CALCULATIONS OF THE LMTD FOR A SHELL AND TUBE EXCHANGER
Amboang, Novieniel M.
Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, MSU- Iligan Institue of Technology,
Philippines
Abstract
The experiment was to study and perform the functions of the shell and tube heat
exchanger. The values for the inlet and outlet temperatures of the hot and cold fluids and the
intermediate temperatures of the heat exchanger were used to obtain the log mean temperature
difference (LMTD). In this experiment, the counter current flow of the exchanger was observed
with the heating tank at 45°C and 60°C. After conducting three trials, results showed that the
average log mean temperature difference for the 45°C and 60°C heating tank teperatures were
7.68°C and 13.58°C with 2.20% and 3.66% difference from the worksheet values, respectively.
Keywords: LMTD, heat exchanger, countercurrent flow
1. Background
A heat exchanger is a device that is used and developed for transfer of energy in the form
of heat from one fluid to another at different temperatures. The main function of heat exchanger is
to either remove heat from a hot fluid or to add heat to the cold fluid. There are many different
types of heat exchangers, each having various applications. For this experiment, the Shell and Heat
Tube exchanger is used. It consists of a group of tubes inside the heat exchanger and traversed
baffles. There were two separated fluids which are at different temperatures flowing through the
heat exchanger; one was through the internal tubes and the other through the shell. The direction
of fluid motion inside the shell and tube heat exchanger can normally categorised as parallel flow,
counter flow and cross flow. In this experiment, the counter-current flow is used to determine the
log mean temperature difference (LMTD) based on the inlet and outlet fluid temperatures. The
LMTD is the maximum mean temperature difference that can be achieved in any geometry of heat
exchanger for any given set of inlet and outlet temperatures.
Figure 1. Temperature profile in counter-flow single pass heat exchangers.
For LMTD is expressed as:
∆𝑇1 − ∆𝑇2
∆𝑇𝑙𝑚 =
∆𝑇
𝑙𝑛 𝑙𝑛 ∆𝑇1
2
Where ∆𝑇1 = 𝑇ℎ,𝑖 − 𝑇𝑐,𝑜 and ∆𝑇1 = 𝑇ℎ,𝑜 − 𝑇𝑐,𝑖 .
Analysing the LMTD of this experiment is based on the following assumptions; (1) heat
exchanger is at a steady-state, (2) heat exchange with the surroundings is negligible, (3) there is a
linear relationship between specific enthalpy and temperature for both streams and (4) Overall heat
transfer coefficient is independent of the fluid temperature and position within the heat exchanger.
2. Methods
The valves for hot and cold circuit was correctly positioned for the practical exercise in counter
flow configuration. The heating tank was filled with water until the water level is above the level
switch AN-1. Heating element AR-1 was then switched on and the temperature of the heating tank
was set in ST-16 to 60°C. Then the impeller pump AB-1 was turned on and a flowrate for the hot
circuit was set in SC-1. The flowrate for the cold circuit was adjusted in SC-2 with VR-2 until the
system stabilizes at a temperature of 60°C in ST-16. The temperature measurements in ST-1, ST-
2, ST-3, ST-7, ST-16 was recorded. Water flowrates measurements in SC-1 and SC-2 was also
recorded. Steps were repeated while flow value of SC-1 and SC-2 were kept constant for different
water temperature in the tank ST-16: 60 degC. Finally, LMTD was calculated after recording the
values.
3. Results and Discussions
The experiment was done to test the principles of heat exchangers with counter-current
flow configuration specifically in the calculation of the logarithmic mean temperature difference
(LMTD), knowing the inlet and outlet temperature values of the fluids of the hot and cold circuits.
The data obtained from the experiment is presented in Appendix A and the average values shown
in Table 3.1 and 3.2 which are temperature readings from the corresponding sensor in the heat
exchanger setup for the inlet and outlet of the fluid streams with heating tank temperature of 45°C
and 60°C respectively are used in the succeeding calculations.
Table 3.1 Average Inlet and Outlet Temperature Readings with
Heating Tank Temperature of 45°C
Hot Circuit, °C Cold Circuit, °C
Inlet, th,in Outlet, th,out Inlet, tc,in Outlet, tc,out
40.80 37.97 27.13 35.60
Table 3.2 Average Inlet and Outlet Temperature Readings with
Heating Tank Temperature of 60°C
Hot Circuit, °C Cold Circuit, °C
Inlet, th,in Outlet, th,out Inlet, tc,in Outlet, tc,out
53.93 49.20 27.03 46.37
The log mean temparature difference (LMTD) can be calculated using Equation 1,
t1 t2
LMTD
t
ln 1
t2 (Eq. 1)
where t1 = th,in – tc,in and t2 = th,out – tc,out for parallel flow
t1 = th,in – tc,out and t2 = th,out – tc,in for countercurrent flow
The configuration is in countercurrent flow thus for a heating tank temperature of 45°C,
t1 = th,in – tc,out
= 40.80 – 35.60
t1 = 5.20 °C
t2 = th,out – tc,in
=37.97 - 27.13
t2 = 10.84 °C
Using equation 1,
t1 t2
LMTD
t
ln 1
t2
5.20 10.84
5.20
ln
10.84
LMTD 7.68C
The same calculation was done to solve for the LMTD value of the heating tank
temperature of 60°C and the results are summarized in Table 3.3.
The difference between the calculated values with the values shown in the worksheet which
are 7.51 °C and 14.10 °C for heating tank temperature of 45°C and 60°C respectively are
calculated.
For 45°C,
7.51 7.68
%difference 100 2.20%
7.51
And for 60°C,
14.10 13.58
%difference 100 3.66%
14.10
Table 3.3 Calculated LMTD Values
Heating Tank LMTD, °C Worksheet %Diff
Temperature, °C Value, °C
45 7.68 7.51 2.20
60 13.58 14.10 3.66
The slight deviation can be traced back to the heat flow loss which includes the losses in
overcoming the resistances of the hot fluid limit layer, separation wall and cold fluid limit layer
from the hot to the cold fluid describing the equipment efficiency. The log mean temperature
difference (LMTD) or the logarithmic mean of the driving force suggests otherwise the larger the
LMTD, the more heat is transferred best describe in Equation 2.
q UAtlm (Eqn 2)
Where q represents the heat transferred per unit of time.
4. Conclusion
The main objective of this activity is to evaluate and calculate the logarithmic mean
temperature difference (LMTD) of a shell and tube heat exchanger, knowing the inlet and outlet
temperature values of the fluids of the hot and cold circuits. In this experiment, the water flows in
counter-current flow which results to a faster exchange of heat because as the two fluids flow
against or opposite to each other, it maintains a maximum temperature difference between the hot
and cold streams which allows for maximum and faster heat transfer. Theoretically, the amount of
heat released by hot water must equal the heat absorbed by the cold water QH=QC, however in this
experiment the results were different where QH ≠ QC, and this was due to some errors involved
during the experiment, such as heat flow loss. Based on LMTD calculations, for a heating tank
temperature of 45°C and 60°C respectively, a difference of 2.20% and 3.66% were attained.
Overall, the larger the LMTD, the more heat is transferred. Despite the experimental errors
observed, the experiment can still be considered successful as the objective was achieved.
5. References
Mean temperature difference. (n.d.). Retrieved from [Link]
[Link]
6. Appendices
A. Experimental Data
Hot Circuit, °C Cold Circuit, °C
Trial
Inlet Outlet Inlet Outlet
1 40.80 38.00 27.20 35.20
2 40.60 38.00 27.10 35.70
3 41.00 37.90 27.10 35.90
Average 40.80 37.97 27.13 35.60
Table 6.1 Inlet and Outlet Temperature Readings with Heating Tank Temperature of 45°C
Hot Circuit, °C Cold Circuit, °C
Trial
Inlet Outlet Inlet Outlet
1 54.00 49.70 27.00 45.90
2 54.10 49.50 27.00 46.10
3 53.70 48.40 27.10 47.10
Average 53.93 49.20 27.03 46.37
Table 6.2 Inlet and Outlet Temperature Readings with Heating Tank Temperature of 60°C
B. Documentation
Single Pass Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger
Counter-current Flow Configuration
Heating Tank