Computational modelling of plate-fin and tube heat exchanger for heat transfer and pressure drop analysis Volume 1 - Issue 3

Solomon Mesfin¹², L Syam Sundar²* and Antonio CM Sousa²

• ¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
• ²Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation (TEMA–UA), Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Portugal

Received: October 02, 2020   Published: October 19, 2020

Corresponding author: L Syam Sundar, Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation (TEMA–UA), Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Portugal

DOI: 10.32474/JOMME.2020.01.000113

 

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Abstract

The heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of plate-fin and tube heat exchanger is analyzed by using computational modeling. The parameters which are considered in this analysis are space between the two fins, length of the fin and tube ellipticity. The governing equations of continuity, momentum and energy are solved using the commercially available FLUENT software. Seven different cases are considered for heat transfer and pressure drop analysis. The main findings are related to the spacing between the fins, which is critical in terms of pressure drop. The tube ellipticity provides an increase in heat transfer coefficient and reduces in pressure drop.

Keywords: plate-fin and tube exchanger; numerical analysis; tube ellipticity; pressure drop.

Abstract| Introduction| Computational modeling| Results and discussion| Conclusion| References|