An experimental study on the thermal and fouling characteristics in a washable shell and helically coiled heat exchanger by the Wilson plot method

Brazed plate heat exchangers (BPHEX) are broadly used in water source heat pump systems for their large heat transfer capacity. Despite their high heat transfer rate, their high-performance rate tends to decrease sharply, due to fouling and they cannot be cleaned. So the thermal and fouling resistances of washable Shell and helically coiled tube heat exchangers (SCHEX) are designed and experimentally investigated in this study. Heat exchangers with two different tube types are studied and compared with a brazed plate heat exchanger. The overall thermal resistance coefficient of the heat exchangers as determined by using Wilson plots is 38% lower than that of the brazed plate heat exchanger at a Reynolds number of 2460. Fouling test results revealed that regular maintenance and physical cleaning can be used to maintain the thermal resistance of fouling of the washable heat exchanger at a level equal to or less than that of the brazed plate heat exchanger.