Computational Analysis of Cross-Flow Heat Exchangers: Effect of Fin Geometry on Thermal and Hydraulic Performance

Bourhane Bouhabel; Marni sandid Abdelfatah; Aouissi Zouhair; Eutamene Salim; Benhacine Hamza; Ait Ferhat Yazid

doi:10.2478/scjme-2025-0020

.blurhash-client-img { display: none !important; }

Computational Analysis of Cross-Flow Heat Exchangers: Effect of Fin Geometry on Thermal and Hydraulic Performance

Strojnícky časopis - Journal of Mechanical Engineering

Volume 75 (2025): Issue 2 (November 2025)

By: Bourhane Bouhabel, Marni sandid Abdelfatah, Aouissi Zouhair, Eutamene Salim, Benhacine Hamza and Ait Ferhat Yazid

Open Access

|Nov 2025

Abstract

A numerical study using ANSYS Fluent 18.1 software was conducted to examine the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics in a cross-flow heat exchanger equipped with rectangular, hexagonal, and semi-elliptical finned tubes. Simulations were performed for Reynolds numbers ranging from 3422 to 11980. The results show that rectangular fins produce the highest heat transfer values with a high pressure drop. However, semi-elliptical fins offer superior thermal and hydraulic efficiency. At Re = 5990, the semi-elliptical configuration improves overall efficiency by 5.17% and reduces pressure drop by 47.86% compared to the rectangular fin design.

References

Gužela, Š., Dzianik, F., Juriga, M., Kabát, J. “Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger – the Heat Transfer Area Design Process”, Strojnícky časopis – Journal of Mechanical Engineering 67 (2), pp. 13 – 24, 2017. DOI: 10.1515/scjme-2017-0014
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Gužela, Š., Dzianik, F. “Countercurrent index determination for the recuperative heat exchangers”, Strojnícky časopis – Journal of Mechanical Engineering 71 (1), pp. 51 – 60, 2021. DOI: 10.2478/scjme-2021-0005
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ahmed, M.A., Yaseen, M.M., Yusoff, M.Z. “Numerical Study of Convective Heat Transfer from Tube Bank in Cross Flow Using Nanofluid”, Case Studies in Thermal Engineering 10, pp. 560 – 569, 2017. DOI: 10.1016/j.csite.2017.11.002
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Karali, A. et al “Effect of surfaces roughness of a staggered tube bank in cross flow with air on heat transfer and pressure drop”, Case Studies in Thermal Engineering 43, 102779, 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.csite.2023.102779
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Choudhary, A., Kumar, M., Patil, A. K., Chamoli, S. “Enhanced thermal and fluid flow performance of cross flow tube bank with perforated splitter plate”, Experimental Heat Transfer 34 (4), pp. 329 – 341, 2020. DOI:10.1080/08916152.2020.1749190
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Mohanan, A. K., Prasad, B. V. S. S. S., Vengadesan, S. “Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics of a Cross-Flow Heat Exchanger with Elliptical Tubes”, Heat Transfer Engineering 42 (21), pp. 1846–1860, 2020. DOI: 10.1080/01457632.2020.1826742.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Reynoso-Jardón, E. et al “Numerical study of a cross flow heat exchanger varying the transverse and longitudinal space to increase heat transfer”, International Journal of Combinatorial Optimization Problems and Informatics 11(1), pp. 106 – 114, 2020. ISSN: 2007-1558
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Abraham, J. D., Dhoble, A. S., Mangrulkar, C. K. “Numerical analysis for thermo-hydraulic performance of staggered cross flow tube bank with longitudinal tapered fins”, International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 118, 104905, 2020. DOI: 10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2020.104905
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ahmed, M. N. E. et al “Performance enhancement for tube bank staggered configuration heat exchanger – CFD Study”, Chemical Engineering and Processing-Process Intensification 164, 108392, 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.cep.2021.108392
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Mangrulkar, C. K., Dhoble, A. S., Chakrabarty, S. G., Wankhede, U. S. “Experimental and CFD prediction of heat transfer and friction factor characteristics in cross flow tube bank with integral splitter plate”, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 104, pp. 964 – 978, 2017. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2016.09.013
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Žukauskas, A. “Heat transfer from tubes in cross flow”, Adv. Heat Transf, pp. 93 – 160, 1972. DOI: 10.1016/S0065-2717(08)70038-8
Search in Google Scholar Back to article

Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/scjme-2025-0020 | Journal eISSN: 2450-5471 | Journal ISSN: 0039-2472

Journal RSS Feed

Language: English

Page range: 21 - 30

Published on: Nov 28, 2025

Published by: Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 2 issues per year

Keywords:

Related subjects:

Mechanical engineering,

Fundamentals of mechanical engineering,

Mechanics

© 2025 Bourhane Bouhabel, Marni sandid Abdelfatah, Aouissi Zouhair, Eutamene Salim, Benhacine Hamza, Ait Ferhat Yazid, published by Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Volume 75 (2025): Issue 2 (November 2025)