Modeling and Design of Plate Heat Exchanger

Recent Patents on Mechanical Engineeringe, 2008

The first patent for a plate heat exchanger was granted in 1878 to Albretch Dracke, a German inventor. The commercial embodiment of these equipments has become available in 1923. However, the plate heat exchanger development race began in the 1930's and these gasketed plate and frame heat exchangers were mainly used as pasteurizers (e.g. for milk and beer). Industrial plate heat exchangers were introduced in the 1950's and initially they were converted dairy models. Brazed plate heat exchangers were developed in the late 1970's.

A plate heat exchanger is a type of heat exchanger that uses metal plates to transfer heat between two fluids. This has a major advantage over a conventional heat exchanger in that the fluids are exposed to a much larger surface area because the fluids spread out over the plates. This facilitates the transfer of heat, and greatly increases the speed of the temperature change. The plate heat exchanger (PHE) is a specialized design well suited to transferring heat between medium- and low-pressure fluids. Welded, semi-welded and brazed heat exchangers are used for heat exchange between high-pressure fluids or where a more compact product is required. The hot fluid flows in one direction in alternating chambers while the cold fluid flows in true counter-current flow in the other alternating chambers. The heat transfer surface consists of a number of thin corrugated plates pressed out of a high grade metal. The pressed pattern on each plate surface induces turbulence and minimizes stagnant areas and fouling. Unlike shell and tube heat exchangers, which can be custom-built to meet almost any capacity and operating conditions, the plates for plate and frame heat exchangers are mass-produced using expensive dies and presses. In this paper we designed the PHE for the required operating conditions. In the design we calculated the overall heat transfer coefficient of PHE. The heat transfer rate and the number of plates required for the PHE were also calculated. Cost optimization of the designed PHE was carried out and it has been found that there is a considerable drop in the cost of the heat exchanger.

Al-Nahrain Journal for Engineering Sciences, 2020

Heat recovery (HR) is often mentioned as a device that operates between two heat sources in different temperatures. In this device, the heat is transferred from one side to another in order to have a heat balance. Therefore, the device is working on preheating/precooling supplying air to the space by waste heat. The main aims of this work are to design and manufacture of a plate heat exchanger (PHE) with a high efficiency and low cost, calculate the cost of the PHE unit and compare it with the other HEs model from different companies. The PHE was manufactured at the University of Technology from aluminum plates in a simple and inexpensive way. The performance of the HE was evaluated in different external conditions and different air flow rates. The maximum effectiveness value of the HE is 50.76% at a condition of hot air side (DBT= 41⁰C, RH=21%, W=10.2 g/kg, and air flow rate = 0.476 ³/s) and a condition of cold air side (DBT= 22.2⁰C, RH=92.02 %, W=15.6 g/kg, and air flow rate = 0.476 ³/s).

A mathematical model is developed in algorithmic form for the steady-state simulation of gasketed plate heat exchangers with generalized configurations. The configuration is defined by the number of channels, number of passes at each side, fluid locations, feed connection locations and type of channel-flow. The main purposes of this model are to study the configuration influence on the exchanger performance and to further develop a method for configuration optimization. The main simulation results are: temperature profiles in all channels, thermal effectiveness, distribution of the overall heat transfer coefficient and pressure drops. Moreover, the assumption of constant overall heat transfer coefficient is analyzed.

2011

Heat exchangers with perforated plates are not newness (Babic), but it is not wide adopted solution. However, the arrangement and size of perforations affect its efficiency. Indications that the efficiency could be increased by more than 20% were obtained by computer simulation of heat exchanger of similar structure. This is sufficient reason to continue and expand the investigation of such heat exchangers. In this paper is presented preliminary laboratory experimental research of newly designed heat exchanger. The aim is primarily to qualitatively and quantitatively verify the positive results obtained and indicated by the computer simulation. A final goal is to establish the optimal operating regime of heat exchanger in a wider range of expected state of working fluids and possible variations of heat exchanger construction. Further research will move in the direction of computer modeling of the similar heat exchanger which is far simpler, faster and cheaper, using software package...

Plate heat exchangers are very important equipments used in industrial applications. The paper presents an analysis related to the influence of the number of plates on the performance of a heat exchanger. 3D models are made for eight cases and using finite element method are performed numerical simulations of fluid flow distribution. Numerical results are presented for 1 pass-1pass counter-flow plate heat exchanger.

The developments in design theory of plate heat exchangers, as a tool to increase heat recovery and efficiency of energy usage, are discussed. The optimal design of a multi-pass plate-and-frame heat exchanger with mixed grouping of plates is considered. The optimizing variables include the number of passes for both streams, the numbers of plates with different corrugation geometries in each pass, and the plate type and size. To estimate the value of the objective function in a space of optimizing variables the mathematical model of a plate heat exchanger is developed. To account for the multi-pass arrangement, the heat exchanger is presented as a number of plate packs with co-and counter-current directions of streams, for which the system of algebraic equations in matrix form is readily obtainable. To account for the thermal and hydraulic performance of channels between plates with different geometrical forms of corrugations, the exponents and coefficients in formulas to calculate the heat transfer coefficients and friction factors are used as model parameters. These parameters are reported for a number of industrially manufactured plates. The described approach is implemented in software for plate heat exchangers calculation.

2019

Mechanical requests for superior heat exchanger devices are expanding quickly step by step to get a generous decrease in vitality utilization. The plate heat exchangers (PHEs) are minimal and effective, generally utilized in numerous applications (heat recuperation, cooling, HVAC, bottling works, dairy, nourishment preparing, seaward oil, pharmaceuticals, substance, mash and paper creation, control age, refrigeration, and so on.) due to their high warm productivity, adaptability and simplicity of sanitation. Plate heat exchangers have been broadly connected in various modern applications since their first business misuse during the 1920s. The corrugated shape patterns examples of the individual plate geometries are one of the numerous appropriate methods to improve the heat transfer in heat exchangers. At the point when liquid streams in a creased channel, the stream progresses toward becoming irritated because of developing distribution locales close the ridged divider, which improves the disturbance coming about to accomplish the most astounding conceivable heat transfer coefficient with least pressure drop. These points of interest make the PHE progressively ecological amicable; notwithstanding, increments of outflow and running expense because of high spillage plausibility, pressure drop are some ecological drawbacks. Gigantic hypothetical and exploratory research takes a shot at warmth move, fouling and liquid stream parts of PHE with different geometries and warmth move liquids for different potential applications have been performed inside most recent couple of decades. This paper presents a review on performance characteristics of a corrugated plate heat exchanger.