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Performance of multi tubes in tube helically coiled as a compact heat exchanger

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Abstract

Multi tubes in tube helically coiled heat exchanger is proposed as a compact heat exchanger. Effects of heat exchanger geometric parameters and fluid flow parameters; namely number of inner tubes, annulus hydraulic diameter, Reynolds numbers and input heat flux, on performance of the heat exchanger are experimentally investigated. Different coils with different numbers of inner tubes, namely 1, 3, 4 and 5 tubes, were tested. Results showed that coils with 3 inner tubes have higher values of heat transfer coefficient and compactness parameter (\(\bar{h}\,A_{h}\)). Pressure drop increases with increasing both of Reynolds number and number of inner tubes. Correlations of average Nusselt number were deduced from experimental data in terms of Reynolds number, Prandtl number, Number of inner coils tubes and coil hydraulic diameter. Correlations prediction was compared with experimental data and the comparison was fair enough.

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Abbreviations

A c :

Annulus cross sectional area of test section (m2)

Cp:

Specific heat of cooling water (J/kg K)

De :

Dean number, dimensionless

D h :

Annulus hydraulic diameter (m)

D i :

Annulus inner diameter (m)

D o :

Annulus outer diameter (m)

d o :

Inner rod heater outside diameter (m)

\(\bar{h}\) :

Average convection heat transfer coefficient (W/m2 K)

\(\bar{h}\,A_{h}\) :

Compactness factor (W/K)

I :

Applied current to rod heater (A)

k w :

Water thermal conductivity (W/m K)

L :

Heater rod length (m)

\({\dot{\text{m}}}_{\text{w}}\) :

Cooling water mass flow rate (kg/s)

\(\overline{\text{Nu}}\) :

Average Nusselt number, dimensionless

n :

Number of inner rod heaters

Pr :

Prandtl number, dimensionless

Q :

Heat transfer rate (W)

R :

Curvature ratio, dimensionless

Re :

Reynolds number, dimensionless

T s :

Average surface temperature of heater rods (°C)

T si :

Average surface temperature of heater rod at inlet of test section (°C)

T so :

Average surface temperature of heater rod at exit of test section (°C)

T w :

Mean temperature of cooling water between inlet and outlet (°C)

T wi :

Cooling water temperature at inlet of test section (°C)

T wo :

Cooling water temperature at exit of test section (°C)

V :

Applied voltage to rod heater (V) dry air

\(\mathop V\limits^{.}\) :

Water volumetric flow rate (m3/s)

ΔP:

Pressure drop (Pa)

Ρ w :

Density of water (kg/m3)

μ w :

Dynamic viscosity of water

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Benha Faculty of Engineering, Benha University, Benha, Egypt

    S. A. Nada, W. G. El Shaer & A. S. Huzayyin

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  1. S. A. Nada
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  2. W. G. El Shaer
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  3. A. S. Huzayyin
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Correspondence to S. A. Nada.

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Nada, S.A., El Shaer, W.G. & Huzayyin, A.S. Performance of multi tubes in tube helically coiled as a compact heat exchanger. Heat Mass Transfer 51, 973–982 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-014-1469-z

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