International Journal of Thermal Sciences 96 (2015) 211e220

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International Journal of Thermal Sciences

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ijts

Experimental studies on heat transfer and pressure drop

characteristics for new arrangements of corrugated tubes in a double
pipe heat exchanger
Hamed Sadighi Dizaji*, Samad Jafarmadar, Farokh Mobadersani
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Heat transfer, pressure drop and effectiveness in a double pipe heat exchanger made of corrugated outer
Received 13 July 2014 and inner tubes have been experimentally investigated in this paper. Both of the inner and outer tubes
Received in revised form were corrugated by means of a special machine. New various arrangements of convex and concave
7 May 2015
corrugated tube were investigated. Heat transfer coefficient was determined using Wilson plots. Hot
Accepted 7 May 2015
water (inner tube) and cold water (outer tube) inlet temperatures were maintained at around 40
C and
Available online 23 June 2015
8
C respectively. Experiments were performed over the Reynolds number range of 3500e18,000, based
on the hydraulic diameter of the annular space between the two tubes. Hot water Reynolds number was
Keywords:
Corrugated tube
kept constant at around 5500. Findings indicated that the outer tube corrugations and arrangement type
Heat exchanger of corrugated tubes have significant effect on thermal and frictional characteristics. Maximum effec-
Heat transfer tiveness was obtained for heat exchanger made of concave corrugated outer tube and convex corrugated
Friction factor inner tube.
Effectiveness © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
Wilson plots

1. Introduction Corrugated tubes can be introduced as one of the coarsening sur-

The apparatus used to implement the exchange of heat between
two fluids that are at different temperatures while keeping them
from mixing with each other is termed a heat exchanger. They are
used in a great amount of applications, such as heating and air
conditioning systems, chemical processing, power production and
aeronautical applications. The weight and size of heat exchangers
used in space or aeronautical applications are very significant pa-
rameters, and in these cases, costs of heat exchanger production are
enumerated as a secondary consideration. However, heat ex-
changers are designed to obtain maximum heat transfer, low
pressure drop, high effectiveness, minimum volume and weight,
and also low cost. Several techniques have been employed for these
purposes. Generally, these methods can be categorized into three
principal types: (1) using of nanofluids (2) coarsening heat
exchanger surfaces and (3) inserting fluid turbulators. Coarsening
surfaces can improve the thermal performance of heat exchanger
by increasing fluid mixing and turbulence level of the fluid flow.
* Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: St_H.Sadighi@urmia.ac.ir, HamedSadighiDizaji@gmail.com
(H. Sadighi Dizaji).
face methods and they can be classified into two main types: in-
ward concave corrugated tubes and outward convex corrugated
tubes. Both of them are studied in present paper.
Numerous experiments on thermal and frictional characteristics
of corrugated tubes have been carried out. Many researchers have
investigated the heat transfer and flow characteristics of fluid in a
single horizontal corrugated tube, and some of the researchers
focused on the using of corrugated tube as the inner tube of a
double pipe heat exchanger.
Publications on characteristics of a single corrugated tube and
double pipe heat exchangers made of corrugated tubes are sum-
marized chronologically as follows. Rainieri and Pagliarini [1]
experimentally studied on convective heat transfer in the entry
region of corrugated tubes at different pitch ratios for Reynolds
number range between 90 and 800. Ethylene glycol was employed
as the working fluid. Their findings showed that for Re > 200 the
helical corrugation significantly induces swirl component. Besides,
the results showed that in the turbulent flow the Nusselt number is
independent on the corrugation shape. Ahn [2] studied experi-
mentally on heat transfer in the annuli with corrugated inner tubes
for water flow rate in 700 < Re < 13,000 regime. Vicente et al. [3]
performed an experiment about heat transfer and isothermal
pressure drop in corrugated tubes for laminar and transition flow.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2015.05.009
1290-0729/© 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
212 H. Sadighi Dizaji et al. / International Journal of Thermal Sciences 96 (2015) 211e220
Nomenclature
A inner tube area, m2
c specific heat, J/kg
C
D tube diameter, m
e corrugation height, m
Dh hydraulic diameter, m
f friction factor
h heat transfer coefficient, W/m2
C
k thermal conductivity, W/m
C
L tube length, m
m_ water mass flow rate, kg/s
NTU number of thermal units
p corrugation pitch, m
Pr Prandtl number
Re Reynolds number
r shell outlet (inlet) radius, m
T temperature,
C
Q heat transfer rate, W
U overall heat transfer coefficient, W/m2
C
V mean velocity, m/s
W total uncertainty in the measurement
X independent variable
Their findings indicated that the corrugated tubes increase the heat
transfer and friction factor about 30% and 25% respectively. Rozzi
et al. [4] performed a comparison between smooth and helically
corrugated wall tubes in a shell and tube heat exchanger. They
observed that in the fully developed turbulent flow regime a mod-
erate overall heat transfer enhancement can be achieved but with a
very high pressure loss increase. Laohalertdecha and Wongwises [5]
experimentally investigated the effects of corrugation pitch on the
condensation heat transfer and pressure drop of R-134 inside hori-
zontal corrugated tube. Their findings demonstrated that the heat
transfer coefficient and pressure drop of corrugated tube are higher
in comparison with the smooth tube for all experimental conditions.
Pethkool et al. [6] studied the turbulent heat transfer enhancement
in a heat exchanger using helically corrugated tube. They used the
corrugated tube as the inner tube of heat exchanger while the
smooth tube was employed for the outer tube of heat exchanger.
Their results showed that the Nusselt number and friction factor are
3.01 and 2.14 times above the smooth tube. Laohalertdecha et al. [7]
studied the evaporation heat transfer coefficient and two-phase
friction factor for R-13a flowing through horizontal corrugated
tube. The test section was made of corrugated inner tube and
smooth outer tube. They presented some correlations for Nusselt
number and friction factor as function of Reynolds number, corru-
gation pitch, corrugation depth, and inside diameter. Wongcharee
and Eiamsa-ard [8] executed an experiment to study the heat
transfer enhancement by using CuOewater nanofluid in corrugated
inner tube equipped with twisted tape. They showed that, the
maximum thermal performance factor of 1.57 is found with the use
of nanofluid of 0.7% by volume in the corrugated tube equipped with
twisted tape at twist ratio of 2.7 and Reynolds number of 6200.
Garcia et al. [9] studied on the influence of artificial roughness shape
on heat transfer enhancement: corrugated tubes, dimpled tubes and
wire coils. Aroonrat et al. [10] carried out an experimental investi-
gation on evaporation pressure drop and heat transfer of R-134
through a vertical corrugated tube. Lately, Darzi et al. [11] experi-
mentally investigated the convective heat transfer and friction fac-
tor of Al2O3/water nanofluid in helically corrugated tube. Their
findings showed that the heat transfer and friction factor increase by
increasing nanofluid concentrations in plain and helical corrugated
Greek symbols
m dynamic viscosity, kg/m s
n kinematic viscosity, m2/s
3 effectiveness
Dp pressure drop, Pa
DT temperature difference,
C
r density, kg/m3
Subscripts
ave average
c cold fluid
exp experimental
E enhanced
h hot fluid
in inlet
i inner
LMTD logarithmic mean temperature difference
NE non-enhanced
o outer
out outlet
s smooth
tube while its effects are more significant in helical corrugated
tubes. A summary of the works is reviewed in Table 1.
As described above, most of the works were carried out
employing smooth tube as the only inner tube of a double pipe heat
exchanger. There is no study on the using of corrugated tubes as the
outer tube of a double pipe heat exchanger. So the main scope of the
present study is the simultaneous use of corrugated tube as outer
and inner tube of a double pipe heat exchanger. Moreover new
different arrangements of concave and convex corrugated tubes are
investigated. Tests were performed for volume flow rate range
5e25 L/min of the annular space between the two tubes fluid flow
(Reynolds number range of 3500e18,000). The inner tube (warm
water) volume flow rate was kept at 15 L/min (Reynolds number of
5500). The results of this study are provided as Nusselt number,
friction factor, effectiveness, NTU (Number of thermal units) and
thermal performance factor of heat exchanger.
2. Experimental configuration
2.1. Experimental apparatus
A schematic illustration and photographic representation of the
test set-up are shown in Fig. 1. The system basically includes two
closed flow loops (hot water and cold water loops) and a test sec-
tion. Hot water loop (inner tube) consists of a water pumps, a
Rotameter, electrical heater, hot water tank, fan, control valves, and
a dimmer (to control the power of electrical heater). Cold water
loop (annulus) consists of a water pump, a Rotameter and control
valves. The temperature of the cold water loop is controlled by a
cooling unit. The cooling unit consists of a compressor, condenser
(with R-12 refrigerant), evaporator and an expansion valve. Indeed,
the evaporator is inserted in the cold water tank. Besides, incline-U
tube manometer and digital thermometers were put into the flow
at the inlets and outlets of the test section to measure the bulk
temperatures and pressure drop of flow. As seen in Fig. 1 the tubes
of the test section were placed between two grooved insulating
end-plates. Four screwed steel rods were used to hold and adjust
the position of the two end-plates. Inside of the inner tube has been
occupied with hot water, while the annular space between the two
 H. Sadighi Dizaji et al. / International Journal of Thermal Sciences 96 (2015) 211e220 213

Table 1
Number of investigations on corrugated tubes.

Year Sources Description

2002 Rainieri and Pagliarini [1] Convective heat transfer to temperature dependent property fluids in the entry region of corrugated tubes
2003 Ahn [2] Heat transfer in the annuli with corrugated inner tube
2004 Vicente et al. [3] Heat transfer and isothermal pressure drop in corrugated tubes for laminar and transition flow
2007 Rozzi et al. [4] Heat treatment of fluid foods in a shell and tube heat exchanger: comparison between smooth and helically
corrugated wall tubes
2010 Laohalertdecha and Wongwises [5] The effects of corrugation pitch on the condensation heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop of R-134a
inside horizontal corrugated tube
2011 Pethkool et al. [6] Turbulent heat transfer enhancement in a heat exchanger using helically corrugated tube
2011 Laohalertdecha at al [7] Evaporation heat transfer coefficient and two-phase friction factor for R-13a flowing through horizontal
corrugated tubes
2012 Wongcharee and Eiamsa-ard [8] Heat transfer enhancement by using CuOewater nanofluid in corrugated tube equipped with twisted tap
2012 Garcia et al. [9] The influence of artificial roughness shape on heat transfer enhancement: corrugated tubes, dimpled tubes
and wire coils
2013 Aroonrat et al. [10] Heat transfer study for a heat-recovery unit made of corrugated tubes
2014 Darzi et al. [11] Experimental investigation of convective heat transfer and friction factor of Al2O3ewater nanofluid in helically
corrugated tube

tubes has been occupied with cold water. In the mean while
counter flow was used in the heat exchanger in present study. Outer
tube was covered with a 2-cm layer of the glass wool insulation to
prevent heat loss to surroundings. All data were recorded at steady
state and all measuring devices were calibrated before the tests.
2.2. Tubes geometry
Both of the smooth and corrugated tubes were constructed of
steel sheet with a thickness of 0.5 mm. A number of smooth tubes
were corrugated by means of a special machine as shown in Fig. 2.
Both of the convex and concave type of corrugated tubes can be
created by this machine. A schematic illustration and photographic
representation of the tubes are shown in Fig. 3. Geometric speci-
fications of the tubes are tabulated in Table 2, where e, S, b and P, are
the geometrical properties of the corrugation as illustrated in
Fig. 3(a). It should be noted that, corrugating causes the tube length
reduction. Hence, the initial length of the corrugated tubes (before
corrugating) was chosen somewhat higher in comparison with the
smooth tubes. Finally, the length of the all corrugated and smooth

Fig. 1. (a) A schematic illustration of the test set-up: 1 e test section, 2 e Rotameter, 3 e warm water tank, 4 e dimmer and thermostat, 5 e heater, 6 e water pump, 7 e condenser,
8 e compressor, 9 e cold water tank, 10 e evaporator, 11 e corrugated tube, 12 e control valve, 13 e end plates of test section and (b) Experimental setup.
214 H. Sadighi Dizaji et al. / International Journal of Thermal Sciences 96 (2015) 211e220

Fig. 2. Specially-designed machine and instruments for corrugation of the tubes.

Fig. 3. (a) A schematic illustration of tubes and (b) actual photograph of corrugated tubes.

tubes became the same. So it can be concluded that, in the same
length of the tubes, the surface area of the corrugated tubes is more
than the surface area of the smooth tubes, and this is one of the
corrugated tubes advantages when they are produced by said
method.
based on the hydraulic diameter of the annular space between the
two tubes. During the tests, inlets and outlets bulk temperature,
pressure drop and value of the volume flow rate, were recorded at
steady state condition.
4. Results and discussions

3. Test process 4.1. Uncertainty of measurements

Table 3 and Fig. 4 show the various arrangements of the tubes in Measurement uncertainties can be due to the measuring in-
the heat exchanger. In the beginning, smooth tubes were employed strument, environment condition, operator and other sources.
as the inner and outer tubes of the heat exchanger. In the next step, Moffat [12] method was used to evaluate the uncertainty in the
corrugated tube was used only for inner tube of heat exchanger. present study. The uncertainties in calculating a result ðWRþ Þ due to
And finally, both of the inner and outer tubes were corrugated. some independent variables are evaluated by following equation:
Various arrangements of convex and concave corrugated tubes
were studied as shown in Fig. 4. Tests were performed with various 0 !2 !2 !2 112
vRþ vRþ vRþ
Reynolds numbers for each arrangement. Hot water (inner tube) WRþ ¼@ w þ w þ/þ wn A (1)
inlet temperature and Reynolds number were kept constant at vX1 1 vX2 2 vXn
around 40
C and 5500 respectively. The inlet temperature of cold
water (outer tube) was maintained at around 8
C, and experiments
were performed over the Reynolds number range of 3500e18,000
Table 3
Tubes arrangements.

Table 2 Tubes arrangements

Tubes geometry.
Inner tube Outer tube Dh (mm) 2r (mm) Cases (in Fig. 4)
Tubes S (mm) P (mm) e (mm) L (mm) Dave (mm)
Smooth Smooth 21 25.4 a
Inner tube: smooth e e e 346 85 Convex Smooth 17 25.4 b
Outer tube: smooth e e e 346 106 Convex Convex 21 25.4 c
Inner tube: convex 13.52 16.52 4 346 89 Concave Smooth 25 25.4 d
Outer tube: convex 13.52 16.52 4 346 110 Concave Concave 21 25.4 e
Inner tube: concave 13.52 16.52 4 346 81 Convex Concave 13 25.4 f
Outer tube: concave 13.52 16.52 4 346 102 Concave Convex 29 25.4 g
 H. Sadighi Dizaji et al. / International Journal of Thermal Sciences 96 (2015) 211e220 215

Fig. 4. Various arrangements of the tubes.

For example Nusselt number uncertainties can be calculated as number, 5.16% for Reynolds number, and 9.47 for friction factor
shown below: respectively.

hD 4.2. Verification of the smooth tube

Nu ¼ (2)
k
Verification was performed for Smooth tube Nusselt number
Substituting Eq. (2) into Eq. (1) yields between the present study and TameGhajar [13] Eq. (7), Bilen et al.
[14] Eq. (8) and DittuseBoelter [15] Eq. (9) studies. These experi-
 2  2  2 !12
vNu vNu vNu mental equations are given as follow:
WNu ¼ w þ w þ w (3)
vh h vD D vk k
Nu ¼ 0:023Re0:8 Pr 0:385 ðL=DÞ0:0054 ðmb =mw Þ0:14 ; 7000  Re

vNu D vNu h vNu hD  49; 000

¼ ; ¼ ; ¼ 2 (4)
vh k vD k vk k (7)

Substituting Eq. (4) into Eq. (3) yields

Nu ¼ 0:0275Re0:781 Pr ð1=3Þ ; 10; 000  Re  38; 000 (8)
 2  2  2 !12
D h hD
WNu ¼ w þ w þ wk (5) Nu ¼ 0:023Re0:8 Pr 0:4 (9)
k h k D k2
Moreover, friction factors of the smooth tube were validated
If hD/k is multiplied in two side of Eq. (5): with the equation of Naphon et al. [16] Eq. (10) and Petukhov [17]
Eq. (11) studies.
 12
WNu wh 2 wD 2 wk 2
¼ þ þ (6) f ¼ 0:66Re0:33 ; 5000 < Re < 25; 000 (10)
Nu h D k
Uncertainty details are summarized in Table 4. Uncertainty f ¼ ð1:82 Log Re  1:64Þ2 (11)
estimation demonstrated maximum value of 10.66% for Nusselt
216 H. Sadighi Dizaji et al. / International Journal of Thermal Sciences 96 (2015) 211e220

Table 4 DhV
Uncertainty of parameters. Re ¼ (15)
n
Parameter Unit Comment
The experimental overall heat transfer coefficient (Uexp) in a


Uncertainty in the temperature measurement C double pipe heat exchanger can be calculated with:


Hot fluid inlet temperature C ±0.5


Hot fluid outlet temperature C ±0.5 Q ave
Cold fluid inlet temperature

C ±0.5 Uexp ¼ (16)
Cold fluid outlet temperature

C ±0.5
ADTm

Uncertainty in the measurement of volume flow rate m3 h1    

m3 h1 ±0.3 Th;in  Tc;out  Th;out  Tc;in
Water
DTLMTD ¼ ! (17)
Uncertainty in the measurement of pressure drop K Pa 0.136 Th in Tc out
Ln Th;out Tc;in
Uncertainties in calculating a result %
Nusselt number % ±10.66
Reynolds number % ±5.16 Heat transfer coefficients are evaluated using traditional “Wil-
Friction factor % ±9.47 son plots” as explained in Rose [18] study. Heat transfer coefficients
Uncertainty in reading values of table (r, k, …) % ±0.1 to 0.2
can be calculated by this method without the requirement of wall
temperatures. Indeed, if one of the fluid flows is kept constant and
the other is varied, heat transfer coefficient can be related to the
overall coefficient by the flowing equation [15] (in this work, the
Verifications results are shown in Fig. 5. Obviously, the results of
flow of the inner tube is kept constant and the flow of the outer
this study agree satisfactorily with aforesaid equations within 9%
tube is varied).
maximum discrepancy for Nusselt number and 9.5% for friction
factor. Difference between roughness of two tubes, unavoidable  
Do
errors in the present experiment and mentioned equations, Ao ln Di
1 1 Ao
entrance effects, different range of tested Reynolds number can be ¼ þ þ (18)
Uexp ho 2KLp Ai hi
introduced as reasons of deviation.
where the subscripts i and o pertain to the inside and outside of the
4.3. Heat transfer studies (Nusselt number) inner tube. Hot water Reynolds number is a constant value in this
study. So, it can be assumed that hi and thereupon the last two
The average heat transfer rate (Q ave) in a double pipe heat terms on the right-hand side of Eq. (18) are constants. The shell side
exchanger can be calculated by following equation. The outer tube heat transfer coefficient is assumed to behave in the following
surface was carefully isolated and the deviation in energy balance manner with the shell side Reynolds number [6,8]:
between the cold water and hot water is less than 1.5%.
ho ¼ BRem (19)
1
Q ave ¼ ðQ h þ Q c Þ (12)
2 Eq. (19) is substituted into Eq. (18) and the values for the constant B
and the exponent m are obtained through curve fitting. The outer
 
Q h ¼ m_ h Cph Th;in  Th;out (13) tube and inner tube side heat transfer coefficients could then be
calculated. Hence, the experimental Nusselt number can be eval-
  uated by:
Q c ¼ m_ c Cpc Tc;out  Tc;in (14)
hD
Reynolds number of the annular space between the two tubes Nuexp ¼ (20)
can be calculated with: K

Fig. 5. (a) Verification of present experimental Nusselt number for smooth tube and (b) Verification of present experimental friction factor for smooth tube.
 H. Sadighi Dizaji et al. / International Journal of Thermal Sciences 96 (2015) 211e220 217

The key findings from the heat transfer studies are described as
follows.
It is noted that, geometric characteristics of corrugations are the
same for all corrugated tubes. However, depending on tubes ar-
rangements and corrugations type (convex or concave) each
arrangement (see Fig. 4) can create a particular streamlines and
pathlines along the annular space between the two tubes. Obvi-
ously, these different streamlines cause various amounts of Nusselt
number and other thermal or frictional characteristics. This phe-
nomenon is shown schematically in Fig. 6. An example view of the
water streamlines in the annulus is shown in Fig. 6 for two different
arrangements of corrugated tubes. Indeed, in Fig. 6(a), both of the
point A and B are convex, but in Fig. 6(b) point A is convex and point
B is concave.
The Relationship between Nusselt number and Reynolds num-
ber is shown in Fig. 7. Comparisons between the enhanced Nusselt
number (corrugated tube) and the non-enhanced Nusselt number
(smooth tube) are presented in Fig. 8 for all cases. Depending on
arrangement type and Reynolds number, the use of corrugated tube
as the inner tube of the double pipe heat exchanger increases the
Nusselt number about 10e52% while if both of the inner and outer
tubes are corrugated, the Nusselt number increases about 23e117%.
Maximum enhancement occurred at lower amounts of Reynolds
number, and it was obtained for heat exchanger made of convex
Fig. 7. Relationship between Nusselt number and Reynolds number.
corrugated inner tube and concave corrugated outer tube (case f).
The probable reason of this maximum enhancement for said
arrangement is described as follows: it can be said that the outer heat exchanger made of corrugated inner and outer tubes is more
tube corrugations (concave type) drive the cold water (in annular than the heat exchanger with smooth inner tube and corrugated
space) toward the inner tube surface (thermal boundary layer) and outer tube.
the inner tube corrugations (convex type) implement the same
operation conversely, and the result is more water mixture and
more turbulence and high heat transfer rate in the annulus. Besides, 4.4. Frictional characteristics
outer tube corrugations (in concave type) can more penetrate the
water in the annulus, so the flow mixture occurs better. It should be Pressure drop of the annular space between the two tubes and
noted that, if the diameters ratio (Do/Di) is increased, the influence also pressure drop of the inside of the inner tube were experi-
of the outer tube corrugations may decrease. Indeed, the high di- mentally measured with incline U-tube manometer at various
ameters ratio makes more distant between the outer tube corru- Reynolds numbers. Friction factor (f) can be calculated from:
gations and thermal boundary layer (inner tube surface). However,
the logical choice of diameters ratio and other parameters and DP
f ¼   (21)
proficient design of corrugations can more improve the effective-
0:5 DLh rV 2
ness of heat exchangers.
Fig. 8 shows that, the magnitude of the effect of the arrangement
The friction factors of the smooth tube and corrugated tube are
type on heat transfer enhancement is dependent on Reynolds
demonstrated in Fig. 9. Comparisons of corrugated annulus with
number (specially, in heat exchanger with corrugated inner and
the smooth annulus (fs) are presented in Fig. 10. It can be seen that
outer tubes). Indeed, the effect of arrangement type on heat
by increasing the Reynolds number, friction factor decreases. The
transfer enhancement decreases with the increase of Reynolds
use of corrugated tubes causes increases in friction factor compared
number. As seen in Fig. 8 the amount Nu/Nus decreases with the
to the employment of smooth tube. As seen in Fig. 9, the use of
increase of Reynolds number. But, the slope of this reduction is
corrugated tube as the inner tube of the double pipe heat exchanger
dependent on arrangement type. The slope of this reduction for
increases the friction factor of the annular space between the two

Fig. 6. The effect of arrangement type on path of fluid move in the annular space between the tubes.
218 H. Sadighi Dizaji et al. / International Journal of Thermal Sciences 96 (2015) 211e220

 
  Nu
Nus
hE
h¼ ¼  1 (22)
hNE pp 3
f
fs

Thermal performance factor was calculated based on the

annulus friction factor and the results are presented in Fig. 11. The
main scope of the present study was to compare a double pipe heat
exchanger made of corrugated inner tube and smooth outer tube
with a double pipe heat exchanger made of corrugated inner tube
and corrugated outer tube. By determining the results of the heat
exchanger made of smooth outer tube and corrugated inner tube as
the references, the employment of corrugated tube for outer tube of
heat exchanger, increases the thermal performance factor about
26e38%. It means that the outer tube corrugations have significant
effect on performance of the double pipe heat exchanger.

4.6. NTUeeffectiveness charts

The NTUeeffectiveness charts can be of great practical utility in

design problems. More elaborate design procedures, requiring
analytical expression for these curves. Heat exchanger effectiveness
Fig. 8. Comparison of corrugated tube Nusselt number with the smooth tube Nusselt can be calculated by:
number.
actual heat transfer
tubes about 150e190% while if both of the inner and outer tubes are 3 ¼ (23)
corrugated, the friction factor of the annular space between the two maximum possible heat transfer
tubes increases about 200e254%. However, depending on the Maximum possible heat transfer is expressed as:
application the growth of friction factor can be supposed as a
renounceable or non-renounceable parameter. _ min ðTh inlet  Tc inlet Þ
Q max ¼ ðmcÞ (24)
NTU is indicative of the size of the heat exchanger and it is
4.5. Thermal performance factor
evaluated by:

The heat exchanger thermal performance factor (h) is defined as

the increased convective heat transfer coefficient (hE) to the non-
increased convective heat transfer coefficient (hNE) ratio at an
identical pumping power which can be expressed as

Fig. 9. Relationship between friction factor and Reynolds number. Fig. 10. Friction factor comparison between corrugated annulus and smooth annulus.
 H. Sadighi Dizaji et al. / International Journal of Thermal Sciences 96 (2015) 211e220
Fig. 11. Relationship between thermal performance factor and Reynolds number.
A o Uo
NTU ¼
Cmin
Cmin ¼ MinfCh and Cc g
Ch ¼ m_ h cph
Cc ¼ m_ c cpc
Heat exchanger effectiveness was calculated for all cases. The
heat exchanger effectiveness for heat exchanger with smooth inner
tube and smooth outer tube was defined as 3 s .
Changes of the 3 =3 s with NTU are shown in Fig. 12. By deter-
mining the results of heat exchanger made of smooth inner tube
and smooth outer tube as the references, if just the inner tube is
corrugated, the effectiveness increases about 5e19% while if in
addition to the inner tube, outer tube is corrugated too, the effec-
tiveness increases about 28e55%. Maximum effectiveness was
obtained for heat exchanger made of corrugated outer and inner
tubes.
5. Conclusion
Heat transfer enhancement in a double pipe heat exchanger
made of corrugated outer and inner tube was reported in this paper.
The main scope of the present study was to compare a double pipe
heat exchanger made of corrugated inner tube and smooth outer
tube with a double pipe heat exchanger made of corrugated inner
tube and corrugated outer tube. Besides, new various arrangements
of convex and concave corrugated tube were investigated. The re-
sults of this study were provided as Nusselt number, friction factor,
effectiveness and thermal performance factor. Findings indicated
that the use of corrugated tubes is advantageous to enhance the
Nusselt number and performance of heat exchanger. Arrangement
type of corrugated tubes (concave and convex) had significant ef-
fect on thermal and frictional characteristics. Depending on
219
Fig. 12. Relationship between enhanced effectiveness to non-enhanced effectiveness
ratio and NTU.
arrangement type and Reynolds number, the use of corrugated tube
as the inner tube of the double pipe heat exchanger increased the
Nusselt number and friction factor about 10e52% and 150e190%
(25)
respectively. When both of the inner and outer tubes were corru-
gated, the Nusselt number and friction factor increased about
(26) 23e117% and 200e254%.
(27) References
[1] S. Rainieri, G. Pagliarini, Convective heat transfer to temperature dependent
(28) property fluids in the entry region of corrugated tubes, Int. J. Heat Mass
Transfer 45 (2002) 4525e4536.
[2] S.W. Ahn, Experimental studies on heat transfer in the annuli with corrugated
inner tubes, KSME Int. J. 17 (2003) 1226e1233.
[3] P.G. Vicente, A. Garcia, A. Viedma, Mixed convection heat transfer and
isothermal pressure drop in corrugated tubes for laminar and transition flow,
Int. Commun. Heat Mass Transfer 31 (2004) 651e662.
, Heat
[4] S. Rozzi, R. Massini, G. Paciello, G. Pagliarini, S. Rainieri, A. Trifiro
treatment of fluid foods in a shell and tube heat exchanger: comparison be-
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