Cross Flow Heat Exchanger

Examples:
10-41./p. 602 – Holman
A cross-flow finned tube heat exchanger uses hot water to heat an appropriate quantity of air
from 15 oC to 25 oC. The water enters the heat exchanger at 70 oC and leaves at 40 oC, and the
total heat transfer rate is to be 29 kW. The overall heat transfer coefficient is 45 W/m 2-oC.
Calculate the area of the heat exchanger.

Given: cross-flow finned heat exchanger (both fluids unmixed)

t1 = 15 oC (air)
t2 = 25 oC
T1 = 70 oC (water)
T2 = 40 oC
Q = 29 kW
U = 45 W/m2-oC

Required:
A=?
T1 (water)

t1 t2 (air)

T2
Solution:
Determine the logarithmic mean temperature difference considering counter flow configuration.

∆ T A −∆ T B
∆ T m=
∆T A
ln
∆TB

( 70−25 )−( 40−15 )

∆ T m=
45
ln
25

∆ T m=34 ° C

Apply correction factor (if possible) using Fig. 10-10 (Holman).

 t 2−t 1 25−15
P= =
T 1−t 1 70−15
P=0.18

T 1−T 2 70−40
R= =
t 2−t 1 25−15

R=3

∴ F=0.965

The correction factor can be applied so the area is therefore,

Q 29 000 W
A= =
U ( ∆T m ) ( F )
(45 m W−° C ) ( 34 °C ) ( 0.965)
2

2
A=19.642m

10-68/p. 605
A cross-flow heat exchanger uses oil (cp = 2.1 kJ/kg-oC) in the tube bank with an entering
temperature of 100 oC. The flow rate of oil is 1.2 kg/s. Water flows across the unfinned tubes and
is heated from 20 to 50 oC with a flow rate of 0.6 kg/s. If the overall heat transfer coefficient is
250 W/m2-oC, calculate the area required for the heat exchanger.

Given: cross-flow heat exchanger (one fluid mixed, the other unmixed)
T1 = 100 oC (oil, mixed fluid)
cp = 2.1 kJ/kg-oC
ṁo = 1.2 kg/s
t1 = 20 oC (water, unmixed fluid)
t2 =50 oC
ṁw = 0.6 kg/s
U = 250 W/m2-oC

Required:
A=? oil
T1

water

t1 t2

T2
Solution:
Determine the temperature of the oil T2 exiting the heat exchanger.

ṁo c p ( T 1−T 2 )= ṁw c p ( t 2 −t 1 )

T =100 °C−
( 0.6 )( 4.186
kg
s kg−° C )
kJ
( 50−20 ) ° C

( 1.2 kgs )(2.1 kg−°kj C )

2

T 2=70.1 ≈70 ° C

Calculate the LMTD.

∆ T A −∆ T B
∆ T m=
∆T A
ln
∆TB

( 100−50 )−( 70−20 )

∆ T m=
50
ln
50

Counter flow is not possible. Consider parallel flow.

( 100−20 )−( 70−50 )

∆ T m=
80
ln
20

∆ T m=43.3 ° C

Check if the use of correction factor is applicable. Use Fig. 10-11.

t 2−t 1 50−20
P= =
T 1−t 1 100−20

P=0.375

T 1−T 2 100−70
R= =
t 2−t 1 50−20

R=1.0
 ∴ F=0.94

The area is then

A=
Q
=
( 0.6 )( 4.186
kg
s kg−° C )
kJ
( 50−20 ) ° C

(0.250 m kW−°C ) ( 43.3 ° C ) ( 0.94)

U ∆T
2

2
A=7.405 m

10-47/p. 603
An air preheater for a power plant consists of a cross-flow heat exchanger with hot exhaust gases
used to heat incoming air at 1 atm and 300 K. The gases enter at 375 oC with a flow rate of 5
kg/s. The air flow rate is 5 kg/s, and the heat exchanger has A= 110 m 2 and U = 50 W/m2-oC.
Calculate the heat transfer rate and exit temperatures for two cases, both fluids unmixed and one
fluid mixed. Assume the gases have the properties of air.

Given: air preheater of the cross-flow type

T1 = 375 oC (hot gas)
t1 = 300 K – 273 = 27 oC (air)
p1 = 1 atm
ṁg =ṁ a = 5 kg/s
A = 110 m2
U = 50 W/m2-oC

Required:
Q=?
T2 = ? (for two cases, both fluids unmixed, one fluid mixed)
t1 = ?

Solution:

Solve first the exit temperatures of the two fluids by determining the effectiveness.
C c =Ch =5
kg
s (1.004 7
kJ
kg−° C )
=5.023 5
kW
°C

C min
=1 (for both fluids unmixed)
Cmax

C mixed
=1 (for one fluid mixed)
Cunmixed
 NTU max=
AU
=
(
( 110 m2) 0.050 2kW
m −° C )
C min kW
5.0235
°C

NTU max=1.09 ≈ 1.1

For both fluids unmixed (Fig. 10-15), the effectiveness is

E = 50 %

Since the effectiveness is

C h ( T h −T h )
E ¿
¿ out

Cmin ( T h¿ −T c ) ¿

( 375−T h )
0.50=
out

( 375−27 )

T h =201° C=T 1
out

Cc ( T c −T c )
E ¿
out ¿

Cmin ( T h¿ −T c ) ¿

(Tc −27 )
0.50=
out

( 375−27 )

T c =201° C=t 2
out

For one fluid mixed (Fig. 10 – 14), the effectiveness is

E ¿ 48 %

Therefore,

( 375−T h )
0.48=
out

( 375−27 )

T h =208 ° C=T 1
out

(Tc −27 )
0.48=
out

( 375−27 )
 T c =194 °C=t 2
out

For the heat transfer rate for both fluids unmixed:

Q= ṁa c p ( t 2−t 1 )

Q= 5( kgs )( 1.004 7 kg−°

kJ
C)
( 201−27 ) ° C

Q=874 kW

For one fluid unmixed:

Q= 5( kgs )( 1.004 7 kg−°
kJ
C)
( 194−27 ) ° C

Q=838.9 kW

10-52/p. 604
A home air-conditioning system uses a cross-flow finned-tube heat exchanger to cool 0.8 kg/s of
air from 29.4 oC to 7.2 oC. The cooling is accomplished with 0.75 kg/s of water a 3 oC. Calculate
the area of the heat exchanger assuming an overall heat transfer coefficient of 55 W/m 2-oC. If the
water flow rate is cut in half while the same air flow rate is maintained, what percent reduction in
heat transfer will occur?

Given: cross-flow finned-tube heat exchanger

ṁa= 0.8 kg/s
T1 = 29.4 oC (air)
T2 = 7.2 oC
t1 = 3 oC
ṁw = 0.75 kg/s

Required:
A = ? (if U = 55 W/m2-oC)
' kg
% reduction in heat = ? (if ṁw =0.375 ; ṁais the same)
s

Solution:

Solve for the water exit temperature.

ṁ w c p ( t 2−t 1 )=ṁa c p ( T 1−T 2 )

 t 2=
( 0.8
kg
s)(
1.004 7
kJ
kg−° C )
(29.4−7.2 ) ° C
+ 3° C
( 0.75 kgs )( 4.18 kg−°
kJ
C)

t 2=8.7 ° C

Determine the LMTD for a counter flow configuration.

∆ T A −∆ T B
∆ T m=
∆T A
ln
∆TB

( 29.4−8.7 )−( 7.2−3 )

∆ T m=
20.7
ln
4.2

∆ T m=10.3 ° C

Apply correction factor (if possible), using Fig. 10 – 10 (both fluids unmixed).

t 2−t 1 8.7−3
P= =
T 1−t 1 29.4−3

P=0.216

T 1−T 2 29.4−7.2
R= =
t 2−t 1 8.7−3

R=3.89≈ 3.9

∴ F=0.91

∆ T =( 10.3 ° C ) ( 0.91 )

A=
Q
=
( 0.75 )(4 180
kg
s kg−° C )
kJ
( 8.7−3 ) °C

( )
U ∆T W
55 2
(10.3 ° C ) ( 0.91 )
m −° C

2
A=34.663 m
If the water flow rate is cut in half, determine the heat exchanger effectiveness to solve for the
new water outlet temperature t2’. The heat capacities of the two fluids are

(
C h=ṁa c p= 0.8
kg
s )(
1.004 7
kJ
kg−° C
=0.804
kW
°C
=C min )
(
C 'c =ṁ'w c p = 0.375
kg
s )(
4.18
kJ
kg−° C
=1.568
kW
°C
=Cmax )
Cmin 0.804
= =0.513
Cmax 1.568

NTU max=
AU
=
(
( 34.663 m2) 0.055 2kW
m −° C )
C min
(0.804 kW
°C )

NTU max=2.37

Using Fig. 10 – 15, the effectiveness is

E ¿ 77.5 %

Cc (T c −T c )
' '

E ¿ out ¿

Cmin ( T h −T c )
¿ ¿

( 1.568 ) ( T 'c −3 )
0.775=
out

( 0.804 ) (29.4−3 )

T 'c =13.5° C=t '2

out

For the percent reduction in heat, calculate the heat rate initially and the heat rate after the water
flow rate was cut in half. Thus,
Q= ṁw c p ( t 2 −t 1 ) =( 0.75 ) ( 4.18 ) ( 8.7−3 )

Q=17.87 kW

Q' =ṁ'w c p ( t '2 −t 1 ) =( 0.375 ) ( 4.18 ) ( 13.5−3 )

'
Q =16.46 kW
 Q−Q '
∴ % reduction= x 100 %
Q

17.87−16.46
% reduction= x 100 %
17.87

% reduction=7.89 %