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ADVANCES IN HEAT
EXCHANGERS:IMPROVING HEAT TRANSFER IN
DIFFERENT HEAT EXCHANGER
SAGAR K. GIRI (ID: sagar.giri07@gmail.com) Contact : 9096100308
HARISH K. BARI (ID: harishbari@gmail.com) Contact : 9595649202
AbstractIn this manuscript, research on improving heat
transfer rates by modifying the different heat exchanger in
discussed. The objective of this paper is to provide a means of
increase thermal efficiency with minimum maintenance and
maximum runtime. Different heat exchanger describe in this
paper are EM baffle technology, Double pipe heat exchanger
with/without core rod, Heat recovery steam generators, Heat
Wheels. The major problem of fouling in heat exchangers is
greatly reduced to about 50% by using EM baffle technology.
Efficiency of double pipe heat exchanger is increased by making
flow turbulent using screw tape with core rod which gives 10%
higher heat transfer rate as compare to screw tape without core
rod. The high shear stress and induced turbulence of helically
coiled exchangers reduces the tendency of fouling. This results
in longer operating cycles between scheduled cleaning intervals.
Waste heat recovery steam generator gives hot water or steam
by utilizing waste heat of exhaust gases. Heat wheel is used
where heat exchange between large amount of air having small
temperature difference is required.

longitudinal flow pattern, so that tube vibration will not

occur.

EM baffle heat exchanger

All these heat exchanger modifications gives high heat

transfer rates with low maintenance and maximum run
time.
THE NEW TECHNIQES IN HEAT EXCHANGERS:
1. EMBAFFLE TECHNOLOGY :
The EM baffle heat exchanger is a major innovation designed
to improve performance and simultaneously reduce operating
costs by reducing fouling losses in shell and tube heat
exchanger technology
Figure shows a conventional heat exchanger bundle and
EMbaffle bundle. Intensive monitoring and comparative
analysis of both the conventional and the EMbaffle type of
heat exchanger has demonstrated the enhanced performance
from the use of the EMbaffle design

metal slits (tube support)

Advantages:

How it works
The EMbaffle design uses expanded metal baffles (tube
supports) made of plate material that has been slit and
expanded. The open structure results in a low hydraulic
resistance and enhanced heat transfer. The EMbaffle allows a
Fouling reduces heat transfer and increases
pressure loss

An EMbaffle test bundle

1) The fouling of heat exchanger is reduced to
half than conventional segmental heat
exchanger by using EMbaffle heat exchanger
technology
2) Cleaning frequency for EMbaffle heat
exchanger technology is less than
conventional heat exchanger
3) It has maximum run time which reduces
maintenance cost
4) EMbaffle generates 24% higher thermal
performance and a substantially lower
pressure drop
5) 18% fewer tubes were installed in the
EMbaffle heat exchanger, offering a
significant cost saving on equipment as
compared to conventional heat exchanger.
6) elimination of damaging flow-induced tube
vibration
7) improved heat transfer capabilities

heat recovery system, screw-tape can be well applied due to

low Reynolds number in the system. This screw tape can help
to promote higher heat transfer exchange rate because of
shorter pitch length which leads to stronger swirling flow and
longer residence time in the tube. The experimental
investigation tells the enhancement of heat transfer in a
concentric double tube heat exchanger fitted with tight-fit,
regularly spaced and full-length helical screw-tape swirl
generators and found that the full-length helical tape with
core-rod yields the maximum heat transfer rate at about 10%
better than that without core-rod but considerably higher
friction loss.
Effects of the helical screw-tape with core-rod on the heat
transfer are depicted in graph. It is found that the inner tube
containing the helical screw-tape with core-rod gives higher
heat transfer rate than that of the plain tube. This can be
attributed to swirling effect created from the use of the helical
screw-tape, causing higher temperature and pressure
gradients in the radial direction. Due to the swirl flow or high
tangential velocity component and lower flow cross-sectional
area, the mixing of fluid between fluid at the wall region and
fluid at the core region induced by the generated centrifugal
force has significant ability to enhance heat transfer rate.
Furthermore, the swirl enhances the flow turbulence, leading
to even better convection heat transfer. Thus, the higher is the
Reynolds number, the greater will be the heat transfer rate.
Over the range investigated, the mean Nusselt numbers for
the enhancement devices with the helical screw-tape (with
core-rod) insert are 230% above the plain tube

8) applicable in combination with segmental

baffle
9) lower temperature approach
10) uniform flow pattern at shell side
11) reduced weight of heat exchanger
12) Compact heat exchanger design.
2. Double pipe heat exchanger with/without core rod:
Double pipe heat exchanger consist of two concentric
pipes carrying hot and cold fluid , which exchanges
heat between them. But we can improve heat transfer
rate by making flow of fluid to turbulent.
Turbulent flow can be made by two ways
1. Screw tape with use of core rod.
2. Screw tape without use of core rod.
The twisted-tape inserts are extensively used in enhancement
of the heat transfer rate in many heat exchangers. For the
screw-tape, the swirling flow rotates in single way smooth
direction of flow like a screw motion. Because of lower
pressure drop and ease of manufacturing, the screw-tape is, in
general, more popular having a higher heat transfer rate In a

flow in a circular tube fitted with the helical tape.

(a)screw tape with core rod
(b)screw tape without core rod

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12. When an application requires equipment suitable for
high operating pressure and/or extreme temperature
gradients, a helical coil unit should be considered.

3. Helically Coiled Heat Exchangers :

The basic and most common design consists of a
series of stacked helically coiled
tubes. The tube ends are connected to manifolds, which act as
fluid entry and exit locations. The tube bundle is constructed
of a number of tubes stacked atop each other, and the entire
bundle is placed inside a casing, or shell as shown in Fig.
Once it is positioned in the casing, the assembly forms a
helical flow path for both the casing and tube side fluid.
Standard units have manifold and casing gaskets. Also the
welded
design is available for high casing-pressure service or
hazardous applications.
To effectively optimize thermal and hydraulic requirements,
the number of tubes (coils) along with their spacing and
length may be varied.
Advantages:
1. High film coefficients are achieved on both the coil
and casing side
2. The helical flow path imparts higher shear rates and
turbulence at a given pressure drop, which can result
in film coefficients
3. The high shear stresses and induced turbulence of
helically coiled exchangers reduce the tendency for
fouling
4. This results in longer operating cycles between
scheduled cleaning intervals
5. Additionally, the lower fouling tendency permits the
use of less conservative safety margins at the initial
design Stage
6. Conventional designs allow casing-side access for
cleaning and inspection.
7. True counter-current flow fully utilizes available
LMTD (logarithmic mean temperature difference).
8. Helical geometry permits handling of high
temperatures and extreme temperature differentials
without high induced stresses or costly expansion
joints
9. High-pressure capability and the ability to fully clean
the service-fluid flow area add to the exchangers
advantages
10. Higher film coefficientsthe rate at which heat is
transferred through a wall from one fluid to another
and more effective use of available pressure drop
result in efficient and less-expensive designs
11. Improved thermal efficiency, compactness, easy
maintenance and lower installed cost.

Spirally wound coils used in steam generator

Heat Recovery steam generator.

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4. Heat Wheels:

A heat wheel is finding increasing applications in

low to medium temperature waste heat recovery systems.
Figure is a sketch illustrating the application of a heat wheel.
It is a sizable porous disk, fabricated with material having a
fairly high heat capacity, which rotates between two side-byside ducts: one a cold gas duct, the other a hot gas duct. The
axis of the disk is located parallel to, and on the partition
between, the two ducts. As the disk slowly rotates, sensible
heat (moisture that contains latent heat) is transferred to the
disk by the hot air and, as the disk rotates, from the disk to
the cold air. The overall efficiency of sensible heat transfer
for this kind of regenerator can be as high as 85 percent. Heat
wheels have been built as large
as 21 meters in diameter with
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air capacities up to 1130 m / min. The heat or energy
recovery wheel is a rotary gas heat regenerator, which can
transfer heat from exhaust to incoming gases.
Its main area of application is where heat exchange
between large masses of air having small temperature
kudifferences is required. Heating and ventilation systems
and recovery of heat from dryer exhaust air are typical
applications.
.

CONCLUSION:
1) EM baffle technology of heat exchanger reduces the
tendency of fouling by 50% than conventional shell
and tube heat exchanger. It has maximum run time
which reduces maintenance cost.
EM baffle heat exchanger uses 18% less number of tubes
than conventional heat exchanger, thus it is more
economical to use EM baffle heat exchanger.
2) In heat exchanger with screw tape, heat transfer rate
increases due to swirl flow of fluid. Screw tape with
core-rod yields the maximum heat transfer rate at
about 10% better than that without core-rod.
The swirl enhances the flow turbulence, leading to even
better convection heat transfer. Thus heat exchanger
without core rod is more efficient.
3) Helically coiled heat exchangers are most suitable for
high pressure and extreme temperatures. The helical
flow can result in heat transfer coefficients.
4) Waste heat recovery steam generators are most suitable
where large amount of waste heat is available and
generally in combination with boilers. It can operate at
high temperature of about 6500c.
5) Heat wheel has higher thermal efficiency up to 85 %. It
can operate even if small temperature differences exist.
A heat wheel is finding increasing applications in low
to medium temperature waste heat recovery systems.
References :
1) EMbaffle technologies Coen Gebouw, Kabelweg 37,1014
BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.embaffle.com
2) Enhancement of heat transfer in a tube with regularly
spaced helical tape swirl generators by Smith Eiamsa-ard,
Pongjet Promvonge
Dept. of mechanical Engg., Faculty of Engg. King Mongkuts
Institute of Technology Ladkrabang,
Bankok 10520, Thailand.
3) Heat transfer characteristics in a tube fitted with helical
screw-tape with/without core rod inserts
Smith Eiamsa-ard, Pongjet Promvonge
a) Dept. of mechanical Engg., Faculty of Engg. Mahanakorm
University of Technology Ladkrabang,
b) Dept. of mechanical Engg., Faculty of Engg. King
Mongkuts Institute of Technology Ladkrabang,
4) Fuel Economy in furnace and waste heat recovery-PCRA
Heat recovery system by D.A.Reay,E and F.fF.Span,London,
1979.
www.bhes.com/frbbohome.html
www.poralenergy.com
www.pcra.org