HEAT EXCHANGERS

Chapter 6
Instructional Objectives
Introduce different types of heat exchange
equipment and their working principles.
Carry out performance calculations for
simple heat exchangers.
Carry out design calculations for simple
heat exchangers.

1. INTRODUCTION
A heat exchanger is a device that
facilitates exchange of heat between two
fluids that are at different temperatures
and separated by a solid wall.
Specific applications: space heating and
air conditioning, power production, waste
heat recovery, food and chemical
processing, oil refining, and in vehicles.
2. Types of Heat Exchangers
Heat exchangers are classified according
to flow arrangement and type of
construction.
2.1. Concentric Tube Heat
Exchanger
Also called double-pipe heat exchanger or
co-axial flow heat exchanger.
One fluid flows through inside tube and the
other fluid flows through the annulus.
In parallel-flow heat exchangers, the two
fluids enter the exchanger at the same end,
and travel in parallel to exit at the other side.
In counter-flow heat exchangers the fluids
enter the exchanger from opposite ends.
Counter current design is more efficient, in
that it can transfer more heat.
Concentric-tube (Double-pipe) heat exchangers [Ref 1]
(a) Parallel flow (b) Counterflow
( )
2 1
2 1
/ ln
,
T T
T T
T T T UA q
lm m m
A A
A A
= A = A A =
Concentric-tube
May consist of several passes arranged in a vertical stack.
Useful when 100 to 150 ft
2
(10 to 15 m
2
) of surface is
required, and for small flow rates.
For larger capacities, shell-and-tube heat exchangers,
providing up to thousands of square feet of area are used.
[Ref 2]
2.2. Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchangers
Tubular HEs consisting a tube bank enclosed
by a shell. One fluid flows inside the tubes
and the other flows inside the shell.
One-shell pass One-tube pass
(1-1) (cross-counter flow) [Ref 1]
Baffles increase the convection coefficient of the shell-side fluid by
inducing turbulence and a cross-flow velocity component.
(b) Two shell
passes-four
tube passes
(2-4) [Ref 1]
(a) One shell pass-
two tube passes
(1-2) [Ref 1]
Temperature patterns in multipass exchangers
( ) | | ) /( ) ( ln
) ( ) (
/ ln
2 1
2 1
ci ho co hi
ci ho co hi
T T lm T m
T T T T
T T T T
F
T T
T T
F T F T


=
A A
A A
= A = A
(b) 2-4 exchanger
(a) 1-2 exchanger
[Ref 2]
Correction of LMTD for multipass exchangers
ci hi
ci co
H
ph h
pc c
ci co
ho hi
T T
T T
c m
c m
T T
T T
Z

= =

= n ,

(a) 1-N exchanger, where

N = an even number
(b) 2-4 exchanger
[Ref 2]
Choice of tube-side fluid [Ref 2]
If one of the fluids is quite corrosive, it should be put in the
corrosion-resistant tube, rather than in the shell which would
require both shell & tube corrosion-resistant expensive.
If corrosion is not a problem, but one of the fluid is dirty and
likely to form deposits on the wall, that fluid should be inside
the tubes to make cleaning easier.
Very hot fluids are placed inside the tubes for safety and heat
economy.
Decision can be based on which arrangement gives higher
overall heat transfer coefficient or lower pressure drop.
Very viscous liquids are often placed in shell side to induce
turbulence by flow across tubes, giving better heat transfer.
2.3. Cross-Flow Heat Exchangers
In a cross-flow heat exchanger, the fluids
travel roughly perpendicular to one another
through the exchanger.
In finned tubular heat exchangers, the fin-
side fluid is unmixed because the fins confine
the flow to one direction. Example:
automobile radiator
In unfinned tubular heat exchangers, the fin-
side fluid is mixed because the flow in
transverse direction is possible.
The use of fins improve the convection
coefficient of fin-side fluid by increasing the
outside surface area.
Cross-flow heat exchangers [Ref 1]
(a) Finned with both fluids
unmixed
(b) Unfinned with shell fluid
mixed and the other unmixed
Correction of LMTD for crossflow exchangers
(both fluids unmixed)
( ) | | ) /( ) ( ln
) ( ) (
/ ln
2 1
2 1
ci ho co hi
ci ho co hi
T T lm T m
T T T T
T T T T
F
T T
T T
F T F T


=
A A
A A
= A = A
(LMTD for counterflow)
[Ref 2]
2.4. Cross-counter Flow (Coil) Heat
Exchangers [Ref 4]
(a) Two-pass (b) Four-pass
2.5. Plate-Type Heat Exchangers
Gasketed plate exchanger, alternative to shell-
and-tube exchangers for applications at
moderate temperature and pressure.
Consists of many corrugated stainless steel
sheets separated by polymer gaskets and
clamped in a steel frame.
Inlet portals in the gaskets direct the hot and
cold fluid to alternate spaces between plates.
Adjoining plates have different pattern or angle
of corrugation. Corrugations induce turbulence
for improved heat transfer.
Widely used in dairy and food processing.
Plate-type heat exchanger [Ref 2]
(a) General layout
(b) Detail of plate design
2.6. Compact Heat Exchangers
Used to achieve very large heat transfer area
per unit volume.
Have dense arrays of finned tubes or plates.
Typically used when at least one of the fluids
is a gas, characterized by small convection
coefficient.
The tubes may be flat or circular, and the fins
may be plate or circular.
Parallel plates may be finned or corrugated
and may be used in single-pass or multi-pass
mode.
Compact heat exchanger cores [Ref 1]
(a) Fin-tube (flat tubes, plate fins; (b) Fin-tube (circular tubes, plate fins);
(c) Fin-tube (circular tubes, circular fins); (d) Plate-fin (single pass);
(e) Plate-fin (multi-pass)
3. Fluid Temperature Behavior
4. Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient
The heat transfer between the two fluids across the
solid wall involves convection of fluid films adjacent
to the wall and conduction across the wall.
The rate of heat transfer can be expressed by a
single equation like Newtons law of cooling, with
the overall heat transfer coefficient U incorporating
convection and conduction terms:
m
T UA q A =
m
T A where
= mean temperature difference between
the two fluids along the exchanger length
For the unfinned tubular heat exchanger, U can be
calculated as follows:
exchanger heat of length tube
wall tube the of ty conductivi thermal
tube the of diameters outside and inside ,
surfaces outside and inside at s resistance fouling ,
t coefficien convection side) - (shell outside
and t coefficien convection side) - (tube inside ,
areas surface outside and inside
on based ts coefficien fer heat trans overall ,
areas fer heat trans outside and inside , where
(1)
1
2
) / ln( 1
1 1 1
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
+ + + + =
= =
L
K
D D
R R
h h
U U
A A
A h A
R
L k
D D
A
R
A h
A U A U UA
o i
fo fi
o i
o i
o i
o o o
fo
i o
i
fi
i i
o o i i
t
In actual service, heat transfer surfaces do not
remain clean. Scale, dirt, and other deposits form
on one or both sides of tubes, provide additional
resistance to heat flow, reducing the overall
coefficient.

The fouling resistances R
fi
and R
fo
in the Eq (1)
take into account the effect of such deposits.

R
f
= 1/h
d
, where h
d
is called the fouling factor.

Fouling factors range ~ 600 to 11,000 W/m
2
K.

Fouling factors are usually set at values to provide
safety factor for design.

Fouling factors [Ref 2]
Example (Example 11.1/McCabe)
Methanol, flowing in the inner pipe of a double-pie exchanger
is cooled with water flowing in the jacket. The inner pipe is
made from 1-in. schedule 40 steel pipe. The thermal
conductivity of steel is 45 W/mK. What is the overall
coefficient based on the outside area of the inner pipe?
Data
Alcohol coefficient, h
i
: 1,020 W/m
2
C
Water coefficient, h
o
: 1,700 W/m
2
C
Inside fouling factor, h
di
: 5,680 W/m
2
C
Outside fouling factor, h
do
: 2,840 W/m
2
C

Solution: From appendix, D
i
= , D
o
= , A
i
= tD
i
L, A
o
= tD
o
L
R
fi
= 1/h
di
= , R
fo
= 1/h
do
=
L D h L D
R
L k
D D
L D
R
L D h L D U
o o o
fo
i o
i
fi
i i o o
/
/
+
/
/
+ +
/
/
+
/
/
=
/
/
t t t t t t
1
2
) / ln( 1 1
Eq (1)

U
o
5. Heat Exchanger Analysis
Step 1
To design or predict the performance of a heat
exchanger, write down the overall energy
balances between heat gain of cold fluid, heat
loss of hot fluid, and overall heat transfer across
the wall separating the two fluids:
(2)
lm h h c c
T UA H m H m q A = A = A =

Determine any unknown that can be directly

calculated from the above relations.
For double-pipe HE
Overall Energy Balances of the Hot and Cold Fluids
of a Two-fluid Heat Exchanger [Ref 1]
lm h h c c
T UA H m H m q A = A = A =

Specific enthalpy gain

of cold fluid (H
co
H
ci
)

Specific enthalpy loss
of hot fluid (H
hi
H
ho
)

AT
2
AT
1
( ) ( )
1 2
1 2
2 1
2 1
2 1
ln

ln

(LMTD) difference re temperatu mean log
HE of ends two at the approaches e temperatur ,
area surface fer heat trans
t coefficien ransfer heat overall
fluid hot and fluid cold of enthalpies specific ,
fluid hot of re temperatu mean and outlet, inlet, , ,
fluid cold of re temperatu mean and outlet, inlet, , ,
fluid hot and fluid cold of rate flow mass ,
fer heat trans of rate
T T
T T
T T
T T
T
T T
A
U
H H
T T T
T T T
m m
q
lm
h c
h ho hi
c co ci
h c

=
= A
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=

Step 2
Enthalpies and LMTD depends on fluid
temperature behavior:
For parallel flow with no phase change,
A
h
= C
ph
(T
hi
-T
ho
), A
c
= C
pc
(T
co
-T
ci
)
] ) ( ) [( ln
) ( ) (
co ho ci hi
co ho ci hi
lm
T T T T
T T T T
T


= A
For counterflow with no phase change,
A
h
= C
ph
(T
hi
-T
ho
), A
c
= C
pc
(T
co
-T
ci
)
] ) ( ) [( ln
) ( ) (
co hi ci ho
co hi ci ho
lm
T T T T
T T T T
T


= A
(b) Counter flow
(a) Parallel flow
For evaporators, A
c
=
c
, A
h
= C
ph
(T
hi
-T
ho
)
] ) ( ) [( ln
c ho c hi
ho hi
lm
T T T T
T T
T


= A
(d) Evaporator
For condensers, A
h
=
h
, A
c
= C
pc
(T
co
-T
ci
)
] ) ( ) [( ln
co h ci h
ci co
lm
T T T T
T T
T


= A
(d) Condenser
where = latent heat of vaporization
Miscellaneous
Overall heat transfer coefficient (U), if not
known, can be determined from Eq (1).
h
i
and h
o
in Eq (1), if not known, can be
determined from correlations given in
Chapter 3.
Heat transfer area (A) is related to tube
length as A = 2t r L = t D L.

Step 3+
Determine any other unknowns from the
overall energy balances (Eq 2).
Determine the HE effectiveness and
number of transfer units.
6. Heat Exchanger Effectiveness
and Number of Transfer Units
6.1. The effectiveness
The effectiveness (c) of a HE is defined as:
( )( )
( )
ci hi
ci hi pc c ph h
T T C
T T C m C m q
q
q
=
=
=
=
min
max
max

, min where
fer heat trans of rate possible Maximum
fer heat trans of rate Actual

c
q
max
is the rate of heat transfer that a HE
of infinite area would transfer with given
inlet temperatures, flow rates, and
specific heat.

q
max
occurs when the fluid with minimum
product of flow rate and specific heat
changes temperature to the entering
temperature of the other fluid.
6.2. Number of Transfer Units (NTU)
NTU is a dimensionless parameter that is
widely used for heat exchanger analysis.
It is defined as:
min
NTU
C
UA
=
6.3. Effectiveness-NTU Relationship
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
max
min
NTU,
C
C
f c
Effectiveness-NTU Relations of HEs [Ref 1]
Effectiveness-NTU of
a parallel flow HE
Effectiveness-NTU of
a counterflow HE
REFERENCES
1. F. P. Incropera, D. P. Dewitt, T. L. Bergman, A.
S. Lavine. Fundamentals of Heat and Mass
Transfer, 6th Edition. John Wiley & Sons, 2007.
2. W. L. McCabe, J. C. Smith, P. Harriott. Unit
Operations of Chemical Engineering, 7th
Edition. McGraw-Hill, 2005.
3. Geankoplis, C. J. Transport Processes and Unit
Operations, 4
th
Edition. Prentice-Hall, 2003.
4. A. F. Mills. Basic Heat and Mass Transfer, 2nd
Edition. Prentice Hall, 1999.