1/24/2019 In a typical heat exchanger, is there any specific rule that the hot fluid should flow through

ic rule that the hot fluid should flow through the inner tubes??

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Question Asked 3 years ago
Vipin Nair
13.88 · Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology

In a typical heat exchanger, is there any specific rule that the hot fluid should flow
through the inner tubes??
In any heat exchanger, for example; in a double pipe heat exchanger,how do we
decide whether the hot fluid should flow through inner tube or outer tube?. Or is it
completely irrelevant whether the hot fluid is flowing through the inner tube or outer
tube?

Heat Exchangers Heat & Mass Transfer Fluid Flow Mechanical Engineering Thermal Engineering Fluid

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Popular Answers (1)

Konijeti Rama Krishna 3 years ago

K L University

The fluid flowing through the tubes will be decided majorly on ease of operation ,
frictional effects and purpose whether it is to be cooled or heated up.For example in
Gas +liquid heat ex changer ( steam condenser) it is difficult to push steam through
the tubes and hence liquid is made as tube side fluid.In liquid +Liquid type the one
which is having low viscosity is generally be the tube fluid.And finally hot fluid is

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1/24/2019 In a typical heat exchanger, is there any specific rule that the hot fluid should flow through the inner tubes??

chosen as shell side fluid for effective heat transfer and of course it vary from one
application to other.

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All Answers (18)

Kaustubh Phalak 3 years ago

University of Miami

It is relevant and depends on multiple factors.

If one of the liquid is corrosive it will depend on what type of steel/material is used for
tubes or shell and their relative cost. Generally on shell side you have low pressure
drop. So depending on the loop with low pressure drop you can select the fluid. High
pressure liquids are generally kept on the tube side as tubes have high pressure
rating compared to same thickness of shell.

From only heat transfer point of view you should look at which fluid has lower deltaT
or specifically Cp_min*deltaT with the ambient temperature. The fluid with low value
should be on shell side/outer tube side.

3 Recommendations

Roberto Pili 3 years ago

Technische Universität München

It is also important to have the hot fluid on the tube side in order to minimize the heat Similar questions and discussions
losses to the environment, which are of course dependent on the temperature
gradient. Therefore, the lower the temperature close to the heat exchanger
How can I calculate shell diameter of a shell
enclosure, the lower the losses (or the lower the required thickness of the insulating
and tube heat exchanger?
material).
Question 6 answers
5 Recommendations
Asked 3 years ago
Konijeti Rama Krishna 3 years ago Nishtha Dhunnoo
K L University
Only the following information are available:
The fluid flowing through the tubes will be decided majorly on ease of operation ,
frictional effects and purpose whether it is to be cooled or heated up.For example in Tube length: 10.67 m
Gas +liquid heat ex changer ( steam condenser) it is difficult to push steam through
View
the tubes and hence liquid is made as tube side fluid.In liquid +Liquid type the one
which is having low viscosity is generally be the tube fluid.And finally hot fluid is How can I select the tube size while
https://www.researchgate.net/post/In_a_typical_heat_exchanger_is_there_any_specific_rule_that_the_hot_fluid_should_flow_through_the_inner_tubes 2/7
1/24/2019 In a typical heat exchanger, is there any specific rule that the hot fluid should flow through the inner tubes??

chosen as shell side fluid for effective heat transfer and of course it vary from one designing the shell-and-tube heat
application to other. exchanger?

7 Recommendations Question 18 answers

Fernando Zorto Asked 4 years ago

3 years ago
National Autonomous University of Honduras Hakeem Niyas
What is the major criteria in the selection of tube
I agree too with Konijeti Ramakrishna.
size in heat exchanger?
You need to know the kind of process you will do on the heat exchanger. It´s
Different a double pipe heat exchanger for a Tube and Shell, for a radiant heat View
exchanger. You need to see where is the direction of the heat flux on the different What will be the most appropriate L/D ratio
case. for a cylindrical packed bed reactor ?
best regard. Question 9 answers

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it's convenient to flow the fluid with higher pressure through the tubes for 25 bar. The reactor volume is 0.09168 m^3.…
safety/mechanical reasons. The selection of which fluid is going to flow through the
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shell/tubes should be take into account mechanical factors, not only thermal factors.
I want to design a shell and tube heat
it is also very important the viscosity (the pressure drop through the heat exchanger exchanger for steam condensation (sizing
is always higher in the tubes than in the shell). That's why in oil coolers, for example, problem), what should be my approach to
the oil flows usually through the shell. But, again, the pressure of the oil should be design?
lower than the cooling fluid. Question 6 answers

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plants, refrigeration units,...), the hot fluid (steam, refrigerant,...) flows through the Gaurav Pant
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too.
advisable to write Matlab code to find the
analytical solution for the different geometrical
I recommend you the design codes published by TEMA or ASME.

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Omar Labbadlia 3 years ago reactor using space velocity?
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T.Steven (2008) found that there is a report of optimum pressure drops:
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(∆P)_c/(∆P)_h ⋍1.73 to maximize the performance of the heat exchanger by making
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1/24/2019 In a typical heat exchanger, is there any specific rule that the hot fluid should flow through the inner tubes??

its design, such as pressure drop cold side are approximately 1.7 times larger than Sani Lamido
the pressure drops of the hot side. In absolute terms, it is possible to lose more cold I am working on the design of naphtha catalytic
side pressure, therefore, choose to pass the cold flow in the tubes. reformer

Tine Stevens. (2008). Design Methodologies for Efficient Heat Transfer in Micro
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H. Taherian 3 years ago Question 3 answers

University of Alabama at Birmingham
Asked 9 months ago
A corrosive fluid is better to flow in the inner tube. Also a high pressure fluid should Okbay Abraham
be on the inner tube side. I'm working on cumene production plant
equipment costing for senior design project.
2 Recommendations

Kamal Nasreldin Abdalla 3 years ago View

University of Khartoum
How to compute outlet temperatures of a
given heat exchanger for different inlet
Yes I agree with Taherian that the corrosive fluid should flow in the inner tube just
temperatures?
like what we have in HVAC water cooled chillers where the water flows in the inner
tubes. This done for easy maintenance because after a while some scaling may Question 5 answers
occur in the inside surface of these tubes which needs scrubbing and cleaning to
Asked 2 years ago
remove these deposits.
Ludovico Bruno
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Vipin Nair behaviour of the heat exchanger, so I would like
3 years ago
Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology to compute only the exit temperatures of the heat
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Thank you everyone for your response. So, the decision about which fluid should
How to convert Volume Fraction into Mass
flow through inner or outer tubes is mainly on the basis of Thermal and mechanical
fraction or Mole fraction?
design.
Question 9 answers
Thank you Prof. Ramakrishna.Your reply was the most useful one.
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Another reason: fluid having high heat transfer coefficient is normally flow through
inner tube and fluid (normally gas) having low heat transfer coefficient flows through View

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1/24/2019 In a typical heat exchanger, is there any specific rule that the hot fluid should flow through the inner tubes??

shell, because less area available in inner side compared to outer and hence heat Is there a standard or a preferred ratio of
transfer can be balance by higher heat transfer area at outer side, and therefore fins shell length and shell diameter?
are provided on gas side (outer side).
Question 14 answers
2 Recommendations Asked 5 years ago
Vipin Nair 3 years ago Mohamed Reda Salem
Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology For shell and tube heat exchanger, is there a
standard or a preferred ratio of shell length and
Hello Jayanti
shell diameter?
View
I am sorry ;i dont agree with your explanation when you say that "fluid having high
"heat transfer coefficient". The heat transfer coefficient is not a property of the
fluid.It depends on flow parameters and other thermophysical properties.
Therefore,we dont know the value of heat transfer coefficient in advance. Got a technical question?
Get high-quality answers from experts.
Or may be you mean that we should "predict" the heat transfer coefficients of the
two flow scenarios by using empirical correlations and then decide on the basis of Ask a question
heat transfer coefficient values. If yes, then your approach is correct.

Thank you.
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1/24/2019 In a typical heat exchanger, is there any specific rule that the hot fluid should flow through the inner tubes??

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