Open Access

ARTICLE

Experimental Study of the Effects of Surface Structure on Frosting Characteristics of Corrugated Surfaces Based on Single-Factor and Taguchi Methods

Yannian Zhang¹, Weilong Zhao², Haikun Zheng^3,*
1 Pingdingshan Shenma Construction Engineering Group Co., Ltd., Pingdingshan, China
2 School of Civil Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, China
3 School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, China
* Corresponding Author: Haikun Zheng. Email:
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Microscale Fluid Flow, Heat Transfer, and Phase Change)

Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer https://doi.org/10.32604/fhmt.2026.083846

Received 11 April 2026; Accepted 25 May 2026; Published online 20 July 2026

Abstract

Aiming at the frosting problem of heat exchanger with fins and tubes under low temperature and high humidity conditions, this study combines the single factor method with the Taguchi experimental method. A corrugated surface was used as the experimental object instead of a corrugated fin, and the frosting characteristics of corrugated surfaces with different structural parameters, including corrugation angle, corrugation depth, and corrugation distribution, were investigated. The Taguchi experimental method was further employed to evaluate the frosting performance of the corrugated surfaces. At the same frosting duration, the surface with a corrugated left section and a plain right section showed the greatest frost accumulation and frost layer thickness. The surface with a plain left section and a corrugated right section exhibited the lowest frost accumulation, while the fully corrugated surface exhibited the thinnest frost layer. Compared with corrugation depth and corrugation distribution, corrugation angle had the most significant influence on both frost amount and frost layer thickness, with contribution rates of 57.3% and 44.3%, respectively. Within the range of structural parameters investigated, the optimal parameter combination for minimizing frost amount was A1B1C3, corresponding to a corrugation angle of 11.3°, a corrugation depth of 1 mm, and a surface distribution with a corrugated left section and a plain right section. The optimal combination for minimizing frost layer thickness was A1B1C1, corresponding to a corrugation angle of 11.3°, a corrugation depth of 1 mm, and a fully corrugated distribution. In contrast, the parameter combination resulting in the greatest frost amount and frost layer thickness was A4B3C2, corresponding to a corrugation angle of 42.8°, a corrugation depth of 3 mm, and a surface distribution with a corrugated left half and a flat right half. These results indicate that smaller corrugation angles and corrugation depths help suppress surface frost formation, and an appropriate corrugation distribution can further enhance the surface resistance to frosting. The optimal combinations of structural parameters identified in this study can provide guidance for the future development of corrugated fin structures that combine frost suppression with high heat transfer efficiency.

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Keywords

Frosting; corrugated surface; surface structure

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