Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger Research Articles

Optimal design of supercritical He–H2 PCHE in SABER system by multi-objective genetic algorithm

A double-circle straight-channel printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) was first employed in a synergistic air-breathing rocket engine (SABER) system for supercritical He and H2 heat transfer. The heat transfer mechanism of the supercritical flow in the PCHE channel was numerically analyzed. For considered the pressure drop, heat transfer efficiency, and ratio of heat flux to weight, simultaneously, the design of the PCHE is multi-objective genetic optimized. The results shown that the supercritical H2 flow is chaotic near the pseudo-critical point, which is a coupled effect of buoyancy and gravity. Chaotic flow leads to an asymmetrical temperature distribution, which deteriorates the heat transfer performance. For 27 numerical experimental cases designed using the center composite surface method, the determine factors of the regression models of the three objectives for both cold and hot sides were all above 92 %. The Pareto optimal solutions for the supercritical He - H2 PCHE design and performance were obtained based on the nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II. From a comprehensive view of the three targets, the optimal designs were the A-4 and B-4 solutions for the cold and hot sides, respectively.

Numerical study on bionic airfoil fins used in printed circuit plate heat exchanger

Abstract Airfoil printed circuit heat exchangers (PCHEs) possess exceptional comprehensive performance. In recent years, extensive research has been conducted on the layout and structure optimization of airfoil fins. As biomimetic technologies gradually mature, bionics has achieved numerous outcomes in optimizing airfoil aerodynamic characteristic. Inspired by the sailfish geometry, four types of bionic airfoils are proposed based on the NACA 0015 airfoil, to enhance the thermal-hydraulic performance of the airfoil PCHEs. The results show that while the four types of sailfish airfoils are effective in terms of drag reduction, their overall performance at the same pumping power is suboptimal, with only one type providing an advantage at the low Re region. Moreover, airfoils with concave head curves further increase the weakening of heat transfer by the velocity boundary layer.

Research on Off-Design Characteristics and Control of an Innovative S-CO2 Power Cycle Driven by the Flue Gas Waste Heat

Recently, supercritical CO2 (S-CO2) has been extensively applied for the recovery of waste heat from flue gas. Although various cycle configurations have been proposed, existing studies predominantly focus on the steady analysis and optimization of different S-CO2 structures under design conditions, and there is a noticeable deficiency in off-design research, especially for the innovative S-CO2 cycles. Thus, in this work aimed at the proposed novel S-CO2 power cycle, off-design characteristics and corresponding control strategies are investigated for the waste heat recovery. Based on the design parameters of the S-CO2 cycle, structural dimensions of printed circuit heat exchangers (PCHEs) and shell-and-tube heat exchangers are determined, and design values of turbines and compressors are specified. On this basis, off-design models for these key components are formulated. By manipulating variables such as cooling water inlet temperature, cooling water mass flow rate, flue gas inlet temperature and flue gas mass flow rate, cycle performances of the system are analyzed under off-design conditions. The simulation results show that when the inlet temperature and the mass flow rate of cooling water vary separately, the thermal efficiency both can reach the maximum value of 28.43% at the design point. For the changes in heat source parameters, the optimum point is slightly deviated from the design condition. Amidst the fluctuations in flue gas inlet temperature, the thermal efficiency optimizes to a peak of 28.56% at 530 °C. In the case of variation in the flue gas mass flow rate, the highest thermal efficiency 28.75% can be obtained. Furthermore, to maintain the efficient and stable operation of the S-CO2 power cycle, the corresponding control strategy of the cooling water mass flow rate is proposed for the cooling water inlet temperature variation. Generally, when the inlet temperature of cooling water increases from 23 °C to 27 °C, the cooling water mass flow should increase from 82.3% to 132.7% of the design value to keep the system running as much as possible at design conditions.

Thermal-hydraulic performance study of swiftlet-type fins for supercritical carbon dioxide precooler

ABSTRACT The printed circuit heat exchanger has the advantages of compactness and high efficiency, and is one of the best candidates for precoolers in the supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle. In this paper, for the precooler working condition, the swiftlet-type fin is proposed. The thermal-hydraulic performance of the fin is compared with that of the airfoil fin and the crossed airfoil fin under the same condition by numerical simulation. The flow and heat transfer mechanism of the fin is analyzed based on the field synergy theory and the flow line distribution of the longitudinal section. In the Reynolds number range of 5000 ~ 25000, the Nu of the swiftlet-type fin was improved by 44.5% ~53.0% and 12.1% ~16.6% compared to the airfoil fin and crossed airfoil fin, the f factor increased by 109.1% ~146.3% and 22% ~27%, comprehensive heat transfer performance PEC increased by 6.9% ~19.5% and 6.3% ~11.9%; By studying the effects of different length-to-width ratios (L c ), the widest position of the fin (n), and crossing distances at the tail of the swiftlet-type fin (L e ) on convection heat transfer, the optimal structural parameters are derived, when the Reynolds number is less than 15,000, the optimal structure is L c  = 5 mm, n = 0.375, and L e  = 1.5 mm; When the Reynolds number is more than 15,000, the optimal structure is L c  = 6 mm, n = 0.25, L e  = 1.5 mm. This study can provide guidance for the application of printed circuit plate heat exchangers in precooler condition.

Study on coupled heat transfer of pyrolytic kerosene and supercritical CO2 in zigzag-type PCHE used for hypersonic vehicle power generation system

Supercritical CO2 closed cycle is an effective solution to the power generation challenge of hypersonic vehicles. The coupled heat transfer between aviation kerosene and supercritical CO2 within the zigzag-type printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) is the core thermal process of the whole cycle. Starting from the enhancement of the cycle's power generation, this study analyzes the influence mechanism of structural parameters on the heat transfer process through numerical simulation. The research indicates that a deep pyrolysis reaction of aviation kerosene, with the chemical heat absorption rate accounting for over 65 % of the total heat transfer rate. Due to the significant nonlinearity introduced by pyrolysis, traditional enhanced heat transfer design methods may even weaken its heat exchange. Unlike most studies, this type of PCEH achieves optimal heat transfer performance with a larger channel diameter and a smaller bend angle. Additionally, the increase in diameter and the decrease in bend angle enhance the power capacity of kerosene and its pyrolysis products, significantly improving the efficiency of thermal-electric conversion for the cycle. Finally, the study has determined a diameter of 2.4 mm and a bend angle of 30° constitute a set of structural parameters most suitable for the PCHE.

Numerical investigation on thermal-hydraulic performance of variable cross section printed circuit heat exchanger

CO2 transcritical power cycle (CTPC) systems have attracted considerable research focus in the fields of thermoelectric conversion and waste heat recovery. The regenerator is a key component affecting the CTPC system's efficiency. To improve the comprehensive performance of the regenerator, extensive research has been conducted to optimize the regenerator flow channel design. However, the optimization of the traditional Z-channel printed circuit heat exchanger structure (ZPCHE) is limited to constant cross-sectional configurations along the flow direction, which can lead to low channel space utilization. To solve this problem, an efficient variable cross section Z-channel structure (UAPCHE) is proposed in this study. The structure is designed with different cross-sectional shapes along the flow direction to fit the flow path of the main fluid. UAPCHE achieves a coordinated optimization of the heat transfer (Nu), flow (dP), and compactness performance (Q/V) by increasing the effective utilization of the channel space and weakening the damage to the fluid boundary layer. The design principle of the UAPCHE is introduced, and based on this, the structural parameters of the UAPCHE are optimized to achieve the best comprehensive performance. The results show that, compared with the ZPCHE, Nu of UAPCHE can be increased by 16.79%, dP can be reduced by 19.48%, and Q/V can be increased by 22.65%.

Diffusion Bonding 321-Grade Stainless Steel: Failure and Multimodal Characterization.

Vacuum diffusion-bonded printed circuit heat exchangers are an attractive choice for the high-temperature, high-pressure demands of next-generation energy applications. However, early reports show that the high-temperature materials desired for these applications suffer from poor bond strengths due to precipitation at the bond line, preventing grain boundary migration. In this study, a diffusion bond of the high-temperature stainless steel grade 321H is investigated, and poor mechanical properties are found to be caused by Ti(C, N) precipitation at the bond line. Through in situ studies, it is found that Ti diffuses from the bulk to the mating surfaces at high temperatures. The Ti subsequently precipitates and, for the first time, an interaction between Ti(C, N) and Al/Mg-oxide precipitates at the bond line is observed, where Ti(C, N) nucleates on the oxides forming a core-shell structure. The results indicate that small amounts of particular alloying elements can greatly impact diffusion bond quality, prompting further research into the microstructural evolution that occurs during bonding conditions.

Numerical study on the flow and heat transfer performance of SCO2/molten salt in Z-type printed circuit heat exchangers

The utilization of a PCHE in conjunction with a SCO2 Brayton cycle and molten salt thermal storage demonstrates a high efficiency. Investigating the flow and heat transfer characteristics of SCO2 and molten salt within a Z-type PCHE is essential. However, this particular aspect has not been explored by previous researches. This study employs a Z-type PCHE to analyze the heat transfer and flow characteristics of SCO2 and molten salt under different inlet temperatures, mass fluxes, and outlet pressures. Furthermore, the heat transfer efficiency of a Z-type PCHE is evaluated and compared to that of a conventional straight-type PCHE. The results indicate that the flow pattern of SCO2 exhibits periodic behavior due to the periodic bending structure of Z-type PCHE, while the flow of molten salt is minimally affected. Furthermore, different SCO2 conditions lead to divergent patterns in flow and heat transfer efficiency compared to molten salt. Z-type channels help alleviate the decline in heat transfer that typically happens in the inlet section of straight channels. Nu for a dual working fluid in a straight-type PCHE is only 1.1 times greater than that of a single working fluid. In Z-type PCHE configuration, the ratio of the dual working fluid to the single working fluid Nu is 1.4. The sensitivity of SCO2/molten salt dual working fluid to the heat exchanger structure is significant, with Z-type PCHE demonstrating superior heat transfer capabilities. The results outlined in this study offer the prospect of improving the design and deployment of Z-type PCHE in molten salt energy storage systems that operate within SCO2 Brayton cycle.

Modelling and Design of a Novel Integrated Heat Exchange Reactor for Oxy-Fuel Combustion Flue Gas Deoxygenation

The concentration of residual O2 in oxy-fuel combustion flue gas needs to be reduced before CO2 transportation, utilization, or storage. An original application of the printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) for catalytic combustion with natural gas (catalytic deoxygenation) is described for reducing the residual O2 concentration. The PCHE design features multiple adiabatic packed beds with interstage cooling and fuel injection, allowing precise control over the reaction extent and temperature within each reaction stage through the manipulation of fuel and utility flow rates. This work describes the design of a PCHE for methane–oxygen catalytic combustion where the catalyst loading is minimized while reducing the O2 concentration from 3 vol% to 100 ppmv, considering a maximum adiabatic temperature rise of 50 °C per stage. Each PCHE design differs by the number of reaction stages and its individual bed lengths. As part of the design process, a one-dimensional transient reduced-order reactor model (1D ROM) was developed and compared to temperature and species concentration axial profiles from 3D CFD simulations. The final design consists of five reaction stages and four heat exchanger sections, providing a PCHE length of 1.09 m at a processing rate of 12.3 kg/s flue gas per m3 PCHE.

Thermostructural analysis on airfoil fin printed circuit heat exchanger using supercritical CO2

Thermostructural analysis on airfoil fin printed circuit heat exchanger using supercritical CO2

Dynamic Modeling and Control of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Cycle for Gas Turbine Waste Heat Recovery

The gas turbine is a crucial piece of equipment in the energy and power industry. The exhaust gas has a sufficiently high temperature to be recovered for energy cascade use. The supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO2) Brayton cycle is an advanced power system that offers benefits in terms of efficiency, volume, and flexibility. It may be utilized for waste heat recovery (WHR) in gas turbines. This study involved the design of a 5 MW S-CO2 recompression cycle specifically for the purpose of operational control. The dynamic models for the printed circuit heat exchangers, compressors, and turbines were developed. The stability and dynamic behavior of the components were validated. The suggested control strategies entail utilizing the cooling water controller to maintain the compressor inlet temperature above the critical temperature of CO2 (304.13 K). Additionally, the circulating mass flow rate is regulated to modify the output power, while the exhaust gas flow rate is controlled to ensure that the turbine inlet temperature remains within safe limits. The simulations compare the performance of PI controllers tuned using the SIMC rule and ADRC controllers tuned using the bandwidth method. The findings demonstrated that both controllers are capable of adjusting operating conditions and effectively suppressing fluctuations in the exhaust gas. The ADRC controllers exhibit a superior control performance, resulting in a 55% reduction in settling time under the load-tracking scenario.

Numerical investigation of supercritical flow and heat transfer mechanism in printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) channels

A numerical study is conducted to investigate supercritical hydrogen flow and heat transfer mechanisms and characteristics in printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) channels. The impact of large variations of the thermal-physical properties due to a wide range of operating temperatures have been studied and analyzed in detail. The heat transfer mechanisms of supercritical hydrgen under horizontal and vertical flow conditions are studied numerically. In addition, the influence of different cross-section shapes of the channel is also analyzed. The results show that asymmetrical fluid temperature distributions near the top wall and bottom wall due to the buoyancy effect result in heat transfer deterioration. Spiral flow occurs in the heat transfer deterioration region, which further confirms that the heat transfer deterioration is related to the spiral flow effect caused by the buoyancy effect. The heat transfer coefficient without gravity is lower than that with gravity, indicating that the buoyancy effect enhances the overall heat transfer in the horizontal circular channel. Furthermore, the fluid temperature in the vertical upflow channel decreases slowly from the near wall to the core area, while the fluid temperature in the vertical downflow channel changes sharply, which directly leads to the difference in the temperature gradient near the wall. Compared with the square cross-section channel and semicircular cross-section channel, the supercritical hydrogen can achieve greater heat transfer performance in the circular cross-section channel.

A universal ANN-based approach predicting PCHEs’ off-design performance across various operating conditions of sCO2 RCBCs

This paper proposes a universal approach that employs artificial neural networks (ANN) to predict the off-design performance of printed circuit heat exchangers (PCHEs) using supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) fluid. PCHEs are widely studied precoolers and recuperators of sCO2 power cycles, for which predicting their off-design heat transfer performance is challenging due to the fluid’s dramatic non-linear property variations. Due to their narrow valid range and constrained expressing ability, the existing empirical correlations might introduce significant out-of-scope errors that result in diverged simulation results, slow convergence and abnormal quitting. This work addresses the issue by proposing an ANN-based Nusselt number correlation, ANNu, to predict the off-design performance of PCHEs quickly and universally over the vast operating range of sCO2 cycles. Multiple techniques were adopted to promote ANNu’s prediction accuracy and generalization, such as consolidating 494 training data, data-driven input selection, and global optimization for the networks’ architecture and hyperparameters. This paper comprehensively evaluates ANNu’s performance by comparing its predictions with ten empirical correlations over four typical real-world scenarios, where ANNu features an overall MSE of 83.4222 and overall MAPE of 16.285 % that rank the second best and third best among eleven candidates (even overpassing two references), respectively. Moreover, ANNu exhibits good generalization and reliability, featuring MAPEs ranging from 9.89 % to 27.73 % when processing unmet experiment data from sCO2 PCHE applications.

An open-source porous media modelling approach to investigate thermohydraulic features of compact printed circuit heat exchangers

An experimental air-foil printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) with CO2 as a working fluid is numerically modelled and developed within the OpenFOAM environment as a freely available package for more general PCHE designs. The conjugate heat transfer solver (chtMultiRegionFoam) is adapted to include both the hot and cold fluid streams of the PCHE, along with the solid recuperator body, within three uniquely specified overlapping mesh regions. The fluid stream momentum equation is adapted to incorporate porosity, with the additional streamwise air-foil drag (friction factor) accounted for by the Darcy–Forcheimer porous media model. A simple linear ad-hoc model for the transverse friction factor is evaluated to determine the dispersion of the momentum across the flow. Heat transfer between the fluid streams and the solid body is driven by a volumetric thermal resistance with a cell volume-weighted interpolation method (volume-to-volume coupling), with experimentally determined Nusselt number correlations applied. Temperature-dependent parameters based on isobaric NIST data for CO2 are tabulated as a user library and integrated within the coding package. The model predictions of the solid body temperature distributions are assessed and validated against experimental data with eight equidistant fibre optical measurements across the PCHE core and compared against finite-element-based MATLAB numerical results. Thermal stresses are evaluated and qualitatively evaluated against experimental data, demonstrating the capability of the model to highlight potential design features for improvement.

Buoyancy influences on local heat transfer characteristic of supercritical LNG across the pseudo-phase transition in variable cross-section horizontal channels

The regasification process within the printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) channel for supercritical liquefied natural gas (S-LNG) will produce a large temperature difference. This process is considered a pseudo-phase transition process, and the resulting density difference driving buoyancy has a crucial action in influencing the heat transfer and flow of S-LNG. Three horizontal variable cross-section channels are established to examine the buoyancy impact on the local heat transfer and flow of S-LNG within the pseudo-phase transition process in the PCHE channel. It comprehensively analyzes the buoyancy impact on local heat transfer and flow under different channel shapes and mass flow rates. The findings demonstrated that the eddy blockage caused by buoyancy mainly acts on the top of the channel and mainly occurs in the liquid-like and pseudo-critical regions, resulting in the deterioration of local heat transfer on the upper and lower walls of the channel. The hybrid channel achieves the intended design goal, and the diverging channel is almost unaffected by buoyancy. The overall performance evaluation criterion (PEC) is used to evaluate the thermal and hydraulic performance of each channel under different mass flow rates. The data show that the diverging channel has the best thermal and hydraulic performance, and its PEC can reach 1.28. The hybrid channel also achieves the expected effect, and its PEC can reach 1.09.

Numerical simulation and analysis of heat transfer performance of new airfoil fin printed circuit heat exchangers

The airfoil fin printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) is very suitable for use as the heat exchangers in the supercritical CO2 Brayton power generation cycle due to its multiple advantages. However, in most previous studies, the new fin designs have complex curved surface geometries, which would bring difficulties in their manufacturing. Therefore, in this study, some simple fin structures based on the modification of traditional NACA0018 airfoil fin are proposed to enhance the heat transfer performance of PCHE. The influence of different structure modification shapes, size and positions on the overall PCHE performance are examined by numerical simulation. The results revealed that setting concave with a radius of 0.3 mm in the flow boundary zone (i.e. Type-VI) can significantly improve the thermal hydraulic performance of the fin channels. By comparing the local thermal hydraulic performance with the prototype fin, the Type-VI fin shows the advantages of reducing the fluid pressure difference resistance near the fin wall and increasing the impact area of the fluid on the fin, resulting in its j factor can be increased by 4.37 % to 7.16 %, f factor reduced by 0.45 % to 1.77 %, and η increased by 5.20 % to 9.10 %.

Thermal-hydraulic performance of printed circuit heat exchangers with various channel shapes under rolling conditions

The floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities are located in deep oceans, where the harsh ocean conditions cause the facilities to sway and tilt. The rolling conditions in floating LNG systems affect the uniformity of gas–liquid distribution in heat exchangers. Thermal and hydraulic performances of printed circuit heat exchangers (PCHEs) with straight, zigzag, and trapezoidal channels are investigated under static and rolling conditions. The results reveal that all channels enhance heat transfer near the pseudo-critical point of LNG at a rolling period of 2 s and a rolling amplitude of 15°. The Nusselt number for the PCHE with a zigzag channel increases by 32.2% and 72.5% compared to those with straight and trapezoidal channels. The highest increase in comprehensive performance is obtained for the zigzag channel with an evaluation index of 1.23 under the rolling condition. Compared with under the static condition, the Nusselt number and Fanning friction factor for the zigzag channel increase by 12% and 28% under the rolling condition. The thermal performance is weakened by the nonuniform flow velocity and improved by the enhancement of flow turbulence. The thermal–hydraulic performance increases with the rolling period from 1 s to 3 s and the rolling amplitude from 15° to 45°. The maximum improvement of 65.3% and 97.2% in Nusselt number and Fanning friction factors is observed at a rolling period of 1 s and a rolling amplitude of 45°. The methods to suppress the deterioration of heat transfer in microfluidic channels under rolling conditions are proposed to satisfy the requirement of LNG with low-resistance and high-efficiency microfluidic structure.

Thermal evaluation of heat exchanger and a dry-cooled supercritical CO2 mixture Brayton cycle based on three-dimensional and one-dimensional models: Key factors and potential applications

High ambient temperatures in the desert environment and heat capacity mismatch of printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) are always main factors that limited cycle efficiency of supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle (SCBC). The SCBC was established to obtain the operating parameters of precooler, low temperature recuperator (LTR) and high temperature recuperator (HTR) in this paper. The performance evaluation factors were developed and applied. The findings demonstrated that the precooler total heat transfer coefficient (HTC) peaked near the pseudo-critical temperature. Smaller hot-side pressure, larger hot-side and cold-side mass flux could improve heat transfer performance (HTP) of the precooler. The CO2-H2S in the precooler had larger HTC and pressure drop (ΔP), the CO2-Propane in the LTR and HTR had larger total HTCs and ΔP for the same critical temperature. Heat transfer correlations about the precooler of pure CO2 and CO2 mixtures were proposed. A conclusion was drawn by analyzing the performance evaluation factors that the PCHE using CO2-H2S for the precooler and CO2-Propane for the LTR and HTR could achieve better HTP under the same ΔP, but had the smaller effectiveness under the same ΔP. The CO2-H2S had the potential for practical application because of the larger cycle thermal efficiency and relatively good tolerance to the change of critical temperature.

CFD study of rib-enhanced printed circuit heat exchangers for precoolers in solar power plants' supercritical CO2 cycle

The modification of printed circuit heat exchangers through extended surface areas is a relatively underexplored topic, especially when considering their application in conjunction with precoolers in supercritical CO2 cycles. This study evaluates the response of a precooler by incorporating various configurations of integral and interrupted ribs, with the primary objective of identifying an optimized ribs combination under different operating conditions. The results demonstrate that ribs enhance secondary swirl flows, contributing to an increase in heat transfer levels in the supercritical CO2 flow. However, ribs do increase flow resistance, necessitating the careful selection of the optimal rib combination. The use of non-uniform patterns of interrupted ribs has been identified as the most feasible approach. By reducing the rib length and the distance between ribs at the upstream of supercritical CO2 and water flows, the performance of the precooler is notably enhanced. No matter the operating condition, cases with shorter rib lengths or smaller rib-to-rib distances at the beginning of both fluid paths consistently yield the best performance. Implementing these configurations in the precooler, the comprehensive performance index can reach approximately 1.2. This study contributes to enhancing efficiency and improving the compactness of large-scale solar power plants utilizing the supercritical CO2 cycle.

Shakedown and creep rupture analysis of printed circuit heat exchangers based on the linear matching method framework

In the field of nuclear engineering, Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers (PCHEs) have become increasingly popular and the structural integrity assessment of these key power plant components is crucial. As part of the structural integrity assessment, creep rupture analysis considers the interaction of cyclic plasticity and creep behaviour, which is vital for components subjected to cyclic thermal-mechanical loads. The Linear Matching Method (LMM) framework has included a creep rupture module based on an extended shakedown algorithm, which has been adopted by several researchers. However, the current LMM framework mainly relies on linear extrapolation and requires users to provide a large amount of data points to estimate the rupture stress. This paper introduces a Unified Creep Rupture Equation (UCRE) for characterizing the creep rupture curves of diverse steel types. The UCRE is implemented in an extended shakedown algorithm and integrated into the LMM framework. The numerical method is validated through a comparative analysis, wherein the estimated rupture curves are compared with those provided in the ECCC data sheet, as well as against alternative numerical models. Shakedown and creep rupture analyses are then performed on a PCHE core. The proposed method facilitates the parametric study of changing materials and the process of material selection. Various geometric configurations are also considered and the proposed unitary cell model is verified by comparing the results with ones from full FE models. The UCRE has been proved to be an accurate engineering tool for the prediction of rupture strengths while the LMM framework has gained improved usability and versatility for engineering applications.