One Convenient Method to Calculate Performance and Optimize Configuration for Annular Radiator Using Heat Transfer Unit Simulation

Zhe Xu,Zongling Yu,Haotian Mao,Rui Li,Huarui Yang,Yingqing Guo

doi:10.3390/en13010271

Abstract

In order to calculate heat transfer capacity and air-side pressure drop of an annular radiator (AR), one performance calculation method was proposed combining heat transfer unit (HTU) simulation and plate-and-fin heat exchanger (PFHX) performance calculation formulas. This method can obtain performance data with no need for meshing AR as a whole, which can be convenient and time-saving, as grid number is reduced in this way. It demonstrates the feasibility of this performance calculation method for engineering applications. In addition, based on the performance calculation method, one configuration optimization method for AR using nondominated sorted genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) was also proposed. Fin height (FH) and number of fins in circumferential direction (NFCD) were optimized to maximize heat transfer capacity and minimize air-side pressure drop. Three optimal configurations were obtained from the Pareto optimal points. The heat transfer capacity of the optimal configurations increased by 22.65% on average compared with the original configuration, while the air-side pressure drop decreased by 33.99% on average. It indicates that this configuration optimization method is valid and can provide a significant guidance for AR design.

Highlights

Heat exchangers, which can transfer heat between two fluids of different temperatures, are widely used in several industrial applications, just like aerospace engineering, petrochemical progress, nuclear power plants, oil refining, and so on [1]
As depicted, when air passes by only fins, aonly part of air passes through the clearance between fins, and the velocity of the air goes above fins is small part of air passes through the clearance between fins, and the velocity of the air goes above fins higher thanthan that of the of other
As depicted, when air passes by fins, only a small part of air passes through the clearance between fins, and the velocity of the air goes above fins sensors were distributed in the air inlet of annular radiator (AR), and the same is true for the air outlet

Summary

Introduction

Heat exchangers, which can transfer heat between two fluids of different temperatures, are widely used in several industrial applications, just like aerospace engineering, petrochemical progress, nuclear power plants, oil refining, and so on [1]. As performance calculation and configuration optimization are main steps in the process of heat exchanger design, numerous up-to-date technologies have been applied in this research area from various points of view. Theoretical analysis is a common method to calculate heat exchanger performance. As one kind of well-known theoretical analysis method, the Bell–Delaware method is widely used in performance calculation of heat exchangers. Yi et al [2], one cooling water heat exchanger was designed preliminarily using the Bell–Delaware method, and the design results were verified by HTRI

Methods

Results

Conclusion