Micro segment analysis of supercritical methane thermal-hydraulic performance and pseudo-boiling in a PCHE straight channel

The printed circuit heat exchanger(PCHE) is receiving wide attention as a new kind of compact heat exchanger and is considered as a promising vaporizer in the LNG process. In this paper, a PCHE straight channel in the length of 500 mm is established, with a semicircular cross section in a diameter of 1.2 mm.Numerical simulation is employed to investigate the flow and heat transfer performance of supercritical methane in the channel. The pseudo-boiling theory is adopted and the liquid-like, two-phase-like, and vapor-like regimes are divided for supercritical methane to analyze the heat transfer and flow features.The results are presented in micro segment to show the local convective heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop. It shows that the convective heat transfer coefficient in segments along the channel has a significant peak feature near the pseudo-critical point and a heat transfer deterioration when the average fluid temperature in the segment is higher than the pseudo-critical point. The reason is explained with the generation of vapor-like film near the channel wall that the peak feature related to a nucleateboiling-like state and heat transfer deterioration related to a film-boiling-like state. The effects of parameters, including mass flow rate, pressure, and wall heat flux on flow and heat transfer were analyzed.In calculating of the averaged heat transfer coefficient of the whole channel, the traditional method shows significant deviation and the micro segment weighted average method is adopted. The pressure drop can mainly be affected by the mass flux and pressure and little affected by the wall heat flux. The peak of the convective heat transfer coefficient can only form at high mass flux, low wall heat flux, and near critical pressure, in which condition the nucleate-boiling-like state is easier to appear. Moreover,heat transfer deterioration will always appear, since the supercritical flow will finally develop into a filmboiling-like state. So heat transfer deterioration should be taken seriously in the design and safe operation of vaporizer PCHE. The study of this work clarified the local heat transfer and flow feature of supercritical methane in microchannel and contributed to the deep understanding of supercritical methane flow of the vaporization process in PCHE.

Topology Optimization of Two Fluid Heat Transfer Problems for Heat Exchanger Design

Topology optimization of thermal-fluid coupling problems has received widespread attention.This article proposes a novel topology optimization method for laminar two-fluid heat exchanger design.The proposed method utilizes an artificial density field to create two permeability interpolation functions that exhibit opposing trends,ensuring separation between the two fluid domains.Additionally,a Gaussian function is employed to construct an interpolation function for the thermal conductivity coefficient.Furthermore,a computational program has been developed on the OpenFOAM platform for the topology optimization of two-fluid heat exchangers.This program leverages parallel computing,significantly reducing the time required for the topology optimization process.To enhance computational speed and reduce the number of constraint conditions,we replaced the conventional pressure drop constraint condition in the optimization problem with a pressure inlet/outlet boundary condition.The 3D optimization results demonstrate the characteristic features of a surface structure,providing valuable guidance for designing heat exchangers that achieve high heat exchange efficiency while minimizing excessive pressure loss.At the same time,a new structure appears in large-scale topology optimization,which proves the effectiveness and stability of the topology optimization program written in this paper in large-scale calculation.

Combining reinforcement learning with mathematical programming:An approach for optimal design of heat exchanger networks

Heat integration is important for energy-saving in the process industry.It is linked to the persistently challenging task of optimal design of heat exchanger networks(HEN).Due to the inherent highly nonconvex nonlinear and combinatorial nature of the HEN problem,it is not easy to find solutions of high quality for large-scale problems.The reinforcement learning(RL)method,which learns strategies through ongoing exploration and exploitation,reveals advantages in such area.However,due to the complexity of the HEN design problem,the RL method for HEN should be dedicated and designed.A hybrid strategy combining RL with mathematical programming is proposed to take better advantage of both methods.An insightful state representation of the HEN structure as well as a customized reward function is introduced.A Q-learning algorithm is applied to update the HEN structure using theε-greedy strategy.Better results are obtained from three literature cases of different scales.

Research on shell-side heat and mass transfer with multi-component in LNG spiral-wound heat exchanger under sloshing conditions

The spiral-wound heat exchanger(SWHE) is the primary low-temperature heat exchanger for large-scale LNG plants due to its high-pressure resistance, compact structure, and high heat exchange efficiency. This paper studied the shell-side heat and mass transfer characteristics of vapor-liquid two-phase mixed refrigerants in an SWHE by combining a multi-component model in FLUENT software with a customized multicomponent mass transfer model. Besides, the mathematical model under the sloshing condition was obtained through mathematical derivation, and the corresponding UDF code was loaded into FLUENT as the momentum source term. The results under the sloshing conditions were compared with the relevant parameters under the steady-state condition. The shell-side heat and mass transfer characteristics of the SWHE were investigated by adjusting the component ratio and other working conditions. It was found that the sloshing conditions enhance the heat transfer performance and sometimes have insignificant effects. The sloshing condition is beneficial to reduce the flow resistance. The comprehensive performance of multi-component refrigerants has been improved and the improvement is more significant under sloshing conditions, considering both the heat transfer and pressure drop.These results will provide theoretical support for the research and design of multi-component heat and mass transfer enhancement of LNG SWHE under ocean sloshing conditions.

Numerical and experimental study on the falling film flow characteristics with the effect of co-current gas flow in hydrogen liquefaction process

Liquid hydrogen storage and transportation is an effective method for large-scale transportation and utilization of hydrogen energy. Revealing the flow mechanism of cryogenic working fluid is the key to optimize heat exchanger structure and hydrogen liquefaction process(LH2). The methods of cryogenic visualization experiment, theoretical analysis and numerical simulation are conducted to study the falling film flow characteristics with the effect of co-current gas flow in LH2spiral wound heat exchanger.The results show that the flow rate of mixed refrigerant has a great influence on liquid film spreading process, falling film flow pattern and heat transfer performance. The liquid film of LH2mixed refrigerant with column flow pattern can not uniformly and completely cover the tube wall surface. As liquid flow rate increases, the falling film flow pattern evolves into sheet-column flow and sheet flow, and liquid film completely covers the surface of tube wall. With the increase of shear effect of gas-phase mixed refrigerant in the same direction, the liquid film gradually becomes unstable, and the flow pattern eventually evolves into a mist flow.

Thermodynamic Performance Analysis of Geothermal Power Plant Based on Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) Using Mixture of Pure Working Fluids

The selection of working fluid significantly impacts the geothermal ORC’s Efficiency.Using a mixture as a working fluid is a strategy to improve the output of geothermal ORC.In the current study,modelling and thermodynamic analysis of ORC,using geothermal as a heat source,is carried out at fixed operating conditions.The model is simulated in the Engineering Equation Solver(EES).An environment-friendly mixture of fluids,i.e.,R245fa/R600a,with a suitable mole fraction,is used as the operating fluid.The mixture provided the most convenient results compared to the pure working fluid under fixed operating conditions.The impact of varying the evaporator pressure on the performance parameters,including energy efficiency,exergy efficiency and net power output is investigated.The system provided the optimal performance once the evaporator pressure reached the maximum value.The efficiencies:Energy and Exergy,and Net Power output of the system are 16.62%,64.08%and 2199 kW for the basic cycle and 20.72%,67.76%and 2326 kW respectively for the regenerative cycle.

Tubular Heat Enhancement Using Twisted Tape Inserts with Large Holes

Heat augmentation techniques play a vital role in the heating and cooling processes in industries,including solar collectors and many applications that utilize heat exchangers.Several studies are based on inserting fillers inside the tubes to enhance heat transfer.This investigation considered the effects of twisted tapes with large holes on a tubular heat exchanger’s(HX)heat transmission,pressure drop,and thermal boosting factor.In the experimental section,counter-swirl flow generators used twisted tapes with pairs of 1.0 cm-diameter holes and changes in porosity(Rp)at 1.30%and 2.70%.In the experiments,air was utilized as a working fluid in a tube with a circular cross-section.The turbulent flow was considered,with Reynolds numbers(Re)domain from 4800 to 9500,and a boundary condition with a uniform wall heat flux was constructed.The findings expound that when the number of holes rose,the Nusselt number(Nu),the factor of friction(f),and the thermal enhancement factor(η)all increased as well.Additionally,as the friction factor increased,the Nusselt number of the tape-equipped tube was noticeably higher.Additionally,it was discovered that the friction factor was between 70%and 94%lower than the values of the tube without tape,while the(Nu)was between 87%and 97%higher than the conventional tube values.The maximum value ofηis 89%.According to the experimental results,empirical correlations for Nu,f,andηwere also generated.

Mathematical Modelling and Design of Helical Coil Heat Exchanger for Production of Hot Air for Fluidized Bed Dryer

In global industrialization, efforts have been made to increase the rate of heat transfer in heat exchanger, minimizing the size of heat exchanger to reduce cost as well as increasing the effectiveness. Helical coil heat exchanger (HCHE) has been proven to be effective in improving heat transfer due to its large surface area. In this study, HCHE was designed to provide hot air needed for fluidized bed drying processes. The HCHE design model was fabricated and evaluated to study the efficiency of the hot air output for a laboratory fluidized bed dryer. The mathematical model for estimation of the final (output) temperature of air, Taf, passing through the HCHE was developed and validated experimentally. The drying of bitter kola particulates was carried out with a drying temperature of 50C 3C and a bed height-to-bed diameter ratio (H/D) of 1.5. The time taken to dry bitter kola particulates to 0.4% moisture content was 1 hour 45 minutes. Hence, HCHE is recommended for use in the production of hot for laboratory-scale fluidized bed dryers.

Analysis of influence of heat exchangerfouling on heat transfer performancebased on thermal fluid coupling

A study on heat transfer performance by thermal fluid coupling simulation for the fouling in a shell-tube heat exchanger used in engineering was presented. The coupling simulation was performed in a fluid and solid domains under three different fouling conditions: fouling inside the tube, fouling outside the tube, and fouling inside the shell. The flow field, temperature, and pressure distributions in the heat exchanger were solved numerically to analyze the heat transfer performance parameters, such as thermal resistance. It is found that the pressure drop of the heat exchanger and the thermal resistance of the tube wall increase by nearly 30% and 20%, respectively, when the relative fouling thickness reaches 10%. The fouling inside the tube has more impact on the heat transfer performance of the heat exchanger, and the fouling inside the shell has less impact.

New insights into the pathogenesis of primary biliary cholangitis asymptomatic stage

Primary biliary cholangitis(PBC)is a chronic cholestatic progressive liver disease and one of the most important progressive cholangiopathies in adults.Damage to cholangiocytes triggers the development of intrahepatic cholestasis,which progresses to cirrhosis in the terminal stage of the disease.Accumulating data indicate that damage to biliary epithelial cells[(BECs),cholangiocytes]is most likely associated with the intracellular accumulation of bile acids,which have potent detergent properties and damaging effects on cell membranes.The mechanisms underlying uncontrolled bile acid intake into BECs in PBC are associated with pH change in the bile duct lumen,which is controlled by the bicarbonate(HCO3-)buffer system“biliary HCO3-umbrella”.The impaired production and entry of HCO3-from BECs into the bile duct lumen is due to epigenetic changes in expression of the X-linked microRNA 506.Based on the growing body of knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of cholangiocyte damage in patients with PBC,we propose a hypothesis explaining the pathogenesis of the first morphologic(ductulopenia),immunologic(antimitochondrial autoantibodies)and clinical(weakness,malaise,rapid fatigue)signs of the disease in the asymptomatic stage.This review focuses on the consideration of these mechanisms.

CFD-Based Optimization of a Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchanger

The main objective of this study is the technical optimization of a Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchanger(STHE).In order to do so,a simulation model is introduced that takes into account the related gas-phase circulation.Then,simulation verification experiments are designed in order to validate the model.The results show that the tem-peraturefield undergoes strong variations in time when an inlet wind speed of 6 m/s is considered,while the heat transfer error reaches a minimum of 5.1%.For an inlet velocity of 9 m/s,the heat transfer drops to the lowest point,while the heat transfer error reaches a maximum,i.e.,9.87%.The pressure drop increasesfirst and then decreases with an increase in the wind speed and reaches a maximum of 819 Pa under the 9 m/s wind speed con-dition.Moreover,the pressure drops,and the heat transfer coefficient increases with the Reynolds number.

Simulation and Optimization of the Fluid Solidification Process in Brazed Plate Heat Exchangers

When a brazed plate heat exchanger is used as an evaporator,the working mass in the channel may undergo soli-dification,thereby hindering the refrigeration cycle.In this study the liquid solidification process and its optimi-zation in a brazed plate heat exchanger are investigated numerically for different inlet velocities;moreover,different levels of corrugation are considered.The results indicate that solidificationfirst occurs around the con-tacts,followed by the area behind the contacts.It is also shown that deadflow zones exist in the sharp areas and such areas are prone to liquid solidification.After optimization,the solidification area attains its smallest value when a corrugation spacingλ=4.2 mm is considered.

Evaluation of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger Performance by Using ZnO/Water Nanofluids

To examine and investigate the impact of nanofluid on heat exchanger performance,including the total heat transfer,the effect of friction factor,the average Nusselt number,and the thermal efficiency,the output heat transfers of a shell and tube heat exchanger using ZnO nanoparticles suspended in water has been conducted numerically.The governing equations were solved using finite volume techniques and CFD simulations with ANSYS/FLUENT Solver 2021.The nanoparticles volume fractions adopted are 0.2%and 0.35%that used in numerical computations under 200 to 1400 Reynolds numbers range.The increasing of temperature is approximately 13%from the bottom to the top of heat exchanger,while the maximum enhancement of Nusselt number is about 10%,19%for volume fractions 0.2%and 0.35%respectively.The elevated values of the friction factor at the volumetric ratios of 0.2%and 0.35%are 0.25%and 0.47%respectively.The findings demonstrate that the performance efficiency of shell and tube heat exchanger is enhanced due to the increase in Nusselt number.

CFD-Based Optimization of a Diesel Engine Waste Heat Recycle System

A dedicated heat exchanger model is introduced for the optimization of heavy-duty diesel engines.The model is a prerequisite for the execution of CFD simulations,which are used to improve waste heat recovery in these systems.Several optimization methods coupled with different types of working fluids are compared in terms of exergy efficiency and heat exchanger complicity.The three considered optimization methods all lead to significant improvements in the R245fa and R1233zd systems with a comparatively low evaporation temperature.The optimal R245fa system has the highest efficiency increase(77.49%).The cyclopentane system displays the highest efficiency among the optimized ORC(Organic Rankine Cycle)systems,yet achieved by using a much heavier evaporator HEC(Heat Exchanging Core).In contrast,the 96.84%efficiency increase for the optimized R1233zd is achieved with only 68.96%evaporator weight.

Effect of the Arrangement of a New-Type of Turbulator Inserts on Heat Pipe Exchanger Performances

This research tests the effect of introducing turbulators of a new type into a circular tube heat exchanger under a constant and uniform longitudinal heatflux condition.A 45 mm diameter copper tube with a length of 1,350 mm is utilized with a solid disk being inserted inside the tube,which consists of three sections,each one containing two slots.The slot is cut at a 45 degree angle toward the inner tube surface,which results in diverging theflow toward the inner hot tube surface in order to enhance the heat transfer process.Air is considered as the workingfluid with Prandtl number 0.71.The Reynolds number spans the interval from 6,000–13,500,which indicates that the consideredflow is turbulent.The heat exchanger performance is studied and analyzed in terms of average Nusselt number.The experimental results show that the Nusselt number value is directly proportional to the increase of the Reynolds number,and the number of turbulators inserts.With the use of three novel turbulators,the heat transfer was about 3.15 times higher than that in the smooth tube and the friction factor was about 1.11.

Experiment Study on the Exhaust-Gas Heat Exchanger for Small and Medium-Sized Marine Diesel Engine

This paper aims to design a special exchanger to recover the exhaust gas heat of marine diesel engines used in small and medium-sized fishing vessels,which can then be used to heat water up to 55°C–85°C for membrane desalination devices to produce fresh water.A new exhaust-gas heat exchanger of fins and tube,with a reinforced heat transfer tube section,unequal spacing fins,a mixing zone between the fin groups and four routes tube bundle,was designed.Numerical simulations were also used to provide reference information for structural design.Experiments were carried out for exhaust gas waste heat recovery from a marine diesel engine in an engine test bench utilizing the heat exchanger.The experimental results show that the difference between heat absorption by water and heat reduction of exhaust gas is less than 6.5%.After the water flow rate was adjusted,the exhaust gas waste heat recovery efficiency was higher than 70%,and the exhaust-gas heat exchanger’s outlet water temperature was 55°C–85°C at different engine loads.This means that the heat recovery from the exhaust gas of a marine diesel engine meets the requirement to drive a membrane desalination device to produce fresh water for fishers working in small and medium-sized fishing vessels.

Optimizing Grids Demand Reduction through Enhanced Heat Transfer in Low-Temperature Waste Heat Driven ORC Systems

With increasing awareness of energy conservation and environmental protection, the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system has gained significant attention. This technology enables the recovery of industrial waste heat, waste incineration heat, and renewable energy sources such as geothermal heat, biomass energy, and solar energy at lower temperatures. However, the low-grade heat source utilized in ORC systems faces a challenge to achieving high power generation efficiency and output power. Therefore, enhancing the power generation capacity of ORC systems is a key research focus in this field. An entranced heat exchanger ORC system with the screw expander driven by the low-temperature heat source is established to investigate the relevant performance. Hot water temperature from 77°C to 132°C is adopted for performance analysis, while the environmental temperature is approximately 25°C. Refrigerant R245fa is selected as the working fluid, and the screw expander is employed for power generation. It is worth noting that the entranced heat exchanger ORC system has significant potential for low-temperature heat recovery. Experimental results indicate that the maximum power output is 12.83 kW, which is obtained at around 105°C hot water inlet temperature. Correspondingly, the average power output remains 11.75 kW, revealing the system’s high stability for power generation. The implementation of a plate heat exchanger for enhanced heat transfer has enabled a 50% reduction in system size compared to traditional shell-tube type ORC systems. Besides, economic calculations demonstrate substantial benefits associated with the ORC system. The calculations indicate an internal benefit of 560,000 RMB/year, accompanied by notable external benefits such as an energy saving and emission reduction potential of up to 784 t CO2 per year. Moreover, the payback period is 2.23 years. It shows a remarkable improvement in terms of performance and excellent economic benefits. As a result, the novel ORC presents a promising alternative for low-grade heat utilization as compared to conventional small-scale ORC systems.

The Use of Models to Evaluate Corrosion Effects on Mild Steel Heat Exchanger in Water and Mono Ethanol Amine (MEA)

Heat exchanger is an important equipment used in process industries for cooling and heating purposes. Its design configuration which involves the flow of cold and hot fluids within the exchanger subjects it to corrosion attack. The article utilized the principle of mass and energy conservation in the development of weight and temperature models to study the effect of corrosion on mild steel coupon inside the exchanger containing water and Mono ethanol amine (MEA). The models developed were resolved analytically using Laplace Transform and simulated using Excel as simulation tool and data obtained from experiment in the laboratory to obtain profiles of weight loss and temperature as a function of time. The weight loss and performance of mild steel under various corrosive conditions were examined which indicates the effect of corrosion on the mild steel heat exchanger in water and MEA media. The result shows that water is more corrosive than MEA at higher temperatures and at lower temperatures of 35°C and 1 atm, MEA has inhibitive properties than water as indicated by the weight loss result with time. The comparative analysis between the results obtained from the model simulation and experimental results shows that the result obtained from the model is more reliable and demonstrated better performance characteristics as it clearly shows mild steel heat exchanger experiences more corrosive effect in water medium than MEA at higher temperatures. And at lower temperatures, MEA becomes more inhibitive and less corrosive than water. The model simulation results correlate with various literatures and hence, it is valid for future referencing.

Localized Theoretical Analysis of Thermal Performance of Individually Finned Heat Pipe Heat Exchanger for Air Conditioning with Freon R404A as Working Fluid

This work contributes to the improvement of energy-saving in air conditioning systems. The objective is to apply the thermal efficiency of heat exchangers for localized determination of the thermal performance of heat exchangers with individually finned heat pipes. The fundamental parameters used for performance analysis were the number of fins per heat pipe, the number of heat pipes, the inlet temperatures, and the flow rates of hot and cold fluids. The heat exchanger under analysis uses Freon 404A as a working fluid in an air conditioning system for cooling in the Evaporator and energy recovery in the Condenser. The theoretical model is localized and applied individually to the Evaporator, Condenser, and heat exchanger regions. The results obtained through the simulation are compared with experimental results that use a global approach for the heat exchanger. The thermal quantities obtained through the theoretical model in the mentioned regions are air velocity, Nusselt number, thermal effectiveness, heat transfer rate, and outlet temperature. The comparisons made with global experimental results are in excellent agreement, demonstrating that the localized theoretical approach developed is consistent and can be used as a comprehensive analysis tool for heat exchangers using heat pipes.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 may cause liver injury via Na^(+)/H^(+) exchanger

The liver has many significant functions,such as detoxification,the urea cycle,gluconeogenesis,and protein synthesis.Systemic diseases,hypoxia,infections,drugs,and toxins can easily affect the liver,which is extremely sensitive to injury.Systemic infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 can cause liver damage.The primary regulator of intracellular pH in the liver is the Na+/H+exchanger(NHE).Physiologically,NHE protects hepatocytes from apoptosis by making the intracellular pH alkaline.Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 increases local angiotensin II levels by binding to angiotensinconverting enzyme 2.In severe cases of coronavirus disease 2019,high angiotensin II levels may cause NHE overstimulation and lipid accumulation in the liver.NHE overstimulation can lead to hepatocyte death.NHE overstimulation may trigger a cytokine storm by increasing proinflammatory cytokines in the liver.Since the release of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 increases with NHE activation,the virus may indirectly cause an increase in fibrinogen and D-dimer levels.NHE overstimulation may cause thrombotic events and systemic damage by increasing fibrinogen levels and cytokine release.Also,NHE overstimulation causes an increase in the urea cycle while inhibiting vitamin D synthesis and gluconeogenesis in the liver.Increasing NHE3 activity leads to Na+loading,which impairs the containment and fluidity of bile acid.NHE overstimulation can change the gut microbiota composition by disrupting the structure and fluidity of bile acid,thus triggering systemic damage.Unlike other tissues,tumor necrosis factor-alpha and angiotensin II decrease NHE3 activity in the intestine.Thus,increased luminal Na+leads to diarrhea and cytokine release.Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-induced local and systemic damage can be improved by preventing virus-induced NHE overstimulation in the liver.