Velocity Boundary Layer Analysis of a Flat Plate Heat Exchanger in Laminar Flow: A Case Study
Abstract
In this article, a behavioral analysis of velocity boundary layer in a flat plate heat exchanger in laminar flow condition through CFD simulation using FLUENT software is done. The main objective of this study is to determine the velocity vectors between the flat plates of the heat exchanger. In addition, wake occurrence, differences of velocity at different surfaces between plates, angles of velocity vectors and the effect of wake phenomenon on the shear stresses exerted on the plates are discussed in detail. The study graphically illustrates results based on fluid’s behavior by a 3D and 2D simulation with air and water as cold and hot streams that affect plate’s situation and its hydro dynamical operations. Consequently, some important design features regarding wake point occurrence and pressure loss are investigated. In addition, eddy current and reverse flows in the wake area and the angles of the velocity vectors are described.
Keywords:
Flat Plate Heat Exchanger, wake, boundary layer, velocity, FLUENT, CFDDownloads
References
K. Grijspeerdt, B. Hazarika, D. Vucinic, “Application of computational fluid dynamics to model the hydrodynamics of plate heat exchangers for milk processing”, Journal of Food Engineering, Vol. 57, No. 3, pp. 237–242, 2003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0260-8774(02)00303-5
I. M. Afonso, L. Hes, J. M. Maia, L. F. Melo, “Heat transfer and rheology of stirred yoghurt during cooling in plate heat exchangers”, J. Food Eng., Vol. 57, pp. 179–187, 2003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0260-8774(02)00296-0
W.W. Focke, J. Zachariades, I. Olivier, “The effect of the corrugation inclination angle on the thermohydraulic performance of plate heat exchangers”, Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, Vol. 28, No. 8, pp. 1469-1475, 1985 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0017-9310(85)90249-2
G. Zhang, M. Tian, S. Zhou, “Simulation and analysis of flow pattern in cross-corrugated plate heat exchangers”, Journal of Hydrodynamics Ser.B, Vol. 18. No. 5, pp. 547-551, 2006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1001-6058(06)60133-9
J. A. W. Gut, J. M. Pinto, “Optimal configuration design for plate heat exchangers”, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol. 47, No. 22, pp. 4833–4848, 2004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2004.06.002
B. P. Rao, P. K. Kumar, S. K. Das, “Effect of flow distribution to the channels on the thermal performance of a plate heat exchanger”, Chemical Engineering and Processing, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 49–58, 2002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0255-2701(01)00105-2
F. A. Tereda, N. Srihari, S. K. Das, B. Sunden. “Experimental study on port to channel flow distribution of plate heat exchangers”, Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Enhanced, Compact and Ultra-Compact Heat Exchangers, pp. 208–214, USA, 2005
M. V. De Bonis, G. Ruocco, “Conjugate fluid flow and kinetics modeling for heat exchanger fouling simulation”, International Journal of Thermal Sciences, Vol. 48, No. 10, pp. 2006–2012, 2009 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2009.03.010
X. H. Han, L. Q. Cui, S. J. Chen, G. M. Chen, Q. Wang, “A numerical and experimental study of chevron, corrugated-plate heat exchangers”, International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol. 37. No. 8, pp. 1008–1014, 2010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2010.06.026
J. Ding, R. M. Manglik, “Analytical solutions for laminar fully developed flows in double-sine shaped ducts”, Heat Mass Trans., Vol. 31, No. 4, pp. 269–277, 1996 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002310050055
J. C. Leuliet, J. F. Maingonnat, M. Lalande, “Thermal behaviour of plate heat exchangers with Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids”, in: Proceedings Congres Eurotherm 5 et 1er Colloque TIFAN, Compiegne, pp. 1–15, 1988
J.C. Leuliet, J .F. Maingonnat, M. Lalande, “Etude de la perte de charge dans des echangeurs de chaleur a plaques traitant des produits non-newtoniens”, Rev. G en. Therm., Vol. 308–309, pp. 445–450, 1987
F. Delplace, J. C. Leuliet, “Generalized Reynolds number for the flow of power law fluids in cylindrical ducts of arbitrary cross-section”, The Chemical Engineering Journal and The Biochemical Engineering Journal, Vol. 56, No. 2, pp. 33–37, 1995 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0923-0467(94)02849-6
M. M. A. Bhutta, N. Hayat, M. H. Bashir, A. R. Khan, K. N. Ahmad, S. Khan, “CFD applications in various heat exchangers design: A review”, Applied Thermal Engineering, Vol. 32, pp. 1-12, 2012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2011.09.001
G. Taylor, “Dispersion of soluble matter in solvent flowing slowly through a tube”, Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. A, Vol. 219, No. 1137, pp. 186–203, 1953 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.1953.0139
B. Xia, D. –W. Sun, “Applications of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in the food industry: a review”, Computers and Eletronics in Agriculture, Vol. 34, pp. 5–24, 2002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1699(01)00177-6
S. Jain, A. Joshi, P. K. Bansal, “A new approach to numerical simulation of small sized plate heat exchangers with chevron plates”, Journal of Heat Transfer, Vol. 129, No. 3, pp. 291-297, 2007 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2430722
M. A. Mehrabian, R. Poulter, “Hydrodynamics and thermal characteristics of corrugated channels: computational approach”, Appl. Math. Modell., Vol. 24, No. 5-6, pp. 343–364, 2000 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0307-904X(99)00039-6
M. Ciofalo, J. Stasiek, M. W. Collins, “Investigation of flow and heat transfer in corrugated passages—II. Numerical simulation”, Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, Vol. 39, No. 1, pp. 165–192, 1996 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0017-9310(96)85014-9
POLYFLOW 3.9 User’s Guide, Fluent Inc., Lebanon, USA, 2001
Downloads
How to Cite
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain the copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) after its publication in ETASR with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.