Tanta University

College of Engineering
Mechanical power Engineering Department

Heat Transfer 2 (MEP 3108)

06 - Heat Exchangers: Theory

Presented by:

Dr. Khaled Khodary Esmaeil

Faculty of Engineering, Tanta University, Egypt.
 Heat Exchangers
 Heat exchangers are devices that facilitate the heat energy exchange
between two working fluids that are at different temperatures
without mixing to each other (differs from mixing chambers).
 Heat exchangers are common devices in a very wide range of
applications, including heating and air conditioning systems, chemical
processing, power generation plants and ultimately all heat
dissipation or addition units in engineering systems.
 The main objectives of this topic are to present the performance
parameters for analyzing the efficacy of a heat exchanger and to
demonstrate the different approaches for designing heat exchangers
or predicting the performance of existing devices under prescribed
operating conditions.

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 Heat Exchangers
 In a heat exchanger, the heat transfer process basically involves
convection between each of the two working fluid and the face of
the wall separating between them while conduction through the wall
from the face with higher temperature to the lower temperature.
 In the analysis, it is appropriate to work with an overall heat transfer
coefficient U to account for the contribution of all these modes.
 Due to the axial temperature variation of the working fluids, in the
analysis, it is more convenient to work with the logarithmic mean
temperature difference LMTD, to be the equivalent mean
temperature difference between the two fluids for the entire heat
exchanger.

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 Heat Exchangers Types
 Heat exchangers are typically classified according to flow arrangement
and type of construction.
 The simplest type of heat exchanger is the concentric tube (or double-
pipe) construction, which may be parallel or counter flow arrangement

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 Heat Exchangers Types
 Cross flow (perpendicular to each other) tubular heat exchangers,
which may be finned or un-finned. The two configurations are typically
differentiated due to unmixed or mixed fluid motion over the tubes.
The nature of the mixing condition can significantly influence heat.

Un-finned with one fluid mixed

Finned with both fluids unmixed
and the other unmixed

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 Heat Exchangers Types
 Shell-and-tube heat exchanger, which contain a large number of tubes
(sometimes several hundred) packed in a shell with their axes parallel
to that of the shell.
 Baffles are usually installed to increase the convection coefficient of the
shell side fluid by inducing turbulence and also to support the tubes,
reducing the vibration induced by the tube due to flow effect.

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 Heat Exchangers Types
 Shell-and-tube heat exchanger,

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 Heat Exchangers Types
 Compact type heat exchanger, which is used to achieve a very large
heat transfer surface area per unit volume (at least 400 m2/m3 for
liquids and 700 m2/m3 for gases).
 Compact heat exchangers typically have dense arrays of finned tubes
or plates and are practically used when one of the working fluids is a
gas, which is characterized by a small convection coefficient.
 The tubes of a compact heat exchanger may be flat (rectangular) or
circular, and the fins may be manufactured as plate or circular shapes.

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 Heat Exchangers Types
 Parallel-plate heat exchangers, is one of the common types of
compact heat exchanger which may be finned or corrugated and may
be used in single-pass or multi-pass modes of operation.
 Flow passages associated with compact heat exchangers are typically
small (Dh = 5 mm), and the flow is usually laminar.

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 Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient
 In the heat exchanger, heat is firstly transferred from the hot fluid to
the wall by convection, through the wall by conduction, and from the
wall to the cold fluid again by convection. Radiation effects, if any, are
usually included in the convection heat transfer coefficients.
 The total thermal resistance:
𝑹𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 = 𝑹𝒊 + 𝑹𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒍 + 𝑹𝒐
𝟏 𝒍𝒏 (𝑫𝒐 /𝑫𝒊 ) 𝟏 𝟏
𝑹𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 = + + =
𝒉𝒊 𝑨𝒊 𝟐𝝅𝒌𝑳 𝒉𝒐 𝑨𝒐 𝑼𝑨
(𝑻𝒊 − 𝑻𝒐 )
𝑸= = 𝑼𝒊 𝑨𝒊 ∆𝑻 = 𝑼𝒐 𝑨𝒐 ∆𝑻
𝑹𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍
𝟏 𝟏
𝑼𝒊 = 𝑼𝒐 =
𝑨𝒊 𝑹𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑨𝒐 𝑹𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍

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 Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient
 The case is usually that, the wall thickness of the tube is small and the
thermal conductivity of the tube material is high, thus the thermal
resistance of the tube is negligible (Rwall  0) and the inner and outer
surfaces of the tube are almost identical (Ai  Ao  As). Then,

𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
𝑹𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍  𝑹𝒊 + 𝑹𝒐  +  +
𝑨𝒔 𝒉𝒊 𝑨𝒔 𝒉𝒐 𝑼 𝒉𝒊 𝒉𝒐

 Furthermore, if one of the two convection coefficient is considerably

higher than the other one, for example hi >> ho , the total resistance
will considerably depends on the lowest convection side
𝟏
𝑹𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍  𝑼  𝒉𝒐
𝑨𝒔 𝒉𝒐

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 Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient
 Typical values of the overall coefficient extracted from engineering
application are summarized in the following table.

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 Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient
Effect of Fouling
 During the routine operation of heat exchanger, surfaces are often
subject to fouling by fluid impurities, rust formation, or other reactions
between the fluid and the wall material.
 The successive deposition of a film or scale on the surface added a
thermal resistance, which can greatly decrease the transfer heat
between the fluids. The net effect of these accumulations can be
introduced using a fouling factor (Rƒ  m2 K/W) which is a measure of
the thermal resistance.

𝟏 𝑹𝒇,𝒊 𝒍𝒏 (𝑫𝒐 /𝑫𝒊 ) 𝑹𝒇,𝒐 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏

𝑹𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 = + + + + = =
𝒉𝒊 𝑨𝒊 𝑨𝒊 𝟐𝝅𝒌𝑳 𝑨𝒐 𝒉𝒐 𝑨𝒐 𝑼𝒐 𝑨𝒐 𝑼𝒊 𝑨𝒊

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 Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient
Effect of Fouling
 The value of Rƒ depends on the operating temperature, fluid velocity,
and length of service of the heat exchanger. Typical fouling factors are
listed in the table
 Fouling factor definitely
started from zero value for a
clean surface and increases
through operation. The rate
of increase of Rf becomes
higher in higher operating
temperatures and lower
velocities.

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 Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient
Effect of Fouling
 Most fouling factors in the table are of the order of 10-4 m2 °C/W,
which is equivalent to the thermal resistance of a 0.2-mm-thick
limestone layer (k = 2.9 W/m · °C) per unit surface area.
 Therefore, in the absence of specific data, we can assume the surfaces
to be coated with 0.2 mm of limestone as a starting point to account
for the effects of fouling.
 In design and selection of heat exchangers, it may be necessary in
some applications to select a larger and thus more expensive heat
exchanger to ensure that it meets the design heat transfer
requirements even after fouling occurs.
 The periodic cleaning of heat exchangers and the resulting down time
are additional penalties associated with fouling.
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 Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient
Effect of Fins
 Practically fins are often added to either or both surfaces of the wall
separating between the two fluids, thus to increase the surface area
and increase heat transfer rate. When inclusion of surfaces fin in the
presence of fouling, the overall heat transfer coefficient may be
expressed as:
𝟏 𝑹𝒇,𝒊 𝒍𝒏 (𝑫𝒐 /𝑫𝒊 ) 𝑹𝒇,𝒐 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
𝑹𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 = + + + + = =
𝜼𝒊 𝒉𝒊 𝑨𝒊 𝜼𝒊 𝑨 𝒊 𝟐𝝅𝒌𝑳 𝜼𝒐 𝑨 𝒐 𝜼𝒐 𝒉𝒐 𝑨𝒐 𝑼𝒐 𝑨𝒐 𝑼𝒊 𝑨𝒊

 Where i and o are the overall finned surface efficiency :

𝑵𝒇,𝒊 𝑨𝒇,𝒊 𝑵𝒇,𝒐 𝑨𝒇,𝒐
𝜼𝒊 = 𝟏 − (1 - 𝜼𝒇,𝒊 ) 𝜼𝒐 = 𝟏 − (1 - 𝜼𝒇,𝒐 )
𝑨𝒊 𝑨𝒐

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 Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient
Effect of Fins
 Heat transfer rate:
General: 𝒒 = 𝑼𝒊 ( 𝑻,𝒊 - 𝑻,𝒐 ) = 𝑼𝒐 ( 𝑻,𝒊 - 𝑻,𝒐 )
Without fouling: 𝒒 = 𝜼𝒊 𝒉𝒊 (𝑻𝒊 - 𝑻,𝒊 ) = 𝜼𝒐 𝒉𝒐 (𝑻𝒐 - 𝑻,𝒐 )

With fouling: 𝒒 = 𝜼𝒊 𝑼𝑷,𝒊 (𝑻𝒊 - 𝑻,𝒊 ) = 𝜼𝒐 𝑼𝑷,𝒐 (𝑻𝒐 - 𝑻,𝒐 )

𝟏 𝟏 𝑹𝒇,𝒊 𝒉𝒊
= + 𝑼𝑷,𝒊 =
𝑨𝒊 𝑼𝑷,𝒊 𝑨𝒊 𝒉𝒊 𝑨𝒊 𝟏+𝒉𝒊 𝑹𝒇,𝒊

𝟏 𝟏 𝑹𝒇,𝒐 𝒉𝒐
= + 𝑼𝑷,𝒐 =
𝑨𝒐 𝑼𝑷,𝒐 𝑨𝒐 𝒉𝒐 𝑨𝒐 𝟏+𝒉𝒐 𝑹𝒇,𝒐
Up,i and Up,i are the partial coefficient and accounts for the convection
coefficient and fouling factor associated with one fluid side.

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 Heat Exchanger Analysis
 In the engineering practice, engineers may be in a situation of:
1. Designing a thermal system and have to select a heat exchanger
that will achieve a specified temperature changes in the a fluid
stream of known mass flow rate.
2. Analyzing the performance of an existing heat exchanger mostly to
predict the outlet temperatures of the hot or cold fluid streams
under a specified operating conditions.

 Two methods can be used in the analysis of heat exchangers.

1. Logarithmic mean temperature difference (or LMTD) method is
best suited for selecting a new heat exchanger
2. Effectiveness–NTU method for predicting the outlet temperatures
of existing heat exchanger .

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 General Considerations for Analysis
There are some common assumptions or idealizations, as will be stated
below, which are closely approximated in practice, and they significantly
simplify the analysis with little sacrifice of accuracy.

1. Heat exchangers can be modeled as steady-flow devices as they usually

operate for long periods of time with no change in their operating conditions.
2. Fluid properties such as temperature and velocity at any inlet or outlet
remain constant. Moreover, kinetic and potential energy changes are
negligible.
3. Specific heat of the fluids, can be treated as a constant at some average
values with little loss in accuracy.
4. Axial heat conduction along the tube is usually insignificant and is neglected.
5. The outer surface of the heat exchanger is assumed to be perfectly insulated.
6. The overall heat transfer coefficient is constant.

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 General Considerations for Analysis
 Energy Balance (first law of thermodynamics): mh , mc ,
Th,out Tc,out
𝑸 = 𝑼 𝑨 𝚫 𝑻𝒎
𝑸 = 𝒎𝒄 𝒄𝒑,𝒄 ( 𝑻𝒄,𝒐𝒖𝒕 - 𝑻𝒄,𝒊𝒏 ) = 𝑪𝒄 ( 𝑻𝒄,𝒐𝒖𝒕 - 𝑻𝒄,𝒊𝒏 ) Heat
Q
transfer
𝑸 = 𝒎𝒉 𝒄𝒑,𝒉 ( 𝑻𝒉,𝒊𝒏 - 𝑻𝒉,𝒐𝒖𝒕 ) = 𝑪𝒉 ( 𝑻𝒉,𝒊𝒏 - 𝑻𝒉,𝒐𝒖𝒕 ) Surface

Where:
• Subscripts c and h stand for cold and hot fluids.
mh , mc ,
• mc and mh are mass flow rates
Th,in Tc,in
• cp,c and cp,h are specific heats
• Tc,out , Th,out , Tc,in, and Th,in are outlet and inlet temperatures
• Cc and Ch are the heat capacity rate
• Tm is an appropriate average temperature difference between the two
fluids. It will be found later that it is equal to logarithmic mean temperature

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 Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD) Method

 To develop this method, consider the

parallel flow double pipe heat
exchanger as shown in the figure.

𝜹𝑸 = 𝒎𝒄 𝒄𝒑,𝒄 𝒅𝑻𝒄 = 𝑪𝒄 𝒅𝑻𝒄

𝜹𝑸 = −𝒎𝒉 𝒄𝒑,𝒉 𝒅𝑻𝒉 = −𝑪𝒉 𝒅𝑻𝒉
𝜹𝑸 𝜹𝑸
𝒅𝑻𝒉 = − 𝒅𝑻𝒄 =
𝑪𝒉 𝑪𝒄
𝟏 𝟏
𝒅𝑻𝒉 − 𝒅𝑻𝒉 = 𝒅(𝑻𝒉 − 𝑻𝒄 ) = −𝜹𝑸( + )
𝑪𝒉 𝑪𝒄

𝜹𝑸 = 𝑼 𝒅𝑨𝒔 (𝑻𝒉 − 𝑻𝒄 )

𝒅(𝑻𝒉 −𝑻𝒄 ) 𝒅𝑻 𝟏 𝟏

= = −𝑼 𝒅𝑨𝒔 ( + )
(𝑻𝒉 −𝑻𝒄 ) 𝑻 𝑪𝒉 𝑪𝒄

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Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD) Method

Integrating from the inlet of the heat exchanger to its outlet.

𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒅𝚫𝑻 𝟏 𝟏 𝒐𝒖𝒕
𝒊𝒏 𝚫𝑻
= −𝑼 + 𝒊𝒏
𝒅𝑨𝒔
𝑪𝒉 𝑪𝒄

𝑻𝟐 𝟏 𝟏
𝒍𝒏 = −𝑼 𝑨𝒔 +
𝑻𝟏 𝑪𝒉 𝑪𝒄

𝑸 = 𝑪𝒄 ( 𝑻𝒄,𝒐𝒖𝒕 - 𝑻𝒄,𝒊𝒏 ) = 𝑪𝒉 ( 𝑻𝒉,𝒊𝒏 - 𝑻𝒉,𝒐𝒖𝒕 )

𝑸 𝑸
𝑪𝒄 = 𝑪𝒉 =
( 𝑻𝒄,𝒐𝒖𝒕 − 𝑻𝒄,𝒊𝒏 ) ( 𝑻𝒉,𝒊𝒏 − 𝑻𝒉,𝒐𝒖𝒕 )
𝑻𝟐 𝑼 𝑨𝒔
𝒍𝒏 =− ( 𝑻𝒉,𝒊𝒏 − 𝑻𝒉,𝒐𝒖𝒕 + 𝑻𝒄,𝒐𝒖𝒕 − 𝑻𝒄,𝒊𝒏 )
𝑻𝟏 𝑸

( 𝑻𝟏 − 𝑻𝟐 ) ( 𝑻𝟐 − 𝑻𝟏 )

𝑸 = −𝑼 𝑨𝒔 = 𝑼 𝑨𝒔 = 𝑼 𝑨𝒔 𝑻𝒍𝒎
𝑻𝟐 𝑻𝟐
𝒍𝒏 𝒍𝒏
𝑻𝟏 𝑻𝟏

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Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD) Method

 For counter-Flow Heat Exchangers,

same analysis can be performed to
get similar results but with .

( 𝑻𝟐 − 𝑻𝟏 )
𝑸 = 𝑼 𝑨𝒔 = 𝑼 𝑨𝒔 𝑻𝒍𝒎
𝑻𝟐
𝒍𝒏
𝑻𝟏
𝑻𝟏 = ( 𝑻𝒉,𝒊𝒏 − 𝑻𝒄,𝒐𝒖𝒕 )

𝑻𝟐 = (𝑻𝒉,𝒐𝒖𝒕 − 𝑻𝒄,𝒊𝒏 )

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 Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD) Method
 Important Notes
 In counter flow H E, the outlet temperature of the cold fluid may exceed
the outlet temperature of the hot fluid and up to the limit of inlet
temperature of the hot fluid. However, in parallel flow H E the outlet
temperature of the cold fluid can never exceed the outlet temperature of
the hot fluid, since this will violate of the second law of thermodynamics.
 For specified inlet and outlet temperatures, the log mean temperature
difference for a counter-flow H E is always greater than that for a parallel
flow H E, and thus a smaller counter flow H E is needed to achieve a
specified design requirements.
 A condenser or a boiler can be considered to be either a parallel- or
counter flow heat exchanger since both approaches give the same result.

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Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD) Method

Special Case - I
 Very high heat capacity Rate:
When one of the two fluid has a very higher heat capacity rate, (either Ch =
mhcp,h, or Cc = mccp,c) than the other one. The temperature of this fluid with
relative infinite heat capacity rate (C) remains almost constant
throughout the heat exchanging process, while the temperature of the other
fluid changes.

Cc >> Ch or Cc  

Ch >> Cc or Ch  

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Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD) Method

Special Case - I
 This case is typically achieved when of the two heat exchanging working
mediums is in the condition of evaporating or condensing a fluid.
 This case is equivalent to an internal tube flow (or single stream heat
exchanger) exchanging heat with a surface at constant temperature or an
external fluid at constant temperature.
 To account for the heat transfer rate:
𝑸 = 𝑼 𝑨𝒔 𝑻𝒍𝒎

In evaporating
𝑸 = mhcp,h ( 𝑻𝒉,𝒊𝒏 − 𝑻𝒉,𝒐𝒖𝒕 ) = mc ( 𝒉𝒄,𝒐𝒖𝒕 −𝒉𝒄,𝒊𝒏 )
In condensing
𝑸 = mccp,c ( 𝑻𝒄,𝒐𝒖𝒕 − 𝑻𝒄,𝒊𝒏 ) = mh ( 𝒉𝒉,𝒊𝒏 −𝒉𝒉,𝒐𝒖𝒕 )

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Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD) Method

Special Case - II
 Counter Heat exchanger with Equals heat capacity Rate:
In counter flow heat exchanger, when the two fluid have equals heat capacity
rates, (Ch = mhcp,h = Cc = mccp,c ). The temperature difference T must then be a
constant throughout the heat exchanging process, thus:

T = T1 = T2 = Tlm

So,
Th = Tc = ( 𝑻𝒉,𝒊𝒏 − 𝑻𝒉,𝒐𝒖𝒕 ) = ( 𝑻𝒄,𝒐𝒖𝒕 − 𝑻𝒄,𝒊𝒏 )
Heat transfer rate:
𝑸 = 𝑼 𝑨𝒔 𝑻𝒍𝒎 = 𝑼 𝑨𝒔 T
𝑸 = mhcp,h Th = mccp,c Tc

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Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD) Method

Procedure of LMTD in Design Process

The LMTD method is very suitable approach for determining the size of a heat
exchanger to realize suggested outlet temperatures when mass flow rates, inlet
and outlet temperatures of particular hot and cold fluids are specified:
1. Select the type of heat exchanger appropriate for the application.
2. Perform energy balance to get heat transfer rate and to determine any
unknown inlet or outlet temperature and.
3. Calculate the log mean temperature difference Tlm.
4. Obtain (select or calculate) the value of the overall heat transfer coefficient U.
5. Calculate the heat transfer surface area As and select a heat exchanger that
which has a heat transfer surface area equal to or larger than As.

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 The Effectiveness–NTU Method

 A second type of problem encountered which may encountered in heat

exchanger analysis is to determine the heat transfer rate and the outlet
temperatures of either of the two fluids for an existing or suggested heat
exchanger operating under prescribed fluid mass flow rates and inlet
temperatures.
 The LMTD method could also be used to solve this type of problems, but in
a tedious iterations procedure which is mostly not recommended.
 A solution procedure for such problems, called the Effectiveness-NTU
method developed by Kays and London in 1955, can greatly simplified this
type of heat exchanger analysis.
 This method is based on a two dimensionless parameter called the heat
transfer effectiveness , and Number of Transfer Units NTU.

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 The Effectiveness–NTU Method

 Heat Transfer Effectiveness :

𝑸 𝑨𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒇𝒆𝒓
𝜺= =
𝑸𝒎𝒂𝒙 𝑴𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒎𝒖𝒎 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒇𝒆𝒓
The actual rate of heat transfer in a heat exchanger can be expressed
based on energy balance as:
𝑸 = 𝒎𝒄 𝒄𝒑,𝒄 ( 𝑻𝒄,𝒐𝒖𝒕 - 𝑻𝒄,𝒊𝒏 ) = 𝑪𝒄 ( 𝑻𝒄,𝒐𝒖𝒕 - 𝑻𝒄,𝒊𝒏 )
𝑸 = 𝒎𝒉 𝒄𝒑,𝒉 ( 𝑻𝒉,𝒊𝒏 - 𝑻𝒉,𝒐𝒖𝒕 ) = 𝑪𝒉 ( 𝑻𝒉,𝒊𝒏 - 𝑻𝒉,𝒐𝒖𝒕 )
 Meanwhile, to determine the maximum possible heat transfer rate in a heat
exchanger, firstly it have to recognize that the maximum change of
temperature in either of the two heat exchanger working fluids is to reach the
inlet temperature of the other fluid. That is:

Tmax = ( 𝑻𝒉,𝒊𝒏 − 𝑻𝒄,𝒊𝒏 )

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 The Effectiveness–NTU Method
 Secondly, since the heat rejected from the hot fluid is typically equal to the
heat received by the cold fluid, this makes the maximum temperature
difference occurs in the fluid side with lowest heat capacity rate. In other
words, the heat transfer process is restricted by the minimum heat capacity
rate of the two heat exchanging working fluids. Thus

𝑸𝒎𝒂𝒙 = 𝑪𝒎𝒊𝒏 Tmax = 𝑪𝒎𝒊𝒏 ( 𝑻𝒉,𝒊𝒏 − 𝑻𝒄,𝒊𝒏 )

Where, Cmin is the smaller of Ch = mh cph or Cc = mc cpc.

 It can be noticed that the determination of Qmax requires the availability of

the inlet temperatures of fluids and their mass flow rates, which are usually
specified. Then, once the effectiveness of the heat exchanger is known, the
actual heat transfer rate Q can be determined from:

𝑸 =  𝑸𝒎𝒂𝒙 =  𝑪𝒎𝒊𝒏 ( 𝑻𝒉,𝒊𝒏 − 𝑻𝒄,𝒊𝒏 )

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 The Effectiveness–NTU Method

 Therefore, the problem is now turned towards how to find out the
effectiveness of a heat exchanger which directly enables us to determine
the heat transfer rate without knowing the fluids outlet temperatures.
 The effectiveness of a heat exchanger typically depends on the heat
exchanger geometry and the flow arrangement. In text books there are
different relations derived for the effectiveness of different types of heat
exchangers.
 For example, a derived relation for the effectiveness of a double-pipe
parallel-flow heat exchanger, can be addressed as follows;

Where, Cmin is the smaller heat

capacity ratio either it belongs
to the hot or cold fluid and Cmax
is the larger one.

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 The Effectiveness–NTU Method
 The Number of Transfer Units NTU.
 The Number of Transfer Units NTU is a dimensionless group which
classically appears in effectiveness relations of the heat exchangers, as
obvious in the relation for parallel plate heat exchanger. It is expressed as:
𝑼As
𝑵𝑻𝑼 =
𝑪𝒎𝒊𝒏
where U is the overall heat transfer coefficient and As is the heat transfer
surface area of the heat exchanger.
 For specified values of U and Cmin, the value of NTU is a measure of the
heat transfer surface area As (proportional relation).
 In heat exchanger analysis, it is also convenient to define another
dimensionless quantity called the heat capacity ratio Cr = Cmin/Cmax, thus:
𝑸
𝜺= = 𝒇 ( 𝑵𝑻𝑼 , 𝑪𝒓 )
𝑸𝒎𝒂𝒙

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 The Effectiveness–NTU Method
 Effectiveness relations have been developed for a large number of
heat exchangers configurations, and the results are given in tables
and charts.
 Note the case of Cr = 0, represents the cases like a boiler, condenser,
or single stream heat exchanger with very large heat capacity rate in
one side.
 In numerous cases of heat exchanger design calculations, it is more
convenient to work with –NTU relations rather than NTU-
relations. Derivations for such expressions in the form:
𝑵𝑻𝑼 = 𝒇 (𝜺, 𝑪𝒓 )
are also given in tables

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The Effectiveness–NTU Method

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The Effectiveness–NTU Method

for one shell pass

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 The Effectiveness–NTU Method

Effectiveness of a parallel Effectiveness of a Counter

flow heat exchanger flow heat exchanger

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 The Effectiveness–NTU Method

Effectiveness of a shell-and tube heat exchanger with one shell and

any multiple of two tube passes (two, four, etc. tube passes)

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 The Effectiveness–NTU Method

Effectiveness of a shell-and tube heat exchanger with two shell passes

and any multiple of four tube passes (four, eight, etc. tube passes)

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 The Effectiveness–NTU Method

Effectiveness of a single pass, cross-flow heat exchanger with both

fluids unmixed

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 The Effectiveness–NTU Method

Effectiveness of a single pass, cross-flow heat exchanger with one fluid

mixed and the other unmixed

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 The Effectiveness–NTU Method

 From charts, it can be noticed that for values of NTU  0.25, all heat
exchangers have approximately the same effectiveness, irrespective
the value of Cr. In such cases it is easy to determine the  from:
𝑸
𝜺= = 𝟏 − 𝒆−𝑵𝑻𝑼
𝑸𝒎𝒂𝒙

 More generally, for Cr > 0 and NTU  0.25, the counter flow
exchanger is the most effective. For any heat exchanger, maximum
and minimum values of the effectiveness are associated with Cr = 0
and Cr = 1, respectively.

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 Heat Exchanger Design Considerations

 In applications of process and power industries, or related activities, heat

exchangers are commonly purchased as off-the-shelf items, and the design
process focuses on the selection
 In other specialized applications, such as the electronics industries and
aerospace systems, a particular design is normally required to be synthetic as
a part of an overall machine or device.
 Whether the heat exchanger is decided to be selected or designed, at least the
following factors are to be considered to optimize the decision:
1. Heat transfer requirements
2. Cost
3. Physical shape and size
4. Pressure drop and pumping characteristics

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End of Presentation

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