Computational Fluid Dynamic Analysis for Optimization of Helical Coil Heat Exchanger

Abstract

Helically coiled heat exchangers are used in order to obtain a large heat transfer area per unit volume and to enhance the heat transfer coefficient on the inside surface. The enhancement in heat transfer due to helical coils has been reported by many researchers by experimental setups for the estimation of the heat transfer characteristics. In this thesis the experimental results are compared with the CFD calculation results using the CFD software package ANSYS CFX used by the many researchers. Further a computational study has been accomplished to determine the effects of heat transfer in the helical coiled heat exchanger by considering the parameters like pitch length of helical coil and mass flow rate of fluids in helical coil heat exchanger. It is concluded that the CFD analysis results fairly matches with the Experimental Results. A comparison with experimental results and CFD simulations has proved that by decreasing the pitch length of helical coil and relative velocity of fluids in helical coil heat exchanger, increases heat transfer rate.