Numerical model of a cross-flow heat exchanger with non-uniform flow of media

  • Małgorzata Joanna Hanuszkiewicz-Drapała Politechnika Śląska Instytut Techniki Cieplnej
  • Tomasz Bury
  • Katarzyna Widziewicz

Abstract

Typical thermodynamic analysis of a heat exchanger is realized taking into account some simplifying assumptions. One of them is uniform flow of media through the device. However, this assumption is rarely fulfilled in reality and an influence of a non-uniform flow of media could be significant for heat exchanger performance. Deterioration of the heat exchanger efficiency could be up to 18% (according to results of numerical and experimental investigations realized in the Institute of Thermal Technology of the Silesian University of Technology). Therefore, in some particular analyses the non-uniformity of media flow should be taken into account.The first numerical model of a cross-flow finned heat exchanger was elaborated at the ITT SUT ten years ago. This is simplified model based on the finite differences method. The model was next implemented into fast running computer code HEWES. Experimental validation of this code has shown some important discrepancies. One of possible reasons of such situation are some simplifications in geometry of numerical model. This problem can be solved by applying the CFD modeling methodology. Building a model of the whole finned heat exchanger is very time consuming and such model would need very powerful computer to run. Considering this the authors postulate a possibility of using some simplified 3D models of recurrent segments of heat exchanger in order to consider the non-uniform flow of media and simulate the work of the whole device. The methodology of creating these models, running calculations and results of very initial experimental validation will be presented in the paper.

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Published
2013-12-03
How to Cite
HANUSZKIEWICZ-DRAPAŁA, Małgorzata Joanna; BURY, Tomasz; WIDZIEWICZ, Katarzyna. Numerical model of a cross-flow heat exchanger with non-uniform flow of media. Journal of Power Technologies, [S.l.], v. 93, n. 5, p. 295--302, dec. 2013. ISSN 2083-4195. Available at: <https://papers.itc.pw.edu.pl/index.php/JPT/article/view/491>. Date accessed: 29 mar. 2024.
Section
RDPE 2013 Conference

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