Comparative Analysis of Parallel Flow Heat Exchangers

1. Abstract:
Heat exchangers are devices that are used as a surface for thermal heat transfer between
fluids. The experiments carried out investigated the performance of one of the three main
heat exchangers: shell-and-tube heat exchangers. The heat exchanger was tested under
flow arrangements of parallel (co-current) flow. The mass flow rate was determined
through the volume flow rate and the volume flow rate was controlled with the help of a
potentiometer. The data collected from the experiment were used to calculate the heat
transfer rate of hot and cold fluid, which was then compared with the results obtained
from the simulation study of the same heat exchanger. In general, the results obtained
from the physical experiment satisfied our simulation results.

2. Introduction:

The technology of heating and cooling systems is one of the most basic areas of
mechanical engineering. Wherever steam is used, or wherever hot or cold fluids are
required we will find a heat exchanger. They are used to heat and cool homes, offices,
markets, shopping malls, cars, trucks, trailers, airplanes, and other transportation systems.
They are used to process foods, paper, petroleum, and many other industrial processes.
They are found in superconductors, fusion power labs, spacecraft, and advanced computer
systems. The list of applications, in both low- and high-tech industries, is practically
endless. Heat exchangers are typically classified according to flow arrangement and type
of construction. In this introductory treatment, we will consider three types that are
representative of a wide variety of exchangers used in industrial practice. The simplest
heat exchanger is one for which the hot and cold fluids flow in the same or opposite
directions in a concentric tube (or double pipe) construction. In the parallel-flow
arrangement, the hot and cold fluids enter at the same end, flow in the same direction, and
leave at the same end. In the counter-flow arrangement, the fluids enter at opposite ends,
flow in opposite directions, and leave at opposite ends. A common configuration for
power plants and large industrial applications is the shell-and-tube heat exchanger

3. Model Information:
We made a single tube heat exchanger and simulated the model. The external shell of the
exchanger was made up of PVC while the internal pipe was made up of stainless steel.
The flow introduced in the model was co-current/parallel flow. The fluid to be cooled was
water kept at almost 50 degrees Celsius and the coolant used was also water kept at a
temperature of 22 degrees Celsius. The temperature was measured with the help of digital
thermometers and the flow rate of the pump after adjusting it with the help of a
potentiometer was measured in the form of volume flow rate and then converted into the
mass flow rate.

4. Simulation Modelling and Analysis:

 Model name: Heat Exchanger
Current Configuration: Default
Solid Bodies
Document Name and Reference Treated As Volumetric Properties Document Path/Date Modified

Mass:0.165222 kg
Volume:2.05833e-005 m^3 C:\Users\Ali\Desktop\usb data\
Solid Body Density:8027 kg/m^3 gpipe.SLDPRT
Weight:1.61918 N Jul 23 17:16:56 2022

Mass:0.00956343 kg
Volume:7.35648e-006 m^3 C:\Users\Ali\Desktop\usb data\
Solid Body Density:1300 kg/m^3 shellght.SLDPRT
Weight:0.0937216 N Jul 23 17:12:11 2022

Cut-Extrude8
Mass:0.00490088 kg
Volume:3.76991e-006 m^3 C:\Users\Ali\Desktop\usb data\
Solid Body Density:1300 kg/m^3 shellght.SLDPRT
Weight:0.0480287 N Jul 23 17:12:11 2022

Cut-Extrude9
Mass:0.0718392 kg
Volume:5.52614e-005 m^3 C:\Users\Ali\Desktop\usb data\
Solid Body Density:1299.99 kg/m^3 shellght.SLDPRT
Weight:0.704024 N Jul 23 17:12:11 2022

Boss-Extrude5[1]
Mass:0.00956343 kg
Volume:7.35648e-006 m^3 C:\Users\Ali\Desktop\usb data\
Solid Body Density:1300 kg/m^3 shellght.SLDPRT
Weight:0.0937216 N Jul 23 17:12:11 2022
 4.1 Internal Pipe
The internal pipe was made up of stainless Steel. The steel pipe was made hollow
from inside so the fluid could run through it.

4.2 Outer
Shell
The Outer
Shell in
this case
was made
up of
PVC Plastic with an inlet and an

outlet for the water to flow through it

4.3 Complete Model Section View
Study Properties
Study name Flow
Analysis type Flow Simulation
Mesh type Solid Mesh
Thermal Effect: On
Thermal option Include temperature loads
Zero strain temperature 298 Kelvin
Include fluid pressure effects from Off
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation
Solver type FFEPlus
Inplane Effect: Off
Soft Spring: Off
Inertial Relief: Off
Incompatible bonding options Automatic
Large displacement Off
Compute free body forces On
Friction Off
Result folder SOLIDWORKS document (C:\Users\Ali\Desktop\
usb data)

Units
Unit system: SI (MKS)
Length/Displacement mm
Temperature Kelvin
Angular velocity Rad/sec
Pressure/Stress N/m^2
Model Reference Properties Components
Name: AISI Type 316L SolidBody 1(Boss-Extrude3)
stainless steel (gpipe-1)
Model type: Linear Elastic
Isotropic
Default failure Unknown
criterion:
Yield strength: 1.7e+008 N/m^2
Tensile strength: 4.85e+008 N/m^2
Elastic modulus: 2e+011 N/m^2
Poisson's ratio: 0.265
Mass density: 8027 kg/m^3
Shear modulus: 8.2e+010 N/m^2
Thermal expansion 1.7e-005 /Kelvin
coefficient:

Name: PVC Rigid SolidBody 1(Boss-

Model type: Linear Elastic Extrude5[2])(shellght-1),
Isotropic Solid Body 2(Cut-Extrude8)
Default failure Unknown (shellght-1),
criterion: SolidBody 3(Cut-Extrude9)
Tensile strength: 4.07e+007 N/m^2 (shellght-1),
Elastic modulus: 2.41e+009 N/m^2 SolidBody 4(Boss-
Poisson's ratio: 0.3825 Extrude5[1])(shellght-1)
Mass density: 1300 kg/m^3
Shear modulus: 8.667e+008 N/m^2

4.4 Model Material

4.5 Conditions:
4.5.1 Fluid to be cooled flow domain

4.5.2 Coolant Flow Domain

4.5.3 Fluid to be cooled inlet and outlet conditions

4.5.4 Coolant Flow inlet and outlet conditions

4.5.5 Convection Coefficient (U)

4.6 Goals
4.6.1 Fluid to be cooled outlet temperature

4.6.2 Coolant outlet Temperature

5. Simulation Results

6. Calculations
Data collected:
U = 25.3wm^2/°k
ṁ = 0.03 kg/s
D1 = diameter of the external pipe = 34 mm
L1 = length of the external pipe = 355 mm
D2 = diameter of the internal pipe = 14 mm
L1 = length of the internal pipe = 610 mm
Temperature values for Simulation results:
Th,in = 50 °C
Th,out = 47.44 °C
Tc,in = 20 °C
Tc,out = 22.41 °C
Temperature values for Experimental results:
Th,in = (50 +273)°k= 323°k
Th,out = (47.1 +273)°k= 320.1°k
Tc,in = (20 +273)°k= 293°k
Tc,out = (22.19 +273)°k= 295.19°k

Solution:

A s1 = πD1L1

A s1 = π(0.034m)(0.355m)

A s1 = 0.038m^2

A s2 = πD2L2

A s2 = π(0.014m)(0.61m)
A s2 = 0.027m^2
̇Qh = U As2∆Tm
̇Qc = U As1∆Tm
For Simulation results Heat transfer rate:
∆Tm = 27.28°k
Q̇h = (25.3w/m^2°k)( 0.027m^2)(27.28°k)
̇Qh = 18.635W
Q̇c = (25.3w/m^2°k)( 0.038m^2)(27.28°k)
Q̇h = 25.536W
For Experimentation results Heat transfer rate:
∆Tm =

∆T1 = (Th,in - Tc,in )

∆T2 = (Th,out - Tc,out )
( 323− 293 ) −(320.1 −295.19)
∆Tm = ( 323 −293 )
ln ⁡( )
(320.1 −295.19)
∆Tm = 27.37°k
Q̇h = (25.3w/m^2°k)( 0.027m^2)(27.37°k)
̇Qh = 18.696W
Q̇c = (25.3w/m^2°k)( 0.038m^2)(27.37°k)
Q̇c = 25.621W
7. Final results:

Fluid Type Simulation Results Experimental Percentage error

Q̇ (W) Results Q̇ (W) %
Coolant 25.536 25.621 0.33
Cooled 18.635 18.696 0.32

8. Analysis and Discussion:

As we can observe that the value of heat transfer rate of coolant is larger than the heat
transfer of cooled fluid this shows that the rate of heat gained by the cold fluid is larger
than the rate of heat released by hot fluid this is because the inner pipe containing the hot
fluid is completely surrounded by the cold fluid so all the heat released by the hot fluid is
being absorbed by the cold fluid but in case of cold fluid the heat is gained by not only
from the internal pipe but also from the surrounding as heat can pass through an outer
pipe which is made of PVC material to this additional factor causes the increase in heat
transfer rate of cold fluid.
The values obtained from experimental and simulation results are very close to each other
with an error of less than 1 % this show that the experiment performed was correct and
very close to the ideal (simulation) values.

9. Conclusion:
This experiment has high industrial value as it is required in almost all scales of
industries.
This experiment helps us to physically observe the difference the change in surface area
and temperature can cause to the rate of heat transfer as the increasing surface area will
increase the heat transfer rate and increasing the temperature difference can also help us
increase the heat transfer rate.
As the results were accurate (proved previously) but the temperature drop observed was
only 2 to 3 degrees centigrade which cannot fulfil any industrial requirement but with the
help of this prototype we can make a desired heat exchanger by simply scaling up our
heat transfer according to our need.