Q7-4 CFD Study of Inlet Zone Performance: Parallel vs. Perpendicular Segmental Baffle Cuts

K. J. Farrell

2003

Under contract from HTRI, university researchers simulated the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics in the inlet zone of a shell-and-tube exchanger using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Results revealed that the ratio of heat transfer to pressure drop for parallel baffle cut orientation was as low as 71 percent of that for perpendicular orientation. Based on the results of the parametric study, we correlated the relative thermal hydraulic performance (parallel over perpendicular baffle cuts in the inlet zone) as a function of baffle cut size, Prandtl number, and Reynolds number. The correlation allows us to quantify the effect of baffle cut orientation in the inlet zone during preliminary design for bundles of 30® layout.