Performance Analysis of Compact Heat Exchanger | Original Article

ABSTRACT:

Compact heat exchangers are one of the most critical components of many cryogenic components; they are characterized by a high heat transfer surface area per unit volume of the exchanger. The heat exchangers having surface area density (β) greater than 700 m2/m3 in either one or more sides of two-stream or multi stream heat exchanger is called as a compact heat exchanger. Plate fin heat exchanger is a type of compact heat exchanger which is widely used in automobiles, cryogenics, space applications and chemical industries. The various performance parameters like effectiveness, heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop obtained through experiments is compared with the values obtained from the different correlations. The longitudinal heat conduction through walls decreases the heat exchanger effectiveness, especially of cryogenic heat exchangers, so the effectiveness and overall heat transfer coefficient is found out by considering the effect of longitudinal heat conduction.