Experiment 7

To demonstrate the working principles of a concentric tube heat exchanger operating under
parallel flow conditions and determine the performance characteristics.

Objective:
The basic objectives of this experiment are,

 To learn about Heat exchangers.

 To learn about the types of heat exchangers.
 To learn about the working principles of heat exchangers.
 To understand the temperature profile of parallel flow heat exchanger.

Apparatus:
 Concentric Tube Heat Exchanger
 Water Tank
 Thermometers
 Volumetric Flow Meters

Figure 1: Concentric tube heat exchanger unit

Introduction:
Heat exchangers find numerous applications in our daily life. In this experiment, we will discuss the
parallel flow condition of concentric tube heat exchanger. Using the experimental setup, we will draw
the temperature profile of both hot and cold water.
 Theory:
In this experiment, we have learnt about the heat exchangers. Basically, a heat exchanger is an
apparatus which is used for the heat exchange between two or more fluids. There is also some
learning about the types of heat exchangers. They are basically classified on the basis of the
flow arrangement and the type of the construction.

Also, a discussion is made on the working principles of parallel and counter flow heat
exchangers. In parallel flow heat exchanger, both the hot liquid and the cool liquid flows in the
same direction. Unlike the parallel flow heat exchanger, both the liquids (hot and cold) move in
the opposite direction. We have also learnt about the temperature profiles of parallel and
counter flow heat exchangers. In addition to these, we have also learnt about the applications
of heat exchangers in different aspects of machinery.

For this experiment, we have used the tubular heat exchanger apparatus. It consists of

 Piping tubes
 Valves
 Storage tanks
We can convert the heat exchanger into both the parallel and counter flow exchangers by the
mechanism of opening and closing of the valves given on the apparatus. in the later section, a
figure of the apparatus used in this experiment is given. From this figure, we will have a better
understanding of the tubular heat exchanger apparatus.

 Heat
Heat can be defined as,

‘Such a form of energy which transfers from the hot body to cold body due to temperature
difference between them.’

The heat transfer will take place between two bodies until thermal equilibrium is attained i.e.
both the bodies attain the same temperature.

 Symbol:
The heat is represented by the symbol ‘Q’. However, when we use the rate of heat transfer,
we use ‘q’ instead of ‘Q’.

 Units:
As heat is a form of energy, so its units are also Joule. However, in case of rate, we will use
the units of watts.

 Cause of heat transfer:

The question arises that why heat transfer exists? The answer is the difference of
temperature between two contacting or non-contacting bodies. Due to the temperature
difference, heat transfer exists.
 Modes of Heat transfer
There are basically three modes of heat transfer through which heat transfer occurs,

 Conduction
 Convection
 Radiation

 Heat exchanger
Heat exchanger can be defined as,

‘A kind of apparatus which is used for the heat exchange between two or more liquids.’

Heat exchangers are very important devices in the field of machinery. The size and weight of
heat exchangers in space and aeronautical machines are very important factors in order to the
design the heat exchangers. However, in this section, our major concern will be with the heat
exchange between two liquids which occurs by means of conduction and convection only.

Figure 2: Heat Exchanger

Types of heat exchangers:

There are two important factors on which the heat exchangers are classified,

 Flow arrangement
 Type of construction
On the basis of flow arrangement

On the basis of flow arrangement, heat exchangers are classified as,

 Parallel flow heat exchanger

 Counter flow heat exchanger
 Cross flow heat exchanger
On the basis of type of construction:
On the basis of type of construction, heat exchangers are classified as,

 Shell and tube heat exchanger

 Annular heat exchanger
  Compact heat exchanger
 Plate heat exchanger

a) Parallel flow heat exchanger

Parallel flow heat exchanger can be defined as,

‘A type of heat exchanger in which both the liquids i.e. hot and cold move in the same
directions.’

For this type of heat exchanger, both the fluids have to move in the same direction.
Following is the figure of the parallel flow heat exchanger which will give better
understanding of it.

Figure 3: Parllel Flow Heat Exchanger

b) Counter flow heat exchanger:

Counter flow heat exchanger can be defined as,

‘A type of heat exchanger in which the liquids i.e. hot and cold move in the opposite
directions.’

For this type of heat exchanger, both the fluids have to move in the opposite direction.
Following is the figure of the counter flow heat exchanger which will give better
understanding of it.

Figure 4: Counter Flow Heat Exchanger

c) Cross flow heat exchanger:
Cross flow heat exchanger can be defined as,

‘A type of heat exchanger in which the liquids i.e. hot and cold move perpendicularly to each
other.’

For this type of heat exchanger, both the fluids have to move in the perpendicular direction.
Following is the figure of the cross-flow heat exchanger which will give better understanding
of it.

Figure 5: Cross Flow Heat Exchanger

Applications of Heat exchangers

Some of the applications of heat exchangers are given below,

 Space Heating
 Refrigeration
 Air Conditioning
 Power Stations
 Chemical Plants
 Petrochemical Plants
 Petroleum Refineries
 Natural-Gas Processing
 Sewage Treatment

Procedure:
 Set the apparatus.
 Set the mechanism of parallel flow heat exchanger according to the valve mechanism
given on the apparatus.
 Measure the inlet, mean and outlet temperatures of both the liquids.
 Calculate the heat transfer for both the liquids.
 Calculate the heat loss.
Observation & Calculation:
Calculations
Let us consider the specimen calculations for
3
 Hot Water Flow Rate ¿ Q H =0.0000533 m /s
3
 Cold Water Flow Rate ¿ Q H =0.0000367 m /s
3
 Density of Hot Water ¿ ρ H =970.6 kg /m
3
 Density of Cold Water ¿ ρC =989.1 kg/ m

1. Calculating Power Emitted

Pemit =QH ρ H C P H ( T Hi −T H o )
Pemit =( 0.0000533 ) ( 970.6 ) ( 4.19 ×103 ) ( 65−56 )
Pemit =1950.9W
2. Calculating Power Absorbed
P|¿|=Q ρ C (T −T )¿
C C PC Co Ci

P|¿|=( 0.0000367) ( 989.1 )( 4.18 ×10 ) ( 41−29 )¿

3

P|¿|=1820.8 W ¿
3. Calculating Power Lost
Plost =Pemit −P|¿|¿
Plost =1950.9−1820.8
Plost =130.1W
4. Calculating Efficiency
P| |
η= ¿ ×100 ¿
Pemit
1820.8
η= ×100=94.79 %
1920.9
5. Calculating ∆ T 1 , ∆T 2and LMTD
∆ T 1=T H i−T Ci ∆ T 2=T H o −T C o ∆ T m=∆ T 1 −∆ T 2
∆ T 1=65−29 ∆ T 2=56−41 ∆ T m=36−15
∆ T 1=36 ℃ ∆ T 2=15 ℃ ∆ T m=21℃

∆Tm
¿ LMTD=
Log Mean Temperature Difference
ln
( )
∆ T1
∆ T2
21
LMTD= =23.987 ℃
ln
36
15 ( )
6. Calculating Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient
P|¿|
U= ¿
HT . Area ×∆ T m
1820.8 W
U= =1133.4 2
0.0765 ×21 m ℃
The following parameters have been used for this experiment.
 3
 Hot Water Flow Rate ¿ Q H =0.0000533 m /s
3
 Cold Water Flow Rate ¿ Q H =0.0000367 m /s
 Surface Area of Heat Exchanger ¿ 0.0765 m 2

The readings taken for this experiment are noted in the table below.

No. of Volu Volu Inlet Mean Outlet Inlet Mean Outlet

Observa me me tempera tempera tempera tempera tempera tempera
tions flow flow ture of ture of ture of ture of ture of ture of
rate rate cold cold cold hot hot hot
of of water water water water water water
cold hot (Tci) (Tcm) (Tco) (Thi) (Thm) (Tho)
wate wate (C) (C) (C) (C) (C) (C)
r (Vc) r (Vh)
(m3/s (m3/
s)
1 2.1 3 29 34 41 67 59 57
2 2.2 3.2 29 34 41 65 57 56

3 2.2 3.2 30 36 42 64 55 55

Data Analysis:
No. of Inlet Mean Outlet Inlet Mean Outlet
Observatio temperatu temperatu temperatu temperatu temperatu temperatu
ns re of cold re of cold re of cold re of hot re of hot re of hot
water water water water water water
(Tci) (Tcm) (Tco) (Thi) (Thm) (Tho)
(C) (C) (C) (C) (C) (C)
Mean 29.33333 34.66667 41.33333 65.3333333 57 56
3

Standard 0.333333 0.666667 0.333333 0.88191710 1.154701 0.57735026

Error 4 9

Standard 0.57735 1.154701 0.57735 1

Deviation 1.52752523
2 2
Sample 0.333333 1.333333 0.333333 1
Variance 2.33333333
3 4
Maximum 30 36 42 67 59 57

Minimum 29 34 41 64 55 55
Graph:

PARALLEL FLOW TEMPERATURE PROFILE

70

60
Temperature

50

40

30

20

10
Hot Water Cold Water
0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09
Surface Area

Comments:
 From this experiment, we have learnt about the heat exchanger and its types on the
basis of flow arrangement.
 The heat loss is positive, which shows that some of the heat is transferred from the hot
liquid to the cold liquid. But still, the hot liquid at the outlet has higher temperature
than the cold liquid at the outlet.
 The heat loss is small in case of parallel flow heat exchangers which means that less heat
transfer takes place between the hot and cold fluids.