CL 333 Chemical Engineering Lab-2 [2019]

Experiment Number HT - 303

Title Plate heat exchanger

Sub-group Code A1a

Date of Experiment 30th September 2019

Date of Report Submission 14th October 2019

Roll Number Name Responsibility owned

(data, analysis, plots, report,
none)

170020005 Mansuri Asad Report

170020008 Geetika Jain Hypotheses, derived data

170020113 Madhu Kiran Golla graphs

160020067 Nitin Kumar Aim, apparatus, theory

170020053 Suryansh Dodara Data table

170020102 Rahu Sahu Calculations, Observation

(For use by examiners only)

Criterion TA assigned marks Faculty assigned marks

Calculations [35]

Graphical plots [20]

Hypothesis testing [35]

Report quality [10]

Initials with date

R&P TA initials with date

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 CONTENTS

1. Objective_______________________________________ 3
2. Apparatus Required_______________________________ 3
3. Theory _________________________________________ 3
4. Procedure_______________________________________ 4
5. Set-up__________________________________________ 4
6. Results_________________________________________ 5
6.1 Raw Data
6.2 Sample Calculations
6.3 Error Analysis
6.4 Derived data
6.5 Plots
7. Discussions_____________________________________ 14
7.1 Observations
7.2 Questions
7.3 Hypothesis
8. Conclusion______________________________________15

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1. Objective
● To determine the individual and overall heat transfer coefficient in a plate heat exchanger.
● To analyze the performance of a co-current plate heat exchanger.
● To verify the relation between h, Re, Pr - hD​e​/k = 0.26*Re​0.65​*Pr​0.4​ .

2. Apparatus required
● Stainless steel non-corrugated plate heat exchanger with digital temperature indicator.
● Thermocouples.
● Insulated stainless steel tank with a heater Hot fluid.
● Circulation pumps with a valve to control the flow rate.
● Rotameters to measure the flow rate of hot and cold fluid.

3. Theory
A plate exchanger consists of a series of parallel plates that are placed one above the other so
as to allow the formation of a series of channels for fluids flow between them .
The channel plates are compressed to achieve metal-to-metal contact for pressure-retaining
integrity.
Narrow gaps and high number of contact points which change fluid flow direction , combine
to create very high turbulence between the plates.

​ Nu = hD​e​/k = 0.26*Re​0.65​*Pr​0.4
Where , D​e​ is the equivalent diameter
k is the thermal conductivity of the fluid

​ NTU = ΔT(h) / ΔT(ln)

Where , ΔT(h) = Thi - Tho
ΔT(ln) = (T(hi)-T(ci)) - (T(ho)-T(co)) / ln( (T(hi)-T(ci))/(T(ho)-T(co)) )

Overall heat transfer coefficient:-

1/U​theo​ = 1/h​c +
​ 1/h​h ​ + Δx/k
Where ,
N = No. of plates
h​c ​= heat transfer coefficient of a cold fluid
h​h​ = heat transfer coefficient of a hot fluid
Δx = distance between plates
k = conductivity of plates

​U​exp​ = Q / (f*N*A*ΔT​LMTD​)
Where ,
Q = calculated heat
f = correction factor
A = area of one side of plate

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4. Procedure
1. Turn on the control panel for the hot fluid circulation pump and the digital temperature
indicators.
2. Note the inlet and outlet fluid temperatures and this error should be doing the
calculations.
3. Switch on the hot fluid heater and set the temperature of the hot fluid to 60 ℃.
4. Start the cold water supply from the tank and keep this flow rate constant throughout
the experiment.
5. Adjust the flow rate of the hot fluid to its maximum value initially and note down the
flow rate through the rotameter.
6. Once the inlet and outlet temperatures of the hot and cold fluids reach steady states,
note down the values.
7. Reduce the flow rate in equal intervals and repeat step 5
8. Start increasing the flow rate in the same equal intervals once the flow rate reaches its
minimum value.

5. Setup

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6. Results
6.1 Raw Data
Least counts:
Temperature measurement: 0.1​o​ C
Flow rate measurement: 6lph

Number of plates: 6
Length of plate: 14.7 cm
Width of plate: 6.4 cm
Distance between two plates: 0.9mm
Total distance between the plates: 1.4cm
Thickness of the plate = 0.1583 cm
Cold fluid flow rate: 240 lph

Flow Rates (lpm) T​in​ ℃ (Hot) T​out​ ℃ (Hot) T​in​ ℃ (Cold) T​out​ ℃ (Cold)

0 31 30.9 29 30.6

300 72 63.6 27.9 32.3

240 72 62.9 27.9 32.3

180 72 61.0 27.6 31.4

120 73 58.2 27.7 31.2

60 73 44.7 27.7 30.6

120 73 58.2 27.7 31.2

180 73 61.2 27.8 31.5

240 72 63.0 27.8 31.9

300 72 63.8 27.8 32.0

6.2 Sample Calculations

Temperature reading when heater was off (no heat transfer) :-
Temperature at hot outlet = T0,H = 30.9 degC
Temperature at hot inlet = TI,H = 31 degC
Temperature at cold outlet = T0,C = 30.6 degC
Temperature at cold inlet = TI,C = 29 degC

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 ​ 31- 30.9 = 0.1 ​ C
O​
Zero error in hot fluid temperature measurement = ΔT​H Correction =
​ 30.6 - 29 = 1.6 ​ C
O​
Zero error in cold fluid temperature measurement = ΔT​C Correction =

The above ΔT​H Correction​ ​and ΔT​C Correction ​is the zero error and it should be subtracted from the
T​O,H and
​ T​C,H respectively
​

For a flow rate of 300 Lph :

We have,
Temperature at hot outlet = T​O,H​ = 63.6​O​C
Temperature at hot inlet = T​I,H​ = 72 O​​ C
Temperature at cold outlet = T​O,C​ = 32.3​O​C
Temperature at cold inlet = T​I,C​ = 27.9 O​​ C

So, after zero error correction, we get

Temperature at hot outlet = T​O,H Corrected​ = 63.6 O​​ C
Temperature at hot inlet = T​I,H Corrected​ = 72-0.1 = 71.9 O​​ C
Temperature at cold outlet = T​O,C Corrected​ = 32.3 O​​ C
Temperature at cold inlet = T​I,C Corrected​ = 27.9 + 1.6 = 29.5 O​​ C

For the given temperature range following are the properties of Mono EthyleneGlycol (hot fluid)

Density of Monoethylene Glycol = 𝜌​H =

​ 1100 kg/m3
Viscosity of Monoethylene Glycol = 𝛍​H =
​ 0.0057 Pa.s
Heat Capacity of Monoethylene Glycol = C​P, H =
​ 2600 J/kg.K
Thermal Conductivity of Monoethylene Glycol = k​H ​= 0.26 W/m.K

For the given temperature range following are the properties of Water (hot fluid)

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Density of Water = 𝜌​C =
​ 1000 kg/m​
Viscosity of water = 𝛍​C =
​ 0.001 Pa.s
Heat Capacity of water = C​P, C =
​ 4180 J/kg.K
Thermal Conductivity of water = k​C = ​ 0.6 W/m.K

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Using the correlation for the​ theoretical calculation of heat transfer coefficient (h)​ as:
μ
N u = 0.26Re0.65 P r0.4 ( μ ) 0.14
w

Assuming that the bulk and boundary temperature to be the same in the experiment: 𝛍 = 𝛍​w
Thus, the correlation reduces to:
N u = 0.26Re0.65 P r0.4
Calculation for the heat transfer coefficient of Cold Fluid:
​ ​1000 kg/m​
3
𝜌​C =
𝛍​C ​= ​0.001 Pa.s
C​P, C ​= 4180 J/kg.K
K​C =​ 0.6 W/m.K
V olumetric f low rate
V = Plug flow velocity = Cross−section area in each slot of f low * Slots with cold f luid
= 1.399 m/s

De = Hydraulic Diameter = 4*(cross−section area of each slot)

perimeter of each slot
2*b*w
= b+w
= 1.775 x 10​-3 ​m
ρ*V *De
Reynolds No. = Re​C​ = μC
= 2482.398
μC *C p,C
Prandtl No. = Pr​C =
​ kC
= 57
Nusselt No. (Cold) = N uC = 0.26Re0.65 P r0.4
= 210.858
We know that Nusselt no. Nu​C ​= (h​C​*De) / (k​C​) = 210.858
2
⇒ h​C =​ (210.858*0.6)/(0.001775) = 71275.878 W/K.m​
2
⇒ h​C =
​ 171275.878 W/K.m​

Calculation of the heat transfer coefficient of Hot Fluid:

𝜌​H ​= 1100 kg/m3
𝛍​H =​ 0.0057 Pa.s
C​P, H =
​ 2600 J/kg.K
k​H =
​ 0.26 W/m.K
V olumetric f low rate
V = Plug flow velocity = Cross−section area in each slot of f low * Slots with cold f luid
= 1.447 m/s

De = Hydraulic Diameter = 4*(cross−section

area of each slot)
perimeter of each slot
2*b*w
= b+w
= 1.775 x 10​-3 ​ m
ρ*V *De
Reynolds No. = Re​H​ = μH
= 495.579
H *C p,H
Prandtl No. = Pr​H ​= kH
= 6.967
Nusselt No. (Hot) = N uH = 0.26Re0.65 P r0.4
= 31.916
We know that Nusselt no. Nu​H =
​ (h​H​*De) / (k​H​) = 31.916
⇒ h​H =
​ (31.916*0.26)/(0.001775) = 4674.998 W/K.m2
⇒ h​H =
​ 4674.998 W/K.m
Calculation of overall heat transfer coefficient (theoretical):
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We have,
1 / (U​theo​) = (1 / h​H​) + (1 / h​C​) + (Δx / (k))
where,
h​H = ​ heat transfer coefficient fpr the hot fluid = 4674.998 W/K.m2
h​C =​ heat transfer coefficient for the cold fluid = 71275.878 W/K.m2
k​ =
​ Thermal Conductivity of plate (stainless steel) = 32.862 W/m.K
Δx = thickness of single plate = 0.0095 m
N = No. of plates
Therefore,
1 / (U​theo​) = (1 / 4674.998) + (1 / 71275.878) + (0.0095 / (71275.878))
= 0.0003
U​theo​= 3333.33 W/m​2​.K
Now since there are 6 plates we need to multiply this number by 6, hence,
2​
⇒ U​theo =
​ 3333.33 x 6 = 21730.068 W/m​ .K

Calculation for Heat Loss:

Mass flow rate of cold fluid = M​C =​ 𝜌​C ​* ​ Volumetric flow rate ​= ​1000 * (300*(0.001/3600)) = 0.0806 Kg/s

​ ​ Volumetric flow rate ​= ​1100 * (340*(0.001/3600)) = 0.0917 Kg/s

​ 𝜌​H *
Mass flow rate of hot fluid = M​H =
O​
Temperature difference in hot fluid stream = ΔT​H​ = T​I,H Corrected -​ ​ T​ ​ (71.9 - 63.6) = 8.3 ​ C
​ O,H Corrected =
O​
Temperature difference in cold fluid stream= ΔT​H​= T​I,C Corrected -​ ​ T​ ​ (32.3 - 29.5) = 2.8 ​ C
​ O,C Corrected =

​ ​M​H *
Heat lost from hot stream = Q​hot = ​ ΔT​H​ ​= 0.0917 * 2600 * 8.3 = 1978.17 W
​ C​P, H *
Heat absorbed by cold stream = Q​cold =​ ​M​C * ​ ΔT​C​ ​= 0.08306 * 4180 * 2.8 = 942.757 W
​ C​P, C *

Heat Loss = Q​Loss ​= Q​hot ​- Q​cold ​ = 1035.409 W

⇒ Heat Loss = 1035.409 W

Calculation of Log mean Temperature difference, NTU and Correction factor “f”:
Log Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD) for the co-current heat exchanger = ΔT​LM

(71.9 − 29.5)−(63.6 − 32.3) o​

⇒ ΔT​ln =
​ ln(71.9 − 29.5)/(63.6 − 32.3)) = ​36.570 ​ C

NTU = ΔT​H /​ ​ΔT​LM =

​ 0.227
For NTU = 0.227, the value of correction factor (f) = 0.93.
⇒ f = 0.997
Calculation of experimental overall heat transfer coefficient:
Q = f * N * A * U​exp ​* ΔT​LM
where, A = Area of single plate = w*h = 0.147m*0.064m,
N = 6,
f = 0.997

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 If we consider the heat transferred by the hot part, (Q = Q​hot​)
Q = 1978.167 = 0.997 * 6 * 0.0094 * U​exp​ * 36.570
⇒ U​exp. hot​ = 961.166 W/m​2​.K

6.3 Derived data

Tc​i Th​i
(Corrected) (Corrected) U​exp
o​ o​
Th​o​(​ C) Tc​o​(​ C) (​o​C) (​o​C) o​
ΔT​lmtd​(​ C) o​
ΔT​h​(​ C) NTU Q​h​(W) (W/m​2​s)
1978.16
63.6 32.3 29.5 71.9 36.570 8.3 0.227 7 961.166
62.9 32.2 29.5 71.9 36.236 9 0.248 1716 841.466
61 31.4 29.2 71.9 35.751 10.9 0.305 1558.7 776.255
58.2 31.2 29.3 72.9 34.640 14.7 0.424 1401.4 718.862
44.7 30.6 29.3 72.9 26.132 28.2 1.079 1344.2 939.443
58.2 31.2 29.4 72.9 34.597 14.7 0.425 1401.4 721.200
61.2 31.5 29.4 72.9 36.162 11.7 0.324 1673.1 822.097
63 31.9 29.4 71.9 36.504 8.9 0.244 1696.93 826.006
63.8 32 29.4 71.9 36.892 8.1 0.220 1930.5 929.816

Mass Flow H
Fluid Rate (kg/s) V (m/s) Re Pr Nu (W/m​2​K)
hot 0.0917 1.447 495.579 6.967 31.916 4674.998
hot 0.0733 1.157 396.463 6.967 27.607 4043.803
hot 0.0550 0.868 297.347 6.967 22.898 3354.129
hot 0.0367 0.579 198.231 6.967 17.593 2577.036
hot 0.0183 0.289 99.116 6.967 11.212 1642.294
hot 0.0367 0.579 198.231 6.967 17.593 2577.036
hot 0.0550 0.868 297.347 6.967 22.898 3354.129
hot 0.0733 1.157 396.463 6.967 27.607 4043.803
hot 0.0917 1.447 495.579 6.967 31.916 4674.998
cold 0.0806 1.399 2482.398 57.000 210.858 71275.878

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 U theoretical
2​ 2​
h​hot​(W/m​ K) h​cold​(W/m​ K) 1/U (W/m​2​K)
4674.998 71275.878 0.0003 21730.068
4043.803 71275.878 0.0003 19385.902
3354.129 71275.878 0.0004 16650.420
2577.036 71275.878 0.0005 13325.811
1642.294 71275.878 0.0007 8940.338
2577.036 71275.878 0.0005 13325.811
3354.129 71275.878 0.0004 16650.420
4043.803 71275.878 0.0003 19385.902
4674.998 71275.878 0.0003 21730.068

Flow rate (m/s) Flow rate (m/s)

(hot) (cold) Q​hot​(Joule) Q​cold​(Joule) Q​loss​(Joule)
1.447 1.399 1978.17 942.757 1035.409
1.157 1.399 1716 909.087 806.913
0.868 1.399 1558.7 740.738 817.962
0.579 1.399 1401.4 639.728 761.672
0.289 1.399 1344.2 437.709 906.491
0.579 1.399 1401.4 606.058 795.342
0.868 1.399 1673.1 707.068 966.032
1.157 1.399 1696.93 841.747 855.186
1.447 1.399 1930.5 875.417 1055.083

6.4 Plots

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6.5 Matlab Code
figure
plot(Utheo,Uexp,'o');hold on;
plot(x,x,'o')

figure
plot(Re,Uexp);hold on;
plot(Re,Utheo)

figure
plot(Re,Qhot);hold on;
plot(Re,Qcold)

figure
plot(Re,Qloss)

figure
plot(Re,H)

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7. Discussions
7.1 Observations
1. It is observed that the heat transfer coefficient U​theo​ increases with increase in
Reynold’s Number
2. U​Theo​ is greater than U​Exp​ for all values.
3. There is significant heat loss in the system. Both Q​hot​ and Q​cold​ increase with the
increase in Reynold number.
4. Since the maximum value of Reynold's Number is less than 2000, the flow observed is
laminar

7.2 Questions
a) Why there is a large amount of heat loss from the plate heat exchanger?
b) Why does the experimental value of U much smaller than the theoretical value of U?
c) What were the various sources of error in the experiment?

7.3 Hypotheses
1. Heat transfer from hot fluid to cold fluid is not 100 % efficient and there is a
significant heat loss which increases with an increase in flow rate.
Explanation: T ​ he whole system of plate heat exchanger was not completely isolated,
because of which there is a significant heat loss to the surroundings and the whole of the
heat from hot fluid is not getting transferred to the cold fluid. The main medium of heat
loss can be through convection to surrounding air and also due to radiation from the
surface of the plates.
Q​radiation​= Aeσ (T​4​ - T​surr​4​)
= 564.48 * 10​-4​ * 6 *5.67* 10​-8​ * ( (61+273)​4​ - (25+273)​4​ )
= 80W (approx)
Q​convection​ = hA(T-T​surr​)
= 20 * 564.48 * 10​-4​ *6* (61-25)
= 250 W (approx)
Total loss - 330 W
Which is of the order of Q​loss​.
Also due to the corrugations, there might be some major losses of the fluid due to friction
as well as viscous losses.
This explains the reason for Q​hot​ not equal to Q​cold
Conclusion​:Hypothesis accepted.

2. U​theoretical​ deviates laregely from U​experimental​ due to experimental errors as well as glitches
in the correlation.
Explanation:​ Following reasons explain the above hypothesis :
a. The roughness of the surface of the plate was not taken into consideration. An
additional resistance due to it i.e. the fouling factor should be taken into account while
calculating U​theoretical​ as

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 1/U = 1/h​hot​ + 1/h​cold​ + R​fouling​ + x/k
Thus actual value of U​theoretical​ is less than what we calculated, decreasing the gap
between experimental and theoretical values.
b. The correlation used might not be the best correlation in this scenario and there might
be a better model to predict the values.
c. Experimental errors like fluctuation in the reading of the rotameter and parallex effect,
giving us wrong value of flow rate,
Conclusion: H​ ypothesis accepted

8. Conclusions
1. Overall heat transfer coefficient has been determined for the plate heat exchanger and
it deviates by a large amount from the theoretical value of U.

2. Theoretical overall heat transfer coefficient is far greater than the experimental overall
heat transfer coefficient which is expected due to large heat loss

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