Abstract
An experimental system has been built to research the heat transfer characteristics of gas cooled molten salt heat exchangers. Based on the system, a prototype tube-and-shell gas cooled molten salt heat exchanger was experimentally investigated. A nitrate salt mixture (NaNO3-KNO3-NaNO2) was chosen as the hot fluid in the tube side. Helium and air were chosen as the gas fluids in the shell side, respectively. A modified Wilson plot method was used to separate the heat coefficients in both sides. Convective heat transfer data of molten salt in tube bundles are obtained within the range of Re from 4138 to 11191 and Pr from 9.8 to 18.9. It is compared with two empirical correlations: Gnielinski’s Equation and Hausen’s Equation. Comparison of the heat transfer characteristics between air and helium in the shell side is also discussed. A detailed thermal resistance analysis inside the heat exchanger is made and the way to improve its thermal performance is clarified.
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