Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics Investigation in the Shell Side of the Branch Baffle Heat Exchanger

Document Type : Regular Article

Authors

School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450002, China

Abstract

The branch baffle heat exchanger, being an improved shell-and-tube heat exchanger, for which the flow manner of the shell-side fluid is a mixed flow of oblique flow and local jet. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method has been implemented to investigate the fluid pattern and heat transfer performance. The accuracy of the modeling approach has been confirmed by an experimental approach using a Laser Doppler Velocimeter system. Flow field, temperature field, and pressure field are displayed to study the physics behavior of fluid flow and thermal transport. Heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop, and efficiency evaluation criteria are analyzed. In contrast with the shell-and-tube heat exchanger with segmental baffles and shutter baffles, the pressure loss in the proposed heat exchanger with branch baffles has been dramatically improved, accompanied by a slight decrease in heat transfer coefficient under the same volume flow rate. The efficiency evaluation criteria of the heat exchanger with branch baffles are 28%-31%,13.2%-14.1% higher than those with segmental baffles and shutter baffles, respectively. Further analysis in accordance with the field synergy principle illustrates that the velocity and pressure gradients of the heat exchanger with branch baffle have finer field coordination. The current heat exchanger structure provides a reference for the future optimization design to reach energy saving and emission reduction.

Keywords


Arani, A. A. A. and R. Moradi (2019). Shell and tube heat exchanger optimization using new baffle and tube configuration. Applied Thermal Engineering 157, 113736.##
Bhutta, M. M. A., N. Hayat, M. H. Bashir, A. R. Khan, K. N. Ahmad and S. Khan (2012). CFD applications in various heat exchangers design: A review. Applied Thermal Engineering 32, 1-12.##
Cao, X., T. Du, Z. Liu, H. Zhai and Z. Duan (2019). Experimental and numerical investigation on heat transfer and fluid flow performance of sextant helical baffle heat exchangers. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 142, 118437.##
Chen, J., X. Lu, Q. Wang and M. Zeng (2019). Experimental investigation on thermal-hydraulic performance of a novel shell-and-tube heat exchanger with unilateral ladder type helical baffles. Applied Thermal Engineering 161, 114099.##
Dabrowski, P., M. Klugmann and D. Mikielewicz (2019). Channel Blockage and Flow Maldistribution during Unsteady Flow in a Model Microchannel Plate heat Exchanger. Journal of Applied Fluid Mechanics 12, 1023-1035.##
El Maakoul, A., A. Laknizi, S. Saadeddine, M. El Metoui, A. Zaite, M. Meziane and A. Ben Abdellah (2016). Numerical comparison of shell-side performance for shell and tube heat exchangers with trefoil-hole, helical and segmental baffles. Applied Thermal Engineering 109, 175-185.##
Fan, A. W., J. J. Deng, A. Nakayama and W. Liu (2012). Parametric study on turbulent heat transfer and flow characteristics in a circular tube fitted with louvered strip inserts. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 55, 5205-5213.##
Gu, X., Q. Dong, M. Liu and Y. Zhou (2010). Numerical Research on Heat Transfer Enhancement of Shutter Baffle Heat Exchanger. Journal of Chemical Engineering of Chinese Universities 24, 340-345.##
Gu, X., B. Liu, Y. Wang and K. Wang (2016). Heat transfer and flow resistance performance of shutter baffle heat exchanger with triangle tube layout in shell side. Advances in Mechanical Engineering 8, 1-8.##
Gu, X., Y. Luo, X. Xiong, K. Wang and Y. Wang (2018a). Numerical and experimental investigation of the heat exchanger with trapezoidal baffle. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 127, 598-606.##
Gu, X., X. Qin, Y. Wang, D. Zhang and M. Liu (2017). Research on fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics in shell side of inclined shutter baffle heat exchanger. Chemical Industry and Engineering Progress 36, 3584-3589.##
Gu, X., Z. Zheng, X. Xiong, T. Wang, Y. Luo and K. Wang (2018b). Characteristics of Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in the Shell Side of the Trapezoidal-like Tilted Baffles Heat Exchanger. Journal of Thermal Science 27, 602-610.##
Hajabdollahi, H., M. Naderi and S. Adimi (2016). A comparative study on the shell and tube and gasket-plate heat exchangers: The economic viewpoint. Applied Thermal Engineering 92, 271-282.##
He, L. and P. Li (2018). Numerical investigation on double tube-pass shell-and-tube heat exchangers with different baffle configurations. Applied Thermal Engineering 143, 561-569.##
He, Y., Y. Lei, L. Tian, P. Chu and Z. Liu (2009). An Analysis of Three-Field Synergy on Heat Transfer Augmentation with Low Penalty of Pressure Drop. Journal of Engineering Thermophysics 30, 1904-1906.##
Javadi, H., S. S. M. Ajarostaghi, M. A. Rosen and M. Pourfallah (2019). Performance of ground heat exchangers: A comprehensive review of recent advances. Energy 178, 207-233.##
Klemes, J. J., Q.-W. Wang, P. S. Varbanov, M. Zeng, H. H. Chin, N. S. Lal, N.-Q. Li, B. Wang, X.-C. Wang and T. G. Walmsley (2020). Heat transfer enhancement, intensification and optimisation in heat exchanger network retrofit and operation. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews 120, 109644.##
Kumar, A., A. K. Saha, P. K. Panigrahi and A. Karn (2020). Implications of Velocity Ratio on the Characteristics of a Circular Synthetic Jet Flush Mounted on a Torpedo Model in Quiescent and Cross-Flow Conditions. Journal of Applied Fluid Mechanics 13, 1003-1013.##
Kumar, K. P. M., V. Vijayan, B. S. Kumar, C. M. Vivek and S. Dinesh (2018). Computational Analysis and Optimization of Spiral Plate Heat Exchanger. Journal of Applied Fluid Mechanics 11, 121-128.##
Lei, Y. G., Y. L. He, R. Li and Y. F. Gao (2008). Effects of baffle inclination angle on flow and heat transfer of a heat exchanger with helical baffles. Chemical Engineering and Processing-Process Intensification 47, 2336-2345.##
Lei, Y., Y. Li, S. Jing, C. Song, Y. Lyu and F. Wang (2017). Design and performance analysis of the novel shell-and-tube heat exchangers with louver baffles. Applied Thermal Engineering 125, 870-879.##
Li, N., J. Chen, T. Cheng, J. J. Klemes, P. S. Varbanov, Q. Wang, W. Yang, X. Liu and M. Zeng (2020). Analysing thermal-hydraulic performance and energy efficiency of shell-and-tube heat exchangers with longitudinal flow based on experiment and numerical simulation. Energy 202, 117757.##
Liu, C., L. Zhang, Y. Xu and Y. Li (2017). CFD study on the radial distribution of coolants in the inlet section of rod-baffle-multi-tubular reactor. Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering 34, 651-663.##
Liu, W., Z. Liu, T. Ming and Z. Guo (2009). Physical quantity synergy in laminar flow field and its application in heat transfer enhancement. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 52, 4669-4672.##
Ma, L., K. Wang, M. Liu, D. Wang, T. Liu, Y. Wang and Z. Liu (2017). Numerical study on performances of shell-side in trefoil-hole and quatrefoil-hole baffle heat exchangers. Applied Thermal Engineering 123, 1444-1455.##
Mellal, M., R. Benzeguir, D. Sahel and H. Ameur (2017). Hydro-thermal shell-side performance evaluation of a shell and tube heat exchanger under different baffle arrangement and orientation. International Journal of Thermal Sciences 121, 138-149.##
Mothilal, T., K. Pitchandi, V. Velukumar and K. Parthiban (2018). CFD and Statistical Approach for Optimization of Operating Parameters in a Tangential Cyclone Heat Exchanger. Journal of Applied Fluid Mechanics 11, 459-466.##
Rothberg, S. J., M. S. Allen, P. Castellini, D. Di Maio, J. J. J. Dirckx, D. J. Ewins, B. J. Halkon, P. Muyshondt, N. Paone, T. Ryan, H. Steger, E. P. Tomasini, S. Vanlanduit and J. F. Vignola (2017). An international review of laser Doppler vibrometry: Making light work of vibration measurement. Optics and Lasers in Engineering 99, 11-22.##
Sarangi, S. K., D. P. Mishra and P. Mishra (2020). Parametric Investigation of Wavy Rectangular Winglets for Heat Transfer Enhancement in a Fin-and–Tube Heat Transfer Surface. Journal of Applied Fluid Mechanics 13, 615-628.##
Wang, K., C. Bai, Y. Wang and M. Liu (2019). Flow dead zone analysis and structure optimization for the trefoil-baffle heat exchanger. International Journal of Thermal Sciences 140, 127-134.##
Wang, Q., Q. Chen, G. Chen and M. Zeng (2009). Numerical investigation on combined multiple shell-pass shell-and-tube heat exchanger with continuous helical baffles. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 52, 1214-1222.##
Wang, X., N. Zheng, P. Liu, Z. Liu and W. Liu (2017). Numerical investigation of shell side performance of a double shell side rod baffle heat exchanger. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 108, 2029-2039.##
Wang, X., N. Zheng, Z. Liu and W. Liu (2018). Numerical analysis and optimization study on shell-side performances of a shell and tube heat exchanger with staggered baffles. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 124, 247-259.##
Wen, J., H. Yang, S. Wang, Y. Xue and X. Tong (2015a). Experimental investigation on performance comparison for shell-and-tube heat exchangers with different baffles. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 84, 990-997.##
Wen, J., H. Yang, Y. Xue, X. Tong and S. Wang (2015b). Experimental Investigation on Heat Transfer Performance of Heat Exchanger with Ladder-Type Fold Baffles. Journal of Chemical Engineering of Chinese Universities 29, 795-801.##
Yang, J. and W. Liu (2015). Numerical investigation on a novel shell-and-tube heat exchanger with plate baffles and experimental validation. Energy Conversion and Management 101, 689-696.##
Yang, J., L. Ma, J. Bock, A. M. Jacobi and W. Liu (2014). A comparison of four numerical modeling approaches for enhanced shell-and-tube heat exchangers with experimental validation. Applied Thermal Engineering 65, 369-383.##
You, Y., A. Fan, S. Huang and W. Liu (2012). Numerical modeling and experimental validation of heat transfer and flow resistance on the shell side of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger with flower baffles. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 55, 7561-7569.##
You, Y., A. Fan, X. Lai, S. Huang and W. Liu (2013). Experimental and numerical investigations of shell-side thermo-hydraulic performances for shell-and-tube heat exchanger with trefoil-hole baffles. Applied Thermal Engineering 50, 950-956.##
You, Y., F. Zhang, A. Fan, F. Dai, X. Luo and W. Liu (2015). A numerical study on the turbulent heat transfer enhancement of Rodbaffle heat exchanger with staggered tubes supported by round rods with arc cuts. Applied Thermal Engineering 76, 220-232.##
Yu, C., T. Cheng, J. Chen, Z. Ren and M. Zeng (2019). Investigation on thermal-hydraulic performance of parallel-flow shell and tube heat exchanger with a new type of anti-vibration baffle and wire coil using RSM method. International Journal of Thermal Sciences 138, 351-366.##
Yu, C., H. Zhang, M. Zeng, R. Wang and B. Gao (2020). Numerical study on turbulent heat transfer performance of a new compound parallel flow shell and tube heat exchanger with longitudinal vortex generator. Applied Thermal Engineering 164, 114449.##
Zhang, J.-F., S.-L. Guo, Z.-Z. Li, J.-P. Wang, Y.-L. He and W.-Q. Tao (2013). Experimental performance comparison of shell-and-tube oil coolers with overlapped helical baffles and segmental baffles. Applied Thermal Engineering 58, 336-343.##