EHT 17(1) #12204

Experimental Heat Transfer, 17:1929, 2004

Copyright Taylor & Francis Inc.
ISSN: 0891-6152 print/1521-0480 online
DOI: 10.1080/08916150490246528

CONVECTION HEAT TRANSFER IN

CONCENTRIC ANNULI

J. Dirker and H. Van der Vyver

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rand Afrikaans University,
Johannesburg, South Africa

J. P. Meyer
Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of Pretoria,
Pretoria, South Africa

A comparative study is presented of literature involving convective heat transfer in annuli.

It is shown that more research is needed in the area of convective heat transfer correlations
in concentric annuli, as little agreement is found among existing correlations. A correlation
predicting Nusselt numbers in annuli with ratios ranging from 1.7 to 3.2 was developed
experimentally for water as fluid. The correlation has an accuracy of 3% in terms of
experimental values for a Reynolds number range, based on the hydraulic diameter, of
4,000 to 30,000. The correlation was also compared to numerical predictions.

Many researchers have investigated heat transfer in annuli, particularly in order

to obtain correlations that can describe the Nusselt numbers for a wide range of flow
conditions and annular diameter ratios. Having direct correlations meant that the time-
consuming process of finding the annular convective heat transfer coefficient by means
of, for instance, a linear regression analysis such as the Wilson plot method [1], could
be replaced. The Wilson plot analysis method requires a great amount of experimental
data from which, by means of an iterative process, a Sieder and Tate type of heat transfer
correlation is developed.
A summary of some correlations available in the literature, intended for calculating
Nusselt numbers in concentric annuli, is given in Table 1. Most of these equations are
functions of the annular diameter ratio, the Reynolds number, and the Prandtl number,
and correspond with the Dittus-Boelter type of form.
The correlations contained in Table 1 and which were developed for water as flow
medium were compared for an arbitrary case with an annular diameter ratio of 2 and a
Prandtl number of 3.37 and is shown in Figure 1.
All correlations predict an almost linear increase in Nusselt number with an increase
in the Reynolds number. Compared to the other predictions, the equation by Foust and
Christian [2] overpredicts the Nusselt number by approximately a factor of 3. When the
predictions of Foust and Christian [2] are omitted, a difference in predicted values of

Received 18 December 2002; accepted 21 May 2003.

Address correspondence to Prof. J. P. Meyer, Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering,
University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa. E-mail: jmeyer@up.ac.za

19
20 J. DIRKER ET AL.

NOMENCLATURE
a annular diameter ratio (= D2 /D1 ) Pr Prandtl number
Ci inner tube convective heat transfer Re Reynolds number
correlation coefficientWilson plot dissipation rate
Co annulus convective heat transfer correlation function
correlation coefficientWilson plot viscosity, N s/m2
D1 diameter of outer wall of inner tube, m
D2 diameter of inner wall of outer tube, m Subscripts
Dh hydraulic diameter of annulus ave average
(= D2 D1 ), m Dh based on the hydraulic diameter of the
Di inner diameter of inner tube, m annulus
h convective heat transfer coefficient, f based on film temperature
W/m2 K Tf = 21 (Tave + Tw )
k thermal conductivity, W/m K i inner tube side
k turbulent kinetic energy o annulus side
Nu Nusselt number w wall
n exponent of Prandtl number
P exponent of Reynolds number in Wilson
plot function

20% relative to the average predicted value is found to exist. The same trend was found
to be true for a wide range of annular diameter ratios and Prandtl numbers.
No indication was found in the literature of the existence of an accurate heat transfer
correlation for concentric annuli. The purpose of this investigation was thus to deduce a
correlation with which accurate predictions could be made of average Nusselt numbers
at the inner annular wall under turbulent flow conditions using water.

EXPERIMENTAL FACILITY
Eight different concentric tube-in-tube heat exchangers, each with a different annu-
lar diameter ratio and cross-sectional area, were used to perform experimental tests on.
Refer to Table 2 for some dimensions. Water in the annulus was heated by circulating hot
water through the inner tube. The heat exchangers, each with an effective length of about
6 m, were constructed from hard-drawn refrigeration copper tubing and were operated
in a horizontal counterflow arrangement. All heat exchangers were thermally insulated
form the ambient by using standardized pipe insulators.
Concentric annular cross-sectional areas were maintained over the entire lengths
of each heat exchanger, by supporting the inner tubes with sets of radial pins producing
starlike supporting structures. The size and position of the supporting pins were carefully
calculated to minimize possible sagging of the inner tube. Pins, with diameter of 0.6 mm,
were placed symmetrically to minimize possible unbalanced flow patterns. In the case
of the smallest annulus, the supporting structures occupied at most 6.5% of the cross-
sectional flow area.
Temperature measurements were facilitated by means of K-type thermocouples
fixed on the outside surfaces of entry and exit regions of the heat exchangers. At each
measuring location either two or three thermocouples were used to obtain a more cu-
rate temperature value. Temperature errors were usually less than 0.1 K. Measuring points
 Table 1. Equations available from the literature describing the Nusselt number in a smooth concentric annulus during forced convection

Diameter Reynolds
Author(s) Correlation ratio range number range Medium


0.14
Davis [3] Nu
Dh = 0.038a
0.15 (a 1)0.2 Re0.8 Pr 1/3
Dh 1.186,800 Not specified All media
w o


1/3 0.14
McAdams [4] NuDh = 0.03105a 0.15 (a 1)0.2 Re0.8
Dh Pr 1.186,800 Not specified All media
w
0.04a
Foust and Christian [2] Nu
Dh = Re0.8 Pr 0.4 1.21.84 3,00060,000 Water
(a + 1)0.2 Dh


1 0.14
McAdams [4] NuDh = 0.023Re0.8 3 Not specified Not specified Not specified
Dh Pr w
 
2 ln a a 2 + 1 n
Monrad and Pelton [5] NuDh = 0.023 Re0.8
Dh Pr 1.65, 2.45, 17 12,000220,000 Water, air
a 1/a 2a ln a

21


n 0.14
Wiegand et al. [6] NuDh = 0.023a 0.45 Re0.8
Dh Pr 110 Not specified Fluids: material
w
2water
Kays and Leung [7] Results listed in tables for various conditions 1 104 106 Not specified
0.06759a 0.16
Petukhov and Roizen [8] Nu
Dh = Re0.8
Dh 114.3 104 3 105 Air
(a + 1)0.2
 0.6
a5
with = 1 + 7.5 for a 5
(a + 1)ReDh

=1 for a 5
Dittus-Boelter [9] n Not specified Not specified Not specified
D Pr
NuDh = 0.023Re0.8
h
1/3
Stein and Begell [10] NuDh ,f = 0.0200a 0.5 Re0.8
Dh ,f Pr f 1.232, 1.463, 1.694 30,000390,000 Water
3/4
Crookston et al. [11] NuDh ,f = 0.23a 1/4 ReD Pr 1/3 10, 16, 31 17,000100,000 Air
h

Original equations were rewritten as to have the Reynolds and Nusselt numbers based on the annular hydraulic diameter: D = D D .
h 2 1
22 J. DIRKER ET AL.

Figure 1. Different predictions of the Nusselt number as a function of the Reynolds number for a = 2 and
Pr = 3.37.

were sufficiently insulated from the ambient by means a foam rubber substance. Volu-
metric flow rates were measured by using semirotary circular piston-type displacement
flow meters with a measuring accuracy of greater than 98%.
Hot water supplied by an on-site hot-water storage tank (1,000 L), fitted with
an electric resistance water heater, was circulated through the inner tube by means of
a positive displacement pump and then returned to the storage tank which exhibited
sufficient thermal buffer characteristics. The hot-water flow rates were controlled with a
hand-operated bypass system.
Similarly, cold water was supplied from a cold-water storage tank (1,000 L) con-
nected to a chiller and pumped through the annulus by means of two series-connected
centrifugal pumps to ensure high flow rates through the test sections before being returned
to the storage tank.

Table 2. Diameters of tubes used for the

different heat exchangers

Heat D1 D2
exchanger (mm) (mm) a

1 6.35 11.15 1.76

2 6.35 14.10 2.22
3 6.35 17.30 2.72
4 6.35 20.30 3.20
5 6.35 26.50 4.17
6 6.35 32.00 5.04
7 9.45 32.00 3.39
8 19.05 32.00 1.68
 CONVECTIVE HEAT TRANSFER IN CONCENTRIC ANNULI 23

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Experimental tests [12] were performed at a wide range of inner tube and annular
flow rate combinations. A wide annular flow rate range was covered in the turbulent
flow regime in order to facilitate the development of an accurate annular heat transfer
correlation.
At first the inner tube flow rate was fixed at an arbitrary level while changing the
annular flow rate. For each annular flow rate, adequate time was given for steady-state
conditions to be established before inlet and outlet temperatures were captured by means
of a data logger and flow rates were measured with both displacement flow meters and
variable-area flow meters. The process was repeated for an array of inner tube flow rates,
which produced a wide range of inner tube and annular flow rates. Hot- and cold-water
inlet temperatures were maintained at in the vicinity of 50 and 10 C, respectively.
A high level of accuracy in the experimental data was maintained. More than 90%
of all data points represented conditions with energy balance errors of less than 1%
between the inner tube and annular heat transfer rates. A Reynolds number range, based
on the hydraulic diameter, of 2,600 to 35,000 was covered in experiments performed on
the eight heat exchangers setups.

PROCESSING OF DATA
To facilitate the Wilson plot process the internal and annular Nusselt numbers can
be written by means of Eqs. (1) and (2), respectively:

0.14
hi Di 1/3
Nui = = Ci Re0.8
i Pr i (1)
ki w i

0.14
ho Dh
= Co RePo,Dh Pr o
1/3
Nuo = (2)
ko w o

P , Ci , and Co are added to account for geometry influences. For the inner tube the
exponent of the Reynolds number was kept at 0.8 as proposed in the literature [1]. With
the modified Wilson plot method (Briggs and Young [1]), the values of P , Ci , and Co
were obtained as functions of the annular diameter ratio. The value of Ci was found to
be constant, namely, in the region of 0.027, as can be expected. The values of P and Co
are given in Figures 2 and 3.
By using these values, more than 95% of all data points were predicted within 3%
accuracy by the Wilson plot-obtained correlations for the different heat exchangers. All
Wilson plot correlations exhibited a median error of less than or in close proximity to
1%. Standard deviations for error values were less than 2%.

DERIVATION OF CORRELATION
P and Co showed a dependence on the annular diameter ratio. The value of P ex-
hibited a downward trend when the annular diameter ratio was increased. (See Figure 2.)
On the other hand, the value of Co had an upward trend for an increasing annular diameter
ratio. (See Figure 3.)
24 J. DIRKER ET AL.

Figure 2. P values obtained from Wilson plot analyses.

Results obtained for annular diameter ratios of 4.17 and 3.39, which are encircled
in Figures 2 and 3, did not agree with the general trend of the rest of the heat exchangers.
These annular cases were rebuilt and the experimental tests repeated. The values of P
and Co were reaffirmed. A great possibility exists that even though these cases were
rebuilt, concentricity could not be maintained due to the great distance between the inner
tube and outer tube of these annuli.
From the available experimental results, the behavior of P and Co can be described
relatively precisely for annular diameter ratios below 3.2. For ratios greater than 3.2, this
is unfortunately not the case, and more experimental data are needed. Unfortunately,
commercial-sized tubes, which could produce more annular ratios ranging from 3 to 5,
are not readily available, making the investigation process difficult.

Figure 3. Co values obtained from Wilson plot analyses.

 CONVECTIVE HEAT TRANSFER IN CONCENTRIC ANNULI 25

Using results for annular ratios of below 3.2, it was possible to describe the trend
mathematically by evaluating different curve-fits. Equations (3) and (4) exhibited the
best accuracies and are indicated in Figures 2 and 3 as dotted lines. Linear-type curve
approximations were also considered, but due to a loss in accuracy, Eqs. (3) and (4) were
decided upon.

P = 1.013e0.067a (3)
0.003a 1.86
Co = (4)
0.063a 3 0.674a 2 + 2.225a 1.157
By substituting (3) and (4) into (2), a correlation for the prediction of the Nusselt number
is produced.
The validity of the resulting correlation for the prediction of Nusselt numbers was
tested with experimental data from all heat exchangers having an annular diameter ratio
of less than 3.2. All predictions were within 3% of experimentally obtained values.
Correlations from the literature (Table 1) were also compared with measured Nusselt
numbers in the annular diameter range 1.73.2. This is demonstrated in Figure 4.

Figure 4. Predictions of correlations cited in the literature in terms of measured Nusselt numbers.
26 J. DIRKER ET AL.

Figure 5. Comparison between the deduced correlation and correlations from the literature for a wide range
of annular diameter ratios.

Only a small number of the predictions were within 10% of the measured Nusselt
numbers, except the current correlation, which predicts all values within 3%. A large
prediction scatter is also exhibited by most of the correlations. Two main prediction
bands are present. The first band, being in proximity to the measured values, consists
of predictions by a correlation recommended by McAdams [4], and the Dittus-Boelter
correlation [9]. The second band is located outside the 25% range from the measured
values and consists of predictions of various authors. Predictions of Foust and Christian
[2] had the highest deviance from the measured Nusselt numbers.
The deduced correlation in this article was also compared to correlations in the
literature for an arbitrary thermal condition over a wide range of annular diameter ratios
and Reynolds numbers. For a case where the Reynolds number is 15,000 and the Prandtl
number is 3.36, the result is shown in Figure 5.
For small annular diameter ratios, up to about 2.5, the predictions correspond well
with the correlation by Dittus and Boelter [9], and an equation by McAdams [4]. In the
region of an annular ratio of 3.5, close agreement exists with the correlation of Stein and
Begell [6]. These trends were found to be true for a wide range of Reynolds numbers
and Prandtl numbers.

COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS VERIFICATION OF

THE CORRELATION
Figure 6 shows the grid of the tube and tube model that was used. The simulation
package makes use of the finite-volume method. The equations used were the mass
and momentum conservation equations (Navier-Stokes equations) and the heat transfer
equations for conduction and convection. The inner tube inside diameter is 8 mm, with
 CONVECTIVE HEAT TRANSFER IN CONCENTRIC ANNULI 27

Figure 6. Grid used for the CFD simulations.

an outer diameter of 10 mm. The inside diameter of the outside tube is 16 mm. The
annular diameter ratio was 1.6, which is slightly lower than the recommended values.
The length of the heat exchanger is 50 mm. Boundaries were added to the surfaces of the
model to simulate the boundary conditions. An adiabatic wall boundary was attached to
the outer fluids surface. No heat transfer or fluid flow can take place over this boundary.
Inlet boundaries were placed at the hot- and cold-water inlets. At the outlets, standard
outlet boundaries were placed, which specify the direction of flow. The surfaces without
boundaries were made wall boundaries that allowed for heat transfer. The k turbulent
model (k = turbulent kinetic energy, = dissipation rate) for high Reynolds number was
selected. The values can be entered as either k values or as an equivalent turbulent
intensity and entrance mixing length. The latter two parameters were selected.
The outer tube is not modeled; its presence is accounted for by introducing an
adiabatic boundary on the outside of the outer fluid. The amount of cells used was
237,000; 120,000 cells for the modeling of the inner fluid, 27,000 cells for the copper tube,
and 90,000 cells for the annulus fluid. The inner fluid temperature was taken as 355 K
(82 C), with a density of 970.2 kg/m3 . The inlet turbulence intensity was assumed to be
0.05 and the length was 0.0002 m. Thus the flow is not fully developed at the inlet, but
becomes fully developed very early in the flow. The same condition applies to the annulus
flow with the same turbulence intensity and a slightly higher length of 0.00045. The
increase in entrance length was done to keep the ratio of entrance length to cross-sectional
area the same for the inner and annulus flow. The inlet temperature was 283 K (10 C)
with a density of 999.2 kg/m3 . The simulations were done for inner Reynolds numbers of
11,184, 17,894, 31,315, and 44,735 (corresponding to inlet velocities of 0.5, 0.8, 1.4, and
2 m/s, respectively). The annulus Reynolds numbers used were 4,576, 12,814, 22,425,
and 32,035 (corresponding to inlet velocities of 1, 2.8, 4.9, and 7 m/s, respectively).
The inlet temperature of the inner tube was taken as 82 C and for the annulus, the inlet
temperature was 10 C. For each inner Reynolds number, four simulations were done for
every annulus Reynolds number. There were thus 16 simulations in total.
28 J. DIRKER ET AL.

Figure 7. Comparison between the deduced correlation and CFD data for an annular ratio of 1.6.

A heat balance between the inner and annulus flow was done on the data, and the
average error in heat balance was 5.1%. The Nusselt numbers of the computational fluid
dynamics (CFD) results were compared with the results predicted by the Dittus-Boelter,
Sieder, and Tate and Petukhov correlations [13], and the average error was 13.6% for the
annulus with respect to the CFD results were found.
When compared with the correlation found in this study, the average error was only
9%. These results are displayed in Figure 7.

CONCLUSION
As was expected, it was found that the convective heat transfer correlation for an
annulus is dependent on the annular diameter ratios. A correlation was deduced from ex-
perimental results that predicts Nusselt numbers accurately within 3% from the measured
values for diameter ratios between 1.7 and 3.2 and a Reynolds number range of 4,000
to 30,000. For small annular diameter ratios of below 2.5, the correlation agreed closely
with those by Dittus and Boelter [9], and McAdams [3]. For higher annular diameter
ratios it approaches a correlation by Stein and Begell [6]. The correlation was further
validated with CFD results.

REFERENCES
1. D. E. Briggs and E. H. Young, Modified Wilson Plot Technique for Obtaining Heat Transfer
Correlations for Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers, Chem. Eng. Prog. Symp., vol. 65, pp. 3545,
1969.
2. A. S. Foust and G. A. Christian, Non-boiling Heat Transfer Coefficients in Annuli, AIChE J.,
vol. 36, pp. 541554, 1940.
 CONVECTIVE HEAT TRANSFER IN CONCENTRIC ANNULI 29

3. E. S. Davis, Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop in Annuli, Trans. ASME, pp. 755760, October
1943.
4. W. H. McAdams, Heat Transmission, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1954.
5. C. C. Monrad and J. F. Pelton, Heat Transfer by Convection in Annular Spaces, AIChE J.,
vol. 38, pp. 593611, 1942.
6. J. H. Wiegand, E. L. McMillen, and R. E. Larson, Discussion on: Annular Heat Transfer
Coefficients for Turbulent Flow, AIChE J., vol. 41, pp. 147153, 1945.
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oped Turbulent Flow with Arbitrarily Prescribed Heat Flux, Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, vol. 6,
pp. 537557, 1963.
8. B. S. Petukhov and L. I. Roizen, Generalized Relationships for Heat Transfer in Turbulent
Flow of Gas in Tubes of Annular Section, High Temp., vol. 2, pp. 6568, 1964.
9. F. W. Dittus and L. M. K. Boelter, University of California, Berkeley, Publications on Engi-
neering, vol. 2, p. 443, 1930.
10. R. P. Stein and W. Begell, Heat Transfer to Water in Turbulent Flow in Internally Heated
Annuli, AIChE J., vol. 4, pp. 127131, 1958.
11. R. B. Crookston, R. R. Rothfus, and R. I. Kermode, Turbulent Heat Transfer with Annuli with
Small Cores, Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, vol. 11, pp. 415426, 1968.
12. J. Dirker, Heat Transfer Coefficient in Concentric Annuli, M.Ing. thesis, Rand Afrikaans Uni-
versity, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2002.
13. J. P. Holman, Heat Transfer, McGraw-Hill, London, 1992.