Mathematical modelling of the unsteady operation of a plate and fin heat exchanger for the time-varying mass flow rate of liquid and air velocity

The mathematical simulation of a plate fin and tube heat exchanger is presented in this paper. The simulation of the transient operation of the heat exchanger was carried out using a general numerical model that was previously developed by the authors. The Reynolds number of the water flowing inside the tubes varied in the range from 4000 to 12000. A detailed analysis of the transient response of a heat exchanger to sudden increase in water mass flow rate and the simultaneous reduction in air flow velocity was modelled. Heat transfer correlations for air and water were determined based on the experimental data. Unknown parameters appearing in the relationships for the Nusselt numbers on the airand water-sides were estimated using the least squares method. A set of partial differential equations for the temperature of water, air, tube wall, and fins was solved using the finite volume method. The results of the numerical simulations of a heat exchanger using experimentally determined air and water-side heat transfer formulas for the calculation of heat transfer coefficients were compared with the experimental data. Excellent agreement between computation results (air and water temperatures at the outlet of the heat exchanger) and experimental results was obtained.