HEAT EXCHANGER

Objective :

The main objective of the experiment is

To compare parallel and counter flow

Find the effect of fluid velocity on surface heat transfer coefficient inside and
outside the tube for counter flow

Theory :

There are three well known modes of heat transfer namely conduction, convection and
radiation. They can operate separately or simultaneously. Heat is transferred whenever a
temperature gradient occurs. In a heat exchanger heat transfer between the fluids is via the
combination of conduction and convection. Radiation is important at high temperatures and
its effect is usually small at low/ moderate temperatures.

Conduction is the mode of heat transfer through solids or fluids in which there is no
movement of the fluid in the direction of heat flow.

For 1-D conduction through a plane wall, the Fouriers law gives the rate of heat transfer

Q = KA(T1 T2) / x

Where,

Q = Heat transfer rate

K = thermal conductivity of the wall material

A = Area normal to the direction of heat flow

x = Thickness of the wall

T1,T2 = Temperatures of the upstream and downstream of the wall respectively

Convection is the mode in which heat is transferred through a fluid system by the motion of
the fluid. Forced convection occurs when the motion of the fluid is caused by a mechanical
means such as a pump. Natural convection in turbulent flows gives better heat transfer in a
heat exchanger.

The rate of convective heat transfer to or from a surface is given by the Newtons law of
cooling:

Q = hA (tf - ts)
Where Q heat transfer rate

h surface heat transfer coefficient

A heat transfer area

tf - temperature of the fluid

ts temperature of the surface

if the tube wall of a heat exchanger is thin, we may assume that all the areas are equal such
that Ah Ac A Am. The expression is

Q = UAm (th - tc)

Where U- overall heat transfer coefficient

Am heat transfer mean area

th - temperature of hot fluid,

tc - temperature of cold fluid.

Heat transfer calculations are eased if a mean value of the local temperature differences can
be found. It can be shown that, between the two streams of fluid, the mean temperature
difference is given by,

 
    
 =  

ln  
   

 is referred to as the log-mean temperature difference (LMTD) and the detailed analysis
of its validity and application are found in the references. The rate of heat transfer is then
given by

 =  

By observing the temperatures and the mass flow rates of both streams, the following maybe
calculated.

(i) Overall rate of heat transfer from hot stream

 =     

Where  is the specific heat (4.18kJ/kgK for water), m is the mass flow rate as defined in
Table 1.

(ii) Overall rate of heat transfer to cold stream

 =     
 (Parallel flow)
 =   
   (Counter flow)

(iii) Overall heat transfer coefficient

 
= =
 ,  
    
   

ln   
  
(iv) Overall surface heat transfer coefficient between inner surface of tube and hot
stream
 
 = =
 ,      
   
ln   
 

(v) Overall surface heat transfer coefficient between outers surface of tube and cold
stream
 
 = =
 ,  
    
  

ln  
  
Equipments Required :

Heat Exchanger Setup with cold and Hot water circuit, electronic control to regulate
the power input to the heater and thermostat and valves
Thermocouples
A digital Thermometer with selector switch to display the temperature sensed by the
water and metal thermocouples

Experiment Procedure
Parallel Flow

The heat exchanger for parallel flow was connected. The beater tank was checked if water
contained was to the correct level. The high flow value was fully opened, the mains and
healer were switched on and the hot water temperature was raised to about 65C. The hot
water flow rate was reduced to about 50g/s and the cold water flow rate was set to about
20g/s. The healer control was set so that is steady about 65C. The measurements was taken
and recorded.

Counter flow

The mains was switched off and the cold water control value were turned off. The direction
of cold water flow through the heat exchanger was reversed by reversinh the cooling water
and drain tubes. The mains were switched on, and the hot and cold water flow rates were
changed to as closely as possible to the same values as in above. The measurements were
made and readings were noted.
Effect of the fluid velocity on the surface heat transfer coefficients

The connections were checked to ensure that the heat exchanger was connected for counter
flow. The heater tank was checked if it contained water to the correct level. The high flow
valve was opened, the mains and heater were switched on and the hot water temperature (t5)
was raised to about 65C. The cold water was adjusted to bring the mean hot water
temperature to about [t3+t6]/2 to about 65C. The conditions were allowed to stabilize. The
measurements were taken in Table 2.

The hot water flow rate was reduced to about 80% of the initial value without changing the
cold water flow rate. The healer control was used to bring the mean hot water temperature
back to the original value. The conditions were allowed to stabilize, then the measurements
were repeated. The experiment was repeated with hot water rates of about 60%,40% and 20%
of the initial value.

For parallel flow:

(i) Overall rate of heat transfer from hot stream

 =     

Substituting the values obtained from Table 1 , we get,

 = 0.05 4.18 10 63.9 54.5

 = 1964.6 ,

(ii) Overall rate of heat transfer to cold stream

 =     


Substituting the values obtained from Table 1, we get,

 = 0.020 4.18 10 47.6 30

 = 1471.36 ,

For counter flow:

(i) Overall rate of heat transfer from hot stream
 =     

Substituting the values obtained from Table 1 , we get,

 = 0.05 4.18 10 63.9 52.9

 = 2299 ,

(ii) Overall rate of heat transfer to cold stream

 =   
  
Substituting the values obtained from Table 1 we get,

 = 0.020 4.18 10 49 30.2

 = 1571.68 ,

Considering the calculations for 100% of the fluid velocity:

(i) Overall heat transfer coefficient

 
= =
 ,  
    
   
ln   

 

 =     

 = 0.167 4.18 10 67.4 64.0

 = 2373.40 ,

2373.40
=
67.4 59.6 64 30.7
0.0288
67.4 59.6
ln  64 30.7 

 = 4690.676 ,/ 0 /

(ii) Overall surface heat transfer coefficient between inner surface of tube and hot
stream
 
 = =
 ,      
   
ln   


2373.40
 =
67.4 65.5 64 54.9
0.0261
67.4 65.5
ln  
64 54.9

 = 19783.39 ,/ 0 /

(iii) Overall surface heat transfer coefficient between outers surface of tube and cold
stream
 
 = =
 ,  
    
  
ln  


 2373.40
 =
65.5 59.6 54.9 30.7
0.031
65.5 59.6
ln  
54.9 30.7

 = 5904.84 ,/ 0 /

Results and Discussions:

In the parallel flow configuration, the exit temperature of the hot fluid must be higher than
the exit temperature of the cold fluid. This is supported by the data taken. In the counter flow
configuration, the exit temperature of the hot fluid must be higher than the entrance
temperature of the cold fluid. This is also supported by the data, even though in this case the
exit temperature of the hot fluid is hotter than the exit temperature of the cold fluid. From the
calculations it becomes clear that the counter flow configuration is effective than the parallel
flow configuration and this is evident from the heat transfer rate values obtained.

Under constant flow rate conditions, the ratio between temperature differences is also
constant. If there is a rise in the temperature difference of the hot fluid, there will also be a
rise in the temperature difference in the cold fluid. This is governed by a special case of the
First Law of Thermodynamics. In this case, the energy is transferred from hot to cold fluids
with constant mass flow rates.

The energy removed from the hot fluid is the energy added to the cold fluid. The higher the
flow rate of a fluid, the lower the temperature change in that fluid will be. The opposite is
also true, the lower the flow rate of the fluid, the higher the temperature change in the fluid
will be.

The heat exchanger apparatus follows the basic laws of thermodynamics and this can be
shown experimentally. From the parallel flow configuration, the exit temperature of the hot
fluid is always hotter than the exit temperature of the cold fluid. This supports the Claussius
Statement in which heat may not spontaneously transfer from a colder body to a hotter body.

In practical application, the counter flow configuration is preferred. This experiment clearly
shows that counter flow configuration is effective than the parallel flow configuration.