HX3 Cross-flow Heat Exchanger

Group B26
Sean Pick 160296361
Mustafa Al Islam 160111879
Date: 19/04/18

The aim of this experiment was to show how the geometry of a cross-flow heat exchanger affects the
degree of heat transfer by variating turbulence. This was achieved by calculating the heat transfer for
6 individual positions in the heat exchanger using a constant temperature heated element controlled by
varying the voltage and using a fan to cool the tube. Increasing fan speed caused an increase in heat
transfer due to the higher turbulence around the tube. It was found that the highest heat transfer had
taken place in positions 3,4,5 & 6 due to this phenomenon. The scattered tube geometry in the heat
exchanger utilises the disturbance from the first tube to induce a larger heat transfer by subsequent
tubes.

Contents
Nomenclature .......................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 2
Error Analysis ......................................................................................................................................... 3
Results and Discussion ........................................................................................................................... 3
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................. 7
References ............................................................................................................................................... 7
Appendix ............................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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Nomenclature

Q – Heat Transfer
Q’’ - Flux
V – Voltage
R – Resistance = 67.1 Ω
d – Diameter of Active Element = 15.8mm
As - Heated Surface Area of Active Element = 2.482x10-3m2
Ad – Duct Cross Sectional Area = 9.75x10-3m2
At – Minimum Flow Area through Plain Tube Bundle = 4.160x10-3m2
U – Mean Surface Heat Transfer Coefficient
V – Duct Air Velocity
V’ - Effective Air Velocity
T1 – Element Temperature
T2 – Air Temperature
H – Depression
Pat- Atmospheric Pressure = 10332.2755mmH2O
μ – Kinematic Viscosity of Air at 22°C = 1.5111x10-5 m2s-1

Introduction

Cross-flow heat exchangers are used in a variety of industrial applications such as heating and air-
conditioning in plants which is why it is important to have the most efficient configuration of them as
they function on electricity thus saving money on operating costs. A method of understanding them in
this experiment is by having 6 removable tubes in heat exchanger and placing a heated element into
one of them to represent hot liquid traveling through the tube and using a fan to blow air over the
tubes. Temperature of the heated element was kept constant and the velocity of the air varied. To keep
the temperature of the element constant when the fan speed changed or when the heated element was
placed into the next row the voltage had to be changed too.

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Error Analysis

A source of uncertainty in this procedure could be found in the reading of the monometer, as this was
done by eye. As a result, the duct air velocity could vary from results obtained, subsequent
calculations using this value would then increase or decrease the Reynolds number found.

Results and Discussion

𝑉2 392
Using Ohm’s Law: 𝑄 = = = 22.7𝑊
𝑅 67.1
𝑄 22.7
Flux: 𝐴 = 2.482×10−3
= 9146𝑊𝑚−2
𝑠

𝑄′′ 9146
Mean Surface Heat Transfer Coefficient: 𝑈 = (𝑇 −𝑇 ) = (94−20.8) = 125𝑊𝑚−2 𝑘 −1
1 2

𝐻∙𝑇2 1.5×20.8
Duct Air Velocity: 𝑉 = 74.294√ 𝑃 = 74.294√10332.2755 = 4.08𝑚𝑠 −1
𝑎𝑡

𝐴 0.00975
Effective Air Velocity: 𝑉 ′ = 𝑉 × 𝐴𝑑 = 4.08 × 0.00416 = 9.57𝑚𝑠 −1
𝑡

𝑉′∙𝑑 9.57×0.00158
Reynolds Number: 𝑅𝑒 = = = 1000.6
𝜇 0.000015111

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Position Depression Element Air Voltage Heat Heat Flux Heat Air Velocity Reynolds
/H2O Temperature Temperature /V Transfer /Wm2 Transfer /ms-1 Number
/°C /°C Rate /W Coefficient
/Wm-2K-1
Position 1 1.5 94.0 20.8 39.0 22.7 9146 125 9.57 1000.6
2.5 95.3 21.1 40.4 24.3 9790 132 12.44 1300.7
3.5 96.2 21.6 41.7 25.9 10435 140 14.89 1556.9
4.5 96.1 21.5 42.7 27.2 10959 147 16.85 1761.8
7.5 93.4 21.7 43.4 28.1 11322 158 21.85 2284.6
Position 2 1.5 95.9 21.9 42.5 26.9 10838 146 9.82 1026.8
2.5 95.0 21.8 44.0 28.9 11644 159 12.65 1322.7
3.5 94.0 22.0 45.8 31.3 12611 175 15.03 1571.5
4.5 94.5 22.0 47.6 33.8 13618 188 17.04 1781.7
7.5 94.5 22.0 50.0 37.3 15028 207 22 2300.3
Position 3 1.5 92.0 22.2 46.5 32.2 12973 186 9.89 1034.1
2.5 95.5 22.4 50.4 37.9 15270 209 12.82 1340.5
3.5 95.6 22.4 51.3 39.2 15794 216 15.17 1586.2
4.5 94.4 22.4 52.4 40.9 16479 229 17.2 1798.4
7.5 97.6 22.5 55.4 45.7 18413 245 22.25 2326.5
Position 4 1.5 95.0 22.4 47.6 33.8 13618 188 9.93 1038.3
2.5 95.5 22.4 47.9 34.2 13779 188 12.82 1340.5
3.5 94.0 22.5 51.4 39.4 15874 222 15.2 1589.3
4.5 95.0 22.4 53.0 41.9 16882 233 17.2 1798.4
7.5 94.8 22.4 55.0 45.1 18171 251 22.2 2321.2
Position 5 1.5 96.6 22.2 47.9 34.2 13779 185 9.89 1034.1
2.5 95.0 22.6 49.6 36.7 14786 204 12.88 1346.7
3.5 95.3 22.2 50.9 38.6 15552 213 15.1 1578.8
4.5 96.0 22.5 51.6 39.7 15995 218 17.24 1802.6
7.5 95.3 22.4 53.9 43.3 17446 239 22.2 2321.2
Position 6 1.5 92.3 22.0 46.0 31.5 12691 181 9.84 1028.9
2.5 94.0 22.0 49.0 35.8 14424 200 12.7 1327.9
3.5 95.0 22.1 50.1 37.4 15068 207 15.07 1575.7
4.5 96.0 22.2 51.1 38.9 15673 212 17.12 1790.1
7.5 95.3 22.0 53.2 42.2 17002 232 22 2300.3

(Table 1: detailing the results gathered by the experimental procedure, including values determined by further calculation.)

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 Scatter Graph of Heat Transfer Coefficient vs Reynolds Number
2500

2300

2100

1900
Reynolds Number

1700

1500

1300

1100

900

700

500
100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260
Heat Transfer Coefficient

Position 1 Position 2 Position 3 Position 4 Position 5 Position 6

(figure 1: illustrating Reynolds number against the heat transfer coefficient for each of the positions
of the heating element in the heat exchanger)
Heat Transfer Coefficients appear to increase as the Reynolds Number increases for a single tube row.
This is due to turbulence increasing around the tube when the fan speed increases which aids heat
transfer from the element to the air. Turbulence aids heat transfer because in turbulent flow more air
particles collide with each other so more energy per unit time is transferred. This would not occur if
the flow was laminar (where the trend lines would be near vertical) as there would be limited
turbulence so there would have limited heat transfer between particles until the flow regime moved
into the turbulent region (Islam et al 2014).
Heat Transfer coefficient increases as the tube rows move down because the first tube behaves similar
to cross-flow over a single cylinder so there is not much turbulence, however this first tube creates a
wake that extends down to the 2nd tube row down. In this wake, there is a high amount of turbulence
that aids in heat transfer as explained above. As the tube rows move down though this wake from the
first tube becomes thinner and thinner and this is why the heat transfer coefficient reaches a maximum
as the tube rows go down as seen on figure 2 (HIWADA et al., 1979).
This design is ideal for a heat exchanger because it induces the maximum turbulence in this
configuration, however would not be ideal for a fluid that causes a lot of fouling as it is hard to clean.

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Conclusions
In conclusion, it was discovered that the configuration of the staggered tubes encourages turbulent
streams of air after interacting with the first and second tubes, leading to higher heat transfer
coefficients due to increased interaction between molecules in this phenomenon. Although trends
between Reynolds number and heat transfer coefficients were able to be observed from the
methodology provided, it does not offer much in terms accuracy as repeats were not obtained.
Resulting in the case of position 4 having largely inaccurate values for its heat coefficient. To improve
on this, repeating for more results and obtain an average of these values to ensure higher accuracy

References

Islam, Muhammed & Alam, Zafor & Yousuf Mia, Md & Rahman, Kazi. (2014). SIMULATION ON
HEAT TRANSFER ENHANCEMENT IN A CIRCULAR TUBE FOR LAMINAR FLOW WITH AND
WITHOUT INSERT. 10.13140/2.1.4640.5440.
HIWADA, M., TAGUCHI, T., MABUICHI, I. and KUMADA, M. (1979). Fluid Flow and Heat
Transfer around Two Circular Cylinders of Different Diameters in Cross Flow. Bulletin of JSME,
22(167), pp.715-723.

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