A CFD Analysis of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger with Segmental Baffles

Abstract

A single-pass shell-and-tube heat exchanger with segmental baffles has been analyzed numerically. The study focuses on the crucial aspects of heat transfer and flow patterns, which are numerically investigated by varying the number of baffles. The standard k-e model is employed to solve the problem, and numerical simulations are conducted for three cases of baffle spacing with a square bundle of tubes. Using a commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver, the study obtains numerical solutions by solving the three-dimensional continuity, momentum, energy, and turbulence (k-ε) equations. The number of baffles is variable, while other parameters such as velocity, temperature, pressure, and baffle cut are kept constant. The results obtained from the computational analysis are analyzed to understand the effect of several baffles on the heat transfer rate and pressure drop on the shell side