Presentation

Process Heat Transfer

To determine the Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient for a Concentric Tube Heat Exchanger
using LMTD method to perform Calculations for Co-current and Counter Current Flows.

Presenter: Farhad Iqbal (2018-CH-39)

Contents

• Concentric Tube Heat Exchanger (Description, Structure ,Advantages)

• Procedure
• Observation
• Calculation
• Conclusion
Concentric Tube Heat Exchanger
❖ The concentric tube heat exchanger consists of two coaxial tubes one inside the other carrying fluids
of different temperatures.
❖ Due to the temperature difference, heat will flow from the hotter stream to the cooler one.
❖ This is the simplest form of heat exchanger and a design that may be successfully analyzed and
described by empirical equations.
❖ Concentric Tube (or Pipe) Heat Exchangers are used in a variety of industries for purposes such as
material processing, food preparation, and air-conditioning.
❖ They create a temperature driving force by passing fluid streams of different temperatures parallel to
each other, separated by a physical boundary in the form of a pipe.
❖ This induces forced convection, transferring heat to/from the product.
Design
❖ The simplest form is composed of straight sections of tubing encased within the outer shell, however
alternatives such as corrugated or curved tubing conserve space while maximizing heat transfer area
per unit volume.
❖ They can be arranged in series or in parallel depending on the heating requirements.
❖ Typically constructed from stainless steel, spacers are inserted to retain concentricity, while the tubes
are sealed with O-rings, packing, or welded depending on the operating pressures.
❖ Two separate concentric tubes are arranged in series in a U format to reduce the overall length and to
provide a mid position measuring point.
Design
❖ While both co and counter configurations are possible, the countercurrent method is more common.

❖ The preference is to pass the hot fluid through the inner tube to reduce heat losses, while the annulus is

reserved for the high viscosity stream to limit the pressure drop.

❖ Beyond double stream heat exchangers, designs involving triple (or more) streams are common;

alternating between hot and cool streams, thus heating/cooling the product from both sides
 Why Concentric Tube Heat Exchanger?
❖ The primary advantage of a concentric configuration, as opposed to a plate or shell and tube heat
exchanger, is the simplicity of their design.
❖ As such, the insides of both surfaces are easy to clean and maintain, making it ideal for fluids that
cause fouling.
❖ It can detect the effect of changes in Hot and Cold streams
❖ It can determine the effect of driving forces in both co and counter flows
❖ It can also make a clear Temperature profile
 H101A Specifications

Inner Tube Value Outer Tube Value Active Heat Value

Transfer Section

Material Stainless Steel Material Clear Acrylic Length 1.5m

304

Outside 0.01562m Inside Diameter 0.038m Area 0.06979m2

Diameter

Wall Thickness 0.00081m Wall Thickness 0.010m

Procedure (Counter Current Flow)
❖ Install the concentric tube Heat Exchanger H101A as detailed in INSTALLATION / Heat Exchanger

Installation H101A and connect the cold water circuit to give Counter-Current flow

❖ Turn on the MAIN SWITCH' and 'HEATER SWITCH

❖ Set the hot water temperature controller to 71°C.

❖ Set the cold water flow rate Vcold to 3 L/min

❖ Set the hot water flow rate Vhot to 3 L/min.

❖ Monitor the stream temperatures and the hot and cold flow rates to ensure these too remain close to the

original setting.
Procedure
❖ Then record the following:

❖ TH in, TH out, TH mid, TC in, TC out, TC mid, Vhot and Vcold

❖ This completes the basic Counter-Current flow experiment observations.

 Observations
Sample No TH in TH out TH mid TC in TC out TC mid Vhot Vcold

1 71°C 60°C 65°C 24°C 33°C 27°C 3L/min 3L/min

2 66°C 55°C 61°C 23.5°C 31°C 27°C 3L/min 3L/min

3 62°C 52.5°C 59°C 24°C 29°C 26°C 3L/min 3L/min

Calculations (Counter Current Flow)
For Hot stream

From table 1 and 2 at T h mid = 65∘ C

𝜌hot = 0.9805 kg litre −1
Cp = 4.1865 kJ kg −1 k −1

Hence the power emitted from the hot stream Q e

Ǘ𝑄𝑒 = Vhot 𝜌hot CpHot T1 − T2 Watts

= 3L/min × 0.9805kg/L × 4.1865kJ kg −1 k −1 × (71 − 60)K
= 𝟐𝟐𝟓𝟕. 𝟔𝟔𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐬
Calculations (Counter Current Flow)
From table 1 and 2 at T5 = 27∘ C

𝜌Cold = 0.9965 kg litre −1

𝐶𝑝cold = 4.1787 kJ kg −1 k −1

Hence the power absorbed by the cold stream Q a

Ǘ =V
Qa cold 𝜌cold Cpcold (T4 − T3) Watts
= 3L/min × 0.9965kg/L × 4.1787kJ kg −1 k −1 × (33 − 24)K
= 𝟏𝟖𝟕𝟑. 𝟖𝟑 Watts
Calculations (Counter Current Flow)
Reduction in Hot fluid temperature

Δ t hot = T1 − T2
=71 − 60
= 11K

Increase in Cold fluid temperature

Δt cold = T4 − T3
=33 − 24
=9K
Calculations (Counter Current Flow)
The temperature efficiency of the hot stream from the above diagram

T1 − T2
𝜂Hot = × 100%
T1 − T3
71 − 60
= × 100%
71 − 24
= 23.40%

The temperature efficiency of the cold stream from the above diagram

𝑇4 − 𝑇3
𝜂Cold = × 100%
T1−T3
33 − 24
= × 100%
71 − 24
= 19.14%
Calculations (Counter Current Flow)
The mean temperature efficiency
𝜂Hot + 𝜂cold
𝜂Mean =
2
23.40 + 19.14
=
2
= 21.27%

The LMTD is defined as

dTmax − dTmin
LMTD =
dTmax
ln
dTmin
Calculations (Counter Current Flow)

From the given diagram

(T1 − T4) − (T2 − T3)

LMTD =
(T1 − T4)
ln
(T2 − T3)
Calculations (Counter Current Flow)
❖ Note that as the temperature measurement points are not fixed on the heat exchanger the
LMTD is not the same formula for both Counter-current flow and Co-current flow.

Hence for the Counter-current example

(71 − 33) − (60 − 24)

LMTD =
(71 − 33)
ln
(60 − 24)
2
=
0.05354
= 37.35 K
Calculations (Counter Current Flow)
QǗ e
U=
A × LMTD

The heat transfer area may be calculated from:

d0 + di
dm =
2

A = 𝜋dm L

(0.014) + (0.015)
dm =
2
= 0.01481 m
A = 𝜋 × 0.01481 × 1.5
= 0.06979 m2
Calculations (Counter Current Flow)
Hence for the test conditions the overall heat transfer coefficient:

QǗ e
U=
A × LMTD
2257.66
=
0.06979 × 37.35
= 868.33Wm−2 K −1

U= 868.33 𝑾𝒎−𝟐 𝑲−𝟏

 Calculations
Sample No ∆THot ∆TCold Qe Qa ηThermal ηcold ηhot ηmean

1 11°C 9°C 2257.66W 1873.8W 82.99% 19.14% 23.40% 21.27%

LMTD U (Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient)

37.35K 868.33W/K.m2
Procedure (Co-current Flow)
❖ Next connect the cold water circuit to give Co-Current flow as detailed in the INSTALLATION /Heat

Exchanger Installation H101A.

❖ Note that there is no need to disconnect the hot water circuit or to turn off the hot water pump during

this operation.

❖ Set the hot water temperature controller to 71°C.

❖ Set the cold water flow rate Vcold to 3L/min

❖ Set the hot water flow rate Vhot 3L/min.

Procedure (Co-current Flow)
❖ Monitor the stream temperatures and the hot and cold flow rates to ensure these remain close to the

original setting.

❖ Then record the following

❖ TH in, TH out, TH mid, TC in, TC out, TC mid, Vhot and Vcold

❖ This completes the basic Co-Current flow experiment observations

 Observations
Sample No TH in TH out TH mid TC in TC out TC mid Vhot Vcold

1 73°C 61°C 66°C 25°C 35°C 30°C 4L/min 4L/min

2 72°C 60°C 64°C 24°C 33°C 29°C 3L/min 3L/min

3 71°C 58°C 62°C 23°C 31°C 28°C 2L/min 2L/min

Calculations (Co-Current Flow)
For Hot stream

From table 1 and 2 at Th mid = 66∘ C

𝜌hot = 0.9800 kg litre −1
Cp = 4.1871 kJ kg −1 k −1

Hence the power emitted from the hot stream Q e

Ǘ𝑄𝑒 = Vhot 𝜌hot CpHot T1 − T2 Watts

= 4L/min × 0.9800kg/L × 4.1871kJ kg −1 k −1 × (73 − 61)K
= 𝟑𝟐𝟖𝟐. 𝟔𝟔𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐬
Calculations (Co-Current Flow)
From table 1 and 2 at Tc mid = 30∘ C

𝜌Cold = 0.9957 kg litre −1

𝐶𝑝cold = 4.1782 kJ kg −1 k −1

Hence the power absorbed by the cold stream Q a

Ǘ =V
Qa cold 𝜌cold Cpcold (T4 − T3) Watts
= 4L/min × 0.9957kg/L × 4.1782kJ kg −1 k −1 × (35 − 25)K
= 𝟐𝟕𝟕𝟑. 𝟑𝟑 Watts
Calculations (Co-Current Flow)
Reduction in Hot fluid temperature

Δ t hot = T1 − T2
=73 − 61
= 12K

Increase in Cold fluid temperature

Δt cold = T4 − T3
=35 − 25
=10K
Calculations (Co-Current Flow)
The temperature efficiency of the hot stream from the above diagram

T1 − T2
𝜂Hot = × 100%
T1 − T3
73 − 61
= × 100%
73 − 25
= 25%

The temperature efficiency of the cold stream from the above diagram

𝑇4 − 𝑇3
𝜂Cold = × 100%
T1−T3
35 − 25
= × 100%
73 − 25
= 20.8%
Calculations (Co-Current Flow)
The mean temperature efficiency
𝜂Hot + 𝜂cold
𝜂Mean =
2
25 + 20.83
=
2
= 22.91%

The LMTD is defined as

dTmax − dTmin
LMTD =
dTmax
ln
dTmin
Calculations (Co-Current Flow)

From the given diagram

(T1−T3)−(T2−T4)
LMTD = (T1−T3)
ln (T2−T4)
Calculations (Co-Current Flow)
❖ Note that as the temperature measurement points are not fixed on the heat exchanger the
LMTD is not the same formula for both Counter-current flow and Co-current flow.

Hence for the Counter-current example

(73 − 25) − (61 − 35)

LMTD =
(73 − 25)
ln
(61 − 35)
22
=
0.6131
= 35.88 K
Calculations (Co-Current Flow)
QǗ e
U=
A × LMTD

The heat transfer area may be calculated from:

d0 + di
dm =
2

A = 𝜋dm L

(0.014) + (0.015)
dm =
2
= 0.01481 m
A = 𝜋 × 0.01481 × 1.5
= 0.06979 m2
Calculations (Co-Current Flow)
Hence for the test conditions the overall heat transfer coefficient:

QǗ e
U=
A × LMTD
3282.66
=
0.06979 × 35.88
= 1313Wm−2 K −1

U= 1313 𝑾𝒎−𝟐 𝑲−𝟏

 Calculations
Sample No ∆THot ∆TCold Qe Qa ηThermal ηcold ηhot ηmean

1 12°C 10°C 3282.66W 2773.33W 84.48% 20.8% 25% 22.91%

LMTD U (Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient)

35.88K 1313 Wm−2 K −1

Conclusion
❖ Co-current flow is preferred in rare cases of heat transfer where a quick heat transfer is required.

❖ Counter current is opposite direction while co current is same direction.

❖ Counter current flow is flow in opposite directions whether co current flow is flow in one direction

❖ In counter current heat transfer is maximum as compared co- current .

❖ In counter current log mean temperature difference (LMTD) is more as compared to co- current..
Thank You!