Skip to main content

Modeling of Frosting on Fin-and-Tube Heat Exchanger of a Domestic Refrigerator

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Advances in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering ((LNME))

  • 699 Accesses

Abstract

Domestic refrigerators typically use fin-and-tube type heat exchangers with variable fin pitch across the tube rows to accommodate for the reduction in the flow area due to frost formation. In the current study, a numerical model is developed in Modelica language to predict the heat and mass transfer across a typical tubeā€“fin heat exchanger employed in a domestic refrigerator. Results obtained from the numerical model are validated using a purpose-built experimental setup. A comparison between the experimental and numerical results showed good agreement. Frost formation rate observed is constant, and the rate of heat transfer is higher in the bottom rows and decreases along the direction of the airflow.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Iragorry J, Tao YX, Jia S (2004) A critical review of properties and models for frost formation analysis. HVAC&R Res 10(4):393ā€“420

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  2. Hayashi Y, Aoki A, Adachi S, Hori K (1977) Study of frost properties correlating with frost formation types. J Heat Transf 99(2):239ā€“245

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  3. Sami SM, Duong T (1989) Mass and heat transfer during frost growth. ASHRAE Trans 95(3218):158ā€“165

    Google ScholarĀ 

  4. Tao YX, Besant RW, Rezkallah KS (1993) A mathematical model for predicting the densification and growth of frost on a flat plate. Int J Heat Mass Transf 36(2):353ā€“363

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  5. Lee KS, Kim WS, Lee TH (1997) A one-dimensional model for frost formation on a cold flat surface. Int J Heat Mass Transf 40(18):4359ā€“4365

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  6. Na B, Webb RL (2004) New model for frost growth rate. Int J Heat Mass Transf 47(5):925ā€“936

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  7. Cheng CH, Cheng YC (2001) Predictions of frost growth on a cold plate in atmospheric air. Int Commun Heat Mass Transfer 28(7):953ā€“962

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  8. Kondepudi SN, Oā€™Neal DL (1993) Performance of finned-tube heat exchangers under frosting conditions: II. Comparison of experimental data with model. Int J Refrig 16(3):181ā€“184

    Google ScholarĀ 

  9. Seker D, Karatas H, Egrican N (2004) Frost formation on fin-and-tube heat exchangers. Part Iā€”modeling of frost formation on fin-and-tube heat exchangers. Int J Refrig 27(4):367ā€“374

    Google ScholarĀ 

  10. Padhmanabhan SK, Fisher DE, Cremaschi L, Moallem E (2011) Modeling non-uniform frost growth on a fin-and-tube heat exchanger. Int J Refrig 34(8):2018ā€“2030

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  11. Ribeiro RS, Hermes CJ (2014) Algebraic modeling and thermodynamic design of fan-supplied tube-fin evaporators running under frosting conditions. Appl Therm Eng 70(1):552ā€“559

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  12. Da Silva DL, Hermes CJ, Melo C (2011) First-principles modeling of frost accumulation on fan-supplied tube-fin evaporators. Appl Therm Eng 31(14ā€“15):2616ā€“2621

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  13. Barbosa JR Jr, Melo C, Hermes CJ, Waltrich PJ (2009) A study of the air-side heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of tube-fin ā€˜no-frostā€™evaporators. Appl Energy 86(9):1484ā€“1491

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  14. Karki S, Haapala KR, Fronk BM (2018) Thermal-hydraulic optimization of fan-supplied tube-fin evaporators for frosting conditions aiming at minimum energy consumption. In: International refrigeration and air conditioning conference, Purdue University

    Google ScholarĀ 

  15. Zhang L, Jiang Y, Dong J, Yao Y, Deng S (2019) An experimental study on the effects of frosting conditions on frost distribution and growth on finned tube heat exchangers. Int J Heat Mass Transf 128:748ā€“761

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Saikiran Pegallapati .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

Ā© 2021 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Pegallapati, A.S., Ramgopal, M. (2021). Modeling of Frosting on Fin-and-Tube Heat Exchanger of a Domestic Refrigerator. In: Ramgopal, M., Rout, S.K., Sarangi, S.K. (eds) Advances in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6360-7_21

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6360-7_21

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-15-6359-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-15-6360-7

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics