International Journal of Advanced Network, Monitoring and Controls Volume 05, No.

03, 2020

Design Heat Exchanger: Optimization and Efficiency

Haifa El-Sadi*, Joe Aitken, Jason Ganley, David Ruyffelaert, Cam Sweeney
Wentworth Institute of Technology
550 Huntington, Boston, MA, USA
02115
*Corresponding author: elsadih@wit.edu

Abstract—Modern commercial and residential buildings exchangers use. But in most cases the baffles are
procure HVAC systems, to provide heating and cooling essential for the heat transfer so eliminating them
for designed open and enclosed spaces to dissipate cannot be discussed. Leakage occurs when there is a
throughout the accustomed zones. HVAC (heating, loss of fluid from the heat exchanger, this results in
ventilating, and air conditioning) systems have become a reduced efficiency. Typically, leakage is the result of
required industry standard for the construction of new faulty connections from poor welding or stressed
buildings. The objective is the optimization of a heat joints. Tube vibrations can cause the most significant
exchanger model by resolving common system concerns; damage to heat exchanger. This can be the result of
efficiency, fouling, leakage, dead zones, and vibration. very high velocity axial and perpendicular flow
These issues are prevalent in the HVAC industry, which applications. In addition to resolving common heat
are critical to the under-performing heat exchangers.
exchanger problems the end goal is to improve the
The heat exchanger was tested at only three different
efficiency of the heat exchanger. R.L Webb et al.
wind speeds (20, 40%, 60%) to take the temperature
readings every 5 minutes to allow for maximal heat
focused on [1] four design cases: (1) reduced heat
transfer. The efficiency of heat exchanger at the exchanger material; (2) increased heat duty; (3)
specified speeds was determined to be .7413 at reduced log-mean temperature difference; and (4)
20%, .6463 at 40% and .6351 at 60%. reduced pumping power. The novel method was
presented by B. Linnhoff et al. [2], the method is the
Keywords-Heat Exchanger; Efficiency; Buildings; first to combine sufficient simplicity to be used by
Design hand with near certainty to identify “best” designs,
even for large problems. “Best” designs feature the
I. INTRODUCTION highest degree of energy recovery possible with a
Mankind is about to install their 700 millionth air given number of capital items. Previous work [3]
conditioner. This baffling number creates great showed that three rough tube applications are
opportunity for engineers because behind each air presented: 1. to obtain increased heat exchange
conditioner there is a heat exchanger doing the heavy capacity; 2. to reduce the friction power; and 3. to
lifting to bring comfort to billions of people. Heat permit a reduction of heat-transfer surface area.
exchangers have sought be an engineering challenge Adrian [4] examined the coupling between losses due
and still after 700 million there are still problems that to heat transfer across the stream-to stream ΔT and
can be resolved. Common problems that heat losses caused by fluid friction using the concept of
exchangers endure are fouling, dead zones, and heat-exchanger irreversibility.
leakage and tube vibrations. Fouling is the reduction
of performance due to the build of undesired material. II. DESIGN AND ANALYSIS
This can be the result of corrosion within the heat Solid works was used to design different models of
exchanger and the lack of filtration prior to fluid heat exchanger, Equation Engineering solver (EES)
entering the heat exchanger. Dead zones can lead to was used for calculations and analysis, the efficient
significant fouling and are sections of the heat prototype heat exchanger is shown in Figure 1. Table
exchanger that the flow is notably less compared to 1 shows the dimensions of the inner tube and the
the rest of the heat exchanger. In most cases dead properties of the fluid (water).
zones are the result of baffles that most heat

DOI: 10.21307/ijanmc-2020-025 30
 International Journal of Advanced Network, Monitoring and Controls Volume 05, No.03, 2020

Figure 1. Sectioned SolidWorks model of shell and tube heat exchanger with copper coil and finned inner wall.

TABLE I. INTERNAL FLOW CALCULATIONS

Properties of Water: Properties were found at the Equation Engineering solver (EES) to write the code
average temperature between the surface of the pipe and solve for the amount of heat transfer.
and liquid and a pressure of 101.3 N/m2, using

TABLE II. EXTERNAL FLOW CALCULATIONS

Initially the shell of the heat exchanger was going for calculation purposes. It was determined that a 4"
to be formed using sheet metal. With concerns of flexible duct was attached from the heat exchanger to
burn-through while welding the shell together it was the wind turbine in Wentworth's Fluid Dynamics Lab
determined that buying HVAC duct would reduce where we would be able to vary wind speed during
manufacturing time and eliminate concerns of sealing testing. Not only did this decision save money it also
the shell together. The second difference between the eliminated doubt from our calculations. The third
prototype and the model is the use of fans to send air difference is the overall length of the prototype. This
through the shell. Initially the plan was to incorporate work initially planned to make the shell 18" long with
fans within the shell that would send air through and 6" diameter. While we kept the diameter the same, the
out the other side. The main concern with this idea heat exchanger is now 24" long due to the need for an
was if we were going to be able to vary the fan speed additional connection piece for the HVAC duct that

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 International Journal of Advanced Network, Monitoring and Controls Volume 05, No.03, 2020

was not initially incorporated into the SolidWorks the outside to ensure stability. The shelf was fastened
model. in a similar manner to the outside of the vertical piece.
III. MANUFACTURING PROTOTYPE PARTS A. Reservoir
The prototype consists of ten major part that will This work manufactured the reservoir using copper
be assembled into a heat exchanger. The parts consist plates, angle brackets, screws, JB weld, and flex seal.
of the controller, pump, piping, valves, stand, First, it the precut copper plates and angled them
reservoir, coil, slides, shell and caps. Out of these nine against each other at 90 degrees to construct an open
parts, the stand, reservoir and slides needed to be box, and screed the brackets in place at 3 points per
manufactured in the projects lab. This work corner. Next, with duct taped the outside of the box to
manufactured all these parts on the Wentworth ensure a tight seal between the two pieces and applied
Campus in the Manufacturing Lab and Projects Lab. the JB weld to all the seams. After an hour of curing
we applied flex seal to the entire surface of the inside.
The stand was manufactured in three major steps. This sealed between the screws ensuing a waterproof
First, we bout ¼ inch plywood and drew the reservoir.
dimensions that would sufficiently hold the tube and
reservoir tank. The two vertical pieces were measure B. Slides
to the dimensions of 1' wide and 1.5' tall with a 6" The slides were manufactured using a Solidworks
diameter half circle cut at the top to hold the tube in model, which was then converted over to a CAM file.
place. The base piece was also dimensioned to be 1' The milling machines would have taken about 3 hours
wide and 2' long to hold the tube at the two ends. A per slide, so we opted to use the LPM. The process
small shelf to hold the pump and valves was with 26 minutes per part, which was a noticeable
dimensions to be 1' wide and 6" long. The second efficiency difference. The center hole was a quarter of
steps consisted of cutting all the pieces. This work an inch and was pressed out. The plate was then
used two tools to accurately cut the plywood, a clamped down into the LPM and the larger holes
circular and jig saw. The circular saw was used to cut began to mill. Then the circles were cut out from the
the straight angles while the jig saw was used to cut existing material, with a helix pattern. A hole was
the 6" diameter half circles. After the pieces were cut drilled at both ends of the shell to allow the ends of
the stand could be assembled. The third step consisted the coil to protrude out so that we could connect the
of using 15 angle brackets, 60 screws and the three- fluidics tubing. Once that was all done the end caps
stand pieces to assemble the stand. Three angle were placed on the ends of the shell which shrank the
brackets were screwed into each inside portion of the shell diameter from 6” to 4".
base and vertical pieces with two angle brackets on

Figure 2. The heat exchanger prototype

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 International Journal of Advanced Network, Monitoring and Controls Volume 05, No.03, 2020

After that insulation was put on the whole shell

assembly to prevent any possible heat from escaping. Two temperature controllers as shown in figure 3 were
With the whole shell finished it was time to put the used to regulate the opening and closing of the valves. The
rest of the manufactured parts together. The shell wires from Electronic Valve A are connected to Controller
assembly was placed into the 6" diameter half circles A. The wires from Electronic Valve B are connected to
in the wooden stand so that it could be supported Controller B. The source connection for the two controllers
are to be wired together and connected to a DC source
horizontally. The copper reservoir was then placed controller supplied by the Electrical Lab. Figure 4 shows
underneath the shell assembly. Fluidics tubing was testing the heat exchanger. Figures 5, 6 and 7 show the
then connected from one of the ends of the copper coil effect of time on the air outlet temperature.
from the shell to one side of the reservoir tank. This
where the water will go after going through the heat
exchanger. An overflow hole and tube were made in
the reservoir to be directed back towards the sink.
Electronic valve A was used to pull water from the hot
sink water that was stored in a trash car and heated by
a Bunsen burner. Piping from the trash can to
Electronic Valve A, then the valve to the pump was
made. Electronic Valve B was used to pull water from
the reservoir tank. Piping from the reservoir tank to
Electronic Valve B, then the valve to the pump was
made. The final piping from the pump to the inlet part
of the coil completed the piping system. Figure 2
shows the heat exchanger prototype.

Figure 4. Testing the heat exchanger

Figure 3. The electronic part of the heat exchanger

Figure 5. Time vs. outlet air temperature at 20% wind speed

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 International Journal of Advanced Network, Monitoring and Controls Volume 05, No.03, 2020

Figure 6. Time vs. outlet air temperature at 40% wind speed

Figure 7. Time vs. outlet air temperature at 60% wind speed

Figure 8. Effectiveness vs wind speed

Initially the heat exchanger was tested with fan increasing the fan speed percentage so rapidly there
speeds starting at 20% increasing up to 100% in would not be enough time for maximal heat transfer.
increments of 10. However, it was determined that by Knowing this, it was determined that the heat

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 International Journal of Advanced Network, Monitoring and Controls Volume 05, No.03, 2020

exchanger would be best to test at only three different quite high making it difficult to determine the true
wind speeds (20, 40%, 60%) and to take the change in temperature since the inlet and outlet
temperature readings every 5 minutes to allow for temperatures are quite close to one another. If this test
maximal heat transfer. Before testing the heat was done in the winter are values could potentially be
exchanger for the second trial it was hypothesized that much better. Also, the reservoir tank had a hard time
since slower fan speeds would allow the air to stay in maintaining a warm enough temperature so that could
contact with the inside of the heat exchanger longer start using the water from it rather than main water
the efficiency would be higher. Looking at the graphs source. This may be due to the fact that we used Flex
above this hypothesis was proven to be correct. Every Seal to make sure the tank was water tight. The
5 minutes the inlet and outlet temperatures of both the thermal conductivity of Flex Seal is much lower than
air and the water were recorded based on the readings copper which is what the tank is made out of. By
given from the thermocouples. While running the heat spraying it everywhere the thermal conductivity of the
exchanger the pump sent the water through the copper tank as a whole might not be as high as thought.
coils at a constant velocity of .0667 m/s. For the three Overall heat exchanger did what wanted it to and by
different fan speed percentages of 20, 40, and 60, the making these and other modifications the work
air velocities were measured at 2.2 m/s, 3.87 m/s, and believe can perform better.
6.5 m/s. At each fan speed 5 temperature readings
were taken, the temperature change between the 1st ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
and 5th reading was then used to determine the This project very much to thank Wentworth Project
efficiency of the heat exchanger at the specified air lab and Professor Jackson for Their Support.
and water velocities with respect to the initial
temperatures of both the water and air. By using the
same equations that were used to analyse the initial REFERENCES
four designs the effectiveness of the heat exchanger at
[1] R.L Webb, “Performance evaluation criteria for use of enhanced heat
the specified speeds was determined to be .7413 at transfer surfaces in heat exchanger design”, international journal of
20%, .6463 at 40% and .6351 at 60% as shown in heat and mass transfer, volume 24, pages 715-726.
figure 8. [2] B. Linnhoff and E. Hindmarsh, “The pinch design method for heat
exchanger networks”, chemical engineering science, volume 38,
IV. CONCLUSION pages 745-763.
[3] R.L Webb and E.R.G Eckert, “Application of rough surfaces to heat
After months of research, designing, building and exchanger design”, international journal of heat and mass transfer
testing we concluded that the heat exchanger provides Volume 15, pages 1647-1658.
an effectiveness that is below average compared to [4] Adrian Bejan, “General criterion for rating heat exchanger
performance”, international journal heat and mass transfer, volume
common industrial designs. Some variables that may 21, pages 665-658.
have affected our results are the following; since it is
the middle of the summer the outside temperature is

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