IJIRST International Journal for Innovative Research in Science & Technology| Volume 3 | Issue 01 | June 2016

ISSN (online): 2349-6010

Computational and Experimental Investigation of

Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger with Finned
Tubes under Various Flow Rates
V. Ajaykumar
PG Scholar
Department of Thermal Engineering
RVS College of Engineering & Technology, Coimbatore
641402

R. Titus
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
RVS College of Engineering & Technology, Coimbatore
641402

T. Sudhakar
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
RVS College of Engineering & Technology, Coimbatore 641402

Abstract
The objective of this project is to analyze heat transfer, pressure drop, in shell and tube heat exchanger with finned tubes and it is
compared with unfinned tubes. Then, the shell and tube heat exchanger using copper is created using CATIA and flow ,thermal
analysis is created using ANSYS and it is experimentally investigated under various flow rates.
Keywords: Shell And Tube Hex, Flow Rate, finned tubesANSYS14.5
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
I.

INTRODUCTION

Heat exchangers have a huge application in various industrial sectors such as oil refining, chemical industries, power plants and
refrigeration units. Among the various types of heat exchangers, shell and tube heat exchangers are most widely used about 3540%. The heat transfer rate of heat exchangers can be enhanced by two techniques active and passive methods. In this work, I am
going to use one of the passive techniques that is extended surface in the form of fins.
II. DESIGN AND ANALYSIS
Table 1
Design Datas
Number of Tubes
6
Outside Dia
0.015m
Inside Dia
0.0125m
Length of Tube
0.5m
Shell Dia, Ds
0.10m
Bundle Clearance 0.0225m
No of Baffles
6
Baffle Cut
30%
Baffle Thickness
2mm
Hot Tube Height
50mm
Hot Tube Dia
40mm

Calculation:
Bundle DIA,
Db= do*3.93
=0.058M=58MM
Pitch of Tubes,
P= 1.25*do
=0.01875m=18.75mm
Baffle Spacing,
Bs=0.8*Ds
=0.08M=80MM

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Computational and Experimental Investigation of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger with Finned Tubes under Various Flow Rates
(IJIRST/ Volume 3 / Issue 01/ 032)

Provisional Area,
A=Nt*do*3.14*L
=6*0.015*3.14*0.5==0.132 m2
III. DESIGN
CATIA (Computer Aided Three-dimensional Interactive Application) started as an in house development in 1977 by French
aircraft manufacturer Avions Marcel Dassault, at that time it was used to develop Dassults Mirage fighter jet. CATIA offers a
solution to facillate the design and manufacturing of routed systems including tubing, piping, heating, ventilating & air
conditioning. In this work, CATIA V5 software is used to design the shell and tube heat exchanger.

Fig. 1: shell and tube heat exchanger

Fin Design Datas:

NO OF FINS
LENGTH
THICKNESS
HEIGHT

Table - 2
3(ON EACH TUBE)
100 mm
3.5 mm
6mm

Fig. 2: Tube with fin

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Computational and Experimental Investigation of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger with Finned Tubes under Various Flow Rates
(IJIRST/ Volume 3 / Issue 01/ 032)

IV. ANALYSIS
The model generated using CATIA is the imported in ANSYS FLUENT. ANSYS is general-purpose finite element analysis
(FEA) software package. The basis of thermal analysis in ANSYS is heat balance equation obtained from the principle of
conservation of energy. The ANSYS program handles all three modes of heat transfer: conduction, convection, radiation and
flow analysis.
A fine mesh is generated using the solver to obtain exact result. The mesh file is shown in the figure.

Fig. 3: Mesh file

Flow Analysis of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger

The flow analysis is carried by fixing static pressure condition and hot fluid inlet temperature 333k, cold fluid inlet 300k.

Fig. 4: Flow model

In this task the flow model is provided with pressure based and gravity is neglected in this analysis. This figure clearly shows
flow and temperature distribution.
Now Enable the required residuals and Set the Surface Monitors for Mass-flow rate and Exit-velocity to proceed to
calculation.

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Computational and Experimental Investigation of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger with Finned Tubes under Various Flow Rates
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V. COMPUTATIONAL RESULTS
Comparison between Finned and Unfinned Tubes
For Unfinned Tubes

For Finned Tubes

By varying the flow the following results have been taken,

S.NO

VELOCITY(m/s)

1
2
3
4

0.09
0.1
0.2
0.3

Table 3
Temperature Variation between Finned and Unfinned Tubes
Net heat
Shell inlet
Shell outlet temperature(k)
transfer
temperature(k)
unfinned tubes
18.06
335
331
22.47
335
329
25.49
335
328
27.94
335
330

Shell outlet temperature(k)

finned tubes
326
321
318
313

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Computational and Experimental Investigation of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger with Finned Tubes under Various Flow Rates
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Table 4
Pressure Variation between Finned and Unfinned Tubes
S.NO

VELOCIY
(m/s)

Shell inlet pressure

(pa)

Shell outlet pressure (pa) Unfinned

tubes

Shell outlet
pressure
(pa) Finned tubes

Pressure drop
Unfinned
(pa)

1
2
3
4

0.09
0.1
0.2
0.3

401325
401325
401325
401325

401174
400840
400659
400345

401123
400986
400865
400325

151
485
680
980

Pressure
drop
Finned
(pa)
202
339
460
1000

From the computational results it is found that finned tubes influences more amount of heat transfer than the unfinned tubes
but there is a small variation in pressure drop. We can minimize the pressure drop during experimental analysis by optimum
construction and working parameters.
VI. EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION

Fig. 5: Inner section

Fig. 6: Heat exchanger

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Computational and Experimental Investigation of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger with Finned Tubes under Various Flow Rates
(IJIRST/ Volume 3 / Issue 01/ 032)

Sl.NO
1
2
3
4

Table 5
From the experiment, the following readings has been taken
Shell outlet temperature(k) Shell outlet pressure (Pa)
Flow rate
(Experimental)
(Experimental)
0.09
401123
401010
0.1
400986
400850
0.2
400865
400770
0.3
400325
400100

VII. RESULT
Comparison between Computational and Experimental Readings
Table 6
Temperature Variation
Shell outlet pressure (Pa) Shell outlet pressure (Pa)
Sl.NO Flow rate
(computational)
(experimental)
1
0.09
401123
401010
2
0.1
400986
400850
3
0.2
400865
400770
4
0.3
400325
400100
Table 7
Pressure Variation
Shell outlet temperature (k) Shell outlet temperature (k)
Sl.NO Flow rate
Variation
(computational)
(experimental)
1
0.09
326
328
0.61
2
0.1
321
323
0.62
3
0.2
318
320
0.63
4
0.3
313
316
0.95

VIII. CONCLUSION
The flow analysis has been performed with ANSYS fluent with different tubes such as finned and unfinned tubes by varying the
hot fluid velocity. Then the temperature variation and pressure drop between the two types of tubes have been computationally
investigated and it is found that the usage of finned tubes influences the heat transfer between the fluids. After that Shell and tube
heat exchanger is constructed with finned tubes and it is experimentally investigated. From the experimental readings it has been
found that the fins enhance the heat transfer rate more than 8oC then that of normal tubes used in heat exchanger.
REFERENCES
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Design and rating of shell and tube heat exchangers by John E.Edwards, MNL 032A Issued 29 August 08, Prepared by J.E.Edwards of P & I Design Ltd,
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