Energy-efficient flat-tube heat exchangers in indirect display cabinet and air-conditioning applications

Paper in proceeding, 2011

The possible performance of flat-tube heat exchangers in indirectly cooled display cabinets and airconditioning systems has been studied. Experimental investigations of plain fin flat-tube heat exchangers have been sandwiched with theoretical parameter studies. The results show that flat-tube heat exchangers with plain fins provide considerable savings in the required electric drive power compared to the use of traditional coil designs in supermarket display cabinets. The savings can be up to 15 %. The flat-tube heat exchangers can operate with a small temperature difference which makes frost-free operation possible and thereby the savings potential even larger. In addition, results from experiments and calculations for the same flat-tube heat exchanger designs in indirect air-conditioning applications show that this type of heat exchanger can deliver the desired heat transfer performance at considerably lower pressure drop, both on the air and on the liquid side compared to traditional cooling-coils.