A Numerical Analysis for the Flow and Heat Transfer in a Large Plate Heat Exchanger by Using a Porous Media Approach

Author(s):  
Myungsung Lee ◽  
Jae Hyuk Jung ◽  
Nahmkeon Hur

A numerical analysis was conducted to investigate the flow and heat transfer in a large plate heat exchanger. For the purpose of investigation on the whole flow field inside a large plate heat exchanger, the microscopic method by using actual geometry is not practical since it requires huge computational resources. In the present study, a semi-microscopic method by using a porous media approach has been adopted in order to predict the overall flow and heat transfer performance for the large plate heat exchanger. The pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of the flow passages inside the heat exchanger was obtained first from the microscopic simulation for the flow inside passages and heat transfer through the plates by using the detailed geometry of one representative repeating section of the heat transfer plate. These results were used as characteristics of the porous media replacing the complex flow passages to simulate the large plate heat exchanger as a whole. The overall performance predicted from the semi-microscopic method agrees well with available experimental data. The numerical method in the present study can be applicable to the different types of large heat exchangers that have complex geometry in order to predict the overall performance.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ahmad Jamil ◽  
Talha S. Goraya ◽  
Haseeb Yaqoob ◽  
Muhammad Wakil Shahzad ◽  
Syed M. Zubair

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (9) ◽  
pp. 544-553
Author(s):  
Urban Močnik ◽  
Bogdan Blagojevič ◽  
Simon Muhič

A plate heat exchanger with a dimple pattern heat plate has a large number of dimples. The shape of dimples defines the characteristics of the plate heat exchanger. Although such heat exchangers have become increasingly popular due to their beneficial characteristics, knowledge of the flow characteristics in such kind of channel is poor. A good knowledge of the flow conditions inside of such channel is crucial for the successful and efficient development of new products. In this paper single-phase water flow in dimple pattern plate heat exchanger was investigated with application of computational fluid dynamics and laboratory experiments. Numerical analysis was performed with two turbulence models, Realizable - with enhanced wall treatment function and - SST. The first predicts a slightly smaller pressure drop and the second slightly larger compared to the results of laboratory measurements. Our research found that despite the relatively low velocity of the fluid, turbulent flow occurs in the channel due to its shape. We also found that there are two different flow regimes in the micro plate heat exchanger channel. The first regime is the regime that dominates the heat transfer, and the second is the regime where a recirculation zone appears behind the brazing point, which reduces the surface for heat transfer. The size of the second regime does not change significantly with the velocity of the fluid in the volume considered.


2020 ◽  
Vol 175 ◽  
pp. 115309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barış Gürel ◽  
Volkan Ramazan Akkaya ◽  
Merve Göltaş ◽  
Çağla Nur Şen ◽  
Onur Vahip Güler ◽  
...  

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