Numerical analysis on the optimal angle of baffles in shell and tube heat exchanger to optimize rate of heat transfer

• Main Author: Sureiyn Nimellnair A /l Vijakumar
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Compulation fluad dynamics; Shell and tube heat exchanger; Raffle angel

This thesis summarizes the past researches, methodology, results and analysis on the optimization of baffle angle in shell and tube heat exchanger (STHE). Many researches have been done on the baffles of the STHE to boost the heat exchanger's performance, some of which include the implementation of helical flow using the baffles, redesigning the form of the baffles etc. to maximize rate of heat transfer. This paper will include researching the angle of the baffles to improve the heat transfer rate between fluid in the shell and the tubes. The baffle angle in the shell and tube heat exchanger (STHE) has been studied using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Primarily, a total of 15 cases has been simulated, the angles include 5°,10°, 15°and 20° both facing upstream and downstream and a few mixed angles was also included in these cases. It was observed that the angle facing upstream had higher rate of heat transfer, 10° had the highest heat transfer rate amongst the 15 cases. A precise analysis was done on the upstream angle between 10° and 15° and it was found that 12° upstream angle had the highest rate of heat transfer amongst all the angles between 0° till 20°. Analysis on the fluid flow, turbulence in shell side, thermal boundary layer and agitation factor of fluid will be discussed in depth in this thesis.