The effect of Geometrical parameters on heat transfer coefficient in helical double tube exchangers

Document Type : Full Length Research Article

Authors

Mechanical Engineering Faculty, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract

Helical coil heat exchangers are widely used in industrial applications ranging from
cryogenic processes, air-conditioning, and nuclear reactors to waste heat recovery due to
their compact size and high heat transfer coefficient. In this kind of heat exchangers, flow
and heat transfer are complicated. This paper reports a numerical investigation of the
influence of different parameters such as coil radius, coil pitch and diameter of tube
on the characteristics of heat transfer in helical double tube heat exchangers using
the well-known Fluent CFD software. Modeling of the study was implemented based on
principles of heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics. By imposing boundary
conditions and selecting of an appropriate grid, whereby the results are independent of
meshing, the obtained results were compared and validated with existing experimental
results in the open literature. The results indicate that heat transfer augments by increasing
of the inner Dean number, inner tube diameter, curvature ratio, and by the reduction of the
pitch of the heat exchanger coil.

Keywords

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 31 October 2013
  • Revise Date: 16 February 2014
  • Accept Date: 18 February 2014

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