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 ENERGY SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

HEAT EXCHANGERS
CHARACTERISTICS, TYPES
AND EMERGING APPLICATIONS

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ENERGY SCIENCE, ENGINEERING
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 ENERGY SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

HEAT EXCHANGERS
CHARACTERISTICS, TYPES
AND EMERGING APPLICATIONS

JAMES K. COOPER
EDITOR

New York

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Copyright © 2016 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Cooper, James K., 1964- editor.
Title: Heat exchangers : characteristics, types and emerging applications /
editors, James K. Cooper.
Other titles: Heat exchangers (Cooper)
Description: Hauppauge, New York : Nova Science Publishers, Inc., [2016] |
Series: Energy science, engineering and technology | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016029793 (print) | LCCN 2016038172 (ebook) | ISBN
9781634857499 (softcover) | ISBN 9781634857642 (ebook) | ISBN
9781634857642
Subjects: LCSH: Heat exchangers.
Classification: LCC TJ263 .H423 2016 (print) | LCC TJ263 (ebook) | DDC
621.402/5--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016029793

Published by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. †New York

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 CONTENTS

Preface vii
Chapter 1 Compact Heat Exchangers Development 1
Brahim Taoufik and Jemni Abdelmajid

Chapter 2 Aerodynamic Modelling of Automotive Heat 23

Exchangers
Klementina Gerova, Jason Barden, Anthony Savill
and Stefan Velikov

Chapter 3 Utilization of Heat Accumulation in Control 57

of Cyclic Systems
Stanislav Talaš and Vladimír Bobál
Chapter 4 Numerical Methodologies for Computing 81
Effectiveness of Crossflow Heat Exchangers
with Multiple Pass and Mixture Conditions
of Both Fluids
Felipe Magazoni and Luben Cabezas-Gómez

Index 127

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 PREFACE

In recent years, thermal control systems performance has improved in

numerous ways due to developments in control theory and information
technology. Efforts have been made to produce more efficient heat exchangers
by employing various methods of heat transfer enhancement. This book
discusses the characteristics, types and emerging applications of heat
exchangers. Chapter One presents a short review of advanced heat exchangers
thermal designs and manufacturing. Chapter Two presents an empirical
relationship between the pressure drop coefficient and the angle of inclination
of porous media. Chapter Three studies the utilization of heat accumulation in
control of cyclic systems. Chapter Four describes and introduces the numerical
simulation methodologies for thermal modeling of crossflow heat exchangers.
As explained in Chapter 1, in recent years, thermal control systems
performance has improved in numerous ways due to developments in control
theory and information technology. Efforts have been made to produce more
efficient heat exchangers by employing various methods of heat transfer
enhancement. However, the authors understanding of controllability and
related questions remain rudimentary. Increase in heat exchanger performance
can lead to more economical design of heat exchanger which can be help to
make energy, material & cost savings related to a heat exchange process.
Compact heat exchangers (CHEs) technologies are expected to be one of the
solutions for new generation heat exchanger.
The main motivation of Chapter 1 is to present a short review of advanced
heat exchangers thermal design and manufacturing perspective. In this context,
a review on performance of compact heat exchangers with different
configurations is presented. The enhanced heat transfer techniques for compact

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viii James K. Cooper

heat exchangers in various applications. Finally, future development

technologies and heat exchangers emerging applications are discussed.
In Chapter 2, automotive components are tested extensively in wind
tunnels by automotive manufacturers and race teams. This is usually achieved
using an accurate scale model representation of the component within the wind
tunnel. Automotive heat exchangers, however, are comprised of numerous
intricate geometries and are therefore impractical to produce at model scale.
Instead they are simply modelled as pressure drops, achieved using a thin
mesh or honeycomb of known porosity.
For numerical simulation using commercial computational fluid dynamics
solvers, the heat exchanger geometry is ignored and instead modelled as a
discontinuity with a known pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient. The
pressure drop on an automotive heat exchanger, however, was found to vary
with both the coolant temperature and the angle of inclination of the heat
exchanger.
Chapter 2 will present an empirical relationship between the pressure drop
coefficient and the angle of inclination of porous media. Mathematical
relationships for inclination angles of 0°, 15°, 30° and 45° are derived relating
this pressure drop coefficient to the porosity of the media. Investigation
extends into the thermal effects on a full scale automotive heat exchanger and
the associated requirements of modelling at subscale.
Heat exchangers often have a form of systems with heat-transporting
medium circulating in enclosed loop. Imperfect heat transfer leads to its return
back to the heating unit in the form of disturbance. Such an input can
negatively impact the precise temperature control. Chapter 3 is dedicated to
study problematic and possibilities of integrating this phenomenon to a more
effective temperature regulation. From the viewpoint of process control the
authors do not only address the way how the input signal affects the system,
but also how the system itself affects input signals. The study of the issue
consequently offers a mathematical description of a system extended with
elements representing the returning heat. Based on descriptions, control
modifications are suggested with an approach of adapting to an additional
source of heat. Practical consequences of both disturbance and control are
demonstrated in simulation environment of the Matlab program, as well as in a
laboratory model.
Chapter 4 describes and introduces the numerical simulation
methodologies for thermal modeling of crossflow heat exchangers. The
computational methodology is used for simulating twelve general flow
arrangement configurations of crossflow heat exchangers with arbitrary

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 Preface ix

number of passes and tubes per pass, as well as, several mixture conditions of
both fluids. The computational procedures are developed, based on some
works from literature, to calculate the temperature effectiveness and the mean
logarithm temperature difference (MLTD) correction factor for crossflow and
parallel and counter-crossflow heat exchangers. New temperature
effectiveness and correction factor data for the treated complex flow
arrangements configurations are provided and showed in various tables and
plots. Tube fluid mixing conditions after each pass, characterized by three
types of configuration: tube fluid mixed; tube fluid unmixed keeping identical
order of the rows; and tube fluid unmixed with inverted order of the rows, are
analyzed. The influence of external fluid mixing between tube rows along the
heat exchanger configurations is also addressed. In addition, the results are
compared with other works and show the capability of the computational
algorithms developed.

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In: Heat Exchangers ISBN: 978-1-63485-749-9
Editor: James K. Cooper, pp. 1-22 © 2016 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Chapter 1

COMPACT HEAT
EXCHANGERS DEVELOPMENT

Brahim Taoufik and Jemni Abdelmajid

University of Monastir (ENIM-LESTE), Energy Dept, Monastir, Tunisia

Abstract
In recent years, thermal control systems performance has improved in numerous
ways due to developments in control theory and information technology. Efforts
have been made to produce more efficient heat exchangers by employing various
methods of heat transfer enhancement. However, our understanding of
controllability and related questions remain rudimentary. Increase in heat
exchanger performance can lead to more economical design of heat exchanger
which can be help to make energy, material & cost savings related to a heat
exchange process. Compact heat exchangers (CHEs) technologies are expected to
be one of the solutions for new generation heat exchanger.
The main motivation of this chapter is to present a short review of advanced
heat exchangers thermal design and manufacturing perspective. In this context, a
review on performance of compact heat exchangers with different configurations
is presented. The enhanced heat transfer techniques for compact heat exchangers
in various applications. Finally, future development technologies and heat
exchangers emerging applications are discussed.

Keywords: heat transfer enhancement, heat exchanger configurations, compact

heat exchangers, emerging applications

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2 Brahim Taoufik and Jemni Abdelmajid

1. Introduction
The heat exchangers are found to have a wide range of applications such as
aerospace, automotive, power and process applications. Novel heat exchangers
solutions are needed to accommodate demand for increased performance with
minimum pressure loss, reduced size (volume, envelop dimensions, aspect ratio,
weight) and affordable, modular and/or scalable. In fact, the design procedure of
heat exchangers is quite complicated, as it needs exact analysis of heat transfer
rate, efficiency and pressure drop apart from issues such as long- term
performance and the economic aspect of the equipment. Whenever inserts
technologies are used for the heat transfer enhancement, along with the
improvement in the heat transfer rate, the pressure drop also increases, which
induces the higher pumping cost. Therefore any augmentation device or methods
utilized into the heat exchanger should be optimized between the benefits of heat
transfer coefficient and the higher pumping cost owing to the increased frictional
losses. So, if we provided fins rectangular or circular type on internal periphery of
the tube type heat exchanger than the heat transfer rate will going to be increased.
The survey and researches had been carried out in a large manner to improve the
heat transfer enhancements. In general, heat transfer augmentation methods are
classified into three broad categories:

1. Passive enhancement - most commonly used method

2. Active enhancement - direct input of external power
3. Compound enhancement - use of two or more methods

Active techniques involves some external power input for the enhancement of
heat transfer using mechanical aids, surface vibration, fluid vibration, electrostatic
fields, injection, suction and jet impingement. Examples of active techniques
induced pulsation by cams and reciprocating plungers, the use of a magnetic field
to disturb the seeded light particles in a flowing stream, etc.
Passive techniques generally used in surface or geometrical modifications to
the flow channel by incorporating inserts or additional devices, for example,
treated surfaces, use of rough surfaces or extended surfaces, displaced
enhancement devices, swirl flow devices /surfaces, coiled tubes, surface tension
devices, liquid gas additives. The Effectiveness of each particular method depends
on mode of heat transfer and flow regime (i.e single or two phase flow, free or
forced convection, laminar or turbulent flow) and also of type of application.
In general, enhanced heat transfer surfaces can be used for three purposes: (1)
to make heat exchangers more compact in order to reduce their overall volume,

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 Compact Heat Exchangers Development 3

and possibly their cost, (2) to reduce the pumping power required for a given heat
transfer process, or (3) to increase the overall UA value of the heat exchanger. A
higher UA value can be exploited in either of two ways: (1) to obtain an increased
heat exchange rate for fixed fluid inlet temperatures, or (2) to reduce the mean
temperature difference for the heat exchange; this increases the thermodynamic
process efficiency, which can result in a saving of operating costs.

2. Compact Heat Exchangers

A compact heat exchanger is generally defined as one which incorporates a
heat transfer surface having a high “area density” [1]. In other words, having a
surface area density greater its volume (greater than700 m2/m3). or a hydraulic
diameter Dh ≤ 6 mm if at least one fluid is gas, and in excess of 400 m2/m3 when
operating in liquid or multi-phase streams. A typical shell and tube heat exchanger
has an area density of less than 100 m2/m3 on one fluid side with plain tubes, and
2–3 times greater than that with high-fin-density low-finned tubing [3]. Human
lungs are one of the most compact heat exchangers, having an area density of
about 17500 m2/m3, which is equivalent to 0.19 mm diameter tubes. Some micro-
scale heat exchangers under development, having an area density greater than
about 15000 m2/m3 or 1 m ≤ Dh ≤ 100 m, are as compact as the human lung
and even more compact [4,5]. As easily understandable, small flow passages have
two effects, a tendency to laminar flow in the channels and a high pressure drop.
Laminar flow is associated with low heat transfer coefficients, and therefore, the
efficiency is necessarily improved by various heat transfer enhancement
techniques, which have brought in a variety of CHEs. Some types of CHEs have
been in routine use for many decades. Others have recently been introduced into
the market, while a number of types are still being tested in the laboratory. The
usage of compact heat exchangers for multi-phase flow is another area in which a
lot of attention has been paid in the recent years. Based on Qi Li et al. [6] review
and to bring out a comprehensive picture of these developments, the present
chapter aims to discuss different types of compact heat exchangers, their new
usages, and future directions in research and development.

2.1. Plate Heat Exchanger (PHE)

A large number of plate fin geometries have been used in compact CHEs and
more are still being developed (Figure 1). It consists of a series of corrugated

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4 Brahim Taoufik and Jemni Abdelmajid

plates supported by a rigid frame forming highly interrupted and tortuous

channels. Multi-pass can be accommodated by blanking plates within the stack.
Basic advantages of the plate heat exchangers are compactness, large heat transfer
areas and high heat transfer coefficients. To better understand the heat transfer
characteristics and flow mechanism of the PHEs, Many works have been
including flow visualization [7-10]; heat transfer and pressure drop measurement
[11-13]; numerical simulation [14,15].The main weakness is that the plate-and-
frame heat exchangers are restricted to low or moderate temperature and pressure
applications due to the use of gaskets. Beside this, for equivalent flow velocities,
pressure drop in a PHE is relatively high due to its narrow passages which can be
blocked by particulate contaminants in the fluid, and ineffective transversely
vortices and zigzag flow patterns [16].

Figure 1. Plate heat exchanger (PHE).

The advantages of PHEs are: high efficiency, compact design, can operate at
high temperatures and pressure and easily cleaned. The surface area required for a
PHE is 30–50% that of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger for a given heat duty, thus
in turn reducing the cost. For the same effective heat transfer area, the weight and
volume of PHEs are approximately only 30% and 20%, respectively, of those of
shell-and-tube heat exchangers. They can have 50% less volume than a fined tube
heat exchanger [17].

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 Compact Heat Exchangers Development 5

PHE Types Caractérisations

Gasketed Used throughout the process industry as standard equipment for
efficient heating, cooling, heat recovery, condensation and
evaporation.
Wide-Gap Used for general heating, cooling and heat recovery of media
Gasketed containing fibers and coarse particles. This type is also suitable
for highly viscous fluids.
Double-Wall It prevents fluids from intermixing and combines the high
Gasketed efficiency heat transfer benefits of conventional plates with a
design that eliminates the risk of mixing.
Semi-Welded Are for use in applications where it is difficult to find a
Gasketed compatible gasket such as acid and ammonia; and where there is
less risk for leakage. This type handles most refrigerants on the
welded side and is particularly suited for ammonia duties.
Fully Welded Are ideal for high temperature and high pressure applications.
Welded Based on the plate-and-shell concept makes the welded plate-
Circular Plate and-shell heat exchanger suitable for uses involving high
and Shell pressures and temperatures.
Compact An all-welded plate pack does away with all gaskets between
Welded Plate plates and makes it possible to operate with a wide range of
Bloc aggressive media and at high temperatures and pressures.
Fusion This is a 100 percent stainless steel, gasket-free alternative for a
Bonded industrial applications that use aggressive liquids as well as
those in which there is a need for high efficiency, hermetically
sealed PHEs.
Spiral Compactness and a self-cleaning design make spiral heat
exchangers versatile. They are suitable for everything from dirty
fluids to high vacuum condensation

2.2. Plate-Fin Heat Exchanger (PFHE)

PFHE operated in cross-flow, counter-flow, cross-counter flow or co-current

flow. It consists of fins which are bound by side bars and separated by flat parting
sheets (Figure 2). Various types of fin geometry are developed to increase heat
transfer coefficient depending on the application (plain fins, wavy and corrugated
channels, offset strip fins, louvered fins, and vortex generator). A review [18] on
the research and developments of offset and wavy compact plate fin heat
exchangers has been carried out. The information obtained is divided into three

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6 Brahim Taoufik and Jemni Abdelmajid

parts: offset fins, wavy fins and non-uniformity of inlet fluid flow. This review
helps the researchers to carry out their further research in this field and also gives
awareness for the designers to select the accurate design data for the optimum
design. Most PFHEs still use brazing to assemble the core.

Figure 2. Plate-fin heat exchanger (PFHE).

Recently, Rolls Laval Heat Exchangers Ltd. applied a technique developed

for the cost-effective manufacture of aero-engine components to the construction
of PFHEs. This heat exchanger is a PFHE employing a different manufacturing
procedure–diffusion-bonding followed by super-plastically forming (SPF/DB),
which allows a wide range of internal geometries to be produced, except for the
conventional fin arrangements and perforated variants [19]. The brazed PFHE has
high area density of 1000–1500 m2/m3 (hydraulic diameter of the order of 1–2
mm) [20] and the ability to handle several streams. Typically, the effective heat
transfer surface area is over 5 times greater than that of a conventional shell-and-
tube heat exchanger.. Common fin thickness ranges 0.15–0.61 mm, fin heights
3.8–12 mm. and fin pitch 1.15–4.5 mm [21]. PFHE with 600 fins/m provides an
area density of approximately 1300 m2/m3. PFHEs have been built with a surface
area density of up to 5900 m2/m3 and would be approximately 10% of the volume
of an equivalent shell-and-tube heat exchanger with 19 mm tubes [22], and 5
times lighter in weight.

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 Compact Heat Exchangers Development 7

PFHE Types Caractérisations

Most commonly used have flow channels with either a
rectangular or triangular cross-section. Increasing
Plain Fins surface are, plain fins require a smaller flow frontal area
than interrupted surfaces (i. e. offset strip fins and
louvered fins) for given values of heat duty, pressure
drop, and flow rate, but they are characterized they long
uninterrupted flow passages resulting in a higher overall
heat exchanger volume [23].
Wavy and
Corrugated Due to the shape of the fins, the flow direction would be
Channel changed and the boundary-layer would be separated,
which causes high thermal performance [24-27].

Strip fins (or offset fins): the short sections of fins are
Offset Strip Fins aligned entirely with the flow direction. Due to the short
flow-length fins, the boundary layer never becomes
thick. Thus there is a high heat transfer coefficient
[28,29].
Louvered Fins
Louvered fins: fins are cut and bent out into the flow
stream at frequent intervals, to break the boundary
layers and achieve high thermal performance [30].
Vortex generators do not significantly change the
effective heat transfer surface area of the plate, but they
increase the heat transfer coefficient by creating
Vortex Generators longitudinally spiraling vortices which promote mixing
between the wall and core regions of the flow [29, 30].
Vortex generators are a relatively new type of
enhancement device, and an optimum geometry has not
yet been arrived at. There are any numbers of
possibilities for different vortex generator surfaces,
since one can vary the size, angle of attack, aspect ratio,
and/or arrangement of the vortex generators.

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8 Brahim Taoufik and Jemni Abdelmajid

Figure 3. Printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE).

Figure 4. Different types of PCHE, (a)-Conventional zigzag, (b)-S shaped, (c)-Airfoil shape.

2.3. Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger (PCHE)

It is a relatively new concept originally invented as a result of research

performed at the University of Sydney in the early 1980s (Figure 3). It has only
been commercially manufactured by Heatric Ltd. (UK) since 1985. Interestingly,
the PCHE was virtually unmentioned in the heat exchanger literature until the late
1990s [31]. As the name PCHE implies, the same technique is applied as the one
used for manufacturing printed circuit boards in the electronics industry. In the
first step of the manufacturing process, fine grooves are photo-chemically etched
into one side of a flat metal plate forming the fluid passages. The etched-out
plates are thereafter alternately joined by diffusion bonding, which is the second
step and results in compact, extremely strong, all-metal heat exchanger cores. The
diffusion bonding process includes a thermal soaking period to allow grain
growth, thereby essentially eliminating the interface at the joints, which in turn

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 Compact Heat Exchangers Development 9

gives base-material strength and very high pressure containment capability

throughout the entire exchanger, in addition to the avoidance of corrosion cells.
Because of diffusion bonding, its expected lifetime exceeds that of any other heat
exchanger, based on a brazed structure [32]. The complete heat exchanger core is
composed by welding together as many of these blocks as the thermal duty (flow
capacity) of the heat exchanger requires. The conventional continuous zigzag
PCHE (Figure 4) promoting turbulent flow by increasing the heat transfer area
and the increase in the local flow velocity on the bending points of the channel
with the heat exchangers which have straight channels [33]. A new PCHE with S-
shaped fins are proposed and compared with several fins in PFHEs and zigzag fin
in PCHEs [34-36]. The Nusselt number of the zigzag fin PCHE is 24 to 34%
higher than that of S-shaped fins, but the pressure drop is 4-5 times larger,
depending on the Reynolds number. The S-shaped model decreases the pressure
drop to 1/5 of the conventional zigzag pattern while providing identical heat
transfer performance. Another new PCHE model that has several aerodynamic
fins is studied by Kim et al. [37]. Due to the increased heat transfer area and the
aerodynamic shape of the aerodynamic fins, the new model got the same heat
transfer performance and a decrease of only 1/20 as large as in the conventional
PCHE zigzag channel pressure.
The concept of PCHE enables simultaneous high temperature and high
pressure operation with relatively thin wall thicknesses between liquid primary
and secondary cooling. They are able to operate at pressures up to 500-1000bar,
usually 600 bar and can cope with extreme temperatures ranging from cryogenic
to 900◦C.

2.4. The Marbond Heat Exchanger

Based on an approach known as Process Intensification (PI), Marbond heat

exchanger is the latest truly innovative PCHEs. The manufacturing procedures of
Marbond heat exchanger are similar to those of the PCHE. It is formed of slotted
flat plates which have been chemically etched through. The plate pack is then
diffusion-bonded together. In contrast with the PCHE, several, thinner, slotted
plates are typically stacked to form a single sub stream, thus giving the potential
for very low hydraulic diameters, depending on the width of the slots and the plate
thickness [38], which significantly increases the porosity of the heat exchanger
core (Figure 5). It has inherent flexibility in terms of flow-path geometry, number
of streams and the nature of the streams as other chemically etched and diffusion-
bonded heat exchangers. It is clear that the form of surface is very versatile,

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10 Brahim Taoufik and Jemni Abdelmajid

giving precise passage shapes from a form very similar to that of a PFHE; to one
similar to a PCHE surface [38]. And the type can be used for a wide variety of
duties involving single phase or two phase streams, as well as for reactions. The
Marbond heat exchangers are considered as high-integrity, high compact units
able to operate over a range of pressures and temperatures not met in more
conventional gasketed or welded CHEs. The Marbond unit is capable of being
used at temperatures within the range −200◦C to 900◦C. Pressure differentials in
excess of 400 bars can be accommodated [39].

Figure 5. Marbond heat exchanger, (a) – Exploded view, (b)-layers of slotted plates
forming flow paths

Figure 6. Spiral heat exchangers.

2.5. Spiral Heat Exchanger

Most of SHEs are not compact (some recent developments are compact).
They are often used in the heating of high viscosity and dirty fluids. A SHE refers
to a helical tube configuration; more generally, the term refers to a circular heat
exchanger with two long metal strips of plate rolled together to form a pair of

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 Compact Heat Exchangers Development 11

concentric spiral channels of rectangular cross-section, one for each fluid (Figure
6). The passages can be either smooth or corrugated, in some cases studs are
welded onto one side of each strip to fix the spacing between the plates, provide
mechanical strength and induce turbulence that increases heat transfer. Alternate
passage edges are sealed either by welding at each side of the channel [38] or by
providing a gasket at each end cover to obtain the following arrangements of the
two fluids: (1) both in spiral counter-flow; (2) one in spiral flow, the other in
cross-flow across the spiral; or (3) one in spiral flow, the other in a combination of
cross-flow and spiral flow. The internal void volume is lower (less than 60%) than
in a shell-and-tube heat exchanger [40], and this yields a compact and space-
saving construction that can be readily integrated in any plant and reduces
installation costs. Recently the newly designed Swiss-roll recuperator based on a
spiral concept is proposed as a heat exchanger to recover the exhaust heat for
future higher efficiency micro-turbines. The strategies to have a Swiss-roll
recuperator of higher efficiency, low pressure loss and compact size were
discussed and the feasibility studies were performed by Shih et al. [41, 42].

2.6. Ceramic Heat Exchanger

Ceramic material is defined as something having a glazed or unglazed body

of crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or of glass, which body is produced
from essentially inorganic, nonmetallic substances and either is formed from a
molten mass which solidifies on cooling, or is formed and simultaneously or
subsequently matured by the action of the heat [43]. The main advantages for
ceramic materials over traditional metallic materials in CHE construction are their
extremely high temperature stability, low material cost and excellent corrosion
resistance (Figure 7). The ceramic-based CHEs can withstand operating
temperatures that far exceed those of conventional metallic alloys, Silicon carbide
(SiC) 1400°C, Silicon nitride (Si3N4) 1900°C, Alumina1500–1700°C, and
Aluminum nitride (AlN) 1300°C [44]. At elevated operating temperatures,
ceramic CHEs possess high fouling resistance and resistance to corrosion and
chemical erosion.
The major obstacles in the improvement of ceramic CHEs mainly embodies
in their intrinsic brittleness in tension, difficulties in shaping and sealing and thus
high manufacturing costs. They cannot withstand large thermal gradients and are
susceptible to thermal shock failure except silicon carbide and silicon nitride.
Therefore, major of the researches focuses on less brittle ceramics forms such as
composite ceramics. Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) were developed by

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12 Brahim Taoufik and Jemni Abdelmajid

combining reinforcing ceramic phases within a ceramic matrix to meet the

specific requirements including high thermal shock resistance, high hardness,
non-magnetic and nonconductive properties. The most commonly used CMCs are
carbon/carbon (C/C), carbon/silicon carbide (C/SiC), and silicon carbide/silicon
carbide (SiC/SiC) [44]. A few heat transfer applications were suggested where
ceramic materials in heat exchangers may hold substantial relevance and potential
merit: evaporators in evaporative cooling systems for air conditioning,
recuperators and generators in LiBr/H2O absorption chillers for air-conditioning,
primary heat exchangers in gas-fired furnaces for space heating, high temperature
recuperators and chemical digesters, open-cell foams for reactive heat exchange
processes and filtration. However, many proposed applications have not been
adequately studied. Thus, some related research programs are launched just for a
comprehensive study of the use of these emerging materials [45].

Figure 7. Ceramic heat exchanger.

3. Comparison of Heat Transfer Enhancement

Technologies in Compact Heat Exchangers
Comparison technologies in compact heat exchangers are based firstly on the
operating conditions of temperature and pressure ranges available for each as
shown in Table 1.

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 Table 1. Different Types of Heat Exchangers and their Principal Features

Types Features
Max- Multistram
Compactness Stream Temperature Cleaning Corrosion
Materiel2 pressure /multipass
(m2/m3) types1 range (°C) methods resistance
( bar) capacity
Liquid-
s/s, Ti,
liquid,
Plate-and- Incoloy,
gas-
frame <=200 Hastelloy, -35 to +200 25 Mechanical4 Good5 Yes6/Yes
liquid,
(gaskets) graphite,
two-
polymer
phase
Liquid-
liquid,
Partially s/s, Ti,
gas- Mechanical4,7
Welded <=200 Incoloy, -35 to +200 25 Good5 No/Yes
liquid, Chimical8
Plate Hastelloy
two-
phase
Liquid-
liquid,
Fully welded
gas- s/s,Ti, Ni
plate <=200 -50 to 350 40 Chemical Good No/Yes
liquid, alloys
(Alfa Rex)
two-
phase
Liquid-
liquid,
Brazed plate <=200 s/s -195 to +220 30 Chimical9 Good No/No11
two-
phase
Gases,
s/s, Ni, Cu,
liquids, Mechanical4,9 In.principe/
Bavex plate 200 up to 300 Ti, special -200 to +900 60 Good10
two – Chemical Yes
steels
phase

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 Table 1. Continued

Types Features
Max- Multistram
Compactness Stream Temperature Cleaning Corrosion
Materiel2 pressure /multipass
(m2/m3) types1 range (°C) methods resistance
( bar) capacity
Gas-
s/s,
Platular liquid,
200 hostelloy, up to 700 40 Mechanical4,13 Good Yes14/Yes
plate two-
Ni alloys
phase
Compabloc s/s,Ti, Not.usually/
<=300 Liquids up to 300 32 Mechanical4 Good
Plate Incoloy Yes
Gases,
s/s, Ti,
Packinox liquids,
<=300 Hastelloy, -200 up to +700 300 Mechanical4.15 Good Yes6/Yes
plate two –
Inconel
phase
Liquid-
c/s, s/s, Ti,
liquid,
Spiral <=200 Incoloy, up to 400 25 Mechanical4 Good No/No
two-
Hastelloy
phase
Gases,
Brazed liquids, Al, s/s, Ni Cryogenic to
800 up to 1500 90 Chemical Good Yes/Yes
plate-fin two – alloy +650
phase
Gases,
Diffusion-
liquids,
bonded plate- 700 up to 800 Ti, s/s up to 500 >200 Chemical Excellent Yes/Yes
two –
fin
phase

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 Table 1. Continued

Types Features
Max- Multistram
Compactness Stream Temperature Cleaning Corrosion
Materiel2 pressure /multipass
(m2/m3) types1 range (°C) methods resistance
( bar) capacity
Gases,
Diffusion-
700 up to 800 liquids, two Ti, s/s up to 500 >200 Chemical Excellent Yes/Yes
bonded plate-fin
–phase
Gases,
200 up to s/s, Ni, Ni
Printed- Circuit liquids, two -200 up to +900 >400 Chemical Excellent Yes/Yes
5000 alloy, Ti
–phase
Polymer (e.g. PVDF17, No/Not
450 Gas-liquid16 up to 150 6 Water wash Excellent
channel plate) PP18 usually
s/s, Ti,
Mechanical4,15,
Plate-and-shell -- liquids (shell also up to 350 70 Good No/Yes
Chemical21
in c/s)20
Gases,
s/s, Ni, Ni
Marbond <= 10000 liquids, two -200 up to +900 >900 Chemical Excellent Yes/Yes
alloy, Ti
–phase

Source: [Shah et al 2003, Hesselgreaves, 2007, and Reay, 2002]

1 Boiling and condensing duties are included in the two-phase
2 s/s: stainless steel; Ni, nickel; Ti, titanium; Cu, copper and their alloys of these materials and special alloys are also available for use
3 the maximum pressure is not likely to occur at the higher operating temperatures, and assumes no pressure/stress-related corrosion
4 it can be dismantled. 5Functions as a gasket as well as a plate material. 6Not common.7on the gasket side. 8on the welded side
9Ensures compatibility with the copper braze. 10Function of braze as well as plate material. 11Not in a single unit. 12on the tube side
13only when flanged access provided; otherwise, chemical cleaning. 14Five fluids maximum.15On the shell side.16Considering on gas side
17Polyvinylidene difluoride. 18Polypropylene. 19PEEK (polyetheretherketone) can go to 250°C. 20Shell may be composed of polymeric material.
21On the plate side.

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16 Brahim Taoufik and Jemni Abdelmajid

The second comparison criterion is based on the thermo-hydraulic performance

of a heat exchanger which depends upon the heat transfer between the working
fluids flowing through it by increasing turbulent flow. However, any technology
that enhances heat transfer is most likely to increase pressure drop. Recently, by Fan
et al. [46] proposed an evolution plot to compare different technique. This plot will
be useful in the study of heat transfer enhancement technique oriented for energy-
saving purposes. Based upon the available correlations of heat transfer and friction
factor developed by various investigators quoted in the open literature, this plot is
applied to compare the thermo-hydraulic performance of different heat transfer
enhancement technologies in CHEs. These correlations along with the range of
parameters investigated are plotted as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8. Comparison of thermo-hydraulic performance of different heat transfer

enhancement techniques in CHEs.

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 Compact Heat Exchangers Development 17

The ratio of the friction factor of the enhanced design over that of the
reference one (f0) and the ratio of the related heat transfer enhancement at the
same Reynolds number (Nu0) are plotted. Four region are considered
corresponding to the different effectiveness of saving energy: Region (1) is
characterized by enhanced heat transfer without energy-saving, where heat
transfer enhancement is obtained with larger pressure drop penalty such that per
identical pumping power the heat transfer is deteriorated; in Region (2) heat
transfer is enhanced per identical pumping power but deteriorated per identical
pressured drop, in Region (3) heat transfer is enhanced per identical pressure drop,
and in Region (4) the heat transfer enhancement ratio is larger than the friction
factor increase ratio under identical flow rate, which is the most favorable but also
the most difficult region to reach for heat transfer enhancement study.

Figure 9. Wire-screen meshes packing.

In Region 3, it is observed that the wire-screen mesh packing (Figure 9) with

the porosity of 0.599 has the highest heat transfer enhancement ratio. And with
the increase of its porosity, the decrease in friction loss is found more than heat
transfer enhancement, thus the packing with the porosity of 0.937 performs best.
Under the identical pumping power constraint, the channel packed with wire mesh
has the highest heat transfer enhancement ratio, and the same conclusion can be
drawn under the identical pressure drop constraint. Oriented for energy-saving
purposes, it is the most ideal choice because the heat transfer enhancement ratio is
larger than the friction factor increase ratio.

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18 Brahim Taoufik and Jemni Abdelmajid

Conclusion
Compact heat exchangers can be used in most industrial applications
depending on working temperature and pressure. Compared to conventional shell
and tube heat exchangers, CHE offer significant benefits such as improved
efficiency and security, smaller volume and weight, tighter temperature control
and energy saving. For a special surface geometry based on CHE process and
application, many options have to choose, as their varieties. How can one
compare the performance improvement given by various enhanced surfaces?
Certainly, one can judge the relative heat transfer enhancement for selected
geometries by comparing the heat transfer coefficients or dimensionless heat
transfer parameters (i.e. Nusselt number, Stanton number, etc.) yielded by each
enhanced surface. But this will only give a partial indication of performance.
Enhanced surfaces do provide a greater heat transfer coefficient, but they also lead
to increased fluid flow friction and pressure drop. Sometimes the benefits of
setting heat transfer value are not sufficient to offset the losses by increasing
friction. Clearly then, the performance objective is to get the maximum heat
transfer enhancement with minimum penalty on the pump power. However, this
balance is difficult to quantify in a way that allows direct comparisons between
improved surface geometries. Many methods have been proposed to accurately
assess the performance improvement provided by the technical improvement. The
thermal performance and the pressure loss are also two important factors in heat
exchanger design and must be evaluated. Moreover, the coefficient of
performance (COP), power density (PD), compactness factor (CF), and energy
saving efficiency can be estimated to evaluate the overall performance
enhancement of CHE’s.
The main focus of this chapter is placed on the introduction structures of certain
types of CHE commonly used in the industry or designed in the laboratory. Their
development is summarized, and their advantages and major limitations. This
overview of different types of CHE will help manufacturers to design and analyze
their specific needs. Although considerable database already exists for the transfer
of single phase heat in various types of CHE, certain data are not sufficient,
incomplete and cannot be used primarily because of the difference in operating
temperature conditions. Further experimental work is needed on the visualization
and measurement of the pressure drop, the local velocity profiles and heat transfer
coefficients for more data, in order to validate the results of CFD and for the
prediction of thermo-hydrodynamic behavior of CHE.

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 Compact Heat Exchangers Development 19

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