ME 4226 Energy and Thermal Systems

2. Design of Heat Exchangers

Sung-Yong Park, Ph.D.

Department of Mechanical Engineering
National University of Singapore

Office: E2-02-19
Tel: +65) 6601 3405
E-mail: mpeps@nus.edu.sg

ME4226 Energy and Thermal Systems 1 By S.-Y. Park

 Review

 We consider the design procedures of heat exchangers. An introduction of

heat exchangers was previously provided in the past-year lectures:
̶ Various types and operation of heat exchangers commonly used in industrial and
commercial thermal applications.
̶ Performance prediction of heat exchangers using the log-mean temperature
difference (LMTD) method and the effectiveness (ε)-NTU method.
̶ In these methods, often the overall heat transfer coefficient (U) was provided and,
based upon given parameters, prediction of the exit temperature or flow rate or
the heat transfer area was typically asked.
̶ It can be recalled that in the case when determination of the heat transfer area
was the objective, the final result gave a numerical value for the heat transfer
area of the cross-flow or shell-and-tube heat exchanger. No details were
available, for example, whether the tubes were bare or finned and if finned, what
were the fin height, thickness and spacing and how were the fins attached to the
tube surface.

ME4226 Energy and Thermal Systems 2 By S.-Y. Park

 Design of Compact Heat Exchangers

̶ There are numerous types of heat exchangers such as shell-and-tube, cross-flow

and plate heat exchangers as well as various types of fins, tube and shell
arrangements and geometries
̶ In this section of the course, we shall consider in detail the procedures involved in
the design of compact heat exchangers. In particular, we will study a cross-flow,
gas-to-oil, compact heat exchanger as an example.

Relations for Surface and Core Geometry

 We present here geometric relations and their definitions which are necessary in
the application of the basic heat transfer and fluid friction data of the design
problem. Examples of compact heat exchanger are given in Figure 1.

 Geometric details of actual heat exchanger surfaces of the circular fin (CF) and
the finned flat tube surfaces are given in Figures 2 and 3; tabulated data are given
in Figures 4 and 5. The circular fin surface is the type selected for our heat
exchanger design example.

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 Figure 1. Compact heat exchangers

 Used to achieve a very

large heat transfer surface
area per unit volume (≥ 400
m2/ m3 for liquids and ≥ 700
m2/ m3 for gases)
 Have dense arrays of
finned tubes or plates and
are typically used when at
least one of the fluids is a
gas
 Most automotive heat
exchangers would come
into the compact heat
exchangers category since
space is an extreme
Figure 1.
constrict for automotive
applications

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 Basic Definitions for Surface and Core Geometry

S = plate spacing, for plate-fin surfaces

rh = flow passage hydraulic radius, flow cross-sectional area/wetted perimeter
β = ratio of total transfer area of one side of heat exchanger to the volume
between the plates of that side, [m2/m3]  compactness
α = A/V : ratio of total transfer area of one side of exchanger to total volume,
[m2/m3]

A = total transfer area of one side of the exchanger

Ac = free flow area of one side
Afr = frontal area of one side
L = flow length on one side
V = Volume of a heat exchanger
σ = Ac/ Afr : ratio of free flow to frontal area of one side of the exchanger

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 Figure 2. Heat transfer and friction factor for
circular finned tubes

Geometry of
circular
finned tubes

6
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 Figure 3. Heat transfer and friction factor
for finned flat tubes

Geometry of finned
flat tubes
7
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 Figure 4. Surface geometry of circular finned tubes

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 Figure 5. Surface geometry of flat finned tubes

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 Relations Between Surface and Core Factors
The following equations show the relations between surface and core factors
for one side of the heat exchange. Subscript 1 refers to any one side, and 2
refers to the other.
 Ac   Ac 
=rh  =  L  
 A/ L  A

 Ac   Arh  ( Arh )1
=σ =  = = (α rh )1
 A  LA

V
 fr 1  fr 1

A1  A  σ 
α=
1 =  =   from above
V  LA fr 1  rh 1

 Arh   Aσ 
=Ac1 (σ=
A fr )1  =   
 L 1  Lα 1

 rh   Ac   σ 
=  =   
 L 1  A 1  Lα 1

A = α LA fr
ME4226 Energy and Thermal Systems 10 By S.-Y. Park
 Circular finned (CF) tube heat exchangers

We consider the diagram and data given in Figure 2 for CF-8.7-5/8J and the below
sketch of the fin-tube normal to the gas flow, i.e. we assume here that air is flowing
across the fins and a heat transfer oil is flowing inside the tubes.

S
(1.121– do)/2

A1

gas/ 1 inch
air
A2
oil inside
tube

do /2 1.121 inch

ME4226 Energy and Thermal Systems 11 By S.-Y. Park

 Circular finned (CF-8.7-5/8J) tube heat exchangers
Air side: Consider area outlined in green
 Frontal area based on the 1-inch width, Afr = S×1= 1.848
 Free flow area, Ac = A1 + A2

 d   1.121 d o  
A1 =
1× S − 2  o  − 2 −  = {S − 1.121}
  2   2 2 
 1.121 d o 
=
A2  −  × (1 − 8.7 × 0.01) × 2
 2 2

where S = 1.848 and do = 0.645, giving Ac = A1 + A2 = 0.727+ 0.4345 = 1.161

Hence, σ = 1.161/1.848 = 0.628
Oil side:
 For the flow of oil inside the tube, frontal area corresponding to one tube:
 Afr = S×L = 1.848 × 1.35 = 2.5 in2
 Free flow area = flow cross-sectional area:
 Ac = π.di2 /4=π(5/8)2 /4=0.3068 in2

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 Finned flat tube (11.32-0.737-SR) heat exchangers
Air side:
 Free flow cross-sectional area for 1 inch depth basis, as given in table of data
of surface geometry from Figure 3.
 Frontal area, Afr = 0.55×1 = 0.55 in2
 Free flow area, Ac = (1−11.32×0.004)×(0.55−0.1) = 0.4296 in2
 σ = Ac/Afr = 0.4296/0.55 = 0.781

Oil/water side
 From data provided in Figure 3 of geometric data:
 Free flow area Ac ~ 0.737x 0.1 in2 (~assume rectangular shape)
 Frontal area, Afr = 0.79 x 0.55 in2
 σ= Ac/Afr = 0.737 x 0.1/ 0.79 x 0.55 = 0.1696
 Hydraulic radius, rh = flow cross-sectional area/wetted perimeter
= 0.737 x 0.1/(2x0.737+2x0.1) = 0.0440

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 Fin Performance: Effectiveness & Efficiency

 Fins are typically used to increase the heat transfer from a surface by increasing
the effective surface area. However, the fin itself represents a conduction
resistance to heat transfer from the original surface.

 For this reason, there is no assurance that the heat transfer rate will be
increased through the use of the fins.

heat transfer rate from fin

 Fin effectiveness: εf =
heat transfer rate from the base if no fin is installed

heat transfer rate from fin

 Fin efficiency: ηf =
heat transfer rate from fin if its surface were at the base temperature

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 Figure 6. Fin efficiency

Figure 6 Effectiveness/Efficiency of thin fins

Figure 6 shows
the fin efficiency
of thin circular
and straight fins.
The parameters
are as defined in
Figure 3 and m is
given as:

2h
m= for thin sheet fins and Fin height: hf = ro - ri
kδ
4h
m= for circular pin fins
kd
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 Overall Surface Efficiency, ηo

 Figure 6 shows the efficiency, ηf, of a single fin. Our aim is to derive an
expression for the efficiency of a tube with external circular fins or the efficiency
of surface fins.

 To obtain the efficiency of a surface with fins, ηo, we combine the un-finned
portion of the surface (i.e. the tube surface) at 100 % efficiency with the surface
area of the fins which have area Af and efficiency ηf or,

Aηo = ( A − A f ) × 1 + A f ηf η = 100 %
ηf
Af
or, ηo = 1 − (1 − ηf )
A

A, ηo

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 Fin (extended surface) effect on UA
 Fins added to surface increases the surface area and thus the
overall thermal resistance decreases.
 Overall heat transfer coefficient, U, including fin as well as fouling
effects:
1 1 R"f ,i ln( Do / Di ) R"f ,o 1
= + + + +
UA (ηo hA)i (ηo A)i 2π kL (ηo A) o (ηo hA) o
 ηo : overall surface efficiency or temperature effectiveness of a
finned surface, which is defined for the hot and cold surface without
fouling as:

=q ηo hA(Tb − T∞ ) A: total area (fins plus exposed base)

Tb: base surface temp
Af Af: entire fin surface area
ηo =
1− (1 − η f ) ηf: efficiency of a single fin
A
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 Heat Transfer Coefficient in Compact HX
Example:
Air at 2 atm and 500 K with a velocity of 20 m/s flows across the
exchanger matrix having the configuration shown in Figure 3 (finned flat
tubes, 11.32-0.737) . Calculate the heat transfer coefficient.

Air properties at 2 atm and 500 K: ρ = 1.41 kg/m3

=c p 1.03 kJ/kg ⋅ K
µ =×
2.69 10−5 kg/m ⋅ s
Pr = 0.718

m h DhG
G= St = Re =
Ac Gc p µ G: mass velocity, [kg/m2s]
m = ρ Afr u∞ : mass flow rate, [kg/s]
Afr : frontal area
St: Stanton number
Dh = 4rh : hydraulic diameter

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 Heat Transfer Coefficient in Compact HX

From Figure 3, σ = 0.78 and Dh 3.51×10−3 m

=

Mass velocity: =
G
m ρ u∞ Afr ρ u∞
= = =
(1.41)( 20=) 36.15 kg/m 2 ⋅ s
Ac Ac σ 0.78

Reynolds number: = DhG

Re =
( 36.15) (3.51×10=
−3
)
4717
µ 2.69 ×10−5

From Figure 3,

h
=
St Pr 2/3 = Pr 2/3 0.0058
Gc p

Heat transfer coefficient:

=h 0.0058
( 36.15 ) (1.03 ×103 )
= 278.7 W/m 2 ⋅ K
0.7182/3

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 Heat Transfer Coefficient in Compact HX

Question: Air at 1 atm and 300 K enters the exchanger shown in

Figure 3 (finned flat tubes, 11.32-0.737) with a velocity of 15 m/s.
Calculate the heat transfer coefficient

Air properties at 1 atm and 300 K:

m h DhG
G= St = Re =
Ac Gc p µ

=
Ans: h 172 W/m 2 ⋅ K

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