Heat transfer of nanofluids in a shell and tube heat exchanger

Heat transfer characteristics of γ-Al₂O₃/water and TiO₂/water nanofluids were measured in a shell and tube heat exchanger under turbulent flow condition. The effects of Peclet number, volume concentration of suspended nanoparticles, and particle type on the heat characteristics were investigated. Based on the results, adding of naoparticles to the base fluid causes the significant enhancement of heat transfer characteristics. For both nanofluids, two different optimum nanoparticle concentrations exist. Comparison of the heat transfer behavior of two nanofluids indicates that at a certain Peclet number, heat transfer characteristics of TiO₂/water nanofluid at its optimum nanoparticle concentration are greater than those of γ-Al₂O₃/water nanofluid while γ-Al₂O₃/water nanofluid possesses better heat transfer behavior at higher nanoparticle concentrations.     

Enrichment of heat transfer in a latent heat storage unit using longitudinal fins

The charging and discharging rates of a phase change material (PCM) in a horizontal latent heat storage unit (LHSU) is largely influenced by the lower thermal conductivity of the PCM. In the present research, four different configurations of longitudinal fins are proposed to augment the heat transfer in horizontal shell and tube type LHSUs. Numerical investigations are reported to establish the thermal performance augmentation with rectangular, triangular, and Y‐shaped (bifurcated) fins. From the results, it has been inferred that all fin configurations provide a faster charging and discharging rate. In the present set of geometric dimensions of LHSU considered, a reduction in charging time of 68.71% is evaluated for case III (three rectangular fins with one fin positioned in the area of the heat transfer fluid [HTF] surface) and case V (two bifurcated fins with one fin positioned in the area of the HTF surface). Moreover, overall cycle (charging + discharging) time is reduced by 58.3% for case III. Employment of fins results in a faster rate of absorption and extraction of energy from the PCM.     

管壳式换热器蓄热单元数值模拟与优化

相变材料导热系数低,导致相变蓄热装置无法快速地进行热量储存和释放,文中建立了翅片管和光管式相变蓄热单元的三维计算模型,采用数值模拟方法,从蓄热速率、蓄热量以及温度场等方面比较分析了翅片管和光管结构对储热性能的影响。结果表明:在光管外壁添加翅片可以缩短相变材料完全熔化以及整个蓄/放热过程所需时间;与采用光管结构相比,采用翅片换热管时,完全熔化时间缩短32%,完全放热时间缩短14.5%。可见,在一定条件下添加翅片有助于提高蓄热体的蓄放热性能,所得结论对实际工程中相变蓄热系统的设计和优化具有一定的参考价值。     

Heat transfer characteristics of the latent heat thermal energy storage capsule

The characteristic variation of the rate of heat transfer to and from a latent heat thermal energy storage capsule was investigated analytically and experimentally. Basic experiments were carried out to simulate a solar energy storage capsule, using a horizontal cylindrical capsule (300 mm length, 40 mm o.d.) filled with naphthalene as the phase change material. The variation of heat flux during the processes of heat storage and removal was measured by a heat flow meter wrapped around the capsule, as the capsule was subjected to stepwise variations of the surface temperature. Finite difference calculations based on heat conduction were also carried out to compare with the experimental results. For the heat removal process, the experimental results and the calculated heat flux agreed well with each other. They showed different characteristic trends for the heat storage process, due to the effects of natural convection.     

Heat transfer characteristics in low-temperature latent heat storage systems using salt-hydrates at heat recovery stage

The heat transfer characteristics of a low temperature latent heat storage system have been determined for circular finned and unfinned tubes using sodium acetate trihydrate as a phase change material (PCM). In the heat recovery stage, supercooling of PCM in the finned-tube system is larger than that in the unfinned-tube system. The heat-transfer coefficient between the PCM and the heat-transfer tube surface can be predicted from the steady-state heat conduction equation except the beginning of freezing with some degree of supercooling. The heat transfer is significantly reduced by the void cavities upon shrinkage of PCM in the finned-tube system. The enhancement of heat transfer by thin finned-tube over the unfinned-tube is found to be negligible. The heat-transfer coefficient in the thick finned-tube system is approximately two times higher than that in the unfinned-tube system. The heat transfer coefficients for the unfinned-tube and thick finned-tube systems are found to be 45 150 W/m²-K and 90 250 W/m²-K, respectively. The thermal performance for three different tube systems is found to be strongly affected by the inlet temperature but not by the flow rate of the heat transfer fluid. The amount of heat recovered has been correlated in terms of the Fourier, Stefan, and Reynolds numbers.     

Heat transfer characteristics of a temperature-dependent-property fluid in shell and coiled tube heat exchangers

An experimental investigation was performed to study the heat transfer characteristics of temperature-dependent-property engine-oil inside shell and coiled tube heat exchangers. For this purpose, a well-instrumented set-up was designed and constructed. Three heat exchangers with different coil pitches were selected as the test section for counter-flow configuration. Engine-oil was circulated inside the inner coiled tube, while coolant water flowed in the shell. All the required parameters like inlet and outlet temperatures of tube-side and shell-side fluids, flow rate of fluids, etc were measured using appropriate instruments. An empirical correlation existed in the previous literature for evaluating the shell-side Nusselt number was invoked to calculate the heat transfer coefficients of the temperature-dependent-property fluid flowing in the tube-side of the heat exchangers. Using the data of the present study, an empirical correlation was developed to predict the heat transfer coefficients of the temperature-dependent-property fluid flowing inside the shell and coiled tube heat exchangers.     

Heat and mass transfer from a horizontal tube of an evaporative heat dissipator

In this investigation, the mass transfer coefficient with simultaneous water and air flow has been determined experimentally. The coefficient has also been calculated theoretically from the convective heat transfer coefficient of air by applying the Lewis relation for an air-water mixture. The ratio of experimental to theoretical mass transfer coefficients has been found to lie between 0.80 to 9.35. A new term ‘evaporative effectiveness’' is defined as the ratio of energy dissipated in evaporative cooling to that in simple water cooling. Its variation is studied and found to range from 0.85 to 1.78. Correlations for design purposes are recommended in this paper.     

Analysis of a latent heat cold storage unit

This paper presents a conduction based model for solving the phase change heat transfer problem around a vertical cylinder submersed in the phase change medium. The energy equation is coupled to the flow problem by an energy balance. The system of equations is solved numerically by using the average control volume technique and the ADI approach. The results show the effects of the variation of the Biot number, Stefan number, the inlet fluid temperature and the ratio of the outer to the inner tube radius on the solidified mass fraction, NTU, effectiveness and the time for complete solidification. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical and experimental investigation of heat transfer in a shell and tube thermal energy storage system

A numerical and experimental investigation of phase change process dominated by heat conduction in a thermal storage unit is presented in this paper. The thermal energy storage involves a shell and tube arrangement where paraffin wax as phase change material (PCM) is filled in the shell. Water as heat transfer fluid (HTF) is passed inside the tube for both charging and discharging cycles. According to the conservation of energy, a simple numerical method called alternative iteration between thermal resistance and temperature has been developed for the analysis of heat transfer between the PCM and HTF during charging and discharging cycles. Experimental arrangement has been designed and built to examine the physical validity of the numerical results. Comparison between the numerical predictions and the experimental data shows a good agreement. A detailed parametric study is also carried out for various flow parameters and system dimensions such as different mass flow rates, inlet temperatures of HTF, tube thicknesses and radii. Numerical study reveals that the contribution of the inlet temperature of HTF has much influence than mass flow rate in terms of storage operating time and HTF outlet temperature. Tube radius is a more important parameter than thickness for better heat transfer between HTF and PCM.     

Heat transfer to sub-cooled binary solution in horizontal tube

Predicted heat transfer coefficients (HTC) are widely used for calculations of various heat and mass transfer processes. Various empirical and semi-empirical models of non-dimensional groups are used for calculating the heat transfer coefficients. These groups depend on the fluid and flow properties. The common accuracy of the predicted heat transfer coefficient is usually about ±25%; however, the accuracy is failing by the lack of mechanistic model for convective heat transfer and by the inaccurate predictions of the fluid properties. This work is aimed to improve the heat transfer coefficient prediction by reducing the deviations which associated with the fluid properties. When the fluid is a mixture of miscible fluids the predictions of the fluid properties are very rough and therefore the prediction of the heat transfer coefficient is more complicated.In the present study the heat transfer coefficient of sub-cooled organic mixture chlorodifluoromethane (R22)–dimethylacetamide (DMAC) was measured experimentally. In order to compare the experimental value with the predicted one, thermophysical properties of the solution, such as density, viscosity, heat capacity and thermal conductivity have to be known. Since the thermal conductivity of the solution (R22–DMAC) was the only unknown property, various correlations and mixing rules were tested, and the most appropriate was chosen. Based on this method for evaluating the solution’s properties the predicted HTC obtained with an error range of 15%.     

Heat and mass transfer from a single horizontal tube of an evaporative tubular heat exchanger

In this investigation, water side heat transfer coefficients without air flow from a single horizontal tubes are determined. Mass transfer coefficients are determined with water and air flow from the same tube. The total energy dissipated by inside hot fluid when only water is falling is compared with that when both the air and water flow past the tube. The water side heat transfer coefficient and mass transfer coefficient are given by empirical relations h_w = 6.0(Re_p)^0.18(Re_w)^0.87 and K = 3.5(Re_p)^0.18(Re_a)^0.28 (Re_w)^0.54, respectively. The ratio of energies dissipated with water and air flow and with only water flow increases with Re_w and Re_a and its maximum value is 1.72 in the range of variables used.     

Turbulent heat transfer in a horizontal helically coiled tube

An experiment has been conducted in detail to study the turbulent heat transfer in horizontal helically coiled tubes over a wide range of experimental parameters. We found that the enhancement of heat transfer in the coils results from the effects of turbulent and secondary flows. With Reynolds number increasing to a high level, the contribution of the secondary flow becomes less to enhance heat transfer, and the average heat transfer coefficient of the coil is closer to that in straight tubes under the same conditions. The local heat transfer coefficients are not evenly distributed along both the tube axis and the periphery on the cross section. The local heat transfer coefficients on the outside are three or four times those on the inside, which is half of the average heat transfer. A correlation is proposed to describe the distribution of the heat transfer coefficients at a cross section. The average cross-section heat transfer coefficients are distributed along the tube axis. The average value at the outlet section should not be taken as the average heat transfer coefficient. © 1999 Scripta Technica, Heat Trans Asian Res, 28(5): 395–403, 1999     

管壳式蓄热装置的设计及蓄热单元三维数值模拟与优化

为弥补太阳能间歇性的缺点,设计了管壳式蓄热装置并建立了一个三维的、非稳态的、液态石蜡包含自然对流的相变蓄热装置模型,在该模型中取一个蓄热单元进行模拟研究。蓄热单元为圆柱体,内部放置石蜡,中心位置为传热管,热水通过传热管和传热管上的翅片对石蜡进行加热。对蓄热单元的蓄热过程进行了三维数值模拟,分别分析比较了有无自然对流条件,不同蓄热单元放置,以及增加内外翅片情况下蓄热单元的蓄放热性能,研究结果可为蓄能装置及集成系统的开发提供理论依据。     

Low temperature latent heat thermal energy storage: Heat storage materials

Heat-of-fusion storage materials for low temperature latent heat storage in the temperature range 0–120°C are reviewed. Organic and inorganic heat storage materials classified as paraffins, fatty acids, inorganic salt hydrates and eutectic compounds are considered. The melting and freezing behaviour of the various substances is investigated using the techniques of Thermal Analysis and Differential Scanning Calorimetry. The importance of thermal cycling tests for establishing the long-term stability of the storage materials is discussed. Finally, some data pertaining to the corrosion compatibility of heat-of-fusion substances with conventional materials of construction is presented.     

Heat transfer from a horizontal tube in a magnetofluidized bed

Heat transfer coefficient values are reported for a horizontal Nylon 24.1 mm diameter heated probe immersed in an iron shot bed of 1511 μm average diameter and exposed to an external uniform magnetic field collinear with the fluidizing air velocity. The electromagnet produces a maximum constant magnetic-field intensity of 27,850 A/m in a cylindrical central region, 152.4 mm in diameter and 152.4 mm in height, within a constancy of 1%. Total and local heat transfer coefficients are measured at different axial and angular positions over a range of air velocity (0.28–2.50 m/s) and magnetic-field intensity (0.0–19,974 properties, viz., minimum fluidization and bubbling velocities and mean bed voidage.     

Turbulent heat transfer and flow characteristics in a horizontal circular tube with strip-type inserts. Part II. Heat transfer

This paper is the second of two papers that presents the results of an extensive study of turbulent heat transfer and pressure drop in a horizontal tubes with strip-type inserts. Experimental data were taken for air for a class of strip inserts (longitudinal strip and crossed-strip). The insert was characterized by the parameters of 1?AR?5 and R^* (=0.5 and 1). Friction factor data (from Part I) and temperature measurements were used to understand the underlying physical phenomena responsible for the heat transfer enhancement for 6500?Re?19500. Nusselt numbers were between four and two times the bare tube values at low Re and high Re, respectively. Performance evaluation index R1 (constant pumping power) and R2 (constant heat duty) were made and an optimum condition would be thus found.     

水平单管内换热实验研究

利用隔膜泵作为系统动力输出源,搭建了单管内传热和流动测试实验台,对制冷剂R22在水平单管内的换热性能进行了实验研究,考察了不同蒸发温度和不同冷凝温度对总传热系数、制冷剂表面换热系数和管内压降的影响.实验结果表明:总传热系数和制冷剂表面换热系数均随着蒸发温度和冷凝温度的上升而增大;管内压降随着蒸发温度的上升而减小,随着冷凝温度的上升而增大;对于同一根实验管,在相同的冷却水流量和制冷剂质量流量下,最佳蒸发工况为10℃;冷凝实验中,总传热系数和制冷剂表面换热系数在40℃时高于其他两种冷凝温度时的值,但35℃冷凝时,管内压降高于其他两种工况.     

Transition and flow boiling heat transfer inside a horizontal tube

Experiments on transition and flow boiling heat transfer with refrigerant R114 inside a horizontal tube were performed at bubble flow, critical heat flux and in the transition region between bubble flow and film boiling at mass fluxes between 1200 and 4000 kg/m² s and in the pressure range between 5 and 15 bar. In comparison with pool boiling bubble flow heat transfer depends essentially on the mass flow rates and on the vapor quality. The critical heat flux depends less on the temperature difference than in pool boiling heat transfer and exhibits a maximal and a minimal value as a function of the pressure. The critical heat flux increases with mass flow rate as already shown by Collier. In the region of transition boiling the heat flux over the difference between wall and saturation temperature approaches a horizontal curve. Therefore in this region an evaporator may always be operated under stable conditions and burn out does not occur.     

Heat transfer and exergy analysis of cascaded latent heat storage with gravity-assisted heat pipes for concentrating solar power applications

A thermal network model is developed to predict the performance of latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems including cascaded phase change materials (PCMs) and embedded heat pipes/thermosyphons. Because the design of LHTES systems involves a compromise between the amount of energy stored, the heat transfer rate, and the quality of the released thermal energy, an exergy analysis is also carried out to identify the preferred LHTES design. It is found that the LHTES with the lowest melting temperature PCM yields the highest exergy efficiency. However, a cascaded LHTES recovers the largest amount of exergy during a 24 h charging–discharging cycle. Quantitatively, the cascaded LHTES recovers about 10% more exergy during a 24 h charging–discharging cycle compared to the best non-cascaded LHTES considered in this work.     

Numerical study on performance enhancement of latent heat storage unit

建立了考虑液态相变材料自然对流的壳管式相变蓄热单元的三维模型,数值分析了自然对流对相变蓄热过程的影响.对比研究了外侧强化传热管和双侧强化传热管对相变蓄热单元蓄热性能的强化效果.结果表明,液态相变材料的自然对流,会引起固-液界面分布不均匀现象,采用外翅片管可以有效削弱这一现象;采用外侧强化传热管和双侧强化传热管,都可以缩短相变材料完全熔化以及整个蓄热过程所需时间.与采用光管时相比,采用外侧强化传热管时,完全熔化时间减少了18.0%;采用双侧强化传热管时,完全熔化时间减少52.5%.可见,采用带有外翅片的强化传热管,不仅可以削弱自然对流引起的固-液界面不均匀性问题,而且可以强化相变蓄热单元的蓄热性能.