Computational Analysis of Shell Components in a Single Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchanger

This study investigates the optimisation parameters of a single-segment baffle, one-pass shell-and-tube counterflow heat exchanger, which is commonly used in industry. The objective was to minimise the pressure drop while optimising the heat transfer efficiency by using suitable tube arrangements, baffle cuts, and baffle inclination angles. The overall heat transfer coefficient and total heat transfer rate were calculated using the logarithmic mean temperature difference (LMTD) method. ANSYS FLUENT v19.2 and SOLIDWORKS 2018 were used to simulate incompressible liquid water model under steady-state conditions. The tested parameters included tube arrangements at 20°, 45°, 60°, and 90°; baffle cuts at 25% and 36%; and baffle inclination angles at 0°, 20°, and 30°. The results indicated that the combination of a 90° tube arrangement, a 25% baffle cut, and a 20° baffle inclination provided optimal performance based on the experimental setup. The results of this research provide insights into enhancing the efficiency of shell-and-tube heat exchangers, thereby addressing issues related to the complexity of the shell-side geometry.