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Performance evaluation of air-cooled heat exchangers

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main objective of this study to determine the air-side heat transfer and pressure drop
performance characteristics of commercially available round and elliptical fined tubes. A . computer code to compare the performance of industrial forced and induced draught aircooled
heat exchangers (henceforth referred to as f\CHE's) commonly found in the petrochemical
industry is also developed. The comparison is extended to include both round and
elliptical finned tubes.
From the tests conducted, it is found that there is generally an increase in the heat transfer
parameter with a decrease in the fin pitch. The decrease in the fin pitch however also results
in an increase in the pressure drop across the tube bundle. The performance of the tubes is
compared with round reference tubes having circular or plate fins for which performance
correlations are available in the literature. The fan power required by an induced draught aircooled
heat exchanger is found to be higher than that required by a forced draught heat
exchanger rejecting the same amount of heat. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie is om die werksverrigting van industriële geforseerde trek --
en geinduseerde trek lugverkoelde warmteruilers (LVWR) soos algemeen aangetref in die
petrochemiese nywerheid te vergelyk. Warmteruiier bundels word gewoonlik opgebou uit
ronde vinbuise. Die werksverrigting van laasgenoemde word vergelyk met die
werksverrigting van warmteruiier bundels wat gebruik maak van elliptiese vinbuise.
Die werksverrigting van 'n reeks kommersieël verkrygbare ronde en elliptiese vinbuise
word deur middel van toetsing bepaal. In die algemeen word 'n toename in die
warmteoordrag-parameter waargeneem met In afname in die vinsteek. 'n Toename in die
vinsteek gaan egter gepaard met" 'n toename in die drukverlies oor die bundel. Die
werksverrigting van hierdie buise word vergelyk met bestaande korrelasies vir die
werksverrigting van ronde verwysingsbuise wat gebruik maak van ronde of plaatvinne.
Daar is bevind dat die drywing wat benodig word deur 'n waaier vir 'n geinduseerde trek
lugverkoelde warmteruiler, heelwat hoër is as in die geval van 'n geforseerde trek
lugverkoelde warmteruiler, vir dieselfde hoeveelheid hitte verwydering

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51872
Date12 1900
CreatorsMakhema, Thabo
ContributorsKroger, D. G., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format1 v. (various pagings) : ill.
RightsStellenbosch University

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