The design raffles with optimal orientation to enhance the heat transfer in shell and tube heat exchanger

• Main Author: Glenn Shearryl Anak Kerry
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Heat Exchanger; CFD; Ansys

The heat exchanger for shells and tubes is one of the most popular heat exchanger devices which is widely used in many industries. Many past studies have found that the angle and orientation of the baffles play an important role in enhancing the heat transfer rate by disturbing the shell-side coolant. In this phase, by exploring the optimum position of the baffles, the heat transfer efficiency of a straight-tube heat exchanger must be optimized. The optimum position was determined via this project. After conducting some research, reviewing literature on several articles involving an analysis of the shell and tube heat exchanger. In so doing, all the information collected is to be processed through an acceptable program that Ansys Inc. is fluent by. Many parameters are checked throughout the study to find the appropriate parameters for this project function. After that, the parameters of the model are determined, which is, the length of the heat exchanger (overall) is 700 mm, number of baffles is 10, number of tubes is 5 and etc. With this, the 3D model is created by using design modeler (Ansys). Next, the analysis is done through simulations in Ansys fluent with the baffle orientation angles (20ͦ.40ͦ.60ͦ.80ͦ.90ͦ) as the manipulated variables. Last but not least, the effects from these calculations are the surface heat transfer coefficients and the Nusselt numbers. It will then be used for heat transfer and the estimation of the Reynolds number. Through this, it is deduced that the ideal position of the baffle is angle 80ͦ.