SCHOOL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING,
UiTM Cawangan Johor,
Kampus Pasir Gudang,
Jalan Purnama,
87500 Masai ,
Johor.
TECHNICAL/EXECUTIVE REPORT: CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Apparatus/ Heat exchanger/Cooling Tower

Exp No.: A
Instrument:

25
Topic: CO-CURRENT FLOW Mark:
ARRANGEMENT
Date:
10/5/23
Students Course: CHE247 Semester: 4 Group: T4CEEH110 D
No. Name Matrix No. Signature
1 MUHAMMAD HAFIZ BIN SHAMSUL ANUAR 2021472846

2 MUHAMMAD HAIKAL HUSNI 2021208636

3 NURUL IZZAH BINTI MD ZAIN 2021625294

4 NUR SYAFIQAH NABIHAH BINTI 2021824548

Lecturer 1 NURUL HAZWANI SABRI

Introduction/Theory:

The co-current flow arrangement, where two fluids flow in the same direction, is a typical flow type in
heat transfer and fluid dynamics. Heat exchangers, distillation columns, and absorption towers are just a
few industrial uses for this flow configuration. The two fluids move in the same direction, with the hot
fluid entering the heat exchanger first and leaving last. This flow arrangement is known as a co-current
flow. Due to the bigger temperature difference created between the two fluids as a result of this
arrangement, a greater amount of heat may be transported, improving the efficiency of heat transfer. The
co-current flow configuration will be investigated in this experiment, and the heat transfer coefficient
will be calculated. The heat transfer coefficient, a crucial factor in heat transfer calculations, describes
the rate at which heat is transmitted between two fluids in contact with one another. At various locations
along the heat exchanger, the temperature difference between the two fluids will be measured as part of
the experiment, and the heat transfer coefficient will be determined using this information.

1
Objectives:

To demonstrate the working principles of a concentric tube heat exchanger operating under co-current flow
conditions.

2
Data,
Results & Data & Result
Discussion

TT1 TT2 TT3 TT4 TT5 TT6

(tHin)℃ (tHmid)) (tHout) (tCin)℃ (tCmid) (tCout)
℃ ℃ ℃ ℃
55.4 51.1 46.6 25.7 29.6 35.1

Power Power Power Efficienc Δ𝑡𝑚 U

emitted absorbe lost y% ℃ W/ 𝑚2
W dW W ℃
1041.05 939.30 101.75 90.23 20.55 713.07

Temperatur Flow Reynold Nusselt Surface

e, rate, number, number, heat
℃ (L/min) Re Nu transfer
coefficie
nt(W/𝑚2
K)
Hot 55.4 1.72 5699.9 33.68 1684.0
water
Cold
water

Theoretical Experiment Percentag Type of

U,(W/𝑚2 al U,(W/𝑚2 e error, % flow
k) k)
Hot water 472.72 713.07 50.8 Turbulent
Cold water Laminar

Calculation:

1. Power Emitted

QH(m3/s) x ρH(kg/m3) x CpH (kJ/kg.k) x [ TH,in - TH,out ](K)

2.867E-05 (m3/s) x 987.27 (kg/m3) x 4.179 (kJ/kg.k) x [ 55.4 – 44.6 ] (K)

Power Emitted = 1.206.05 kW x [1000 W / 1 kW]

= 1041.05 W

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2. Power Absorbed

QC(m3/s) x ρC(kg/m3) x CpC (kJ/kg.k) x [ TC,in - TC,out] (K)

2.40E-05 (m3/s) x 996.10 (kg/m3) x 4.18 (kJ/kg.k) x [35.1 – 25.7] (K)

Power Absorbed = 0.9393 kW x [1000 W / 1kW ]

= 939.3 kW

3. Power Lost

Power lost = Power emitted – power absorbed

= 1041.05 – 939.30

= 101.75 W

4. Efficiency

η = (Power Absorbed / Power Emitted) x 100%

= (939.3 / 1041.05 ) x 100%

= 90.23%

5. LMTD, Δtm

LMTD, Δtm = (TH,in - TC,in) - (TH,out - TC,out)

ln [ (TH,in - TC,in) / (TH,out -TC,out)]

(55.4 – 25.7) - (46.6 – 35.1)

= ln
[(55.4 – 25.7) / (46.6 – 35.1)]

= 19.18 ⁰C

6. U W/m2 °C

U = power absorbed / (Δtm x area)

= 939.3 / ( 20.55 °C x 0.0641 m2

= 713.07 W/m2 °C

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5
 For Hot Water :
Water at 55.4°C :
density, ρ = 985.07 kg/m³
dynamic viscosity, µ = 5.058 E-4 Ns/m²
specific heat, cp= 4.182 J/kgK
thermal conductivity, k=0.65W/mK
Flow rate, Q= 2.87 E-5 m3/s (1.72 litre/min)

Reynolds Number :

A=π· ²/4
= π · 0.013² / 4
= 1.33E-4

By continuity equation, Q=Av

V=Q / A
= 2.87 E-5 / 1.33E-4
= 0.22 m/s

Reynolds number, Re = ρ V / µ
= [ 985.07 x 0.22 x 0.013 ] / 5.058 E-4
= 5569.99 > 4000
= turbulent flow

Prandtl number, Pr = μ · cp / k
= [ 5.058 E-4 x 4185 ]/ 0.65
= 3.25

By turbulent flow,

Nusselt number = 0.023 · (Re^0.8) · (Pr^0.33)

= 0.023 x (5569.99^0.8) x (3.25^0.33)

= 33.68

Surface heat transfer coefficient, h = Nu x k /

= [ 33.68 x 0.65 ] / 0.013

= 1684 W/m²K

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7
 For Cold Water :
Water at 25.7°C :
density, ρ = 996.87 kg/m³
dynamic viscosity,µ = 8.8872E-4Ns/m²
thermal conductivity, k=0.62W/mK
Flow rate, Q= 2.40E-5 m³/s (1.44 liter/min)

Cross Sectional Diameter, = D for outer pipe(cold water) – OD for inner pipe(hot water)

= 20mm – 15mm
= 5mm
= 0.005m

Cross-Sectional Area, A = π [(D for outer pipe (cold)]2 – (OD for inner pipe
(hot)]2 / 4
= π [(0.020)2 –( 0.015)2]/ 4
= 1.37E-4

By continuity equation, Q=Av

V=Q / A
= 2.40E-5 / 1.37E-4
= 0.175 m/s

Reynolds number = ρ V d / µ
= [ 996.87 x 0.173 x 0.005 ] / 8.8872 E-4
= 98.48 < 4000
= laminar flow

For the laminar flow, the Nusselt number for the concentric tube heat exchanger can be
found in table 11.3 pg. 638, Heat & Mass Transfer (Fundamentals & Applications), Mc
Graw Hill 4th Edition,

OD/ID = 0.015/0.22 = 0.75

extrapolated and found Nu = 5.3

Surface heat transfer coefficient, h = Nu · k /

= [ 5.3 x 0.62 ] / 0.005
= 657.2 W/m²K

Theoretical U,

U = 1 / (1 / h [cold side] + 1 / A [hot side])

= 1 / [(1 / 657.2) + (1 /1684 ) ]
= 472.72 W/m2.K

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Experimental U = 713.07 /m²K

Percentage error = x 100%

= [ (472.72 – 713.07) / 713.07 ] x 100%

= 50.8%

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Discussion
1. The results obtained from this experiment for counter-current is when two different
temperatures of water pass through in different tubes and pass the same direction this
is called co-current. The molecules of water in hot water will move across the tubes to
cool water tube to reach thermal equilibrium. In also similar to this situation, which is
the system consists of two tubes, one with brine (concentrated salt water), the other
with freshwater (which has a low concentration of salt in it), and a semi-permeable
that allows only water to pass between the two, in an osmotic process. Many of the
water molecules pass from the freshwater flow to dilute the brine, while the
concentration of salt in the freshwater constantly grows (since the salt is not leaving
this flow, while water is). This will continue, until both flows reach a similar dilution,
with a concentration somewhere close to midway between the two original dilutions.
Once that happens, there will be no more flow between the two tubes, since both are at
a similar dilution and there is no more osmotic pressure.

2. Value Re for hot water flow is 5569.99 when the value of h is 1684 W/m²K.
Meanwhile Re for cool water flow is 98.48 when the value of h is 657.2 W/m²K. This
effect happens because Re in hot water flow is higher than in cool water flow. If the
Reynold Number is more than 4000 is considered a turbulent flow. When the flow is
turbulent, heat is easy to transfer to cool water flow. If the Reynold Number is less
than 4000 is considered as laminar flow. Meanwhile, when the flow is laminar flow,
so heat easy to receive heat from hot water flow in another tube. For the values of h, h
in hot water flow is higher than in cool water flow. This situation happens because the
surface heat transfer coefficient in hot water flow is more than in cool water flow.

3. Theoretical U for water flow is 472.72 W/m2.K and experimental U for water flow is
713.07 /m²K. If the value of errors in this experiment is large so the range between
theoretical and experimental values is large also. One of the errors that happened in
this experiment is the fluctuation in flow rate reading while running the experiment.
The flow rate values were always not stable at the initial value. So the results of this
experiment do not achieve the true value of temperature.

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Conclusion The co-current flow arrangement experiment, in sum, is a useful instrument for
understanding the heat transfer procedure in a typical type of flow in fluid mechanics and
heat transfer. The heat transfer coefficient can be calculated by measuring the temperature
difference between the hot and cold fluids at various locations along the heat exchanger. The
design of heat exchangers can be improved using this knowledge to maximize efficiency
and effectiveness. The experiment can also confirm theoretical models for heat transmission
in a co-current flow arrangement and provide insight into the principles of fluid mechanics
and heat transfer. In general, the co-current flow arrangement experiment is a crucial tool for
engineers and scientists working in the fields of fluid mechanics and heat transfer.

References ( https://www.studocu.com/en-gb/document/university-of-hull/fluid-
(if have) dynamics/heat-exchanger-lab-report-final/7115188 )

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