Numerical simulation and experimental research on heat transfer and flow resistance characteristics of asymmetric plate heat exchangers

The asymmetric plate heat exchanger (APHE) has the possibility of achieving balanced pressure drops on both hot and cold sides for situations with unbalanced flow, which may in turn enhance the heat transfer. In this paper, the single-phase water flow and heat transfer of an APHE consisted of two types of plates are numerically (400≤Re≤12000) and experimentally (400≤Re≤ 3400) investigated. The numerical model is verified by the experimental results. Simulations are conducted to study the effects of N, an asymmetric index proposed to describe the geometry of APHEs. The correlations of the Nusselt number and friction factor in the APHEs are determined by taking N and working fluids into account. It is found that an optimal N exists where the pressure drops are balanced and the heat transfer area reaches the minimum. The comparison between heat transfer and flow characteristics of the APHEs and the conventional plate heat exchanger (CPHE) is made under various flow rate ratios of the hot side and the cold side and different allowable pressure drops. The situations under which APHE may perform better are identified based on a comprehensive index Nu/f^1/3.