Heat Transfer Properties and Energy-Exergy Efficiency in a Finned Cross-Flow Heat Recovery Unit

In this study, a cross-flow heat recovery-exchanger system operating with unmixed fluids was manufactured and tested. The thermodynamic analysis of the system was presented via determining the variations of exergy loss with Reynolds number. The analysis also included the effects of convergent and divergent plate-type winglets on heat transfer properties of the designed system. Experimental tests consisted of temperature and pressure drop measurements for the Reynolds numbers (3000 and 12,000) according to the working conditions of the boiler, fan, preheater, and reheater. The effects of inlet conditions of the working fluids on the heat transfer characteristics were correlated via entropy generation number and exergy loss. The variation of the effectiveness with the number of transfer unit of heat recovery unit was calculated and discussed in terms of literature.