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Materials Today: Proceedings 4 (2017) 1045–1050 www.materialstoday.com/proceedings

5th International Conference of Materials Processing and Characterization (ICMPC 2016)

A Review on Enhancement of Heat Transfer in Heat Exchanger

with Different Inserts
Ravi Gugulothua, Naga Sarada Somanchia, K Vijaya Kumar Reddya and
Kavya Akkirajub*
a
Department of Mechanical engineering, JNTUH College of Engineering, Kukatpally, Hyderabad, Telangana state, India
b
Department of Chemical Engineering,JNTUH College of Engineering, Kukatpaly, Hyderabad, Telangana state, India

Abstract

Due to the limitation of fossil fuels, shortage of energy, optimization of energy consumption in various industrial processes
becomes very important and challenging issue all over the world. A reduction in energy consumption is possible by enhancing
the performance of heat exchanger and it is one of the most important devices related to energy and heat transfer. Heat transfer is
one of the most important processes in industrial and consumer products. For decades, efforts have been done to enhance heat
transfer, reduce the heat transfer time. Minimize of heat exchangers and finally increase energy and fuel efficiency.
Nanofluid is a new engineering fluid which could improve the performance of heat exchanger. Nanofluids have greater potential
for heat transfer enhancement and highly suited to application in practical heat transfer processes. Heat exchanger has potential
applications such as heat recovery from engine cooling circuit, oil cooling; desuper heating in refrigeration and air conditioning,
dairy and chemical industry, pharmaceutical industry and refinery. In many industrial applications the conventional heat transfer
fluids are refrigerants, water, engine oil, acetone and ethylene glycol etc.
An important in energy efficiency is possible from the perspective of the heat transfer fluids. Enhancement in heat transfer is
always in demand and it depends on the cooling rates, so the need for more efficient heat transfer systems increases, researchers
have introduced various heat transfer enhancement techniques.

©2017 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Selection and peer-review under responsibility of Conference Committee Members of 5th International Conference of Materials
Processing and Characterization (ICMPC 2016).

Keywords:Fosil fuel, energy, Heat Transfer, Enhancement, Reynolds number, Pressure Drop and Friction factor.

Introduction

A heat exchanger is a device which transfers the energy from a hot fluid to a cold with maximum rate and
minimum investment and running costs. Nowadays energy crisis plays a major role on human life. Utilizing energy
efficiently by improving heat transfer performance of a heat exchanger is one method to solve this problem.

*Corresponding author.
E-mail address: kavyaakkiraju1123@gmail.com

2214-7853©2017 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Selection and peer-review under responsibility of Conference Committee Members of 5th International Conference of Materials Processing and
Characterization (ICMPC 2016).
1046 Ravi Gugulothu et al/ Materials Today: Proceedings 4 (2017) 1045–1050

Heat transfer enhancement is the process of improving the performance of a heat transfer system to increasing the
heat transfer coefficient. Heat transfer enhancement technology has been widely applied to heat exchanger
applications in refrigeration, automobile and process industries like thermal power plants. A liquid coolant is widely
used to prevent the overheating of transportation vehicles. From the last two decades, many different techniques
were used to enhance the heat transfer coefficient. There are numerous techniques to embellish the heat transfer such
as fins, dimples, additives etc.
The major challenges to design of heat exchanger are; compactness to achieve a high heat transfer rate and to
allow operation of heat exchanger with a small power loss. For heat transfer enhancements in heat exchangers, there
are three different methods are used; i.e. active methods, passive method and compound method. Passive techniques,
where inserts are used in the flow passage to enhancement of heat transfer are advantageous compared with active
method. Because, the insert manufacturing process is simple and these techniques can be easily employed in an
existing heat exchanger. Advantages of heat exchanger are; higher heat transfer coefficient, less weight, minimum
pressure loss, quick response to load variation, small bulk weight and high efficiency.
This present research of heat transfer has been the subject of many experimental and numerical studies. The work
done by previous researchers to enhancement of heat transfer using different techniques are listed below:

Nomenclature

s space to tape ratio

PR Pitch Ratio
θ louvered inserts strip angle
α inclined angle
Y twist ratio

Pressure
Publication Reynolds Nusselt Friction Enhancement of Drop
S. No Author Augmentation
Year (Country) Number Number Factor heat transfer

Helical tapes insert

145%
with rod 2300 to 5% to 10% 30%
Helical tapes insert 8800 (without rod) (without
165%
without rod rod)
Smith s=0.5 5% 145% 45%
Eiamsa Helical tapes insert s=1.0 10% 140% 52%
ard and 2005 without rod s=1.5 17% 133% 58%
1
Pongjet (Thailand) s=2.0 21% 129% 62%
Promvon Full length helical
ge 160%
tape with rod
Full length helical
150%
tape without rod
Regularly spaced
145%
helical tape

Full length twisted y=6 179%

tape with twist
Smith ratio
Eiamsa 2006 y=8 143%
2
ard (Thailand)
et al s=0.0 179%
Twisted tape with s=1.0 160% 15%
free space length s=2.0 142% 39%
s=3.0 121% 81%
 Ravi Gugulothu et al/ Materials Today: Proceedings 4 (2017) 1045–1050 1047

Converging nozzle 236%

Pongjet 8000 to
Promvon 18,000
ge and 2007 Diverging nozzle 344%
3
Smith (Thailand)
Eiamsa 310%-
ard PR=2.0 10-20%
360%
Diverging nozzle PR=4.0 296% 25% 5-13%
PR=7.0 240% 60% 3-9%

50%
Smith Helical Tape with
230% (with core
Eiamsa 2007 core rod 2000 to 25% to 60%
4 rod)
ard (Thailand) 12,000 (with core rod)
et al Helical Tape
340% 4.9 times
without core rod
Backward
Louvered Strip 263% 233% 1.17 to 1.98
Inserts 6000 to
42,000
Forward Louvered
284% 413% 1.11 to 1.8
Smith Strip Inserts
Eiamsa 2008 θ= 15 0
1.55 times 1.33 times
5 Backward
ard (Thailand)
Louvered Strip θ= 250 2.0 times 1.97 times
et al
Inserts θ= 300 2.33 times 2.64 times
θ= 150 2.8 times 1.5 times
Forward Louvered θ= 250 3.25 times 2.19 times
Strip Inserts
θ= 300 4.13 times 2.84 times
Ibrahim 2011 Helical screw tape 5.7 × 10 2 to
6 3.2% 2.8%
EZ (Egypt) inserts 1.31 × 103
α=450 15.5 times
Butterfly twisted
α=900 18.3 times
tape
α=1350 11.5 times
Y=1.76 6.38
Shabania Classic twisted Y=2.35 5.48
2011 tape Y=2.94 4.66
7 nSR
(Iran) Y=3.53 3.84
et al
Y=1.76 10.65%
Jagged twisted Y=2.35 20.57%
tape Y=2.94 30.19%
Y=3.53 34.41%
Forward louvered
Mohamm 350% to 400%
2013 strip 10,000 to
8 ed HA 4.1 times
(Malaysia) Back word 50,000
et al 367% to 411%
louvered strip
Louvered Square
leaf insert 300 32.72% 80.39% Ratio=0.79
backward
Louvered Square
leaf insert 600 81.31% 143.4% Ratio=1.34
backward
Naga
2013 Louvered Square
9 Sarada S 128.39% 441.3% Ratio=1.30
(India) leaf insert 900
et al
Louvered Square
leaf insert 300 30.03% 116.4% Ratio=1.02
forward
Louvered Square
leaf insert 600 121% 369.1% Ratio=1.32
forward
Naga 2014 7000 to 55.5%
10 Cylindrical pin 280.3%
Sarada S (India) 15,000 1.99 times
1048 Ravi Gugulothu et al/ Materials Today: Proceedings 4 (2017) 1045–1050

et al 49.8%
Curved leaf 17.5%
1.42 times
155.4%
Triangular insert 660.7%
1.29 times
Rectangular bar 31.32%
54.45%
with Diverging Ratio=1.6 1.34
Ratio=1.54
conical strip 6
Rectangular bar 204.29%
68.53%
Naga with Converging Ratio=3.0 1.16
2014 8000 to Ratio=1.68
11 Sarada S conical strip 4
(India) 15,000
et al Rectangular bar
with Alternate 66.03%
58.72%
Converging, Ratio=1.3 1.40
Ratio=1.58
Diverging conical 1
strips
Rectangular bar 31.32%
54.45%
with Diverging Ratio=1.3 1.40
Ratio=1.54
conical strip 1
Rectangular bar 204.29%
68.53%
with Converging Ratio=3.0 1.16
Ratio=1.68
conical strip 4
Rectangular bar
with Alternate 66.03%
58.72%
Converging, Ratio=1.6 1.34
Ratio=1.58
Diverging conical 6
strips
Naga Rectangular bar
2014 8000 to 246.18%
12 Sarada S with holes and 64.46%
(India) 19000 Ratio=3.4 1.08
et al Diverging conical Ratio=1.64
7
strip
Rectangular bar
322.92%
with holes and 72.77%
Ratio=4.2 1.06
Converging Ratio=1.72
2
conical strip
Rectangular bar
with hole and
77.92% 279.45%
Alternate
Ratio=3.7 1.14
Converging,
Ratio=1.77 9
Diverging conical
strips

Straight Channel
Ahmed 2015 Nanofluid:
13 Sinusoidal 7.1%
M.A (Iraq) SiO2
Channel 400 to 4000
Trapezoidal 7.4%
Channel

Conclusion

Ahmed M.A et al (2015) numerically and experimentally founded that trapezoidal corrugated channel is the best
channel to enhancement of heat transfer while comparing with sinusoidal corrugated channel and straight corrugated
channel.
Mohammed H.A. et al (2013) concluded that, Nusselt number is increased with the increase of nanoparticle
concentration and decreases with the increase of nanoparticle diameter. Among SiO2, Al2O3, ZnO and CuO
nanofluids SiO2 has founded the highest Nusselt number. Backward louvered strip insert promoted the heat transfer
at the highest slant angle of 300, than 250 and 150. The maximum Nusselt number was founded at the 300 of slant
angle and 30mm of pitch in both forward and backward louvered strip inserts.
Naga Sarada S et al (2013) concluded that the 600 backward flow inserts founded to be optimum when compared
with 300 backward flows, 900, 300 forward flows and 600 forward flows.
Naga Sarada S et al (2014) concluded that the triangular inserts promoted as highest heat transfer while
comparing to cylindrical and curved inserts.
 Ravi Gugulothu et al/ Materials Today: Proceedings 4 (2017) 1045–1050 1049

Naga Sarada S et al (2014) concluded that the rectangular bar with converging, diverging conical strip insert has
good Nusselt number and minimum friction factor when compared with rectangular bar with converging and
rectangular bar with diverging conical strip inserts.
Naga Sarada S et al (2014) concluded that the rectangular bar with diverging conical strip has good Nusselt
number and minimum friction factor, rectangular bar with hole and alternate converging, diverging conical strips
has highest Nusselt number but it has highest friction factor. So, if pumping power is taken into account then the
rectangular bar with diverging conical strips is founded as optimum, otherwise rectangular bar with hole and
alternate converging, diverging conical strips is optimum among all the six inserts used.
Pongjet Promvonge and Smith Eiamsa ard (2007) found that the D-nozzle arrangement provided the maximum
value of Nusselt number when compared to C-nozzle and plain tube.
Smith Eiamsa ard et al (2005) founded that full length helical tape with centred rod is suggested compared with
full length helical tape without centred rod.
Smith Eiamsa ard et al (2006) suggested that regularly spaced twisted tapes with space ratio of 1 or less than 1 is
better for enhancement of heat transfer when compared with full length twisted tapes with different twist ratios.
Smith Eiamsa ard et al (2008) founded that louvered strip inserts with backward arrangement is good to
enhancement of heat transfer when compared with louvered strips inserts of forward arrangement.
This review paper discussed the considerable numerical and experimental works which has been done on heat
transfer enhancement through inserts like helical tape, square leaf, twisted tape and louvered strip. We conclude that
the trapezoidal corrugated channel, backward flow direction with maximum slant angles (<900) and less space ratio
(<1) are optimum to enhancement of heat transfer.

References

[1] Ahmed M.A, Yusoff M.Z, Ng K.C and Shuaib N.H (2015), “Numerical and Experimental Investigations on the Heat Transfer Enhancement
in Corrugated Channels Using SiO2 Water Nanofluid”, Case Studies in Thermal Engineering, 6 (2015), pp: 77-92.
[2] Fotukian S.M and Nasr Esfahany M (2010), “Experimental Investigation of Turbulent Convective Heat Transfer of dilute γAl2O3/Water
Nanofluid inside a circular tube”, International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow, 31(2010), pp: 606-612.
[3] Ibrahim E.Z (2011), “Augmentation of Laminar Flow and Heat Transfer in Flat Tubes by means of Helical Screw Tape Inserts”, Energy
Conversion and Management 52 (2011), pp: 250-257.
[4] Mohammed H.A, Husam A Hasan and Wahid M.A (2013), “Heat Transfer Enhancement of Nanofluids in a Double Pipe Heat Exchanger with
Louvered Strip Inserts”, International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, 40(2013), pp: 36-46.
[5] Naga Sarada S, Ram Reddy P and Gugulothu Ravi (2013), “Experimental Investigations on Augmentation of Turbulent Flow Heat Transfer in
a Horizontal Tube Using Square Leaf Inserts”, International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering, Volume 3, Issue 8,
August 2013, pp: 420-424, ISSN: 2250-2459.
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[7] Naga Sarada Somanchi, Sri Rama Devi R and Ravi Gugulothu (2014), “Experimental Investigations on Heat Transfer Enhancement in a
Horizontal Tube Using Conversing and Diverging Conical Strip Inserts”, Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 592-594 (2014), pp: 1590-
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Investigations on Heat Transfer Enhancement in a Horizontal Tube Using Converging and Diverging Conical Strips”, Proceedings of the
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[12] Shabanian S R, Rahimi M, Shahhosseini M and Alsairafi A A (2011), “CFD and Experimental Studies on Heat Transfer Enhancement in an
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