An experimental investigation on the performance of novel hybrid heat exchanger over conventional shell and tube heat exchanger

Abstract

Energy conservation is one of the recent fields which demands more technological upgradations. It is necessary to utilize the available source of energy effectively and efficiently such that we would obtain greater results with lesser energy consumption. Shell and Tube heat exchanger is one of widely used heat exchanger in process industries. Normally, in a shell and tube exchanger, as per TEMA recommendations, the hot fluid flows through the shell side and the cold fluid flows through the tubes. Due to the larger shell diameter, and greater temperature difference between the shell fluid and the exposed atmosphere, a larger amount of heat is radiated to the surrounding. This heat is actually wasted and the main objective of the present work is to effectively utilize this heat. The Hybrid Heat Exchanger is a technological modification which is brought on to a conventional used shell and tube heat exchanger. Here, a larger diameter shell is placed over an existing shell and tube exchanger; therefore, this would produce the combined effect of a shell and tube exchanger and double pipe heat exchanger within the same confined area. The objective of this heat exchange design is to reuse the waste heat radiated on the large surface of the shell of a shell and tube exchanger. This modification enhanced the rate of heat transfer which in turn improve the effectiveness of the heat transfer equipment. This design is created in such a way that, the up gradation would require very less additional area, but produce greater result, compared to the conventional shell and tube heat exchanger.