SPIRAL PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER.

Heat exchangers are approximately the most used parts in chemical processes and can be seen in
almost all industrial units. These are the tools providing the possibilities for heat transfer between two
or more fluids. Heat transfer can be done in arrangements of liquid-liquid, liquid gas and gas-gas. Heat
exchangers are used in order to cool a hot fluid or to warm a cold fluid or both together. Heat
exchangers are used in a wide variety of applications such as in power plants, refineries, petrochemical
industries, process industries, food and drug industries, heating and air conditioning
A SPHE consists of two sheets that were rolled around a central rod and therefore two separated
concentric channels are made. The ends of the channels are sealed through welding. There are two
possibilities to seal the sides of the heat exchanger: using bolts and gaskets to fasten the covering sheets
to the heat exchanger or welding the covering sheets to the heat exchanger. Both have their own
advantages and disadvantages. For the case of bolts and gaskets one can open the heat exchanger easier
and do the maintenance with more comfort. But the sealing is more complicated and working
parameters are restricted to those of the gasket. On one hand, welding will extend working parameter
possibilities. On the other hand, it makes the maintenance more difficult. Anyway, we decided to use
welding approach. Each of the concurrent and countercurrent trends of flows is available. Almost always
the hot fluid enters the heat exchanger in the center and quits at the periphery. Cold fluid can enter
either from the center or from the periphery, and therefore, this choice will lead to concurrent or
countercurrent flows, respectively. It is obvious that countercurrent arrangement has better heat
transfer performance.
Spiral plate heat exchangers are built by rolling two parallel long sheets around a central bar to
make a spiral shape. The free final edges of channels then will weld together to seal the end of channels.
The distance between metal sheets is kept using studs that are welded to the sheets. The length of studs
can vary from 5 to 25 mm. hence, with respect to the mass flow rate, different distances between the
sheets can be chosen during the design period. In each channel, hot or cold fluid path, secondary flows
are developed that lead to better mixing and therefore heat transfer rate is increased and fouling is
decreased. These heat exchangers are compact but their complicated construction procedure cause
higher primary construction costs. Heat transfer surface area of these heat exchangers is from 0.5 to 500
m2. Maximum working pressure and temperature often restricted to 15 bar and 450 degrees Celsius,
respectively. Applying new technologies may increase the maximum temperature up to 850 degrees
Celsius. Using available equations and with respect to experimental requirements, a small LAB- sized
model of the heat exchanger was made. Galvanized-Iron sheets were used.
This type of sheet was used regarding its availability, acceptable price and good thermodynamic
properties. The distances between two sheets were set to be 15 mm for one channel and 25 mm for
another one. Ends are welded. Also, the sides are closed by welding some sheets.
Air pressure tests were done to check if there are some leakages. This is done by filling the heat
exchanger up with air of the pressure of 2 bar gauge. After 12 hours, no change in the pressure was
noticed. So, we decided that the heat exchanger has no leakage.
Uses :
 Spiral heat exchangers have got especial usage in handling high viscous fluids, high solid content
flows and two-phase solid-liquid flows. Among different types of heat exchangers that are used for
cooling and heating the fluids in industries, Spiral Plate Heat Exchanger (SPHE) has an especial place.
Limitations:
Limitations of the spiral are temperature and pressure, with a maximum pressure of 25 bars and
500 degrees Celsius as the top temperature limit. These limits vary, however, depending on the unit's
size and material of construction. Volumetric flowrate may also limit use of the spiral exchanger.
Because of its single channel, maximum flow is about 350 m 3/h, which is generally less than that of shell-
and-tube models . 
Cite this paper
Khorshidi, J. and Heidari, S. (2016) Design and Construction of a Spiral Heat Exchanger. Advances in
Chemical Engineering and Science, 6, 201-208. doi: 10.4236/aces.2016.62021.

References
[1]   Kondahkar, G.E. and Kapatkat, V.N. (2012) Performance Analysis of Spiral Tube Heat Exchanger Used
in Oil Extraction System. International Journal of Modern Engineering Research, 2, 930-936.

[2]   Naphon, P. (2007) Thermal Performance and Pressure Drop of the Helical-Coil Heat Exchangers with
and without Helically Cr

Diagram:

Figure 1
Experiment No.1
To study the effect on heat duty due to change in water flow rate at constant air flow.

Apparatus: Spiral Plate Heat Exchanger

Procedure:
 At first fill the water tank and ON the main power supply.
 Start the heater and while water being heated note down the errors in manometers.
 Start the air blower and fix the air flow rate.
 Note down the initial temperature of air and pressure drop in air path of spiral.
 Start the water flow and set the different flow rate and note down the readings of pressure drop
and inlet outlet temperature at spiral.
 Note down outlet temperatures of air at different water flow rates.
 By using the temperature gradient and flow rates find the heat duty Q at different flow rates and
plot these Q against the different flow rates of water.

Observations and Calculations:

At Constant air flow of 28 m3/hr and Pressure drop of 266.42 Pa ( by using ₰gh with density of
mercury 13593 Kg/m3 )

Sr. Water Flow Water Water Air Air Manometer Pressure

No rate (LPM) Temp.0C Temp.0C Temp.0C Temp.0C height of Drop(Pa)
. in out in out water (m)
1 5 50 49 22 30 0.008 1065.6
2 6 50 49 22 32 0.009 1198.9
3 8 50 49 22 34 0.016 2131.38

Calculation of heat duty of water :

Q = m0Cp∆T where Cp of water = 4.18 kJ/kg.K
1 liter = 0.001 m3 water density = 1000 kg/m3 , 1 kg/liter
Q1 water = (5×1).4.2 (50-49)/60 = 0.35J
Q2 water = (6×1).4.2 (50-49)/60 = 0.42J
Q3 water = (8×1).4.2 (50-49)/60 = 0.56J
Calculation of heat duty of Air:
Q = m0Cp∆T where Cp of Air = 1 kJ/kg.K
1 liter = 0.001 m3 water density = 1.2kg/m3 , 1.2 kg/liter
Q1 water = (28)1(30-22) /3600= 0.062 J/sec
Q2 water = (28)1 (32-22)/3600 = 0.07 J/sec
Q3 water = (28)1 (34-22)/3600 = 0.108J/sec

Cahnge in Heat duty of Water by changing its flow rate

0.6
Heat duty of water (J/sec)

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2
4 5 6 7 8 9
Water flow rate (LPM)

Chage in Heat duty of Air with variable water fow rate

0.12

0.11
Heat Duty of Air J/sec

0.1

0.09

0.08

0.07

0.06
4 5 6 7 8 9
Water Flow Rate (LPM)
Experiment No.2
To study the effect on heat duty due to change in Air flow rate at constant water flow.

Apparatus: Spiral Plate Heat Exchanger

Procedure:
 At first fill the water tank and ON the main power supply.
 Start the heater and while water being heated note down the errors in manometers.
 Start the air blower and after 2 minutes start the water flow rate and fix it.
 Note down the initial temperature of air (which is room temperature).
 Note down the pressure in spiral path of water at fix water rate.
 Start the Air flow and set the different flow rate and note down the readings of pressure drop and
inlet outlet temperature at spiral.
 Note down outlet temperatures of water at different air flow rates.
 By using the temperature gradient and flow rates find the heat duty Q at different flow rates and
plot these Q against the different flow rates of air.

Observations and Calculations:

At Constant Water flow of 10 LPM or 0.01 m3/min and Pressure drop of 2397.8 Pa ( by using ₰gh
with density of mercury 13593 Kg/m3 )

Sr. Air Flow rate Water Water Air Air Manometer Pressure
No (m3/hr) Temp.0C Temp.0C Temp.0C Temp.0C height of Drop(Pa)
. in out in out water (m)
1 20 51 50 23 35 0.001 133.21
2 40 51 50 24 35 0.0015 199.81
3 60 51 50 25 35 0.003 399.6342

Calculation of heat duty of water :

Q = m0Cp∆T where Cp of water = 4.18 kJ/kg.K
1 liter = 0.001 m3 water density = 1000 kg/m3 , 1 kg/liter
Q1 water = (10×1).4.2 (51-50)/60 = 0.7J /sec
Q2 water = (10×1).4.2 (51-50)/60 = 0.7J/sec
Q3 water = (10×1).4.2 (51-50)/60 = 0.7J/sec
Calculation of heat duty of Air:
Q = m0Cp∆T where Cp of Air = 1 kJ/kg.K
1 liter = 0.001 m3 water density = 1.2kg/m3 , 1.2 kg/liter
Q1 water = (20)1(30-22) /3600 = 0.044J /sec
Q2 water = (40)1 (32-22) /3600 = 0.11 J /sec
Q3 water = (60)1 (34-22) /3600 = 0.2 J /sec

Change in heat duty chart of water at constant water flow

and variable air flow
0.8
Heat duty of water J/sec

0.7

0.6
10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Flow rate of Air m3/hr

Change in heat duty chart of air at constant water flow and

variable air flow
0.25

0.2
Heat Duty of Air J/sec

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Air Flow rates m3/hr
Experiment No.3
To study the effect on LMTD due to change in Air flow rate at constant water flow and changd in
water flow at constant air flow.

Apparatus: Spiral Plate Heat Exchanger

Procedure:
 At first fill the water tank and ON the main power supply.
 Start the heater and while water being heated note down the errors in manometers.
 Start the air blower and after 2 minutes start the water flow rate and fix it.
 Note down the initial temperature of air (which is room temperature).
 Start the Air flow and set the different flow rate and note down the readings of pressure drop and
inlet outlet temperature at spiral.
 Note down outlet temperatures of water at different air flow rates.
 Now set the air flow rate at constant and change the flow rate of water at different flow rates find
the temperature gradient for both the hot and cold fluids.
 Hot fluid is water and cold fluid is air.
 Assuming the counter flow pattern of fluids find the LMTDs at different flow rates .
 Plot these LMTDs against the different flow rates of air and water

Observations and Calculations:

At Constant Water flow of 10 LPM or 0.01 m3/min and Pressure drop of 2397.8 Pa ( by using ₰gh
with density of mercury 13593 Kg/m3 )

Sr. Air Flow rate Water Water Air Air Manometer Pressure
No (m3/hr) Temp.0C Temp.0C Temp.0C Temp.0C height of Drop(Pa)
. in out in out water (m)
1 20 51 50 23 35 0.001 133.21
2 40 51 50 24 35 0.0015 199.81
3 60 51 50 25 35 0.003 399.6342
At Constant air flow of 28 m3/hr and Pressure drop of 266.42 Pa ( by using ₰gh with density of
mercury 13593 Kg/m3 )

Sr. Water Flow Water Water Air Air Manometer Pressure

No rate (LPM) Temp.0C Temp.0C Temp.0C Temp.0C height of Drop(Pa)
. in out in out water (m)
1 5 50 49 22 30 0.008 1065.6
2 6 50 49 22 32 0.009 1198.9
 3 8 50 49 22 34 0.016 2131.38
LMTD is Written as:

Calculation of LMTDs at constant water flow and variable air flow :

(T) Temperature of Hot Fluid , (t) temperature of cold fluid
T1in = 50oC T1out= 49 oC t1in = 23 oC t1out= 35 oC
∆T1 = 50- 49 = 1 ∆t1 = 35-23 = 12
∆T1ln = 1- 12 / ln (1/12) = 4.42 oC
T2in = 50oC T2out= 49 oC t2in = 24 oC t2out= 35 oC
∆T2 = 50- 49 = 1 ∆t2 = 35-24 = 11
∆T2ln = 1- 11 / ln (1/11) = 4.17oC
T3in = 50oC T3out= 49 oC t3in = 23 oC t3out= 35 oC
∆T3 = 50- 49 = 1 ∆t3 = 35-25 = 10
∆T3ln = 1- 10 /
Change in LMTDs At constant water flow and varible air flow ln (1/10) = 3.9 oC
4.25
4.2
4.15 Calculation of LMTDs
4.1
4.05
at constant air flow and
LMTDs ©

4 variable water flow :

3.95
3.9
3.85
(T) Temperature of Hot
3.8 Fluid , (t) temperature of
3.75
cold fluid
10 20 30 40 50 60 70
T1in = 51oC T1out=
Air Flow Rates (m3/hr) o o
50 C t1in = 22 C
t1out= 30 oC
∆T1 = 51- 50 = 1 ∆t1 = 30-22 = 8
∆T1ln = 1- 8 / ln (1/8) = 3.36 oC
o
T2in = 51 C T2out= 50 oC t2in = 22 oC t2out= 32 oC
∆T2 = 51- 50 = 1 ∆t2 = 32-22 = 10
∆T2ln = 1- 10 / ln (1/10) = 3.9oC
o
T3in = 51 C T3out= 50 oC t3in = 22 oC t3out= 34 oC
∆T3 = 51- 50 = 1 ∆t3 = 34-22 = 12
∆T3ln = 1- 12 / ln (1/12) = 4.42 oC

Change in LMTDs at constant air and variable water

4.6
4.4
4.2
4
LMTDs(C)

3.8
3.6
3.4
3.2
3
4 5 6 7 8 9
Water Flow Rates (LPM)

SPIRAL
PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER.
Climate Control Applications (As a Unit Heater and/or Cooler):
 Garage / Workshop
 Residential
 Commercial & Warehouse Space
 Greenhouse
 DIY Air Handler

Air-to-Water "Dry Chiller" Applications:

 Greenhouse Irrigation
 Fish Aquariums
 Augment Chilled Water Systems
 Brewery / Distillery Chillers