A numerical procedure for flow distribution and pressure drops for U and Z type configurations plate heat exchangers with variable coefficients

Abstract

In Plate Heat Exchangers it is important to determine the flow distribution and pressure drops, because they affect directly the performance of a heat exchanger [1]. This work proposes an incompressible, one-dimensional, steady state, discrete model allowing for variable overall momentum coefficients to determine these magnitudes. The model consists on a modified version of the Bajura and Jones [2] model for dividing and combining flow manifolds. The numerical procedure is based on the finite differences approximation approach proposed by Datta and Majumdar [3]. A linear overall momentum coefficient distribution is used in the dividing manifold, but the model is not limited to linear distributions. Comparisons are made with experimental, numerical and analytical data, yielding good results. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.