Experimental investigation of frost issue on various evaporators having different fin types

Abstract

Frost formation and growth is quite important physical phenomena in evaporators since frost can directly affect both capacity and fan performance. In this study, an in-house-code was programmed to determine frost ratio on evaporator surfaces via an image processing technique. Air inlet temperatures along with pressure drop across the evaporators were monitored and both temperature and pressure breaking points were identified for evaporators with flat, hydrophilic flat and corrugated fins. Evaporator capacities and pressure drops across the evaporators were experimentally measured and compared with theoretical findings. It was revealed that the evaporator with hydrophilic fin was the most suitable selection when entire measured and calculated parameters were considered altogether.