HEAT EXCHANGERS

• DEFINATION:
Equipment which transfer the energy from hot
fluid to cold fluid with maximum rate and
minimum investment.
• APPLICATION OF HEAT EXCHANGER
 Intercooler and preheaters.
 Condensers and boiler in steam power plant.
 Automobile radiators.
 Oil coolers of heat engine.
 TYPES OF HEAT EXCHANGERS
• Heat exchangers are classified based on the
nature of process, relative direction of fluid
motion, design and constructional features
and physical state of the fluid.
1) Nature of heat exchange process :
 Direct contact heat exchangers.
 Indirect contact heat exchangers.
 DIRECT CONTACT HEAT EXCHANGERS
• In direct contact or open heat exchangers the
exchange of heat take place by direct mixing
of hot and cold fluid and transfer of heat and
mass take place simultaneously.
• The used of such unit is made where mixing of
two fluid is harmless or desirable.
• EXAMPLES
 Cooling towers
 Jet condensers
 INDIRECT CONTACT HEAT EXCHANGERS

• Heat transfer between two fluid is carried out

by transmission through the wall which
separate the two fluids. This type include
 Regenerators
 Recuperators or surface exchangers
• REGENERATORS
In regenerator type of heat exchanger the hot
and cold fluid pass alternately through a space
containing solid particle (matrix) ,these
particle alternately provide sink and source of
heat flow.
• EXAMPLES
 open hearth and glass melting furnace.
 Air heater and blast furnace.
• A performance of the regenerator is affected
by following parameter.
 heat capacity of regenerating material
 The rate of absorption
 The release of heat.
• ADVANTAGES:
 High heat transfer coefficient
 Less weight per kw of the plant
 Minimum pressure loss
 Quick response to load variation
 Efficiency quite high
(b) RECUPERATORS
In this type the flowing fluid exchanging heat
are on either side of dividing wall .These heat
exchanger are used when two fluid cannot be
allowed to mix.
• EXAMPLES
 Automobile radiator
 Oil cooler, Inter cooler, Air pre heater,
Economisers of a steam power plant.
 Evaporator of ice plant
• ADVANTAGES:
 Easy construction.
 More economical.
 More surface area for heat transfer.
 Much suitable for stationary plant.
• DISADVANTAGES:
 Less heat transfer coefficient.
 Less generating capacity.
 Sooting problems.
RELATIVE DIRECTION OF FLUID MOTION

• According to relative direction of two fluid

stream the heat exchangers are classified into
three categories.
 parallel flow or unidirectional flow
 counter flow
 cross flow
• PARAELL FLOW HEAT EXCHANGERS
• In parallel flow heat exchangers ,the two fluid
travel in the same direction.
• The two stream enter at one end and leave at
other end.
• It is evident from the figure the temperature
difference between hot and cold fluid goes on
decreasing from inlet to outlet.
• Since this type of heat exchanger need a large
area of heat transfer ,hence they are rarely
used.
• COUNTER-FLOW HEAT EXCHANGER
• In counter flow heat exchanger the two fluid
flow in opposite direction.
• The hot and cold fluid enter at the opposite
ends.
• The temperature difference between two
fluids remain more or less nearly constant.
• Due to counter flow it give maximum rate of
heat transfer for a given surface area.
• Hence such heat exchanger are more favored
for heating and cooling of the fluids.
• CROSS FLOW HEAT EXCHANGER:
• In cross flow heat exchanger two fluid cross
one another usually at a right angle.
• EXAMPLE
 cooling unit of refrigeration system
 automobile radiators.
 DESIGN & CONSTRUCTIONAL FEATURES
i) CONCENTRIC TUBES
• In this type two concentric tubes are used each
carrying one of the fluid.
• The direction of the flow may be parallel or counter
flow.
• The effectiveness of heat exchanger may be
increased by using swirling flow.
SHELL AND TUBE HEAT EXCHANGER
2) SHELL AND TUBE
 In this heat exchanger one of the fluid flow
through bundle of tube enclosed by a shell.
 The other fluid flow over the outside surface
of the tube.
 With the used of multiple tube heat transfer
rate is improved due to increase in surface
area.
3) MULTIPLE SHELL AND TUBE PASSES
 It is used for enhancing overall heat transfer.
 It is possible where the fluid flowing through
the shell is re routed.
 It reroute the fluid through tube in opposite
direction.
MULTIPLE SHELL AND TUBE PASSES
4) COMPACT HEAT EXCHANGER:
 These are special purpose heat exchanger and
have very large transfer surface area per unit
volume of heat exchanger.
 They are employed when convective heat
transfer coefficient associated with 0ne of the
fluid is much smaller than associated with
other fluid
 LOGARITHMIC MEAN TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE (LMTD)

• DEFINATION
 It is define as that temperature difference
which if constant would give the same rate of
heat transfer as actually occur under variable
condition of temperature difference.
 The larger the LMTD, the more heat is
transferred
• ASSUMPTION:
 The overall heat transfer coefficient U is
constant.
 The flow condition are steady.
 The specific heat and mass flow rate are
constant.
 There is no loss of heat to the surrounding as
heat exchanger being perfectly insulated.
 Change in potential and kinetic energy are
negligible.
 No change of phase of either of the fluid during
heat transfer.
• LOGARITHMIC MEAN TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE
FOR PARALLEL FLOW.
let us consider an elementary area dA of the heat
exchanger. The rate of flow of heat through this
elementary area is given by
dQ = U.dA (th-tc) = U.dA.Δt
As a result of heat transfer dQ through the area
dA , the hot fluid is cooled by dth and the cold
fluid is heated up by dtc. The energy balance of
the differential area dA may be written as
dQ = -mh.cph.dth = mc.cpc.dtc = U.dA (th-tc)……(1)
 or
dQ dQ
dth = - =-
mh.cph Ch
dQ dQ
dtc = - =-
mh.cpc Cc
Where,
Ch = mh.cph= heat capacity or water equivalent
of hot fluid.
Cc = mh.cpc= heat capacity or water equivalent
of cold fluid.
• mh & mc are the mass flow rate of the fluid and
cph &cpc are the respective specific heat.
Therefore
�1 1 �
dth - dtc = -dQ � + �
�Ch Cc �

�1 1 �
dq = - dQ � + �
�Ch Cc �
substituting the value of dQ from equation (1)

�1 1 �
dq = -U .dA.(th - tc ) � + �
�C h Cc �
 �1 1 �
dq = -U .dA.q � + �
�Ch Cc �
dq �1 1 �
= -U .dA � + �
q �C h Cc �
Integrating between inlet and outlet conditions
A= A
dq
2
�1 1 �
�
1
q
= - � + ��
�Ch Cc �A=0
U .dA

�q2� �1 1 �
ln � �= -U . A � + �
�q 1 � �Ch Cc �
• Now the total heat transfer between the two
fluid is given by

Q = Ch.(th1 - th 2) = Cc.(tc 2 - tc1)

Or
1 th1 - th 2
=
ch Q

1 tc 2 - tc1
=
Cc Q
• Substituting the value of 1/ch &1/cc in
equation
�q2� �1 1 �
ln � �= -U . A � + �
�q 1 � �Ch Cc �

�q2� th1 - th 2 tc 2 - tc1 �

�
ln � �= -U . A � + �
�q 1 � �Q Q �

�q 2 � U .A U .A
ln � �= ( th 2 - tc 2 ) - ( th1 - tc1) �
�
� �= (q 2 - q 1)
�q 1 � Q Q
 U . A(q 2 - q 1)
Q=
�q2�
ln � �
�q 1 �
The above equation can be written as

where Q = U . A.q m
(q 2 - q 1)
qm =
�q2�
ln � �
�q 1 �