ABSTRACT

Heat exchanger experiment is used to investigate the relationship of fluid flow rate
to the rate of heat exchanged between cold and hot fluid. In heat exchanger two
different temperature fluid are separated by solid wall and interacted for heat transfer
only. By creating the temperature gradient the heat could be transferred from hot
liquid to colder liquid. The purpose of this equipment is to either increased the low
temperature fluid or decreased the low temperature fluid. The equipment is widely
used in either daily life or today industry. The most common use of heat exchanger
are in car radiator where water was used to cooled down the hot engine oil.

The experiment was designed to find the flow rate that could give the highest
amount of heat exchanged. In other words, to find at which flow rate the heat
exchanger are working at the highest efficiency. By letting the flow rate as
manipulated variable while the temperature in of hot and cold fluid as constant
variables, we could find the amount of heat exchanged for different flow rate.
INTRODUCTION

Heat exchanger is a device built for efficient heat transfer from one medium to
another. A solid wall may separate the media, so that they never mix. The variables
that affect the performance of a heat exchanger are the fluids’ physical properties, the
fluids’ mass flow rates, the inlet temperature of the fluids, the physical properties of
the heat exchanger materials, the configuration and area of the heat transfer surfaces,
the extent of scale or deposits on the heat transfer surfaces, and the ambient
conditions.

Heat exchanger theory leads to the basic heat exchanger design equation:

Q = U A ΔTlm, where

Q is the rate of heat transfer between the two fluids in the heat exchanger in Kj/s,

Kj
U is the overall heat transfer coefficient in ,
s  m 2 o c

A is the heat transfer surface area in m 2 ,

and ΔTlm is the log mean temperature difference in o c , calculated from the inlet and
outlet temperatures of both fluids.
 The driving force for any heat transfer process is a temperature difference. For heat
exchangers, there are two fluids involved, with the temperatures of both changing as
they pass through the heat exchanger, so some type of average temperature difference
is needed. That log mean temperature is defined in terms of the temperature
differences as shown in the equation. THin and THout are the inlet and outlet
temperatures of the hot fluid and TCin and TCout are the inlet and outlet temperatures
of the cold fluid.

(THin  TCout )  (THout  TCin )

Tlm =
(THin  TCout )
ln
(THout  TCin )

Heat exchanger calculations with the heat exchanger design equation require a
value for the heat transfer rate, Q, which can be calculated from the known flow rate
of one of the fluids, its heat capacity, and the required temperature change. Following
is the equation to be used:

Q = mH CpH (THin - THout) = mC CpC (TCout - TCin), where

mH = mass flow rate of hot fluid, litre/min,

CpH = heat capacity of the hot fluid, litre/min o c

mC = mass flow rate of cold fluid,litre/min ,

CpC = heat capacity of the cold fluid, litre/min o c ,

and the temperatures are as defined in the previous section.

The required heat transfer rate can be determined from known flow rate, heat
capacity and temperature change for either the hot fluid or the cold fluid. Then either
the flow rate of the other fluid for a specified temperature change, or the outlet
temperature for known flow rate and inlet temperature can be calculated.
OBJECTIVE/AIM

1) To demonstrate the working principles of a concentric tube heat exchanger

operating under counter-current flow conditions.
2) To demonstrate the effect of flow rate variation on the performance characteristic
of a concentric tube heat heat exchanger operating under counter current flow
conditions.

THEORY

The main purpose of this experiment is to find the working flow rate that is the
most efficient. Efficiency could be calculate by using these formula ;

efficiency Ƞ = (power absorbed/power emitted)*100%

To determine the amount of power emitted and power absorbed these formula
could be used;

power emitted = QH  H CpH (THin  THout )

power absorbed = QC C CpC (TCout  TCin )

The determination of the overall heat transfer coefficient is necessary in order to

determine the heat transferred from inner pipe to the outer pipe. For a double pipe
heat exchanger, the overall heat transfer coefficient, U can be expressed as ;
Overall heat transfer coefficient U = power absorbed
tm area

Where,
Area = surface area of contact

=  Dinner pipe  length

In heat exchanger, the log mean temperature differences is the appropriate

average temperature differences to use in heat transfer calculations. The equation
for log mean temperature difference is:
t1  t 2
Log mean temperature differences, tm =
t1
ln
t 2
APPARATUS

SOLTEQ Heat Exchanger HE 158C

 METHODOLOGY

1. Switch on main power button

2. The valve is switched to counter current concentric heat exchanger.
3. The pumps are switched on.
4. Teh valve is opened and adjusted to obtain the desired flowrates.
5. The system is allowed to reach optimum state for 10 minutes.
6. FT1,FT2,TT1,TT2,TT3, and TT4 is recorded.
7. The steps 4 to 7 is repeated for different combination of flow rates.
8. The pumps are switched off after experiment completed.
9. Switch off the main power button.

RESULT AND CALCULATION

Sample calculation ;

10L 1m3 1min

Hot Water Flowrate (constant), QH = ( )( )
min 1000L 60s
= 1.6667 × 10−4 m3 ⁄s

2L 1m3 1min
Cold Water Flowrate, QC = ( )( ) = 3.3333 × 10−5 m3 ⁄s
min 1000L 60s
Calculation for Experimental Value

Average Temperature at TH and TC

TH,in + TH,out 47.2 + 46.6

TH,avg = ( )=( ) = 46.9°C
2 2

TC,in + TC,out 31.4 + 36.0

TC,avg = ( )=( ) = 33.7°C
2 2

Density of Water at TH,avg and TC,avg

At TH,avg = 46.9 °C

ρH (kg⁄m3 ) = 989.43 kg/m3

At TC,avg = 33.7 °C

ρC (kg⁄m3 ) = 994.5 kg/m3

Specific Heat Capacity at TH,avg and TC,avg

At TH,avg = 46.9 °C

Cp(J⁄kg. K) = 4181 J⁄kg. K

At TC,avg = 33.7 °C

Cp( J⁄kg. K) = 4178 J⁄kg . K

Power Emitted, Pe

Power Emitted = QH ρH CpH (TH,in − TH,out )

Pe = (1.6667 × 10−4 m3 ⁄s)(989.43 kg⁄m3 )(4181 J⁄kg. K)(47.2 °C

1K
− 46.6 °C) ( )
1 °C

1W
Pe = 413.689 J⁄kg . K ( )
1J⁄s

Pe = 413.689 W

Power Absorbed, Pa

Power Absorbed = QC ρC CpC (TC,out − TC,in )

Pa = (3.3333 × 10−5 m3 ⁄s)( 994.5 kg/m3 )(4178 J⁄kg . K)( 36.0 °C − 31.4 °C)

1W
Pa = 637.0638 J⁄kg . K (1J⁄s)

Pa = 637.0638 W

Power Loss

Power Loss = Power Emitted − Power Absorbed

= 413.689 W − 637.0638 W
= −223.3748 W
Efficiency, η
𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑏𝑒𝑑
𝜂= × 100 %
𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑑
637.0638
𝜂= × 100 %
413.689
𝜂 = 153.9958 %

Log Mean Temperature Difference, ∆Tm

∆𝑡1 − ∆𝑡2
∆𝑇𝑚 =
∆𝑡
𝑙𝑛 ∆𝑡1
2

(𝑇𝐻,𝑖𝑛 − 𝑇𝐶,𝑜𝑢𝑡 ) − (𝑇𝐻,𝑜𝑢𝑡 − 𝑇𝐶,𝑖𝑛 )

∆𝑇𝑚 =
𝑇 −𝑇
ln (𝑇𝐻,𝑖𝑛 − 𝐶,𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝐻,𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑇𝐶,𝑖𝑛 )
(47.2 °𝐶 − 36.0 °𝐶) − (46.6 °𝐶 − 31.4 °𝐶)
∆𝑇𝑚 =
47.2 °𝐶 − 36.0 °𝐶
ln (46.6 °𝐶 − 31.4 °𝐶 )

∆𝑇𝑚 = 13.0984 °𝐶
Experimental Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient, Uexperimental
𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝐴𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑏𝑒𝑑
𝑈=
∆𝑇𝑚 (𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎)
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒,
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑖𝑝𝑒 = 𝜋𝐷𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑖𝑝𝑒 𝐿

= (3.142)(0.02664 𝑚)(0.5 𝑚)
= 0.04185 𝑚2
637.0638 𝑊
𝑈=
(13.0984 °𝐶)(0.04185 𝑚2 )
𝑈 = 1162.1688 𝑊⁄𝑚2 . °𝐶
Table 1: Constant Flowrate (Hot)

Inlet flowrate Inlet flowrate TT1, Tout TT2, Tin TT3, Tout TT4, Tin (hot)
(hot) (LPM) (cold) (LPM) (cold) (°C) (cold) (°C) (hot) (°C) (°C)

10 2 36.0 31.4 46.6 47.2

10 4 33.0 30.7 46.7 47.2
10 6 31.6 30.1 46.8 47.5
10 8 31.4 30.3 47.0 47.7
10 10 31.4 30.4 46.7 47.5

Table 2: Constant Flowrate (Cold)

Inlet flowrate Inlet flowrate TT1, Tout TT2, Tin TT3, Tout TT4, Tin (hot)
(hot) (LPM) (cold) (LPM) (cold) (°C) (cold) (°C) (hot) (°C) (°C)

2 10 30.7 30.2 44.4 48.2

4 10 30.8 30.0 46.1 47.9
6 10 30.9 30.0 46.0 47.4
8 10 31.1 30.1 46.2 47.2
10 10 31.2 30.1 46.2 46.9
Table 3: Data based on calculation from Table 1

QC Power Power Power ∆T1 ∆T2 Efficiency ∆Tm U

(m3/s) Emitted Absorbed Lost (°C) (°C) (%) (°C) (W/m2. °C)
(W) (W) (W)

3.3333 × 10−5 579.04 346.50 232.54 17.5 14.2 59.8 15.8 524.02

6.6667 × 10−5 496.27 554.42 −58.16 17.1 16.1 111.72 10.6 1249.79

1.0001 × 10−4 579.01 623.71 −44.69 16.5 16.0 107.01 16.25 917.13
1.3333 × 10−4 551.30 692.98 −141.68 16.2 16.1 125.70 16.15 1025.30

1.6667 × 10−4 689.36 551.09 138.27 15.7 16.1 79.94 15.89 828.71

Table 4: Data based on calculation from Table 2

QH Power Power Power ∆T1 ∆T2 Efficiency ∆Tm U

(m3/s) Emitted Absorbed Lost (°C) (°C) (%) (°C) (W/m2. °C)
(W) (W) (W)

3.3333 × 10−5 413.65 637.07 −223.42 11.2 15.2 153.99 13.10 1162.04

6.6667 × 10−5 313.05 635.90 −322.85 14.2 16.0 203.24 15.18 1000.97

1.0001 × 10−4 482.51 623.52 −141.01 15.9 16.7 129.25 16.30 914.04
1.3333 × 10−4 482.51 609.50 −126.99 16.3 16.7 126.32 16.5 882.66

1.6667 × 10−4 551.47 692.91 −141.44 16.1 16.3 125.65 16.2 1022.04
DISCUSSION

This experiment was conducted using SOLTEQ Heat Exchanger HE 158C which
is used as cooling devices. In this concentric heat exchanger, cold water flows through
outer pipe while hot water flows through the inner pipe. Heat will be transferred from
high to low temperature fluid. During the experiment we make the flow rate as
controlled variables. There should be 10 set of data collected.

Based on the data collected we could calculated the value of power absorbed and
power emitted.. The values we calculated are not satisfied to the theory. This is
because the power absorbed higher than power emitted resulting in efficiency above 1
which is impossible.

There are error in this experiment. Since the result error are in either power emitted
or absorbed we could conclude the possibility of the error are from the thermometer,
thermometer reading and surrounding temperature. But the surrounding temperature
are not considered as error since the surrounding temperature are lower than the cold
water. So the error are considered as thermometer or thermometer reading error.

CONCLUSION
Based on the result, the main objective of this experiment are obtained. The basic
working principles could be demonstrated. However the objective to find the most
efficient working fluid flowrates are not achieved. After the calculation we found out
that the efficiency are above 1. This is due to the power absorbed higher than power
emitted which is impossible in this experiment. After our discussion we conclude that
the only error possibility are from the thermometer.
RECOMMENDATION

1. Make sure all the equipment apparatus are in good condition before conducting the
experiment.
2. While reading the volumetric flowrate, make sure the eye are perpendicular to the
reading scale to avoid parallax error.
3. To avoid heat loss make sure the pipe are well insulated.
4. Try to remove air bubble completely in the tube before start the experiment.
5. Make sure the reading are steady when data is collected.

REFERENCES

1. Heat and Mass Transfer (A Practical Approach) – 3rd Edition, Yunus A. Cengel,
McGraw Hill (2006)
2. Kakac, S. and Liu, H., Heat Exchangers: Selection, Rating and Thermal Design, CRC Press, 2002.
3. Kuppan, T., Heat Exchanger Design Handbook, CRC Press, 2000.
4. Harlan Bengston, Fundamentals of Heat Exchanger Theory and Design, brighthubengineering.com ,
2010

5. Bengtson, H., Fundamentals of Heat Exchangers, an online, continuing education

course for PDH credit
APPENDIX