CHE391A Lab Report: 2023-34-II

Experiment no. 5B: PARALLEL FLOW / COUNTER FLOW HEAT EXCHANGER

Date of Experiment: 12/01/2024 Date of Report submission: 0/01/2024

Date of Revision: N/A

Group Number: 4 Batch: Friday

Name of Contributing Students:

1. Kartik Jain 2. Mohd Hamza

3. Rajat Phogat 4. Vishal Vyavahre

Executive Summary: Heat Exchanger is a device in which heat is transferred from hot fluid to
cold fluid . They have a multitude of industrial applications. Common examples of heat exchangers
are the radiator of a car, the condenser at the back of a domestic refrigerator and the steam boiler
of a thermal power plant. There are various types of Heat Exchangers available, we need to analyse
which one has the best efficiency so that we can minimize the industrial operational costs and
maximize profits.

Problem statement: To calculate rate of heat transfer, LMTD, inner and outer heat transfer
coefficients and overall heat transfer coefficient for parallel and counter flow arrangements for a
tube and tube heat exchanger and compare the performance of parallel and counter flow heat
exchanger by plotting Ui vs LMTD and Uo vs LMTD plots.

Key findings:

• Counter flow heat exchanger is a more efficient heat exchanger as compared to parallel
flow heat exchanger.
• Inner heat transfer coefficient is always greater than outer heat transfer coefficient

Short Conclusion: We get a higher overall heat transfer coefficient for the counter flow
arrangement (averaged across three flow rates) for all three hot fluid setpoints, and this result is
consistent with the theory.

Recommendations: There should a recycle system for cold water as well, rather than it being
passed to drain, as it will help save a lot of water.
1. AIM

• To calculate rate of heat transfer, LMTD and overall heat transfer coefficient for parallel
and counter flow for a tube and tube heat exchanger.
• To compare the performance of Parallel and Counter flow heat exchanger.

2. LINE DIAGRAM
3. SIGNED DATASHEET
4. DETAILED THEORY AND ANALYSIS

THEORY

Heat Exchanger is a device in which heat is transferred from one fluid to another.
Heat Exchangers are classified in three categories:
1) Transfer Type.
2) Storage Type.
3) Direct Contact Type
A transfer type of heat exchanger is one on which both fluids pass simultaneously through
the device and heat is transferred through separating walls. In practice most of the heat
exchangers used are transfer type ones.
The transfer type exchangers are further classified according to flow arrangement as –
1. Parallel flow (fluids flow in the same direction)
2. Counter flow (fluids flow in opposite direction)
3. Cross flow (fluids flow at right angles to each other)

The apparatus consists of a tube in tube type concentric tube heat exchanger. The hot
fluid is hot water which is obtained from an insulated water bath using a magnetic drive
pump and it flows through the inner tube while the cold fluid is cold water flowing
through the annuals. The hot water flows always in one direction and the flow rate of
which is controlled by means of a valve. The cold water can be admitted at one of the
ends enabling the heat exchanger to run as a parallel flow apparatus or a counter flow
apparatus. This is done by valve operations. For flow measurement Rotameters are
provided at inlet of cold water and outlet of hot water line. A magnetic drive pump is
used to circulate the hot water from a recycled type water tank, which is fitted with
heaters and Digital Temperature Controller.

PARALLEL AND COUNTER FLOWS:

(a)Parallel Flow

(b) Counter Flow

As inspection shows, it is not possible with the parallel method of flow to bring the exit
temperature of one fluid nearly to the entrance temperature of the other and the heat that
can be transferred is less than that possible in countercurrent flow. Moreover, the
temperature difference between the warm and cold fluid streams is the driving force for
heat transfer, and this driving force (at the outlet of the cold fluid) is significantly less in
case of a parallel flow arrangement, a parallel flow arrangement is expected to have poor
heat transfer (i.e., lesser heat transfer coefficient) compared to a counter flow
arrangement.
 OBSERVATIONS AND CALCULATIONS

Data:

Di = 9.5mm
Do = 12.7mm
L = 1.6 m
Ai = 0.0478 m2
Ao = 0.0638 m2
Cp ~ 4.18 kJ/kg K – 4.19 kJ/kg K

Observation Table:

Nomenclature:

Ai = Inside heat transfer area, m2

Ao = Outside heat transfer area, m2
Cph = Specific heat of hot fluid at mean temperature, kJ/kg oC
Cpc = Specific heat of cold fluid at mean temperature, kJ/kg oC
Do = Outer diameter of tube, m
Di = Inner diameter of tube, m
Fh = Flow rate of hot water, LPH
Fc = Flow rate of cold water, LPH
L = Length of tube, m
Mh = Mass flow rate of the hot water, kg/s
Mc = Mass flow rate of the cold water, kg/s
Q = Average heat transfer from the system, W
Qc = Heat gained by the cold water, W
Qh = Heat loss by the hot water, W
Th = Mean temperature of hot water, oC
Tc = Mean temperature of cold water, oC
T1 = Inlet temperature of the hot water, oC
 T2 = Outlet temperature of the hot water, oC
T3 = Inlet temperature of the cold water, oC (for parallel flow)
T4 = Outlet temperature of the cold water for counter flow, oC (for parallel flow)
T3 = Outlet temperature of the cold water, oC (for counter flow)
T4 = Inlet temperature of the cold water for counter flow, oC (for counter flow)
ΔTm = Log mean temperature difference, oC
Ui = Inside overall heat transfer coefficient, W/ m2 oC
Uo = Outside overall heat transfer coefficient, W/ m2 oC
c= Density of cold water at mean temp, kg/m3
h= Density of hot water at mean temp, kg/m3

FORMULAE USED :
PLOTS:
1. Uo vs LMTD Plot for Parallel and Counter Flow

2. Uo vs LMTD Plot for Parallel and Counter Flow

3. Qavg vs Fc

4. Qavg vs Ui/Uo for parallel flow

5. Qavg vs Ui/Uo for counter flow

5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

➔ The overall heat transfer coefficients for both inner and outer surfaces (U_i and
U_o) increase monotonically with increasing flow rate of cold fluid
➔ For all three sets of T_hot fluid (ie, 40, 50, 60 degrees C), we get higher U_i and
U_o for the counter flow arrangement two out of three times. This is expected
from theory. The only discrepancy arrives at the highest flow rate, where the heat
transfer coefficient for the parallel flow arrangement exceeds that of the counter
flow arrangement.
➔ We observe that there is a drop in the value of heat transferred as we increase the
set temperature to 60 deg C, it was following a linear trend but when set point was
increased to 60 this anomaly was observed.

PRECAUTIONS
a) Never run the apparatus if power supply is less than 180 volts and above than 230
volts
b) Never switch ON mains power supply before ensuring that all the ON/OFF
switches given on the panel are at OFF position.
c) Operator selector switch off temperature indicator gently
d) Always keep the apparatus free from dust
6. REMARKS AND CONCLUSIONS

REMARKS

o Counter flow heat exchanger is a more efficient heat exchanger as compared to

parallel flow heat exchanger.
o Inner heat transfer coefficient is always greater than outer heat transfer coefficient

CONCLUSION

We get a higher overall heat transfer coefficient for the counter flow arrangement
(averaged across three flow rates) for all three hot fluid setpoints, and this result is
consistent with the theory.

REFERENCES
a) Holman, J.P., “Heat Transfer”, 9th ed., McGraw Hill, NY, 2008, Page 525-
526, 528-531
b) McCabe, Smith, J.C., Harriott, P., “Unit Operations of Chemical
Engineering”, 7th ed. McGraw Hill, NY, 2005, Page 327-329, 331-333.