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CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAMME

PERFORMANCE OF A HEAT EXCHANGER
SAFETY REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS
Students performing experimental work in the Engineering laboratory must follow and
abide by the following safety regulations and guidelines. Students must complete a safety
declaration form before they are allowed to work in the laboratory.
GENERAL

Students are not allowed to enter the laboratory without the permission of the lecturer
or laboratory assistant.
Unauthorized experimental work in the laboratory is strictly
forbidden.
Prior to the use of laboratory out of timetabled periods, students must apply for usage
from relevant laboratory staff.
Students are not allowed to work alone in the laboratory.
Bags and books must not be left on benches or on stools and should be placed
in designated area. Do not block passageways or fire exits.
All working spaces must always be kept clean.
Long hair, ties, jewellery and clothing must never be allowed to hang loose, since any
of these items can easily become entangled in the moving parts of machinery, and hence
cause serious injury.
Suitable clothing must be worn; long trousers or jeans are recommended for boys
and dresses, slacks or jeans for girls. In particular, sleeveless t-shirts and sleeveless
blouses are prohibited.
Students must wear covered footwear during laboratory and workshop sessions.
Sandals, open-toed shoes, slippers or similar footwear are prohibited. Students may
be refused entry to the laboratory or workshop if not in proper footwear.
Storage and/or consumption of food and drink, smoking and the application of
cosmetics in the laboratory are not allowed.
Indiscipline in the laboratory or workshop (e.g. whistling, horseplay etc.) will not
be tolerated.
No reagent, solution or apparatus is to be removed from the laboratory without
approval from the lecturer.
Do not pour waste down the sink unless authorized to do so by your
lecturer.
Defective equipment or broken glassware must be reported to the lecturer or lab
assistant.
Do not run in the laboratory or along corridors. Exercise care when opening and
closing doors on entering and leaving the laboratory.
Laboratory doors must be kept closed at all times during practical
classes.
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SAFETY NOTE (ENERGY AND FLUIDS LABORATORY)

-Appropriate lab attires (t-shirts, trousers and shoes) MUST BE WORN at all times as
precautionary measures.
-During the heating process, the apparatus pipeline will be hot; therefore, be careful while
handling it. Do not touch the pipe when the experiment is running.
-Always ensure the rubber pipe is fitted tightly to the water supply.
OBJECTIVES:
To compare the performance of a concentric tube heat exchanger in co-current and countercurrent operation and to determine the overall heat transfer coefficient and the effectiveness
of heat exchanger for a range of operating conditions.
INTRODUCTION:
The process of heat exchanger from a hot fluid to a cold fluid is important in many process
industries. Heat exchanger can be classified according to the flow arrangement of the two
fluids. The simplest heat exchanger is the annular exchanger (Figure 1) which consists of two
concentric tubes. Fluid flow can be arranged to be either co-current (Figure 1a), where the hot
and coil fluids enter at the same end, flow in the same direction, and leave at the same end, or
counter-current (Figure 1b), where the fluids enter at opposite ends, flow in opposite
directions, and leave at opposite ends.

(a) Co-current flow

(b) Counter-current flow

Figure 1: Flow arrangements for an annular heat exchanger.

In any exchanger the temperature of the hot fluid must always decrease, and that of the cold
fluid must always increase. However, the two flow arrangements give different temperature
profile along the heat exchanger (Figure 2).

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(b) Counter-current flow

Figure 2: Temperature profiles for an annular heat exchanger.

Note that the temperature difference between two fluids is not constant, but varies along the
heat exchanger.
BACKGROUND:
The rate of heat transfer (Q) from the hot fluid to the cold fluid is given in general by the
relationship:
Q UA" T " t H

(1)

in

Where U is the overall heat transfer coefficient (in W/m2K), A is the surface area available for
heat transfer and "T" is some sort of temperature difference between the two fluids. As
indicated above, the temperature difference varies along the length of the heat exchanger, so
we need to use some form of average temperature difference. This is obtained by a detail
analysis.
Consider a counter-flow arrangement in a heat exchanger (Finger 3), where the temperature
of the hot fluid falls from T1 to T2, and the temperature of the cold fluid increase from t2 to t1
as they pass through, (Note that this convention means that subscripts 1 and 2 refer to the left
and right hand ends of the exchanger, and not the inlet/outlet of each fluid).

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Figure 3.
Let the diameter of the inner tube be D and the length of the heat exchanger be L. Consider
an element of thickness dx at a distance x from the left hand end. Let the temperature of the
hot and cold fluids be T and t at point x, and T + dT and t + dt at a point x + dx. (Note the
convention used for temperature, irrespective of the flow direction and irrespective of
whether the temperature actually increases or decreases).
Let the mass flow rates of the hot and cold fluids be W and w respectively.
Let the specific heat capacities of the hot and cold fluids be Cp and cp respectively.
If the heat exchanger is perfectly insulate, such that no heat escapes to the surroundings, then
an energy balance on the element gives:
Heat lost by hot fluid = Heat gained by cold fluid = Heat transferred through the wall
WCP dT wcP dt UDdx T t

(2)

There U is the overall heat transfer coefficient from the hot fluid to the cold fluid. This leads
to two differential equations.
dT
UD

T t )
dx
WC p

(3)

dt
UD
T t )

dx
wc p

(4)

Let us define T (T t ) , i.e. the temperature difference between the two fluids at any
point in the heat exchanger. Then, subtracting equation (4) from equation (5), we obtain:

dT
dt
dT
1
1

UD

dx
dx
dx
wc p
WC p

(5)

If we define the temperature difference at the left-hand end (i.e. at x=0) by T1 and at the
right-hand end (i.e. at x=L) by T2 , then we can rearrange and integrate this equation.

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1
dT
1

dx
T 0
WC
wc p
p
T1

(6)

1
T2
1
UDL
In

T1
WC p wc p

(7)

T2

Note that in this integration we have assumed the mass flow rates, specific heat capacities and
the heat transfer coefficient are all constant. Whether this is actually the case in practice
depends on the operating conditions and the fluids involved.
Equation (7) is derived from an energy balance on an element of heat exchanger.
Alternatively we can carry out an overall energy balance, i.e. on the whole heat exchanger.
The rate of heat transfer (Q) in the whole exchanger is given by:
Q WC p T2 T1 wc p t2 t1

(8)

which can be rearranged in the form:

1
1

WC p
wc p

T2 T1 t2 t1 T2 T1

1
1
T2 T1

WC

wc
Q
p
p

(9)
(10)

Substitute into equation (7):

T2
T T1
UDL 2
In
Q
T1
(11)

Q UDL

T2 T1
T2

In
T1

(12)
Equation (12) is in the same general form as our original equation (1), which means that the
T2 T1
T2 represents an average temperature difference between the two fluids.
quantity

In
T1
This is generally called the logarithmic mean temperature difference (LMTD). Equation (1)
can therefore be written:
Q UA(LMTD )

(13)

where A is the surface area available for heat transfer in the heat exchanger.
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Note that although this been derived for counter-current flow, the same equation applies for
co-current flow (you may like to prove this yourself).
The laws of thermodynamics do not allow the hot fluid to become colder than the cold fluid
in any section of the exchanger. Therefore the lowest temperature to which the hot fluid could
possibly be cooled is t2, i.e. the cold fluid temperature at the hot water outlet. We can define
the heat exchanger effectiveness:

T T2
Actual cooling
1
Maximum possible cooling T1 t 2

(14)

Heat emitted (or heat loss by hot fluid)

= QH H CPH t H in t H out

Heat absorbed (or heat gained by could fluid)

= QC C CPC tCin tC out

Heat loss = Heat emitted Heat absorbed.

Effectiveness

T1 T2
T1 t 2

Log mean temperature difference,

Overall heat transfer coefficient,

t m

t1 t 2
t
log 1
t 2

Heat absorbed
Heat transmission area x t m

Figure 4: Equipments
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES:
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Figure 4 shows the experiment apparatus. Arrange the values in the cold water pipe work for
co-current flow, i.e. V1 and V3 open, V2 and V4 shut. (parallel_)
a) Set the hot water flow rate to 2 l/min and the cold water flow rate to 1 l/min.
i)

Allow the inlet and outlet water temperature to stabilise (at least 5 minutes) and
record the temperature from the thermocouple display units. (It is important for
every change of flow rate that you leave sufficient time for the temperature to
stabilise, otherwise erroneous data will be obtained).

ii)

Repeat the procedure for cold water flow rate of 2, 3 and 4 l/min. (When
changing the cold water flow rate you should also adjust the hot water flow rate
back to its proper value if is had drifted).

b) Set cold water flow rate to 2 l/min and the hot water flow rate to 1, 2, 3 and 4 l/min.
c) Arrange the values in the cold water pipe work for counter-current flow, i.e. V2 and V4
open, V1 and V3 shut. Repeat all combinations of cold (a) and hot (b) water flow rate.
Data Analysis
Beware units in the data analysis-make sure you make the appropriate conversions.
It will be necessary to refer to standard tables for values of density () and specific heat (Cp).
For each combination of flow rate, calculate:
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)

The log mean temperature difference;

Q from the rate of heat loss from the hot water;
Q from the rate of heat gain by the cold water;
The overall heat transfer coefficient. (If the two values of Q are not the same, then
use the mean of the two values.) /
Efficiency for each operating condition. Comment on your results.

Present the experimental and calculated data in tables, for example;

Results:
Table 1.1: Reading of
QH
t H in
t H mid
(litres/min)
oC
oC

t H out

1
2
3
4
8

tC in
o

tC mid

tC out

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Table 1.2: Calculations of .

QH

(litres/min)

Heat
Emitted

Heat
Absorbed

Heat Loss

Efficiency
(%)

t m

U
W m2 oC

1
2
3
4
For a hot water flow rate, plot a graph of overall heat transfer coefficient U against cold
water flow rate. Comment on your results.
Point for Discussion
The two methods of calculating Q may give different values. Comment on the possible
reason.
Useful Data
Tube Outer Diameter

15 x 0.7 mm wall

Shell Outer Diameter

22 x 0.9 mm wall

Insulation Thickness

20 mm wall

Heat Transmission Length

1.5 m

Heat Transmission Area

0.067 m2

REFERENCES
1. Coulson & Richardson: Chemical Engineering Volume 1 Butterwoth-Heinemann.
2. Holman JP: Heat Transfer 8th. Ed, McGraw-Hill
3. Incropera FP & De Witt DP: Introduction to Heat Transfer 2nd.Ed, Wiley, 1990
4. McCabe WL, Smith JC & Harriott P: Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering 5th. Ed.
McGraw-Hill.
5. Kay JM & Nedderman RM: :Fluid Mechanics and transfer Processes Cambridge, 1985