Heat transfer investigation in channel plate heat exchangers

With the growing importance of heat exchanging equipments and the increasing demand upon their capabilities, heat exchangers with better characteristics are always welcome. The heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics are investigated here using experimental and analytical techniques for a channel plate heat exchanger. The analysis uses the log mean temperature difference method in all its calculations. Although the shell side flow highly resembles the flow over a flat plate, the tube side passage in these plates has five of doubly split 180 bends with an internal cross-section of a benzene ring. This splitting is used to reduce the velocities in those regions, thus reducing pressure drops. Local and global experimental measurements are carried out around the heat exchanger. Furthermore, analytical models for both the sides of the heat exchanger were obtained. An excellent cross-match between experimental and analytical results could be obtained.