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CFD simulation on shell-and-tube heat exchangers with small-angle helical baffles

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Abstract

Shell-and-tube heat exchanger with helical baffles is superior to that with segmental baffles in reducing pressure drop, eliminating dead zone and lowering the risks of vibration of tube bundle. This paper focused on the small-angle helical baffles that have been merely reported in open literature. These baffles are noncontinuous helical baffles with a helix angle of 10° to 30°, and their shapes are 1/4 ellipse, 1/4 sector and 1/3 sector. To assess the integrative performance, α/Δp is employed, and the calculated results show that among the three baffle shapes the heat exchangers with a 1/4 sector helical baffle have the lowest pressure drop. At β = 10° and 20°, 1/4 sector helical baffle heat exchangers show the best integrative performance; at β = 30°, 1/4 ellipse and 1/4 sector helical baffle heat exchangers perform almost the same. For the study of helix angles, we found that 30° has the best integrative performance at low mass flow rate, almost the same as 20° at high mass flow rate.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, R & D Center for Petrochemical Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China

    Minhua Zhang, Fang Meng & Zhongfeng Geng

  2. Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, China

    Minhua Zhang, Fang Meng & Zhongfeng Geng

Authors
  1. Minhua Zhang
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  2. Fang Meng
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  3. Zhongfeng Geng
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Correspondence to Zhongfeng Geng.

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Zhang, M., Meng, F. & Geng, Z. CFD simulation on shell-and-tube heat exchangers with small-angle helical baffles. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng. 9, 183–193 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-015-1510-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-015-1510-x

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