Effects of the Internal Shape of EGR Cooler on Heat Exchanger Efficiencies

Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and high-pressure fuel injection are key technologies for reducing diesel engine emissions in the face of reinforced regulations. With the increasing need for advanced EGR technologies to achieve low-temperature combustion and low emission, the adverse etableffects of EGR must be addressed. One of the main problems is fouling of the EGR cooler, which involves the deposition of particulate matter (PM) due to the thermophoretic force between the cooler wall and flow field. A large amount of deposited PM can reduce the effectiveness of the heat exchanger in the EGR cooler and the de-NOx efficiency. In the present study, the effects of the variables that affect EGR cooler fouling are investigated by a comparison of laboratory-based and engine-based experiments. In the laboratory experiment, a soot generator that could readily provide separate control of the variables was used to generate the model EGR gas. Through control of the soot generator, it was possible to perform a parametric study by varying the particle size, the EGR gas flow rate, and the coolant temperature as the dominant parameters. A decrease in these factors caused an increase in the mass of the deposit and a drop in the effectiveness of the heat exchanger, related to fouling of the EGR cooler. In the engine-based experiment, engine-like conditions were provided to analyze real exhaust gas without a soot generator. Different variables were found to induce fouling of the EGR cooler, and the results of the engine-based experiment differed from those of the laboratory experiment. For example, in the engine-based experiment, a decrease in the EGR gas flow rate did not lead to a more pronounced drop in the effectiveness of the heat exchanger because of the increase in the concentration of PM in the EGR gas. This result shows that the conditions of the engine exhaust gas are different from those of the soot generator.

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Effect of Engine Operating Conditions and Coolant Temperature on the Physical and Chemical Properties of Deposits From an Automotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation Cooler

Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power ◽

10.1115/1.4007784 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 135 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Bhaskar Prabhakar ◽

André L. Boehman

Keyword(s):

Heat Exchanger ◽

Load Condition ◽

Exhaust Gas Recirculation ◽

Control Flow ◽

Operating Conditions ◽

Coolant Temperature ◽

Exhaust Gas ◽

Low Load ◽

Egr Cooler ◽

Gas Recirculation

The effect of engine operating conditions on exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler fouling was studied using a 6.4 L V-8 common rail turbodiesel engine. An experimental setup, which included a custom-made shell and tube heat exchanger (EGR cooler) with six surrogate tubes, was designed to control flow variables independently. The engine was operated at 2150 rpm, 203 Nm and 1400 rpm, 81 Nm, representing medium and low load conditions, respectively, and the coolant to the heat exchanger was circulated at 85 °C and 40 °C. Heat exchanger effectiveness and pressure drop was monitored throughout the tests. Deposits from the EGR cooler were collected every 1.5 h for a total of 9 h, and their microstructure was analyzed using a scanning electron microscope while their chemical composition was analyzed using a pyrolysis GC-MS apparatus, and the elemental weight percentages were obtained using a CHN analyzer. The results of these analyses showed that the effectiveness of the EGR cooler drops rapidly initially and asymptotes in a few hours. The medium load condition had a higher effectiveness loss due to a greater accumulation of deposits inside the EGR cooler, mostly due to increased thermophoresis, and produced smaller and coarse particles. The low load condition had lower effectiveness loss but produced bigger particles mostly due to excess hydrocarbons. Coolant temperature played a significant role in altering the deposit microstructure and in increasing the amount of condensed hydrocarbons. More deposits were produced for the cold coolant condition, indicating that lower coolant temperature promotes greater hydrocarbon condensation and thermophoresis. These results indicate the complex nature of fouling in automotive heat exchangers.

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A computer program for designing fin-and-tube heat exchanger for EGR cooler application

10.1063/1.4943428 ◽

2016 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Syaiful ◽

M. A. Marwan ◽

N. P. Tandian ◽

M. Bae

Keyword(s):

Heat Exchanger ◽

Computer Program ◽

Tube Heat Exchanger ◽

Egr Cooler

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Direct Observation of Heat Exchanger Deposits by Cross Sectioning

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100061835 ◽

1967 ◽

Vol 25 ◽

pp. 364-365

Author(s):

R. W. Anderson ◽

D. L. Senecal

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽

Heat Exchanger ◽

Direct Observation ◽

Cross Sections ◽

Preparation Method ◽

Specimen Preparation ◽

Flowing Water ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Deposit Layer

A problem was presented to observe the packing densities of deposits of sub-micron corrosion product particles. The deposits were 5-100 mils thick and had formed on the inside surfaces of 3/8 inch diameter Zircaloy-2 heat exchanger tubes. The particles were iron oxides deposited from flowing water and consequently were only weakly bonded. Particular care was required during handling to preserve the original formations of the deposits. The specimen preparation method described below allowed direct observation of cross sections of the deposit layers by transmission electron microscopy.The specimens were short sections of the tubes (about 3 inches long) that were carefully cut from the systems. The insides of the tube sections were first coated with a thin layer of a fluid epoxy resin by dipping. This coating served to impregnate the deposit layer as well as to protect the layer if subsequent handling were required.

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