Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Variable Baffle Spacing on the Thermal Performance of a Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger

Abstract

Abstract:In this present study, numerical and theoretical analysis were both used to investigate the effect of the variable baffle spacing on the thermal characteristics of a small shell and tube heat exchanger. The numerical study was performed by using a three dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method and the computations were performed under steady-state conditions. We employed five different cases where the first had equal baffle spacing and the others had variable ones considering different configurations for balancing the pressure drop on the shell side. Theoretical calculations were run using the Bell-Delaware and Kern methods which are the most commonly used methods in the available literature. We show that the thermal performance of a shell and tube heat exchanger can be improved by evaluating together the results of the CFD and Bell-Delaware methods. From the numerical results, we can say that variable spacing with centered baffle spacing scheme can be proposed as an alternative shell side construction layout compared to an equal baffle spacing scheme. The numerical results were in good agreement with the theoretical data in the available literature.

Configuration Optimization and Performance Comparison of STHX-DDB and STHX-SB by A Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm

“…Population size, maximum iteration number, analog binary cross distribution index and polynomial mutation distribution index, which are main settings of optimization, are 100, 500, 20 and 20, respectively. Figure 15 shows the Pareto optimal points which are obtained based on the objective functions and the design parameters described in Equations (1) and (2), and the Pareto optimal points in the heat transfer capacity ranges of 7.5-16.5 kW and 16.5-17 kW are shown in Figures 16 and 17 are main settings of optimization, are 100, 500, 20 and 20, respectively. Figure 15 shows the Pareto optimal points which are obtained based on the objective functions and the design parameters described in Equations (1) and (2), and the Pareto optimal points in the heat transfer capacity ranges of 7.5-16.5 kW and 16.5-17 kW are shown in Figures 16 and 17, respectively.…”

“…Shell-and-tube heat exchanger (STHX) is one kind of mechanical device that can exchange heat through a tube wall between two fluids of different temperatures, which are widely used in oil cooling in aero-engines, heating, chemical and food industries, and so on [1]. In the process of heat exchanger design, different configuration parameters can lead to different performances.…”

Internal Flow Analysis of a Heat Transfer Enhanced Tube with a Segmented Twisted Tape Insert

“…Heat exchangers can be classified into several groups according to geometric configuration, although improving the heat transfer performance is the common goal. Over the last 50 years, the single-phase pipe exchanger has seen a variety of augmentation techniques, and the heat transfer capacity has been improved greatly [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Among various studies carried out on pipe flow enhanced technologies, adopting the insert inside a tube is a common approach.…”

One Convenient Method to Calculate Performance and Optimize Configuration for Annular Radiator Using Heat Transfer Unit Simulation

“…Heat exchangers, which can transfer heat between two fluids of different temperatures, are widely used in several industrial applications, just like aerospace engineering, petrochemical progress, nuclear power plants, oil refining, and so on [1]. As performance calculation and configuration optimization are main steps in the process of heat exchanger design, numerous up-to-date technologies have been applied in this research area from various points of view.…”