CFD study on thermal hydraulic performance of a wavy channel based PCHE model

Abstract

Three dimensional CFD study is done here—using a commercial software- to propose an efficient PCHE (Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger) model; used as a recuperator in International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The present work is aimed to study a wavy channel based PCHE model, with certain modifications in design to demonstrate better thermal and hydraulic performance. The waviness for the hot as compared to cold channel is in anti-phase. The study is done for various angle of bend (0° (straight), 5°, 10° and 15°) and Reynolds number (350, 700, 1400 and 2100). The inlet temperature of the hot and cold channel is taken as 1173 and 813 K, respectively; and the operating pressure of the PCHE is taken as 3 MPa. Thermal hydraulic performance parameters are presented for the various periodic sections of the wavy-channel. Power density as well as pressure drop increases with increasing Reynolds number and angle of bend. Wavy as compared to plane channel based PCHE is demonstrated here to give better thermal-hydraulic performance.