Nanofluid-Enhancing Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger Effectiveness with Modified Baffle Architecture

Abstract

As shell and tube heat exchanger is widely employed in various field of industries, heat exchanger design remains a constant optimization challenge to improve its performance. The heat exchanger design includes not only the architectural geometry of either the shell and tube configuration or the additional baffles but also the working fluid. The baffle design including the baffle angle and the baffle distance has been understood as key parameter controlling the overall heat exchanger effectiveness. In addition, a room of improvement is open by substituting the conventional working fluid with the nanomaterials-enriched nanofluid. The nanomaterials, e.g. Al2O3, SiO2, TiO2, increases the thermal conductivity of the working fluids, and hence, the more efficient heat transfer process can be achieved. This chapter provide an insight on the performance improvement of shell and tube heat exchanger by modifying the baffle design and utilizing nanofluids.