Comprehensive CFD Modelling and Experimental Validation of a Full-Scale Finned-Tube Adsorption Heat Exchanger with Parametric Optimization

Thermally driven adsorption cooling systems are gaining increasing attention as a promising solution to use low-grade waste heat and reduce electricity consumption. However, their performance is strongly limited by inefficient heat and mass transfer within adsorption heat exchangers, and there is still a lack of experimentally validated models for full-scale devices. This study presents the development and full-scale experimental validation of a CFD model for a finned-tube adsorption heat exchanger dedicated to thermally driven cooling applications. A custom laboratory-scale test facility was designed and specially constructed for this purpose, replicating the operation of a real adsorption chiller while enabling direct gravimetric measurement of the total mass of vapour adsorbed by the entire exchanger. The experimentally tested reference exchanger (ADHX_2_2) featured a fin spacing of 2 mm and a fin thickness of 0.2 mm. Systematic numerical analyses assessed the effects of fin thickness (0.2 mm to 0.4 mm), fin spacing (2 mm to 8 mm), absence of fins, and water-flow velocity (0.2–4 m s−1) on heat transfer efficiency and adsorption capacity. The CFD model (ANSYS Fluent) was calibrated with experimental data and achieved a maximum result difference of 5%. Optimal performance occurred with minimal fin thickness, moderate fin spacing (6 mm to 8 mm), and flow velocity around 1.5 m s−1, balancing heat transfer, sorbent mass, and pumping power. The study demonstrates that combining validated CFD modelling with targeted experiments provides a robust pathway to optimise adsorption heat exchangers and enhance the efficiency of thermally driven cooling systems.