Question

A counterflow double-pipe heat exchanger is used to heat water from 20°C to 80°C at a rate of 1.2 kg/s. The heating is to be completed by geothermal water available at 160°C at a mass flow rate of 2 kg/s. The inner tube is thin-walled and has a diameter of 1.5 cm. If the overall heat transfer coefficient of the heat exchanger is 640 W/m2K, determine the length of the heat exchanger required to achieve the required heating.

Answer 1

Answer:L=109.16 m

Explanation:

Given

initial temperature $=20^{\circ}C$

Final Temperature $=80^{\circ}C$

mass flow rate of cold fluid $\dot{m_c}=1.2 kg/s$

Initial Geothermal water temperature $T_h_i=160^{\circ}C$

Let final Temperature be T

mass flow rate of geothermal water $\dot{m_h}=2 kg/s$

diameter of inner wall $d_i=1.5 cm$

$U_{overall}=640 W/m^2K$

specific heat of water $c=4.18 kJ/kg-K$

balancing energy

Heat lost by hot fluid=heat gained by cold Fluid

$\dot{m_c}c(T_h_i-T_h_e)= \dot{m_h}c(80-20)$

$2\times (160-T)=1.2\times (80-20)$

$160-T=36$

$T=124^{\circ}C$

As heat exchanger is counter flow therefore

$\Delta T_1=160-80=80^{\circ}C$

$\Delta T_2=124-20=104^{\circ}C$

$LMTD=\frac{\Delta T_1-\Delta T_2}{\ln (\frac{\Delta T_1}{\Delta T_2})}$

$LMTD=\frac{80-104}{\ln \frac{80}{104}}$

$LMTD=91.49^{\circ}C$

heat lost or gain by Fluid is equal to heat transfer in the heat exchanger

$\dot{m_c}c(80-20)=U\cdot A\cdot$ (LMTD)

$A=\frac{1.2\times 4.184\times 1000\times 60}{640\times 91.49}=5.144 m^2$

$A=\pi DL=5.144$

$L=\frac{5.144}{\pi \times 0.015}$

$L=109.16 m$