Heat exchanger characteristics effect on heat transfer phenomenon

Abstract
Explaining heat transfer phenomenon, its types and the ways they occur. An essential
equipment in many industries which is the heat exchanger is used to demonstrate how its
characteristics make variables that effect heat transform and its efficiency as a result. Each
characteristic has its unique effect on heat transfer thus the optimum result will be discussed.
Introduction
A heat exchanger is a simple yet very reliable equipment used in petroleum and other
industries. Consisting of an outer shell and numerous fine smaller tubes from the inside that
fluid pass through the tubes and its boundary inside the shell without blending, mixing or
spilling its design varies according to the application. Designing dimensions, tubes number and
alignment, specification of the materials and the flow pattern are the main variables that affect
heat exchangers efficiency.

Heat transfer describes the flow of heat (thermal energy) due to temperature differences and
the subsequent temperature distribution and changes.
The study of transport phenomena concerns the exchange of momentum, energy, and mass in
the form of conduction, convection, and radiation.
Heat transfer phenomenon in heat exchangers refers to the losing and gaining of heat energy
between two or more fluids without mixing. Convection heat transfer occurs along the flow of
the fluid within the shell and inner tubes gradually. Conduction heat transfer occurs between
the solid plates and the fluid within at various temperatures and insignificantly occurs between
the shell outer air but the later effect is mostly negligible due to good sealing.

Conduction heat transfer

Temperature gradient and heat flux. A temperature gradient produces a flux of heat as
the heat flows from hot to cold. The rate at which this flow occurs is determined by the
material property called the thermal conductivity, k. The empirical observation that the
flux is linear in the gradient is known as Fourier's law of heat conduction
dT
q=−k
dx
in which q is the heat flux, energy per area per time, x is spatial position, and T is temperature.
Notice the negative sign is required so that the heat flows from hot to cold.
Flow pattern
Counter flow
A counterflow heat exchanger has the hot fluid entering at one end of the heat exchanger flow
path and the cold fluid entering at the other end of the flow path. Counter flow is the most
common type of liquid-liquid heat exchanger, because it is the most efficient.

Parallel flow
With parallel flow the temperature difference between the two fluids is large at the entrance
end, but it becomes small at the exit end as the two fluid temperatures approach each other.

1
q max = (T hi −T ci )
1 1
+
mc c pc mh c ph

( m c p ) min (T hi−T ci )
q max , pf =
( mc p )min
1+[ ]
( mc p )max

Tci: Intermediate temperature of cold fluid

Thi: Intermediate temperature of hot fluid
M: mass
Cp: heat capacity
The subscript pf represents parallel flow (co-current). From the above discussion and qmax
equations it can be calculated for a given inlet conditions the counter current flow arrangement
always has a better potential for heat transfer as compared to parallel flow arrangement.

Number of tubes
Heat transfer changes directly with surface area of the tubes, so the larger the number of tubes
the bigger the area gets
q=UA ∆ T m

A = Heat transfer area (m²)

Q = Heat transfer rate (kJ/h)
U = Overall heat transfer coefficient (kJ/h.m².°C)
ΔTm = Log mean temperature difference (°C)

Tube alignment
Tubes can be either aligned or staggered in a tube sheet and make spacing accordingly.

0.25
0.63 0.36
Pr
N u =0.27 ℜ f P rf ( ) f
for aligned tube
f
Pr w

( ) ( ) ( )
0.25
S1 0.6 0.36 Pr S1
N u =0. 35 ℜ P f
, ≤2 for staggered tube
f
S2 f r P r f
w
S2

( ) ( )
0.25
0.6 0.36
Pr S1
N u =0. 4 ℜ P f rf
f
, >2 for staggered tube
f
Pr w
S2

Nu
Nu
PEC= 0

1
f
( )3
f0
 ∆P D
f= ×
2 ρu max L

N = Nusselt number
Re = Renold number
S = spacing
P = pressure
D = diameter
L = length
PEC = evaluation index
the energy efficiency level of the staggered finned tube heat exchanger is
higher than that of the heat exchanger when the Reynolds number is large. When the Reynolds
number
is small or the fin tube spacing is similar, the energy efficiency level of the aligned finned tube
heat
exchanger is higher than that of the staggered finned tube heat exchanger.

reference
Wang, Z., Liu, C. and Zhang, S., 2020. Heat Transfer Characteristics and Energy Efficiency Analysis of
Finned Tube Heat Exchangers. In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering (Vol. 721,
No. 1, p. 012073). IOP Publishing.

Lin, C.N., Wang, C.C. and Kuo, Y.P., 2011. The heat and fluid flow analysis for water heater. Thermal
Science, 15(suppl. 1), pp.81-86.