Numerical investigation on synthetical performance of heat transfer of planar elastic tube bundle heat exchanger

• It is possible to improve heat transfer by arranging the tube bundle layout.
• The effects of Reynolds number and geometry parameter on heat transfer are studied.
• A prediction correlation of average Nusselt number is obtained.
• Comprehensive heat transfer performance of heat exchanger is reviewed.
• Tube pitch 20 mm is the optimal selection for the heat transfer in the present work.

This paper studied the synthetical performance of heat transfer in the shell-side of planar elastic tube bundle heat exchanger using numerical simulation. The temperature distribution in shell-side was studied. The relation of average heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop and comprehensive heat transfer performance were also discussed considering varying Reynolds number and geometry parameters. Results demonstrate that the temperature distribution provides a possibility to improve heat transfer by arranging the tube bundle layout to produce a fully heated fluid within full-scale shell-side. For the effect of geometry parameter, tube pitch has a greater effect on heat transfer compared to the tube-row spacing. However, Reynolds number dominates the heat transfer and fluid flow in shell-side. As a result, a prediction correlation of average Nusselt number is developed based on Reynolds number using the multiple-regression analysis of MATLAB software. A quite outstanding comprehensive heat transfer performance can be obtained in the case of tube pitch 20 mm. However, the high Reynolds number is more acceptable in the industry to enhance the heat transfer rate without considering the heat transfer difference caused by geometry parameter.