Mechanical Engineering Department

Thermal fluid lab

Instructor: EN Mamoun Khdier
Student Name: Iyad Kamel Alagha 110906
Section: 11
Experiment Name: Double pipe heat exchanger

Abstract 5%
Introduction 10%
Theory 10%
Apparatus & procedure
10%
Data & calculations 40%
Tables & figures 10%
Discussion 10%
Conclusion 5%
Total 100%
1. Abstract:
The present study aims to investigate experimentally fluid flow and performance
characteristics of a double-pipe heat exchanger with rotating inner tube. Parameters that can
be used to measure the performance of this type of heat exchanger are also presented,
investigated and estimated. The experimental results are reported for the effect of cold and
hot water mass flow rates, the heat exchanger arrangement (parallel or counter) and the
rotation speed on NTU and effectiveness of the heat exchanger.

2. Introduction:
The double-pipe heat exchanger is one of the simplest types of heat exchangers. It is called a
double-pipe exchanger because one fluid flows inside a pipe and the other fluid flows between
that pipe and another pipe that surrounds the first. This is a concentric tube construction. Flow
in a double-pipe heat exchanger can be co-current or counter-current. There are two flow
configurations: co-current is when the flow of the two streams is in the same direction, counter
current is when the flow of the streams is in opposite directions. As conditions in the pipes
change: inlet temperatures, flow rates, fluid properties, fluid composition, etc., the amount of
heat transferred also changes. This transient behavior leads to 2 change in process
temperatures, which will lead to a point where the temperature distribution becomes steady.
When heat is beginning to be transferred, this changes the temperature of the fluids. Until
these temperatures reach a steady state their behavior is dependent on time. In this double-
pipe heat exchanger a hot process fluid flowing through the inner pipe transfers its heat to
cooling water flowing in the outer pipe. The system is in steady state until conditions change,
such as flow rate or inlet temperature. These changes in conditions cause the temperature
distribution to change with time until a new steady state is reached. The new steady state will
be observed once the inlet and outlet temperatures for the process and coolant fluid become
stable. In reality, the temperatures will never be completely stable, but with large enough
changes in inlet temperatures or flow rates a relative steady state can be experimentally
observed.
3. Theory:
The theory behind the operation of a double-pipe heat exchanger is covered in Incropera and Dewitt
(1996). Also in this same textbook is the derivation of how transient behavior is treated with respect to
heat transfer. As with any process the analysis of a heat exchanger begins with an energy and material
balance. Before doing a complete energy balance a few assumptions can be made. The first assumption
is that the energy lost to the surroundings from the cooling water or from the Ubends in the inner pipe
to the surroundings is negligible. We also assume negligible potential or kinetic energy changes and
constant physical properties such as specific heats and density. These assumptions also simplify the
basic heat-exchanger equations. The determination of the overall heat-transfer coefficient is necessary
in order to determine the heat transferred from the inner pipe to the outer pipe. This coefficient takes
into account all of the conductive and convective resistances (k and h, respectively) between fluids
separated by the inner pipe, and also takes into account thermal resistances caused by fouling (rust,
scaling, i.e.) on both sides of the inner pipe. For a double-pipe heat exchanger the overall heat transfer
coefficient, U, can be expressed as In a heat exchanger the log-mean temperature difference is the
appropriate average temperature difference to use in heat transfer calculations. The equation for the
log-mean temperature difference is
4. Apparatus & procedure
1-After setting up a given configuration (parallel or counter), switch the pump on (hot stream
flow).

2. Open the tap cold water valve to initiate the cold stream flow.

3. Set the heater control to the required temperature. Do not exceed 80 oC.

4. Allow the water in the tank to stabilize at the set temperature. Monitor the stability of the
system through watching the inlet and outlet hot water temperature.

5. Set the mass flow rate of the hot and cold streams. Allow the system to stabilize.

6. Record the readings of the temperatures profiles for the hot and cold streams especially the
terminal temperature (thi, tho, tci, tco).

7. Record the mass flow rates of the two streams (mc, mh). The cold water flow rate is
calculated as the volume of water passes (read from the water flow meter on the tap water
piping) per certain period of time (use stop watch). The same thing is valid for the hot stream
flow.
5. Data and calculations:
5-1)

Counter double pipe heat exchanger

Din 13.5 mm 0.0135 m
Dout 15 mm 0.015 m
L 8 m
cp 4220 j/kg.k

Qh (L/s) m°-h (kg/s) Th-in (c°) Th-out (c°) m°-c (kg/s) Tc-in (c°) Tc-out
(c°)
0.125 0.125 60 34.2 0.2041 20 37.5

m°Cp-min 527.5 Q 108876 J

m°Cp-max 861.302 A 0.33929201 m2
CR 0.61244488 ΔTLM 56.0536479
Q°max 21100 U 5724.72524 W/(m2 K)
Q°act 9231.25
ϵ,Eff 0.4375 NTU 3.68218676

Sample of calculations:
5-2)

parallel double pipe heat exchanger

Din 13.5 mm 0.0135 m
Dout 15 mm 0.015 m
L 8 m
cp 4220 j/kg.k

Qh (L/s) m°-h (kg/s) Th-in (c°) Th-out (c°) m°-c (kg/s) Tc-in (c°) Tc-out (c°)
0.125 0.125 50 36 0.2041 20 32

m°Cp-min 527.5 Q 59080 J

m°Cp-max 861.302 A 0.339292 m2
CR 0.612445 ΔTLM 12.90385
Q°max 9814.289 U 13494.22 W/(m2 K)
Q°act 6330
ϵ,Eff 0.644978 NTU 8.679582

Sample of calculations:
6. Discussion:
In counterflow exchanger for the maximum heat transfer the value of Th-out closer to Tc-out
than the maximum heat transfer in parallel flow exchanger.

And we determined the maximum possible heat exchange by multiply the capacity of heat
steam and the difference between the temperatures.

And in the same conditions at inlet the heat transfer in counterflow exchanger greater than
heat transfer in parallel flow exchanger.

7. Conclusions:
The objective of all two experiments was to demonstrate that heat transfer application within
heat exchangers to determine the most effective heat exchanger. Each experiment carried out
successfully investigated this with the use of varying cold mass flow rates and two different
flow parallel and counter.

Overall, the counter current plate heat exchanger demonstrated the highest performance of
heat transfer with its overall heat coefficient being twofold the amount calculated for the
double pipe heat exchanger.

1. deNevers, N., Fluid Mechanics, McGraw Hill, (1991).

5. Standards of the Tubular Exchange Manufacturers Association, 6th ed., Tubular Exchanger
Manufacturers Association, New York, 1978.