OBJECTIVES

To study the working principle of parallel flow and counter flow heat

exchangers.
To study effect of fluid temperature on counter flow heat exchanger

performance.
To study effect of fluid flow rates on heat exchanger performance.

THEORY
Heat exchanger is a device that allows heat from a fluid (a liquid or a gas) to
pass to a second fluid (another liquid or gas) without the two fluids having to mix
together. The heat will exchange if there is driving force of temperature difference.
It is commonly used in household such as air-conditioning system. Heat exchanger
function at different ways depends on its applications. Heat exchanger can be
classified into a few types. Most common used are shell and tube heat exchanger and
plate/fin heat exchanger.
Heat transfer in heat exchanger can be calculated using the formula,

= UAsT = UiAiT = UoAoT

As = surface area
U = heat transfer coefficient
R = thermal resistant
Ai = area of inner surface of the wall
Ao = area of the outer surface of the wall

Heat loss for energy balance,

=

CpT =

Cp(T2-T1)

Under the assumptions, the first law of thermodynamics requires that the rate
of heat transfer from hot fluid equal to the rate transfer to the cold one.
=

Cpc(Tc, out Tc, in)

Cph(Th, in Th, out)

Overall heat transfer coefficient can be calculated by using the formula,

=R

h = convection heat transfer coefficient

Formula for log mean temperature difference (LMTD),

LMTD =

that gives heat transfer as

= UAsTlm, this relation is known as Newtons

Law of Cooling. For multipass and cross-flow heat exchanger, use the correction
factor, F
Tlm = FTlm, CF

= UAsTlm, CF