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Shell-and-tube heat exchangers performance improvement employing hybrid segmental–helical baffles and ribbed tubes combination

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Abstract

In the present research, a new hybrid segmental–helical baffles shell-and-tube heat exchanger (HSHB-STHX) with various ribbed tubes is studied employing the SolidWorks Flow Simulation software by the computational fluid dynamic method. To improve the referred device with the current segmental baffle, two approaches are employed, applying a new baffle with a single shell pass and employing the ribbed tube, considering three different rib shapes (circular, triangular, and rectangular) arrangement. Besides, by comparing the different hydrothermal parameters such as efficiency evaluation coefficient, heat transfer to pressure drop (Q/∆p), performance evaluation criteria (PEC), the ratio of Nusselt number to pressure drop (Nu/∆p), and pressure drop, the best hybrid baffle arrangement (distance and angle of orientation in the central zone) and the ribbed tube with different rib shapes (circular, triangular, and rectangular) is presented. Based on the obtained results, the HSHB-STHX with six segmental baffles and 90° angle of orientation with rectangular ribbed tube is presented as the best model in PEC’s view point than that of other models. The PEC of the HSHB-STHX with the rectangular ribbed tube is 41, 35.54, and 37% greater than the HSHB-STHX, helical baffles STHX (HB-STHX), and segmental baffles STHX (SB-STHX) without rib, respectively.

Graphic abstract

Performance evaluation criteria (PEC) values for various type of shell and tube heat exchanger with mass flow rate. SB-STHE: Segmental Baffle shell and tube heat exchanger. HB-STHE: Helical Baffle shell and tube heat exchanger. HSHB-STHE: Hybrid Segmental–Helical Baffle shell and tube heat exchanger. HSHB-STHE (Rect.): Ribbed tube Hybrid Segmental–Helical Baffle shell and tube heat exchanger.

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Abbreviations

A :

Aera of heat transfer (m2)

c p :

Specific heat capacity (J/(kg K))

C ε 1, C ε 2 :

Turbulence constant

d o :

Heat exchange tubes diameter (m)

D sh :

Inner diameter of the shell (m)

EEC:

Efficiency evaluation coefficient

ƒμ :

Turbulent viscosity factor

ƒ 1, ƒ 2 :

Damping function of Lam and Bremhorst

k :

Turbulent fluctuation kinetic energy

g i :

Gravitational acceleration component in direction xi (m/s2)

HB-STHX:

Helical baffles STHX

HSHB-STHX:

Hybrid segmental–helical baffles STHX

HSHB-STHX (Rect.):

Ribbed tube hybrid segmental–helical baffles STHX

h :

Heat transfer coefficient (W/(m2 K))

L :

Length of the heat exchanger (m)

\(\dot{m}\) :

Mass flow rate (kg/s)

\(\dot{m}_{\rm s}\) :

Mass flow rate inside the shell side (kg/s)

N t :

Number of tubes

Nu :

Nusselt number

p :

Pressure (Pa)

Δp s :

Static pressure (Pa)

P 0 :

Power consumption of the base model (SB-STHX) (W)

P m :

Power consumption of the modified model (HSHB-STHX) (W)

Δp d :

Dynamic pressure (Pa)

Δp n :

Net pressure (Pa)

Δp m :

Pressure drop (Pa)

Δp 0 :

Pressure drop of the base model (Pa)

Δp m :

Pressure drop of the modified model (Pa)

\(\dot{Q}_{0}\) :

Heat transfer rate of the base model (SB-STHX) (W)

\(\dot{Q}_{\rm m}\) :

Heat transfer rate of the modified model (HSHB-STHX) (W)

\(\dot{Q}\) :

Heat transfer rate (W)

R T :

Reynolds number in the turbulence model

STHX:

Shell and tube heat exchanger

SB-STHX:

Segmental baffles STHX

\(S_{k} ,S_{\varepsilon }\) :

Source term in the turbulence model equation

t :

Time (s)

T :

Temperature (K)

T w :

Tube wall temperature (K)

T o :

Outlet temperature (K)

T in :

Inlet temperature (K)

ΔT max :

Difference between the inlet fluid and wall temperature (K)

ΔT min :

Difference between the outlet fluid and wall temperature (K)

ΔT m :

Log mean temperature difference (K)

T s, in :

Inlet temperature inside the shell (K)

T s, out :

Outlet temperature inside the shell (K)

P B :

Buoyancy forces turbulent generation

PEC:

Performance evaluation criteria

\(\dot{v}\) :

Specific volume rate (m3/kg s)

\(\dot{v}_{\rm o}\) :

Specific volume rate of the base model (m3/kg s)

\(\dot{v}_{\rm m}\) :

Specific volume rate of the modified model (m3/kg s)

u, v, w :

Velocities component in different directions (m/s)

x i, x j, x k :

Coordinate (m

β :

Thermal expansion coefficient (1/K)

δ ij :

Kronecker delta function

µ :

Viscosity of fluid (kg/m s)

µ t :

Turbulent eddy of viscosity (kg/m s)

ε :

Turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate (W)

ν :

Kinematic viscosity of fluid (m2/s)

λ :

Thermal conductivity coefficient (W/mK)

τ ij :

Reynolds-stress tensor (N/m2)

σ B :

Constant in the turbulence model

σ ε :

Prandtl numbers for ε

σ k :

Prandtl numbers for k

ρ :

Fluid density (kg/m3)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kashan, Qhotb Ravandi Boulevard, 8731753153, Kashan, Iran

    Hamed Uosofvand & Ali Akbar Abbasian Arani

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  1. Hamed Uosofvand
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  2. Ali Akbar Abbasian Arani
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Correspondence to Ali Akbar Abbasian Arani.

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Uosofvand, H., Abbasian Arani, A.A. Shell-and-tube heat exchangers performance improvement employing hybrid segmental–helical baffles and ribbed tubes combination. J Braz. Soc. Mech. Sci. Eng. 43, 399 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40430-021-03109-y

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