Comparative Analysis of Numerical and CFD Approaches for Cooling Performance Evaluation in Tube and Plate Heat Exchangers
| International Journal of Mechanical Engineering |
| © 2025 by SSRG - IJME Journal |
| Volume 12 Issue 3 |
| Year of Publication : 2025 |
| Authors : Girish Tukaram Panchal, Pravin T. Nitnaware, Ravikant K. Nanwatkar, Premendra J. Bansod |
10.14445/23488360/IJME-V12I3P108
How to Cite?
Girish Tukaram Panchal, Pravin T. Nitnaware, Ravikant K. Nanwatkar, Premendra J. Bansod, "Comparative Analysis of Numerical and CFD Approaches for Cooling Performance Evaluation in Tube and Plate Heat Exchangers," SSRG International Journal of Mechanical Engineering, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 93-108, 2025. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23488360/IJME-V12I3P108
Abstract:
Tube and Plate category heat exchangers are widely used in industrial applications requiring efficient heat transfer. This research numerically and computationally analyzes their heat transfer characteristics by applying formulae from single-row, single-pass Tube and Fin heat exchangers. A numerical model evaluates the effects of varying inlet velocities of air and water, plate thickness and width, tube height and width, and inlet temperatures. A Python-based tool simulates six configurations simultaneously for quick predictions. CFD analysis is conducted using ANSYS Fluent Student Version 2024 R1 and R2 for validation. Key findings indicate that numerical predictions of outlet water and air temperatures are accurate to a minimum of 98.94% and 99.02%, respectively, compared to CFD. The highest outlet water temperature drop occurs at the least inlet water velocity (0.0625 m/s) and peak air velocity (24 m/s), with a temperature reduction of 10.5K in CFD and 11.56K in numerical calculations. Increased plate width enhances heat transfer, while reduced tube height results in lower outlet water temperatures. Inlet water temperature strongly affects the temperature drop, with the maximum difference observed at the lowest inlet air temperature. This study establishes a strong correlation between numerical and CFD results, enabling reliable preliminary design and optimization of Tube and Plate heat exchangers. The approach reduces computational time and resources while improving design efficiency.
Keywords:
Tube and plate heat exchanger, Plain finned tube heat exchanger, Crossflow heat exchanger, CFD analysis, Heat transfer, e-NTU.
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