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Introduction

Heat exchangers are efficient tools to transfer heat from one medium to another and these are
widely used in various engineering applications to transfer heat such as condensing of
refrigerants, cooling chemicals or liquids or oil cooling requirements in different machines.
Common types of heat exchangers are shell and tube heat exchangers, plate heat exchangers,
fin and tube heat exchangers, cooling towers and evaporative condensers etc. The design of
Heat exchanger is crucial to predict the performance and efficiency of heat exchanger.
This design activity is concerned to design two heat exchangers which uses water as primary
refrigerant and air as secondary refrigerant. It aimed to design the heat exchangers needed to
replace stale air with fresh inside a building with a volume of 90m 3/min to maintain a
temperature of 20oC by pre-heating and heating the outside air of 0 oC. It is aimed to determine
suitable geometry and size for the heat exchanger on discharge air side using counter flow tube
in tube heat exchanger and a shell & tube heat exchanger with fins on air side. Both heat
exchangers will be design making initial justified assumptions such as water flow rate
requirements, water temperatures, heat transfer coefficients for calculation of overall heat
transfer coefficient. The design methodology will involve energy balance for air and water to
determine in/out temperatures, assumptions regarding tube diameters, calculations of number
of tubes, shell diameter etc.

Methodology

In the first step to design the heat exchanger, the first requirement is to know the cooling load or
duty (rate of heat transfer) which is required to achieve. Then this required cooling capacity (in
KW) will be used to calculate the flow rate of water and air, Inlet and outlet temperatures of flow
streams. As per the problem statement, the total heat transfer required from one air stream to
the other is 10 KW considering the perfectly insulated pipes between two heat exchangers.
Thus, water will transfer 10 KW of heat extracting it from discharge air and then transferring to
the second heat exchanger rejecting heat to incoming air thus rising its temperature.
Hence, 10 KW heat rejection is required at discharge side by designing appropriate sizes heat
exchangers of following two types.

 A Counter flow heat Exchanger, Tube in Tube Type

 Shell and tube heat exchanger with fins on air side of tubes
Applying the concept of energy balancing for transferring required amount of heat, following
equations will be used.
Q=m water C water ¿ (1)

Where,
m is the mass flow rate in ‘kg/sec’
Cp is the specific heat of water and air
In above equation, Cp of water is known which is 4.18 KJ/kg.K and Twater in as well as Twater,out will
be estimated by assuming a certain flow rate of water required to transfer 10 KW of heat. On the
other hand, Cp of air is known which is 1 KJ/kg.K and Tair in is 20oC (Air in the conditioned space
to extract) and Tair,out will be estimated based upon 90m3/min flow rate of air required to transfer
10 KW of heat. Once the flow rates and temperatures of both water and air streams are
achieved, the designing of heat exchangers is moved towards assuming and collecting the
physical properties.
The amount of heat transfer in between the tubes will be given by the following equation.
Q= A req U ∆ T m (2)

Above equations describes that heat transfer through the tube in tube heat exchanger is a
function of required surface area of tubes, overall heat transfer coefficient and mean
temperature difference between the flowing fluids. Hence, suitable geometry and sizes of tubes
will be evaluated one the surface area for heat transfer is evaluated as per below equation.
Q
Areq = (3)
U ∆Tm
In the above equation, logarithmic mean temperature difference will be evaluated for the counter
flow applications using the flow streams in/out temperatures and overall heat transfer coefficient
will be assumed for the present case study of liquid inside the tubes and air at atmospheric
pressure outside the tube. It is 15 – 70 W/m2K in the present case study. Moreover, as tubes
are usually available with standard diameters rather than a customized diameter, so above
calculated surface heat for heat transfer will be achieved by assuming standard size tube
(Detailed assumptions are given in sample calculation section of the report.)
For the shell and tube heat exchanger, the design procedure for tube section follows the above
mentioned theoretical and mathematical concepts but to incorporate certain correction factor
due to non-counter flow behavior. This correction factor is evaluated based upon the streams
in/out temperatures at both shell and tube ends.
For the Tube-Tube Heat exchanger initial design is defined as below
Tube Standard: ASME B36.10M
Inside tube material: Carbon Steel ASTM A106 Sch 10 (Commonly available material)
Outside Tube material Carbon Steel ASTM A106 Sch 10 (Commonly available material)
Inside Tube Size 0.405 inches or 10.29 mm (Easy to bend and fabricate)
Outside Tube size 0.540 inches or 13.72 mm (Easy to bend and fabricate)
Inside tube Fluid Water (According to problem statement water to be carried to
other heat exchanger for flow so it should be pumped within a
closed loop to transfer heat from one heat exchanger to other)
Outside tube fluid Atmospheric Air from conditioned Space
For the Shell & Tube Heat exchanger initial design is defined as below
Tube Standard: ASME B36.10M
Tube material: Carbon Steel ASTM A106 Sch 10 (Good thermal conductivity)
Shell material Carbon Steel ASTM A106 Sch 40 (Easy to role and fabricate)
Inside Tube Size 0.405 inches or 10.29 mm (easy to bend and fabricate)
Inside tube Fluid Water (According to problem statement water to be carried to
other heat exchanger for flow so it should be pumped within a
closed loop to transfer heat from one heat exchanger to other)
Shell side fluid Atmospheric Air from conditioned Space

Results

Above methodology is implemented and following parameters are obtained regarding air and
water flow rates as well as temperatures.
mair =1.8375 kg /sec OR 90 m3/min, TAir, in = 20oC, TAir, out = 14.56oC,

mwater =0.342 kg/ secOR 1.231 m3/hr. Twater, in = 08oC, Twater, out = 15oC,
2
For Tube-Tube Heat Exchanger, required surface is Areq is found ¿ be 0.116 m . This provides the
Tube sizes as D = 0.01029 m and L = 3.59 m. Based upon the tube length, the number of tubes
should be between 12 to 13. Similarly, Dimensions of Outer Tubes are evaluated to be D =
0.01379 m and L = 2.68 m. Based upon this tube length, the number of tubes should be
between 10 to 11.
2
For Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger Areq is found ¿ be 0.1416 m . Hence, this surface area is used
to estimate the tube sizes as D = 0.01029 m and L = 4.38 m. Based upon this tube length, the
number of tubes should be between 08 to 09 each of approximately 1.8 ft. Hence Shell length
will be approximately 2 ft and diameter will be around 1 ft considering appropriate spacing
between tubes.
Among several types of heat exchangers, the effectiveness, performance, and efficiency of heat
exchanger is defined by its ability to transfer, absorb, or reject heat in comparison with its rated
heat rejection capacity. The effectiveness of heat transfer is defined as the rate of heat transfer
in actual condition divided by maximum possible heat transfer rate. Among various available eat
exchangers, the plate and shell tube have highest efficiency as compared to any other sort of
heat exchanger such as shell and tube heat exchanger.
Among tube and tube heat exchanger the shell and tube heat exchanger is more effective
through its tube requires more surface area to transfer same amount of heat. Moreover, shell
and tube heat exchanger is bit costly but easy to fabricate with less welding requirements as
compared to tube in tube heat exchanger.
In conclusion, shell and tube heat exchanger is more effective and efficient as compared to tube
and tube heat exchanger.

Conclusion

The experimental objectives are achieved successfully in which two different heat exchangers
are designed to transfer heat from discharge air from a conditioned space to preheat the
incoming air in the same conditioned space. The designing is done based upon the certain
assumptions such as material, standard tube dimensions and overall heat transfer coefficient as
well as correction factor. Energy balance equation is implemented and mass flow rates, in
temperature and out temperatures of air and water are calculated. The mass flow rate to
transfer 10 KW of heat is found to be 1.8375 kg/sec for the air and temperature air in is 20 oC
with air out temperature of 14.56 oC. The mass flow rate of water to transfer same of heat is
found to be 0.342 kg/sec by considering water in temperature of 08oC and water out
temperature of 15oC. It is concluded that For Tube-Tube Heat Exchanger, required surface is
Areq is0.116 m 2 to transfer 10KW. This provide the Tube sizes as D = 0.01029 m and L = 3.59 m.
Based upon the tube length, the number of tubes should be between 12 to 13. Similarly,
Dimensions of Outer Tubes are evaluated to be D = 0.01379 m and L = 2.68 m. Based upon
this tube length, the number of tubes should be between 10 to 11. For Shell and Tube Heat
2
Exchanger Areq is found ¿ be 0.1416 m . Hence, this surface area is used to estimate the tube
sizes as D = 0.01029 m and L = 4.38 m. Based upon this tube length, the number of tubes
should be between 08 to 09 each of approximately 1.8 ft. Hence Shell length will be
approximately 2 ft and diameter will be around 1 ft considering appropriate spacing between
tubes. Hence, stated objectives of the experiment are obtained by evaluating the suitable sizing
of both heat exchanger. It is also concluded that shell and tube heat exchanger design is found
to be most effective as compared to tube in tube heat exchanger.

Appendix – Sample Calculation

The detailed calculations and results of energy balance equation are reported as below based
upon the proposed methodology and assumptions above
Q=mwater C water ¿

Calculating water flow rate and in/out temperatures.

Q=mwater C water ¿

Q
mwater =
C water ¿ ¿

10 kg
m water = =0.342 =1.231m3 /hr
4.18 × ( 15−08 ) sec
Similarly, out temperatures of discharge air could also be estimated considering same amount
of heat to be dissipated
 Q=mair, C air ¿

Q=mair, C air T air ,∈¿−m air, C air T air ,out ¿

T air ,out =¿ ¿

As per problem statement, the flow of air is 90 m3/min so it will be converted to kg/sec as
following
mass flow rate=density of air × volumetric flow rate

mass flow rate=1.225 × ( 9060 )=1.8375 kg /sec

(1.8375× 1× 20)−10 o
T air ,out = =14.56 C
1.8375 ×1

From above, the concluded results as below

mair =1.8375 kg /sec OR 90 m3/min, TAir, in = 20oC, TAir, out = 14.56oC,

mwater =0.342 kg/ secOR 1.231 m3/hr. Twater, in = 08oC, Twater, out = 15oC,

For counter flow Logarithmic mean temperature difference is evaluated as follows

∆ T LM =¿ ¿

( 08−14.56 )−(15−20) o
∆ T LM = =5.74 C
ln(08−14.56
15−14.56 )
As per assumptions in methodology, U = 15 W/m2K
10 2
Areq = =0.116 m
15 ×5.74
For Shell and tube heat exchanger, correction factor will be evaluated, and logarithmic mean
temperature difference is evaluated multiplying with correction factor.
t 2−t 1 15−08
P= = =0.58
T 1−t 1 20−08
T 1−T 2 20−14.56
R= = =0.78
t 2−t 1 15−08
Using P = 0.58, R = 0.78, The evaluated correction factor from the curve in literature is 0.82.
Hence,
o
∆ T m=CF × ∆ T LMTD =0.82× 5.74=4.71 C
 10
Areq = =0.1416 m2
15 × 4.71
For Tube-Tube Heat Exchanger
2
Areq =0.116 m , So, Dimensions of Inner Tubes are evaluated by using the following formula
Areq =πDL

A 0.116
L= = =3.59 m
πD 3.14 × 0.01029

Hence, Tube sizes are D = 0.01029 m and L = 3.59 m

Based upon the above tube length, the number of tubes should be between 12 to 13.

Areq =0.116 m2 , So, Dimensions of Outer Tubes are evaluated by using the following formula

Areq =πDL

A 0.116
L= = =2.68 m
πD 3.14 × 0.01379
Hence, Tube sizes are D = 0.01379 m and L = 2.68 m
Based upon the above tube length, the number of tubes should be between 10 to 11.
For Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger

Areq =0.1416 m2 , So, Dimensions of Inner Tubes are evaluated by using the following formula
Areq =πDL

A 0.1416
L= = =4.38 m
πD 3.14 × 0.01029
Hence, Tube sizes are D = 0.01029 m and L = 4.38 m
Based upon the above tube length, the number of tubes should be between 08 to 09 each of
approximately 1.8 ft. Hence Shell length will be approximately 2 ft and diameter will be around 1
ft considering appropriate spacing between tubes.
References

 Shah, R. K., & Sekulic, D. P. (2003). Fundamentals of heat exchanger design. John
Wiley & Sons.
 Mitrovic, J. (Ed.). (2012). Heat Exchangers: Basics Design Applications. BoD–Books on
Demand.
 Gupta, J. P. (1986). Fundamentals of heat exchanger and pressure vessel technology.
 Levenspiel, O. (2014). Engineering flow and heat exchange. Springer.