Thermal performance enhancement in a double tube heat exchanger using combination of bubble injection and helical coiled wire insert

Abstract

In this experimental study, a novel approach combining a helical coiled wire (HCW) turbulator and bubble injection (BI) method has been employed to synergistically improve the heat transfer efficiency of double tube heat exchanger. The thermal-frictional characteristics were evaluated by investigating different parameters, including the bubble injection flow rate ranging from 2 to 5 l/min and HCW pitch ranging from 2.5 to 10 mm. For all cases, the thermal enhancement factor (TEF) is employed to determine the optimal configurations. The experimental findings indicate that the introduction of bubble injection, the implementation of the HCW turbulator, and the simultaneous utilization of both methods result in an enhancement of heat transfer by 66 %, 78 %, and 156 % respectively. However, it should be noted that the usage of these methods also leads to an increase in pressure drop. Also, the findings indicate that the integration of two methods yields favorable outcomes in terms of thermal performance when compared to their individual functions. In the optimal scenario, the TEF has the potential to reach a maximum value of 1.28. Furthermore, in order to obtain a more precise comprehension of the relationship between TEF and the parameters under investigation, an empirical equation have been derived and presented.