Performance Evaluation of the Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger with the Geometry and Arrangement of Fan-Shaped Baffles

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of fan-shaped baffle configurations on the heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop in a shell-and-tube heat exchanger. Usually, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger is equipped with plate-type baffles generating turbulent flow, enhancing heat transfer. However, a promotion in turbulence also leads to a rise in the pressure drop of the shell-side flow, resulting in higher operational costs for the heat exchanger. To investigate the effect of the baffle on the performance of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger, several designs of baffles were analyzed, including configurations without baffles, with single and double-segment baffles, and double, triple and quadruple fan-shaped baffles. Numerical simulations were conducted using ANSYS CFX 2024 R2. The results indicated that the conventional segment baffle had the highest heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop, and heat transfer rate. However, it is noted that some configurations of fan-shaped baffles showed the higher thermal enhancement factors than conventional baffles.