CARLETON UNIVERSITY

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

MAAE 3901

EXPERIMENT:

TITLE:

Heat Exchanger

FACULTY OWNER:

Professor Junjie Gu

EQUIPMENT:

TQ Heat Transfer Bench

LOCATION OF EQUIPMENT:

Room 2230 Mackenzie Building

ExpGHeatExchangerrev0.docx

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Introduction
The objective of this laboratory exercise is to familiarize the student with heat transfer in
heat exchangers, to understand the heat transfer within Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers from the
manners of heat transferred, temperature efficiencies, temperature profiles, and the overall heat
transfer coefficient, and corresponding analysis.
Heat exchange between two flowing fluids is one of the most common and important
processes. Any temperature difference across the dividing wall will result in the transfer of heat
between the two fluid streams.
Students should read Chapter 10 (Heat Exchangers), in Heat Transfer (J.P. Holman),
2002 or Chapter 11 (Heat Exchangers), in Introduction to Heat Transfer (F.P. Incropera and D.P.
DeWitt), 2002 before conducting this experiment. The concepts, such as the Overall HeatTransfer Coefficient, the Log Mean Temperature Difference and the Effectiveness-NTU Method
are essential to heat exchanger analysis.
Equipment
Two heat exchanger units (TD36a and TD36b, TQ Education and Training Ltd) with the Heat
Transfer Bench can be used for this laboratory. Figure 1 shows the TD36 Heat Transfer Bench,
shown with the optional TD36a heat exchanger.

The test bench consists of a source of hot fluid and a source of cold fluid with facilities
for circulating the fluids, controlling flow rate and temperature. The hot fluid circuit comprises a

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140 litre insulated tank fitted with three 3 kW electric immersion heaters. A manually operated
thermostat selects and controls the hot fluid supply temperature. A fixed thermostatic safety
control ensures a maximum limit of approximately 80C. A 70 litre insulated tank containing a
cooling coil (on which you can form an ice bank) produces chilled fluid. A hermetically sealed
refrigeration unit with a capacity of up to 5 kW produces the cooling power. The refrigerant is
R134A. Two motor-driven pumps circulate up to 0.8 l/s (pump capacity: 1.5 l/s) hot and chilled
fluid respectively through flow meters to the self-sealing sockets supplying the experiments.
Flow rate measurements are by Rotometers scaled in millimetres. The flow meter calibration
chart relates scale reading to flow rate at two different temperatures, as shown in Appendix A.
The TD36a and TD36b heat exchanger units are shown in Figure 2. In a shell and
multitube heat-exchanger, the tube side flow comes into a header. The shell side flow comes into
the shell, which has several baffles. The TD36a is a shell and multitube heat-exchanger. The
TD36b is a single-tube shell and tube heat-exchanger.
The working fluid used in the heat exchanger system (in both hot and cold side) is 20%
Thermocal C aqueous fluid, the properties of which is given in Appendix B.

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Theory
In the analysis of heat exchangers, the overall heat transfer coefficient U is typically used
to incorporate conduction, and contact thermal resistances:

q UAT UA(Th Tc )

(1)

where A, and T represent the surface area and effective temperature difference between cold
and hot fluids. Note that the use of the equation is not straightforward because of the ambiguity
in T. As fluid temperature changes, T = Th-Tc is not a constant. It varies from the inlet to
outlet.
Lets consider another equation that can be used for the evaluation of q. We can apply the
energy balance to either hot or cold fluid, which leads to

q m hC ph (Thi Tho ) m cC pc Tco Tci

(2)

where subscripts h, c, i, and o represents hot, cold, inlet, and outlet, respectively.
Log mean temperature difference method
When the temperatures at the inlet and outlet of a heat exchanger are known, the total heat flux
from the hot fluid to cold fluid can be calculated by using the log mean temperature difference
(LMTD):

q m hC ph (Thi Tho ) m cC pc Tco Tci UATlm

(3)

The equation says that the log mean temperature difference represents the average temperature
difference used for heat transfer calculation when the temperature difference is not a constant.
The derivation of the equation is in pp.521-530 (Heat Transfer, Holman, 2002). The results are
as follows:

Tlm

T1 T2
ln(T1 / T2 )

(4)

where T1 Th1 Tc1 = Thi Tci and T2 Th2 Tc2 = Tho - Tco in the case of parallel-flow heat
exchangers and T1 Th1 Tc1 = Tho Tci and T2 Th2 Tc2 = Thi - Tco in the case of counterflow heat exchangers. Note that the subscripts 1 and 2 refer to the locations x=0 and x=L (heat
exchanger length). Therefore, 1 and 2 corresponds to i (inlet) and o (outlet), respectively, in the

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case of parallel flow. On the other hand, Tc1 and Tc2 correspond to Tco and Tci, respectively, in
the case of counter flow.
The effectiveness NTU method (Optional)

In heat exchanger design or sizing, if only the inlet temperatures are known, the LMTD
cannot be applied for. An alternative approach for this case is the effectiveness NTU method.
We only summarize the results of the method here. The following equation can be used to
express the heat transfer rate, which is determined by the effectiveness ,
Cmin min m h C ph , m c C pc , and the inlet temperature difference.

q Cmin (Thi Tci )

(5)

The effectiveness is defined as the ratio of the actual to maximum heat transfer, i.e.,

q
qmax

Ch (Thi Tho )
C (T T )
c ci co
Cmin (Thi Tci ) Cmin (Thi Tci )

(6)

The maximum possible heat transfer is given by qmax Cmin (Thi Tci ) (Why? The answer is on
pp.530-531 of reference 1). We have the following relation:

f NTU ,

Cmin

Cmax

(7)

where NTU is a dimensionless parameter name the number of transfer units and defined as

NTU

UA
Cmin

(8)

The relation of NTU, and Cmin/Cmax can be found in reference 1. Now, in summary,
what do you do when analyzing heat exchanger with unknown outlet temperature? (1) Evaluate
m h C ph and m c C pc . (2) Calculate the overall heat transfer coefficient U. (3) Calculate NTU. (4)
Find from the relations in reference 1 (pp. 533-536). (4) Equation (5) gives you the heat
transfer rate.
The overall heat transfer coefficient may be calculated from fluid flows, wall conduction,
and fouling factors on the heat transfer wall. For rough estimations the empirical values, as
described on page 513 of reference 1, are also available.

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Operating Procedures

The TD36 Heat Transfer Bench provides instrumented facilities to experimental heat
exchangers TD36a and TD36b. Students can measure the heat transfer from or to TD36. Each
unit can be tested in different ways, such as parallel or counter flow configurations, hot fluid on
the shell or on the tube side and so on.
Prepare the TD36 for a test and get familiar with the function of each component of the
bench.

1.

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Check:
The levels in the hot and cold tanks are at MAX.
The oil level in the refrigeration compressor.
That suitable heat exchanger (TD36a or TD36b) is connected correctly to the
sockets on the bench
The electrical supply is connected safely (permanent connection)
That both pumps are turned off
Switch on the refrigeration compressor and allow it to build up an ice bank this will
take over three hours. (TA must ensure that this has been done)
Set the thermostat to the required temperature and the heater selector switch to LOW,
MED or HIGH as required.
Open the bypass valve in the hot fluid circuit and switch on HOT fluid pump.
Allow the HOT fluid to warm up for an hour.
Proceed with the experiments as follows.

Make sure the ice bank has formed, which indicates a sufficient cold source necessary to
the experiments and the hot fluid be brought to the required temperature. Connect, fill and
remove air from the TD36a or TD36b heat-exchanger.

1.
2.
3.

4.

Note the type of heat exchanger, the flow configuration (parallel or counter flow) and the
paths of the hot and cold streams (e.g. hot stream shell side, cold stream tube side).
Note the time and the ambient temperature.
Switch on the fluid feeding the shell side. Adjust to the required flow rate and leave for
about three minutes, allowing the shell to reach the temperature of the circulating fluid.
The shell has a larger thermal mass, so it will take longer than the tubes to reach
operating temperature. The safe operating temperature range is +5 to +40C and relative
humidity 30% to 95% (non-condensing).
Switch on the fluid feeding the tube side and adjust to the required flow rate.

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5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Allow a few minutes for conditions to reach a steady state. Steady state will have been
reached when the outlet temperatures do not change by more than 0.5C/minute.
Note down the readings of the inlet and outlet temperatures of each stream, the rotameter
readings and the pressure drops on the shell and tube sides.
Note two or three readings at two-minute intervals for averaging later.
Set the next flow rate and continue.
When the test is complete switch off the pumps, the immersion heaters and refrigeration
unit. Isolate the electrical supply to the bench.

Analysis of Test Results

The data from the test can be analyzed as follows:

Heat-exchanger:
Flow arrangement:

Multitube TD36a / single tube TD36b

Counterflow / parallel flow

Hot stream energy in

Cold stream energy out
The percentage of their different unaccounted energy
Energy balance at various levels of energy input
Log mean temperature difference
U-value (overall heat transfer coefficient)
Pressure drop and heat loss discussions
Report

1.
2.

3.

4.

Sketch a schematic diagram showing the fluid circuit of the heat exchanger.
Draw a general temperature profile from left of the Shell and Tube to the right for both
counter-flow and parallel-flow operation. Indicate the fluid inlet and outlet location and
direction of flow.
Obtain the Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD) and the overall heat
transfer coefficient (using LMTD method) for both counter-flow and parallel-flow
operation.
Determine the reduction of hot fluid temperature and increase of cold fluid temperature
for each combination of flow rate.

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5.
6.

Compare and comment on the effects in heat transferred and the overall efficiency with
both hot and cold fluid flow rate. (Optional)
Estimate and discuss any experimental discrepancy compared to expected result.

Nomenclature

A
C
Cp
m
NTU
q
T
T
U

Heat transfer area, m2

Heat capacity, J/K
Specific Heat, J/(kgK)
Mass flow rate, kg/s
Number of transfer units, Heat transfer rate, W
Temperature, K
Temperature difference, K
Overall heat transfer coefficient, W/(m2K)

Subscript

1
2
c
h
I
lm
max
min
o

end 1 of the heat exchanger

end 2 of the heat exchanger
cold
hot
inlet
log mean
maximal
minimal
outlet

References

1. J.P. Holman, Heat Transfer, McGraw-Hill, 2002.

2. F.P. Incropera and D.P. Dewitt, Introduction to heat exchanger, Wiley, 2002.
3. TD36 Liquid Heat Transfer Bench User Guide, TQ Education and Training Ltd,
2003.
4. Standards of Tubular Exchanger manufacturers Association (TEMA), 6th Edition,
New York, 1978.

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5. APPENDIX A:

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APPENDIX B: