Example:

Estimate the tube bundle length required for a U-Tube steam generator having the following characteristics.

Primary Coolant Flow Rate 61 x 106 lbm/hr

Tube Side Inlet Temperature 595 F
Tube Side Outlet Temperature 540 F
Secondary (shell) Side Pressure 830 psia
Number of Tubes 8519
Tube Outer Diameter 0.75 inches
Tube Wall Thickness 0.048 inches
Tube Thermal Conductivity 10 Btu/hr-ft-F

SOLUTION

The total heat transfer rate through the steam generator is given by

Q mC p T UA Tm
such that
Q
UA
Tm

In addition, we have
n
UA
1 1 r 1
ln o
hi Ai 2 KL ri ho Ao

n
UA
1 1 r 1
ln o
hi 2 ri L 2 KL ri ho 2 ro L

2 nL
UA
1 1 r 1
ln o
hi ri K ri ho ro

from which L can be determined.

Fluid Properties

The primary side fluid properties are taken at the average fluid temperature and a pressure of 2000 psia.

595 540
Tave 570 F
2

C p = 1.31 Btu/lbm-F
k = 0.319 Btu/hr-ft-F
= 0.2265 lbm/hr-ft

Log Mean Temperature Difference

At a secondary side pressure of 830 psia, the saturation temperature is 522.4 F.

124
 Th2 Tsat Th1 Tsat
Tm
ln Th2 Tsat / Th1 Tsat

Th2 Th1
Tm
ln Th2 Tsat / Th1 Tsat

540 595
Tm 38.3F
ln 540 522.4 / 595 522.4

Convective Heat Transfer Coefficient

The tube side convective heat transfer coefficient can be obtained from the Dittus-Boelter correlation

0.8 0.3
hi Di Gi Di Cp
0.023
k k

m m 61 10 6
Gi 3.069 10 6 lbm hr - ft 2
Ax n Di2 4 (8519)( )(0.654 12) 2 / 4

0.8 0.3
(0.319) (3.069 10 6 )(0.654 12) (1.31)(0.2265)
hi 0.023 6506Btu hr - ft 2 - F
(0.654 12) 0.2265 0.319

Boiling Heat Transfer Coefficient

The boiling heat transfer coefficient is computed using the Jens-Lottes correlation

exp(4 P / 900) 4
q 10 6 Tw Tsat
60 4
such that
exp(4 P / 900) 3
ho 10 6 Tw Tsat .
60 4

The calculation of the boiling heat transfer coefficient is complicated by the nonlinearity in tube wall temperature
which is unknown. We can estimate the boiling heat transfer coefficient by making some reasonable estimate of the
wall temperature however, and for this example assume

Tw Tsat (0.5) Tm 542F

giving for the boiling heat transfer coefficient

exp(4 830 / 900) 3

ho 10 6 542 522 24,691Btu hr - ft 2 - F
60 4

Tube Bundle Length

The UA value is found from the total heat transfer rate and the LMTD

125
 Q mC p T
UA
Tm Tm

(61 10 6 )(1.31)(595 540)

UA 113.14 10 6 Btu hr - F .
38.8

The bundle length is then obtained from the UA value through the relationship.

2 nL UA 1 1 r 1
UA L ln o
1 1 r 1 2 n hi ri K ri ho ro
ln o
hi ri K ri ho ro

113.14 106 1 1 0.75 1

L ln 44 ft
2 (8519) (6506)(0.654 / 24) 10 0.654 (24,691)(0.75 / 24)

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