ABET Project Engineering application of heat exchangers LQI3132-1

Application of engineering to build a heat exchanger

1. Summary

In this project, the construction of a homemade

double tube heat exchanger is carried out in order
to know the basic principle of their operation.
Calculations were made based on the data obtained
to obtain the volumetric and mass flow, velocity
and Reynolds number.

Keywords: Heat exchanger, counter-flow, heat Figure 1. Flow regime for a parallel flow heat exchanger of
transfer double pipe.

2. Introduction 3. Objective

For the realization of the ABET project of the fluid
and heat flow unit operations laboratory, the
construction of a homemade heat exchanger was
built and analyzed to delve into its fundamentals.
Heat exchangers are devices that facilitate the
exchange of heat between two fluids that are at
different temperatures while keeping them from
mixing with each other. Heat transfer in these
devices involves convection in each fluid and
conduction through the wall separating the two
fluids. The rate of heat transfer between the two
fluids at a location in a heat exchanger depends on
the magnitude of the temperature difference at that
location, which varies along the heat exchanger.
For the realization of this project, a double-pipe
heat exchanger was built, which is the simplest
type. This consist of two concentric pipes of
different diameters. The mechanism of operation is
not complicated: one of the fluids flows through the
smaller pipe, while the other fluid flows through
the annular space between the two pipes.
Two types of flow arrangement are possible in a
double-pipe heat exchanger: in parallel flow, both
the hot and cold fluids enter the heat exchanger at
the same end and move in the same direction. In
counterflow, on the other hand, the hot and cold
fluids enter the heat exchanger at opposite ends and
flow in opposite directions. In this case, a parallel
flow heat exchanger was used.
3.1 General
Implement engineering knowledge to build a
parallel flow double pipe heat exchanger.
3.2 Specifics
• Apply the knowledge acquired in
the laboratory of heat and fluids
transfer unit operations.
• Analyze the operation of a heat
exchanger.
• Recognize the components of a
simple heat exchanger.
• Recognize the importance of a
heat exchanger.
4. Variables
4. 1 Independent
• Temperature: Established by the operator
for each input
• Diameter: depends on the thickness of
the tube chosen
• Viscosity: depends on the substance at
certain temperature
4. 2 Dependent
• Area: depends on the length and diameter
• Velocity: depends on the volumetric flow
and area
• Reynolds number: depends on the
internal diameter, velocity, density and
viscosity

5. Materials and methods

5.1 Materials
ABET Project Engineering application of heat exchangers LQI3132-1

• Copper tube of 56 cm (i.d. 1 cm) Once the device was ready, the water was heated to
• PVC tube of 30 cm (i.d. 2.3 cm) approximately 60 °C, while the water at room
• Two PVC pieces of 5 cm temperature marked 20 °C. In the same way, the
• Two couplings for PVC buckets were placed in each outlet: one in the thick
• Thin hose of 60 cm hose for hot water and another in the thin hose for
• Thin hose of 30 cm cold water. The water was emptied through its
• Thick hose of 25 cm corresponding inlet: cold water through the funnel
of the thin hose and hot water through the funnel of
• Plastic gaskets
the upper tee. Finally, the temperatures obtained at
• Two funnels
the outlet were taken.
• Flexometer
• Thermometer 6. Safety measures
• Two PVC tees
This is a low-risk experiment, but the operator must
• Hot water
protect himself from a water burn using cotton lab
• Cold water
robe and shoes without holes.
• Two buckets
6.1 Dangerous compounds: None

6.2 Security measures for the equipment:

None

6.3 Security measures for the operator:

Wear the proper personal protective equipment

7. Results and discussion

At the end of the experiment, the final temperatures

were taken and compared with the initial ones, as
shown below.

Figure 2. Materials used for the heat exchanger

Temperature Cold water Hot water
construction. (°C)
Initial 20 60
5.2 Methodology Final 37 55
For the assembly of the heat exchanger, the
materials were placed in the order in which they Based on these results, it can be verified that there
were to be used. A list of these materials can be was a heat exchange, in which the hot water
found below: transferred energy in terms of heat to the cold
First, the tees were placed in opposite directions on water. The heat transferred was calculated based on
each side of the PVC pipe, followed by the 5 cm the mass flow rate, the temperature difference, and
pieces of PVC and their corresponding coupling. the heat capacity of the water. Using the internal
Couplings had previously been attached to the thick diameters, length and thermal conductivity for the
hose at the hardware store, so it was ready to copper and PVC tube, the volumetric flow can be
assemble. The copper tube was inserted inside the obtained from equation 1
PVC tube, followed by the insertion of the plastic 𝑉̇ = V / t Equation 1
gaskets, making sure that the thin tube remained
immobile. As a last step, the hoses were connected: For cold water For hot water
starting with the thin hoses on both sides of the Tcin = 20°C + 273.15 Thin = 60°C + 273.15
copper tube and ending with the thick hose that was = 293.15 K = 333.15 K
connected to the bottom tee. The funnels were Tcout = 37°C + Thout = 55°C +
superimposed, one on the upper tee and the other 273.15 = 310.15 K 273.15 = 328.15
on the right-side hose, to simulate the exchanger Cp = 4.182 kJ/kg K Cp = 4.185 kJ/kg K
inlets. K = 0.598 W/m K K = 0.654 W/m K
ABET Project Engineering application of heat exchangers LQI3132-1

µ = 1.002x10-3 kg/ms µ = 0.467x10-3 kg/ms

ρ = 998 kg/m3 ρ = 983.3 kg/m3
̇𝑉 = 1 L / 4 s = 0.25 ̇
𝑉 = 1 L / 3 s = 0.3333
L/s = 0.00025 m3/s L/s = 0.0003 m3/s
𝑚̇ = ρ * 𝑉̇ = 998 𝑚̇ = ρ * 𝑉̇ = 983.3
kg/m3 * 0.00025 m3/s kg/m3 * 0.0003 m3/s
𝑚̇ = 0.2495 kg/s 𝑚̇ = 0.29499 kg/s
V = 𝑉̇ /A = 0.00025 V = 𝑉̇ /A = 0.0003
m3/s / (2 * π * 0.005 m3/s / (2 * π * 0.0115
m * 0.56 m) = 0.0142 m * 0.3 m) = 0.0138
m/s m/s Figure 3. PVC pipe with accessories

Copper tube PVC tube

Di = 1 cm = 0.01 m Di = 2.3 cm = 0.023 m
r = 0.5 cm = 0.005 m r = 1.15 cm = 0.0115
L = 56 cm = 0.56 m m
K = 385 W/m K L = 30 cm = 0.3 m
K = 0.16 W/m K

For cold water

Figure 4. Hot and cold water and thermometer
𝑄̇ = 𝑚̇ 𝐶𝑝 (𝑇𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑡 − 𝑇𝑐𝑖𝑛) Equation 2

𝑄̇ = 0.2495 kg/s * 4.182 kJ/kg K * (310.15 K –

293.15 K) = 17.738 kW

For hot water

𝑄̇ = 𝑚̇ 𝐶𝑝 (𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡 − 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑛) Equation 3

𝑄̇ = 0.29499 kg/s * 4.185 kJ/kg K * (328.15 K –

333.15 K) = 6.173 kW

Now, the velocity and Reynolds number can be Figure 5. Draining of water through inlets
calculated as follows
𝐷𝑖∗𝑉∗ρ
𝑅𝑒 = Equation 4
µ

𝑚 kg
(0.01 𝑚)∗(0.0142 )∗(998 3 )
𝑠 𝑚
𝑅𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑡 = = 141.4331
1.002𝑥10−3 kg/ms

𝑚 kg
(0.023 𝑚)∗(0.0138 )∗(983.3 3 )
𝑠 𝑚
𝑅𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑡 = = 668.3071
0.467𝑥10−3 kg/ms

With these results, it can be assumed that both hot

and cold water are laminar flows.

Figure 6. Heat exchanger outputs

ABET Project Engineering application of heat exchangers LQI3132-1

Figure 7. General view of the built heat exchanger

11. Conclusions

To carry out this project, advice from sales

consultants was needed to choose the correct
accessories for the pipes. Thanks to this, it was
possible to understand in more detail how heat
exchangers work, the measurements that can be
made and how are they built; in this case on a small
scale.

On the other hand, it was concluded that because

the built system is simple, design failures such as
leaks can be found causing measurement mistakes.
Finally, a laminar-type regimen was obtained,
since the system conditions favored it, but it should
be emphasized that at an industrial level it is more
common to see turbulent-type regimens.

12. References

CONTYQUIM (2019). Seguridad en la industria

química. Safety. Retrieved from:
https://contyquim.com/blog/seguridad-en-la-
industria-quimica

Universidad de Colima (N. D.) Normas Oficiales

Mexicanas de seguridad y salud en el trabajo.
Normateca. Retrieved from:
https://www.ucol.mx/normateca/norma-mexicana-
seguridad-trabajo.htm

Çengel, Yunus A. (2008). Chapter 11: Heat

Exchangers. Thermodynamics: an engineering
approach. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.