管壳式换热器壳侧强化传热与管束支撑方式的研究进展

从管壳式换热器壳侧管束支撑方式和强化传热的角度,综述了从弓形折流板换热器、折流杆式换热器到螺旋折流板式换热器的研究进展,特别介绍了一种适合正三角形布管的三分螺旋折流板换热器的新型结构,并指出非连续折流板螺旋换热器中相邻折流板形成的三角区的泄漏是方向指向上游的有益流动,而目前常用的螺旋折流板轴向搭接方案则开启了一条指向下游的旁通捷径,将影响绕行主流正常流动和传热。     

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.     

Multi-objective optimization of shell and tube heat exchangers

The effectiveness and cost are two important parameters in heat exchanger design. The total cost includes the capital investment for equipment (heat exchanger surface area) and operating cost (for energy expenditures related to pumping). Tube arrangement, tube diameter, tube pitch ratio, tube length, tube number, baffle spacing ratio as well as baffle cut ratio were considered as seven design parameters. For optimal design of a shell and tube heat exchanger, it was first thermally modeled using ε–NTU method while Bell–Delaware procedure was applied to estimate its shell side heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop. Fast and elitist non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) with continuous and discrete variables were applied to obtain the maximum effectiveness (heat recovery) and the minimum total cost as two objective functions. The results of optimal designs were a set of multiple optimum solutions, called ‘Pareto optimal solutions’. The sensitivity analysis of change in optimum effectiveness and total cost with change in design parameters of the shell and tube heat exchanger was also performed and the results are reported.     

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.     

Generalized solution and effectiveness for concentric tube heat exchangers

In this paper, general solutions are obtained for the steady-state temperature of heat exchanging fluids along the length of a concentric tube heat exchanger. Heat exchanger effectiveness is also obtained in terms of the dimensionless exit temperature. Governing equations in non-dimensional differential form for the inner and outer fluid streams representing non-adiabatic conditions at the outside surface of the outer tube are solved analytically. Both counter-flow and parallel-flow cases are considered. Expressions for heat transfer to or from the outside are obtained. Exact agreement with the NTU method for adiabatic conditions at the outside surface and also the heat balance analysis provide validation of the generalized solution.     

Fin-tube junction effects on flow and heat transfer in flat tube multilouvered heat exchangers

Three-dimensional simulations of four louver-tube junction geometries are performed to investigate the effect on louver and tube friction and heat transfer characteristics. Three Reynolds numbers, 300, 600 and 1100, based on bulk velocity and louver pitch are calculated. Strong three-dimensionality exists in the flow structure in the region where the angled louver transitions to a flat landing adjoining the tube surface, whereas the flow on the angled louver far from the tube surface is nominally two-dimensional. Due to the small spatial extent of the transition region, its overall impact on louver heat transfer is limited, but the strong unsteady flow acceleration on the top louver surface augments the heat transfer coefficient on the tube surface by over 100%. In spite of the augmentation, the presence of the tube lowers the overall Nusselt number of the heat exchanger between 25% and 30%. Comparisons with correlations derived from experiments on full heat exchanger cores show that computational modeling of a small subsystem can be used reliably to extract performance data for the full heat exchanger.     

Performance analysis of finned tube and unbaffled shell-and-tube heat exchangers

This work considers an optimum design problem for the different constraints involved in the designing of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger consisting of longitudinally finned tubes. A Matlab simulation has been employed using the Kern's method of design of extended surface heat exchanger to determine the behavior on varying the values of the constraints and studying the overall behavior of the heat exchanger with their variation for both cases of triangular and square pitch arrangements, along with the values of pressure drop. It was found out that an optimum fin height existed for particular values of shell and tube diameters when the heat transfer rate was the maximum. Moreover it was found out that the optimum fin height increased linearly with the increase in tube outer diameter. Further studies were also performed with the variation of other important heat exchanger design features and their effects were studied on the behavior of overall performance of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger. The results were thereby summarized which would proclaim to the best performance of the heat exchanger and therefore capable of giving a good idea to the designer about the dimensional characteristics to be used for designing of a particular shell and tube heat exchanger.     

Comparative analysis of heat transfer and pressure drop in helically segmented finned tube heat exchangers

Four different semi-empirical models of heat transfer and pressure drop for helically segmented finned tubes in staggered layout were analyzed. The performance of a Helically Segmented Finned Tubes Heat Exchanger on an industrial scale was obtained and the predictions were compared with experimental data. The method used for thermal analysis is the Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD). Comparisons between predictions and experimental data show a precision greater than 95% in heat transfer for a combination between the Kawaguchi and Gnielinski models at a flue gas Reynolds number, based on the outside bare tube, of about 10,000. In the case of pressure drop, there is a precision of approximately 90% for the Weierman model at a Reynolds number, based on the outside bare tube, of about 10,000. And so, the results show that the best flow regime in which heat transfer and pressure drop are optimum, is for a Reynolds number (based on the outside bare tube) of about 10,000.     

Comparison of heat transfer conditions in tube bundle cross-flow for different tube shapes

Detailed transient numerical simulations of fluid and heat flow were performed for a number of heat exchanger segments with cylindrical, ellipsoidal and wing-shaped tubes in a staggered arrangement. The purpose of the analysis was to get an insight of local heat transfer and fluid flow conditions in a heat exchanger and to establish widely applicable drag coefficient and Stanton number correlations for the heat exchanger integral model, based on average flow variables. The simulation results revealed much more complex flow behavior than reported in current literature. For each of the almost 100 analyzed cases, the time distributions of the Reynolds number, the drag coefficient and the Stanton number were recorded, and their average values calculated. Based on these average values, the drag coefficient and the Stanton number correlations were constructed as polynomial functions of the Reynolds number and the hydraulic diameter. The comparison of the collected results also allows more general conclusions on efficiency and stability of the heat transfer process in tube bundles.     

Effects of winglets to augment tube wall heat transfer in louvered fin heat exchangers

The louvered fin heat exchanger, a type of compact heat exchanger, has been used heavily in the automotive and air conditioning industries for the last several decades. The majority of past research, aimed towards improving louvered fin exchanger efficiency, has focused on optimizing various parameters of the louvered fin. The experimental study presented in this paper concentrates instead on augmenting the heat transfer along the tube wall of the compact heat exchanger through the use of winglets placed on the louvers. The experiments were completed on a 20 times scaled model of an idealized louvered fin exchanger with a fin pitch to louver pitch ratio of 0.76 and a louver angle of 27°. The Reynolds numbers tested, based on louver pitch, were between 230 and 1016. A number of geometrical winglet parameters, including angle of attack, aspect ratio, direction, and shape, were all evaluated based on heat transfer augmentation, friction factor augmentation, and efficiency index (combination of both augmentations). In an attempt to optimize these winglet parameters, tube wall heat transfer augmentations as high as 39% were achieved with associated friction factor augmentations as high as 23%.     

Heat transfer characteristics in double tube helical heat exchangers using nanofluids

In the present work a three-dimensional analysis is used to study the heat transfer characteristics of a double-tube helical heat exchangers using nanofluids under laminar flow conditions. CuO and TiO₂ nanoparticles with diameters of 24 nm dispersed in water with volume concentrations of 0.5–3 vol.% are used as the working fluid. The mass flow rate of the nanofluid from the inner tube was kept and the mass flow rate of the water from the annulus was set at either half, full, or double the value. The variations of the nanofluids and water temperatures, heat transfer rates and heat transfer coefficients along inner and outer tubes are shown in the paper. Effects of nanoparticles concentration level and of the Dean number on the heat transfer rates and heat transfer coefficients are presented. The results show that for 2% CuO nanoparticles in water and same mass flow rate in inner tube and annulus, the heat transfer rate of the nanofluid was approximately 14% greater than of pure water and the heat transfer rate of water from annulus than through the inner tube flowing nanofluids was approximately 19% greater than for the case which through the inner and outer tubes flow water. The results also show that the convective heat transfer coefficients of the nanofluids and water increased with increasing of the mass flow rate and with the Dean number. The results have been validated by comparison of simulations with the data computed by empirical equations.     

Performance investigation of plain and finned tube evaporatively cooled heat exchangers

The performance of two evaporatively cooled heat exchangers is investigated under similar operating conditions of air flow rates and inlet hot water temperatures. The heat exchangers are plain and plate-finned circular tube types which occupy the same volume. Spray water, which is circulated in a closed circuit, is injected onto the exposed surfaces of the tubes and fins. The contact between air and spray water results in evaporative heat transfer. The tubes are copper, 10 mm o.d. The finned configuration is constructed by introducing 0.5 mm thick copper plates between the tubes, with a total area ratio of four. A substantial increase in heat transfer takes place for the plate-finned tubes. The increase is 92–140% for air velocities from 1.66 to 3.57 m s⁻¹. A model is used to calculate the thermal performance of the plain and finned tubes assuming a constant spray water temperature in the heat exchanger. The wet-finned surfaces show low fin efficiency compared with dry surfaces. An energy index defined as the ratio of volumetric thermal conductance to air pressure drop per unit length is found to be close for the two heat exchangers. This reveals higher thermal utilisation of the occupied volume by the finned tubes with the same energy index.     

Heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of peripheral-finned tube heat exchangers

The peripheral-finned tube is a new geometry aimed at avoiding moisture-condensate blockage hindering of the air-side heat transfer, by allowing for robust air flow pathways. It consists of a porous structure formed by periodic, radial-hexagonal fin arrangements of different radial extents mounted with a 30° offset from its neighboring level. Here, the air-side pressure drop and the heat transfer characteristics of five different heat exchanger prototypes with different geometric characteristics, such as the radial fin length, fin distribution, and heat exchanger length, were evaluated experimentally in an open-loop wind-tunnel calorimeter. The results demonstrate the effective performance, i.e., the pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics, of this new heat exchanger. A one-dimensional theoretical model based on the porous media treatment was also developed to predict the thermal-hydraulic behavior of the heat exchanger. The model incorporates the actual fin geometry into the calculation of the air-side porosity. The air-side permeability is calculated according to the Kozeny–Carman model and the particle-diameter based analysis. The model predicts the experimental data within a few percent RMS, depending on the correlations used for the friction coefficient and interstitial Nusselt number.     

Performance of finned tube heat exchangers operating under frosting conditions

In this paper, the performance of flat plate finned tube heat exchangers operating under frosting conditions was investigated experimentally. Heat exchangers of single and multiple tube row(s) were tested to show the effects of various parameters on heat transfer performance. The parameters include temperature and relative humidity of air, flow rate of air, refrigerant temperature, fin pitch, and row number. The time variations of heat transfer rate, overall heat transfer coefficient, and pressure drop of heat exchangers presented.     

Evaluation of tube enhancement for geothermal power generation heat exchangers

Some geothermal waters are relatively clean, so that the use of enhanced surface heat exchangers is possible. This is the basic premise of the present work where trade-offs using enhanced surfaces in binary fluid power generation heat exchangers have been evaluated. Effects of the heat transfer performance and required pumping power resulting from the use of axially finned tubes (included are externally, internally, and externally and internally finned configurations in a variety of dimensions) are compared with smooth-tube designs. The trade-offs indicate where enhanced surfaces may be cost effective.     

The effect of the number of tube rows on heat,mass and momentum transfer in flat-plate finned tube heat exchangers

The effect of the number of tube rows on heat, mass and momentum transfer is experimentally investigated for flat-plate, finned-tube heat exchangers which consist of aluminum fins and copper tubes. Four flat-plate finned-tube heat exchangers are identical except for changes in the number of tube rows (1 to 4). Heat-transfer coefficients for wet and dry surface conditions are obtained for both heating and cooling of moist air flowing over finned tubes. The air velocity was varied from 0.9 to 4 m/s. Heat transfer, Colburn and friction factors are determinated for different tube rows numbers while the Reynolds number were being warried. It is found that the values of Colburn and friction factors for wet surfaces are higher than for dry surfaces and for both conditions the Colburn and friction factors decrease with an increase in the tube row numbers.     

Simulation of cross-flow-induced vibration of tube bundle by surface vorticity method

A fluid-structure interaction model based on Surface Vorticity Method (SVM) was used to study flow-induced vibrations of tube bundles in medium space ratio. The flow-induced vibrations of four tubes in a rotated square and a staggered tube bundle in three-row and five-column arrangements were simulated in the high sub-critical Reynolds number (Re) range. The results on fluid forces, tube responses and vorticity maps were presented. The vorticity maps of the four rotated-square tubes changed dramatically when the rigid tubes were replaced by the flexible tubes. From the vorticity maps and vibration responses of the staggered tube bundle of different structural parameters, it was found that with the decrease of tube natural frequency, the maximal vibration response moved from the third row to the first. The results also showed that when more flexible tubes are used, the flow pattern changed drastically and the fluid-structure interaction imposed a dominant impact on the flow.     

Simulation of cross-flow-induced vibration of tube bundle by surface vorticity method

A fluid-structure interaction model based on Surface Vorticity Method (SVM) was used to study flow-induced vibrations of tube bundles in medium space ratio. The flow-induced vibrations of four tubes in a rotated square and a staggered tube bundle in three-row and five-column arrangements were simulated in the high sub-critical Reynolds number (Re) range. The results on fluid forces, tube responses and vorticity maps were presented. The vorticity maps of the four rotated-square tubes changed dramatically when the rigid tubes were replaced by the flexible tubes. From the vorticity maps and vibration responses of the staggered tube bundle of different structural parameters, it was found that with the decrease of tube natural frequency, the maximal vibration response moved from the third row to the first. The results also showed that when more flexible tubes are used, the flow pattern changed drastically and the fluid-structure interaction imposed a dominant impact on the flow.     

Three-dimensional performance analysis of plain fin tube heat exchangers in transitional regime

Three-dimensional CFD simulations are carried out to investigate heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics of a four-row plain fin-and-tube heat exchanger using the Commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics Code ANSYS CFX 12.0. Heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of the heat exchanger are investigated for Reynolds numbers ranging from 400 to 2000. Fluid flow and heat transfer are simulated and results compared using both laminar and turbulent flow models (k-ω) with steady and incompressible fluid flow. Model validation is carried out by comparing the simulated case friction factor (f) and Colburn factor (j) with the experimental data of Wang et al. [1]. Reasonable agreement is found between the simulations and experimental data. In this study the effect of geometrical parameters such as fin pitch, longitudinal pitch and transverse pitch of tube spacing are studied. Results are presented in the form of friction factor (f) and Colburn factor (j). For both laminar and transitional flow conditions heat transfer and friction factor decrease with the increase of longitudinal and transverse pitches of tube spacing whereas they increase with fin pitches for both in-line and staggered configurations. Efficiency index increases with the increase of longitudinal and transverse pitches of tube spacing but decreases with increase of fin pitches. For a particular Reynolds number, the efficiency index is higher in in-line arrangement than the staggered case.     

Experimental investigation of shell and coiled tube heat exchangers using wilson plots

In this work, an experimental investigation was performed to study the shell and helically coiled tube heat exchangers. Three heat exchangers with different coil pitches and curvature ratios were tested for both parallel-flow and counter-flow configurations. 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. Overall heat transfer coefficients of the heat exchangers were calculated using Wilson plots. Heat transfer coefficients of shell and tube sides were evaluated invoking the calculated overall heat transfer coefficients. The inner Nusselt numbers were compared to the values existed in open literature. Though the boundary conditions were different, a reasonable agreement was observed.