Drainage Characteristics and Heat Transfer Performance of Fin Surfaces in Desert Greenhouse Environments

As desertification intensifies, greenhouses in arid regions are increasingly challenged by severe water scarcity and low water utilization efficiency. Traditional greenhouse HVAC systems are often inadequate in efficiently recovering condensate water. This study addressed these challenges by investi...

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Main Authors: Mingzhi Zhao, Feng Bai, Rong Yu, Yuru Liu, Yixuan Ma, Yingjie Liu, Bakhramzhan Rasakhodzhaev
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Energies
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/8/2061
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author Mingzhi Zhao
Feng Bai
Rong Yu
Yuru Liu
Yixuan Ma
Yingjie Liu
Bakhramzhan Rasakhodzhaev
author_facet Mingzhi Zhao
Feng Bai
Rong Yu
Yuru Liu
Yixuan Ma
Yingjie Liu
Bakhramzhan Rasakhodzhaev
author_sort Mingzhi Zhao
collection DOAJ
description As desertification intensifies, greenhouses in arid regions are increasingly challenged by severe water scarcity and low water utilization efficiency. Traditional greenhouse HVAC systems are often inadequate in efficiently recovering condensate water. This study addressed these challenges by investigating, through wind tunnel experiments, the fin angle and inlet wind speed for optimal condensation and heat transfer performance of a straight-fin heat exchanger in desert greenhouse environments. The experimental findings revealed that under low-temperature conditions, vertical fins facilitated gravity-driven droplet removal, resulting in a maximum condensate amount of 524.2 g within 120 min. Conversely, under high-temperature conditions, a fin angle of 45° optimally balanced turbulent disturbances and liquid film stability, producing a condensate amount of up to 887.1 g in the same timeframe. Additionally, wind speed tests at a 45° fin angle identified a critical wind speed of 1.5 m/s, beyond which the condensate amount significantly decreased. Furthermore, when the fin inclination reached or exceeded 60°, flow separation occurred, reducing the effective heat transfer area and negatively impacting the exchanger efficiency. Overall, the study provides significant insights into water conservation and sustainable environmental utilization by enhancing condensate recovery efficiency.
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series Energies
spelling doaj-art-2f81a71b50574ab1894de4226acd7bab2025-08-20T03:13:44ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-04-01188206110.3390/en18082061Drainage Characteristics and Heat Transfer Performance of Fin Surfaces in Desert Greenhouse EnvironmentsMingzhi Zhao0Feng Bai1Rong Yu2Yuru Liu3Yixuan Ma4Yingjie Liu5Bakhramzhan Rasakhodzhaev6College of Energy and Power Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, ChinaCollege of Energy and Power Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, ChinaCollege of Energy and Power Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, ChinaCollege of Energy and Power Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, ChinaDepartment of Power Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, ChinaCollege of Energy and Power Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, ChinaNational Scientific Research Institute of Renewable Energy Sources, Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan, Tashkent 100170, UzbekistanAs desertification intensifies, greenhouses in arid regions are increasingly challenged by severe water scarcity and low water utilization efficiency. Traditional greenhouse HVAC systems are often inadequate in efficiently recovering condensate water. This study addressed these challenges by investigating, through wind tunnel experiments, the fin angle and inlet wind speed for optimal condensation and heat transfer performance of a straight-fin heat exchanger in desert greenhouse environments. The experimental findings revealed that under low-temperature conditions, vertical fins facilitated gravity-driven droplet removal, resulting in a maximum condensate amount of 524.2 g within 120 min. Conversely, under high-temperature conditions, a fin angle of 45° optimally balanced turbulent disturbances and liquid film stability, producing a condensate amount of up to 887.1 g in the same timeframe. Additionally, wind speed tests at a 45° fin angle identified a critical wind speed of 1.5 m/s, beyond which the condensate amount significantly decreased. Furthermore, when the fin inclination reached or exceeded 60°, flow separation occurred, reducing the effective heat transfer area and negatively impacting the exchanger efficiency. Overall, the study provides significant insights into water conservation and sustainable environmental utilization by enhancing condensate recovery efficiency.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/8/2061finned-tube heat exchangercondensation managementinclination anglewind speedflow separation
spellingShingle Mingzhi Zhao
Feng Bai
Rong Yu
Yuru Liu
Yixuan Ma
Yingjie Liu
Bakhramzhan Rasakhodzhaev
Drainage Characteristics and Heat Transfer Performance of Fin Surfaces in Desert Greenhouse Environments
Energies
finned-tube heat exchanger
condensation management
inclination angle
wind speed
flow separation
title Drainage Characteristics and Heat Transfer Performance of Fin Surfaces in Desert Greenhouse Environments
title_full Drainage Characteristics and Heat Transfer Performance of Fin Surfaces in Desert Greenhouse Environments
title_fullStr Drainage Characteristics and Heat Transfer Performance of Fin Surfaces in Desert Greenhouse Environments
title_full_unstemmed Drainage Characteristics and Heat Transfer Performance of Fin Surfaces in Desert Greenhouse Environments
title_short Drainage Characteristics and Heat Transfer Performance of Fin Surfaces in Desert Greenhouse Environments
title_sort drainage characteristics and heat transfer performance of fin surfaces in desert greenhouse environments
topic finned-tube heat exchanger
condensation management
inclination angle
wind speed
flow separation
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/8/2061
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AT fengbai drainagecharacteristicsandheattransferperformanceoffinsurfacesindesertgreenhouseenvironments
AT rongyu drainagecharacteristicsandheattransferperformanceoffinsurfacesindesertgreenhouseenvironments
AT yuruliu drainagecharacteristicsandheattransferperformanceoffinsurfacesindesertgreenhouseenvironments
AT yixuanma drainagecharacteristicsandheattransferperformanceoffinsurfacesindesertgreenhouseenvironments
AT yingjieliu drainagecharacteristicsandheattransferperformanceoffinsurfacesindesertgreenhouseenvironments
AT bakhramzhanrasakhodzhaev drainagecharacteristicsandheattransferperformanceoffinsurfacesindesertgreenhouseenvironments