Comparison of gasketed plate heat exchangers with double pipe heat exchangers

Abstract

In this study, a computer program is developed to design and compare gasketed plate heat exchangers with double pipe heat exchangers. The computer program is coded in MATLAB. The user interface of the program is prepared in MATLAB Guide. The program uses hot and cold fluid properties as input data and calculates the characteristics o gasketed plate heat exchangers and double pipe heat exchangers designed for the given conditions. The outputs for gasketed plate heat exchanger design include number of plates, effective area, total heat transfer coefficient, pressure losses, pumping power and cost, whereas, the outputs for double pipe heat exchanger selection are: pump power, total number of hairpins, effective area, pressure drop, total heat transfer coefficient and cost. Correlations selected from literature are used in the program for the analysis. Water is selected as the working fluid to be able to make the comparison. The program compares the heat exchangers based on cost, effective area, and pumping power. The computer program is also used to understand and compare operational behaviors of these two heat exchangers under different operating conditions. Copyright © 2010 by ASME.