Review and Analysis of Cross Flow Heat Exchanger Transient Modeling for Flow Rate and Temperature Variations

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianyi Gao ◽  
James Geer ◽  
Bahgat Sammakia
Keyword(s):  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Mass Flow Rate ◽  
Transient Response ◽  
Mass Flow ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
Flow Rate Change ◽  
Flow Heat

Heat exchangers are important facilities that are widely used in heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. For example, heat exchangers are the primary units used in the design of the heat transfer loops of cooling systems for data centers. The performance of a heat exchanger strongly influences the thermal performance of the entire cooling system. The prediction of transient phenomenon of heat exchangers is of increasing interest in many application areas. In this work, a dynamic thermal model for a cross flow heat exchanger is solved numerically in order to predict the transient response under step changes in the fluid mass flow rate and the fluid inlet temperature. Transient responses of both the primary and secondary fluid outlet temperatures are characterized under different scenarios, including fluid mass flow rate change and a combination of changes in the fluid inlet temperature and the mass flow rate. In the ε-NTU (number of transfer units) method, the minimum capacity, denoted by Cmin, is the smaller of Ch and Cc. Due to a mass flow rate change, Cmin may vary from one fluid to another fluid. The numerical procedure and transient response regarding the case of varying Cmin are investigated in detail in this study. A review and comparison of several journal articles related to the similar topic are performed. Several sets of data available in the literatures which are in error are studied and analyzed in detail.

Transient Response of a Cross Flow Heat Exchanger Subjected to Temperature and Flow Perturbations

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karthik Silaipillayarputhur ◽  
Stephen A. Idem
Keyword(s):  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Mass Flow Rate ◽  
Mass Flow ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Transient Performance ◽  
Numerical Predictions ◽  
Minimum Capacity ◽  
Flow Heat

The transient performance of a multi-pass cross flow heat exchanger subjected to temperature and mass flow rate perturbations, where the heat exchanger flow circuiting is neither parallel flow nor counter flow, is considered in this work. A detailed numerical study was performed for representative single-pass, two-pass, and three-pass heat exchangers. Numerical predictions were obtained for cases where the minimum capacity rate fluid was subjected to a step change in inlet temperature in absence of mass flow rate perturbations. Likewise, numerical predictions were obtained for the heat exchangers operating initially at steady state, where a step mass flow rate change of the minimum capacity rate fluid was imposed in the absence of any fluid temperature perturbations. The transient performance of this particular heat exchanger configuration subjected to these temperature and flow disturbances has not been discussed previously in the available literature. In the present study the energy balance equations for the hot and cold fluids and the heat exchanger wall were solved using an implicit central finite difference method. A parametric study was conducted by varying the dimensionless quantities that govern the transient response of the heat exchanger over a typical range of values. Because of the storage of energy in the heat exchanger wall, and finite propagation times associated with the inlet perturbations, the outlet temperatures of both fluids do not respond instantaneously. The results are compared with previously published transient performance predictions of multi-pass counter flow and parallel flow heat exchangers.

scholarly journals Analytical and Experimental Investigation of a Plate Fin Heat Exchanger at Cryogenics Temperature

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 1225-1235
Author(s):  
Ajay K. Gupta ◽  
Manoj Kumar ◽  
Ranjit K. Sahoo ◽  
Sunil K. Sarangi
Keyword(s):  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Mass Flow Rate ◽  
Mass Flow ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
Cryogenic Temperature ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
Compact Size

Plate-fin heat exchangers provide a broad range of applications in many cryogenic industries for liquefaction and separation of gasses because of their excellent technical advantages such as high effectiveness, compact size, etc. Correlations are available for the design of a plate-fin heat exchanger, but experimental investigations are few at cryogenic temperature. In the present study, a cryogenic heat exchanger test setup has been designed and fabricated to investigate the performance of plate-fin heat exchanger at cryogenic temperature. Major parameters (Colburn factor, Friction factor, etc.) that affect the performance of plate-fin heat exchangers are provided concisely. The effect of mass flow rate and inlet temperature on the effectiveness and pressure drop of the heat exchanger are investigated. It is observed that with an increase in mass flow rate effectiveness and pressure drop increases. The present setup emphasis the systematic procedure to perform the experiment based on cryogenic operating conditions and represent its uncertainties level.

Prediction of the Transient Thermodynamic Response of a Closed-Cycle Regenerative Gas Turbine

2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Korakianitis ◽  
J. I. Hochstein ◽  
D. Zou
Keyword(s):  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Mass Flow Rate ◽  
Transient Response ◽  
Mass Flow ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Transient Flow ◽  
Closed Cycle ◽  
Flow Heat ◽  
Component Models

Instantaneous-response and transient-flow component models for the prediction of the transient response of gas turbine cycles are presented. The component models are based on applications of the principles of conservation of mass, energy, and momentum. The models are coupled to simulate the system transient thermodynamic behavior, and used to predict the transient response of a closed-cycle regenerative Brayton cycle. Various system transients are simulated using: the instantaneous-response turbomachinery models coupled with transient-flow heat-exchanger models; and transient-flow turbomachinery models coupled with transient-flow heat-exchanger models. The component sizes are comparable to those for a solar-powered Space Station (radial turbomachinery), but the models can easily be expanded to other applications with axial turbomachinery. An iterative scheme based on the principle of conservation of working-fluid mass in the system is used to compute the mass-flow rate at the solar-receiver inlet during the transients. In the process the mass-flow rate of every component at every time step is also computed. Representative results of different system models are compared and discussed.

Numerical and Experimental Characterization of the Transient Effectiveness of a Water to Air Heat Exchanger for Data Center Cooling Systems

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianyi Gao ◽  
Marcelo del Valle ◽  
Alfonso Ortega ◽  
Bahgat G. Sammakia
Keyword(s):  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Mass Flow ◽  
Data Center ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
Cooling System ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
Experimental Measurements ◽  
Cooling Systems ◽  
Flow Heat

The cross flow heat exchanger is at the heart of most cooling systems for data centers. Air/Water or air/refrigerant heat exchangers are the principal component in Central Room Air Conditioning (CRAC) units that condition data room air that is delivered through an underfloor plenum. Liquid/air heat exchangers are also increasingly deployed in close-coupled cooling systems such as rear door heat exchangers, in-row coolers, and overhead coolers. In all cases, the performance of liquid/air heat exchangers in both steady state and transient scenarios are of principal concern. Transient scenarios occur either by the accidental failure of the cooling system or by intentional dynamic control of the cooling system. In either scenario, transient boundary conditions involve time-dependent air or liquid inlet temperatures and mass flow rates that may be coupled in any number of potential combinations. Understanding and characterizing the performance of the heat exchanger in these transient scenarios is of paramount importance for designing better thermal solutions and improving the operational efficiency of existing cooling systems. In this paper, the transient performance of water to air cross flow heat exchangers is studied using numerical modeling and experimental measurements. Experimental measurements in 12 in. × 12 in. heat exchanger cores were performed, in which the liquid (water) mass flow rate or inlet temperature are varied in time following controlled functional forms (step jump, ramp). The experimental data were used to validate a transient numerical model developed with traditional assumptions of space averaging of heat transfer coefficients, and volume averaging of thermal capacitances. The complete numerical model was combined with the transient effectiveness methodology in which the traditional heat exchanger effectiveness approach is extended into a transient domain, and is then used to model the heat exchanger transient response. Different transient scenarios were parametrically studied to develop an understanding of the impact of critical variables such as, the fluid inlet temperature variation and the fluid mass flow rate variation, and a more comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of the transient effectiveness. Agreement between the novel transient effectiveness modeling approach and the experimental measurements enable use of the models as verified predictive design tools. Several studies are designed based on the practical problems related to data center thermal environments and the results are analyzed.

scholarly journals Prediction of the Transient Thermodynamic Response of a Closed-Cycle Regenerative Gas Turbine

1993 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Korakianitis ◽  
J. I. Hochstein ◽  
D. Zou
Keyword(s):  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Mass Flow Rate ◽  
Transient Response ◽  
Mass Flow ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Transient Flow ◽  
Closed Cycle ◽  
Flow Heat ◽  
Component Models

This paper presents instantaneous-response and transient-flow component models for the prediction of the transient response of gas turbine cycles. The component models are based on applications of the principles of conservation of mass, energy, and momentum. The models are coupled to simulate the system transient thermodynamic behavior, and used to predict the transient response of a closed-cycle regenerative Brayton cycle. Various system transients are simulated using: the instantaneous-response turbomachinery models coupled with transient-flow heat-exchanger models; and transient-flow turbomachinery models coupled with transient-flow heat-exchanger models. The component sizes are comparable to those under consideration for the solar-powered Space Station (radial turbomachinery), but the models can easily be expanded to other applications with axial turbomachinery. An iterative scheme based on the principle of conservation of working-fluid mass in the system is used to compute the mass-flow rate at the solar-receiver inlet during the transients. In the process the mass-flow rate of every component at every time step is also computed. Representative results of different system models are compared and discussed.

Consideration of Uncertainties in Compact Cross-Flow Heat Exchanger Design for Gas Turbine Engine Application

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randall D. Manteufel ◽  
Daniel G. Vecera
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Cross Flow ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
Fluid Flow Rate ◽  
Heat Exchanger Design ◽  
Cold Fluid ◽  
Flow Heat

Recent experimental work characterized the performance of a unique cross-flow heat exchanger design for application of cooling compressor bleed air using liquid jet fuel before it is consumed in the gas turbine combustor. The proposed design has micro-channels for liquid fuel and cools air flowing in passages created using rows of intermittent fins. The design appears well suited for aircraft applications because it is compact and light-weight. A theoretical model is reported to be in good agreement with experimental measurements using air and water, thus providing a design tool to evaluate variations in the heat exchanger dimensions. This paper presents an evaluation of the heat exchanger performance with consideration of uncertainties in both model parameters and predicted results. The evaluation of the design is proposed to be reproduced by students in a thermal-fluids design class. The heat exchanger performance is reevaluated using the effectiveness–NTU approach and shown to be consistent with the method reported in the original papers. Results show that the effectiveness is low and in the range of 20 to 30% as well as the NTU which ranges from 0.25 to 0.50 when the heat capacity ratio is near unity. The thermal resistance is dominated by the hot gas convective resistance. The uncertainties attributed to fluid properties, physical dimensions, gas pressure, and cold fluid flow rate are less significant when compared to uncertainties associated with hot fluid flow rate, hot fluid inlet temperature, cold fluid inlet temperature, and convective correlation for gas over a finned surface. The model shows which heat transfer mechanisms are most important in the performance of the heat exchanger.

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