Technical Paper
Condensate Drainage and Retention in Louver Fin Automotive Evaporators
2000-03-06
2000-01-0575
Condensate that forms on the air side surface of an evaporator can have a significant impact on the air side performance of brazed aluminum, louver fin automotive evaporators. Condensate can “bridge” the space between two adjacent fins or louvers and alter the flow of air through the evaporator, causing a change in the heat transfer and friction characteristics. This study attempts to determine how condensate drains from an evaporator in the hopes of improving the air side fin geometry and obtain an evaporator that retains a minimum amount of condensate. Using a table-top wind tunnel apparatus, qualitative observations of condensate draining from a single column of louver fins brazed to a refrigerant tube were made. The amount of condensate retained in an evaporator core was determined using the experimentally-verified dip test method.