Counterflow heat exchanger with core and plenums at both ends

A. Bejan; M. Alalaimi; S. Lorente; A. S. Sabau; J. W. Klett

doi:10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2016.03.117

Counterflow heat exchanger with core and plenums at both ends

A. Bejan, M. Alalaimi, S. Lorente, A. S. Sabau, J. W. Klett

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper illustrates the morphing of flow architecture toward greater performance in a counterflow heat exchanger. The architecture consists of two plenums with a core of counterflow channels between them. Each stream enters one plenum and then flows in a channel that travels the core and crosses the second plenum. The volume of the heat exchanger is fixed while the volume fraction occupied by each plenum is variable. Performance is driven by two objectives, simultaneously: low flow resistance and low thermal resistance. The analytical and numerical results show that the overall flow resistance is the lowest when the core is absent, and each plenum occupies half of the available volume and is oriented in counterflow with the other plenum. In this configuration, the thermal resistance also reaches its lowest value. These conclusions hold for fully developed laminar flow and turbulent flow through the core. The curve for effectiveness vs number of heat transfer units (N_tu) is steeper (when N_tu < 1) than the classical curves for counterflow and crossflow.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	622-629
Number of pages	8
Journal	International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer
Volume	99
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2016.03.117
State	Published - Aug 1 2016

Funding

This work was performed for the project “Freeform Heat Exchangers for Binary Geothermal Power Plants” sponsored by the Geothermal Technologies Program, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 , Oak Ridge National Laboratory , managed and operated by UT-Battelle, LLC. Mr. Alalaimi’s work was supported by Kuwait University, Kuwait . Notice: This submission was sponsored by a contractor of the United States Government under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the United States Department of Energy . The United States Government retains, and the publisher, by accepting this submission for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains, a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this submission, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes.

Funders	Funder number
U.S. Department of Energy	DE-AC05-00OR22725
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Kuwait University

Keywords

Constructal
Counterflow
Crossflow
Heat exchanger
Morphing

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10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2016.03.117

Cite this

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title = "Counterflow heat exchanger with core and plenums at both ends",

abstract = "This paper illustrates the morphing of flow architecture toward greater performance in a counterflow heat exchanger. The architecture consists of two plenums with a core of counterflow channels between them. Each stream enters one plenum and then flows in a channel that travels the core and crosses the second plenum. The volume of the heat exchanger is fixed while the volume fraction occupied by each plenum is variable. Performance is driven by two objectives, simultaneously: low flow resistance and low thermal resistance. The analytical and numerical results show that the overall flow resistance is the lowest when the core is absent, and each plenum occupies half of the available volume and is oriented in counterflow with the other plenum. In this configuration, the thermal resistance also reaches its lowest value. These conclusions hold for fully developed laminar flow and turbulent flow through the core. The curve for effectiveness vs number of heat transfer units (Ntu) is steeper (when Ntu < 1) than the classical curves for counterflow and crossflow.",

keywords = "Constructal, Counterflow, Crossflow, Heat exchanger, Morphing",

author = "A. Bejan and M. Alalaimi and S. Lorente and Sabau, {A. S.} and Klett, {J. W.}",

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AU - Bejan, A.

AU - Alalaimi, M.

AU - Lorente, S.

AU - Sabau, A. S.

AU - Klett, J. W.

PY - 2016/8/1

Y1 - 2016/8/1

N2 - This paper illustrates the morphing of flow architecture toward greater performance in a counterflow heat exchanger. The architecture consists of two plenums with a core of counterflow channels between them. Each stream enters one plenum and then flows in a channel that travels the core and crosses the second plenum. The volume of the heat exchanger is fixed while the volume fraction occupied by each plenum is variable. Performance is driven by two objectives, simultaneously: low flow resistance and low thermal resistance. The analytical and numerical results show that the overall flow resistance is the lowest when the core is absent, and each plenum occupies half of the available volume and is oriented in counterflow with the other plenum. In this configuration, the thermal resistance also reaches its lowest value. These conclusions hold for fully developed laminar flow and turbulent flow through the core. The curve for effectiveness vs number of heat transfer units (Ntu) is steeper (when Ntu < 1) than the classical curves for counterflow and crossflow.

AB - This paper illustrates the morphing of flow architecture toward greater performance in a counterflow heat exchanger. The architecture consists of two plenums with a core of counterflow channels between them. Each stream enters one plenum and then flows in a channel that travels the core and crosses the second plenum. The volume of the heat exchanger is fixed while the volume fraction occupied by each plenum is variable. Performance is driven by two objectives, simultaneously: low flow resistance and low thermal resistance. The analytical and numerical results show that the overall flow resistance is the lowest when the core is absent, and each plenum occupies half of the available volume and is oriented in counterflow with the other plenum. In this configuration, the thermal resistance also reaches its lowest value. These conclusions hold for fully developed laminar flow and turbulent flow through the core. The curve for effectiveness vs number of heat transfer units (Ntu) is steeper (when Ntu < 1) than the classical curves for counterflow and crossflow.

KW - Constructal

KW - Counterflow

KW - Crossflow

KW - Heat exchanger

KW - Morphing

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JO - International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer

JF - International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer

ER -

Counterflow heat exchanger with core and plenums at both ends

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Keywords

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