Analysis of Two Fluid Four-Channel Heat Exchanger Using Finite Element Method

The development of heat exchangers from two streams to multi-stream passage arrangement becomes a key problem for heat exchanger design. In this paper, a new design is developed for multi-stream (four-channel) heat exchanger. Multi-channel heat exchangers are extensively used in refrigeration and air conditioning, chemical industries, milk pasteurization, cryogenics industries and energy-recovery applications due to their higher heat transfer rates. The focus of this study is to determine the performance of four-channel counter flow heat exchanger. The hot and cold fluids are assumed to recirculate and exchange heat between them. Finite element model of the heat exchanger is developed based on the detailed geometry and the specific working conditions with the help of which effectiveness of the four-channel heat exchanger is computed. Non-Dimensional parameters are introduced which makes the analysis more versatile. The effectiveness is computed for different values of NTU and heat capacity ratio.