An approximate calculation has been made to determine the effect of lances on plate-finned heat exchanger performance. It has been demonstrated that a low fin-density lanced-fin heat exchanger can have the same heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics as a high fin-density unlanced heat exchanger. This can result in considerable savings in material cost through the use of low fin-density lanced heat exchangers.

The parameters for the study of lanced-fin heat exchangers in dehumidification have been identified. Recommendations for further work have been made.