SCHOOL of APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY

ENGINEERING DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

THRM2343
Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer
Heat Exchanger Formulas

Parallel flow heat exchanger Britanica (20,05,22). Retrieved from; https://cdn.thomasnet.com/insights-images/embedded-images/e1606558-2a39-43dd-891b-

3e450877b1e8/47d53a1c-7e12-42f3-9e23-b413fa45106a/FullHD/Heat-Exchanger-Flow-Configurations.jpg

Parallel Flow: Both Fluids flow in the same direction.

𝛥𝛥𝛥𝛥𝑎𝑎 𝛥𝛥𝛥𝛥𝑏𝑏

Counter-current Flow: One fluid flows in the opposite direction of the other.

𝛥𝛥𝛥𝛥𝑎𝑎

𝛥𝛥𝛥𝛥𝑏𝑏
 SCHOOL of APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
ENGINEERING DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

Heat Transfer Rate for Heat Exchangers

Equations

• Heat lost by hot fluid: 𝑄𝑄 = 𝑚𝑚ℎ 𝐶𝐶𝑝𝑝 ∆𝑇𝑇ℎ

• Heat gained by cold fluid: 𝑄𝑄 = 𝑚𝑚𝑐𝑐 𝐶𝐶𝑝𝑝 ∆𝑇𝑇𝑐𝑐

• Heat transferred between fluids: 𝑄𝑄 = 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈∆𝑇𝑇𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿

𝛥𝛥𝛥𝛥𝑎𝑎 − 𝛥𝛥𝛥𝛥𝑏𝑏
• Log Mean Temperature Difference: ∆𝑇𝑇𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 = 𝛥𝛥𝑇𝑇𝑎𝑎
𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙
𝛥𝛥𝛥𝛥𝑏𝑏

where:

“Q” for each equation:

 is equal as the heat lost by the hot fluid
 is equal as the heat gained by the cold fluid
 is equal as the heat transferred between the two fluids
“𝑚𝑚ℎ ” and “𝑚𝑚𝑐𝑐 ”:
 is the mass flow rate of hot and cold fluids
“𝐶𝐶𝑝𝑝 ”
 is the specific heat
“∆𝑇𝑇ℎ ”
 the temperature difference of the hot fluid as it enters and leaves the exchanger
“∆𝑇𝑇𝑐𝑐 ”
 the temperature difference of the cold fluid as it enters and leaves the exchanger
“∆𝑇𝑇𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 ”
 is the Log Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD) or the logarithmic average
difference between the two streams
“𝛥𝛥𝛥𝛥𝑎𝑎 ”
 is the temperature difference on “a” side of Temperature Length diagram

“𝛥𝛥𝛥𝛥𝑏𝑏 ”
 is the temperature difference on “b” side of Temperature Length diagram
“U”
 is the overall heat transfer coefficient
“A”
 is the surface area of the exchanger

Steam Consumption of Heat Exchangers,(14/12/03). Spirax Sarco. Retrieved from:

https://nationalvetcontent.edu.au/alfresco/d/d/workspace/SpacesStore/dc6a7f1f-e3d3-44d8-
9bf1-984ea8cb3c01/204/pmaops205b/images/proc205_010301_g07.gif
THRM2343 Heat Exchanger Formulas 2020