APPLIED THERMODYNAMICS-HEAT EXCHANGERS 2025
NAKAWA VOCATIONAL TRAINING COLLEGE
NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
APPLIED THERMODYNAMICS 2025
SUB MODULE TWO: HEAT EXCHANGERS
2.1 INTRODUCTION
A ‘heat exchanger’ may be defined as an equipment which transfers the energy from a hot fluid
to a cold fluid, with maximum rate and minimum investment and running costs.
2.2 CLASSIFICATION OF HEAT EXCHANGERS
Heat exchangers are designed in so many sizes, types, configurations and flow arrangements and
used for so many purposes. These are classified according to heat transfer process, flow
arrangement and type of construction.
(A) According to Heat Transfer Process:
These are:
(i) Direct contact type heat exchanger. In this type of heat exchanger, the two immiscible fluids
at different temperatures are come in direct contact. For the heat exchange between two fluids, one
fluid is sprayed through the other. Cooling towers, jet condensers, desuperheaters, open feed water
heaters and scrubbers are the best examples of such heat exchangers. A direct contact type heat
exchanger (cooling tower) is shown in [Link].
(ii) Transfer type heat exchangers or recuperators. In this type of heat exchanger, the
cold and hot fluids flow simultaneously through the device and the heat is transferred through the
wall separating them. These types of heat exchangers are most commonly used in almost all fields
of engineering.
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(iii) Regenerators or storage type heat exchangers. In these type of heat exchangers, the
heat energy is transferred directly from one fluid to another across a solid surface, which is
alternatively in contact with both fluids. When hot fluid flows in an interval of time, it gives
its heat to the surface, which stores it in the form of an increase in its internal energy. This
stored energy is transferred to cold fluid as it flows over the surface in next interval of time. Thus
the same surface is subjected to periodic heating and cooling. In many applications, a rotating
disc type matrix is used, the continuous flow of both the hot and cold fluids are maintained.
These are preheaters for steam power plants, blast furnaces, oxygen producers, etc. A stationary
and rotating matrix shown in Fig. 14.2, are examples of storage type of heat exchangers.
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The storage type of heat exchangers are more compact than the transfer type of heat
exchangers with more surface area per unit volume. However, some mixing of hot and cold
fluids is always there.
(B) According to Constructional features:
These are:
(i) Tubular heat exchangers. These are also called tube in tube or concentric tube or double pipe
heat exchanger as shown in Fig. 14.3. These are widely used in many sizes and different flow
arrangements and type.
(ii) Shell and tube type heat exchangers. These are also called surface condensers and are
most commonly used for heating, cooling, condensation or evaporation applications. It consists of
a shell and a large number of parallel tubes housing in it. The heat transfer takes place as one fluid
flows through the tubes and other fluid flows outside the tubes through the shell. The baffles are
commonly used on the shell to create turbulence and to keep the uniform spacing between the tubes
and thus to enhance the heat transfer rate. They are having large surface area in small volume.
A typical shell and tube type heat exchanger is shown in Fig. 14.4.
The shell and tube type heat exchangers are further classified according to number of shell and
tube passes involved. A heat exchanger with all tubes make one U turn in a shell is called one
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shell pass and two tube pass heat exchanger. Similarly, a heat exchanger that involves two passes
in the shell and four passes in the tubes is called a two shell pass and four tube pass heat exchanger
as shown in Fig. 14.5.
(iii) Finned tube type. When a high operating pressure or an enhanced heat transfer rate is required,
the extended surfaces are used on one side of the heat exchanger. These heat exchangers are used for
liquid to gas heat exchange. Fins are always added on gas side.
The finned tubes are used in gas turbines, automobiles, aeroplanes, heat pumps, refrigeration,
electronics, cryogenics, air-conditioning systems etc. The radiator of an automobile is an example of
such heat exchanger.
(iv) Compact heat exchanger. These are special class of heat exchangers in which the heat
transfer surface area per unit volume is very large. The ratio of heat transfer surface area to the
volume is called area density. A heat exchanger with an area density greater than 700 m2/m3 is
called compact heat exchanger. The compact heat exchangers are usually cross flow, in which the
two fluids usually flow perpendicular to each other. These heat exchangers have dense arrays of
finned tubes or plates, where at least one of the fluid used is gas. For example, automobile radiators
have an area density in order of 1100 m2/m3.
(C) According to Flow Arrangement : These are :
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(i) Parallel flow. The hot and cold fluids enter at same end of the heat exchanger, flow through in
same direction and leave at other end. It is also called the concurrent heat exchanger.
(ii) Counter flow. The hot and cold fluids enter at the opposite ends of heat exchanger, flow
through in opposite direction and leave at opposite ends.
(iii) Cross flow. The two fluids flow at right angle to each other. The cross flow heat exchanger is
further classified as unmixed flow and mixed flow depending on the flow configuration. If both the
fluids flow through individual channels and are not free to move in trans- verse direction, the
arrangement is called unmixed as shown in Fig. 14.7 (a). If any fluid flows on the surface and
free to move in transverse direction, then this fluid stream is said to be mixed as shown in Fig.
14.7 (b).
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2.3 TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
The heat transfer from the hot to the cold fluid causes a change in temperature of one or both fluids
flowing through the heat exchanger. In some common cases, the temperature is plotted against the
distance from the cold fluid inlet in Fig. 14.8.
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From the temperature distributions for various types of heat exchangers, the common
observations are:
(i) In all other cases, the temperature difference between hot and cold fluids varies with the
position along the path of flow.
(ii) In counter flow arrangement, the temperature rise in the cold fluid is almost equal to
temperature drop in the hot fluid, if both fluids have equal heat capacity rate as shown in Fig. 14.8
(e).
2.4 HEAT EXCHANGER ANALYSIS
Heat exchangers usually operate for long periods of time without change in their operating
conditions. Therefore, they can be modelled as steady flow devices with the following
assumptions:
1. The mass flow rate of each fluid remains constant.
2. The fluid properties like temperature, velocity etc. at inlet and outlet also remain unchanged.
3. The changes in kinetic energy, potential energy, specific heat and conduction along the length
are negligible.
4. The outer surface of outer tube of heat exchanger is well insulated and it does not allow
any heat transfer to the surroundings, therefore, heat transfer occurs between hot and cold fluids
only.
5. No fluid is undergoing phase change within heat exchanger.
The first law of thermodynamics states that the rate of heat transfer from the hot fluid be equal to
the rate of heat transfer to the cold fluid.
The rate of heat transfer by hot fluid
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The rate of heat transfer to cold fluid
Usually, heat exchangers are analysed either for their size using log mean temperature difference
method or for their rating using effectiveness—NTU method.
2.5 LOG MEAN TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE METHOD
In tubular heat exchanger, the temperature difference between the hot and cold fluids varies as
fluids proceed in the heat exchanger, therefore, it is convenient to determine log mean
temperature difference ∆Tlm.
The total heat transfer rate between the hot and cold fluids can also be calculated by using overall
heat transfer coefficient and surface area as:
2.5.1 Parallel Flow Heat Exchanger
Consider a parallel flow double pipe heat exchanger as shown in Fig. 14.12.
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The temperature difference ∆T between hot and cold fluids is large at the inlet of heat exchanger
and it decreases exponentially towards the outlet. The temperature of hot fluid decreases and that
of cold fluid increases along the length of heat exchanger, thus the temperature of cold fluid can never
exceed that of hot fluid in any case.
Applying the energy balance to differential element between hot and cold fluids.
The rate of heat transfer δQ from hot fluids
The temperature difference of hot fluid is a negative, while temperature difference of cold fluid
is positive as shown in Fig.14.2. Let for differential surface area dA, the temperature ΔT between
hot and cold fluid is expressed as
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The ∆Tlm is called the log mean temperature difference, which is suitable form of temperature
difference for tubular heat exchanger. Where ∆T1 and ∆T2 represent the temperature difference
between hot and cold fluids at two ends (inlet and outlet) of a heat exchanger. It makes no
difference which end of heat exchanger is designed as inlet or outlet. In this book, ∆T1 and ∆T2
are designated as temperature difference at left and right ends, respectively.
Using eqn.(14.26), the heat transfer rate in double pipe heat exchanger can be expressed as
2.5.2 Counter Flow Heat Exchanger
In counter flow arrangement, the hot and cold fluids enter the heat exchanger from opposite ends,
two fluids flow in opposite direction. Therefore, the outlet temperature of cold fluid may exceed
the outlet temperature of hot fluid. The temperature distribution for counter flow heat exchanger
is shown in Fig. 14.14.
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Using these values of ∆T1 and ∆T2, we may use the eqns. (14.26) and (14.27) for counter flow
heat exchanger. Its derivation can also be taken as ;
Applying the energy balance t differential elements in hot and cold fluids
The rate of heat transfer δQ from hot fluid
and for cold fluid,
The temperature difference ∆T between hot and cold fluids within the differential area dA can be
expressed as:
In differential form:
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Substituting the values of dTh and dTc from eqns. (14.28) and (14.29), respectively, we get
The ∆Tlm is called log mean temperature difference for counter flow heat exchanger and is
expressed as
Worked out Questions
1. The flow rates of hot and cold water streams running through a parallel-flow heat exchanger are 0.2
kg/s and 0.5 kg/s respectively. The inlet temperatures on the hot and cold sides are 75°C and 20°C
respectively. The exit temperature of hot water is 45°C. If the individual heat transfer coefficients
on both sides are 650 W/m2°C, calculate the area of the heat exchanger.
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2. In a counter-flow double pipe heat exchanger, water is heated from 25°C to 65°C by an oil with
a specific heat of 1.45 kJ/kg K and mass flow rate of 0.9 kg/s. The oil is cooled from 230°C to 160°C.
If the overall heat transfer coefficient is 420 W/m2°C, calculate the following:
(i) The rate of heat transfer,
(ii) The mass flow rate of water, and
(iii) The surface area of the heat exchanger.
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TRIAL QUESTIONS
1. Steam enters a counter-flow heat exchanger, dry saturated at 10 bar and leaves at 35°C. The mass
flow of steam is 800 kg/min. The gas enters the heat exchanger at 650°C and mass flow rate is 1350
kg/min. If the tubes are 30 mm diameter and 3 m long, determine the number of tubes required.
Neglect the resistance offered by metallic tubes.
Use the following data :
(503 tubes. (Ans.))
2. A two-pass surface condenser is required to handle the exhaust from a turbine developing 15 MW
with specific steam consumption of 5 kg/kWh. The condenser vacuum is 660 mm of Hg when the
barometer reads 760 mm of Hg. The mean velocity of water is 3 m/s, water inlet temperature is
24°C. The condensate is saturated water and outlet temperature of cooling water in 4°C less than
the condensate temperature. The quality of exhaust steam is 0.9 dry. The overall heat transfer
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coefficient based on outer area of tubes is 4000 W/m2°C. The water tubes are 38.4 mm in outer
diameter and 29.6 mm in inner diameter. Calculate the following :
(i) Mass of cooling water circulated in kg/min,
(ii) Condenser surface area,
(iii) Number of tubes required per pass, and
(iv) Tube length
(30280 kg/min, 1009.1 m2. 245 tubes, 17.1 m) Ans
3. A feed water heater which supplies hot water to a boiler comprises a shell and tube heat
exchanger with one-shell pass and two-tube passes. One hundred thin- walled tubes each of 20 mm
diameter and length of 2 m per pass are used. Under normal operating conditions, water enters the
tubes at 10 kg/s and 17°C and is heated by condensing saturated steam at 1 atm. on the outer surface
of the tubes. The convection coefficient of the saturated steam is 10 kW/m2°C. Determine the water
exit temperature.
Use the following properties of water:
c
( 71°C. Ans)
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