Flow Field Profiles of Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchanger: A Simulation Study

The transfer of fluid and heat in a shell-and-tube heat exchanger was empirically approximated, mathematically modeled with Solidworks code, theoretically analyzed in thermodynamics of fluid, and numerically simulated with ANSYS12. 0 software. The influence of the flow-rate and temperature differences between the hot and cold water-inlets on the fluid and heat transfer was investigated for design optimization of the heat exchanger. The simulated results show that the temperature and flow-rate differences of cold/hot water all have a major impact. To be specific, the flow-rates at the hot/cold water inlets strongly affect the gradients and profiles of pressure, velocity and temperature fields; and the temperatures at the inlets significantly affect the gradient and distribution of temperature and heat transfer efficiency. We suggest that the simulated results be of some technological interest in design of shell-and-tube heat exchanger.