Heat Exchangers:

The Effectiveness – NTU Method

General Considerations

General Considerations
• Computational Features/Limitations of the LMTD Method:

 The LMTD method may be applied to design problems for

which the fluid flow rates and inlet temperatures, as well as
a desired outlet temperature, are prescribed. For a specified
HX type, the required size (surface area), as well as the other
outlet temperature, are readily determined.
 If the LMTD method is used in performance calculations for which
both outlet temperatures must be determined from knowledge of the
inlet temperatures, the solution procedure is iterative.

 For both design and performance calculations, the effectiveness-NTU

method may be used without iteration.
Definitions

Definitions
• Heat exchanger effectiveness, :

q

qmax

0   1

• Maximum possible heat rate:

qmax  Cmin  Th, i  Tc ,i 

Ch if Ch  Cc
Cmin  or
Cc if Cc  Ch

 Will the fluid characterized by Cmin or Cmax experience the largest possible
temperature change in transit through the HX?

 Why is Cmin and not Cmax used in the definition of qmax?

Definitions (cont.)

• Number of Transfer Units, NTU

NTU  UA
Cmin
 A dimensionless parameter whose magnitude influences HX performance:
q  with  NTU
HX Relations

Heat Exchanger Relations




qm

h ihi 
, iho
, 
• or
 qC h T, 
hi T ho, 



c ico ,

 qm , ici
• or
 qC c T , 
co T ,
ci


• q   Cmin  Th ,i  Tc ,i 

• Performance Calculations:
   f  NTU , Cmin / Cmax 

Cr
 Relations  Table 11.3 or Figs. 11.14 - 11.19
HX Relations (cont.)

• Design Calculations:
 NTU  f   , Cmin / Cmax 

 Relations  Table 11.4 or Figs. 11.14 - 11.19

• For all heat exchangers,

  with  Cr

• For Cr = 0, a single   NTU relation applies to all HX types.

  1  exp   NTU 
or

NTU  1n  1   
Compact HX

Compact Heat Exchangers

• Analysis based on   NTU method
• Convection (and friction) coefficients have been determined for selected
HX cores by Kays and London  5. Proprietary data have been obtained by
manufacturers of many other core configurations.

• Results for a circular tube-continuous fin HX core:

2/3
jh  St Pr

St  h / Gc p

G  Vmax
Problem: Twin-Tube Heat Exchanger

oblem 11.28: Use of twin-tube (brazed) heat exchanger to heat air

by extracting energy from a hot water supply.

KNOWN: Counterflow heat exchanger formed by two brazed tubes with prescribed hot and
cold fluid inlet temperatures and flow rates.

FIND: Outlet temperature of the air.

SCHEMATIC:
Problem: Twin-Tube Heat Exchanger
(cont.)

ASSUMPTIONS: (1) Negligible loss/gain from tubes to surroundings, (2) Negligible

changes in kinetic and potential energy, (3) Flow in tubes is fully developed since L/D h = 40
m/0.030m = 1333.

PROPERTIES: Table A-6, Water ( Th = 335 K): ch = cp,h = 4186 J/kgK,  = 453  10-6
Ns/m2, k = 0.656 W/mK, Pr = 2.88; Table A-4, Air (300 K): cc = cp,c = 1007 J/kgK,  =
184.6  10-7 Ns/m2, k = 0.0263 W/mK, Pr = 0.707; Table A-1, Nickel ( T = (23 + 85)C/2 =
327 K): k = 88 W/mK.

ANALYSIS: Using the NTU -  method, from Eq. 11.30a,

1  exp   NTU  1  Cr  
 NTU  UA / Cmin Cr  Cmin / Cmax . (1,2,3)
1  Cr exp   NTU  1  Cr  

and the outlet temperature is determined from the expression

  Cc  Tc,o  Tc,i  / Cmin  Th,i  Tc,i  . (4)

From Eq. 11.1, the overall heat transfer coefficient is

1 1 1 1
   (5)
UA  o hA  h Kt L  o hA  c

Since circumferential conduction may be significant in the tube walls, o needs to be evaluated for each of the tubes.
Problem: Twin-Tube Heat Exchanger
(cont.)

The convection coefficients are obtained as follows:

4m h 4  0.04 kg / s
Water-side: ReD    11, 243.
 D   0.010m  453 106 N  s / m 2

The flow is turbulent, and since fully developed, the Dittus-Boelter correlation may be used,
0.8
Nu h  h h D / k  0.023Re0.8
D Pr 0.3  0.023 11, 243
   2.88  0.3  54.99
h h  54.99  0.656 W / m  K / 0.01m  3, 607 W / m 2  K.

4mc 4  0.120 kg / s
Air-side: Re D    275,890.
 D   0.030m  184.6  107 N  s / m 2
The flow is turbulent and, since fully developed,
0.8
Nu c  h c D / K  0.023Re0.8
D Pr 0.4  0.023 275,890
   0.707  0.4  450.9
h c  450.9  0.0263 W / m  K / 0.030m  395.3 W / m 2  K.

Water-side temperature effectiveness: A h   Dh L    0.010m  40m  1.257 m 2

o,h  f ,h  tanh  mLh  / mLh 

m  h h P / kA  1/ 2   hh / kt  1/ 2
 
1/ 2
m  3607 W / m 2  K / 88 W / m  K  0.002m  143.2 m 1
Problem: Twin-Tube Heat Exchanger
(cont.)

With Lh = 0.5 Dh, o,h = tanh(143.2 m-1  0.5   0.010m)/143.2 m-1  0.5   0.010 m =
0.435.

Air-side temperature effectiveness: Ac = DcL = (0.030m)40m = 3.770 m2

 
1/ 2
o,c  f ,c  tanh  mLc  / mLc m  395.3 W / m 2  K / 88 W / m  K  0.002m  47.39 m 1

With Lc = 0.5Dc, o,c = tanh(47.39 m-1  0.5   0.030m)/47.39 m-1  0.5   0.030m =
0.438.
Hence, from Eq. (5) the UA product is
1 1 1 1
  
UA 2
0.435  3607 W / m  K  1.257 m
2 100 W / m  K  40m  2
0.438  395.3 W / m  K  3.770 m
2

1
UA  5.070 104  2.50 104  1.533  103  W / K  437 W / K.
 
With
Ch  m
 h ch  0.040 kg / s  4186 J / kg  K  167.4 W / K  C max

 c cc  0.120 kg / s 1007 J / kg  K  120.8 W / K  C min Cr  Cmin / Cmax  0.722
Cc  m

UA 437 W / K
NTU    3.62
Cmin 120.8 W / K
Problem: Twin-Tube Heat Exchanger
(cont.)

and from Eq. (1) the effectiveness is

1  exp  3.62  1  0.722  

  0.862
1  0.722 exp  3.62  1  0.722  

Hence, from Eq. (4), with Cmin = Cc,

0.862 

Cc Tc,o  23C  Tc,o  76.4C <
Cc  85  23 C
COMMENTS: (1) Using the overall energy balance, the water outlet temperature is

 
Th,o  Th,i   Cc / Ch  Tc,o  Tc,i  85C  0.722  76.4  23 C  46.4C.

(2) To initially evaluate the properties, we assumed that Th  335 K and Tc  300 K. From
the calculated values of Th,o and Tc,o, more appropriate estimates of Th and Tc are 338 K and
322 K, respectively. We conclude that proper thermophysical properties were used for water
but that the estimates could be improved for air.
Problem: Heat Transfer
Enhancement

11.65: Use of fluted spheres and solid spheres to enhance the performance
of a concentric tube, water/glycol heat exchanger.

KNOWN: Flow rates and inlet temperatures of water and glycol in counterflow heat
exchanger. Desired glycol outlet temperature. Heat exchanger diameter and overall heat
transfer coefficient without and with spherical inserts.

FIND: (a) Required length without spheres, (b) Required length with spheres, (c)
Explanation for reduction in fouling and pump power associated with using spheres.

SCHEMATIC:
T h ,i = 100oC

T h ,o = 4 0 o C
.
m h = 0 .5 k g /s
L
T c ,i = 1 5 o C
.
m c = 0 .5 k g /s D i = 0 .0 7 5 m
Problem: Heat Transfer Enhancement
(cont.)

ASSUMPTIONS: (1) Negligible kinetic energy, potential energy and flow work changes,
(2) Negligible heat loss to surroundings, (3) Constant properties, (4) Negligible tube wall
thickness.

PROPERTIES: Table A-5, Ethylene glycol  Th  70C  : cp,h = 2606 J/kgK; Table A-6,
Water  Tc  35C  : cp,c = 4178 J/kgK.

ANALYSIS: (a) With Ch = Cmin = 1303 W/K and Cc = Cmax = 2089 W/K, Cr = 0.624. With
actual and maximum possible heat rates of
 
q  Ch Th,i  Th,o  1303 W / K  100  40  C  78,180 W

 
q max  Cmin Th,i  Tc,i  1303 W / K  100  15  C  110, 755 W

the effectiveness is  = q/qmax = 0.706. From Eq. 11.30b,

1   1   0.294 
NTU  ln    2.66 ln    1.71
Cr  1   Cr  1   0.559 

Hence, with A = DL and NTU = UA/Cmin,

C NTU 1303 W / K 1.71
L  min   9.46m
 Di U 2
  0.075m  1000 W / m  K

(b) Since m  h, Th,i, Th,o and Tc,i are unchanged, Cr,  and NTU are unchanged. Hence,
 c, m
with U = 2000 W/m2K,
L  4.73m <
Problem: Heat Transfer Enhancement
(cont.)

(c) Because the spheres induce mixing of the flows, the potential for contaminant build-up on
the surfaces, and hence fouling, is reduced. Although the obstruction to flow imposed by the
spheres acts to increase the pressure drop, the reduction in the heat exchanger length reduces
the pressure drop. The second effect may exceed that of the first, thereby reducing pump
power requirements.

COMMENTS: The water outlet temperature is Tc,o = Tc,i + q/Cc = 15C + 78,180 W/2089
W/K = 52.4C. The mean temperature  Tc  33.7C  is close to that used to evaluate the
specific heat of water.