Entropy parameters for heat exchanger design

A general expression for entropy generation in counter-current heat exchangers is developed. It is applicable to incompressible liquids and perfect gases. Two new entropy generation numbers are defined, N_M and N_Q. The analysis is applied to an air-air counter-current heat exchanger. The three entropy generation numbers, N_S, N_M and N_Q, have a different variation with NTU at the various values of the capacity flow rate ratio employed in the calculations.     

一种新型换热器流动特性的实验研究

螺旋折流板换热器是将折流板布置成与管束有某个倾斜角度 ,流体在壳程沿着螺旋折流板呈螺旋状流动的一种新型换热器。在对几个影响螺旋折流板换热器流动特性的因素进行了实验研究后 ,本文对实验结果进行了论述和分析。     

基于翅片管式热交换器的优化设计研究

以一种特定管翅式热交换器的翅片形式为研究对象,提出了一种针对翅片结构的优化换热方法。该方法主要针对翅片侧换热系数和整体传热随翅片结构改变的变化规律,并采用传热系数和压降相结合的评价方法,针对管翅式热交换器的翅片高度、翅片厚度及翅片间距进行优化。经计算得出了热交换器的总传热系数在控制单一变量或多个变量下的最优值范围。     

A design optimization tool of earth-to-air heat exchanger using a genetic algorithm

Advancement in genetic algorithm (GA) optimization tools for design applications, coupled with techniques of soft computing, have led to new possibilities in the way computers interact with the optimization process. In this paper, the concept of goal-oriented GA has been used to design a tool for evaluating and optimizing various aspects of earth-to-air heat exchanger behavior. A new optimization method based on GA is applied as a generative and search procedure to optimize the design of earth-to-air heat exchanger. The GA is used to generate possible design solutions, which are evaluated in terms of passive heating and cooling of building, using a detailed thermal analysis of non air-condition building environment The results from the simulations are subsequently used to further guide the GA search to find the high-energy solutions for optimized design parameters. The specific problem addressed in this study is the sizing of earth-to-air heat exchanger in a non air-conditioned residential building. The developed algorithm is suitable for the calculation of the outlet air temperature and therefore of the heating and cooling potential of the earth-to-air heat exchanger system. This methodology is applicable to a wide range of design optimization problems like choice of building such as green house, solar house, or heating and cooling of buildings by mechanical system.     

Optimization of heat exchangers with vortex-generator fin by Taguchi method

A comparative study of effects of attack angle, length of vortex generator, height of vortex generator, fin material, fin thickness, fin pitch and tube pitch on fin performance of vortex-generator fin-and-tube heat exchanger is conducted by numerical method. The parameters of vortex-generator fin-and-tube heat exchangers are optimized by the Taguchi method. Eighteen kinds of models are made by compounding levels on each factor, and the heat transfer and flow characteristics of each model are analyzed. The results show that these six factors (fin pitch, longitudinal tube pitch, transverse tube pitch, length of vortex generator, height of vortex generator, and attack angle of vortex generator) have great influences on the JF-factor. The fin material and fin thickness have trifling effects on the JF-factor. The two optimal conditions (A1B3C3D2E1F2G1H3 and A2B2C2D3E1F2G1H3) are acquired, and the reproducibility of the results is verified by two analytical results.     

Experimental investigation of single phase convective heat transfer coefficient in a corrugated plate heat exchanger for multiple plate configurations

Corrugated plate heat exchangers have larger heat transfer surface area and increased turbulence level due to the corrugations. In this study, experimental heat transfer data are obtained for single phase flow (water-to-water) configurations in a commercial plate heat exchanger for symmetric 30°/30°, 60°/60°, and mixed 30°/60° chevron angle plates. Experiments were carried out for Reynolds number ranging from 500 to 2500 and Prandtl number from 3.5 to 6.5. Experimental results show significant effect of chevron angle and Reynolds number on the heat transfer coefficient. Based on the experimental data, a correlation to estimate Nusselt number as a function of Reynolds number, Prandtl number and chevron angle has been proposed.     

Correlations and optimization of a heat exchanger with offset-strip fins

The thermo-flow characteristics of a heat exchanger with offset-strip fins are numerically investigated for various fin geometries and working fluids. Previous correlations underestimate f values in the laminar and turbulent regimes and overestimate j values in the laminar regime, as the blockage ratio increase. Therefore, new correlations, which apply to offset-strip fins with blockage ratios of greater than 20%, are presented. Even though the working fluid was changed, the f values did not vary. However, the j values differed according to the working fluid. New j correlations were suggested as functions of the Prandtl number. Design variables of the offset-strip fins in a fuel cooler were optimized by using the correlations and the design of experiment. As a result, the JF factor of the optimized offset-strip fin was enhanced by 24% compared with that of the reference offset-strip fin.     

An experimental investigation of heat transfer enhancement for a shell-and-tube heat exchanger

For the purpose of heat transfer enhancement, the configuration of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger was improved through the installation of sealers in the shell-side. The gaps between the baffle plates and shell is blocked by the sealers, which effectively decreases the short-circuit flow in the shell-side. The results of heat transfer experiments show that the shell-side heat transfer coefficient of the improved heat exchanger increased by 18.2–25.5%, the overall coefficient of heat transfer increased by 15.6–19.7%, and the exergy efficiency increased by 12.9–14.1%. Pressure losses increased by 44.6–48.8% with the sealer installation, but the increment of required pump power can be neglected compared with the increment of heat flux. The heat transfer performance of the improved heat exchanger is intensified, which is an obvious benefit to the optimizing of heat exchanger design for energy conservation.     

Conceptual optimization of a rotary heat exchanger with a porous core

The present article numerically optimizes the thermal performance of a rotary heat exchanger (RHEx) where its internal structure is modeled as a porous medium. The objective is to maximize the RHEx's heat transfer rate per unit of frontal surface area (q″). The flow velocity through the porous matrix respects Darcy's law. Two thermal conditions between the solid matrix and the fluid are considered: (i) local thermal equilibrium – LTE and (ii), non-local thermal equilibrium – NLTE. The numerical calculations, which are implemented using a finite volume formulation, allow us to optimize two design variables, the length L of the heat exchanger and the porosity φ. The numerical results show that the figure of merit is substantially affected by both design variables and that optimal values of L and φ can be obtained. The numerical experiments also show that the optimum porosity is not a function of the pressure difference driving the flow across the RHEx. The study ends by addressing the effects of the porosity distribution and differential periods between the hot and cold sides of RHEx on the figure of merit. The numerical results are supported by a scale analysis.     

The application of field synergy number in shell-and-tube heat exchanger optimization design

In the present work the field synergy principle is applied to the optimization design of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger with segmental baffles. The field synergy number which is defined as the indicator of the synergy between the velocity field and the heat flow is taken as the objective function. The genetic algorithm is employed to solve the heat exchanger optimization problems with multiple design variables. The field synergy number maximization approach for heat exchanger optimization design is thus formulated. In comparison with the initial design, the optimal design leads to a significant cost cut on the one hand and an improvement of the heat exchanger performance on the other hand. The comparison with the traditional heat exchanger optimization design approach with the total cost as the objective function shows that the field synergy number maximization approach is more advantageous.     

Experimental investigation on thermal performance of thermosyphon flat-plate solar water heater with a mantle heat exchanger

The thermal performance of thermosyphon flat-plate solar water heater with a mantle heat exchanger was investigated to show its applicability in China. The effect on the performance of the collector of using a heat exchanger between the collector and the tank was analyzed. A “heat exchanger penalty factor” for the system was determined and energy balance equation in the system was presented. Outdoor tests of thermal performance of the thermosyphon flat-plate solar water heater with a mantle heat exchanger were taken in Kunming, China. Experimental results show that mean daily efficiency of the thermosyphon flat plate solar water heater with a mantle heat exchanger with 10 mm gap can reach up to 50%, which is lower than that of a thermosyphon flat-plate solar water heater without heat exchanger, but higher than that of a all-glass evacuated tubular solar water heater.     

Experimental investigation of fluid flow and heat transfer in a single-phase liquid flow micro-heat exchanger

This work presents an experimental analysis of the hydrodynamic and thermal performance of micro-heat exchangers. Two micro-heat exchangers, characterized by microchannels of 100 × 100 and 200 × 200 μm square cross-sections, were designed for that purpose. The fluid used was deionized water and there was no phase change along the fluid circuit. The fluid pressure drop along the heat exchanger and the heat transfer were measured and corrections were made to isolate the contribution of the microchannels. The results were compared with the predictions of the classical viscous flow and heat transfer theory. The main conclusions show that the experimental results fit well with these theories. No effects of heat transfer enhancement or pressure drop increase were observed as a consequence of the small scale of the microchannels.     

Optimal design of a plate heat exchanger with undulated surfaces

The purpose of this study is to suggest a general method for the optimal design of a plate heat exchanger (PHE) with undulated surfaces that complies with the principles of sustainability. A previously validated CFD code is employed to predict the heat transfer rate and pressure drop in this type of equipment. The computational model is a three-dimensional narrow channel with angled triangular undulations in a herringbone pattern, whose blockage ratio, channel aspect ratio, corrugation aspect ratio, angle of attack and Reynolds number are used as design variables. To limit the number of simulations needed, the Box–Behnken technique is employed. An objective function that linearly combines heat transfer augmentation with friction losses, using a weighting factor that accounts for the cost of energy, is employed for the optimization procedure using response surface methodology (RSM). New correlations are provided for predicting Nusselt number and friction factor in such PHEs. The results are in very good agreement with published data. Finally, optimal design specifications are suggested for a range of Re for two values of the weighting factor.     

Experimental investigation on heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics of air flow in a rectangular duct with Multi v-shaped rib with gap roughness on the heated plate

In this work, results of an experimental investigation of the effect of geometrical parameters of Multi v-shaped ribs with gap on heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics of rectangular duct with heated plate having rib roughness on its underside have been reported. The range of parameters for this study has been decided on the basis of practical considerations of the system and operating conditions of solar air heaters. The experimental investigation encompassed the Reynolds number (Re) range from 2000 to 20,000, relative width ratio (W/w) of 6, relative gap distance (Gd/Lv) of 0.24–0.80, relative gap width (g/e) of 0.5–1.5, relative roughness height (e/D) of 0.043,relative roughness pitch (P/e) of 10, angle of attack (α) of 60°. The maximum enhancement in Nusselt number and friction factor is observed to be 6.32–6.12 times of that of the smooth duct, respectively. The thermo-hydraulic performance parameter is found to be the best for the relative gap distance of 0.69 and the relative gap width of 1.0.     

Experimental investigation of mixed convection heat transfer from longitudinal fins in a horizontal rectangular channel

Mixed convection heat transfer from longitudinal fins inside a horizontal channel has been investigated for a wide range of modified Rayleigh numbers and different fin heights and spacings. An experimental parametric study was made to investigate effects of fin spacing, fin height and magnitude of heat flux on mixed convection heat transfer from rectangular fin arrays heated from below in a horizontal channel. The optimum fin spacing to obtain maximum heat transfer has also been investigated. During the experiments constant heat flux boundary condition was realized and air was used as the working fluid. The velocity of fluid entering channel was kept nearly constant (0.15 ? w_in ? 0.16 m/s) using a flow rate control valve so that Reynolds number was always about Re = 1500. Experiments were conducted for modified Rayleigh numbers 3 × 10⁷ < Ra¹ < 8 × 10⁸ and Richardson number 0.4 < Ri < 5. Dimensionless fin spacing was varied from S/H = 0.04 to S/H = 0.018 and fin height was varied from H_f/H = 0.25 to H_f/H = 0.80. For mixed convection heat transfer, the results obtained from experimental study show that the optimum fin spacing which yields the maximum heat transfer is S = 8–9 mm and optimum fin spacing depends on the value of Ra¹.     

Experimental investigation of forced and mixed convection heat transfer in a foam-filled horizontal rectangular channel

An experimental study was performed to investigate the heat transfer characteristics of the mixed convection flow through a horizontal rectangular channel where open-cell metal foams of different pore densities (10, 20 and 30 PPI) were situated. A uniform heat flux was applied at all of the bounding walls of the channel. For each of three values of the uniform heat flux, temperatures were measured on the entire surfaces of the walls. Results for the average and local Nusselt numbers are presented as functions of the Reynolds and Richardson numbers. The Reynolds number based on the channel height of the rectangular channel was varied from 600 to 33000, while the Richardson number ranged from 0.02 to 103, extending over forced, mixed and natural convection. Second important parameter that influences the heat transfer is the aspect ratio of the foams. Three different aspect ratios (AR) as 0.25, 0.5 and 1 are tested. Based on the experimental data, new empirical correlations have been constructed to link the Nusselt number. The results of all cases were compared to that of the empty channel and the literature. We found that our results were in agreement with those that are mentioned in the literature.     

径向热管换热器壳程压降数值模拟及参数优化

通过对径向热管换热器壳程压力场的数值模拟,分析入口烟气速度对换热器压降的影响规律,并对换热器结构参数进行优化。结果表明:换热器迎风侧压力高于背风侧压力,沿烟气流动方向压力逐渐降低且呈线性分布;换热器压降随入口烟气速度的增加而增加,且其增加速率也相应增大。通过改变换热器结构参数,对换热器壳程压降进行分析研究,得到其结构优化参数:翅片高度小于26.5mm,翅片间距大于6.5mm,热管横向间距108～111mm,纵向间距120～125mm。     

A parametric study of the performance of a planar membrane humidifier with a heat and mass exchanger model for design optimization

The performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is seriously changed by the humidification capability available when equipped with a PTFE® membrane. Typically, the humidification of a fuel cell is carried out by means of an internal or external humidifier. A membrane humidifier is applied to the external humidification of residential power generation fuel cell due to its convenience and high performance. In this study, a static model is constructed to understand the physical phenomena of the membrane humidifier in terms of geometric parameters and operating parameters. The model utilizes the concept of planar type heat exchanger with mass transport through the membrane. The model is constructed with FORTRAN in a Simulink® environment for consistency with other components of the model we previously developed. The results show that the humidity of the wet gas and the channel length, the membrane thickness and wet gas inlet humidity are critical parameters affecting the performance of the humidifier.     

Forced convection heat transfer to water with air injection in a rectangular duct

A study was made of forced convection heat-transfer to water and air-water mixtures in a horizontal rectangular duct with air injection through one porous heated wall. The main independent variables are the rate of air injection through the porous wall, the superficial liquid velocity in the duct, and the amount of air mixed with the water upstream of the heated test section; the method of mixing the upstream air and water is also varied. The dependent variables reported are the heat-transfer coefficient, over a range of approximately 60:1, and the flow pattern, extending from bubble flow through to annular flow.     

A novel design of a heat exchanger for a metal-hydrogen reactor

A metal-hydride reactor equipped by a spiral heat exchanger is experimentally studied. The inserted exchanger provides significant insights into the problem of minimizing the total storage time by manipulating the operating parameters. Performance studies are carried out by varying the supply pressure, volume of the tank, absorption temperature, and overall heat transfer coefficient.