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ABSTRACT
Heat transfer enhancement refers to application of basic concepts of heat transfer processes to improve the rate of heat removal or deposition. In the flow of a clean fluid through the tube of a heat exchanger, the boundary layer theorem establishes that a laminar sublayer exists where the fluid velocity is minimal. Heat transfer through this stagnant layer is mainly dominated by thermal conduction, becoming the major resistance to heat transfer. From an engineering point of view, heat transfer can be enhanced if this stagnant layer is partially removed or eliminated. In single-phase heat transfer processes, one of the options available to increase the heat transfer rate is the use of mechanical inserts that promote local turbulence.
In generating this report, the performance of twisted tape turbulators was analyzed as regards to the enhancement of heat transfer in a thermal system. An insulated bath tub was used with two copper tubes immersed and placed at a calculated distance apart, the twisted tape turbulator was inserted in one of the tubes while the other was left without. The bath tub was heated to a specified temperature and water was made to flow through the two copper tubes with similar inlet flow rate. The temperature and flow rate at the outlet was monitored and the overall heat transfer coefficient was calculated.
It was observed that there was a relative increase in heat transfer rate and also an increase in heat transfer coefficient with the insertion of a twisted tape turbulator. Here in this work, we calculate the effect of using a twisted tape turbulator in the tubes of a shell and tube heat exchanger.
