Heat Transfer From Horizontal Serrated Finned Tubes in an Air-Fluidized Bed of Uniformly Sized Particles

A primary objective of this work was to gather experimental convective heat transfer coefficient data for extended surfaces. The results were then compared with bare horizontal tubes in a similar flow environment. The finned tube configurations were considered an extension of the bare tube arrangements to enhance heat transfer. Heat transfer coefficients were computed from the heated tube surface temperature, the fluidized bed temperature, and the power input to the tube. Selected serrated finned tubes were used. The experimental heat transfer data were measured as a function of fluidized bed flow parameters and finned tube geometry. Several tests were performed using two different uniformly sized glass particles (.21 mm and .43 mm). Fin efficiency factors were determined and presented as a function of mass velocity and as a function of a fin length parameter. The finned tube demonstrated a better heat transfer capacity over bare tubes for similar fluidization conditions.