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Optimum design of fluid distribution systems in heat exchangers
Author(s) -
Turek Vojtěch,
Hájek Jiří,
Jegla Zdeněk,
Stehlík Petr
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
asia‐pacific journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.348
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1932-2143
pISSN - 1932-2135
DOI - 10.1002/apj.516
Subject(s) - fluent , heat exchanger , flow (mathematics) , fluid dynamics , distribution (mathematics) , computational fluid dynamics , process (computing) , software , distribution uniformity , sample (material) , computer science , mechanics , mechanical engineering , mathematics , engineering drawing , engineering , materials science , mathematical analysis , thermodynamics , physics , composite material , programming language , operating system
Uniform flow distribution is often required by process equipment for its correct and reliable operation. Due to the fact that the resulting distribution is influenced by shapes of splitting and combining manifolds, flow distribution uniformity can be considerably increased by careful design. In case of high‐temperature applications, uniform flow distribution is usually crucial. The aim of this paper is to provide a formula for coefficient of static regain for parallel flow systems containing linearly tapered manifolds with rectangular cross sections connected by double U‐tubes. This formula was derived by means of approximating data obtained by evaluation of several baseline configurations of such distribution systems using fluid flow modelling software ANSYS ® FLUENT ® . Sample fluid distributions found using the proposed formula are shown alongside corresponding data computed by ANSYS FLUENT. Also, a practical computational tool for shape optimization of the investigated class of manifolds is presented. Copyright © 2010 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.