TY - JOUR
TI - Shell side numerical analysis of a shell and tube heat exchanger considering the effects of baffle inclination angle on fluid flow using CFD
AU - Raj R Thundil Karuppa
AU - Ganne Srikanth
JN - Thermal Science
PY - 2012
VL - 16
IS - 4
SP - 1165
EP - 1174
PT - Article
AB - In this present study, attempts were made to investigate the impacts of  various baffle inclination angles on fluid flow and the heat transfer  characteristics of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger for three different baffle  inclination angles namely 0°,10° and 20°. The simulation results for various  shell and tube heat exchangers, one with segmental baffles perpendicular to  fluid flow and two with segmental baffles inclined to the direction of fluid  flow are compared for their performance. The shell side design has been  investigated numerically by modeling a small shell-and-tube heat exchanger.  The study is concerned with a single shell and single side pass parallel flow  heat exchanger. The flow and temperature fields inside the shell are studied  using non-commercial CFD software tool ANSYS CFX 12.1. For a given baffle cut  of 36 %, the heat exchanger performance is investigated by varying mass flow  rate and baffle inclination angle. From the CFD simulation results, the shell  side outlet temperature, pressure drop, recirculation near the baffles,  optimal mass flow rate and the optimum baffle inclination angle for the given  heat exchanger geometry are determined.