Experimental investigation on the performance of a finned tube

Several experiments on heat transfer phenomena are canied out at the University of Rome "La Sapienza" - DINCE. These researches were undertaken mainly to support the development and qualification of passive cooling systems like that foreseen in the MARS nuclear reactor or in other process plants where heat has to be safely removed (as in chemical reactors where runaway reactions wuld occur). This paper presents the results of an experimental analysis on the air-side heat transfer cocfficient using finned tubes. A campaign of tests has been carried out to evaluate the air-side heat transfer coeficient using water in turbulent conditions as heating medium flowing at different temperatures inside the tube. Petukhov's correlation has been selected to calculate water heat transfer coefficient in the tube. The experimental data obtained have been compared with the Briggs & Young's correlation, obtaining a very good agreement in the same range of validity. The thermal contact resistance of the wrapped fm on the tube has been considered in the evaluations. Thermofluidodynamic analyses of the experimental apparatus using the FLUENT code have been also performed.