Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Numerical investigation of flow and heat transfer performances of horizontal spiral-coil pipes

  • Published:
Journal of Hydrodynamics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The flow and heat transfer performances of horizontal spiral-coil pipes of circular and elliptical cross-sections are studied. The numerical results are compared with the experimental data, to verify the numerical method. The effects of the inlet water mass flow rate, the structural parameters, the helical pitch and the radius ratio on the heat transfer performances are investigated. Performances of the secondary fluid flow with different radius ratios are also investigated. Numerical results demonstrate that the heat transfer coefficient and the Nusselt number increase with the increase of the water mass flow rate or the helical pitch. The maximum heat transfer coefficient and the maximum Nusselt number are obtained when the radius ratio is equal to 1.00. In addition, the fluid particle moves spirally along the pipe and the velocity changes periodically. The particle flow intensity and the spiral movement frequency decrease significantly with the increase of the radius ratio. Besides, the secondary flow profile in the horizontal spiral-coil pipe contains two oppositely rotating eddies, and the eddy intensity decreases significantly along the pipe owing to the change of curvature. The decreasing tendency of the eddy intensity along the pipe increases with the increase of the radius ratio.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. JI Jia-dong, GE Pei-qi and BI Wen-bo. Numerical analysis on combination flow induced vibration responses of elastic tube bundle in heat exchanger[J]. Journal of Xi’an Jiaotong University, 2015, 49(9): 124–129.in chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  2. YOO G. J., CHOI H. K. and DONG W. R. Fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics of spiral coiled tube: Effects of Reynolds number and curvature ratio[J]. Journal of Central South University of Technology, 2012, 19(2): 471–476.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. YAN Ke, GE Pei-qi and BI Wen-bo et al. Characteristics of fluid-structure interaction of conical spiral tube bundle with FEM [J]. Journal of Hydrodynamics, 2010, 22(1): 121–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. LI Cheng-guang, XUE Wan-yun and HUAI Wen-xin. Effect of vegetation on flow structure and dispersion in strongly curved channels[J]. Journal of Hydrodynamics, 2015, 27(2): 286–291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. NAPHON P., WONGWISES S. A review of flow and heat transfer characteristics in curved tubes[J]. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2006, 10(5): 463–490.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. ZACHÁP A. Analysis of coiled-tube heat exchangers to improve heat transfer rate with spirally corrugated wall[J]. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2010, 53(19–20): 3928–3939.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. JI Jia-dong, GE Pei-qi and BI Wen-bo. Numerical analysis on flow-induced vibration responses of elastic tube bundle[J]. Journal of Vibration and Shock, 2016, 35(6): 80–84(in chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  8. SALIMPOUR M. R. Heat transfer coefficients of shell and coiled tube heat exchangers[J]. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 2009, 33(2): 203–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. MITTAL M. K., KUMAR R. and GUPTA A. An experimental study of the flow of R-407C in an adiabatic helical capillary tube[J]. International Journal of Refrigeration, 2010, 33(4): 870–847.

    Google Scholar 

  10. JAMAL-ABAD M. T., ZAMZAMIAN A. and DEHGHAN M. Experimental studies on the heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of Cu-water and Al-water nanofluids in a spiral coil[J]. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 2013, 47(5): 206–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. GHOBADI M., MUZYCHKA Y. S. Effect of entrance region and curvature on heat transfer in mini scale curved tubing at constant wall temperature[J]. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2013, 65(5): 357365.

    Google Scholar 

  12. GHOBADI M., MUZYCHKA Y. S. Fully developed heat transfer in mini scale coiled tubing for constant wall temperature[J]. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2014, 72(5): 87–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. LU X., DU X. P. and ZENG M. et al. Shell-side thermalhydraulic performances of multilayer spiral-wound heat exchangers under different wall thermal boundary conditions[J]. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2014, 70(2): 1216–1227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. KURNIA J. C., SASMITO A. P. and MUJUMDAR A. S. Laminar heat transfer performance of power law fluids in coiled square tube with various configurations[J]. International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, 2014, 57: 100–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. NAPHON P., SUWAGRAI J. Effect of curvature ratios on the heat transfer and flow developments in the horizontal spirally coiled tubes[J]. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2007, 50(3–4): 444–451.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. NAPHON P. Study on the heat transfer and flow characteristics in a spiral-coil tube[J]. International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, 2011, 38(1): 67–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. ALTAÇ Z., ALTUN Ö. Hydrodynamically and thermally developing laminar flow in spiral coil tubes[J]. International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 2014, 77: 96–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. NAPHON P., WONGWISES S. A study of the heat transfer characteristics of a compact spiral coil heat exchanger under wet-surface conditions[J]. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 2005, 29(4): 511–521.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. NAPHON P., WONGWISES S. Heat transfer characteristics and performance of a spirally coiled heat exchanger under sensible cooling conditions[J]. JSME International Journal-Series B: Fluids and Thermal Engineering, 2006, 48(4): 810–819.

    Google Scholar 

  20. NAPHON P., WONGWISES S. Heat transfer coefficients under dryand wet-surface conditions for a spirally coiled finned tube heat exchanger[J]. International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, 2005, 32(3–4): 371–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. WONGWISES S., NAPHON P. Heat transfer characteristics of a spirally coiled, finned-tube heat exchanger under dry-surface conditions[J]. Heat Transfer Engineering, 2006, 27(1): 25–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, China

    Jia-dong Ji  (季家东), Pei-qi Ge  (葛培琪) & Wen-bo Bi  (毕文波)

  2. Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, China

    Jia-dong Ji  (季家东)

Authors
  1. Jia-dong Ji  (季家东)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Pei-qi Ge  (葛培琪)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wen-bo Bi  (毕文波)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pei-qi Ge  (葛培琪).

Additional information

Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51475268), the National Key Basic Research Development Program of China (973 Program, Grant No. 2007CB206903).

Biography: Jia-dong JI (1982-), Male, Ph. D.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ji, Jd., Ge, Pq. & Bi, Wb. Numerical investigation of flow and heat transfer performances of horizontal spiral-coil pipes. J Hydrodyn 28, 576–584 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1001-6058(16)60661-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1001-6058(16)60661-3

Key words

Search

Navigation