Abstract

This paper presents the development of a computational tool for the simulation of flow behavior in the fin-and-tube heat exchangers with phase change in the coolant side, for which the finite volume method was used for exchanger modeling and representation of the connection of the tubes was made using graph theory. Because the hydrodynamic phenomena and the 2 phase flow is not well developed, the model supports various empirical correlations for calculating the pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient. As a result a computational tool for simulating of fin-and-tube heat exchangers that allows the modeling of the refrigerant flow in single phase or two-phase state was obtained. With the model of the exchanger was possible to predict the flow behavior of an evaporator under conditions of dry and wet fins give error values below 6% with respect to the experimental data.