A numerical study on heat transfer characteristics in a spray column direct contact heat exchanger

A reliable computational heat transfer model has been investigated to define the heat transfer characteristics of a spray column direct contact heat exchanger, which is often utilized in the process involving counterflows for heat and mass transfer operations. Most of the previous studies investigated are one-dimensional unsteady solutions based on rather fragmentary experimental data. Development of a multidimensional numerical model and a computational algorithm are essential to analyze the inherent multidimensional characteristics of a direct contact heat exchanger. The present study has been carried out numerically and establishes a solid simulation algorithm for the operation of a direct contact heat exchanger. Operational and system parameters such as the speed and direction of working fluid droplets at the injection point, and the effects of aspect ratio and void fraction of continuous fluid are examined thoroughly as well to assess their influence on the performance of a spray column.