ISSN Online: 2688-7231
ISBN Online: 978-1-56700-478-6
Proceedings of the 24th National and 2nd International ISHMT-ASTFE Heat and Mass Transfer Conference (IHMTC-2017)
ENHANCED HEAT TRANSFER IN HELICAL TUBE CONDENSER: CFD ANALYSIS
Resumo
Heat transfer in helical coils under laminar regime is
investigated in depth using CFD simulation with relevance to
condenser applications. The study includes elaborate analysis
of flow and temperature fields in helical tube vis-à-vis a
straight tube of the same length. Results reveal the presence of secondary flow that drives the flow from inner to the outer
wall of the tube. The temperature profiles are flatter in case of a helical tube compared to a straight tube, which indicates
faster penetration of wall effects into the domain. The heat
extracted along the length of tube is estimated from enthalpy
balance. A significantly high heat duty cycle is observed,
establishing a superior cooling potential of helical tube.
Furthermore, a parametric study, to check the effects of radius
of curvature (centrifugal force) and pitch (torsion) on heat
transfer, is conducted. Finally, correlations, for the prediction of Nusselt number, are developed exclusively for the laminar flow regime. The analysis provides comprehensive theoretical insights of flow inside helical tube in laminar region along with design optimization methods.