EP1317648A2 - Heat exchanger and heating system equipped therewith - Google Patents

Heat exchanger and heating system equipped therewith

Info

Publication number
EP1317648A2
EP1317648A2 EP01976933A EP01976933A EP1317648A2 EP 1317648 A2 EP1317648 A2 EP 1317648A2 EP 01976933 A EP01976933 A EP 01976933A EP 01976933 A EP01976933 A EP 01976933A EP 1317648 A2 EP1317648 A2 EP 1317648A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
duct
medium
heat exchanger
ducts
flow direction
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP01976933A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1317648B1 (en
Inventor
Willem Meijer
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
3F HOLDING BV
Original Assignee
3F HOLDING BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by 3F HOLDING BV filed Critical 3F HOLDING BV
Publication of EP1317648A2 publication Critical patent/EP1317648A2/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1317648B1 publication Critical patent/EP1317648B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
    • F28F13/00—Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing
    • F28F13/02—Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing by influencing fluid boundary
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
    • F28D21/00—Heat-exchange apparatus not covered by any of the groups F28D1/00 - F28D20/00
    • F28D21/0001—Recuperative heat exchangers
    • F28D21/0003—Recuperative heat exchangers the heat being recuperated from exhaust gases
    • F28D21/0005—Recuperative heat exchangers the heat being recuperated from exhaust gases for domestic or space-heating systems
    • F28D21/0007—Water heaters
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
    • F28D7/00—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary tubular conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall
    • F28D7/16—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary tubular conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits being arranged in parallel spaced relation
    • F28D7/1684—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary tubular conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits being arranged in parallel spaced relation the conduits having a non-circular cross-section
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
    • F28F1/00—Tubular elements; Assemblies of tubular elements
    • F28F1/02—Tubular elements of cross-section which is non-circular
    • F28F1/04—Tubular elements of cross-section which is non-circular polygonal, e.g. rectangular

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a heat exchanger comprising at least one first duct for a first medium and at least one second duct for a second medium in heat-exchanging contact therewith via at least one wall.
  • a heat exchanger is generally known.
  • the invention has for its object to provide a heat exchanger with an increased efficiency.
  • Such an improved heat exchanger can take a more compact form compared to : known heat exchangers and still have the same heat transfer capacity.
  • this is achieved in a heat exchanger as described above in that the dimensions of at least the first duct in the flow direction of the first medium and perpendicularly thereof are chosen such that boundary layers formed along the walls of the duct and developing in the flow direction meet each other substantially at a downstream end of the duct.
  • the dimensions of the first duct of the heat exchanger according to the invention preferably substantially satisfy the relation:
  • V flow velocity of the first medium
  • v kinematic viscosity of the first medium
  • the heat exchanger is advantageously provided with a plurality of first ducts placed in series as seen in the flow direction, wherein means are in each case present between successive ducts for enhancing the heat transfer inside the first medium.
  • the transfer-enhancing means can herein comprise a space with an enlarged cross-section compared to the first ducts.
  • the length of the first ducts can be kept relatively short.
  • the invention also relates to a heating system incorporating a heat exchanger of the above described type.
  • Fig. 1 shows a partly broken-away perspective view of a heat exchanger according to the invention
  • Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a duct showing the development of the boundary layers and the associated velocity curves, and
  • Fig. 3 shows a diagram in which, for a number of different media, the optimum length of an exchanger duct is plotted as a function of the flow velocity.
  • a heat exchanger 1 (fig. 1) according to the invention comprises a number of first ducts 2 for a first medium, for instance flue gas from a burner 7, and a number of second ducts 4 for a second medium which is in heat-exchanging contact with the first medium, for instance water intended for radiators of a heating system (not shown here) .
  • Ducts 2 and 4 are physically separated from each other by walls 5 which are readily permeable to heat and are for instance manufactured from a metal.
  • the first ducts 2 are connected on one side to a space 6 in which a burner 7 Is arranged, and on the other side to an outlet 8.
  • Ducts 4 are included in a closed circuit of the heating system and connected to an inlet 9 and an outlet 10.
  • first ducts 2 in the flow direction of the medium (arrow F) and perpendicularly thereof are chosen such that the boundary layers 11 formed along walls 5 of these ducts 2 just make mutual contact at the end of each duct 2.
  • Optimum benefit is in this way gained from the transport of the medium transversely of its main flow direction during the creation and development of boundary layers 11.
  • Means are herein preferably present at the end of each duct 2 for enhancing the heat transfer inside the medium, for instance in the form of a part 12 with enlarged cross-section. In the shown embodiment this part 12 forms a bend between two successive ducts 2 as seen in the flow direction. Owing to the enlarged cross- section of part 12 and the flow phenomena resulting therefrom, additional movement components are introduced into the flow which enhance the heat transfer.
  • the boundary layers 11 (fig. 2) thus develop along walls 5 of each duct 2 from the inflow side, whereby the effective surface area of each duct 2 becomes increasingly smaller.
  • the medium flowing therethrough is hereby urged toward the middle of duct 2, and this forced transport transversely of flow direction F causes a heat transport in the same direction, whereby the efficiency of heat exchanger 1 is greatly increased.
  • the velocity curve in transverse direction of duct 2 herein changes from a completely uniform velocity over the whole surface into a parabolic velocity distribution with a low speed (practically zero) along walls 5 and a higher speed in the middle of duct 2.
  • This Reynolds number is herein defined as:
  • R x p * V * x / , wherein p and ⁇ represent the density and the dynamic viscosity of the medium, and V represents the flow velocity thereof.
  • each boundary layer 11 along two opposite walls 5 of each duct 2 make mutual contact when the thickness ⁇ of each boundary layer 11 amounts to half the distance D between these walls 5.
  • the Reynolds number For the distance x from the inflow side where this occurs there applies: or, by substituting the value of the Reynolds number, :
  • This distance x therefore forms in principle the optimal length of duct 2 with an eye to the heat transfer inside one of the media themselves.
  • the length of duct 2 must also be sufficient to enable the intended heat transfer between the two media flowing through the exchanger.
  • the choice of the length of duct 2 will therefore often have to be slightly larger in practice than would follow from the above relation. This length may not however become so great as to result in the danger of transition of the flow from laminar to turbulent, since the flow losses in heat exchanger 1 would thereby increase greatly.
  • the duct length wherein the boundary layers 11 just make mutual contact is shown (fig. 3) as a function of the undisturbed flow velocity of the medium for a number of different media.
  • D hydr flow surface area divided by circumference
  • fig. 3 The duct length wherein the boundary layers 11 just make mutual contact, expressed as multiple of the hydraulic cross-section D hydr (flow surface area divided by circumference) of duct 2, is shown (fig. 3) as a function of the undisturbed flow velocity of the medium for a number of different media.
  • the progression of the relevant curves is found to depend on the nature of the medium, wherein the kinematic viscosity determines the gradient of the curves.
  • gases such as flue gases and thermal oil
  • a relatively short length of the ducts 2 is found to be ideal over a wide range of flow velocities.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Geometry (AREA)
  • Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
  • Steam Or Hot-Water Central Heating Systems (AREA)
  • Compression-Type Refrigeration Machines With Reversible Cycles (AREA)
  • Central Heating Systems (AREA)
  • Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)
  • Yarns And Mechanical Finishing Of Yarns Or Ropes (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat exchanger (1) with a number of first ducts (2) for a first medium and a number of second ducts (4) for a second medium in heat-exchanging contact therewith via partition walls (5). The dimensions of the first ducts (2) in the flow direction of the first medium and perpendicularly thereof are herein chosen such that boundary layers (11) formed along the walls of the duct and developing in the flow direction meet each other in each case close to the downstream ends of the ducts (2). A very compact heat exchanger (1) is thus obtained.

Description

HEAT EXCHANGER AND HEATING SYSTEM EQUIPPED THEREWITH
The invention relates to a heat exchanger comprising at least one first duct for a first medium and at least one second duct for a second medium in heat-exchanging contact therewith via at least one wall. Such a heat exchanger is generally known.
The invention has for its object to provide a heat exchanger with an increased efficiency. Such an improved heat exchanger can take a more compact form compared to: known heat exchangers and still have the same heat transfer capacity.
According to the invention this is achieved in a heat exchanger as described above in that the dimensions of at least the first duct in the flow direction of the first medium and perpendicularly thereof are chosen such that boundary layers formed along the walls of the duct and developing in the flow direction meet each other substantially at a downstream end of the duct. By selecting the length of the duct such that the boundary layers meet each other precisely at the end thereof and a fully laminar flow is thus adjusted, optimum use is made of the transport of the medium transversely of the flow direction during the development of the boundary layer. This medium transport transversely of the main direction of the flow results in a very good heat exchange, whereby the efficiency of the heat exchanger corresponds to that of an exchanger with turbulent flow, even when the exchanger is used with media which in principle have a fully laminar flow pattern.
The dimensions of the first duct of the heat exchanger according to the invention preferably substantially satisfy the relation:
, 0.25 D2 V 1 = —T — *— in which:
1 = length of the duct (in flow direction) ,
D = (hydraulic) diameter of the duct (perpendicularly of flow direction) , k = constant depending on the velocity curve in the boundary layer,
V = flow velocity of the first medium, and v = kinematic viscosity of the first medium.
The heat exchanger is advantageously provided with a plurality of first ducts placed in series as seen in the flow direction, wherein means are in each case present between successive ducts for enhancing the heat transfer inside the first medium. The transfer-enhancing means can herein comprise a space with an enlarged cross-section compared to the first ducts.
When the first medium has a relatively high kinematic viscosity, the length of the first ducts can be kept relatively short.
The invention also relates to a heating system incorporating a heat exchanger of the above described type.
The invention will now be elucidated with reference to the drawing, in which:
Fig. 1 shows a partly broken-away perspective view of a heat exchanger according to the invention,
Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a duct showing the development of the boundary layers and the associated velocity curves, and
Fig. 3 shows a diagram in which, for a number of different media, the optimum length of an exchanger duct is plotted as a function of the flow velocity.
A heat exchanger 1 (fig. 1) according to the invention comprises a number of first ducts 2 for a first medium, for instance flue gas from a burner 7, and a number of second ducts 4 for a second medium which is in heat-exchanging contact with the first medium, for instance water intended for radiators of a heating system (not shown here) . Ducts 2 and 4 are physically separated from each other by walls 5 which are readily permeable to heat and are for instance manufactured from a metal. The first ducts 2 are connected on one side to a space 6 in which a burner 7 Is arranged, and on the other side to an outlet 8. Ducts 4 are included in a closed circuit of the heating system and connected to an inlet 9 and an outlet 10. According to the invention the dimensions L, D of first ducts 2 in the flow direction of the medium (arrow F) and perpendicularly thereof are chosen such that the boundary layers 11 formed along walls 5 of these ducts 2 just make mutual contact at the end of each duct 2. Optimum benefit is in this way gained from the transport of the medium transversely of its main flow direction during the creation and development of boundary layers 11. Means are herein preferably present at the end of each duct 2 for enhancing the heat transfer inside the medium, for instance in the form of a part 12 with enlarged cross-section. In the shown embodiment this part 12 forms a bend between two successive ducts 2 as seen in the flow direction. Owing to the enlarged cross- section of part 12 and the flow phenomena resulting therefrom, additional movement components are introduced into the flow which enhance the heat transfer.
As seen in flow direction F the boundary layers 11 (fig. 2) thus develop along walls 5 of each duct 2 from the inflow side, whereby the effective surface area of each duct 2 becomes increasingly smaller. The medium flowing therethrough is hereby urged toward the middle of duct 2, and this forced transport transversely of flow direction F causes a heat transport in the same direction, whereby the efficiency of heat exchanger 1 is greatly increased. The velocity curve in transverse direction of duct 2 herein changes from a completely uniform velocity over the whole surface into a parabolic velocity distribution with a low speed (practically zero) along walls 5 and a higher speed in the middle of duct 2.
The thickness δ of each boundary layer 11 at any point of duct 2 is related to the distance x from the inflow side of duct 2, and can be expressed as: δ = k * x / RK , in which k is a constant which is related to the velocity distribution inside the boundary layer and Rx is the Reynolds number relating to the distance x. This Reynolds number is herein defined as:
Rx = p * V * x / , wherein p and μ represent the density and the dynamic viscosity of the medium, and V represents the flow velocity thereof.
The boundary layers 11 along two opposite walls 5 of each duct 2 make mutual contact when the thickness δ of each boundary layer 11 amounts to half the distance D between these walls 5. For the distance x from the inflow side where this occurs there applies: or, by substituting the value of the Reynolds number, :
■y* —— — 0.—25— D———2 φ"t" - V— k2 V in which v represents the kinematic velocity of the medium, defined as v = μ / p.
This distance x therefore forms in principle the optimal length of duct 2 with an eye to the heat transfer inside one of the media themselves. In addition however, the length of duct 2 must also be sufficient to enable the intended heat transfer between the two media flowing through the exchanger. The choice of the length of duct 2 will therefore often have to be slightly larger in practice than would follow from the above relation. This length may not however become so great as to result in the danger of transition of the flow from laminar to turbulent, since the flow losses in heat exchanger 1 would thereby increase greatly. When a plurality of ducts 2 are placed in series as seen in the flow direction, with bends 12 therebetween as shown here, an optimal ratio must be found between the length of ducts 2 and the number of bends 12, since these bends will of course also entail flow losses.
The duct length wherein the boundary layers 11 just make mutual contact, expressed as multiple of the hydraulic cross-section Dhydr (flow surface area divided by circumference) of duct 2, is shown (fig. 3) as a function of the undisturbed flow velocity of the medium for a number of different media. As expected, the progression of the relevant curves is found to depend on the nature of the medium, wherein the kinematic viscosity determines the gradient of the curves. For media with a kinematic viscosity, particularly gases, such as flue gases and thermal oil, a relatively short length of the ducts 2 is found to be ideal over a wide range of flow velocities.
Although the invention is elucidated above with reference to one embodiment, it will be apparent that it is not limited thereto. The structure of the heat exchanger could thus be other than shown here, with a differing number of ducts which could also take another form. The means connected between the ducts for enhancing the heat transfer could also take a form differing from the bends shown here. The scope of the invention is therefore defined solely by the appended claims.

Claims

1. Heat exchanger, comprising at least one first duct for a first medium and at least one second duct for a second medium in heat-exchanging contact therewith via at least one wall, characterized in that the dimensions of at least the first duct in the flow direction of the first medium and perpendicularly thereof are chosen such that boundary layers formed along the walls of the duct and developing in the flow direction meet each other substantially at a downstream end of the duct.
2. Heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the dimensions of the first duct substantially satisfy the relation:
0.25 D2 V
/ = r v in which: 1 *= length of the duct (in flow direction) , D = (hydraulic) diameter of the duct (perpendicularly of flow direction) , k = constant depending on the velocity curve in the boundary layer, V = flow velocity of the first medium, and v = kinematic viscosity of the first medium.
3. Heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized by a plurality of first ducts placed in series as seen in the flow direction, wherein means are in each case present between successive ducts for enhancing the heat transfer inside the first medium.
4. Heat exchanger as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the transfer-enhancing means comprise a space with an enlarged cross-section compared to the first ducts.
5. Heat exchanger as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the first medium has a relatively high kinematic viscosity (v) .
6. Heating system, provided with at least one heat i source, at least one heating element and a heat exchanger as claimed in any of the foregoing claims arranged therebetween.
EP01976933A 2000-09-05 2001-09-05 Heat exchanger and heating system equipped therewith Expired - Lifetime EP1317648B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL1016104 2000-09-05
NL1016104A NL1016104C1 (en) 2000-09-05 2000-09-05 Heat exchanger and heating system equipped with it.
PCT/NL2001/000658 WO2002021063A2 (en) 2000-09-05 2001-09-05 Heat exchanger and heating system equipped therewith

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1317648A2 true EP1317648A2 (en) 2003-06-11
EP1317648B1 EP1317648B1 (en) 2006-05-03

Family

ID=19772024

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP01976933A Expired - Lifetime EP1317648B1 (en) 2000-09-05 2001-09-05 Heat exchanger and heating system equipped therewith

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1317648B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE325324T1 (en)
AU (1) AU2001296088A1 (en)
DE (1) DE60119348T2 (en)
NL (1) NL1016104C1 (en)
WO (1) WO2002021063A2 (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102008050153B4 (en) 2008-10-01 2022-02-03 Rational Ag Cooking appliance with heat exchanger line

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2254851A1 (en) * 1972-11-09 1974-05-30 Ahlmann Carlshuette Kg HEAT TRANSFER WITH STAIR-SHAPED SURFACES
SU992993A2 (en) * 1981-12-21 1983-01-30 Новополоцкий Политехнический Институт Им.Ленинского Комсомола Белоруссии Tube-in-tube type heat exchange element
DE3741869A1 (en) * 1987-12-10 1989-06-22 Juergen Schukey COUNTERFLOW HEAT EXCHANGER

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO0221063A3 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE60119348T2 (en) 2007-05-10
EP1317648B1 (en) 2006-05-03
AU2001296088A1 (en) 2002-03-22
NL1016104C1 (en) 2002-03-07
WO2002021063A3 (en) 2002-06-27
WO2002021063A2 (en) 2002-03-14
ATE325324T1 (en) 2006-06-15
DE60119348D1 (en) 2006-06-08

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