Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/rser

Heat transfer and flow characteristics of conventional fluids

and nanofluids in curved tubes: A review
Gabriela Huminic n, Angel Huminic
Transilvania University of Brasov, Mechanical Engineering Department, Applied Thermodynamics Laboratory, 29, Bulevardul Eroilor, 500036 Brasov, Romania

art ic l e i nf o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The purpose of this review summarizes the recent published papers on the heat transfer and fluid flow
Received 27 January 2014 characteristics in curved tubes using conventional fluids and nanofluids as working fluids. The use of the
Received in revised form nanofluids in curved tubes has been investigated in recent years by various researchers for finding new
21 September 2015
opportunities of enhancement of the thermo-hydrodynamical performances. The curved tubes were
Accepted 24 December 2015
Available online 18 January 2016
divided into three groups: helically coiled tubes, spirally coiled tubes and other curved tubes, according
with configurations of the tube curvature. The paper presents experimental, numerical and analytical
Keywords: published studies in literature.
Curved tube & 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Helically coiled tube
Spirally coiled tube
Heat transfer characteristics
Flow characteristics
Nanofluids

Contents

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1328
2. Conventional fluids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1328
2.1. Helically coiled tubes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1328
2.1.1. Experimental studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1328
2.1.2. Numerical studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1335
2.1.3. Analytical studies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1338
2.2. Spirally coil tubes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1339
2.3. Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1339
2.4. Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1341
3. Nanofluids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1341
3.1. Helically coiled tubes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1342
3.1.1. Experimental studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1342
3.1.2. Numerical studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1343
3.1.3. Analytical studies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1343
3.2. Spirally coiled tubes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1343
3.3. Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1343
3.4. Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1344
4. Future directions and challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1344
5. Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1345
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1345
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1345

n
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: gabi.p@unitbv.ro (G. Huminic).

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.12.230
1364-0321/& 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
1328 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347
1. Introduction
Curved pipes have a wide range of applications in engineering
systems such as power generation, nuclear industry, process
plants, heat recovery systems, refrigeration, food industry, etc., due
to their compact structure and high heat transfer coefficient.
Helical and spiral coils are well known types of curved tubes, they
being used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems, heat
recovery processes, food and dairy processes, and chemical reac-
tors [1]. In Fig. 1 are illustrated helical and spiral coils. As shown in
Fig. 1a, a helical tube is characterized by the coil diameter 2r,
coiled curvature radius R, and coil pitch b. In this case the curva-
ture radius is constant. A spiral tube is shown in Fig. 1b. This tube
is characterized by the coil diameter 2r, the constant pitch b, and
the minimum and maximum radii of the curvature (Rmin and Rmax)
at the beginning and to the end of the spiral.
Nanofluids have attracted great interest from the research
community due to their enhanced thermal performance, potential
benefits and applications in numerous important fields. Nano-
fluids are liquid suspensions which contain nanometer-size par-
ticles, including chemically stable metals (e.g., copper, gold, silver),
metal oxides (e.g., alumina, bismuth oxide, silica, titania, zirconia),
several allotropes of carbon (e.g., diamond, single walled and
multi-walled carbon nanotubes, fullerence) with thermal con-
ductivities higher than of the base liquids, and with sizes sig-
nificantly smaller than 100 nm.
Although there are a large number of papers in this field, the
reviews on this topic are very limited. Heat transfer and flow
through a curved tube is comprehensively first reviewed by Berger
[1] and the latest review of flow and heat transfer characteristics
are provided by Naphon and Wongwises [2].
This review presents the recent research in heat transfer and
flow characteristics of conventional fluids and nanofluids in three
types of curved tubes, helically coiled tubes, spirally coiled tubes,
and other coiled tubes, including the experimental, numerical and
analytical investigations.
2. Conventional fluids
2.1. Helically coiled tubes
Helically coiled tubes are efficient heat transfer equipments
due to their compact size and high heat transfer performance in
comparison with straight tube heat exchangers. Several studies
have been conducted to analyze the heat transfer and flow char-
acteristics of helically coil heat exchangers in laminar and turbu-
lent flow regimes. The most prominent characteristic of flow in
helically coiled tubes is the secondary flow induced by centrifugal
force due to the curvature of the pipe. Consequently, heat transfer
Fig. 1. a – A schematic of a helical tube. b – A schematic of a spiral tube.
and friction factor in helically coiled heat exchangers are sig-
nificantly larger than in straight pipes.
2.1.1. Experimental studies
Cioncolini and Santini [3] studied the influence of curvature on
the laminar to turbulent flow transition in helically coiled pipes.
The coils studied had ratios of coil diameter to tube diameter
ranging from 6.9 to 369 while the coil pitches were small enough
to neglect the effect of torsion on the flow. The coils were con-
structed of smooth copper tube and water was used as a working
fluid. The results showed that for ratios of coil diameter to tube
diameter ranging from 6.9 to 24 the process of turbulence emer-
gence is so gradual that only one discontinuity was observed in the
friction factor profile, for ratios of coil diameter to tube diameter
ranging from 35.3 to 103.7 the process of turbulence emergence is
still very gradual but the friction factor profiles exhibit a more
complicated pattern a part of which was apparently not observed
in previous research, and for ratio of coil diameter to tube dia-
meter ranging from 153 to 369, was found effective in smoothing
the emergence of turbulence only in the very beginning of the
emergence process.
An experimental study of the evaporation heat transfer and
pressure drop of HFC-134a in a helically coiled concentric tube-in-
tube heat exchanger was conducted by Wongwises and Pol-
songkram [4]. The heat exchanger is fabricated by bending a
straight copper into a spiral coil, the diameter of the coil is
305 mm and the helix angle of the coil is 2.09°. Experiments were
performed for the refrigerant mass fluxes from 400 to
800 kg m
2 s
1, heat fluxes from 5 to 10 kW m
2, and average
saturation evaporating temperatures from 10 to 20 °C. The results
showed that the average heat transfer coefficient and the frictional
pressure drop of HFC-134a flowing in helically coiled concentric
tube-in-tube heat exchanger were higher than in straight con-
centric tube-in-tube heat exchanger by 30–37% (Fig. 2) and 10–73%
(Fig. 3), respectively.
The correlation equations for Nusselt number and two-phase
frictional multiplier were developed by Wongwises and Pol-
songkram:
Nu ¼ 6895:98Dn0:432
Eq Pr l
5:055 χ tt
0:0238 ðBo  104 Þ0:132 ð1Þ
13:37
χ 2l ¼ 1 þ ð2Þ
χ 1:492
tt
Also, the same team of researches [5] carried out experiments
to investigate the two-phase heat transfer coefficient and pressure
drop of pure HFC-134a condensing inside a smooth helically coiled
concentric tube-in-tube heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is
fabricated by bending a straight copper double-concentric tube
into a helical coil of 6 turns, the diameter of coil was 305 mm, and
the pitch of coil was 35 mm. Experiments were performed for the
 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347 1329

Nomenclature P pitch of helical coiled tube

Pe Péclet number
a inner radius of tube (m) Pr l liquid Prandtl number
A heat transfer in the helical pipe (m2) pr reduced pressure
B0 boiling number q input heat flux (W/m2)
Bo Boiling number qcr critical heat flux (W/m2)
Cp specific heat capacity (J/kg K) r pipe radius (m)
d tube diameter (m) ri inner radius of helical tube (m)
di inside tube diameter (m) ro outer radius of helical tube (m)
dc coil diameter (m) R mean helical radius of the coil (m)
di =dc curvature of the coil (dimensionless) R coil radius (m)
d0 outer diameter of the coil tube (m) Ra Rayleigh number
dp particle diameter (m) ReDeq Reynolds number based equivalent diameter of shell
D coil diameter (m) (Eqs. (17), (20–22)) Reg Reynolds number for gas phase
D hydraulic diameter (m), (Eq. (14)) Rel Reynolds number for liquid phase
Dc coil diameter (m) S ¼ 1
x nucleate boiling suppression factor
Di pitch circle diameter of inner coil (m) Sc Schmidt number
Dh hydraulic diameter (m) St Stanton number
D0 pitch circle diameter of outer coil (m) Tw wall temperature (K)
Dt tube diameter (m) UL liquid velocity (m/s)
Dn Dean number VL liquid velocity (m/s)
Dn þ modified Dean number VG gas velocity (m/s)
DnEq equivalent Dean number Wi Weissenber number
DnðgÞ modified Dean number x quality, (Eq. (19))
fc friction factor in coil x vapor quality (dimensionless), (Eq. (25))
fs friction factor in straight tube xi inlet quality
F enhancement factor x0 outlet quality
Fr p Froude number based on particle diameter ðU 2L =gdp Þ
g gravitational acceleration (m/s2) Greek symbol
G mass flux (kg/m2s) Gap ratio ¼ D0
d
Di

Gz Graetz number γ latent heat of evaporation (J/kg)

He Helical number γ dimensionless Duty parameter, (Eqs. (44) and (45))
htp two-phase flow heat transfer coefficient (W/m2 K) γ dimensionless pitch, (Eqs. (46) and (47))
hl heat transfer coefficient of liquid (W/m2 K) γ coil pitch, (Eqs. (28) and (29))
hl0 liquid-phase flow heat transfer coefficient (W/m2 K) δ curvature ratio, (Eqs. (26), (27) and (43))
IPF ice-packing factor (dimensionless) ϕc;f d characteristic angle required for a flow to be fully
jD Coulburn factor ðkL =U L ÞSc2=3 developed in helical pipes, (Eq. (40))
f two-phase friction factor based on the liquid super- ϕ volume concentration of nanoparticles
ficial velocity θ dimensionless inlet temperature difference
k thermal conductivity (W/m K) λ curvature ratio, (Eqs. (36), (48) and (49))
kL mass transfer coefficient (m/s) μ dynamic viscosity (Pa s)
Lice latent heat of ice (J/kg) μef f effective viscosity (Pa s)
Ln normalized length (m) ρ density (kg/m3)
LSP;coil single-phase flow in coil (m) ρl liquid density (kg/m3)
LTP;coil two-phase flow in coil (m) σ liquid surface tension (N/m)
M mass flow rate (kg/s) χ Lockharte Martinelli parameter
n power-law index of the fluid (index of behavior) χ tt Martinelli parameter
Nd liquid–gas density ratio
 ψ dimensionless passage length of the coil
Npl liquid property group μ4ef f g=ρl σ 3l
p pitch ratio

refrigerant mass fluxes from 400 to 800 kg m
2 s
1, heat fluxes
from 5 to 10 kW m
2, and average saturation condensing tem-
peratures from 40 to 50 °C. The results showed that the percentage
increase of the average heat transfer coefficient and the pressure
drop of the helically coiled concentric tube-in-tube heat exchan-
ger, compared with that of the straight tube-in-tube heat
exchanger, are in the range of 33–53% (Fig. 4) and 29–46% (Fig. 5),
respectively.
A correlation for predicting the average heat transfer coefficient
was proposed as follows:
Nutp ¼ 0:1352Dn0:7654
Eq Pr0:811
l χ 0:0432
tt pr
0:3356 ðBo  104 Þ0:112
Also, a correlation for predicting the two-phase frictional
multiplier was proposed:
5:569 1
χ 2l ¼ 1 þ þ ð4Þ
χ 1:494
tt χ 2tt
The condensation heat transfer and pressure drop of refrigerant
R134a in annular helicoidal pipe were experimentally investigated
by Lin and Ebadian [6]. The schematic of the experimental setup is
shown in Fig. 6. The refrigerant flowed in the annular section
between the inner and outer tubes and the cooling water in the
inner tube in a counter-flow direction of the refrigerant. The
ð3Þ
experiments were performed with the Reynolds number of the
1330 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347
Fig. 2. Comparison of the average heat transfer coefficients [4].
Fig. 3. Comparison of the pressure drop [4].
Fig. 4. Comparison of the average heat transfer coefficients [5].
cooling water ranging from 3600 to 22,000, and that of refrigerant
R134a from 60 to 200. The saturation temperatures of R134a were
30 °C and 35 °C, and the cooling water temperatures were 16 °C,
20 °C and 24 °C. The test section was oriented at three different
angles, 0° (horizontal), 45°, and 90° (vertical). The experimental
results showed that the refrigerant heat transfer coefficient of
annular helicoidally pipe could be two times larger than that of
equivalent plain straight pipe when the refrigerant Reynolds
Fig. 5. Comparison of the pressure drop [5].
number was larger than 140. While compared with identical
helicoidally pipe with opposite flow channel arrangement, the
refrigerant heat transfer rate was larger when the refrigerant was
flowing in the annular section at the water Reynolds number lar-
ger than 4000. Also, the experimental results showed that the
orientation effect was not obvious on the pressure drop in annular
helicoidally pipe flows.
Naphon [7] experimentally studied the thermal performances
and the pressure drop in the helical-coil heat exchangers with and
without helically crimped fins. The experiments were performed
for the cold and hot water mass flow rates ranging between 0.10
and 0.22 kg/s, and between 0.02 and 0.12 kg/s, respectively. The
inlet temperatures of cold and hot water were between 15 and
25 °C, and between 35 and 45 °C, respectively. The experimental
results showed that the average heat transfer rate increases as hot
and cold water mass flow rates increase, the friction factor
decreases with increasing hot water mass flow rate and the inlet
hot and cold water mass flow rates and inlet hot water tempera-
ture have significant effect on the heat exchanger effectiveness.
Cui et al. [8] carried out experiments to investigate the flow
patterns and pressure drop for refrigerant R134a boiling in a
microfinned helically coiled tube. The flow patterns are identified
using visualization methods and grouped into three dominant
regimes, i.e., stratified wavy flow, intermittent flow and annular
flow. Two new correlations were established for prediction of the
two-phase frictional multiplier based on experimental data as
follows:
  48:2 1
χ 2l ¼ 1þ þ ð5Þ
stratif ied χ tt χ 2tt
  59:8 3:5
χ 2lo ¼ 1þ þ ð6Þ
annular χ tt χ 2tt
Pressure drop results of boiling water flow through three small
diameter helical coils at low operating pressure were investigated
by Cioncolini et al. [9]. The tube inner diameters were 4.03 mm,
4.98 mm and 4.98 mm and the coil diameter to tube diameter
ratio were 26.1, 64.1 and 93.3 respectively. Experiments were
performed in the following conditions: operating pressures in the
range of 120–660 kPa, mass fluxes in the range of 290–
690 kg m
2 s
1, and heat fluxes from 50 to 440 kW m
2. Existing
correlations for subcooled boiling flow were not found capable of
predicting the measured data, due to the significant difference in
the range of validity of the correlations and in the range of the
operating parameters explored in the present study. The mea-
surements in saturated boiling flow were successfully reproduced
 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347
Fig. 6. The schematic of the experimental setup [6].
by existing correlations for both straight and coiled pipe two-
phase flow.
The two-phase pressure drops for gas–non-Newtonian liquid
(SCMC) flow through helical coils in vertical orientation was con-
ducted by Biswas and Das [10]. The effects of gas and liquid flow
rate, coil diameter, and liquid properties on two-phase frictional
pressure drop were investigated by authors. Four different con-
centrations, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 kg/m3 of sodium salt of carbox-
ymethyl cellulose (SCMC) in water were used as the non-
Newtonian liquids and atmospheric air was used as the other
fluid. The experimental results showed that the two-phase fric-
tional pressure drop exhibits large deviation with the correlations
available in literature (Lockhart–Martinelli or the modified Lock-
hart–Martinelli correlation) due to the non-Newtonian character-
istics of the liquid.
An empirical correlation was developed for prediction of the
two-phase friction factor:
 0:721 7 0:076
Dt
f tplc ¼ 0:40Re0:757
g
7 0:025
Rel
1:437 7 0:059 Npl
0:348 7 0:017 
Dc
Kharat et al. [11] developed a mathematical model for
improved heat transfer coefficient correlation for the flue gas side
of heat exchanger, using the data obtained from CFD and experi-
mental results.
The new modified equation for the Nusselt number was
developed:
Nu ¼ 0:02652604Re0:834694285 Pr 0:3 ðGap ratioÞ
0:096856199
Anil Kumar et al. [12] studied the effect of various dynamic and
geometric parameters on mass transfer coefficients in two-phase
helically coiled flow systems, namely gas–liquid and solid–liquid
in helically coiled tubes. The liquid phase chosen was an electro-
lyte of ferri-ferrocyanide solution, in gas–liquid flow, the gas used
was inert nitrogen gas and in solid–liquid fluidized bed, sand
particles of different sizes were employed as bed material. The
helical coils were made using transparent thick-walled polythene
tubing of 1.8 cm and 2.3 cm internal diameter with the coil dia-
meter of 20 cm. The experimental results showed that the pres-
sure drop in the presence of fluidizing solids in helical coils
1331
increase with increase in the pitch of the coil and was maximum
for straight tube. Improvements in mass transfer coefficient in
helical coils in the presence of fluidizing solids were 10% more
than those with homogeneous flow in the same coil while the
improvements were found to be 2.5 times more than those with
straight tube. Also, results showed that the mass transfer coeffi-
cient increase with increasing liquid velocity and particle diameter
in case of helically coiled fluidized beds and was independent of
liquid velocity and the pitch of the coil but was strongly affected
by gas velocity in two-phase gas–liquid up flow systems.
Two correlations for mass transfer coefficients were proposed:
1. For fluidized beds: the data on mass transfer coefficients were
correlated using jD factor which to account for the curvature of
the coiled configuration, Helical number and Froude number:
jD ¼ 3:2  10
5 HeðFr p Þ
0:38 ð9Þ
2. Two-phase gas–liquid flow: the data on mass transfer coeffi-
cient were correlated as a function of gas velocity using Stanton
ð7Þ number based on gas velocity as:
kL
St g ¼ ¼ 1:213  10
4 ð10Þ
UL
Xiaowen and Lee [13] carried out experiments to investigate
the performances of a domestic water-cooled air-conditioner
(WAC) using tube-in-tube helical heat exchanger for preheating of
domestic hot water. The schematic of the experimental setup is
ð8Þ shown in Fig. 7. The experimental results from this study clearly
support widening the application of heat recovery WAC to
simultaneously reduce energy use for air-conditioning and water
heating.
Mittal et al. [14] studied the coiling effect on the flow of R-407C
in an adiabatic helical capillary tube. The capillary tubes were the
inner diameters of 1.02 mm, 1.27 mm and 1.52 mm. The coil dia-
meters were 60 mm, 100 mm and 140 mm, and the capillary tube
length was 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 respectively. The experimental results
showed that the coiling of capillary tube significantly influences
the mass flow rate of R-407C through the adiabatic helical
capillary tube.
1332 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347

Fig. 7. The prototype WACS [13].

Two correlations were proposed for straight and helical capil-

lary tube by modifying the π-terms into simpler form for experi-
mental data of refrigerant R-407C:

1. Straight capillary tube:

π 1 ¼ 24:425ðπ 2 Þ1:675 ðπ 3 Þ
0:373 ðπ 4 Þ
0:015 ðπ 5 Þ
1:498 ðπ 6 Þ0:777 ðπ 7 Þ
1:031 ðπ 8 Þ0:025
ð11Þ

2. Helical capillary tube:

π 1 ¼ 0:0087ðπ 2 Þ1:538 ðπ 3 Þ
0:351 ðπ 4 Þ0:003 ðπ 5 Þ
0:463 ðπ 6 Þ
0:965 ðπ 7 Þ0:507 ðπ 8 Þ
1:235 ðπ 9 Þ0:098
The mixed convection heat transfer in helical coiled tube heat
exchanger in both laminar and turbulent flows were experimen-
tally investigated by Ghorbani et al. [15]. Water was used as
working fluid. Two different tube diameters, 9.47 mm and
12.59 mm OD, with two coil diameters and two different pitches of
125.7–128.31 and 16.47–23.57 were tested. The results showed
that the coil surface area was the most influential geometrical
parameter on the heat transfer coefficient, and the overall heat
transfer coefficient of heat exchanger increases as the heat transfer
rate increases. Finally a new correlation for the Nusselt number
based on equivalent diameter was presented:
NuDeq ¼ 0:0041Ra0:4533 Re0:2 0:3
Deq Deq Pr s
Chen et al. [16] investigated dry-out critical heat flux (CHF)
characteristics in a horizontal helically-coiled tube using alter-
native refrigerant R134a. The tube inner diameter was 8.4 mm, coil
diameter was 300 mm, helical pitch was 75 mm and valid heated
length was 1.89 m. Experiments were carried out at pressures in
the range 0.30–0.95 MPa, mass fluxes between 60 and
500 kg m
2 s
1, inlet qualities in range
0.36–0.35 and heat
fluxes between 7000 and 50,000 W m
2. Results of the experi-
mental research indicate that the mass fluxes have the most effect
on CHF enhancement, while pressures have the least. Finally a new
dimensionless correlation for estimating R134a CHF in horizontal
helically-coiled tubes was developed:
B0 ¼ 1:135  10
7 Re2:32 Dn
2:5 N d 0:19 xi
0:58
where:
 0:5
qcr GD d ρ
B0 ¼ ; Re ¼ ; Dn ¼ Re i ; Nd ¼ l
Gγ μ Dc ρg
Also, the same team of researchers [17,18], experimentally and
numerically investigated the critical heat flux characteristics of
ð12Þ
Fig. 8. Variation of Num with D/do at different Re and at q ¼60 W/m2 and constant
P/do ¼ 2.18 [19].
R134a flow boiling in horizontal helically-coiled tubes. The results
reveal that the CHF increases greatly with increasing mass flux and
ð13Þ decreases smoothly with increasing pressure. Also, the coil-to-
diameter ratios are more important than length-to-diameter ratios
for CHF in helically-coiled tubes, while the helical pitches have
little effect on CHF. Finally, new correlations for critical heat flux in
current experimental conditions were proposed. Correlations are
developed by inlet conditions and outlet conditions, respectively:
B0 ¼ 8:071  10
8 Re2:12 Dn
2:5 N d 0:18 xi
0:78 ð15Þ
B0 ¼ 3:154  10
7 Re2:45 Dn
2:1 N d 0:46 x0
0:25 ð16Þ
Moawed [19] experimentally investigated the forced convec-
tion from outside surfaces of helical coiled tubes with diameters
ratio ranged from 7.086 to 16.142 and pitch ratio ranged from 1.81
to 3.205. The experiments were conducted in the range of Rey-
ð14Þ nolds number 660–2300. The results reveal that the diameters
ratio (D/d0) and pitch ratio (P/d0) have important effects on the
average heat transfer coefficient (Figs. 8 and 9).
A correlation was established for prediction of the Nusselt
ð140 Þ
number based on experimental data as follows:
 0:914  0:281
Num ¼ 0:0345Re0:48 D=d0 P=d0 ð17Þ
 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347 1333

the Newtonian fluids and aqueous solutions of carbox-

ymethylcellulose (CMC), a polymer, with concentrations of 0.2%,
0.3%, 0.4% and 0.6% (w/w) and aqueous solutions of xanthan gum
(XG), another polymer, with concentrations of 0.1% and 0.2% (w/w)
as the non-Newtonian fluids. The experimental results that the
friction factors for CMC and XG solutions are similar to those for
Newtonian fluids when the Dean numbers less than 80 and for
Dean numbers higher than 80, the friction factors of the CMC
solutions are lower those of the XG solutions and of the New-
tonian fluids. In this range the friction factors decrease with the
increase of the viscometric component of the solution and
increase for increasing elastic component. Also, the results were
compared with the correlations available in literature.
San et al. [23] investigated the heat transfer and the friction
factor of a helical heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is composed
of a helical tube with rectangular cross section and two cover
plates. In the experiment, the radial flow was air and the helical
Fig. 9. Variation of Num with P/d0 at different Re and at q¼ 60 W/m2 and constant flow was water. The Reynolds numbers were in the range 307–
D/d0 ¼16.142 [19]. 2547. The results indicate that the Darcy friction factor of the radial
flow increases with the channel spacing and decreases with an
Characteristics of R134a flow boiling heat transfer in a hor- increase of the Re, and Nusselt number increases with the Re and
izontal helically coiled tube in low mass flux and low pressure the channel spacing. Two new correlations, for the Darcy friction
conditions were conducted by Chen et al. [20]. The helically coiled factor and the Nusselt number, were proposed:
tube was heated length of 7070 mm, outer diameter of 10 mm,  
0:455  
Re Dh
inner diameter of 7.6 mm, the coil diameter of 300 mm and helical f ¼ 7:388
3
0:00279 ð23Þ
100 r o
r i
pitch of 40 mm. The experiments were performed in the following
conditions: mass fluxes and inlet qualities range from 0.20 to  0:338   
Re Dh
0.75 MPa, 50 to 260 kg/m2 s and
0.18 to 0.40, respectively. The Nu ¼ 2:31 þ3 ln þ4:64 ð24Þ
100 ro
ri
results indicate that the heat transfer coefficient increases with
increasing mass flux, vapor quality and heat flux and the mass flux The effects of tube and coil diameters on flow boiling heat
has much effect on heat transfer coefficients, while pressure has transfer coefficients inside small diameter (o 3 mm) helically
little. A new heat transfer coefficient correlation was developed coiled tubes at various values of heat flux and mass velocity were
based on the Lockhart–Martinelli parameter method: experimentally investigates by Elsayed et al. [24]. The tested coils
 0:27 have tube diameters ranging from 1.1 to 2.8 and coil diameters
htp 1 from 30 mm to 60 mm. The heat flux was varied from 2500 to
¼ 2:84 þ ð46162B1:15
0:88Þ ð18Þ
hl0 χ tt 0
12,000 W/m2 and mass velocity from 100 to 450 kg/m2 s. The
where: experimental results reveal that both the heat flux and mass
      velocity have significant effects on the boiling heat transfer coef-
1
x 0:9 ρg 0:5 μg 0:1 ficient and decreasing the tube diameter improves the heat
χ tt ¼ ð19Þ
x ρl μl transfer coefficient with up to 63% enhancement. Also, the results
Ismail and Karim [21] experimentally studied the influence of indicated that decreasing the coil diameter improves the heat
the viscoelastic solutions on heat transfer coefficients in seven transfer coefficient as it intensifies the effect of secondary flow
helical coils with different diameters and diameter ratios. The with up to 150% enhancement and pressure drop was found to
experiments were performed with water as the heating medium depend on the tube diameter and less influenced by the coil dia-
and two dilute solutions (250 and 500 ppm) of a polyacrylamide as meter. A new correlation for boiling heat transfer coefficient based
the viscoelastic medium. The results showed that using dilute on nucleate boiling suppression and convective boiling enhance-
viscoelastic solutions in helical coil decreases their thermal per- ment factors was developed:
formance. A unified form of the Graetz–Leveque equation was htp ¼ Fxhl þ Sxhcooper ð25Þ
proposed:
h  0:54 i where F is the enhancement factor,
Nu ¼ 1:75Gz1=3 1 þ 0:5421Dn0:45 d=D
for water ð20Þ "  0:99278  0:822 !#
1 1
F ¼ max 1; 1 þ ðPr l Þ0:8
2:9946 S
0:1755
h  0:54 i χ χ
Nu ¼ 1:75Gz1=3 1 þ 0:3515Dn0:45 d=D !0:5
σ

for 250 ppm solution of polyacrylamide ð21Þ for Co ¼   2 ¼ 1:75:::1:85
confinement diameter; and
g ρl
ρv di
h  0:54 i
Nu ¼ 1:75Gz1=3 1 þ 0:3615Dn0:45 d=D "  0:3798  0:32409 !#
1 1

for 550 ppm solution of polyacrylamide ð22Þ F ¼ MAX 1; 1 þ ðPrl Þ0:8
2:4018 S0:504615
χ χ
The friction factor and the heat transfer, at constant wall tem- for diameters less that the confinement diameter:
perature, for Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, inside a ver- Also, S ¼ 1
x is nucleate boiling suppression factor.
tical helical coil were experimentally investigated by Pimenta and Beigzadeh and Rahimi [25] developed two Artificial Neural
Campos [22]. The helical coil used has the internal diameter, cur- Network (ANN) models to estimate the heat transfer and friction
vature ratio, length and pitch of 0.00483 m, 0.0263, 5.0 m and factor in helically coiled tubes. The experiments were conducted for
11.34 mm, respectively. Working fluids used in experiments were nine coiled tubes with various dimensionless geometrical para-
aqueous solutions of glycerol, 25%, 36%, 43%, 59% and 78% (w/w) as meters. Optimal neural network configurations were evaluated by
1334 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347

trial-and-error method. An ANN with 9 hidden neurons was Table 1

selected for predicting of Nusselt number and a network with 12 Nusselt number correlations.
hidden neurons was employed to predict friction factor in the tubes.
Crt. No. Correlation Applicability domain Remarks
The two correlations are the following:
1. Nu ¼ 0:0065ðM Þ1:1798 907 r M r 3348 Water and gly-
Nu ¼ 0:00619Re0:92 Pr 0:4 ð1 þ 3:455δÞ ð26Þ 3:83 r Pr r 7:3 cerol–water mix-
0:055 r δ r 0:0757 ture Isothermal
and conditions
pffiffiffi 2. 907 r M r 3348 Heating process
Nu ¼ 0:0023ðM Þ1:2354 Pr 0:4
f ¼ 0:304Re
0:25 þ 0:029 δ ð27Þ 3:83 r Pr r 7:3 Water and gly-
0:055 r δ r 0:0757 cerol–water mix-
The same team of researchers [26] investigated the ability the ture Isothermal
Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) and Genetic conditions
Algorithm (GA) based correlations for estimating the hydro- 3. Nu ¼ 0:0096ðM Þ1:1202 880 r M r 4642 Water and gly-
dynamics and heat transfer characteristics in coiled tubes. Adap- 3:54 r Pr r 7:3 cerol–water mix-
0:055 r δ r 0:0757 ture Isothermal and
tive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS), and Genetic Algorithm
non-isothermal
(GA) are capable artificial intelligence methods for modeling, conditions
predicting and optimizing the performance of thermal systems. 4. Nu ¼ 0:9366ðGzÞ0:8177 Pr 0:4 16 r Gz r 152 Water and 10% gly-
The experiments were conducted to three coiled tubes with dif- 3:54 r Pr r 5:149 cerol–water mix-
0:055 r δ r 0:0757 ture Isothermal
ferent coil diameter and also various pitches for each tube. The
conditions
results showed that the accuracy of the predicted values from 5. Nu ¼ 0:0472ðDnÞ0:8346 Pr 0:4 586 r Dn r 4773 Water and 10%, 20%
ANFIS models are more than the GA based correlations. Finally, 3:54 r Pr r 7:3 glycerol–water
new correlations for Nusselt number and friction factor were 0:055 r δ r 0:0757 mixture Isothermal
conditions
proposed:
6. Nu ¼ 0:0062ðM Þ1:1631 880 r M r 4642 Water and 20% gly-
cerol–water mix-
Nu ¼ 0:359Re 0:781
Pr δ
0:016 0:933
γ
0:172
ð28Þ
ture Non-iso-
thermal conditions
and

f ¼ 2:32Re
0:311 δ γ
0:074

0:467
ð29Þ
data as follows:
where γ is coil pitch.
f c ¼ 8:1
The forced convective heat transfer in helically coiled smooth
 
0:47  
and corrugated wall tubes was studied by Rainieri et al. [27]. The R M  Lice  IPF 0:024
 ð1 þ IPF Þ
1:0 Dn
0:5 1 þ ð31Þ
experiments were conducted in the range of Reynolds number 70– r qA
1200 and Dean number 12–290 respectively. Also, three different
curvature ratio values 0.031, 0.040 and 0.056 were considered for Num ¼ 0:072
experiments and ethylene glycol was chosen as working fluid. The  
0:045  
R M  Lice  IPF
0:036
results reveal that, in the Reynolds number range analyzed, both  ð1 þ IPF Þ0:6 Dn0:86 1 þ ð32Þ
r qA
the curvature and the combination of curvature and corrugation
enhance the heat transfer. These correlations are applicable for:
Pawar and Sunnapwar [28] experimentally investigated the 380 rDn r 2500; 22:2 r R=r r 55:5; 0 r IPF r 0:22;
heat transfer in helical coils under isothermal steady state and M  Lice  IPF
non-isothermal unsteady state conditions. Water, glycerol–water 0r r 22:4
qA
mixture as Newtonian fluids and dilute aqueous polymer solutions
of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (SCMC), sodium alginate (SA) Heat transfer coefficients from Newtonian and non-Newtonian
fluids flowing in laminar regime in a helical coil were investigated
as non-Newtonian fluids were used as working fluids. The
by Pimenta and Campos [30]. The experiments were performed for
experiments were performed for different curvature ratios 0.0757,
constant wall temperature conditions. The helical coil used has
0.064 and 0.055, in laminar and turbulent flow. Based on experi-
internal diameter, curvature ratio, length and pitch, respectively:
mental data new correlations for Nusselt number were proposed
0.004575 m, 0.0263, 5.0 m and 11.34 mm. The Newtonian fluids
(Table 1):
were aqueous solutions of glycerol of 25%, 36%, 43%, 59% and 78%
The dimensionless number M was defined as:
(w/w) and the non-Newtonian fluids aqueous solutions of car-
Re0:64 boxymethylcellulose (CMC) of 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4% and 0.6% (w/
M¼  0:18 r2100 ð30Þ
0:64 a=R w) and aqueous solutions of xanthan gum (XG) of 0.1% and 0.2%
(w/w). The results revealed that the Nusselt number for the CMC
Haruki and Horibe [29] studied the flow and heat transfer solutions are slightly higher than those for Newtonian fluids and,
characteristics of ice slurry in helically-coiled pipes of a dynamic also that, the Nusselt number of the XG solutions are significant
ice-thermal storage system. The experiments were performed for lower than those of the Newtonian solutions.
different coil diameters. The inner and outer diameters of the pipe A correlation for the Nusselt number was developed by
were 14.4 mm and 16.0 mm respectively. The helical coils had six authors:
turns, and a coil pitch (P) of 30.0 mm. The curvature ratios were "    #
22.2, 37.5 and 55.5. The experimental results showed that the flow 3n þ 1 0:275n d
Nu ¼ 0:486 0:717 þ0:993 i Pe0:275
resistance of ice slurry in helically-coiled pipes was influenced by 4n dc


the interaction between the buoyant force and the centrifugal force, 0:225 0:011ðn
1Þ
 1 þ 0:728DnðgÞ ðWiþ 1Þ ð33Þ
due to secondary flow and the heat transfer coefficient was influ-
enced by the latent heat of the ice particles. Finally, two new cor- Eq. (33) is valid for:
relations were established for prediction of the flow resistance and
overall mean Nusselt number of ice slurry based on experimental 1. Glycerol solution: 15 o Dno 1020 and 10 oPr o 352
 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347
2. CMC and XG solutions with index behavior between 0.34 and
0.90: 17 o Pr ðgÞ o203, 4 o DnðgÞ o 487 and 32 o Wio 19; 700,
di =dc ¼ 0:0263, p ¼ 0:01134m; di ¼ 0:004575m
The pressure drop and the friction coefficient of a single phase
turbulent flow in a vertical coil were investigated by Saffari et al.
[31]. The experiments were performed for the curvature ratios of
0.06 and 0.095 respectively, Reynolds numbers in the range 8000–
50,000, and void fractions between 0 and 0.09. Based on the
obtained results, the authors were concluded that the diameters of
bubbles diminish with the increase of the flow's Reynolds number.
Also, the obtained results showed that the curvature of the coils
has a negative effect on the drag reduction and that the injection
of microbubbles can be regarded as a functional method for the
drag reduction in the helical coils
Chung et al. [32] investigated two-phase heat transfer for the
helically coiled tube and condensate heat transfer for the down-
ward straight tube to confirm the capability of the SMART design.
System-integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor (SMART) is a
330 MWt advanced integral pressurized water reactor (PWR) is
developed by the Korea Atomic Energy Institute for electricity
generation and sea water desalination (Fig. 10). The experimental
results revealed that the two-phase heat transfer at the helically
coiled tube is affected linearly by a heat flux and system pressure
and the condensate heat transfer increases at a high steam flow,
low pressure and large diameter.
Papini et al. [33] experimentally and analytically studied
thermal-hydraulic dynamic instabilities in helically coiled tubes.
The experiments were performed in the following conditions:
pressure between 80 bar and 20 bar, mass flux in the range
600 kg/m2 s and 200 kg/m2 s and inlet subcooling between
30%
and 0%. The experimental results indicated that the effects on
instability of thermal power, mass flow rate and pressure level do
not show differences in the helical geometry when compared to
the straight tube case.
Fig. 10. Layout of SMART reactor vessel [32].
1335
An experimental investigation and a numerical simulation on
helical adiabatic capillary tube with various refrigerants, namely
R22 and R123a, under choked flow conditions were performed by
Shokouhmand and Zareh [34]. The experiments were performed
for the helical capillary tubes with two different diameters
0.7874 mm and 1.397 mm respectively, four different lengths in
the range 4.36 m and 6.2 m, and two coil diameters 40 mm and
50 mm, respectively. They found that the mass flux reaches a
maximum amount at a specific value of evaporator pressure in
choked conditions and also it is decreased by increasing the length
of capillary tube. Also, critical mass flux increases by increasing of
the tube inner diameter, condensation temperature and refriger-
ant degree of sub-cooling.
Bozzoli et al. [35] presented and tested a procedure to estimate
the local convective heat flux in helically coiled tubes. Ethylene
glycol was used as working fluid in the Reynolds number range
100–1200 and the Prandtl number range 125–280. The results
indicated that the variation of the convective heat transfer coef-
ficient along the boundary of the duct section is very significant,
namely at the outer surface of the coil the Nusselt number is four
to six times that at the inner surface.
2.1.2. Numerical studies
Numerous numerical studies on helically coiled systems have
been reported in literature [36–67]. Thus, Rennie and Raghavan
[40] studied the effects of thermally dependent viscosity and non-
Newtonian flows on heat transfer and pressure drop in a double-
pipe helical heat exchanger for laminar flow. The results reveal
that the thermally dependent viscosities were little effects on the
Nusselt number correlations and a significantly effect on pressure
drop in the inner tube.
Jayakumar et al. [41,42] experimentally and numerically
investigated heat transfer characteristics in helically coiled heat
exchangers. They considered fluid-to-fluid heat transfer and
developed a correlation to estimate the Nusselt number inside
coiled tubes:
Nu ¼ 0:015Dn0:9112 Pr 0:4 ð34Þ
which is valid to 2000 o Dn o 12; 000
Kumar et al. [43] studied fluid flow and heat transfer char-
acteristics in a tube-in-tube helically coiled heat exchanger. Air
and water were used as working fluid. Simulations were per-
formed in the following conditions: the inner tube pressure in the
range 10 and 30 bar, the mass flow rate in the outer tube between
200 and 600 kg/h, the Reynolds numbers for the inner tube in the
range 20,000 and 70,000. They found that the overall heat transfer
coefficient increases with increase in the inner-coiled tube flow
rate and with operating pressure. Also, the pressure drop was
compared with experimental data available in literature. Finally,
new correlations were proposed for the pressure drop and Nusselt
number in the outer tube of tube-in-tube helically coiled heat
exchanger:
fc
¼ 1 þ 0:0927Dn0:551 ð35Þ
fs
which is valid in the range: 300 oDn o 900

0:1
Nu ¼ 0:0509Re0:817 Pr 0:3 λ ð36Þ
Eq. (36) is applicable in the range: 5000 o Re o 15; 000,
0:74 o Pr o 150.
Mridha and Nigam [44] investigated the turbulent forced
convection in coiled flow inverter. Air, water, kerosene and ethy-
lene glycol were used as working fluids. The Reynolds number
used was ranged between 10,000 and 30,000. The results revealed
that the heat transfer enhancement in coiled flow inverter is of 4–
1336 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347
13% compared with the straight helical coil and relative pressure
drop increase with 2–9%.
Kharat et al. [45] developed a mathematical model based on
obtained data from CFD simulations and of the experimental
results. This model to account the effects of different functional
dependent variables such as gap between the concentric coil, tube
diameter and coil diameter which affects the heat transfer. The
Reynolds number was in the range 20,000–150,000. The authors
proposed a new correlation for the Nusselt number through to
introduce of the dimensionless parameter named "gap ratio":
Nu ¼ 0:02652604Re0:834694285 Pr 0:3 ðGap ratioÞ
0:096856199
where Gap ratio ¼ D0

d
Di
Eq. (37) is valid for the ratio ¼coil gap/tube diameter between
0.55 and 2.25.
Wu et al. [46] studied the turbulent forced convective heat
transfer and flow characteristics in a helical coiled tube with uniform
wall temperature. The effects of various flow and geometric para-
meters on the circumferential average friction factor and Nusselt
number were studied. The Reynolds number was in range 20,000–
60,000. They found that the effect of the secondary flow caused by
the centrifugal force on the developments and distributions of
temperature and flow in turbulent flow is not as prominent as that
in laminar flow. Also, the results indicated that the enhancement of
Num in helical coiled tube was of 1.35–2.2 times compared to the
straight tube, while the friction factor was 1.7–2.7 times.
Zachár [47] studied the effect of the different geometrical
parameters of the corrugation for the inner side heat transfer rate
in helical tube heat exchangers with helical corrugation. Reynolds
number of the studied flow was in the range 100–7000. Two dif-
ferent working fluids were used in the numerical analyses, namely
water with temperature dependent flow and thermal properties
and ethylene glycol–water mixture with a volumetric ratio 50–
50%. The results indicated that for the heat exchanger coils with
helically corrugated wall configuration the heat transfer is
approximately 80–100% larger compared to the heat transfer
values of smooth helical tubes.
A correlation was established for prediction of the Nusselt
number as follows:
 0:166

0:192
h p
Nu ¼ 0:5855Dn0:6688 Pr 0:408 ð38Þ
d d
which is valid for 30 o Dn o1400 and 3 o Pr o 30.
Chingulpitak and Wongwises [48] investigated the effects of
coil diameter and pitch on the flow characteristics of alternative
refrigerants flowing through the adiabatic helical capillary tubes.
Schematic diagram of an adiabatic helical capillary tube is shown
in Fig. 11. Different conventional and alternative refrigerants were
used as working fluids. The authors found that the conventional
refrigerants had lower capillary lengths than alternative refriger-
ants and that the coil diameter variation (less than 300 mm) for
helical capillary tube geometries affected the length of helical
Fig. 11. Schematic diagram of an adiabatic helical capillary tube [48].
capillary tubes. Also, the results indicated that the pitch variation
(more than 300 mm) had no significant effect on the length of
helical capillary tubes.
Rennie and Raghavan [49] studied the residence time, resi-
dence time distribution, temperature distribution and processing
uniformity in a double-pipe helical heat exchanger. The outer tube
had an inner diameter of 0.1 m and a pitch of 0.115 m. Two inner
tube sizes were modeled, with outer diameters of 0.04 and 0.06 m,
both with wall thicknesses that were 15% of the diameter and a
pitch of 0.115 m. The length of the heat exchangers from inlet to
outlet was 5.03 m (one full revolution). The radius of curvature of
ð37Þ
the tubes was 0.8 m. Water was used as working fluid. The Rey-
nolds numbers were in the range of 255–2656 in the inner tube
and 33–1062 in the annulus. The obtained results showed that the
residence time distributions became more uniform with increased
flow rates in both the inner tube and in the annulus, and that the
temperature uniformity in the inner tube increased with increas-
ing flow rate. Also, the results indicated that changing the flow
rate in the annulus, for a constant flow rate in the inner tube, affect
the uniformity. Similar results were found for the annulus.
Di Piazza and Ciofalo [50] used the ANSYS CFX code to simulate
turbulent flow and heat transfer in helically coiled pipes. The
simulations were performed in the following conditions: Reynolds
number between 14,000 and 80,000, Prandtl number in the range
0.7–5.6 and the coil curvature between 0.003 and 0.3. The
authors used different alternative turbulence models, namely k
ε,
SSTk
ω and RSM
ω. The results showed that the SSTk
ω and
RSM
ω models give comparable results for the friction coefficient
and the Nusselt number, the latter being slightly better in pre-
dicting details of velocity and temperature profiles when com-
pared with direct numerical simulations. The standard k
ε model,
with a near-wall treatment equivalent to using classic wall func-
tions, yields a severe underprediction of both friction factor and
Nusselt number.
Jayakumar et al. [51] used the FLUENT code for the study the
influence various parameters (coil pitch, pipe diameter, pitch circle
diameter and void fraction at the inlet) on heat transfer and
pressure drop in helical pipes. They found that the pitch circle
diameter and pipe diameter of the helical coil and void fraction at
inlet have significant effect on the heat transfer and pressure drop
and, hence any established correlation for the heat transfer and
the pressure drop should into account these parameters.
Chingulpitak and Wongwises [52] presented a numerical study
of the flow characteristics of refrigerants flowing through adiabatic
helically coiled capillary tubes. Their results showed that the
predicted values agree well with the experimental data available
in literature for R-22, R-407C and R-410A refrigerants.
Colorado et al. [53] developed a physical model to describe the
thermo-fluid-dynamic behavior of a helically coiled steam gen-
erator foreseen for advanced nuclear reactor applications. The
authors were compared physical model with the results of an
experimental campaign carried out at SIET labs (Italy). Comparisons
 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347
Fig. 12. Outlet temperature and heat flux obtained from experiments against simulated for helical coil in oil and glycerol/water solution [54].
of the steady-state simulated data with two-phase pressure drop
measurements (both under diabatic and adiabatic conditions) have
shown satisfactory agreement throughout the range of the experi-
mental findings.
In another study, Colorado et al. [54] presented a method to
predict the outside Nusselt number for natural convection heat
transfer from helical heat exchanger in oil and glycerol/water solu-
tion using an artificial neural network (ANN). ANN model considers
Prandtl number, Rayleigh number, helical diameter and coils turns
number as input parameters and Nusselt number as output para-
meter. The obtained results were compared with the experimental
results indicating a good degree of agreement (Fig. 12).
Mirgolbabaei et al. [55] studied the influence of the tube dia-
meter, coil pitch and shell-side mass flow rate on shell-side heat
transfer coefficient of the heat exchanger. Heat exchange from the
hot fluid inside the helical pipe to the cold fluid in the shell was
modeled with convective heat transfer in the tube, conduction
through the tube wall and convective heat transfer to the shell
fluid. Water was used as working fluid. The simulations were
performed in the following conditions: the shell-side mass flow
rates in the range 0.03–0.09 kg/s, the coil-side mass flow rate was
considered constant 0.03 kg/s, the inlet temperature of the coil
80 °C and the inlet temperature of the shell-side fluid 20 °C. The
results indicated that the coil pitch has significant effect on shell-
side heat transfer coefficient. With increasing dimensionless coil
pitch the heat transfer coefficient decreases while with increasing
the pitch to 2 tube diameters, heat transfer coefficient is increased.
Also it was concluded that heat transfer coefficient decreases by
increasing the tube diameter for the same dimensionless coil
pitch. Finally, a new correlation was proposed:
 
0:769
Dt
NuLn ¼ 0:073 Re0:005
Ln Pr 0:15 0:231
Ln RaLn ð39Þ
Dc
which is valid for 40 o ReLn o 205 and 8  106 o RaLn o2:2  108 .
Mehrabi et al. [56] studied the heat transfer and fluid flow
characteristics of helicoidally double-pipe heat exchangers using
Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). The analyses
were performed in the following conditions: the Prandtl numbers
6.99, 12.8, 30.2 and 70.3, the coil pitch 1.51, 1.91, 2.31, and 2.71 cm,
and flow rates between 100 and 700 cm3/min. The results this
study indicates are the high ability of ANFIS network for modeling
the more complicated engineering processes in which there is no
obvious mathematical relationship to express their behavior.
Kim et al. [57] presented a numerical study on the similarity of
the developing laminar flows in helical. The numerical simulations
1337
were performed for the modified Dean number in the range of 20–
400. They found that the development of friction factor and flow
pattern along with the characteristic parameters is not sig-
nificantly affected by the variations of Reynolds number, dimen-
sionless pitch, or curvature ratio at a given condition of modified
Dean number and inlet velocity profile. Finally a new correlation
for the fully developed angles of laminar flows in helical pipes was
proposed:
pffiffiffi
ϕf d ¼ ϕc;f d  δ ð40Þ
and
  
Dn þ
ϕc;f d ¼ 750 1
exp
ð41Þ
100
which is valid for 20 oDn þ o 400.
Colorado et al. [58] developed a physical model to describe heat
transfer and fluid-dynamic behavior inside a helical double pipe
vertical condenser. The numerical model developed is based on
the applications of governing equations and used general empiri-
cal correlations. The results showed that the variation of mass flow
rate in the internal pipe induces important changes on the heat
flux that the pressure and temperature.
Thermal fluid dynamics analyses on single- and two-phase
flows in helical pipes of steam generators were studied by Castiglia
et al. [59]. The goal of the analyses was to show that the RELAP5
code which based on one-dimensional thermal–hydraulic rela-
tionships is adequate to describe single and two-phase flows in
compact heat exchangers helical pipes. Therefore, the RELAP5 was
modified through additional correlations valid for single-and two-
phase flow phase flow. Experimental data was used for validate
the modified RELAP5 code.
Natural convection induced heat transfer over the outer surface
of helically coiled-tube heat exchangers has been numerically
studied by Zachár [60]. Seven types of coils with different con-
figurations were studied and the working fluid was water. The
numerical analyses were conducted in the range of Reynolds
number 4000–45,000. The results indicate that the outer side heat
transfer rate is slightly dependent on the inner flow rate of any
helical tube in case of increasing temperature differences between
the tank working fluid temperature and the coil inlet temperature.
Ferng et al. [61] proposed a computational fluid dynamics
methodology to investigate effects of different Dean number and
pitch size on thermal–hydraulic characteristics in a helically coil-tube
heat exchanger. The geometrical dimensions of the helically coil-tube
heat exchanger were the following: the coiled pipe diameter (d) of
1338 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347
18 mm, the coil diameter (D) of 224 mm, and the pitch sizes of 112,
78.5, 52, 39.2 mm. The simulations were performed for turbulent
flow, and water was used as working fluid. The numerical results
were validated by the experiments performed of [12,15,23].
Zhou et al. [62] developed a model for the thermodynamic
optimization of the tube-in-tube helically coiled heat exchangers.
This model was based on available work loss minimization. The
results showed that the larger outer tube diameters within the
given range are accompanied with the lower available work loss.
Also, results indicated that the heat exchanger flow length can be
optimized by selecting the suitable inner tube number with an
appropriate inner tube diameter for given outer tube geometries.
The developed model and obtained results can be useful for
designing such heat exchangers for cryogenic applications in
Joule–Thomson refrigerators.
Zachár [63] presented and numerically investigated a new tube-
in-tube helical flow distributor design to improve temperature
stratification inside hot water storage tanks operated with coiled-
tube heat exchangers. Two different gaps between the inner surface
of the helical flow distributor and the outer surface of the helical
pipe are examined to gather information about the stratification
improvement ability of the flow distributor. It is found that the
Nusselt number values in the case of the tube-in-tube flow dis-
tributor were strongly dependent on the gap between the outer
surface of the heat exchanger coil and the inner surface of the helical
distributor. Also, the results revealed that the buoyancy induced
velocity field inside the helical flow distributor has a significantly
different secondary flow field than the secondary flow field of the
common helical tube heat exchangers.
Lin et al. [64] investigated the flow and heat transfer char-
acteristics of helically coiled tube heat exchangers applied in high
temperature gas reactors with different numbers of turns using
Navier–Stokes equations with different turbulence models: low-
Reynolds k
ε, realizable k
ε and Reynolds stress turbulence
models. Each coiled tube was constructed by bending a straight
tube into coiled tubes with 7, 10 and 15 turns that correspond to
pitch sizes of 112 mm, 78.5 mm, and 52 mm, respectively. The
simulations were performed in the following conditions: water
(flowing through tube) and helium (flowing through the shell
side) were used as working fluids; fully developed profile of the
turbulent flow, for water-Reynolds number, the mass flow rate and
temperature were 28,900, 0.1163 kg/s, and 377 K, respectively; for
helium-Reynolds number, the mass flow rate and temperature
were of 14,800, 0.14333 kg/s and 973 K, respectively. The results
showed that a larger pitch between coils enhances heat transfer in
both tube and shell sides and that the lower thermal efficiency
was obtained for heat exchangers with fewer turns that exhibit
higher heat transfer ability, but a smaller heat transfer area. Also,
the low-Reynolds model exhibits larger turbulence intensity
around the coil-tube, which strongly enhances the thermal effi-
ciency in the preheating section.
Zareh et al. [65] developed a drift flux model for simulation of the
refrigerant flow in helical tube, using modified friction factor equa-
tion. R134a and R12 refrigerants were used as working fluids. The
results showed that for the same length and under similar condi-
tions, the mass flux through helical tube with coil diameter 40 mm
was about 11% less than that of the straight capillary tube, where the
Table 2
The correlations for membrane helical-coil heat exchangers.
Sl. No. s1 =d Single-side heating
1. 2 Nu ¼ 0:4942Re0:7155 Pr 0:85
2. 1.6 Nu ¼ 0:2625Re0:7274 Pr 0:85
where s1 is radial pitch between membrane helical coils and serpentine tubes (mm) and d is external diameter of tube (mm).
length of helical tube was reduced about 14% compared with the
straight one in order to meet the same required refrigerant mass
flux. Also, the results indicated that, for the same mass flux of R22
flow, the length of coiled capillary tube with coil diameter of 40 mm
is 30% and 36% less than the length of helical capillary tubes with coil
diameters 80 mm and 100 mm, respectively.
Fully developed incompressible viscous flow inside a helical
annulus using a projection algorithm based on a second order
finite difference was numerically investigated by Nobari and
Malvandi [66]. The effects of torsion, curvature, aspect ratio and
Reynolds number on the fluid field characteristics involving the
axial flow, secondary flow pattern and friction factor were studied.
The numerical results indicated that a decrease in the aspect ratio
and torsion number leads to the increase of the friction factor at a
given Dean number.
Fernández-Seara et al. [67] studied the heat transfer and
pressure drop in a vertical helical coil heat exchanger (HCHE)
located inside a fluid storage tank. Water was used as working
fluid. The results showed that the Nusselt number, calculated with
the outer tube diameter as the characteristic length, improves by
increasing the outer tube diameter. Moreover, the heat transfer
was independent of the other geometric parameters for a given
value of inner heat exchanger area. The numerical results were
validated with experimental data obtained from an own facility
with two helical coil heat exchangers tested under several oper-
ating conditions.
2.1.3. Analytical studies
Shokouhmand and Salimpour [68] analytically investigated the
fully developed laminar flow and heat transfer in a helically coiled
tube with uniform wall temperature. Water and air were used as
working fluids in turbulent flow. They found that the increase of
Reynolds number will increase the entropy generation due to
pressure loss, while the entropy generation due to heat transfer is
decreased. Also, optimum Reynolds numbers decrease as curvature
ratio increases except in the low ranges of curvature ratio where
transition to turbulent flow occurs. Finally, new correlations for
optimum Reynolds number were proposed using least square
analysis:
1. for air:
 
0:53

0:45 β2
Reopt ¼ 2100β 1 δ
0:19 ð42Þ
10
10
Table 3
The correlations for membrane serpentine-tube heat exchangers.
Crt. No. s1 =d Double-side symmetrical Double-side asymmetrical
heating heating
1. 2 Nu ¼ 0:3328Re0:6073 Pr 1=3 Nu ¼ 0:3036Re0:6057 Pr 1=3
where s1 is radial pitch between membrane helical coils and serpentine tubes
(mm) and d is external diameter of tube (mm).
Double-side symmetrical heating Double-side asymmetrical heating
Nu ¼ 0:2861Re0:7217 Pr 0:85 Nu ¼ 0:1709Re0:7559 Pr 0:85
Nu ¼ 0:1785Re0:7322 Pr 0:85 Nu ¼ 0:1826Re0:7157 Pr 0:85
 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347 1339

Table 4
Nusselt number and friction factor correlations.

Sl.no. Nusselt number correlations Friction factor correlations Remarks

1. Nu ¼ 1:5Dn0:827 δ0:0008 ϕ1:1694 f ¼ 0:559Dn0:0376 δ0:18 ϕ1:164 Horizontal position 1600 o Dn o 4000
2. Nu ¼ 1:28Dn1:1 δ0:9617 ϕ1:0987 f ¼ 0:034Dn0:412 δ0:085 ϕ1:212
3. Nu ¼ 3:67Dn0:67 δ0:009 ϕ1:004 f ¼ 0:602Dn0:0794 δ0:20 ϕ1:177 Vertical position 1600 o Dn o 4000
4. Nu ¼ 0:48Dn1:23 δ0:99 ϕ1:0721 f ¼ 0:051Dn0:902 δ1:001 ϕ1:15

for water:
 
0:53

0:05 β2
Reopt ¼ 1790β1 δ
0:02
10
10
β1 ¼ μ4kC p dimensionless parameter
β2 ¼ 32ρ2μa2 kT w dimensionless parameter:
3
A predictive numerical model to describe heat transfer and fluid-
dynamic behavior of a helical double-pipe (tube-in-tube) vertical
evaporator, used in the frame of heat pump technology, was pre-
sented by Colorado et al. [69]. The proposed model is aimed at
optimizing and controlling the whole heat pump system. More-
over, commercial software can be successfully applied over helical
systems.
The avoidable exergy destruction for steady, laminar, fully
developed forced convection in a helical coiled tube with uniform
wall temperature was analyzed analytically by Bahiraei et al. [70].
Water was used as working fluid in laminar flow. The results
indicated that the optimum Dean number increases with the
increment of temperature difference, and of Prandtl number and
decreases with increase in Duty parameter. Finally, two correla-
tions for optimum Dean number were proposed:
 
0:7952
Dnopt γ
¼ 9:1912δ Pr 1:5280 θ ψ
0:0745 1:2935
1:2412
6
12
10 10
valid for 0:016 r δ r 0:083
 
1:0985
Dnopt
0:1049
¼ 42:6281δ Pr 2:1371 θ ψ
1:8320
1:9799
106
valid for 0:083 r δ r 0:167
2.2. Spirally coil tubes
Compared to the numerous investigations in the helically
coiled tubes, there are few studies on the heat transfer in the
spiral-coil heat exchangers in available literature [71–81]. Thus,
Naphon and Suwagrai [74] experimentally and numerically stu-
died the effect of curvature ratios on the heat transfer and flow
developments in the horizontal spirally coiled tubes. The spirally
coiled tubes were tested for three different curvature ratios, 0.02,
0.04 and 0.05, under constant wall temperature. Water was used
as working fluid in turbulent flow. The experiments were per-
formed in the following conditions: inlet-cold water temperature
between 20 °C and 25 °C, inlet-hot water temperature in the range
45–60 °C, and cold water mass flow rate between 0.02 and 0.16.
The results showed that the centrifugal force was significant effect
on the developments and distributions temperature and flow in
the spirally coiled tube. Therefore, the Nusselt number and pres-
sure drop obtained from the spirally coiled tube were 1.49, 1.50
times higher than those from the straight tube, respectively.
Khan et al. [75,76] experimentally investigate the flow of R-
134a inside an adiabatic and diabatic spirally coiled capillary tube
with various geometric parameters. The experiments were per-
formed for three diameters of capillary tube (1.12 mm, 1.40 mm
and 1.63 mm), three coil pitches (20 mm, 40 mm and 60 mm) and
six capillary lengths (2.4 m, 3.2 m, 4.0 m, 4.8 m, 5.6 m and 6.4 m).
They found that the coil pitch has an significantly effects on of the
ð43Þ mass flow rate of R-134a through the adiabatic spiral capillary
tube (Fig. 13) and, also, that the effect of coiling of capillary tube
reduces the mass flow rate by 5–15% as compared to those of the
straight capillary tube operating under similar conditions.
Mittal et al. [77] studied the effect of the pitch of spiral on the
mass flow rate of refrigerant and of capillary tube length using a
homogenous model including the metastable liquid region. R22,
R407C and R410A refrigerants were used as working fluids. The
numerical results were validated with those from Khan [75]. They
found that the mass flow rate increases with increase of pitch, and
that the flow characteristics of R22 and R407C are quite similar at
the same condenser pressure and same degree of subcooling. Lee
[78] studied on the air-side heat transfer characteristics of spiral-
type circular fin-tube heat exchangers used as evaporators in
household refrigerators.
Yoo et al. [79] numerically studied horizontal spiral coils of six
turns in which radius of curvature was increased exponentially
with the polar angle. They found that the effect of Reynolds
number was stronger than that of the curvature.
A numerical study of laminar flow heat transfer in-plane spiral
ducts with rectangular, square, triangular, trapezoidal, circular and
half circular cross sections, and compared them to straight ducts of
the same cross sections and at the same length as the coiled ducts
ð44Þ
was performed by Sasmito et al. [80]. The results revealed that the
in-plane spiral ducts have higher heat transfer performance than
γ
straight ducts.
10
12
The convection heat transfer and the laminar friction losses in
ð45Þ
combined entry region of horizontal spiral tube coils were numeri-
cally investigated by Altaç and Altun [81]. Water and air were used as
working fluids. The simulations were performed for four different
curvature ratios (2.5, 5, 7 and 17). The results showed that the cen-
trifugal force and the secondary flow have significant effects on the
enhancement of heat transfer and the friction losses.
2.3. Other
Conté and Peng [82,83] numerically investigated the flow
behavior and its influence on the temperature distribution and
heat transfer in rectangular coiled pipes. The simulation was per-
formed for four rectangular coiled pipes at three different Rey-
nolds numbers (300, 700 and 1400) and four different straight-
tube angles of inclination (9°, 15°, 30° and 45°). The results showed
that the temperature distributions were affected by the flow pat-
terns. Also, high heat transfer performances were observed for the
coil with smaller angle of straight tube inclination.
Salimpour [84] experimentally studied the heat transfer in shell
and helically coiled tube heat exchangers. The experiments were
performed for three heat exchangers with two coil pitches (0.113
and 0.157). Water as used as working fluid. The results showed
that the shell-side heat transfer coefficients of the coils with larger
pitches are higher than those for smaller pitches. Two correlations
to predict the inner and outer heat transfer coefficients of the
1340 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347
coiled tube heat exchangers were proposed:
Nui ¼ 0:152Dn0:431 Pr 1:06 γ
0:277
Nuo ¼ 19:64Re0:513
o Pr 0:129 γ 0:938
Conté and Peng [85] numerically and experimentally investi-
gated of convective heat transfer from a single round pipe coiled in
rectangular pattern (Fig. 14). Water was using as working fluid. The
simulations were performed in the following conditions: for hot
water which flowing through tube: Reynolds number, Re¼151,
inlet velocity, V¼ 0.1 m/s, and the temperature T¼ 318 K; for cold
water which flowing over the coiled pipe: the Reynolds number
Re¼201, the velocity V ¼0.2 m/s and the temperature T¼294 K.
Also, simulations and experiments were performed for two cases
with different outside flow arrangements, namely staggered and
in-line arrangement. The results of both numerical and experi-
mental investigations showed the effects of geometric arrange-
ment with better heat transfer for the staggered arrangement due
mainly to its more tortuous flow characteristics and better mixing
of the exterior fluid.
Vashisth and Nigam [86] numerically investigated the local
variables and interfacial phenomena for air–water flow system in
coiled tubes. The simulations were performed in the following
conditions: Reynolds number in the range 20–2000, curvature
ratio 10, 30 and 50, dimensionless pitch 0.0318, 0.047, 0.064 and
0.0796. The results showed that the curvature of the coil cause
substantial asymmetry in the radial distribution of the main flow
velocity (Fig. 15) and the effect of pitch were found to reduce the
magnitude of average friction factor at different axial locations
down the length of the coiled tube. Finally, a new correlation to
determine the entry length of flow taking into account both the
Fig. 13. Effect of coil pitch and capillary tube length on refrigerant mass flow rate [75].
Fig. 14. Simulated model of the studied heat exchanger [85].
ð46Þ
ð47Þ
Fig. 15. Effect of curvature ratio on the development of axial velocity profile in
horizontal centerline [86].
phases in coiled tubes was proposed:

0:152
LTP;coil ¼ 0:65ðDnTP Þ0:3 Dc λ ð48Þ
and
0:3
LTP;coil 0:181 DnTP
¼ 0:85λ 0:33
ð49Þ
LSP;coil Dn
valid for 0:003 r V SL r0:5 m=s and 0:045 r V SG r 1:45 m=s.
Nobari et al. [87] analyzed the developing flow and heat
transfer in a curved annular pipe using projection method based
on the second order finite difference discretization to solve the
governing equations including continuity, full Navier–Stokes, and
energy equations. They concluded that the friction factor and
Nusselt number in the curved annular pipe are both proportional
to the square root of Dean Number. In another study, Nobari and
Amani [88] studied developing flow and heat transfer in a curved
pipe for two thermal boundary conditions considering the range of
Dean numbers 76–522 at the two Prandtl numbers of 0.5 and 1.
Later, Nobari and Mehrabani [89] studied the fluid flow and heat
transfer in eccentric curved annuli using a second order finite
difference method based on the projection algorithm. The analyses
were performed for different eccentricities (0.05, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5,
0.7 and 0.8) and different curvatures ratios of eccentric curved
annulus (0.54, 0.74, 1.3, 2.4, 7.5 and 15). The results showed that
the heat transfer rate can be augmented in the eccentric curved
annuli at the large Dean numbers depending on the eccentricity
and the curvature ratio.
Heat transfer of pressurized coal gasifier convection cooling
section with the membrane helical coils and membrane serpentine
tubes (Fig. 16) under high pressure was experimentally investi-
gated by Yang et al. [90] and numerically by Zhao [91]. Water in
helical coil, He, N2 and the gas mixture (molar ratio N2:
He¼2:1) outside the helical coil were used as the working fluids.
The experiments were performed in the following conditions: the
pressure in the range 0.5 MPa and 3.0 MPa, the temperature
between 150 °C and 450 °C and the Reynolds number from 3900
to 300,000. The experimental results showed that the working
pressure, gas composition and symmetry of flow around the coil
affect the convection heat transfer coefficient for high pressure
gas. Also, the results revealed that the heat transfer coefficients of
heat exchanger with membrane helical coils were greater than
that of the heat exchanger with serpentine tubes under the same
heat transfer conditions (Tables 2 and 3).
 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347
Fig. 16. Geometrical configurations of (a) membrane helical coil and (b) membrane
serpentine tubes [90].
Genic´ et al. [92,93] experimentally studied of the shell-side
thermal performances of heat exchangers with helical tube coils.
Water was used as working fluid. The experiments were per-
formed for the following conditions: the Reynolds number
between 1000 and 9000, the Prandtl number in the range 2.6 and
6.0 and the hydraulic diameter between 9.1 and 18.3 mm. From
obtained results was found that the shell-side heat transfer coef-
ficients can be based on shell side hydraulic diameter, so that a
new correlation for the Nusselt number was proposed:
 0:14
Nu ¼ 0:50Re0:55 Pr 1=3 η=ηw
valid for 1000 r Re r 9000, 2:6 r Pr r 6:0 and 9:1 r dh r18:3 mm.
Di Liberto and Ciofalo [94] numerically studied the fully
developed turbulent flow and heat transfer in curved pipes. Water
was used as working fluid. The simulations were performed for
three curvatures 0 (straight pipe), 0.1 and 0.3, for Reynolds num-
bers between 12,630 and 17,350 and for a Prandtl number of 0.86.
The results indicated that in curved pipes, time averaged results
exhibited Dean circulation and a strong velocity and temperature
stratification in the radial direction. Also, turbulence and heat
transfer were strongly asymmetric, with higher values near the
outer pipe bend.
Ghobadi and Muzychka [95] experimentally investigated the
effect of curvature on the heat transfer in curved tubes with a
constant length and different curvatures. Water and three low
viscosity silicone oils were used as working fluids. The experi-
ments were performed in the following conditions: the Prandtl
numbers between 5 and 40, the Reynolds number in the range 7–
2000, and the surface temperature of 40 °C. The results indicated
that the heat transfer was increased by decreasing the radius of
curvature, and increasing the length at the same curvature, results
in significantly increasing the total heat transfer. Also, the results
revealed that the entrance effect dominates the augmentation in
short lengths; however the secondary flow effect becomes greater
by increasing the curved tubing length.
Jamshidi et al. [96] experimentally studied the effects of shell
and tube side flow rate, coil diameter and coil pitch on heat
transfer rate in coiled tube heat exchangers (Fig. 17) using Wilson
plot and Taguchi method. The experiments were performed in the
following conditions: the coil diameter between 0.0813 m and
0.116 m, the coil pitches in the range 0.013–0.018 m, tube and shell
flow rates from 1 to 4 LPM, Dean number between 1000 and 2800.
The results showed that the higher coil diameter, coil pitch and
mass flow rate in shell and tube can enhance the heat transfer rate,
and also, the contribution ratio obtained by the Taguchi method
showed that shell side flow rate, coil diameter, tube side flow rate
and coil pitch were the most important design parameters in
coiled heat exchangers.
1341
Fig. 17. Test section of shell and coiled tube heat exchanger [96].
Tanaka et al. [97] numerically studied the heat transportation
through oscillatory flow in curved tubes. Water was used as
working fluid in laminar flow. The simulations were performed for
frequencies of the oscillatory flow in the range 0.1–2.0 Hz and the
curvature ratio ranging from 0.0125 to 0.075. The results indicated
that the dispersion of fluid particles due to secondary flow caused
the enhancement of heat transportation.
ð50Þ 2.4. Conclusions
A comprehensive review on heat transfer and flow character-
istics with different conventional fluids (water, air, kerosene,
ethylene glycol, glycerol, ethylene glycol–water mixture, refriger-
ants (HFC-134a, R-407C, R12, R22 and R123a), and non-Newtonian
fluids (dilute aqueous polymer solutions of sodium carboxymethyl
cellulose (SCMC), sodium alginate (SA), solutions of carbox-
ymethylcellulose (CMC), aqueous solutions of xanthan gum (XG))
based on experimental, numerical and analytical investigations in
helically coiled tubes, spirally coiled tubes and other curved tubes
is present. Experiments were performed in both laminar and tur-
bulent flow regimes. Most of the studies showed that the heat
transfer coefficient and the frictional pressure drop in curved
tubes were higher than in straight heat exchangers. Also, the
results indicated that in helical tube heat exchangers with helically
corrugated wall configuration, the heat transfer coefficient is
approximately 80–100% larger compared to the heat transfer
values of smooth helical tubes. Moreover, the results reveal that
the diameters ratio (D/d0) and pitch ratio (P/d0) have important
effects on the average heat transfer coefficient. New correlations
for the friction factor, the two-phase frictional multiplier, the heat
transfer coefficient, the mass transfer coefficients, the Nusselt
number, the Reynolds number, the Dean number were proposed.
3. Nanofluids
Heat transfer can be enhanced by employing various techni-
ques and methodologies, such as increasing the heat transfer
surface or the heat transfer coefficient between the fluid and the
surface. In the recent years, the intensification of the heat transfer
has been reported due to the use of nanofluids. The most
remarkable characteristics of these fluids comprise improved heat
transfer features, such as thermal conductivity and convective heat
transfer coefficient in comparison to the base fluid.
1342 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347
3.1. Helically coiled tubes
3.1.1. Experimental studies
Suresh et al. [98] studied the convective heat transfer and
friction factor characteristics in the plain and helically dimpled
tube under turbulent flow. Constant heat flux was adopted as
thermal boundary condition. Water and copper oxide nano-
particles (CuO) were used as working fluid. CuO nanoparticles of
15.3 nm size were synthesized by the sol–gel method. The effects
particle concentration (0.1 vol%, 0.2 vol% and 0.3 vol%) and of the
dimples were examined. The experiments were performed for the
Reynolds number in the range 2500–6000. The results showed
that the Nusselt number with dimpled tube and nanofluids was
about 19%, 27% and 39% (for 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3% volume con-
centrations respectively) higher than the Nusselt number obtained
with plain tube and water. Also, the pressure loss of the nanofluids
increase slightly compared with that of distilled water. Finally, two
correlations for the Nusselt number and the friction factor were
proposed:
 
80:78
p2:089
Nu ¼ 0:00105Re0:984 Pr 0:4 1 þ ϕ 1þ ð51Þ
d
Pakdaman et al. [99,100] investigated the thermo-physical
properties, the heat transfer and the pressure drop of MWCNT/
oil nanofluids flow inside vertical helically coiled tubes. Constant
wall temperature was adopted as thermal boundary condition. The
experiments were carried out on oil-based Walled Carbon Nano-
Tube (MWCNT) nanofluids containing 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.4% by
weight nanoparticles at 40–70 °C. The results illustrated that
suspending nanoparticles in the base fluid enhances its thermo-
physical properties noticeably. The presented results showed, also,
that the high overall performance index of up to 6.4 was obtained
for the simultaneous utilization of both heat transfer enhancement
techniques (nanofluid and helical coil). Behabadi et al. [101]
investigated heat transfer using Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes
(MWCNT) dispersed in heat transfer oil flow in a vertical helical
coil. The results revealed that nanofluid flows showed much
higher Nusselt numbers compared to the base fluid flow.
Kannadasan et al. [102] performed a comparison of heat
transfer and pressure drop characteristics in a helically coiled heat
exchanger held in horizontal and vertical positions. The experi-
ments were carried out on water-based copper oxide (CuO)
nanofluids containing 0.1% and 0.2% by volume nanoparticles and
the Dean number between 1600 and 4000. The results revealed
that the Nusselt number for the nanofluid with of 0.2% volume
concentration was 47% when compared to water in horizontal
position and of 48% in vertical position, which means that no are
difference between horizontal and vertical arrangements. The
results showed, also, the friction factor increases while increasing
particle volume concentration. Finally, two correlations for the
Nusselt number and the friction factor were developed (Table 4):
Hashemi and Akhavan-Behabadi [103] studied pressure drop
and heat transfer characteristics inside horizontal helically coiled
pipe. Constant heat flux was adopted as thermal boundary con-
dition. Oil and copper oxide (CuO) were used as working fluid. The
experiments were performed for nanofluids with the weight
concentrations of 0.5%, 1% and 2%, and the Reynold number
between 10 and 100. They defined a parameter called performance
index so as to find the optimum work conditions of two enhanced
heat transfer techniques, nanofluid and helical pipe. The results
showed that the nanofluids have better heat transfer character-
istics when they flow in helical tube rather than in the straight
tube. Compared to base oil flow, maximum heat transfer
enhancement of 18.7% and 30.4% was obtained for nanofluid flow
with 2 wt% concentration inside the straight tube and helical tube,
respectively. A new correlation for the Nusselt number was
proposed:
 0:180
Nu ¼ 41:730Re0:346 Pr
0:286 1 þ ϕ ð52Þ
the applicable in the range o ϕ o 2:0%, Re o125, 700 o Pr o2050.
Kahani et al. [104] performed a comparative study between
metal oxide nanopowders on thermal characteristics of nanofluid
flow through helical coils. Constant heat flux was adopted as
thermal boundary condition. Water and Al2O3 and TiO2 nano-
particles with diameters of 35 nm and 50 nm respectively were
used as working fluids. The experiments were performed for the
Reynolds number between 500 and 4500, and for the nano-
particles concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 vol%. The results
showed that for both tested nanofluids, the convective heat
transfer coefficient and the pressure drop increases with increas-
ing nanoparticle concentrations as well as Reynolds number, but
Al2O3/water nanofluids showed more enhancements compared
with TiO2/water. Finally, two correlations for the Nusselt number
and one correlation for the pressure drop were proposed:
Nusselt number correlations:
1. for TiO2/water nanofluids:
Nu ¼ 0:5He0:522 Pr 0:613 ϕ
0:0815
ð53Þ
2. for Al2O3/water nanofluids:
Nu ¼ 0:7068He0:514 Pr 0:563 ϕ
0:112
ð54Þ
the applicable in the range: 0:25% o ϕ o 1:0%, 115:3 o He
o 1311:4, 5:89 oPr o 8:95.
Pressure drop correlation:
Δp ¼ 5:584He1:36 ϕ0:446 d0:163 ð55Þ
p
This correlation is valid for metal oxide (spherical and shape
nanoparticle)/water nanofluids with ϕ o1:0%, 115:3 o Heo
1311:4, 35 nm o dp o 50 nm
Akbaridoust et al. [105] experimentally and numerically stu-
died the convective heat transfer and the pressure drop inside in
helically coiled tubes using dispersion model. Constant wall tem-
perature was adopted as thermal boundary condition. Water and
CuO nanoparticles with the diameter of 68 nm and with 0.1% and
0.2% volume concentration were used as working fluid. They found
that the homogeneous model noticeably predicted lower
enhanced heat transfer compared to the experimental results,
therefore the model was modified to be applicable for helical
tubes. The presented results showed, also, that the heat transfer
coefficient and pressure drop of nanofluids increase by increasing
the particles concentration.
The performance of an agitated helical coil heat exchanger, in
terms of the energy consumed to heat another fluid, was investi-
gated by Srinivas and Vinod [106]. The experiments were per-
formed for water and Al2O3 nanoparticles with diameters of 20–
30 nm and with the weight concentrations of 0.15%, 0.3%, 0.45%,
0.6% and 0.75%. The results showed that the energy savings were
more in laminar and turbulent conditions of flow than transition
regime, and percentage savings increase with increase in nano-
particles concentration.
Wu et al. [107] investigated the pressure drop and heat transfer
in a double-pipe helical heat exchanger. Water and alumina
nanoparticles (Al2O3) with mean diameter of 40 nm were used as
working fluid. The experiments performed for the nanoparticles
concentrations of 0.78 wt%, 2.18 wt%, 3.89 wt%, 5.68 wt% and
7.04 wt%, in both laminar flow and turbulent flows. The results
indicated that the heat transfer enhancement was between 0.37%
and 3.43% for the constant flow velocity basis for both laminar and
turbulent flows. Finally, a new correlation for the Nusselt number
 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347
in laminar flow was proposed:
0:775 0:4
Nu ¼ 0:089Dn Pr
applicable for 100 o Dn o 1300, 4:0 o Pr o 7:0 and ϕ o 2:0%
The effect of two different techniques of heat transfer
enhancement, namely nanofluidics and helical coiling on the
convection heat transfer were studied by Kahani et al. [108]. Water
and multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) with weight con-
centrations of 0.1%, 0.3% and 0.5% were used as working fluid. The
results revealed that by increasing the Reynolds number or of the
weight concentration of nanofluid, the Nusselt number increases
considerably. Also, they concluded that the helical coiling techni-
que showed better performance than nanofluidics. Also, the same
team of researches [109] studied the influence of curvature ratio
and coils pitch on the heat transfer and the pressure drop inside of
the helical coils. Water and alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles with
volume concentrations of 0.25% and 1.0% in laminar flow were
used as working fluid. The experiments were performed for coils
with the curvature ratio of 10 and 20 and the coil pitch 24 and 42.
The results showed that the heat transfer rate improved with the
increase of pitch coils and decrease of curvature ratio.
3.1.2. Numerical studies
The heat transfer characteristics of a double tube helical heat
exchanger were investigated under laminar flow conditions by
Huminic and Huminic [110]. Water and CuO and TiO2 nano-
particles with diameters of 24 nm and with volume concentrations
between 0.5% and 3.0% were used as the working fluid. The results
showed that for 2% CuO nanoparticles in water, the heat transfer
rate of the nanofluid was approximately 14% greater than of pure
water, but the enhancement begins to worsen because higher
particle concentration leads to higher viscosity.
Jamshidi et al. [111] performed a study concerning the heat
transfer and the pressure drop inside helical coils (Fig. 18). Water
and alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles with volume concentrations of
1%, and 2% were used as working fluids. Constant wall tempera-
ture was adopted as thermal boundary condition. The simulations
were performed in laminar flow. For finding the optimum condi-
tion (coil diameter, coil pitch and mass flow rate), the Taguchi
method was used. The results indicated that the nanofluids
enhance the thermal–hydraulic performance of helical coils and
that the most important design parameters were coil diameter and
coil pitch, respectively.
The effects of the geometrical parameters of helically coiled
tube heat exchanger (the helix radius, helix pitch, annulus dia-
meter and inner tube diameter) on heat transfer and fluid flow
characteristics were studied by Mohammed and Narrein [112].
Water and copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles with the diameter of
25 nm and with a volume concentration of 4% were used as
working fluid. It was concluded that the heat transfer can be
enhanced by reducing the helix radius, increasing the inner tube
diameter and decreasing the annulus diameter. The presented
Fig. 18. The geometry and design parameters of helical tubes [111].
1343
results showed, also that the pressure drop increased as the helix
radius was reduced and decreased as the inner tube diameter was
ð56Þ
increased. The same team of researchers [113] studied the effects
of different nanoparticles types (Al2O3, SiO2, CuO, ZnO), with dia-
meters between 25 nm and 80 nm and volume concentrations of
nanoparticles in the range 0% and 4% in different types of base
fluids (water, ethylene glycol, engine oil), on the hydraulic and
thermal characteristics in helically coiled tube heat exchangers
under laminar flow conditions. The results showed that nanofluids
can enhance the thermal properties and the performances of the
helically coiled tube heat exchanger but it is accompanied with a
slight increase in pressure drop. Also, they found that the Nusselt
number was highest using CuO–water nanofluid and the rotation
can enhance heat transfer rates.
The effects of nanoparticle volume concentrations and curva-
ture ratio of the helically coiled tube-in-tube heat exchangers on
the heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics were investi-
gated by Aly [114]. Water and alumina nanoparticles (Al2O3) with
the diameter of 40 nm and with volume concentrations of 0.5%,
1.0% and 2.0% in turbulent flow were used as working fluid. It was
concluded that the heat transfer coefficient increases by increasing
the coil diameter and nanoparticles volume concentration. Also,
the results showed that the friction factor increases with the
increase in curvature ratio and pressure drop penalty was negli-
gible with increasing the nanoparticles volume concentration
(Fig. 19).
3.1.3. Analytical studies
Khairul et al. [115] studied the effects of volume flow rate,
nanoparticles volume fraction, mass flow rate, density, thermal
conductivity, Reynolds number and Nusselt number on heat
transfer coefficient and entropy generation rate of the helically
coiled heat exchangers. Water and CuO, Al2O3 and ZnO nano-
particles with volume concentrations of between 1% and 4% were
used as working fluids. They found that CuO/water nanofluids
increase the heat transfer coefficient and decrease the entropy
generation about 7.14% and 6.14% respectively.
3.2. Spirally coiled tubes
Jamal-Abad et al. [116] experimentally investigated the heat
transfer coefficient and friction factor of the nanofluids flowing in
a spiral coil in the laminar flow. Constant wall temperature was
adopted as thermal boundary condition. Water and copper (Cu)
and aluminum (Al) nanoparticles with volume concentrations of
0.55%, 1.12%, and 2.23% were used as working fluids. The results
indicated that the use of nanofluids with the higher concentration
provides considerably higher Nusselt numbers and pressure drop
penalty was negligible with increasing the nanoparticles volume
concentration. They concluded that applying spiral coil was a more
effective than using of the nanofluids to enhance the convection
heat transfer coefficient.
Sasmito et al. [117] numerically studied the laminar flow
nanofluids in square cross section tubes, i.e., straight, conical
spiral, in-plane spiral and helical spiral (Fig. 20). Water and CuO
and Al2O3 nanoparticles with volume concentrations between 1%
and 3% were used as working fluids. The result revealed that
adding 1% nanoparticle volume concentration improves heat
transfer performance and the figure of merit for all tubes. Also,
Al2O3/water nanofluids gives slightly better heat transfer perfor-
mance than CuO/water nanofluids in coiled tubes.
3.3. Other
Akbarinia and Behzadmehr [118] numerically studied the
effects of particles concentration on the hydrodynamic and
1344 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347
Fig. 19. Curvature effect on heat transfer and friction factor [114].
Fig. 20. Computational domain for (a) straight tube, (b) conical spiral tube, (c) in-
plane spiral tube, and (d) helical spiral tube [117].
thermal parameters of fully developed laminar mixed convection
of a nanofluid in a horizontal curved tube. Water and alumina
(Al2O3) nanoparticles with volume concentrations between 1% and
4% were used as working fluids. They concluded that increasing
nanoparticles concentration had a positive effect on the heat
transfer enhancement. Also, Akbarinia [119] numerically studied
the effect of laminar flow mixed convection of nanofluids in hor-
izontal curved tubes. The results revealed that the nanoparticle
volume concentration does not affect the secondary flow, axial
velocity and skin friction factor. Later, Akbarinia and Laur [120]
numerically investigated the effect of solid particles diameter on a
laminar nanofluid flow in a curved tube using a two phase
approach and control volume technique. The particles diameters
considered were 10 nm, 80 nm, 300 nm, 3 μm, and 30 μm. The
results indicated that the increase of the diameter of nanoparticles
did not change the flow behavior.
Ghaffari et al. [121] numerically studied the turbulent mixed
convection of a nanofluid in a horizontal curved tube. Water and
alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles with the diameter of 28 nm were
used as working fluids. The results showed that the nanoparticle
volume fraction does not have a direct effect on the secondary
flow and the skin friction coefficient, but its effects on the thermal
parameters and flow turbulent intensity are significant.
The effects of buoyancy force, magnetic force and centrifugal
force on the hydrothermal behavior of kerosene based ferrofluid
flow in a vertical tube using the two phase mixture model were
numerically studied by Aminfar et al. [122]. Water and Fe3O4
nanoparticles with a volume concentration of 4% were used as
working fluids. They concluded that the heat transfer coefficient
can be enhanced using the curved tube instead of straight tube,
adding magnetic nanoparticles to the base fluid and applying
external magnetic field. Also, obtained results revealed that the
heat transfer was enhanced due to the secondary flow augmen-
tation and thermal conductivity improvement.
3.4. Conclusions
A comprehensive review on heat transfer and flow character-
istics with different types of nanofluids based on experimental,
numerical and analytical investigations in helically coiled tubes,
spirally coiled tubes and other curved tubes is present. Nanofluids
used as working fluids were CuO/water, Al2O3/water, MWCNT/
water, MWCNT/oil, TiO2/water, ZnO/water, Cu/water, Al/water and
Fe3O4/water. Experiments were performed in both laminar and
turbulent flow regimes with constant heat flux and constant wall
temperature boundary conditions. The results showed that the
heat transfer coefficient and the pressure drop increases with
increasing nanoparticles concentrations as well as Reynolds
number. Also, some studies reported that the heat transfer rate
increases with the increasing of pitch coil and decreasing of
curvature ratio.
4. Future directions and challenges
Curved tubes and nanofluids are two different techniques to
enhance the thermal performances of the heat exchangers. The
performed studies in curved tubes showed that the heat transfer
rate is higher compared to the straight tubes. This is the main
reason of their use in engineering applications. Despite the fact
that the use of the nanofluids in curved tubes is limited, the stu-
dies showed a significant enhancement of the thermal perfor-
mances of the heat exchangers. The stability of the nanofluids and
a high cost of their production are the main challenges for an
intensive application of the nanofluids in thermal systems.
The additions of surfactants, the surface modification, pH
control of the nanofluids or the ultrasonic treatment are currently
used to prepare a stable nanofluid in long-term. Thus, the devel-
opment of new methods for the nanofluids production, using less
expensive equipments represents a key objective in this field.
Because the improving of the convective heat transfer in heat
exchanger with nanofluids is also accompanied by an increase of
 G. Huminic, A. Huminic / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 58 (2016) 1327–1347
the pressure drop, and consequently, by an increase of necessary
pumping power, more studies are necessary for a comprehensive
understanding of the phenomena inside the curved tubes as well
as the flow and heat transfer mechanism of the nanofluids.
5. Conclusions
This paper presents a review of the research recent results of
heat transfer and flow characteristics of curved tubes using con-
ventional fluids and nanofluids as working fluids. The curved tubes
were divided into three groups: helically coiled tubes, spirally
coiled tubes and other curved tubes, according with configurations
of the tube curvature. The paper presents experimental, numerical
and analytical published studies in literature. The following con-
clusions were identified:
1. Most experimental and numerical studies regarding the heat
transfer and flow in curved tubes are the studies in helically
coiled tubes. Compared with these studies, only few studies on
the heat transfer in the spiral-coil heat exchangers were in
available literature.
2. Most correlations for prediction of the Nusselt number and the
friction factor were developed for helically coiled tubes.
3. The thermo-hydrodynamic performances of curved pipes will
be enhanced by the use nanofluids.
4. The heat transfer coefficients of nanofluids were found to be
larger than that of conventional fluids. Also, the friction factor
and pressure drop of nanofluids were larger than the conven-
tional fluids.
5. Because many studies have been performed using conventional
fluids to study the heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics in
curved tubes need more studies concerning the use nanofluids
in curved tubes.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by a grant of the Romanian National
Authority for Scientific Research, CNCS – UEFISCDI, Project no. PN-
II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0275.
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