TRADITIONAL PLATE EXCHANGER CALCULATION

Number of plates
Plate Length
Plate Width
Plate Thickness
Hot and Cold gap
Hot water temperature
Cold water temperature
Hot and Cold fluid mass flow
Hot and Cold fouling resistance
Plate metal conductivity

100 (101)
8.000
0.500
0.002
0.008
353.15
293.15
400.0
0.00005
50

[-]
[m]
[m]
[m]
[m]
[K]
[K]
[kg/s]
[m2W/K]
[W/m/K]

Water properties are taken at average temperatures. As the hot and cold inlet temperatures are 80
and 20 degrees Centigrade, respectively, the average temperature is 50 degree C. The film
correction for the heat transfer coefficient is neglected for the hand calculation. It is small and of
opposite influence at each process side.
Heat exchanging Area
Nr of hot and cold channels
A_flow/channel
Channel Circumference
Hydraulic Diameter
Flow Area per fluid
Fluid Mass Velocity
Water viscosity @ 50 deg.C
Water conductivity @ 50 deg C
Reynolds
Prandtl water @ 50 deg C
Hot & Cold heat transfer coefficient

Plate resistance / m2
Total heat transfer resistance /
m2

A_hx = 8.000 * 0.500 * 100 = 400

N_ch = 50
A_fch = 0.008 * 0.5 = 0.004
C_fch = 2 * (0.008 + 0.5) = 1.016
D_hyd = 4 * A_fch / C_fch = 0.015748
A_flow = N_ch * A_fch = 0.2
G = M_flow / A_flow = 400.0 / 0.2 = 2000.0
u_w = 0.000525
k_w = 0.6435
Re = G * D / u_w = 59993
Pr = 3.555
U_w = 0.023 * k_w/D_hydr * Re^0.8 * Pr^0.4
=10372

R_pl = thickness/cond = 0.002 / 50 = 0.00004

R_t = 2/U_w + 2 * R_foul + R_pl =
R_t = 2/10372 + 2*0.00005 + 0.00004 =
0.0003328
Overall Heat transfer Coefficient U_oa = 1 / R_t = 3004.6

[m2]
[-]
[m2]
[m]
[m]
[m2]
[kg/m2/s]
[Pa.s]
[W/m/K]
[-]
[-]
[W/m2/K]
[m2W/K]
[m2W/K]
[W/m2/K]

Now, the overall heat transfer coefficient is calculated. We have the following equations:
Q_transferred = delta_T_mean * U_oa * A_hx
Q_fluid = delta_T_fluid * M_flow * Cp_fluid

(eq.1)
(eq.2)

Because the fluid and the fluid mass flow are identical on both sides, delta_T_mean equals the
initial temperature difference (ITD=T_hot,in-T_cold,in) minus the delta_T_fluid, or:
delta_T_mean = ITD - delta_T_fluid

(eq.3)

Inserting this into (eq.1), equating (eq.1) and (eq.2), we get:

(ITD - delta_T_fluid) * U_oa * A_hx = delta_T_fluid * M_flow * Cp_fluid
Solving for delta_T_fluid :
delta_T_fluid = ITD * U_oa*A_hx / (U_oa*A_hx + M_flow*Cp_fluid)

(eq.4)
(eq.5)

delta_T_fluid = 60.0 * 3004.6*400.0 / (3004.6*400.0 + 400.0*4035) = 25.61 [K]

Q_fluid = M_flow * Cp * delta_T_fluid = 400.0 * 4035 * 25.61 = 41334540 [W], or 41.33
[MW]
This results in:
outlet temperature of 80 - 25.61 = 54.39 degree Centigrade (hot side)
outlet temperature of 20 - 25.61 = 45.61 degree Centigrade (cold side)
The results of AHTL are
55.41 degree C (hot side)
44.64 degree C (cold side)
Heat transferred: 41.16 [MW]

The hand calculation is 0.4% in error. It is interesting to inspect the output of AHTL.
The effect of varying fluid properties on heat transfer is significant. Overall effects
on heat transfer cancel out to great extent. However, the effect on metal
temperatures is much greater. The hot inlet side plate temperatures should by at
around the average of hot flow inlet- and cold flow outlet temperatures, i.e. 0.5 *
(80.0 + 44.64) = 62.32 degree C. Average plate temperature calculated by AHTL at
this location is 63.197 degree C.
This example is exceedingly simple, but in more complex cases, with phase
transitions and for technically difficult problems it pays to have a solution that is as
accurate as possible.