ISSN Online: 2377-424X
ISBN Print: 0-85295-345-3
International Heat Transfer Conference 10
OPTIMAL TUBE BUNDLE GEOMETRIES
Abstrakt
The designer of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger has to
make a number of decisions relating to tube bundle
geometry. Typically, he has to specify tube bundle
layout, tube pitch, baffle spacing and baffle cut. Each
of these factors influences the thermal hydraulic
performance of the exchanger. In this paper we develop
a means of setting these factors such that the area of
the exchanger is minimised.
We start with the derivation of a performance index (St3/f) and demonstrate the higher the index the lower the required area of the exchanger.
Then, through the use of a commercial computer program we show that:
* bundle geometry has a marked effect on overall exchanger performance.
* there is an optimum bundle configuration which is independent of flow rate, fluid physical properties, shell diameter, tubesheet layout and pitch ratio.
* this configuration is: window area/crossflow area ratio of 1 .1 5.
* the optimum tube bundle layout is 45 degree.
We start with the derivation of a performance index (St3/f) and demonstrate the higher the index the lower the required area of the exchanger.
Then, through the use of a commercial computer program we show that:
* bundle geometry has a marked effect on overall exchanger performance.
* there is an optimum bundle configuration which is independent of flow rate, fluid physical properties, shell diameter, tubesheet layout and pitch ratio.
* this configuration is: window area/crossflow area ratio of 1 .1 5.
* the optimum tube bundle layout is 45 degree.