Example

In the counterflow heat exchanger shown in Fig. 5-4, a flow

rate of 0.5 kg/s of water enters one circuit of the heat
exchanger at a temperature of 30C, and the same flow rate
of water enters the other circuit at a temperature of 65C.
The UA of the heat exchanger is 4 kW/K.
What is the mean temperature difference between the two
streams?
( ) ( )
1 2 c c
c
p
T T c m Q =
&
m
T UA Q =
( )
2 1
2 1
/ ln T T
T T
T
m


=
1 2 2
2 1 1
c h
c h
T T T
T T T
=
=
( ) ( )
2 1 h h
h
p
T T c m Q =
&
( ) ( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
1 2 2 1
1 2 2 1
1 2 2 1
1 2 2 1
1 2
1 2 1 2
2 1
2 1 2 1
:
kW/K 2.095 kW/K 2.095
kW/K 2.095
K)] kJ /(kg. [4.19 kg/s) (0.5
kW/K 2.095
K)] kJ /(kg. [4.19 kg/s) (0.5
c h c h m
c h c h
c c h h
c c h h
c c
c c c c
c
p
h h
h h h h
h
p
T T T T T
T T T T
rearrange
T T T T
T T T T
T T
T T T T c m Q
T T
T T T T c m Q
= =
=
=
=
=
= =
=
= =
&
&
( )
( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) 12 30 0305 . 42
0305 . 42
2792 . 122 9093 . 2
65 2792 . 57 9093 . 1
65 kW/K 2.095 30 4
kW/K 2.095 4
kW/K 2.095
95 30 65 30 65
kW/K 2.095
kW/K 2.095
1 2 2 1
2
2
2 2
2 2
2 1 1 2
2 1 1 2 2 1
1 2 2 1
2 2 2 2 2
1 2 2 1
1 2
2 1
= = = =
=
=
=
=
=
= = =
= =
= + = =
=
=
=
c h c h m
h
h
h h
h h
h h c h
h h c h c h
c h c h m
c c h c h
c c h h
c c
h h
T T T T T
T
T
T T
T T
T T T T
T T T T UA T T UA Q
T T T T T
T T T T T
T T T T
T T Q
T T Q
Example EVAPORATORS AND CONDENSERS
A special set of equations is possible-and indeed necessary-when one of
the fluids flowing through a heat exchanger changes phase.
In an evaporator or condenser, as shown in Fig. 5-5, assume that there is
no superheating or subcoolingof the fluid that changes phase. That fluid
will then remain at a constant temperature, provided that its pressure does
not change.
For a heat exchanger of known characteristics Eq. (5.10) can
be used to compute the outlet temperature of the fluid that does
not change phase when its entering temperature and the
temperature of the boiling or condensing fluid t
c
are known.
The characteristic shape of the temperature curves of the two
fluids is shown in Fig. 5-6, applicable to a condenser.
( ) ( )
( ) ( ) [ ]
( )
( ) ( ) [ ] ( ) ( ) [ ]
( ) ( )
( )( )
p
p
c m UA
i c i o
i c
i i o c
o c i c
c m UA
i c o c o c i c
p
i o p
o c i c
o c i c
e t t t t
t t
t t t t
t t t t e
t t t t t t t t
c m
UA
t t c m
t t t t
t t t t
UA q
&
&
&
&
/
/
1
Then
/
gives antilog the taking
/ ln / ln
form the into converted be can 5.9 Equation
/ ln

+ =

+
= =
= =
=


=
The log-mean temperature difference still applies and in combination with a heat
balance gives
Example 5.2.
Water is continuously heated from 25 to 50C by steam
condensing at 110C. If the water flow rate remains
constant but its inlet temperature drops to 15C, what will
its new outlet temperature be?
Solution. The terms U, A, m, c
p
, and t
c
all remain constant.
9 . 42
15 110
15
25 110
25 50
1
/
=

= =

o
o
i c
i o
c m UA
i c
i o
t
t
t t
t t
e
t t
t t
p
&
Example
What is the maximum rate of heat transfer possible in a
counterflow heat exchanger shown in Fig. 5-7 if water
enters at 30C and cools oil entering at 60C?

=
water ) /( 19 . 4
oil ) /( 2 . 2
heat Specific
water / 5 . 1
oil / 6 . 2
rate Flow
K kg kJ
K kg kJ
s kg
s kg
Solution: The break in the heat exchanger
indicates that to achieve the maximum rate of
heat transfer the area must be made infinite.
The next question, then, is: What are the
outlet temperatures? Does the oil leave at
30C, or does the water leave at 60C?
From energy balances those two options give
the following consequences:
1. Oil leaves at 30C
3 . 57
)] /( 19 . 4 )[ / 5 . 1 (
6 . 171
30
6 . 171 ) 30 60 )]( /( 2 . 2 )[ / 6 . 2 (
= +
= =
kgK kJ s kg
kW
aves andwaterle
kW kgK kJ s kg q
2 water leaves at 60
The second case is clearly impossible because
the oil temperature would drop below that of the
entering water, which would violate the second
law of thermodynamics. Thus, q
max
= 171.6 kW.
27
2 . 2 6 . 2
6 . 188
60
6 . 188 ) 30 60 ( 19 . 4 5 . 1
=

= = kW q
( )
( ) fluids two the of smaller the is where
) (
min
, ,
min
p p
in cold in hot p
actual
wc c m
t t c m
q
&
&

=
Example
Compute the effectiveness of a counterflow heat
exchanger having a U value of 1.1 kW/(m
2
. K) and an
area of 16 m
2
when one fluid has a flow rate of 6 kg/s
and a specific heat of 4.1 kJ /(kg .K) and the other fluid a
flow rate of 3.8 kg/s and a specific heat of 3.3 kJ /(kg .K).
( )
668 .
51 .
1
5.13 Eq. Form and
686 . .51 - 1 1.4 D 5.14 Eq. From
67 . 5.9 Fig. From
4 . 1
54 . 12
16 1 . 1
W designate 54 . 12 3 . 3 8 . 3
6 . 24 1 . 4 6
686 .
686 .
min
min
=

=
= =
=
=

= =
= =
= =
e
e
C
UA
NTU
C
C
b
a