Heat Exchangers:

The Effectiveness – NTU

Method
Chapter 10
Sections 10.6
 General Considerations
• Computational Features/Limitations of the LMTD Method:

¾ The LMTD method may be applied to design problems for

which the fluid flow rates and inlet temperatures, as well as
a desired outlet temperature, are prescribed. For a specified
HX type, the required size (surface area), as well as the other
outlet temperature, are readily determined.
¾ If the LMTD method is used in performance calculations for which
both outlet temperatures must be determined from knowledge of the
inlet temperatures, the solution procedure is iterative.

¾ For both design and performance calculations, the effectiveness-NTU

method may be used without iteration.
 Definitions
• Heat exchanger effectiveness, ε :

q
ε=
qmax

0 ≤ ε ≤1

• Maximum possible heat rate:

qmax = Cmin (Th ,i − Tc ,i )

⎧⎪Ch if Ch < Cc
Cmin = ⎨or
⎪⎩ Cc if Cc < Ch

¾ Will the fluid characterized by Cmin or Cmax experience the largest possible
temperature change in transit through the HX?

¾ Why is Cmin and not Cmax used in the definition of qmax?

 For the parallel flow exchanger: ƒ

mh ch (Th1 −T h 2) Th1 −T h 2
εh = =
mh ch (Th1 −T c1) Th1 −T c1

mc cc (Tc 2 −T c1) Tc 2 −T c1
εc = =
mc cc (Th1 −T c1) Th1 −T c1
similarly for counter flow exchanger :

Th1 −T h 2
εh =
Th1 −T c 2

Tc1 −T c 2
εc =
Th1 −T c 2
 Heat Exchanger Relations
⎧
⎪⎪ q =
⋅
m (
h ih , i − ih , o )
• ⎨or
⎪ q = Ch (Th ,i − Th , o )
⎪⎩
⎧
q = mc ( ic , o − ic ,i )
⋅
⎪
• ⎨or
⎪ q = Cc (Tc , o − Tc ,i )
⎩

• q = ε Cmin (Th ,i − Tc ,i )

• Performance Calculations:
¾ ε = f ( NTU , Cmin / Cmax )

Cr
• Number of Transfer Units, NTU
NTU ≡ UA
Cmin
¾ A dimensionless parameter whose magnitude influences HX performance:
q ↑ with ↑ NTU
HX Relations (cont.)

• Design Calculations:
¾NTU = f ( ε , Cmin / Cmax )

• For all heat exchangers,

ε ↑ with ↓ Cr

• For Cr = 0, a single ε − NTU relation applies to all HX types.

ε = 1 − exp ( − NTU )
or

NTU = −1n (1 − ε )