The entransy dissipation minimization principle under given heat duty and heat transfer area conditions

Abstract

Under given heat duty and heat transfer area conditions, the equipartition of the entransy dissipation (EoED) principle, the equipartition of the temperature difference (EoTD) principle, and the equipartition of the heat flux (EoHF) principle are applied to the optimization design of a heat exchanger with a variable heat transfer coefficient. The results show that the difference between the results obtained using the EoED and EoTD principles is very small, far smaller than that between the results obtained using the EoED and EoHF principles. The correct entransy dissipation minimization principle is chosen to optimize the parameters in the hot and cold fluids in a two-fluid heat exchanger, under given heat duty and heat transfer area conditions. The results indicate that the proper choice of the two alternative fluids has an important role in the successful application of the entransy dissipation minimization principle. The fluid that could improve the total heat transfer coefficient should be chosen, or the fluid that makes the temperature profiles of the hot and cold fluids parallel and decreases the temperature difference between the hot and cold fluids after optimization simultaneously, could be the proper one.