Numerical Simulations and Experimental Measurements of the Isothermal Flow in a Model Tubular Heat Exchanger

Abstract

This paper describes numerical simulations and experimental measurements of isothermal laminar flow on the shell side of a model tubular heat exchanger, for both Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids. Commercially available computational fluid dynamics software is used for the simulations, which are shown to be in good agreement with experimental measurements of shear rate and pressure drop. The simulations can then be used to provide a detailed description of the laminar shell-side flow in the model tubular heat exchanger. The motivation for this work stems from interest in the food processing industry in using tubular heat exchangers in heat recovery mode for medium viscosity food products. In this mode, the food product flows on the shell side as well as through the tubes. The shell-side flow is then laminar and aspects of the performance of the heat exchanger may be unsatisfactory. The work described in this paper forms part of a wider study in which validated numerical simulations are used in the design of tubular heat exchangers operating in heat recovery mode for medium viscosity food products.