University of Santo Tomas

Faculty of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering

ChE 411: Heat and Mass Transfer

BANK OF TUBES

SUBMITTED BY:
Cabungcal, Cesarah Justine
Durana, John Janvier
Siazon, Trixia

SUBMITTED TO:
Engr. Ayesha D. Abarca, M.Sc.

May 2019
1. BRIEF BACKGROUND ABOUT BANK OF TUBES

a. Definition
Heat exchangers play an important role in product quality, energy
utilization, and systemic economy efficiency (Beale, 1997). In several design of
heat exchangers, it can be turned into tubes arranged as a bank in different
manners. Bank of tubes can be arranged into in-line or staggered as shown in
figure 1. a. 1. below.

Figure 1. a. 1. (L) aligned arrangement, and (R) staggered arrangement

Typically, one fluid flows over the tube banks, while the other fluid with a
different temperature passes through the tubes. (Gu, et. Al., 2013). Moreover, the
heat transfer for any particular tube thus not only determined by the incident fluid
conditions, ­v∞ and T∞, but also by D, SL , and ST and the tube positions in the
bank which will be further discussed in the section involving equations in solving
bank of tubes problems.

b. Applications
Flow over bank of tubes is one of the most important phenomena in
chemical process industries. The various applications of bank of tubes in the
industry includes heat exchangers, air conditioning for heating and cooling,
radiator systems, and refrigeration.

c. Product Innovations

i. Rotated crossflow, α≠0°

The analogy of fluid flow in porous media and noted the mean
pressure drop to be nominally the same for in-line and rotated tube
banks with a/b ≈ 1, concluding the overall pressure gradient to be
independent of a. Thus, the mean pressure drop may be calculated using the
normal incidence correlations (Butterworth, 1978).
 Figure. 1. c. i. 1. Inside a rotated crossflow

ii. Inclined crossflow, b № 0°

For this case the flow resistance is anisotropic, i.e., is not in the
β-direction, due to the axial (longitudinal) drag being less than the crosswise
component (Beale, 1997). Anisotropic means the quality of exhibiting
properties with different values when measured along axes in different
directions. In figure 1.c.ii.1., it shows k5 vs. β, where k5 is the ratio of the
normalized streamwise component of the pressure drop to the value if the
same mass flow had been in pure crossflow. (Thermopedia, 2016).

Figure 1. c. ii. 1. Effect of angle of attack, β, on overall pressure drop for inclined crossflow in
tube banks. From Žukauskas et al. (1988).

iii. Rough Surfaces

Roughened and enhanced surfaces are gaining popularity in the
industry due to its efficiency to increase heat transfer, and prevent fouling
unlike in smooth surfaces. When the mean height of the roughness elements,
k, is sufficient, turbulence is enhanced. It is generally maintained that the
influence of surface roughness is more significant in staggered banks than
in-line banks. (Thermopedia, 2016).

iv. Finned tubes

The usage of finned tubes in bank of tubes are commonly utilized in
the industry. The common arrangements of finned tubes are seen in figure
 1. c. iv. 1. A way to differentiate low-finned and high-finned tubes are from
their fin-height to diameter ratio. Physicality of fins may be straight or tapered.
(Thermopedia, 2016).

Figure 1. c. iv. 1. Sample arrangements of finned tubes

v. Bypassing
Tube banks seldom extend to the walls of the containing vessel. Also
in staggered tube banks, alternate cylinders are missing near a wall.
(Experimentalists may employ dummy half-tubes or corbels to eliminate this
effect.) Near the wall the flow is faster, due to decreased resistance.
(Thermopedia, 2016).

2. EQUATIONS INVOLVED IN SOLVING BANK OF TUBES PROBLEMS

Another important matter to understand is the tube arrangement in external fluid
flow through bank of tubes which is shown in figure 1 and figure 2. It is advised to compare
and contrast the square and triangular arrangements in Bank of Tubes.
 Figure 2.1. Common tube layouts for shell-and-tube heat exchangers

Figure 2.2 Aligned and Staggered tube bank configurations.

The S stands for the Pitch or center-to-center distance between tubes. SL pertains
to the longitudinal Pitch which is in the horizontal distance of each tube and ST is the
Transverse Pitch which is the vertical distance.
The heat transfer coefficients for banks of tubes can be evaluated and the heat
transfer rate can be computed through these steps:
Step 1: If external fluid is a gas or a liquid, find T mean
o Gas: Tm=[(T1+T2)/2+Ts]/2
o Liquid: Tm=(T1+T2)/2
Step 2: Find properties: r, m, Cp, K
Step 3: Find Pr
Step 4: Find the average velocity in the spaces from velocity at infinite flow
Step 5: Find the Re
Step 6: Find Nu for 1 pipe
 Step 7: Find Nu for bank of tubes
o Choose if 10 rows or less or greater than 10 rows
o If staggered or aligned
o If Liquid, multiply Nu by (Prb/Prs)x
 X is 0.11 if cooled and 0.25 if heated

All of the formulas that will be needed for the evaluation and computation of Bank
of Tubes:
◂ 𝑞 = 𝑈𝑂 𝐴 𝑇𝑂 ∆𝑇𝑙𝑚 = 𝑊𝑐 𝐶𝑝𝑐 ∆𝑇𝑐
𝑇𝑐𝑖 +𝑇𝑐𝑜
◂ 𝑇𝑐𝑚 = 2
𝑇𝑐𝑚 +𝑇𝑠
◂ 𝑇𝑓 = 2

(𝑼𝑨𝑻𝑶 ∆𝑻𝒍𝒎 )
◂ 𝐴 𝑇𝑂 = 𝐴𝑂 × 𝑛
Where:
◂ 𝐴 𝑇𝑂 = Total Heat Transfer Area
◂ 𝐴𝑂 = Heat Transfer Area
◂ 𝑛= Number of banks
(𝑾𝒄 𝑪𝒑𝒄 ∆𝑻𝒄 )
◂ ∆𝑇𝑐 = 𝑇𝑐𝑜 − 𝑇𝑐𝑖
◂ 𝑊𝑐 = 𝑞𝑐 𝜌
Wherein:
𝑃𝑀
◂ 𝜌= 𝑅𝑇

(𝑼𝑶 )
◂ ℎ𝑖 ≫≫ ℎ𝑜 𝑢𝑠𝑒 ℎ𝑜
1 𝐷 ∆𝑋𝑤 𝐷𝑜 1
◂ 𝑈𝑜
= ℎ 𝐷𝑜 + 𝐾 +ℎ
𝑖 𝑖 𝑤 𝐷𝑙𝑚 𝑜

Thus,
◂ 𝑈𝑜 = ℎ𝑜
(𝒉𝒐 or 𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒓 )
ℎ𝑜 𝐷𝑜
◂ 𝑁𝑢𝐷 = 𝑘
𝑞
◂ 𝑉∞ = 𝑆
𝑚𝑖𝑛
 ◂ Where:
◂ 𝑆𝑚𝑖𝑛 = W∙ 𝐿 − 𝑁𝑤 𝐷𝑜 𝐿 (𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔)
◂ 𝑆𝑚𝑖𝑛 = (𝑆𝑇 − 𝐷𝑜 )𝐿(𝑁𝑤 − 1) (𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔)
𝑆𝑇
◂ 𝑉𝑎𝑣𝑒 = 𝑉∞ 𝜋𝐷
𝑆𝑇 −
4

𝐷𝑉𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝜌
◂ 𝑅𝑒 = 𝜇

𝐶𝑝 𝜇
◂ 𝑃𝑟 =
𝑘

Corrections are typically required to account for the geometry, size, and location of the tube
bank, deviations from normal incidence of the working fluid, and variations in the fluid properties
due to temperature and pressure changes. That is why correction factors are significant.

Correction factors:
◂ If there are fewer than 10 rows

◂ Note: N is the no. of rows parallel to the flow of the fluid

For liquids:
◂ For cooling
𝑃𝑟𝑏 0.11
( )
𝑃𝑟𝑠
◂ For heating
𝑃𝑟𝑏 0.11
( )
𝑃𝑟𝑠
 3. SAMPLE CALCULATIONS

4.25 m3/min of water is to be heated form 25°C to 48°C. One unit has opening for pipes 4
rows deep and 22 rows wide. The pipes are 3cm outside diameter steel on 6cm centers, 1.5m
high. The casing is 140 cm long by 200 cm high. Inside the pipe is steam at 136kPa. How many
units are needed for square pitch arrangement of tubes?
STEAM 136kPa

WATER
3
4.25 m /min
25°C

WATER
48°C

PROPERTIES:

For steam:
Cp = 4184 J/kg-K 1.5 m
µ = 2.561 x 10-4 Pa-s
k = 0.6799 W/m-K

For Pipes: (SQUARE PITCH)

4 rows deep and 22 rows wide 1.4m
Do = 0.02m
L = 1.5m
ST = 0.06m = SL

For Casing:
L = 1.4m
H = 2m
SOLUTION:

Evaluation of Ho:

1) Find Tm, NOTE: if external fluid is

𝑇1 +𝑇2
+ 𝑇𝑠
2
a) Gas: 𝑇𝑚 = 2
𝑇1 +𝑇2
b) Liquid: 𝑇𝑚 = 2

25°C + 48°C
𝑇𝑚 =
2

𝑇𝑚 = 36.50°C = 309.65K

2) Find properties at Tm = 36.5°C

For water:
Cp = 4,177.55 J/kg-K
µ = 7.182 x 10-4 Pa-s
k = 0.622 W/m-K
ρ = 997.58 kg/m3

3) Prandtl Number (Pr)

𝐽
𝐶𝑝 µ (4,177.55 ) (7.182 x 10−4 Pa‐ s)
𝑘𝑔‐ 𝐾
𝑃𝑟𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 = =
𝑘 𝑊
0.622 𝑚‐ 𝐾

𝑃𝑟𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 4.820

𝐽
𝐶𝑝 µ (4.184 ) (2.561 x 10−4 Pa‐ s)
𝑘𝑔‐ 𝐾
𝑃𝑟𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚 = =
𝑘 𝑊
0.622 𝑚‐ 𝐾
𝑃𝑟𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚 = 1.576

4) Find the average velocity (𝑣̅ ) in the spaces from velocity at infinity flow (𝑣∞ )

𝑆𝑇
(𝑣̅ ) = 𝑣∞ [ 𝜋 ]
𝑆𝑇 − 4 𝐷𝑜

𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒

𝑣∞ =
𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠

𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠 = 𝑆𝑚𝑖𝑛

𝑆𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛 = 𝐿𝑊𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 − (𝐿𝐷𝑜 𝑁𝑡𝑢𝑏𝑒𝑠 ⊥ )
 𝑚3 1𝑚𝑖𝑛
(4.25 𝑚𝑖𝑛) (60𝑠𝑒𝑐 )
𝑣∞ =
(1.4𝑚)(2𝑚) − (1.5𝑚)(0.03𝑚)(22)
𝑚
𝑣∞ = 0.039
𝑠

𝑚 0.06𝑚
(𝑣̅ ) = 0.039 [ ]
𝑠 0.06 − 𝜋 (0.03)
4
𝑚
(𝑣̅ ) = 0.064
𝑠

5) Find 𝑁𝑅𝑒

𝐷𝑜 𝑣̅ 𝜌
𝑁𝑅𝑒 =
µ

𝑚 𝑘𝑔
(0.03𝑚)(0.064 )(997.58 3
𝑠 𝑚
𝑁𝑅𝑒 =
7.182 x 10−4 Pa‐ s

𝑁𝑅𝑒 = 2,666.88

6) Find ℎ𝑜′ for Liquid:

4
1 1 5 5
𝑘 0.62𝑁𝑅𝑒 2 𝑁𝑃𝑟 3 𝑁𝑅𝑒 8 𝑃𝑟𝑏 0.25
ℎ𝑜′ = 0.3 + 1 • [1 + (282000) ] ( 𝑃 )
𝐷𝑜 2 4 𝑟𝑆
0.4 3
[1 + (𝑁 ) ]
[ 𝑃𝑟 ]

4
𝑊 1 1 5 5
′
0.622 𝑚‐ 𝐾 (0.62)(2,666.88)2 (4.82)3 2,666.88 8 4.82 0.25
ℎ𝑜 = 0.3 + 1 • [1 + ( ) ] ( )
0.03𝑚 2 4 282000 1.576
0.4 3
[1 + (4.82) ]
[ ]

ℎ𝑜′ = 1,489.31

7) Compute for Corrected for ℎ𝑜′

 Correction factor (ψ)
𝑆𝐿
𝑃𝐿 =
𝐷
0.06𝑚
𝑃𝐿 = =2
0.03𝑚

𝑃𝐿 = 𝑃𝑇 = 2 (𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑆𝑇 = 𝑆𝐿 )

 𝜋
ψ=1−
4𝑃𝑇
𝜋
ψ=1− = 0.6078
4(2)

 Arrangement factor (Φ)

0.03
Φ𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑒𝑑 =1+
0.7
• 0.03 − 0.3
(0.6078)1.5 0.03 2
( + 0.7)
0.03

Φ𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑒𝑑 = 1.358

 Correction factor for ℎ𝑜′ (NU𝐷 )

No. of rows (N) = 4
N < 10

1 + (4 − 1)(1.358)
NU𝐷 = ( )
4
NU𝐷 = 1.2685

 Compute for Corrected for ℎ𝑜′

Corrected ℎ𝑜 = NU𝐷 ℎ𝑜′
= (1.2685)(1,489.31)

Corrected ℎ𝑜 = 1889.19

8) Compute for the Bank of Tubes (N)

 𝜋𝐷𝑜 𝐿 24𝑡𝑢𝑏𝑒𝑠 (𝑡 − 𝑡1 ) − (𝑡 − 𝑡2 )
𝑞 = (𝑤𝐶𝑝 ∆𝑇) = ℎ𝑜 ∗ ∗𝑁[ 𝑡−𝑡 ]
𝑡𝑢𝑏𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑛𝑘 ln (𝑡 − 𝑡1 )
2
N=5
∴ 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝟓 𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒖𝒃𝒆𝒔

REFERENCES
[1] Beale, S. (1997). Tube Banks. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/44090478_Tube_banks_crossflow_ove
r.
[2] Butterworth, D. (1978). A model for heat teansfer during the three-
dimensional flow in tube bundles. Retrieved from
http://www.ihtcdigitallibrary.com/cn/conferences/2d9b67ad1b92ab15,176174f343
1fea0f,6d4e71e85803eccf.html.

[3] Gu, X., Wang, K. & et. Al. (2013). Research on heat transfer and flow
resistance performance of shutter baffle heat exchanger with triangle tube layout
in shell side. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286398907_Research_on_heat_transfe
r_and_flow_resistance_performance_of_shutter_baffle_heat_exchanger_with_tri
angle_tube_layout_in_shell_side.

[4] Thermopedia. (2016). Tube Banks, Crossflow over. Retrieved from

http://www.thermopedia.com/content/1211/.

[5] Žukauskas & R. Ulinskas. (1985) Efficiency Parameters for Heat Transfer
in Tube Banks, Heat Transfer Engineering, 6:1, 19-25, DOI:
10.1080/01457638508939614.