Fluid flow and heat transfer investigations in shell and dimple heat exchangers

Abstract

Heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics are investigated here using experimental and analytical techniques for a dimple plate heat exchanger. The analysis uses the log mean temperature difference method (LMTD) in all its calculations. Whilest the shell side flow highly resembles the flow over a rough or wavy plate, the tube side passage in these represents the flow over short hexagonal tube banks with the flowing across the sectional areas between the hexagons having the shape of a benzene ring. Local and global experimental measurements are carried out around the heat exchanger. Furthermore, analytical models for both sides of the heat exchanger were obtained from the literature. Reasonable cross match between experimental and analytical results could be obtained. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.