Twisted bundle heat exchangers performance evaluation by CFD (CJ12/5054)

Shell and tube heat exchanger with single twisted tube bundle in five different twist angles, are studied using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and compared to the conventional shell and tube heat exchanger with single segmental baffles. Effect of shell-side nozzles configurations on heat exchanger performance is studied as well. Heat transfer rate and pressure drop are the main issues investigated in the paper. The results show that, for the same shell-side flow rate, the heat transfer coefficient of heat exchanger with twisted tube bundle is lower than that of the heat exchanger with segmental baffles while shell-side pressure drop of the former is even much lower than that of the latter. The comparison of heat transfer rate per unit pressure drop versus shell-side mass flow rate shows that heat exchanger with twisted tube bundle in both cases of perpendicular and tangential shell-side nozzles, has significant performance advantages over the segmental baffled heat exchanger. Optimum bundle twist angles for such exchangers are found to be 65 and 55° for all shell side flow rates.     

Comparison of Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop for the Helically Baffled Heat Exchanger Combined with Three-Dimensional and Two-Dimensional Finned Tubes

Experiments were performed to compare the shell-side heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop of a helically baffled heat exchanger with petal-shaped finned tubes to those of low-finned tubes for oil cooling using water as a coolant. The experimental results showed that for the heat exchanger with petal-shaped finned tubes, the shell-side heat transfer coefficients were augmented by 28–48%, yet the shell-side pressure drops were reduced by 35–75% at the same volumetric flow rates of oil. The possible mechanisms responsible for this heat transfer enhancement were analyzed for helically baffled heat exchanger combined with petal-shaped finned tubes.     

Numerical investigation on the multi-objective optimization of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger with helical baffles

An improved method combining numerical simulation with multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) was applied to study the flow and heat transfer characteristics of shell-and-tube heat exchanger with helical baffles (STHXsHB). It overcomes the dependence on empirical correlations. The helix angle and overlapped degree of helical baffles were chosen as optimization parameters, while the overall heat transfer coefficient K and pressure drop ΔP of STHXsHB were optimized by MOGA. The results showed that both overall heat transfer coefficient K and pressure drop ΔP varied adversely with the helix angles. The pressure drop ΔP was favorably affected by the overlapped degrees. The overall heat transfer coefficient K did not vary significantly with the overlapped degree. Three optimum configurations were obtained by the MOGA to maximize the overall heat transfer coefficient K and minimize the shell-side pressure drop ΔP. Compared with the original heat exchanger, the overall heat transfer coefficient K increased averagely by 28.3%, while the average pressure drop reduced averagely by 19.37%.     

Heat transfer enhancement by flow-induced vibration in heat exchangers

The flow-induced vibration in heat exchanger is usually considered as a detrimental factor for causing the heat exchanger damage and is strictly prevented from its occurrence. Its positive role for the possible heat transfer enhancement has been neglected. In this article a novel approach is proposed to enhance the heat transfer by using the flow-induced vibration of a new designed heat transfer device. Thus the flow-induced vibration is effectively utilized instead of strictly avoiding it in the heat exchanger design. A heat exchanger is constructed with the new designed heat transfer devices. The vibration and the heat transfer of these devices are studied numerically and experimentally, and the correlation of the shell-side convective heat transfer coefficient is obtained. It is found that the new designed heat exchanger can significantly increase the convective heat transfer coefficient and decrease the fouling resistance. Therefore, a lasting heat transfer enhancement by the flow-induced vibration can be achieved.     

Numerical simulation on the performance of trisection helical baffle heat exchangers with small baffle incline angles

ABSTRACT

Numerical simulation was conducted on oil–water heat transfer in five circumferential overlap trisection helical baffle shell–and–tube heat exchangers (cothSTHXs) with 16 tubes and incline angles of 12°, 16°, 20°, 24°, and 28° and a segmental baffle heat exchanger of the identical tube layout for comparison under laminar flow calculation conditions. The local images represent shell-side flow patterns, and heat transfer properties are presented showing the detailed “secondary vortex flow” and “shortcut leakage flow” patterns to explain the different characteristics of the six schemes. The simulation curves of the heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop are compared with those of the experimental ones, with satisfactory agreement. The average values of the shell-side heat transfer coefficient and the comprehensive index h_o/Δp_o of the 12° helical scheme are respectively 47% and 51% higher than those of the segmental baffle scheme with about the same pressure drop.     

Tube bundle replacement for segmental and helical shell and tube heat exchangers: Experimental test and economic analysis

In this investigation, the second test analysis with more comprehensive evaluation with a focus on fouling mitigation, increased running-time and economic analysis are shown and then, the thermal design procedure for tube bundle replacement of critical heat exchanger of Butene-1 unit in Petrochemical Company as a case study are described. Finally, experimental data for the average heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop of shell-side in segmental and helix bundles are measured and calculated for the mass flow rate of 14.24 kg/s and then these data are compared with the data from code and EXPRESS. Moreover, additional comparison between code and EXPRESS results are provided to ensure the accuracy of calculation program in various mass flow rates. Based on the same shell in the case studies, the results showed that in addition to improved heat transfer performance of the helix bundle over segmental bundle, helix bundle achieved two to three times longer operational run times. From economic point of view, the results for replacement of segmental bundle with a helix bundle showed that initial and installation costs of helix bundle to segmental bundle could be increased, but maintenance and operating costs can be decreased in the helix bundle, 60% and 20%, respectively. Comparison between code and EXPRESS results with experimental data for the mass flow rate of 14.24 kg/s showed that the deviation in heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop are quite reliable for segmental and helix bundles.     

扭曲椭圆管换热器壳程强化传热的数值研究

基于扭曲椭圆管的换热器是一种新型的新风系统换热器,针对扭曲椭圆管及其应用特点,设计了两种不同结构参数的新风系统换热器。应用FLUENT软件,在夏季工况下对两种不同结构参数的新风系统换热器壳程进行模拟分析,并通过与实验数据的对比,验证计算模型的可靠性。结果显示在相同体积流量下,随着壳程开孔面积的增大,对流换热系数h不断减小,压降Δp不断减小,综合性能系数h/Δp^1/3变化不明显;随着螺距的减小,对流换热系数h不断增大,压降Δp不断增大,综合性能系数h/Δp^1/3也不断增大;流场分析显示,扭曲椭圆管换热器壳程流道内,呈现出明显沿着扭曲椭圆管壁面的螺旋流,使得空气在流道内充分扰动,增强换热效果。     

Heat Transfer Performance of an Edge-Shaped Finned Tube

The third-generation heat transfer technologies, such as three-dimensional fin and dimple, are still important means of improving energy efficiency and will continue to be challenging issues. This paper presents condensation heat transfer performance of an edge-shaped finned tube fabricated by a ploughing–extruding process. The edge-shaped finned tube integrates more than one heat transfer enhancement technology and can enhance the heat transfer capacity greatly. It is seen that the overall heat transfer coefficient and heat flux increase with inlet velocity of cold water increasing, and decrease with inlet temperature of cold water increasing, whereas the shell-side heat transfer coefficient decreases with inlet velocity of cold water increasing and increases with inlet temperature of cold water increasing. At the same inlet velocity, the shell-side heat transfer coefficient for the edge-shaped finned tube is improved by 5–7 times compared to that of a smooth tube. At the same temperature difference between wall and vapor, the shell-side heat transfer coefficient is also higher than what had been reported in the literature. The shell-side heat transfer coefficient of the edge-shaped finned tube decreases with the increase of fabrication parameter feed at the same inlet velocity or inlet temperature of cold water.     

An experimental study of thermal performance of shell-and-coil heat exchangers

In the present study an experimental investigation of the mixed convection heat transfer in a coil-in-shell heat exchanger is reported for various Reynolds and Rayleigh numbers, various tube-to-coil diameter ratios and dimensionless coil pitch. The purpose of this article is to assess the influence of the tube diameter, coil pitch, shell-side and tube-side mass flow rate over the performance coefficient and modified effectiveness of vertical helical coiled tube heat exchangers. The calculations have been performed for the steady-state and the experiments were conducted for both laminar and turbulent flow inside coil. It was found that the mass flow rate of tube-side to shell-side ratio was effective on the axial temperature profiles of heat exchanger. The results also indicate that the ? − NTU relation of the mixed convection heat exchangers was the same as that of a pure counter-flow heat exchanger.     

螺旋扭曲椭圆管换热器壳程数值模拟

以水为介质,采用k-ε模型,用数值模拟方法研究了5种不同结构的螺旋扭曲椭圆管换热器的管外壳程传热与流阻性能,并和采用椭圆管作为换热部件的换热器进行了比较.研究结果表明,螺旋扭曲椭圆管换热器壳程有较好的强化换热特性,螺旋扭曲椭圆管的几何尺寸和流体流动速度对壳程传热与流阻性能有重要影响.通过数值模拟所获得的规律为螺旋扭曲椭...     

三叶膨胀管换热器壳程强化传热的数值研究

三叶膨胀管是一种新型强化传热管,针对纵向流换热器特点,设计了三种不同管束结构参数的三叶膨胀管自支撑纵向流换热器。应用FLUENT软件及Realizable k-ε湍流模型,对三种不同结构参数的三叶膨胀管换热器壳程强化传热特性展开了数值模拟,并通过与实验数据的对比,验证了计算模型的可靠性。计算了不同壳程介质流速下,三叶膨胀管换热器壳程的换热系数与压降值,并获得了壳程流体流线以及相应的温度场、速度场和二次流分布图。结果发现,在壳程水流速一致的情况下,管束横向间距越大的三叶膨胀管换热器,壳程拥有更高的综合换热性能和更低的压降值,但相应地,换热系数也更低。流场分析显示,壳程流体流线呈现出三维纵向旋流形态,二次流的出现改变了速度场和温度场分布,二次流的强度随着管束横向间距的减小而增大。     

Experimental investigation of the influence of the cross flow in the nozzle region on the shell-side heat transfer in double-pipe heat exchangers

In shell-and-tube heat exchangers, the shell-side fluid flow enters and leaves through nozzles which are mounted on the shell wall. The cross-flow in the nozzle region has an impact on the shell-side pressure drop and heat transfer. The influence on the heat transfer is investigated by means of experiments with four double-pipe heat exchangers.The results show that the influence is greater, the shorter the heat exchangers are, and the smaller the ratio of the free cross sectional areas of the nozzle to that of the shell-side. A correlation suitable for predicting the heat transfer coefficient is presented in this paper. The correlation consists of the Nusselt number for the flow in the nozzle region and that for the flow in the annulus.     

An experimental heat transfer study for helically flowing outside petal-shaped finned tubes with different geometrical parameters

The performances of shell-side heat transfer and pressure drop were experimentally studied in a helically baffled single tube heat exchanger, where water was used as a working medium. The tested tubes included one smooth tube and five petal-shaped fin tubes (PF tubes) with different geometrical parameters for improving the heat transfer of the shell side. It was shown that, compared with the smooth tube, five PF tubes significantly increased the values of Nusselt numbers. The Nusselt numbers increased with the fin height and decreased with the fin pitch. In the range of the present experiments, it was found that the Nusselt numbers for the PF tubes were increased by up to 233%, while the pressure drop was increased by less than 111%, as compared with that for the smooth tube. It is a promising route to use a PF tube instead of smooth tube for improving the performance of a helically baffled heat exchanger.     

Numerical modeling and experimental validation of heat transfer and flow resistance on the shell side of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger with flower baffles

CFD simulation has become a powerful and popular tool for the thermal hydraulic design and analysis of heat exchangers. However, the computation load is usually too heavy to simulate a whole shell-and-tube heat exchanger (STHX) applying the traditional modeling method. In the present study, a numerical model based on the concepts of porosity and permeability is developed to obtain the shell-side thermal hydraulic performances. In this model, the distributed resistances and heat sources, as well as the distributed turbulence kinetic energy and its dissipation rate are introduced to account for the impacts of tubes on the fluid. The numerical model is solved over Re = 6813–22,326 for the shell side of a STHX with flower baffles, and reasonable accuracy is demonstrated by the comparison with test data (maximum relative deviation within 15%). With this model, the velocity and temperature fields, together with the distribution of convective heat transfer coefficient, are obtained and presented to help analyzing the underlying mechanism of shell-side thermal augmentation. The present work shows that this model is economic and effective in the thermal hydraulic design and analysis of a whole device.     

折流板换热器壳程流场数值模拟与结构优化

基于多孔介质与分布阻力的概念,采用FLUENT软件对单弓形折流板换热器的壳侧流场进行了三维数值模拟,模拟结果与实验结果吻合较好。在此基础上针对折流板换热器壳程压降大、能耗高,存在传热死区等的缺点,提出了壳程流场的改进方案,通过数值模拟可以看到壳程流场改进后不仅具有压降低、场协同性能好、基本无传热死区等特点,而且在一定程度上还提高了管束抗流体诱导振动的性能。     

Heat transfer performance and exergy analyses of a corrugated plate heat exchanger using metal oxide nanofluids

Heat exchangers have been widely used for efficient heat transfer from one medium to another. Nanofluids are potential coolants, which can afford excellent thermal performance in heat exchangers. This study examined the effects of water and CuO/water nanofluids (as coolants) on heat transfer coefficient, heat transfer rate, frictional loss, pressure drop, pumping power and exergy destruction in the corrugated plate heat exchanger. The heat transfer coefficient of CuO/water nanofluids increased about 18.50 to 27.20% with the enhancement of nanoparticles volume concentration from 0.50 to 1.50% compared to water. Moreover, improvement in heat transfer rate was observed for nanofluids. On the other hand, exergy loss was reduced by 24% employing nanofluids as a heat transfer medium with comparing to conventional fluid. Besides, 34% higher exergetic heat transfer effectiveness was found for 1.5 vol.% of nanoparticles. It has a small penalty in the pumping power. Hence, the plate heat exchanger performance can be improved by adapting the working fluid with CuO/water nanofluids.     

Comparative analysis of corrugation effect on thermohydraulic performance of double-pipe heat exchangers

Heat transfer augmentation in heat exchangers has been a key research topic in recent times. Over the years, many methods have been proposed for heat transfer enhancement, such as providing fins, changing the cross-sectional area of tubes, vortex generator, twisted tape inserts, and so forth. In addition to the above-mentioned techniques, corrugation of tubes was also proposed by a few authors who demonstrated that this method could effectively increase the heat transfer rate. To address the same in this study, the different corrugation profiles have been created with the help of CATIA software for the study. The simulations were performed using ANSYS R19.2. The results so obtained were used to calculate the various thermal and hydraulic perfoallrmance parameters of the heat exchanger with the help of macros created in MS Excel. The result shows that the use of corrugation on the inner tube of the heat exchanger increased the heat transfer coefficient, fanning friction factor, and rate of cooling by 5%–21%, 90%–355%, and 25.67%–157.40%, respectively, in case of the plain double-pipe heat exchanger for the mass flow rate variation of 5–25 kg/min. It is also observed that the smooth tube has more thermohydraulic performance as 1.2152.     

Study on heating performances of steam generator for solid oxide fuel cell using waste heat from solid particles

This paper reports the heating performances of steam generator for solid oxide fuel cell using waste heat from solid particles. The model of trapezoid-fin-tube heat exchanger was set up by using FLUENT 14.0. The model has been used to investigate the effects of fin tip width (2 mm–4 mm) and fin height (34 mm–46 mm). The fin surface temperature, the particle temperature, the fin total heat flux, the heat recovery efficiency and the heat transfer coefficient were studied. The heating performance of steam generator is improved when the trapezoid-fins are placed on heat transfer tubes, which is conducive to increase the power generation efficiency of solid oxide fuel cell. When the fin height increases from 34 mm to 46 mm, the average temperature of calcined petroleum coke decrease from 414 K to 376 K, the maximum temperature decrease from 498 K to 442 K, the average heat transfer coefficient of internal and external heat exchanger increase 12.4% and 12.7% respectively, the heat recovery efficiency increases 4.3%. When the fin tip width increases from 2 mm to 3 mm, the average temperature reduce 6.7 K and the maximum temperature decrease 7.3 K, the average heat transfer coefficient of internal and external heat exchanger increase 3.8% and 3.7% respectively, the heat recovery efficiency increases 0.88%.     

A study on heat transfer enhancement using straight and twisted internal fin inserts

The present study investigated the effect of internal aluminum fins with a star-shape cross-section on the heat transfer enhancement and pressure drop in a counterflow heat exchanger. A concentric-tube heat exchanger was used with water as the working fluid. The heat transfer rate increased by 12–51% over a plain tube value, depending on internal fin configurations used. However, the pressure drop also increased substantially by 286–399%. The results showed that a straight-fin configuration is the best to produce a heat transfer increase in a counterflow heat exchanger. Twisted fin configurations did not further increase the heat transfer rate.     

The heat transfer and pressure loss characteristics of a heat exchanger for recovering latent heat (the heat transfer and pressure loss characteristics of the heat exchanger with wing fin)

In recent years the requirement for reduction of energy consumption has been increasing to solve the problems of global warming and the shortage of petroleum resources. A latent heat recovery type heat exchanger is one of the effective methods of improving thermal efficiency by recovering latent heat. This paper described the heat transfer and pressure loss characteristics of a latent heat recovery type heat exchanger having a wing fin (fin pitch: 4 mm, fin length: 65 mm). These were clarified by measuring the exchange heat quantity, the pressure loss of heat exchanger, and the heat transfer coefficient between outer fin surface and gas. The effects of condensate behavior in the fins on heat transfer and pressure loss characteristics were clarified. Furthermore, the equations for predicting the heat transfer coefficient and pressure loss which are necessary in the design of the heat exchanger were proposed. ©2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 36(4): 215–229, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/htj.20154