Optimizing thermal efficiency: Advancements in flat plate heat exchanger performance through baffle integration

Senthilvel, M and Anitha, S (2024) Optimizing thermal efficiency: Advancements in flat plate heat exchanger performance through baffle integration. International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, 158: 107885. ISSN 07351933

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Abstract

Compact heat exchangers have been gaining popularity in many industrial applications. Various types of passive turbulising structures such as corrugations, protrusions and ribs are introduced in the flow path to increase the effective heat transfer area and the level of turbulence in the flow path. This study investigates the impact of introduction of baffles on the performance of PHEs in terms of flow characteristics, pressure drop, and heat transfer. Two distinct types of baffle structures, namely wedge and aerofoil configurations, were introduced at varying numbers - 1, 3, and 5. An extensive experimentation is conducted for a FPHE in a thermal power plant of 500 × 2 MW and various flow and thermal parameters are measured. Computational Fluid Dynamics is utilized in this study to find the optimum baffle configuration. A detailed validation study is executed to obtain the correct computational algorithm, that is the right mesh count, optimum turbulence model, and precise numerical algorithm by comparing the numerical results with the available experimental results. Wedge- type baffles create increased turbulence and pressure drop, while aerofoil-type baffles minimize stagnation and exhibit lower pressure drop. Both baffle configurations lead to a substantial increase in heat transfer, with the 5-wedge-baffle setup showing the highest up to a 55% enhancement of Nusselt number. The Performance Evaluation Criterion (PEC) of wedge and aerofoil type is about 1.24 to 1.3 and 1.22 to 1.24 to that of conventional one respectively.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Baffle; Baffle configurations; Compact heat exchanger; Flat-plate heat exchangers; Flow path; Heat exchanger performance; Heat transfer area; Plate heat exchangers; Thermal Performance; Thermal-efficiency
Subjects: F Mechanical Engineering > computational fluid dynamics
F Mechanical Engineering > Heat Transfer and Energy
Divisions: Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Depositing User: Users 5 not found.
Date Deposited: 19 Aug 2024 10:21
Last Modified: 19 Aug 2024 10:22
URI: https://ir.psgitech.ac.in/id/eprint/951

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