Chapter 7 External Forced Convection

7-68 Water is preheated by exhaust gases in a tube bank. The rate of heat transfer, the pressure drop of
exhaust gases, and the temperature rise of water are to be determined.
Assumptions 1 Steady operating conditions exist. 2 The surface temperature of the tubes is equal to the
temperature of steam. 3 For exhaust gases, air properties are used.
Properties The exit temperature of air, and thus the mean temperature, is not known. We evaluate the air
properties at the assumed mean temperature of 250C (will be checked later) and 1 atm (Table A-15):
k = 0.04104 W/m-K = 0.6746 kg/m3
Cp =1.033 kJ/kg-K Pr = 0.6946
= 2.7610 kg/m-s
-5
Prs = Pr@ Ts = 0.7154
Also, the density of air at the inlet temperature of 300C (for use in the mass flow rate calculation at the
inlet) is i = 0.6158 kg/m3.
Analysis (a) It is given that D = 0.021 m, SL = ST = 0.08 m, and V = 4.5 m/s.
Then the maximum velocity and the Reynolds number Ts=80C
based on the maximum velocity become V=4.5 m/s SL
ST Ti=300C
0.08
Vmax = V= (4.5 m/s) = 6.102 m/s
ST D 0.08 0.021
ST
V D (0.6746 kg/m 3 )(6.102 m/s)(0.021 m)
Re D = max = = 3132
2.76 10 5 kg/m s

The average Nusselt number is determined using

the proper relation from Table 7-2 to be
Nu D = 0.27 Re 0D.63 Pr 0.36 (Pr/ Prs ) 0.25 D
= 0.27(3132) 0.63
(0.6946) 0.36
(0.6946 / 0.7154) 0.25
= 37.46
Since NL =16, the average Nusselt number and heat transfer coefficient for
all the tubes in the tube bank become
Nu D, N L = Nu D = 37.46

Nu D , N L k 37.46(0.04104 W/m C)
h= = = 73.2 W/m 2 C
D 0.021 m
The total number of tubes is N = NL NT = 168 = 128. For a unit tube
length (L = 1 m), the heat transfer surface area and the mass flow rate of air
(evaluated at the inlet) are

As = NDL = 128(0.021 m)(1 m) = 8.445 m 2

m& = m& i = i V( N T ST L) = (0.6158 kg/m 3 )(4.5 m/s)(8)(0.08 m)(1 m) = 1.773 kg/s

Then the fluid exit temperature, the log mean temperature difference, and
the rate of heat transfer become

Ah
= 80 (80 300) exp (8.445 m )(73.2 W/m C) = 237.0C
2 2
Te = Ts (Ts Ti ) exp s
m& C p (1.773 kg/s)(1033 J/kg C)

(Ts Ti ) (Ts Te ) (80 300) (80 237)

Tln = = = 186.7C
ln[(Ts Ti ) /(Ts Te )] ln[(80 300) /(80 237)]

7-63
 Chapter 7 External Forced Convection

Q& = hAs Tln = (73.2 W/m 2 C)(8.445 m 2 )(186.7C) = 115,425 W

(b) For this in-line arrangement tube bank, the friction coefficient
corresponding to ReD = 3132 and SL/D = 8/2.1 = 3.81 is, from Fig. 7-27a, f
= 0.18. Also, = 1 for the square arrangements. Then the pressure drop
across the tube bank becomes

Vmax
2
(0.6746 kg/m 3 )(6.102 m/s) 2 1N
P = N L f = 16(0.18)(1) = 36.2 Pa
2 2 1 kg m/s 2

(c) The temperature rise of water is

Q& 115.425 kW
Q& = m& water C p , water Twater
Twater = = = 4.6C
m& water C p , water (6 kg/s)(4.18 kJ/kg C)

Discussion The arithmetic mean fluid temperature is (Ti + Te)/2 = (300 + 237)/2 = 269C, which is
sufficiently close to the assumed value of 250C. Therefore, there is no need to repeat calculations.

7-64