Modelling of power plants 29

stream and the energy equation for the metal wall:

Ow
ai~ + ~x = 0 (2.6)

A Oh Oh
P i - ~ - Ai~---Pt+ W~x = witPi (2.7)

dz Cf wlwl
ai ~x -'l-p Aig-~x + -~ooi--~i = O (2.8)

0Zw
AwpwCw ~ ----OgetPe -- O)i~0i (2.9)

where p, p, h, w are the density, pressure, enthalpy and mass-flow rate of the fluid
(depending on the tube abscissa x, 0 < x < L, and on the time t), Tw is the wall
(mean) metal temperature, ~oi the heat flux from the metal wall to the fluid, ~Pethe heat
flux from the external gas to the wall, Ai the tube (bundle) internal cross-section, o)i
the corresponding total perimeter, We the total external perimeter, z the tube height,
g the acceleration due to gravity, Cf a frictional coefficient, and Aw, Pw and Cw the
metal cross-sectional area, the density and specific heat capacity. Note that, in the
momentum equation, the effects of inertia and of kinetic energy variation along x
have been neglected, as normal.
To complete the model, a suitable correlation for evaluating ~0i is needed.
Assuming turbulent flow in the tubes, ~oi is usually expressed as:

qgi = yi(T - Tw) (2.10)

where T is the fluid temperature at (x, t) and Vi is the heat transfer coefficient for
turbulent internal flow (Incropera and Witt, 1985).
Since the pressure drop and mass storage in a heat exchanger tube have definitely
faster dynamics with respect to thermal energy storage, it is convenient to build the
model with the following approximations:
• The pressure p(x, t) can be considered 'nearly constant' along x, 0 < x _< L,
i.e. p(x, t) ~- p(L, t) :--- po(t), for the sake of the evaluation of p and Op/Ot in
equations (2.6)-(2.8).
• The mass flow-rate w(x, t) can be considered 'nearly constant' along x, 0 _<
x <_ L, i.e. w(x, t) ~- to(O, t) := wi(t), in equations (2.7) and (2.8).
Then, integrating equations (2.6) and (2.8) with respect to x, we obtain:

Ai -~ p "~dx-'l-ai ~P h dx - - : / / ) i - t o O d t (2.11)

Ai(Po - Pi) + Aig fOL P-~x

dz dx + -~--
Cf .--Twwilwil
(oi fo L -1 dx = 0 (2.12)
Z A . ~i P

where (8p/Oh)p and (Op/Op)h denote the partial derivatives of p with respect to the
thermodynamic state variables h and p.