Heat Transfer Enhancement of Double-Tube-Type Heat Exchanger by Petal-Shaped Tube (Study on Optimum Tube Shape)
Abstract Heat exchangers are used widely in many fields, and various kinds of exchanger have been developed according to the requirement of the practical applications. Recently, heat exchangers that are highly efficient or compact have become more desirable from the viewpoint of energy conservation, and several new types have been developed, such as a compact fin tube type and a double tube type having an inner pipe with a special geometry. In this study, the flow and heat transfer characteristics of a petal-shaped double tube with a large wetted perimeter of six and five petals and five shallow petals and the effect of tube shape on the heat transfer and heat transfer efficiency were examined experimentally. The heat transfer of the double tube with a petal-shaped inner tube was increased because of the large wetted perimeter, but the pressure loss by friction increased. The optimal shape of the petal-shaped double tube with a high heat transfer performance and the greatest efficiency is discussed.