles, the use of the selected fin material and 1-mm air gap on the tube bundle airside exhibited improved thermohydraulic performance. Using the selected tube bundle, the Nusselt number and the performance evaluation criteria increased by 57.2% and 64.4%, and the friction factor and the overall weight of the tube bundle decreased by 7.9% and 10.8%, respectively, compared to the current bundle.