FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Heat Transfer on a Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger

Surname and initials: Malatji M.

Student Number: 221723935
Lab Technician: Pascal Mwenge
Study Level: Second year (S4)
Report type: Pre-pac
Submission date: 08/08/2022
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction

1.1. Background
1.2. Main objective
1.3. Specific objectives are
1.4. Scope

2. Literature review

3. Methodology

3.1. Equipment description

3.2. Consumables required
3.3. Utilities required
3.4. Experimental procedure

4. Conclusion and recommendation

4.1. Conclusion
4.2. Recommendation

5. References

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 1. Introduction

1.1. Background

A shell and tube heat exchanger (STHE) is a particular kind heat exchanger
that consists of a large cylindrical casing, or shells with bundles of uniformly
spaced tubing compacted inside of it (Kareemullar et al., 2019). It is the
most typical kind of heat exchanger used in big chemical operations like oil
refineries and is well suited for high pressure applications. As the name
suggest, the shell and tube heat exchanger consists of a shell that is
enclosed by a collection of tubes (Ozden et al., 2010). In this operation a
physical barrier keeps two fluids flows that have different temperatures from
mixing when they are brought to close proximity to one another. Then, via
the transmission through the tube wall, the temperature of the two fluids
tends to equalize.

1.2. Main objective

The main objective of the practical is to apply the basic concepts of heat
transfer on a Shell and Tube Heat Exchange.

1.3. Specific objectives are:

1.3.1. To perform energy balance across a shell and tube heat exchanger.
1.3.2. Determine the type of flow (Laminar, turbulent or transitional) in
convection heat transfer inside pipes on both co-current & counter-
current.
1.3.3. Determine the convective coefficient hi for hot water on both co-current
& counter current.
1.3.4. Determine the overall coefficient Ui based on the heat transfer flux q/Ai
in W/m2 on both co-current & counter-current.

1.4. Scope
Heat transfer is a discipline of thermal engineering that concerns the
generation, use, conversion, and exchange of thermal energy between
physical systems. The real system is currently being examined to see how
counter current and parallel flow affect the heat exchanger tubes and how
to improve thermo-hydraulic performance.

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 2. Literature review
A heat exchanger is a device that was initially created to transfer heat
between two fluids that are separated by a solid wall and have different
temperatures (Rehman ., 2012). They have several engineering uses,
including in the food industry, oil and petrochemical industries, and electrical
power production, and as a result numerous types are available that are
tailored to each use. When constructing a heat exchanger, energy balance
equations are frequently used to establish the hot and cold fluids operating
characteristics, such as flow rates, inlet and outlet temperatures, pressures,
and pressure drop (Correa et al., 1987). A shell and tube heat exchanger is
the widely used heat exchanger because it can be used in all applications
and can be designed, manufactured to bear very high pressures. The
energy balance equation below may be used to determine the heat flow from
the hot fluid if there are no phase shifts in the heat exchanger:
qh = mh cph (th,int-hc,out)
The heat flow from the fluid is:
qc = mc cpc (tc,out-hc,in)
where mh and mc are the mass flows (kgs-1) and cph and cpc are the specific
heat capacities of the hot and the cold fluids (JKg-1K-1). Theoretically, gh
should equal gc, but due to environmental energy losses and also due to
instrumental errors, they are not always equal.

In Laminar flow, fluid moves in parallel layers with minimal lateral mixing and
with no interruptions (Rogers., 1992). While Schubauer et al. (1947) defines
the Laminar flow as the flow regime characterized by high momentum
diffusion and low momentum convection. Corrsin., (1961) outlined Turbulent
flow as the type of flow that is characterized by the by irregular movement

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 of particles of the fluid. Kollmann., (1990) explained Turbulent flow as the
type of flow that undergoes irregular fluctuations or mixing. Gundogdu et al.
(1999) reported Transitional flow as the mixture of Laminar and Turbulent
flow. Poelma et al. (2015) concluded that transitional flow is a flow in which
the Reynolds stresses and viscous are of approximately equal magnitude.
The type of flow is determined by using by using the Reynolds number
between Laminar, Turbulent and Transitional flow. The flow is considered
to be Laminar if if the Reynolds number is less than 2100 (N RE<2100), and
if the Reynolds number is greater than 6000 (NRE>6000) the flow is
considered Turbulent. However if the Reynolds number is between 2100
and 6000 (2100<NRE>6000) the flow is regarded to be transitional.

Two fluids that are going through the heat exchanger at defined speeds,
convection will be forced as a result. The values of the convection heat
transfer coefficients 1 and 2 depend on the fluid characteristics, heat
exchanger design, and hydrodynamic circumstances. The Nusselt number
may be calculated using a variety of empirical correlations based on the flow
characteristics and heat exchanger architecture. However, the flow needs
to be thermally and hydrodynamically described before choosing the
appropriate experimental correlation for the Nusselt number computation.

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 The overall heat transfer of heat exchangers is the ability of transferring heat
through different resistances, it depends upon, the properties of the process
fluids, temperatures, flow rates and geometrical arrangement of the heat
exchanger. For example, the number of passes, number of baffles and
baffle spacing. This equation basically sums up all the resistances
encountered during the heat transfer and taking the reciprocal gives us the
overall heat transfer coefficient.

1 /U = 1/ hh + ∆x/ k + 1 /hc + Rf

Where: hh = Hot side heat transfer coefficient (W/m2 .K) hc = Cold side heat
transfer coefficient (W/m2 .K) ∆x = Exchanger tube wall thickness (m) k =
Exchanger wall material thermal conductivity (W/m.K) Rf = Fouling
coefficient (W/m2 .K). The equation for the overall heat transfer coefficient
can be written as the equation as
1/ U = 1/ hh + 1 /hc + Rf
hh and hc are the individual film coefficients and are defined as the measure
of heat transfer for unit area and unit temperature difference. These are
calculated separately for both outside and inside fluids. The temperature
difference of average temperature of bulk fluid (hot and cold) and wall
temperature (inside and outside) is the driving force for the respective fluids.
∆x/k is usually ignored as it doesn’t have a significant effect on the overall
heat transfer coefficient.

3. Methodology
3.1. Equipment description
 AISI 304 stainless steel framework, wheels mounted
 Shell and tube exchanger with shell in borosilicate glass and
tubes in stainless steel AISI 316, exchange surface 0.11 m2 ,
initials E1
 Boiler with AISI 304 stainless steel tank, initial D1,
polyurethane insulation and 6 kW heating resistance, initial J1

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  Variable area flowmeter for cold water, glass and stainless-
steel execution, range of 100/1000 l/h, initials FI1
 Variable area flowmeter for hot water, glass and stainless-
steel execution, range of 100/1000 l/h, initials FI2
 Pressure safety valve for the cold-water line, initial SV1
 5RTDs, Pt 100, initial TI1, TI2, TI3, TI4 and TW1
 Digital thermostat for hot water temperature control
 IP 55 electrical switchboard with plant synoptic and E.L.C.B

3.2. Consumables required

 Distilled water
3.3. Utilities Required

 Power supply: three-phase, P=3.5 kW

 Tap water for cooling
3.4. Experimental procedure

The plant will be connected to the electrical supply. GREEN START

button will be pushed while inserting the E.L.C.B. Valve V5, V9, V10,
and V11 shall be closed. Tank D1 will be filled distilled water. The
temperature of the hot water in the tank D1 will be presented at 70 ̊
C using the thermostat TW1. J1 resistance will be switched on. Valve
V6 will be closed. Valve V7 and V8 shall be opened. Pump G1 will
be started. When the temperature of hot water is about 70 ̊C, the hot
water flow rate will be set at desired value using V6.To tap water,
plant shall be connected and opened. Stabilization process will take
up 3 minutes

To operate the heat exchanger E1 in co-current:

Valve V2 and V4 will be closed. Valve V1 and V3 will be opened.
The cold-water flow rate will be set at the desired value using
valve V3. The hot water flow rate will be set at the desired value
using valve V6. The process will be left to stabilize for

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 approximately 5 minutes. The flow rate of the two fluids will be
differentiated up to the desired values and notes of the
experimental data will be taken every 5 minutes

To operate the heat exchanger E1 in counter current:

Valve V1 and V3 will be closed. Valve V2 and V4 will be

opened. The cold-water flow rate will be set at the desired
value using valve V2. The process will be awaited
approximately 5 minutes for it to be stable. the flow rate of the
two fluids will be varied up to the desired values and notes of
the experimental data will be taken every 5 minutes time
interval.

Emergency stop
The red mushroom-head pushbutton will be pressed

Shutdown
The main valve of the cold water will be closed. E.L.C.B will be
disconnected. The plant will be switched off from the power supply.
Water supply tap will be closed

4. Conclusion and recommendation

4.1. Conclusion

With the help of the shell and tube heat exchanger, we were able to
analyse the transfer of heat between hot water moving through an
internal tube and cold water moving through the annular zone
between the internal and exterior tubes. This exchanger makes it
possible to gauge the temperatures of the hot and cold water at
various exchanger locations. Determining the efficiency of a shell and
tube heat exchanger and studying heat transfer in crosscurrent and
parallel flow situations. The aim of the present study is to investigate
application of heat transfer between hot and cold water to evaluate

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 the influence of the flow in the heat transfer. Thi s practical has
compared against experimental data in terms of accuracy and
simulation time

4.2. Recommendation

Instead of water, if nanofluids are used into these tubes then there
is a possibility of improved heat transfer because of high thermal
conductivity of the nanofluids. And again many tubes and large heat
transfer are can be used to transfer heat efficiently, therefore waste
heat can be put to use and this way energy can be observed.

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 5. References
i. Kareemullah, M., Chethan, K.M., Fouzan, M.K., Darshan, B.V.,
Kaladgi, A.R., Prashanth, M.B., Muneer, R. and Yashawantha, K.M.,
2019. Heat transfer analysis of shell and tube heat exchanger cooled
using nanofluids. Recent Patents on Mechanical Engineering, 12(4),
pp.350-356.
ii. Ozden, E. and Tari, I., 2010. Shell side CFD analysis of a small shell-
and-tube heat exchanger. Energy Conversion and
Management, 51(5), pp.1004-1014.
iii. Rehman, U.U., 2012. Heat transfer optimization of shell-and-tube
heat exchanger through CFD studies (Master's thesis).
iv. Correa, D.J. and Marchetti, J.L., 1987. Dynamic simulation of shell-
and-tube heat exchangers. Heat transfer engineering, 8(1), pp.50-
59.
v. Rogers, D.F., 1992. Laminar flow analysis. Cambridge University
Press.
vi. Schubauer, G.B. and Skramstad, H.K., 1947. Laminar boundary-
layer oscillations and stability of laminar flow. Journal of the
Aeronautical Sciences, 14(2), pp.69-78.
vii. Corrsin, S., 1961. Turbulent flow. American Scientist, 49(3), pp.300-
325.
viii. Kollmann, W., 1990. The pdf approach to turbulent flow. Theoretical
and Computational Fluid Dynamics, 1(5), pp.249-285.
ix. Gundogdu, M.Y. and Carpinlioglu, M.O., 1999. Present state of art
on pulsatile flow theory: Part 1: Laminar and transitional flow
regimes. JSME International Journal Series B Fluids and Thermal
Engineering, 42(3), pp.384-397.
x. Poelma, C., Watton, P.N. and Ventikos, Y., 2015. Transitional flow in
aneurysms and the computation of haemodynamic
parameters. Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 12(105),
p.20141394.
xi. Mathieu, J. and Scott, J., 2000. An introduction to turbulent flow. Cambridge
University Press.

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