Exercise C Page 1 of 6

Home > Exercise C: Cocurrent and Countercurrent Flow

Exercise C: Cocurrent and Countercurrent Flow

Objective
To demonstrate the differences between cocurrent flow (flows in same direction) and countercurrent
flow (flows in the opposite direction) and the effect on the heat transferred and temperature efficiencies.

Method
By measuring the temperatures of the two fluid streams and using the temperature changes and
differences to calculate the heat energy transferred and the temperature efficiencies.

Equipment Required
HT30X/HT30XC Heat Exchanger Service Unit

HT32 Plate Heat Exchanger

Equipment set-up
Before proceeding with the exercise ensure that the equipment has been set up and the accessory
installed as described in this manual, with a cold water supply connected and the pressure regulator
adjusted. The apparatus should be switched on, and if using the HT30XC the service unit should be
connected to a suitable PC on which the software has been installed. Computer operation is optional
with the HT30X.

Prime the hot and cold water circuits using the cold water supply (Refer to the Operation section if you
need details on how to prime the equipment).

Run the HT30XC or HT30X software, checking the software display screen to ensure that the exercise
chosen has the apparatus configured for countercurrent operation (HT30XC software must be used
with the HT30XC and HT30X software with the HT30X, as the calibration for the sensors differs
between the two service units).

Theory/Background
Countercurrent operation
When the Heat Exchanger is connected for countercurrent operation the hot and cold fluids enter the
exchanger at opposite ends. However, the flows are not truly countercurrent throughout the exchanger
because the flow on either side of the plates is not always in the opposite direction as shown below.

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Diagram showing countercurrent flow pattern

Diagram showing countercurrent temperature profiles

From the previous exercises:

o
Reduction in hot fluid temperature ( C)

o
Increase in cold fluid temperature ( C)

Heat power emitted from hot fluid Q = qm . (Cp) (T1 - T2) (W)
e h h

Heat power absorbed by cold fluid Q = qm . (Cp) (T4 - T3) (W)

a c c

A useful measure of the Heat Exchanger performance is the temperature efficiency of each fluid
stream. The temperature change in each fluid stream is compared with the maximum temperature
difference between the two fluid streams giving a comparison with an exchanger of infinite size.

Temperature efficiency for hot fluid (%)

Temperature efficiency for cold fluid (%)

Mean Temperature Efficiency (%)

Cocurrent operation
When the Heat Exchanger is connected for cocurrent operation the hot and cold fluids enter the
exchanger at the same end. However, the flows are not truly cocurrent throughout the exchanger
because the flow on either side of the plates is not always in the same direction as shown below.

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Diagram showing cocurrent flow pattern

Diagram showing cocurrent temperature profiles

From the previous exercises:

o
Reduction in hot fluid temperature ( C)

o
Increase in cold fluid temperature ( C)

Heat power emitted from hot fluid Q = qm .(Cp) (T2 – T1) (W)
e h h

Heat power absorbed by cold fluid Q = qm .(Cp) (T4 - T3) (W)

a c c

Temperature efficiency for hot fluid (%)

Temperature efficiency for cold fluid (%)

Mean Temperature Efficiency (%)

Procedure
(Refer to the Operation section if you need details of the instrumentation and how to operate it. The
mains supply should be switched on before starting this experiment.)

Set the temperature controller to 60°C then switch on the hot water circulator.

Adjust the cold water control valve setting to give a cold water flow rate of 1 litre/min.

If using HT30X, adjust the hot water control valve setting Vhot to give a hot water flow of 2 litres/min. If

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using HT30XC, click on the button for the hot water flow rate controller and enter a Set Point value of 2
litres/min.

Allow the temperatures to stabilise, monitoring them using the console display or the sensor displays on
the software screen.

When the temperatures are stable, select the icon or manually record the following: T1, T2, T3, T4,
F ,F
hot cold

Close the cold water flow control valve (if using HT30XC, set the valve to 0%).

If using HT30XC, save the logged data by selecting ‘Save’ or ‘Save As’ from the ‘File’ menu. Browse to
the location you wish to place the saved data and give the results a meaningful name (e.g. HT32C
Countercurrent Operation). If using HT30X, create a new results sheet by selecting the con.

Change the system to cocurrent operation:

If using the HT30X service unit, swap the hot water inlet and outlet tubes as shown:

If using the HT30XC service unit, no change of plumbing is required. Change to cocurrent operation by

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selecting ‘Load New Experiment...’ from the ‘File’ menu and clicking on the Cocurrent Operation
exercise radio button then selecting the ‘Load’ button.

The connections to the heat exchanger are now configured for cocurrent operation where the hot and
cold fluid streams flow in the same direction across the heat transfer surface (the two fluid streams
enter the heat exchanger at the same end).

Adjust the cold water flow control valve setting to give a reading of 1 litre/min (hot and cold water
flowrates remain the same as before).

When the temperatures are stable, manually record or select the icon to record the following: T1,
T2, T3, T4, F , F
hot cold

If using the software, save the logged data by selecting ‘Save’ or ‘Save As’ from the ‘File’ menu.
Browse to the location you wish to place the saved data and give the results a meaningful name (e.g.
HT32C Cocurrent Operation).

Results and Calculations

The software records all sensor outputs and also calculates several derived figures, and presents the
recorded data in tabular form. The following columns are relevant to this exercise, and are suggested
as suitable column headings if recording the data manually:

Multiply F (litres/min) by
qv 3 hot
Hot fluid volume flowrate hot (m /s) -5
1.667x10
Hot fluid inlet temperature T1 o
( C)
Hot fluid outlet temperature T2 o
( C)
Multiply F (litres/min) by
qv 3 hot
Cold fluid volume flowrate cold (m /s) -5
1.667x10
o
( C counter-
Cold fluid inlet temperature T3 o
current flow), ( C cocurrent flow)
T4
o
( C counter-
Cold fluid outlet temperature T4 o
current flow), ( C cocurrent flow)
T3

Note: In cocurrent flow T2 is the hot fluid outlet temperature and T1 is the hot fluid inlet temperature.

You should also estimate the experimental errors for these measurements.

For each set of readings, the software calculates the average hot fluid temperature (from T1 and T2)
and the average cold fluid temperature (from T3 and T4) and then automatically provides values for the
following variables, which can also be obtained from the Reference Tables if not using the software. If
taking results manually the following equations will be required for reference:

Average hot water temperature:

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Average cold water temperature:

Specific heat of hot fluid Cp (From table 1 o

hot kJ/kg K)
Density of hot fluid r (From table 2 3
hot kg/m )
Specific heat of cold fluid Cp (From table 1 o
cold kJ/kg K)
Density of cold fluid r (From table 2 3
cold kg/m )

For each set of readings, the software automatically calculates the relevant derived results and
presents them with the following headings. These values should be calculated using the equations
provided in the theory section if taking readings manually:

Reduction in hot fluid temperature o

( C)
Increase in cold fluid temperature o
( C)
Heat power emitted from hot fluid Q (W)
e
Heat power absorbed by cold fluid Q (W)
a
Temperature efficiency for hot fluid h (%)
hot
Temperature efficiency for cold fluid h (%)
cold
Mean temperature efficiency h (%)
mean

Estimate the cumulative influence of the experimental errors on your calculated values for each of the
above temperature differences and efficiencies.

Compare each set of calculated values.

Conclusions
Your results from this exercise should indicate clearly the basic differences between cocurrent and
countercurrent flow through the Plate Heat Exchanger. The selection of the best arrangement for a
particular application depends on many parameters such as Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient,
Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference, Fluid flowrate etc. These will be explained and investigated
in later exercises.

Comment on the change in and when the Heat Exchanger is converted from cocurrent to
countercurrent operation.

Comment on the differences between the hot and cold fluid temperature efficiency for any given
configuration and explain the changes in efficiency when the configuration is changed from cocurrent to
countercurrent operation.

Note: To save time Exercise D can be carried out using the readings obtained from this exercise.

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