Thermal Design of Shell Tube Heat Exchanger for Concentrating Solar Power Application

Abstract

In the first part of this paper, a simplified approach to Theoretical Thermal Design of Shell Tube Heat Exchanger for Concentrating Solar Power Application. The thermal design of STHE involves evaluation of required effective surface area (i.e. number of tubes) and finding out log mean temperature difference [LMTD]. The design was carried out by referring ASME/TEMA standards, available at the company. In the second part of this paper, theoretically (analytical) thermal design of STHE compared with the Software (i.e. HTFS) basis design. Theoretical thermal design validate on the basis of HTFS. The analytical and software results for heat transferred, Log mean temperature difference, Pressure drop, Heat transfer area are compared and relative difference is checked. The relative difference between analytical results and software results is very less (10%). Inlet outlet temp. of heat exchanger are achieved by software is exact to calculated by analytical method. Overall heat transfer coefficient Tube side heat transfer coefficient is more than calculated by analytical method. Pressure drop, LMTD Area of heat exchanger are smaller than calculated.