Investigation of turbulent heat transfer and nanofluid flow in a double pipe heat exchanger

In present study, heat transfer and turbulent flow of water/alumina nanofluid in a parallel as well as counter flow double pipe heat exchanger have been investigated. The governing equations have been solved using an in-house FORTRAN code, based on finite volume method. Single-phase and standard k-ε models have been used for nanofluid and turbulent modeling, respectively. The internal fluid has been considered as hot fluid (nanofluid) and the external fluid, cold fluid (base fluid). The effects of nanoparticles volume fraction, flow direction and Reynolds number on base fluid, nanofluid and wall temperatures, thermal efficiency, Nusselt number and convection heat transfer coefficient have been studied. The results indicated that increasing the nanoparticles volume fraction or Reynolds number causes enhancement of Nusselt number and convection heat transfer coefficient. Maximum rate of average Nusselt number and thermal efficiency enhancement are 32.7% and 30%, respectively. Also, by nanoparticles volume fraction increment, the outlet temperature of fluid and wall temperature increase. Study the minimum temperature in the solid wall of heat exchangers, it can be observed that the minimum temperature in counter flow has significantly reduced, compared to parallel flow. However, by increasing Reynolds number, the slope of thermal efficiency enhancement of heat exchanger gradually tends to a constant amount. This behavior is more obvious in parallel flow heat exchangers. Therefore, using of counter flow heat exchangers is recommended in higher Reynolds numbers.     

Stability and thermal conductivity enhancement of carbon nanotube nanofluid using gum arabic

This experimental study reports on the stability and thermal conductivity enhancement of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) nanofluids with and without gum arabic (GA). The stability of CNT in the presence of GA dispersant in water is systematically investigated by taking into account the combined effect of various parameters, such as sonication time, temperature, dispersant and particle concentration. The concentrations of CNT and GA have been varied from 0.01 to 0.1?wt% and from 0.25 to 5?wt%, respectively, and the sonication time has been varied in between 1 and 24?h. The stability of nanofluid is measured in terms of CNT concentration as a function of sediment time using UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Thermal conductivity of CNT nanofluids is measured using KD-2 prothermal conductivity meter from 25 to 60°C. Optimum GA concentration is obtained for the entire range of CNT concentration and 1–2.5?wt% of GA is found to be sufficient to stabilise all CNT range in water. Rapid sedimentation of CNTs is observed at higher GA concentration and sonication time. CNT in aqueous suspensions show strong tendency to aggregation and networking into clusters. Stability and thermal conductivity enhancement of CNT nanofluids have been presented to provide a heat transport medium capable of achieving high heat conductivity. Increase in CNT concentrations resulted in the non-linear thermal conductivity enhancement. More than 100–250% enhancement in thermal conductivity is observed for the range of CNT concentration and temperature.     

绿色阻垢剂在开放式换热器中的抗垢强化传热性能研究

针对一种蒸发式冷凝器系统换热器盘管表面的易结垢现象，采用高精度摄像仪观察法、红外温度摄像仪及热电偶温度测量手段，对绿色阻垢剂（聚天东冬氨酸PASP）抗垢强化传热性能进行了实验研究。结果表明，在管内放热实验中，采用绿色阻垢剂后的管表面温度平均比污垢管表面温度高4～8℃，前者喷淋循环冷却水温度升高基本维持在0．5～0．6℃／min的水平，而污垢管实验中喷淋循环水温升维持在0．3～0．4℃／min的水平。说明在循环水中加入绿色阻垢剂后，污垢热阻大大减少。     

Determination of effective specific heat of nanofluids

The effective specific heat of several types of nanofluids are measured by transient double hot-wire technique. Sample nanofluids are prepared by suspending 1–5 volume percentages of titanium dioxide (TiO₂), aluminium oxide (A1₂O₃) and aluminium (Al) nanoparticles in various base fluids, such as deionised water, ethylene glycol and engine oil. The effective specific heats of these nanofluids were found to decrease substantially with increased volume fraction of nanoparticles. Besides particle volume fraction, particle materials and base fluids also have influence on the effective specific heat of nanofluids. Except Al/engine oil-based nanofluid, predictions of the effective specific heat of nanofluids by the volume fraction mixture rule-based model showed reasonably good agreement with the experimental results. Based on the calibration results obtained for the base fluids, the measurement error is estimated to be within 2.77%.     

二氧化碳翅片管式蒸发器模拟与分析

运用分布参数法建立采用CO2的翅片管式蒸发器的数学模型，分析制冷剂侧和空气侧温度、压力和换热的变化情况。同时讨论迎面风速和制冷剂质量流量对蒸发器换热和流动性能的影响，结果表明提高迎面风速可以增加换热效果，但增加的趋势趋于平缓。制冷剂侧压降则成近似线性增大；随着管内工质流量的增大，蒸发器总换热量和制冷荆侧压降都成近似线性增大。这些工作有助于进一步了解CO2在翅片管式蒸发器中的换热和流动特性，并为换热器的优化设计和系统的匹配提供理论依据。     

Thermal Conductivity of Nanofluids – Experimental and Theoretical

The thermal conductivity of nanofluids has been studied experimentally using the transient hot-wire method, and it is shown that a significant increase can be obtained. Existing methods for the prediction and correlation of the thermal conductivity are discussed. It is shown that a lot of work still needs to be done in this area.Paper presented at the Seventeenth European Conference on Thermophysical Properties, September 5–8, 2005, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.     

A numerical and experimental study of turbulent flow through the evaporator coil in an air-conditioning unit

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and heat transfer has matured to the stage where state-of-the-art commercial codes can address real engineering problems. However, the advances in finite volume numerical capability which permit this, such as full three-dimensionality, generalised coordinate systems and multiblocking, require convincing validation procedures to demonstrate quantitative engineering potential. In this paper a two-dimensional incompressible turbulent flow in an industrial packaged air-conditioning system is investigated numerically, with specific reference to the air flow through the tube banks of the evaporator coil. The system modelled comprises an outer casing containing the coil which has three rows of 20-mm diameter tubes in staggered formation, each row having tubes, and a condensate tray with complex geometry. The analysis is based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations in conjunction with the standard k-ε turbulence model. The finite-volume method (FVM) is used to solve the governing partial differential equations on a non-staggered grid. In order to treat the detailed fin tube geometry, a novel method called ‘masking’ has been developed to construct body-fitted curvilinear grids quickly and efficiently. In the computation, several differencing schemes of various orders are outlined and their accuracy are examined.In a parallel experimental investigation conducted on the actual air-conditioning unit, both the mean velocity profiles and turbulence properties of the flow were obtained from triple hot-wire anemometry measurements. These were then used to compare with the computational results and validate the mathematical models developed. It is found that the predictions were generally in good agreement with the measurements, especially for the higher-order differencing scheme. An immediate practical effect of the study was that it revealed the flow disturbance resulting from the condensate tray. This has been suspected but its magnitude not anticipated. The consequent amendment of the design of this component in the commercial unit led to an improved performance of the evaporator.     

Experimental study on heat transfer and rheological characteristics of hybrid nanofluids for cooling applications

The enhancement of heat transfer and rheological behaviour of hybrid nanofluids (HyNF) flowing through the tubular heat exchanger system were experimentally analysed. In this study, the effects of Nusselt number, Peclet number, Reynolds number, heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop were investigated for various volume concentrations of copper-titania hybrid nanocomposite (HyNC). The experiments were performed for various HyNC volume concentrations in the base fluid (cold water) ranging from 0.1% to 1.0%. The experimental results showed that the convective heat transfer coefficient of the HyNF increased by 59.3% for the particular volume concentration of 0.7% of HyNC. The friction factor and pressure drop of HyNF for 1.0% volume concentration were expected to be 0.8% and 5.4%, respectively. This implies for experiencing penalty in the pumping capacity. The experimental measurements, on the other hand, were validated using a newly developed correlation. For all the volume concentrations of HyNF, the deviation obtained for the experimental data and the prediction was observed to be +8% and ?8%, respectively. The present correlation has been found to be in good agreement with the experimental data, which can be helpful in predicting the heat transfer characteristics of the HyNF.     

Analysis of heat flow and “channelling” in a scraped-surface heat exchanger

Scraped-surface heat exchangers (SSHEs) are widely used in industries that manufacture and thermally process fluids; in particular, the food industry makes great use of such devices. Current understanding of the heat flow and fluid dynamics in SSHEs is predominantly based on empirical evidence. In this study a theoretical approach (based on asymptotic analysis) is presented for analysing both the flow and heat transfer in an idealised SSHE (a cylindrical annulus) for Newtonian fluids. The theory allows the effects of scraping-blade configuration, pumping rates, annular shear velocity and material properties all to be accounted for. The analysis relies on asymptotic simplifications that result from the large Péclet numbers and small geometrical aspect ratios that are commonly encountered in industrial SSHEs. The resulting models greatly reduce the computational effort required to simulate the steady-state behaviour of SSHEs and give results that compare favourably with full numerical simulations. The analysis also leads to what appears to be the first theoretical study on the undesirable phenomenon of “channelling”, where fluid passes through the device in an essentially unheated or uncooled state. A parametric study is also undertaken to investigate the general circumstances under which channelling may occur.     

三角形波纹板式溶液热交换器传热特性研究

为了解三角形波纹板式溶液热交换器的传热特性，通过对其物理数学模型的求解，并与平板式溶液热交换器相对比，得到了三角形波纹板式溶液热交换器的流动、传热特性以及不同溶液流速对其传热性能的影响。研究三角形波纹板式溶液热交换器的波纹形状对其流动、传热性能的影响，得到波纹长度、波纹夹角与换热器的传热系数、换热器内流体压降的关系，其结果可为溶液热交换器的设计与优化提供依据与理论指导。     

平行流换热器在R410A商用空调上的应用

基于一台R410A商用空调对平行流换热器和铜管-铝翅片换热器的性能、可靠性进行试验研究和对比分析。结果表明,平行流换热器能够有效提高空调的制冷性能并降低材料成本,平行流换热器经过1 200h中性盐雾试验后出现表面发黑现象,氦检未发生泄漏。平行流换热器的爆破压力一般在15.5～17.5MPa之间,可应用于R410A等高压工质的空调系统。     

Heat transfer in turbulent nanofluids: Separation flow studies and development of novel correlations

Convective heat transfer plays a significant role in numerous industrial cooling and heating applications. This method of heat transfer can be passively improved by reconfiguring flow passage, fluid thermophysical properties, or boundary conditions. The broader scope of nanotechnology introduced several studies of thermal engineering and heat transfer. Nano-fluids are one of such technology which can be thought of engineered colloidal fluids with nano-sized particles. In the present study, turbulent forced convection heat transfer to nanofluids in an axisymmetric abrupt expansion heat exchanger was investigated experimentally. During heat transfer investigation, the functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-COOH), polycarboxylate functionalized graphene nanoplatelets (F-GNP), SiO₂ and ZnO water-based nanofluids were used. The convective heat transfer coefficient of fully developed turbulent flow of nanofluids flowing through an abrupt enlargement with the expansion ratio (ER) of 2 was experimentally determined at a constant wall heat flux of 12,128.56 W/m². The experiments were conducted at the Re ranges of 4000–16,000. The observed Nusselt numbers were higher than in the case of fully developed pipe flow indicating the level of the turbulent transport is high even though the recirculating velocities were a few percentages of the bulk mean velocity. The effect of Reynolds number and nanofluid’s volume concentration on heat transfer and friction losses were studied, where all the results reveal that with the increase of weight concentration and Reynolds number, the local Nusselt number enhanced at the increment of axial ratios in all the cases showing greater heat transfer rates than those of the base fluids. Comparison between the examined four types of nanofluids, show that the carbon-based nanofluids have a greater effect on enhancing heat transfer (33.7% and 16.7% heat transfer performance improvement for F-GNP and MWCNT nanofluids respectively at 0.1 wt% concentration) at the downstream of the sudden expansion pipe. There is no reported work dealing with the prediction of the local Nusselt number at the distance equivalent to the axial ratio and flow through sudden expansion. So far, two excellent correlations for the Local Nusselt number are proposed with reasonably good accuracy. Furthermore, a new correlation is developed for the average Nusselt number.     

新型组合翅片换热器数值研究

通过对传统多排管翅式换热器的研究分析,提出第1排为平片且后部为开缝翅片的新型组合翅片换热器,并对传统和新型组合翅片2种形式换热器内的空气流动和换热进行数值分析。结果表明,新型组合翅片换热器的综合换热性能比传统翅片的提升5％～8％。     

MHD convective heat transfer of nanofluids through a flexible tube with buoyancy: A study of nano-particle shape effects

This paper presents an analytical study of magnetohydrodynamics and convective heat transfer of nanofluids synthesized by three different shaped (brick, platelet and cylinder) silver (Ag) nanoparticles in water. A two-phase nanoscale formulation is adopted which is more appropriate for biophysical systems. The flow is induced by metachronal beating of cilia and the flow geometry is considered as a cylindrical tube. The analysis is carried out under the low Reynolds number and long wavelength approximations and the fluid and cilia dynamics is of the creeping type. A Lorentzian magnetic body force model is employed and magnetic induction effects are neglected. Solutions to the transformed boundary value problem are obtained via numerical integration. The influence of cilia length parameter, Hartmann (magnetic) number, heat absorption parameter, Grashof number (free convection), solid nanoparticle volume fraction, and cilia eccentricity parameter on the flow and heat transfer characteristics (including effective thermal conductivity of the nanofluid) are examined in detail. Furthermore a comparative study for different nanoparticle geometries (i.e. bricks, platelets and cylinders) is conducted. The computations show that pressure increases with enhancing the heat absorption, buoyancy force (i.e. Grashof number) and nanoparticle fraction however it reduces with increasing the magnetic field. The computations also reveal that pressure enhancement is a maximum for the platelet nano-particle case compared with the brick and cylinder nanoparticle cases. Furthermore the quantity of trapped streamlines for cylinder type nanoparticles exceeds substantially that computed for brick and platelet nanoparticles, whereas the bolus magnitude (trapped zone) for brick nanoparticles is demonstrably greater than that obtained for cylinder and platelet nanoparticles. The present model is applicable in biological and biomimetic transport phenomena exploiting magnetic nanofluids and ciliated inner tube surfaces.     

溴化锂吸收式制冷系统溶液热交换器的传热性能研究

以板式溶液热交换器为例，建立物理数学模型。通过对模型的求解，得到溶液热交换器在不同流速下的传热特性。计算结果表明，提高溶液热交换器中的溶液流速可以提高其传热系数，但会导致溶液的进出口温差减小，使溶液间换热不充分。设计溶液热交换器时可根据设计要求与文中计算结果选择不同的溶液流速。     

换热器流量分配不均匀性评价方法的比较

介绍换热器的流量分配不均匀性的评价方法,对微通道平行流换热器进行流量分配试验,用不同评价方法对试验数据进行处理,对比6种流量分配不均匀性评价方法的优劣。结果表明,采用相对标准方差衡量流量分配的不均匀性最为合理。     

板翅式换热器的传热计算

介绍了板翅式换热器的结构形式,通过传热方程式推导出了翅片效率、表面效率以及流动阻力的计算公式,为板翅式换热器的计算提供依据。     

A note on the turbulent energy as a parameter of turbulent flow

The art of modeling turbulence is a needed tool in the construction of computer codes for turbulent flows. The state to which this art has been developed is inadequate, and quotations from authoritative sources support this point of view. The energy contained in the turbulent fluctuations, i.e., the turbulent energy, is often used as a parameter in the modeling process. The present article attempts to examine this quantity as it is being created, transported, and dissipated. For this purpose experimental evidence from the author's own experiments (free jets), as well as theoretical conclusions from the elementary deductions of the basic equations, the concept of turbulent potential flow, and a general solution to the Navier-Stokes-Reynolds equations, is drawn to attention. Recirculating flow is given special attention. The paper concludes with recommendations for principles that must be satisfied if improved modeling is to be achieved. These principles are necessary; whether they are also sufficient is open to question.Nomenclature A ₀ Constant - b _1/2 Jet's half-width - b ₁ ^2/(0) Jet's half-width at z=z(in0) - E _z Kinetic energy contained in the jet's axial velocity at a given profile - E _r Kinetic energy contained in the jet's radial velocity at a given profile - f() Dimensionless velocity profile [f(0)=1] - F(), H() Defined functions - L _char Jet's characteristic length - m, n Exponents - p Pressure - q Kinetic energy in the turbulent fluctuations - Heat flux - q ² - r, , z Cylindrical coordinates - t Time - û Internal energy - u, v, w Velocity components - Mean velocity components - Mean velocity components - U ₀ Constant - U _plate Plate's velocity - Uskc/(0) Centerline velocity at z=z₀ - X, Y, Z Components of body force - W Total work done by surface stresses - W ₁ Recoverable work done by surface stresses - W ₂ Dissipated work - z ₀ Downstream distance from the nozzle beyond which self-similar velocity profiles occur - Fluid's kinematic viscosity - Fluid's density - Normal stresses - Shear stresses - Normal stresses with the pressure removed - Dimensionless Crossflow coordinate - ₀ Constant - Stress functions - Stress potential Paper dedicated to Professor Joseph Kestin.Definitions of symbols are given under Nomenclature.