Introduction

Heat exchanger is machine that allows transfer of heat from one fluid to another without the two

fluids mixing or coming into contact. It transfers heat only but not the fluid carrying the heat.

The figure 1 below shows the basic working principle of a simple heat exchanger. Hot fluid

flows (red in color) flows through the tube inside a large shell where by there is another cold

fluid (blue in color) flowing in the opposite direction. Heat transfer occurs because the hot fluid

losses heat which is then used to warm up the cold fluid without the fluids mixing or directly

coming into contact. This type of heat exchanger is a simplified type of shell and tube exchanger.

This type of heat exchanger has several thine tubes going through the large shell.

Figure 1: How a shell and tube heat exchanger work.

Heat exchangers are used to heat or cool products, buildings etc. they can also be used to cool

machines and engines to help them work efficiently. Air-conditioners and refrigerators use heat

exchangers in the opposite way that is to cool products by removing heat where it is not wanted

and it is dumped out.

Types of heat exchanger

The most common types of heat exchanger are shell and tube heat exchanger and fin or plate

heat exchanger. For the shell and tube heat exchanger part of the fluid flows through metal tubes

and the other part of the fluid flows through sealed shell surrounding them as shown in figure 1.

The fluids can be flowing in opposite direction, same direction or at right angles. Boilers of

steam locomotives operate this way.

The fin/plate heat exchanger has many thin fine or metal plates which have large surface area so

that they can exchange heat more quickly. Example of such heat exchanger furnace heat

exchanger.

Design Project

The design project involved design of a heat exchanger used for melting ice to water. Melting is

the process of changing solid phase of a substance to liquid phase. The melting process is

endothermic that is heat must be absorbed for the melting process to take place. In the project

heat was sourced from hot water. It was aimed at melting ice which could occur for example in a

bucket. Heat exchanger was used to transfer heat through hot fluid in coiled tubes. The tubes

were inserted in the bucket. The water was being heated using electric heater up to 100oC.

The design process involved designing the tubes, material selection, deigning heating element

and determining required power for heating water. The design factors considered during the

design included potential for corrosion and mechanical property requirements such as thermal

and electrical conductivity. Through the electrical property requirements, it was necessary to

select a material that conducts heat easily and does not corrode under varying temperatures of

10-100oC.
The material to manufacture the heater was made of nichrome (that is 80% and 20% nickel and

chromium respectively). This material is highly resistant and forms chromium oxide layer when

it is heated for the first time thus the material beneath could not oxidize preventing it from

burning or breaking.

For the thermal conductivity it was necessary for selecting the best material for manufacturing

the tubes. The material was copper. It was preferred because it offers excellent thermal

conductivity. Also, copper has other good properties such as good corrosion resistance, high

fatigue strength, high melting point and it is easy to fabricate and join.

The design of the tubes involved determining the required volume flow rate. This was very

important as it determined tube diameter and rate of heat transfer. Large flow rate meant faster

melting of ice.