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Heat transfer enhancement and optimization of a tube fitted with twisted tape in a fin-and-tube heat exchanger

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Abstract

This research examines the effects of a tube fitted with twisted tape on the optimal design of a fin-and-tube heat exchanger (FTHE). The twisted tape on the tube side results in a trade-off between the heat transfer and pressure drop, so both the effectiveness (which is related to the rate of heat transfer) and the total annual cost (which is related to the heat transfer area and pressure drop) were optimized simultaneously. All the physical parameters of the FTHE were considered as design parameters, and the optimization was performed using a genetic algorithm for different mass flow rates of the tube side. All the optimum results in the case with the twisted tape tube (TTT) were compared with the case of a plain tube (PT). The optimum results show that the Pareto front for the case of the TTT was completely dominant over the PT for lower mass flow rate (0.25 kg s−1). Both the effectiveness and annual cost were enhanced in the TTT compared with the PT at the lower mass flow rate. On the other hand, for higher mass flow rates, there was a marginal point for effectiveness at which the Pareto front of TTT is dominant over that of the PT. For example, the TTT was optimal for effectiveness higher than 0.73, while the PT was optimal for effectiveness lower than 0.73 at a mass flow rate of 0.5 kg s−1. For the low mass flow rate, the TTT is recommended for a wide range of effectiveness, while in the case of high mass flow rate, the TTT is recommended for just high effectiveness.

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Abbreviations

A flow :

Minimum free-flow area (m2)

A :

Heat transfer surface area (m2)

C min :

Minimum of Ch and Cc (W K−1)

C max :

Maximum of Ch and Cc (W K−1)

C*:

Heat capacity rate ratio (Cmin/Cmax)

C in :

Investment cost ($ year−1)

C np :

Cost of nanoparticles

C op :

Operational cost ($ year−1)

C p :

Heat capacity (J K−1)

d c :

Fin collar outside diameter (m)

d i :

Tube inside diameter (m)

d o :

Tube outside diameter (m)

D h :

Hydraulic diameter (m)

f :

Friction factor (−)

G :

Mass flux (kg m−2 s−1)

h :

Convection heat transfer coefficient (W m−2 K−1)

H :

Twisted tape pitch (m)

I :

Modified Bessel function (−)

i :

Interest rate (−)

j :

Colburn factor (−)

k el :

Unit price of electricity ($ MWh−1)

L 1 :

Cold stream flow length (m)

L 2 :

Hot stream flow length (m)

L 3 :

No-flow length (m)

NTU:

Number of transfer units (−)

Nu :

Nusselt number (−)

n :

System lifetime (year)

N l :

Number of plate in L1 direction (−)

N r :

Number of tube row (−)

N t :

Total number of tubes (−)

p f :

Fin pitch (m)

Pr :

Prandtl number (−)

PT:

Heat exchanger with plain tube (−)

Q :

Rate of heat transfer (kW)

Re :

Reynolds number (−)

St :

Stanton number (−)

TTT:

Heat exchanger with twisted tape tube (−)

U :

Overall heat transfer coefficient (W m−2 K−1)

V t :

Volumetric flow rate (m3 s−1)

X l :

Longitudinal pitch (m)

X t :

Transversal pitch (m)

ΔP :

Pressure drop (kPa)

ɛ :

Thermal effectiveness (−)

τ :

Hours of operation per year (h)

η s :

Overall efficiency of fin array (−)

η f :

Single fin efficiency (−)

η is :

Efficiency of pump/compressor (−)

μ :

Viscosity (Pa s)

ρ :

Density (kg m−3)

σ :

Ratio between Aflow and Afront (Aflow/Afront)

c:

Cold

h:

Hot

I:

Inside

max:

Maximum

o:

Outside

tot:

Total

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the International Research and Development Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), which is funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT of Korea (NRF-2017K1A3A1A30084513). Partial support was also obtained from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant, which is funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (Nos. 2011-0030013, 2018R1A2B2007117).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 609-735, Republic of Korea

    Zahra Hajabdollahi & Kyung Chun Kim

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan, 7718897111, Iran

    Hassan Hajabdollahi

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  1. Zahra Hajabdollahi
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Correspondence to Kyung Chun Kim.

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Hajabdollahi, Z., Hajabdollahi, H. & Kim, K.C. Heat transfer enhancement and optimization of a tube fitted with twisted tape in a fin-and-tube heat exchanger. J Therm Anal Calorim 140, 1015–1027 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-019-08668-w

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