Anyone know of a spreadsheet model for air-only heat xchgr design?

[Tunalover]

Folks-
I have a recurring need to design forced-air heat exchanger electronics chasses where fans are used to move air through compartments containing plate fin arrays(e.g. Kintex fins). Except at turns, the airflow runs along the fins which are brazed in place. The airflow carries the heat away from the fins and the fins get their heat by conduction from the chassis interior. This is a single species, single phase problem so it should be much easier than most heat exchanger design problems. Any help?

Maybe a Visual Basic spreadsheet program with lookup tables for Kays and London convection correlations? A well-documented program would be just great!

Thanks in advance for helping out!

 

[cbiber]

I have written spreadsheets for exactly the situation you describe. You are right, it's pretty straightforward, and I think you could probably write it directly in the worksheet without even needing to go to VB. I can send you a .pdf file of my setup if you want. (Sorry, I can't share the spreadsheet.)

I've written up the correlations on CoolingZone:

http://www.coolingzone.com/Guest/News/NL_March_2001/Cathy/Mar_cb_2001.html

(no need to look up anything, even!) and then there's a "heat sink performance" analysis method at

http://www.coolingzone.com/Guest/News/NL_MAY_2001/Cathy/May_cb_2001.html.

Cathy Biber

Biber Thermal Design

http://www.biberthermal.com

 

[Tunalover]

Thank you Dr. Biber! If I can return the favor just say the word! See my just-sent email.
Best Regards,
HBJ