Exercise A Page 1 of 3

Home > Exercise A - Fluid to Fluid Heat Transfer

Exercise A - Fluid to Fluid Heat Transfer

Objective
To demonstrate indirect heating or cooling by transfer of heat from one fluid stream to another when
separated by a solid wall (fluid to fluid heat transfer).

Method
By measuring the changes in temperature of two separate streams of water flowing through the inner
tube and outer annulus of a tubular (concentric double pipe) heat exchanger.

Equipment Required
HT30X / HT30XC Heat Exchanger Service Unit

HT31 Tubular Heat Exchanger

Equipment Setup
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).

If using the HT30XC, or the HT30X with the optional software, run the HT31 software for the service
unit used (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). If using the HT30XC, select the
Countercurrent exercise. If using the HT30X, select Exercise A and then select Countercurrent
Operation on the software display option box.

Theory
Any temperature difference across the metal tube wall will result in the transfer of heat between the two
fluid streams. The hot water flowing through the inner tube will be cooled and the cold water flowing
through the outer annulus will be heated.

Note: For this demonstration the heat exchanger is configured with the two streams flowing in opposite
directions (countercurrent flow).

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Procedure
(Refer to the Operation section if you need further details of the instrumentation and how to operate it.)

o
Set the temperature controller to a set point approximately 45 C above the cold water inlet temperature
o o
T4 (e.g. if T4 = 15 C then set controller to 60 C). If using the HT30X 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 V to give a hot water flow rate of 3
hot
litres/min. If using HT30XC, click on the button for the hot water flow rate controller, set the controller to
Automatic and enter a Set Point value of 3 litres/min.

Allow the heat exchanger to stabilise, monitoring the temperature using the sensor displays on the
software screen or control console.

Select the icon to record the following, or manually note the values: T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, F
hot
and F .
cold

Adjust the cold water control valve to give a cold water flow rate of 2 litres/min.

Select the icon to create a new results sheet. Allow the heat exchanger to stabilise then select the
icon or manually record the new sensor readings.

If time permits try different combinations of hot and cold fluid flowrate. Remember to create a new
results sheet for each set of data.

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.
HT31A).

Results
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 manually recording the data:

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You should also estimate and record the experimental errors for these measurements.

For each set of readings, the software calculates the following derived results. These should be
calculated manually if not using the software:

o
Reduction in hot fluid temperature [ C]

o
Increase in cold fluid temperature [ C]

Estimate the cumulative influence of the experimental errors on your calculated values for and
.

Compare the changes in temperature at the different flowrates.

Conclusion
You have demonstrated how, using a simple heat exchanger, a stream of cold fluid can be heated by
indirect contact with another fluid stream at a higher temperature (the fluid streams being separated by
a wall which conducts heat). This transfer of heat results in a cooling of the hot fluid.

Comment on the changes in and when the flow of cold water is increased. The
consequence of these changes will be investigated in a later exercise.

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

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