3D Numerical Simulation of a Plate Heat Exchanger

Abstract

Plate heat exchangers are replacing the more conventional shell and tube heat exchangers due to their compact design, high thermal efficiencies and easy cleaning and inspection. The optimization of plate heat exchanger involves a compromise between pressure losses and heat transfer rates, being numerical simulation an important tool for this optimization. This paper reports the simulation of a counter-current plate heat exchanger. The periodic turbulent flow and heat transfer between the cold and hot stream were simulated using FLUENT. The outlet temperatures, Nusselt numbers are pressure drops are compared to experimental values. The highest difference between experimental and numerical results are: i) for the outlet temperatures lower than 1%; ii) for the hot and cold stream Nusselt numbers around 18% and 28%, respectively and iii) for the pressure drops around 50%.