Midwest HVAC News

New Research Reveals Next-Generation Design Opportunities for HVAC Systems and Heat Pumps.
Studies find small-diameter copper tube matches performance while reducing weight and volume of heat exchangers
 

Heat exchanger manufacturers can reduce material costs while maintaining optimal performance by using small diameter copper tube ≤5mm in diameter, also known as Microgroove ™. New research from Optimized Thermal Systems, Inc. (OTS) reveals increased possibilities for small-diameter copper tube provide equal performance to microchannel designs with a significant lower refrigerant charge.

“This research gives heat exchange designers and manufacturers new opportunities for improving the form factor of HVAC heat exchangers and heat pump systems,” said Dale Powell, project manager and piping application specialist at CDA.

“The OTS studies demonstrate that small-diameter copper tube provides opportunities to reduce weight and volume at the source for better performance. New manufacturing processes take advantage of copper’s superior malleability to allow for an increase in shapes, sizes and general configurations to meet the demands of future heat exchanger designs.”

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OTS found significant reductions in internal tube volume over the baseline. The best five-millimeter design provided a reduction in internal tube volume of 41 percent and a 57 percent reduction in coil footprint. The best four-millimeter design provided an internal tube volume reduction of 62 percent and a coil footprint reduction of 68 percent. The best three-millimeter design provided an internal tube volume reduction of 78 percent and a coil footprint reduction of 81 percent.

Using a heat exchanger design and simulation software tool, CoilDesigner ®, OTS evaluated the performance of various designs and conducted an optimization study using a multi-objective genetic algorithm. The primary objective of the project was to design a condenser coil that could provide equal performance to aluminum microchannel designs with a lower refrigerant charge, and to reduce the total footprint of the coil as well as the mass of the tube and fine material.

To view the full studies that feature real-world examples from major U.S. HVAC equipment manufacturers, and for additional information about copper and copper alloys, visit www.copper.org.

About the Copper Development Association
The Copper Development Association is the information, education, market and technical development arm of the copper, brass and bronze industries in North America. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for up-to-date information.

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