© 2018 IJRTI | Volume 3, Issue 4 | ISSN: 2456-3315

CFD analysis of heat transfer enhancement in helical

coil heat exchanger by varying helix angle
1
Saket A Patel, 2Hiren T Patel
1
M.E. Student, 2Assistant Professor
1
Mechanical Engineering Department,
1
Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Technical Education & Research Centre, Navsari, India

Abstract—Helical coil heat exchanger (HCHE) is widely used in industrial applications because it can accommodate
greater heat transfer area in a less space, with higher heat transfer coefficients. In present work attempts are made to
enhance the overall heat transfer coefficient in HCHE by varying helix angle. Hot water flows in helical coil and cold
water flows in shell side. Three different angles are analyse for that. Optimum helix angle is found out by CFD analysis.
Results indicate that at 20 helix angle gives maximum overall heat transfer coefficient about 33% increases compared to 0 0
angle.

Index Terms—Helical Coil Heat Exchanger, Helix Angle, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I. INTRODUCTION
Heat exchanger are the important engineering equipments which are used for transferring heat between a solid object and a
fluid, or also between two or more fluids. The fluids are separated by a solid wall to prevent mixing or they are in direct contact.
Heat exchanger between flowing fluids is one of the important physical process of concern and variety of heat exchanger are
used in different type of installations, as in process industries, compact heat exchanger nuclear power plant, HVAC systems,
food processing, refrigeration, air conditioning etc. The purpose of constructing heat exchanger is to get efficient way of heat
transfer from one fluids to another, by direct contact or indirect contact. Heat exchanger are the important engineering systems
with wide variety of applications including power plants, nuclear reactors, refrigeration, heat recovery systems, chemical
processing and food industries. Besides the performance of the heat exchanger being improved, the heat transfer enhancement
enables the sizes of heat exchanger is considerably reduced. The enhancement in heat exchanger can be classified into three
techniques, which are active, passive and compound techniques. The active techniques require external forces, e.g. electric field,
acoustic and surface vibration. The passive techniques require special surface geometries or fluid additives. Compound heat
transfer techniques is the combination of any two or three above mentioned techniques simultaneously.

II. HELICAL COIL HEAT EXCHNAER

Helically coiled tubes can be found in many applications including food processing, nuclear reactors, compact heat exchanger,
het recovery systems, chemical processing, low value heat exchanger, and medical equipment. Curved tubes are of interest to
the medical community as flowing of blood occurs in many arteries that are curved. Helical coils are very famous for different
process such as heat exchanger due to extensive use of helical coils in these applications, knowledge about the pressure drop,
flow patterns and heat transfer characteristics are very important. Pressure drop characteristics are required for evaluating pump
power required to overcome pressure drops for providing necessary flow rates. These pressure drops are also functions of
curvature of tubes. The curvature induces secondary flow patterns which is perpendicular to the main axial flow direction. There
are various research on heat transfer in curved and helical circular tubes and it has been widely reported in literature that heat
transfer rates in helical coils are higher as compare with straight coils. The main important characteristics of coiled pipes is they
are compactness and high heat transfer performance. In spite of lot of research on numerical and experimental studies that have
been done in relation to tube side heat transfer coefficient, there are not many investigations on heat exchanger performance by
changing taper helix angle. The most important characteristics of coiled pipes are the compactness and high heat transfer
performance.
III. TERMINOLGY OF HELICALCOIL HEAT EXCHNAGER
Fig .1 shows the schematic view of the helical coil. The pipe has an inner diameter donated by 2r. the
coil diameter is represented by 2Rc which is distances between the centres of the pipes. The distance
between two turns is called as pitch H. the coil diameter is also terms as pitch circle diameter (PCD).
The ratio of pipe diameter to coil dimeter (r/Rc) is called curvature ratio. The ratio of pitch to length of
one turn (H/2π Rc) is termed non-dimension pitch, λ. Consider the projection of the coil on a plane
passing through the axial of the coil. The angle, which projection of one turn off the coil makes with a
plane which is perpendicular to the axis, is called the helix angle, α. Consider any cross section of the
pipe created by a plane passing through the coil axis. The side of pipe wall nearest to the coil axis is
termed inner side of the coil and the farthest side is termed as outer side of the coil.
1 Fig.1 Helical Pipes [1]

IJRTI1804027 International Journal for Research Trends and Innovation (www.ijrti.org) 140
 © 2018 IJRTI | Volume 3, Issue 4 | ISSN: 2456-3315

IV. APPLICATION
1. Helical coils are used for transferring heat in chemical reactors because the heat transfer coefficients are greater in these type
of coils as compared to other configurations. This phenomenon is especially important when chemical reactions have high
heats of reaction are carried out and the heat generated (or consumed) has to be transferred rapidly to maintain the
temperature of the reaction. They are widely used in petroleum industries for different applications.
2. The helical coils have a compact configuration, and because of that advantage they can be readily used in heat transfer
applications with space limitations, for example marine cooling systems, central cooling, cooling of lubrications oil, steam
generations in marine and industrial applications.
3. The helical coil heat exchangers are widely used in food and beverage industries, for example in food processing and pre-
heating, pasteurization of liquid food items, and for storing food at desired temperatures.
4. In cryogenic industry for liquefaction of gases helical coiled tubes are used extensively.
5. These types of heat exchanger used in hydro carbon processing, recovery of CO 2, cooling of liquid hydrocarbons, also used
in polymer industries for cooling purposes.
V. LITERATURE REVIEW
Jamshidi et al. [2] experimented of heat transfer rate in shell and coiled tube heat exchanger. In his work different pitch of
helical coil was experimentally analysis with varying flow rate. In the experiment helical coils were made by copper 12.7mm
outer diameter and 9mm inner diameter. All the graph showed that increasing shell side flow rate increase nusselt number.
Increasing coil pitch will also increase overall heat transfer coefficient.
Gorbani and taherian [3] concentrated their attention on mixed convection heat transfer in vertical helically coiled tube heat
exchanger. In that experiment various Reynolds numbers, various tube to coil diameter ratios and different coil pitch was
investigated. The final graph conclude that heat transfer coefficient enhances with increasing coil pitch.
Jayakumar [4] worked on thermal hydraulic characteristics of air-water two-phase flows in helical pipe. CFD analysis was
done by changing inlet void fraction for a given flow velocity. Result shows that h is less below 5% and significant above 15%
void fraction.
Jyachandraiah[5] focus his work on CFD analysis of HCHE by varying different volume flow rates at coil side with constant
flow rate at shell side. various flow rate values are 40, 60, 80, 100 and 140 LPH. Result shows that dean number increase in
coil side flow rate and the overall heat transfer coefficient increase with increase in flow rate at coil side. The greater
effectiveness of 0.80 was obtained at 40 LPH.
Ferng and lin [6] numerically investigate helically coil tube heat exchanger for different dean number and pitch size. CFD
method is used for investigation. They found that nusselt number would slightly decrease with the decreasing pitch size.
Kannaadasan [7] compare Heat transfer and pressure drop in horizontal and vertical position was experimentally. In the
experiment CuO/water based nanofluids used. The graph shows that value of friction factor decreases with increase in dean
number. Finally, he concludes that heat transfer enhancement is more in vertical position than in horizontal one.

VI. DATA COLLECTION

An attempt is made in the paper to design and perform the analysis of helical coil heat exchanger. The model is created by using
SOLIDWORKS 2017(trail version). By applying boundary conditions, CFD analysis is carried out in ANSYS 19.0(academic
version). Design data whivh is used for the design of HCHE is tabulated below.
Table 1 Geometrical Dimensions for HCHE
No. Parameters Value (mm)
1. Outer diameter of coil 12.7
2. Inner diameter of coil 9
3. Coil diameter 81.3
4. No. of coil turn 10
5. Pitch of coil 18
6. Shell outer diameter 150
7. Shell inner diameter 140
8. Length of the shell 250
For CFD analysis the boundary conditions are given to both fluids which are tabulated below. Throughout project the
boundary conditions are taken same. For both part water is used as working fluid.
Table 2 Boundary Conditions
Parameter Cold water Hot water
Mass flow rate (Kg/s) 0.051 0.051
Inlet temp.(K) 293 393
Pressure outlet (Pa) 0 0

IJRTI1804027 International Journal for Research Trends and Innovation (www.ijrti.org) 141
 © 2018 IJRTI | Volume 3, Issue 4 | ISSN: 2456-3315

VII. MODELING

Fig. 2 Design of helical coil Fig. 3 Design of Shell

VIII. MESHING
The meshing of helical coil heat exchanger is done using steady state solution and turbulence model K-є equation.

Fig. 4 Meshing of Helical Coil Heat Exchanger

IX. RESULTS
The below table shows the CFD temperature results in coil and shell sides for various helix angles.
Table 3 Temperature Results of HCHE Considering Helix Angle
Sr. Helix Coil side temperature ( K ) Shell side temperature ( K )
No. angle Inlet Outlet Inlet Outlet
1 00 323 313.704 293 302.093
2 10 323 312.972 293 303.130
3 20 323 311.702 293 303.921
4 30 323 314.680 293 301.630

Fig. 5 Temperature Contour of HCHE Containing 20 Helix Angle

IJRTI1804027 International Journal for Research Trends and Innovation (www.ijrti.org) 142
 © 2018 IJRTI | Volume 3, Issue 4 | ISSN: 2456-3315

Fig shows temperature streamlines of shell side flowing fluid and temperature contour of coil for HCHE containing 2 0 helix
angle. As the helix angle increases the coil side design is improving and area of coil is also increases. So more contact
between hot fluid and coil fluid is increases with increase in helix angle. By that transfer of heat is also increases.

Fig. 6 Pressure Contour of HCHE Containing 20 Helix Angle

Table 4 Result for Heat transfer rate and Effectiveness
Sr. Helix Heat transfer Heat transfer Effectiveness
No. angle rate of coil rate of shell (є)
(W) (W)
1 00 1984.566 1941.228 0.30
2 10 2140.838 2162.613 0.34
3 20 2411.965 2331.481 0.37
4 30 1776.204 1842.384 0.28
Table 4.4 Result for Shell Side Pressure Drop and Wall Heat Transfer Coefficient
Sr. Helix Pressure Wall Heat Transfer
No. Angle Drop (Pa) Coefficient (W/m2.K)
1 00 218.142 1900.42
2 10 193.38 1879.77
3 20 143.014 2334.51
4 30 140.921 3632.03

300

250
Shell Side Pressure Drop

200

150
(Pa)

100

50
0° 1° 2° 3°
Helix Angle (Degree)

Fig.4.15 Shell side pressure drop Vs Helix Angle

It is observed that by increasing the helix angle the pressure drop is decrease. At the helix angle 0 0 ,10 ,20 and 30 the shell
side pressure drop obtained from CFD is 218.142 Pa, 193.38 Pa, 143.014 Pa and 140.921 Pa respectively, and inlet
temperature of shell side fluid is 293K, by using all this boundary conditions shell side pressure drop and wall heat transfer
coefficient is observed. Pressure drop between 2 and 3 helix angle is around 1.46% which is less compare to 26.04% of
pressure drop between 1and 2 helix angle.

IJRTI1804027 International Journal for Research Trends and Innovation (www.ijrti.org) 143
 © 2018 IJRTI | Volume 3, Issue 4 | ISSN: 2456-3315

X. CONCLUSION

In the present study, CFD analysis is carried out to study the heat exchanger characteristics in helical coil heat exchanger. The
design and CFD analysis of study under consideration is done and has following conclusions.
 By increasing the helix angle coil side and shell side heat transfer rate is increases.
 Pressure drop is decreasing with the increasing helix angle.
 The optimum condition for increasing overall heat transfer coefficient in helical coil heat exchanger is obtained 2 0 of
helix angle.
Table 5.1 Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Result
Sr. Helix Overall heat transfer
No. angle coefficient (W/m2.K)
1 00 1851.719
2 10 2119.979
3 20 2464.137
4 30 1649.764

REFERENCES

[1] http://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0098135409002804-gr1.jpg
[2] N. Jamshidi, M farhadi, D.D Ganji , K.sedighi “Experimental analysis of heat transfer enhancement in shell and helical
tube heat exchangers”(2012)
[3] Nasser Ghorbani , Hessam Taherian, Mofid Gorji, Hessam Mirgolbabaei, “An experimental study of thermal performance
of Shell-And-Coil heat exchangers,” International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 37 ,pp.775–781 (2010)
[4] Jayakumar J.S, S.M. Mahajani, J.C. Mandal, Kannaniyer, P.K. Vijayan. 2010. CFD analysis of single-phase flows inside
helically coiled tubes.
[5] Dr. B. Jayachandraiah, H.S.S.K Praveen “heat transfer analysis of helical coil heat exchanger by using CFD analysis”
(2016)
[6] Y.M. Ferng, W.C Lin, C.C Chieng “Numerically investigated effects of different Dean Number and pitch size on flow
and heat transfer characteristics in a helically coil-tube heat exchanger”(2011)
[7] N. Kannadasan, K. Ramanathan, S. Suresh. studied on “Comparison of heat transfer and pressure drop in horizontal and
vertical helically coiled heat exchanger with CuO/water based nanofluids” (2012)

IJRTI1804027 International Journal for Research Trends and Innovation (www.ijrti.org) 144