Performance Analysis of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger with Different Tube and Baffle Designs: Three-Dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Two-Way FSI Analysis

In this study, a three-dimensional numerical analysis has been done to investigate the heat transfer, pressure drop in the shell side and vortex shedding, tubes deformation due to fluid induced vibrations in the shell and tube heat exchanger (STHX). Threedimensional CFD and two-way FSI has performed with the commercial software ANSYS. To examine the thermo-hydraulic performance and induced vibrations in shell-and-tube heat exchangers with segmental/ helical/ clamping anti-vibration baffles and cylindrical/twisted tubes, numerical simulations are carried out. The numerical models show the thermo-hydraulic
performances for the heat exchangers with segmental, helical and novel clamping anti-vibration baffles with cylindrical and square twisted tubes. The result shows that the use of square twisted tubes result in higher heat transfer rate as compared to cylindrical tubes. As far as pressure drop is concerned, it is also greater in the shell and tube heat exchangers with square twisted tubes for segmental, helical and anti-vibration baffles. The deformation in the tubes, velocity of the tubes and vortex shedding formation is minimum in STHX with clamping anti-vibration baffles than in STHXs with helical and segmental baffles.