Numerical simulation of flow distribution in the header of plate-fin heat exchanger

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (14n16) ◽  
pp. 2040111
Author(s):  
Shu-Ling Tian ◽  
Ying-Ying Shen ◽  
Yao Li ◽  
Hai-Bo Wang ◽  
Sheryar Muhammad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
Optimization Design ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Optimal Number ◽  
Compact Structure ◽  
Flow Maldistribution

Plate-fin heat exchangers are widely used in industry at present due to their compact structure and high efficiency. However, there is a problem of flow maldistribution, resulting in poor performance of heat exchangers. The influence of the header configuration on fluid flow distribution is studied by using CFD software FLUENT. The numerical results show that the fluid flow inside the header is seriously uneven. The reliability of the numerical simulation is validated against the published results. They are found to be basically consistent within considerable error. The optimal number of the punch baffle is investigated. Various header configuration with different opening ratios have been studied under the same boundary conditions. The gross flow maldistribution parameter (S) is used to evaluate flow nonuniformity, and the flow maldistribution parameters of different schemes under different Reynolds numbers are listed and compared. The optimal header with minimum flow maldistribution parameter is obtained through the performance analysis of headers. It is found that the flow maldistribution of the improved header is significantly smaller compared with the conventional header. Hence, the efficiency of the heat exchanger is effectively enhanced. The conclusion provides a reference for the optimization design of plate-fin heat exchanger.

scholarly journals Analysis Exploring the Uniformity of Flow Distribution in Multi-Channels for the Application of Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers

Symmetry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanbing Ke ◽  
Yuansheng Lin ◽  
Zhiwu Ke ◽  
Qi Xiao ◽  
Zhiguo Wei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
Electronic Device ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Sudden Change ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Outer Radius ◽  
Air Separation ◽  
Printed Circuit ◽  
Flow Maldistribution

The maldistribution of fluid flow through multi-channels is a critical issue encountered in many areas, such as multi-channel heat exchangers, electronic device cooling, refrigeration and cryogenic devices, air separation and the petrochemical industry. In this paper, the uniformity of flow distribution in a printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) is investigated. The flow distribution and resistance characteristics of a PCHE plate are studied with numerical models under different flow distribution cases. The results show that the sudden change in the angle of the fluid at the inlet of the channel can be greatly reduced by using a spreader plate with an equal inner and outer radius. The flow separation of the fluid at the inlet of the channel can also be weakened and the imbalance of flow distribution in the channel can be reduced. Therefore, the flow uniformity can be improved and the pressure loss between the inlet and outlet of PCHEs can be reduced. The flow maldistribution in each PCHE channel can be reduced to ± 0.2%, and the average flow maldistribution in all PCHE channels can be reduced to less than 5% when the number of manifolds reaches nine. The numerical simulation of fluid flow distribution can provide guidance for the subsequent research and the design and development of multi-channel heat exchangers. In summary, the symmetry of the fluid flow in multi-channels for PCHE was analyzed in this work. This work presents the frequently encountered problem of maldistribution of fluid flow in engineering, and the performance promotion leads to symmetrical aspects in both the structure and the physical process.

Steam Condensation in Parallel Channels of Plate Heat Exchangers

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prabhakara Rao Bobbili ◽  
Bengt Sunden
Keyword(s):  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Small Degree ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Steam Condensation ◽  
Cooling Fluid ◽  
Plate Heat ◽  
Parallel Channels ◽  
Flow Maldistribution

An experimental investigation has been carried out to find the nature of temperature profiles of the process and cooling fluids during steam condensation across the port to channel in plate heat exchangers (PHEs). In the present study, low corrugation angle (30°) plates have been used for different plate package of PHEs with 41 and 81 plates. The process steam entered at 1 bar with a small degree of superheat. Water has been used as the cold fluid. A traverse temperature probe is inserted into both inlet and outlet ports of the plate heat exchanger. The temperature of the process steam and cooling fluid have been measured and recorded at the location of first, middle and last channels for different inlet and exit flow conditions for each plate package of the heat exchanger. Also, the overall pressure drop has been measured at different conditions at the outlet of the process steam, i.e., full and partial condensation. The traverse temperature measurements have indicated that there is a considerable variation in temperature along inlets and outlets of process steam and cooling fluid, due to flow maldistribution. The experimental data has been analyzed to show how the flow distribution on the cooling side affects the condensation of steam in plate heat exchangers. The present results will help to study further the nature of steam condensation in parallel channels of heat exchangers.

CFD Simulation on Flow Distribution in Plate-Fin Heat Exchangers

2013 ◽  
Vol 655-657 ◽  
pp. 445-448
Author(s):  
Zhe Zhang ◽  
Jin Jin Tian ◽  
Yong Gang Guo
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Cfd Simulation ◽  
Perforated Plate ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Numerical Results ◽  
Flow Maldistribution ◽  
The Mathematical Model ◽  
First Time ◽  
Flow Nonuniformity

The influences of the conventional header configuration used in industry at present on the fluid flow distribution in plate-fin heat exchanger were numerically investigated. The numerical results showed that the fluid flow maldistribution is very serious in the heat exchanger. The header configuration with perforated plate was brought forward for the first time. The computational results indicated that the improved header configuration can effectively improve the performance of fluid flow distribution in the heat exchanger. The fluid flow distribution for the header configuration with curving perforated plate is more uniform than for the header configuration with plane perforated plate. The absolute degree of fluid flow nonuniformity in plate-fin heat exchanger has reduced from 3.47 to 0.32 by changing the header configuration. The numerical results are compared with the experimental results. They are basically consistent which indicates that the mathematical model and the calculating method are reliable.

Design of a Free Piston Stirling Engine Power Generator

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruijie Li ◽  
Yuan Gao ◽  
Koji Yanaga ◽  
Songgang Qiu
Keyword(s):  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Combustion Engine ◽  
Engine Performance ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Stirling Engine ◽  
Free Piston ◽  
Free Piston Stirling Engine

Abstract Free Piston Stirling Engine is an external combustion engine, which can use diversified energy resources, such as solar energy, nuclear energy, geothermal energy, biomass, industrial waste heat etc. and is suitable for the remote area power generation due to the advantage of robustness, durability, reliability, and high efficiency. In this work, a Free Piston Stirling Engine has been designed based on the numerical simulation results and previous experimental experience. Direct Metal Laser Sintering method has been adopted for the manufacturing of the key components including the displacer cap, displacer body, piston housing, cold heat exchanger, and regenerator. One dimension analysis using Sage software has been conducted. The designed engine has a power output of 65W with the hot and cold end temperature is 650°C and 80°C respectively, and charge pressure is 1.35 MPa. Finite Element Method has been used to analyze the structural stress of the engine, which is operated at the high temperature and high pressure, to determine if it is able to tolerate the operating condition designed by the Sage according to the Section VIII Division 2 of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel (BPV) Code. In addition, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method has been used to investigate the flow distribution in heat exchangers (heat acceptor, regenerator, and heat rejecter), as the heat exchanger performance affect the engine performance greatly. Considering the large mesh number, a quarter of the heat exchangers have been investigated, in order to reduce the mesh numbers and accelerate the calculation speed.

An Optimization Design of the Efficient Tubular Heat Exchanger Structure

2012 ◽  
Vol 197 ◽  
pp. 83-88
Author(s):  
Yong Hong Wang
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Structural Optimization ◽  
Heat Loss ◽  
Optimization Design ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Heat Transfer Area ◽  
Compact Structure ◽  
Tubular Heat Exchanger ◽  
Automatic Adjustment

A structural optimization and efficient tubular heat exchanger was designed. Compared with the ordinary heat exchanger on aspects of heat transfer area, heat loss and the structure, this kind of heat exchanger has the advantages of compact structure, high efficiency, low emissions as well as the function of temperature automatic adjustment, so it is of great promotional value.

The Effect of Combined Flow and Temperature Maldistribution on Heat Exchangers: Characteristics of Deterioration Factor Ratio, Y

2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wai Meng Chin
Keyword(s):  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Shape Index ◽  
Statistical Moments ◽  
Degradation Factor ◽  
Factor Ratio ◽  
Flow Maldistribution

The magnitude of thermal performance degradation factor Dc for a heat exchanger as a result of combining the flow and temperature maldistribution is shown to depend on the magnitude of the shape index, S, and the statistical moments of probability density function for the flow maldistribution. In this paper, the theoretical basis describing the translational behavior of Dc with respect to S, and the influence of the statistical moments on the deterioration factor ratio Y, are given. The analysis is performed on a discretized model of an arbitrary heat exchanger. The flow distribution profile is also discretized to reveal the influence of statistical moments on Dc. The numerical calculations reveal that the combined thermal degradation factor, Dc, is a simple summation of the thermal degradation factor due to flow maldistribution alone, D, and a translational factor, XT. The value of S depends on the distribution profiles of flow and temperature. Large values of S, i.e., greater than the number N of discretized elements of the heat exchanger, and low standard deviation and high skew of the flow distribution are desirable for good thermal performance, as these reduce the magnitude of Dc and increase Y. At large values of S, maldistribution can lead, not to degradation but to augmentation of thermal performance in the heat exchanger. A critical normalized standard deviation, σ′cr, is used to characterize the transition to heat transfer augmentation for a given magnitude of S > N and skew. For any imposed flow and temperature maldistribution profiles defined by their statistical moments, these results allow development of correlation equations with the shape index and statistical moments, and enable prediction of the deterioration factor ratio Y to aid in the design of heat exchangers.

Experimental and Theoretical Analysis of Transient Response of Plate Heat Exchangers in Presence of Nonuniform Flow Distribution

2008 ◽  
Vol 130 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Srihari ◽  
Sarit K. Das
Keyword(s):  
Steady State ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
Sudden Change ◽  
Temperature Response ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Transient Temperature ◽  
Nonuniform Flow ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Plate Heat ◽  
Flow Maldistribution

Transient analysis helps us to predict the behavior of heat exchangers subjected to various operational disturbances due to sudden change in temperature or flow rates of the working fluids. The present experimental analysis deals with the effect of flow distribution on the transient temperature response for U-type and Z-type plate heat exchangers. The experiments have been carried out with uniform and nonuniform flow distributions for various flow rates. The temperature responses are analyzed for various transient characteristics, such as initial delay and time constant. It is also possible to observe the steady state characteristics after the responses reach asymptotic values. The experimental observations indicate that the Z-type flow configuration is more strongly affected by flow maldistribution compared to the U-type in both transient and steady state regimes. The comparison of the experimental results with numerical solution indicates that it is necessary to treat the flow maldistribution separately from axial thermal dispersion during modeling of plate heat exchanger dynamics.

Application of Equipartition of Entransy Loss Principle in Heat Exchangers

2012 ◽  
Vol 629 ◽  
pp. 699-703
Author(s):  
Chun Sheng Guo ◽  
Wen Jing Du ◽  
Lin Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
Optimization Design ◽  
Loss Rate ◽  
Plate Heat Exchanger ◽  
Loss Minimization ◽  
Plate Heat ◽  
Entransy Loss ◽  
Heat Exchanges ◽  
Minimization Approach

The entransy loss minimization approach for the heat exchanger optimization design was established by Guo Z Y; the study based Guo Z Y’s works, found relationship between the entransy loss uniformity and the heat exchanger performance and the expression of the local entransy loss rate for heat convection was derived, numerical results of the heat transfer in a chevron plate heat exchanger and helix baffle heat exchanger show that the larger entransy loss uniformity factor appear in about Re=2000 and the entransy loss uniformity factor of chevron plate heat exchanges higher than helix baffle one.

The Deeper the Better? A Thermogeological Analysis of Medium-deep Borehole Heat Exchanger Efficiency in Crystalline Rocks

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaiu Piipponen ◽  
Annu Martinkauppi ◽  
Sami Vallin ◽  
Teppo Arola ◽  
Nina Leppäharju ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Heat Production ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Crystalline Rocks ◽  
Deep Borehole ◽  
Deep Well ◽  
Borehole Heat Exchangers

Abstract The energy sector is undergoing a fundamental transformation, with significant investment in low-carbon technologies to replace fossil-based systems. In densely populated urban areas, deep boreholes offer an alternative over shallow geothermal systems, which demand extensive surface area to attain large-scale heat production. This paper presents numerical calculations of the thermal energy that can be extracted from the medium-deep borehole heat exchangers of depths ranging from 600-3000 m. We applied the thermogeological parameters of three locations across Finland and tested two types of coaxial borehole heat exchangers to understand better the variables that affect heat production in low permeability crystalline rocks. For each depth, location, and heat collector type, we used a range of fluid flow rates to examine the correlation between thermal energy production and resulting outlet temperature. Our results indicate a trade-off between thermal energy production and outlet fluid temperature depending on the fluid flow rate, and that the vacuum-insulated tubing outperforms high-density polyethylene pipe in energy and temperature production. In addition, the results suggest that the local thermogeological factors impact heat production. Maximum energy production from a 600-m-deep well achieved 170 MWh/a, increasing to 330 MWh/a from a 1000-m-deep well, 980 MWh/a from a 2-km-deep well, and up to 1880 MWh/a from a 3-km-deep well. We demonstrate that understanding the interplay of the local geology, heat exchanger materials, and fluid circulation rates is necessary to maximize the potential of medium-deep geothermal boreholes as a reliable long-term baseload energy source.

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