International Journal of Advanced Mechanical Engineering.

ISSN 2250-3234 Volume 4, Number 1 (2014), pp. 95-100

© Research India Publications
http://www.ripublication.com/ijame.htm

Design of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger Using

MATLAB and Finding the Steady State Time
Using Energy Balance Equation

Mohammed Rabeeh V.1 and Vysakh S.2

1
Mechanical Engineering Department, amal Jyothi College of Engineering,
M.G. University, Koovappally, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
2
Mechanical Engineering Department, Amal Jyothi College of Engineering,
M.G. University, Koovappally, Kottayam, Kerala, India.

Abstract

Design of shell and tube heat exchangers are done by formulating a

standard procedure where the parameters required for building a HX is
calculated using numerical method until the dimensions satisfy the
condition for maximum overall heat transfer coefficient, this is done
using a MATLAB code in which the calculations are iterated by
varying the TEMA specified values for tube length and tube outer
diameter. The output of this calculation is proposed to be the effective
parameters for design of shell and tube heat exchanger for given
boundary conditions. Energy balance over the heat exchanger for the
designed HX was completed using partial differential equations, which
was solved using second order Runge-Kutta method. Since Runge-
Kutta method is very robust and efficient, so thermal diffusion term is
not included in the energy balance equation. By plotting a temperature
v/s tube length graph in MATLAB using the energy balance
differential equation and analyzing the same, time required for the
shell and tube heat exchanger to reach a steady state condition is
obtained. The present work proposes a standard steps to design and
analyze the working and performance of a shell and tube heat
exchanger.

Keywords: Shell and tube heat exchanger, energy balance equation,

steady state time.
96 Mohammed Rabeeh V. & Vysakh S.

1. Introduction
A variety of heat exchangers are used in industries, such as shell-and-tube heat
exchangers, plate-fin heat exchangers, fin and tube heat exchangers etc. The shell-and-
tube heat exchanger (STHX) has relatively simple manufacture and multi-purpose
application possibilities for gaseous and liquid media in a large temperature and
pressure range, so they are still widely used in chemical industry, power production,
food industry, environment engineering, waste heat recovery, air-conditioning, and
refrigeration and so on. A standard procedure for design of STHX is derived in this
journal and is coded in MATLAB in such a way that the design configurations are
obtained for maximum value of overall heat transfer coefficient is obtained. By solving
the energy balance equation and a plot steady state time is obtained.

Fig. 1: A Typical shell and tube heat exchanger with one

shell pass and two tube passes.

2. Nomenclature

ρ Density [kg/m3] T Temperature [K]

ΔT Change in Temperature [K] D Diameter [m]
V Volume [m3] v Velocity of stream [m/s]
A Area [m2] Mass Flow Rate [kg/s]
q Heat Transfer Rate [W] CP Heat Capacity [J/kg K]
r Radius [m] Re Reynolds Number
di Inner diameter of tube [m] x Spatial Coordinate [m]
do Outer diameter of tube [m] Pr Prandtl number
k Thermal conductivity µ Dynamic viscosity [Ns/m2]
hi Heat transfer coefficient on tube side µs Dynamic viscosity on shell side
ho Heat transfer coefficient on shell side kw Thermal conductivity of material

3. Design of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger

The design procedure starts with providing the standard dimensions of length and
diameter of the tube which are proposed by tubular exchange manufactures association
(TEMA) to the MATLAB code written. Program is run by iterating with possible
combinations of the standard dimensions and the overall heat transfer coefficient (U) is
obtained in each case. The obtained values of the U are compared and the
Design of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger Using MATLAB and Finding 97

corresponding dimensions for the maximum value of the same is obtained as the
output. The design procedure is as follows
Assume the tube length and outer diameter according to TEMA specifications

0.0666 < (Shell diameter/Tube length) < 0.2 (1)

1.25 < Pitch/Outer diameter of tube < 1.5 (2)
. .
Number of tubes = (3)
. .

After this Reynolds number and then heat transfer coefficient for the tube side is
calculated, which is followed by the calculation of these parameter for the shell side.
Tube side
( )( )
Cross flow area = (4)
( )
( )( )
Re = (5)
( )( )
.
Nusselt number = =
( ) ( . .)( )
(1.86)( )( )^(1/3) (6)
Laminar flow
.
Nusselt number = = 0.023(Re0.8)(Pr0.33)(µ1.25) (7)
Turbulent flow
From the equation for Nusselt number, heat transfer coefficient is obtained.
Similarly heat transfer coefficient for the shell side is obtained. Since the tubes are
present inside the shell equivalent diameter (De) for the shell is calculated depending
on the configuration of the arrangement of tube inside the shell. Main configurations
which are extensively used are triangular and square, depending on which the CTP and
CL values vary. Equations for equivalent diameter corresponding to each configuration
is obtained from Perry H Greens hand book.
Shell side
. . .
Nusselt number = = 0.36( )( )( )^0.14 (9)
Baffle spacing = 74(outer diameter of tube)^0.75 (10) [A]
After obtaining these values overall heat transfer coefficient is calculated using the
below given equation

Uo = (11)

. .

The above given equations are coded in MATLAB in such a way that design
parameters corresponding to the maximum overall heat transfer coefficient is obtained.
3.1 Steady state time
98 Mohammed Rabeeh V. & Vysakh S.

Analysis of heat exchanger is done best by considering the energy balance differential
equation for shell and tube side differently
( )
= − − (12)

( )
= − + (13)
( )
Solving the above energy balance equation using second order Runge-Kutta
method by modelling the shell and tube heat exchanger in MATLAB it is done using a
finer spatial grid. The result obtained is used to plot a graph in such a way that it
appears to be an animated figure. The technique used in order to obtain an animated
version of graph is by holding the initial point and using the same axis for the plot of
coming points. The steady state time is obtained by monitoring the graph continuously
to find the time at which the plot appears to be stationary. The time is easily obtained
because a provision is provided on the graph to show the time. Maximum time up to
which the calculation is process is to be continued is initially provided in the program.

4. Results and Discussions

Hot engine oil is allowed to flow through the tube and water is passed through shell in
order to cool the oil. Mass flow rate in this case is assumed to be unity. Thermal
conductivity, Prandtl number and other required values are supplied. The design
parameters proposed by the MATLAB code, tube length is 2.4, shell diameter is
0.1652, diameter of tube is 0.0065, baffle spacing in order to obtain maximum overall
heat transfer coefficient is 0.463. baffle cut is 20, triangular pattern for tube layout is
considered because it can accommodate more tubes than a square or rotated square
pattern. Furthermore, a triangular pattern produces high turbulence and therefore a
high heat transfer coefficient. Baffles spacing is the centerline to centerline distance
between adjacent baffles here the obtained value satisfies the TEMA standard
specification that is one-fifth of shell inside diameter. Closer spacing results in poor
bundle penetration. Pressure considerations on shell and tube side are also considered
such that no harm occurs. The inlet temperature of the tube is given to be 498.15 k and
at the shell side is 298.15 k. Fig. 2,3,4,5 are those obtained with time 90s, 160s, 300s,
and 500s respectively. Fig.4 and Fig.5 are similar in appearance which shows that after
time 300s the graph appears to be stationary which comes to a conclusion that steady
state time for the given STHX is 300s.
Design of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger Using MATLAB and Finding 99

Fig. 2 Fig. 3

Fig. 4 Fig. 5

5. Conclusion
A MATLAB code is written to find the design parameters by considering the standard
TEMA specification and with an objective of maximum overall heat transfer
coefficient. A procedure for finding out the steady state time for a shell and tube heat
exchanger by modelling it in MATLAB and solving the energy balance equation by
analyzing the animated graph plotted with temperature on y-axis and tube length on x-
axis. Steady state is the time at which graph appears to be stationary.

References
[1] Arthur P Fraas, “Heat Exchanger Design” (II Edition) Published by John
Wiley& Sons New York, pp no.1-70.
[2] Don W. Green, Robert H. Perry (2008), Perry's Chemical Engineers'
Handbook, Eighth Edition, McGraw-Hill: New York.
[3] Frank P. Incropera David P. DeWitt, 4th edition “Fundamentals of Heat and
mass transfer” pp. no 581-603.
[4] Max S.Peters and laus D. Timmerhuaus, (1958), “Plant Design and Economics
for Chemical Engineers”, 4th edition, McGraw-Hill Book Company.
100 Mohammed Rabeeh V. & Vysakh S.