Vijay Kumar Konda
Independent Researcher
India
Abstract
Heat exchangers are crucial components in many industrial processes, where improving their thermal performance can significantly enhance energy efficiency. One effective method for augmenting heat transfer inside tube heat exchangers is the use of twisted tape inserts, which induce swirl flow and turbulence, thereby increasing convective heat transfer coefficients. This study investigates the impact of twisted tape inserts on the heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics in tube heat exchangers. Various configurations of twisted tapes, including plain twisted tapes and perforated twisted tapes with different twist ratios, were experimentally analyzed. The results demonstrate that twisted tape inserts can increase the Nusselt number by up to 2.5 times compared to plain tubes, though at the expense of increased pressure drop. Optimization of twist ratio is critical to balance heat transfer enhancement and hydraulic performance. The study concludes that twisted tape inserts provide a simple and effective way to improve thermal performance in shell-and-tube heat exchangers, contributing to energy-efficient heat transfer applications in industries.
Keywords Heat transfer enhancement, twisted tape inserts, tube heat exchanger, Nusselt number, pressure drop, turbulence augmentation.
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