CFD Simulation of a Counter
Flow Heat Exchanger for
Refrigerant Subcooling
Exercise 1
Virgil T. Caballero
ME213-OL
What is counter flow heat exchanger?
A counter-flow heat exchanger is one in which the direction
of the flow of one of the working fluids is opposite to the
direction to the flow of the other fluid.
Source: Parallel and Counter Flow Designs Heat Exchangers
Engineers Edge:
https://www.engineersedge.com/heat_transfer/parallel_counter_flow_designs.htm
Details of the exercise
1. Go to link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEvV8jsBOsI This contains a detailed
tutorial on the CFD Analysis of Double Pipe Counter Flow Heat Exchanger.
2. 2. Follow all steps and specifications in the tutorial except for the working fluid. For the
cold fluid, use liquid water at 25°C (298 K); while for the hot fluid, refrigerant is to be
used. For my simulation we will be using R123.
3. In defining fluid properties, constant values can be used for the cold fluid at the given
temperature. However, for the hot fluid (refrigerant) properties, constant values are not
preferred. Instead, Density, Specific Heat, Thermal Conductivity and Viscosity should be
expressed as function of temperature. Each property can be linear, piecewise-linear,
polynomial, piecewise-polynomial function of the temperature. Temperature of Hot Fluid
can be taken as 42°C (315 K)
4. Refer below for a link to my google drive to get a copy of NIST-REFPROP to be used as
reference for the properties of the working fluid assigned to each of you.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MxVzVXK9ZV6xm1VANySjH1Kpcu6snFVX?u
sp=sharing Upon download, you can create a shortcut of the application file, which can
be found in the file folder, to your desktop and it will now be ready for utilization. NIST-
REFPROP (Reference Fluid Thermodynamic and Transport Properties Database),
reputable and reliable (since it is continually updated) can be used in dealing with
problems requiring working fluid properties.
Geometry
1. Start ANSYS Workbench
Start All Programs ANSYS 2022 R1 Workbench 2022 R1
2. To Create a new Fluent fluid flow analysis system double-
click the Fluid Flow (Fluent) option under Analysis Systems in
the Toolbox.
3. To Name the analysis,
a. Double-click the Fluid Flow (Fluent) label underneath the
analysis
system (if it is not already highlighted).
b. Enter Double Pipe heat Exchanger for the name of the
analysis
system.
4. To Save the project,
a. Select the Save option under the File menu in ANSYS
Workbench.
File Save
1. Use ANSYS DesignModeler for ANSYS 2022 R1
2. Set the units in ANSYS Design Modeler
Units to Millimeter
3. Create the geometry.
Sketch the Outer Pipe by Sketching two circles and set
Dimension Input Dimension (D1 : 70mm; D2 : 66mm)
To Rename the sketch,
XYPlane Sketch1 (right click) Rename Outer Pipe
To Create Inner Pipe
XYPlane (Create New Sketch) Sketching create two
circles Dimension Input Dimension (D3 : 42mm; D2 :
34mm)
Rename the sketch
XYPlane Sketch2 (right click) Rename Inner Pipe
Extrude the faces of the pipe to form a straight inlet and
outlet lengths
To Extrude Outer Pipe
XYPlane Outer Pipe Extrude Apply
To Extrude Inner Pipe
XYPlane Inner Pipe Extrude Apply
Note: Set the pipe length to Outer@625 and Inner @750
6. To Form the parts of the pipes, use the Fill tool
Fill Inner Pipe
Tools Fill select the inside of the Outer Pipe Apply
Generate
Fill Outer Pipe
Tools Fill select the inside of the Outer Pipe Apply
Generate
7. To create the fourth Solid Part, subtract the from the outer and
Inner Pipe the inside of Outer Wall.
Click on the 4th Solid Create Boolean Operation:
Subtract
Target Bodies: select on the inside of outer wall and Apply
Tool Bodies: select on the Inner Pipe and inside of Inner Pipe Cold Fluid Hot Fluid
Apply Preserve Tool Bodies: Yes Generate
8. Finally, Rename all the Four Parts: Outer Wall, Inner Wall, Hot
Fluid, Solid Fluid
Select all Parts Right Click Form New Part
Inner Wall Outer Wall
9. Extend the pipe to form the whole length using the mirror tool
Create Mirror
Mirror Details: Refer to the figure below
Select all 4 Parts
Explode Part 1 and Part 2
Part1 Right Click Explode Part Part2 Right Click Explode
Part
10. Merge the two parts by using the Boolean tool
Create Boolean Operation: Unite select the two Outer
Wall Part Apply
Create Boolean Operation: Unite select the two Inner
Wall Part Apply
Create Boolean Operation: Unite select the two Hot Fluid
Part Apply
Create Boolean Operation: Unite select the two Cold
Fluid Part Apply
Select All Part Right Click Form New Part
11. Save File
Meshing
1. Open the ANSYS Meshing application.
In the ANSYS Workbench Project Schematic, double-click
the Mesh cell in the Double Pipe Heat Exchanger System.
This will open the ANSYS Meshing application.
2. Generate Mesh
Right click on Mesh Generate Mesh
3. Edit Mesh
Edit Face Mesh
Right Click, Mesh Insert Face Meshing Generate
Detail of “Face Meshing: Choose Outer Wall, Inside of Outer
Wall and Inner Wall
Edit mesh sizing
Outer Wall Face sizing
Click Mesh Insert Sizing Details of Sizing Generate
Note: First Hide Hot and Cold Fluid body before proceeding with
details of sizing. Refer to the images below for details.
Meshing
Inner Wall Face sizing
Select Mesh Insert Sizing Details of Sizing Generate
Note: Refer to the images for the details.
Insert inflation
Inner Wall inflation
Select Mesh Insert Inflation Details of Sizing Generate
Note: Hide Cold Fluid body before proceeding with details of
sizing.
Cold Fluid Inflation
Select Mesh Insert Inflation Details of Sizing Generate
Note: Show Cold Fluid body and hide Inner Wall before
proceeding with details of sizing.
Meshing
Generated Mesh of Inflation
See Image for the sample of generated mesh using the inflation
tool for reference.
Rename the Parts of the double pipe heat exchanger. By
using the Named Selection tool.
CFD Simulation
Since the geometry and mesh are done, we can now proceed
with the CFD Simulation.
See Image for the Launcher conditions.
1. Set up Models
Select Models Double click Energy to On (refer to Fig.1)
Double-click Viscous set type to k Epsilon (2 eq’n) select
in k-epsilon model: Realizable select in Near-Wall
Treatment: Enhanced Wall Treatment and click OK
CFD Simulation
2. Setting up Materials
Set up Fluid 1
Select Materials Create/Edit Fluent Database select
water-liquid (h2o) click Copy Close Create/Change
Set up Fluid 2
In Material Type, select Fluid Fluent Database select any
fluid and change Name: r123_refrigerant edit Fluid Properties,
choose piecewise-linear for Density, Specific Heat, Thermal
Conductivity and Viscosity enter the values as the minimum
value based from the saturation points at equilibrium of r123
click Change/Create click Close
CFD Simulation
2. Setting up Materials
Set Up Solid
Select Materials Material Type: Solid Fluent Database
Steel Copy Close Change/Create Close
3. Set Up Cell Zone Conditions
Double click Cell Zone Conditions select cold fluid and
choose in material name: water-liquid Ok
Under Cell Zone Conditions select hot fluid and choose in
material name: r123_refrigerant Ok
Under Cell Zone Conditions select cold fluid and choose in
material name: water-liquid Ok
Under Cell Zone Conditions select inner_pipe and choose in
material name: steel Ok
Under Cell Zone Conditions select outer_pipe and choose
in material name: steel Ok
CFD Simulation
4. Set Up Boundary Conditions
Double click Boundary Conditions select the
adiabatic_wall choose in material name: steel Ok
Double click Boundary Conditions select the wall-
cold_fluid-inner_pipe choose in material name: steel Ok
Double click Boundary Conditions select the wall-
cold_fluid-outer_pipe choose in material name: steel Ok
Double click Boundary Conditions select the wall-hot_fluid-
inner_pipe Thermal tab choose in material name: steel
Ok
CFD Simulation
4. Set Up Boundary Conditions
Under Boundary Conditions select cold_inlet on the
Momentum tab, Mass Flow Specification Method: Mass Flow
Rate Mass
Set Flow Rate (kg/s) to 0.081 on the Thermal Tab, Total
Temperature: 298 and click Ok
Under Boundary Conditions select hot_inlet on the
Momentum tab, Mass Flow Specification Method: Mass Flow
Rate Mass
For Flow Rate, set to (kg/s): 0.19 on Thermal Tab, Total
Temperature: 315 and click Ok
Under Boundary Conditions select the wall-inner_pipe on
the Thermal Conditions, choose: via System Coupling
Material Name: Steel Ok
Under Boundary Conditions select the wall-outer_pipe on
the Thermal Conditions, choose: via System Coupling
Material Name: Steel Ok
CFD Simulation
5. Obtain Solution - Residuals
Under the solutions tab, select Initialization method as
standard Then set compute from all-zones in the drop down
Then click Initialize
Also under the solutions tab, select Residuals and follow the
settings on the image.
In the outline view, double click the Run Calculation to setup
your calculation parameters and then click check case.
Once clicked, proceed by clicking Calculate and wait for the
calculation to finish.
CFD Simulation
5. Obtain Solution – Average Static Temperature
In the results tab, select Surface Integrals then set the
parameters as; Report type: Facet Average Field Variable:
Temperature default as Static temperature Select Inlet
and Outlet parts.
Using H2O@298K for cold fluid entering and R123@315K for
hot fluid entering;
To Obtain the results; In the ANSYS workbench double click
the Results selection.
CFD Simulation
6. Obtain Results – Streamline
To setup streamline click the streamline icon Then
rename it as hot_inlet Then select start from
hot_inlet from the dropdown and click apply
Repeat the same steps as hot_inlet with the cold_inlet
while using the cold_fluid name and selecting
cold_inlet from the dropdown.
Using the streams, the model could be animated. By
clicking this icon and selecting cold_fluid and
hot_fluid choose the speed of animation and then
play.
CFD Simulation
6. Obtain Results – Streamline
Hot and cold fluid meets where
a change in temperature and
Hot and cold fluid entering the pipes. speed is visible. The process repeats.
6. Obtain Results – Volume Rendering
To render hot and cold fluid, click Volume rendering in the variables dropdown select
Temperature and click apply.
Results
Conclusion
The result of the simulation of the double pipe heat exchanger using the refrigerant R123 converged at
solutions 92 and 93 at 200 iterations. Using ANSYS, the computation of the temperature was made
simple. Using the surface integrals, the program was able to compute the outlet temperatures in a short
period of time. The program was also able to show points of interest that could be studied further in the
model using the animations and color designation in the model. While the configuration changes with
the inputs in the program it was easier to troubleshoot problems in the configuration that introduced
problems in the computation.
ANSYS CFD is very useable in applying theoretical experimentations that otherwise would have been
time and money consuming and would require special tools to measure the results of the experiment. A
good example of this is the access to R123, setup of the heat exchanger and the materials that would
be used in building the prototype. Using CAD and CFD, the need for a physical prototype has been
eliminated for the initial stages of the study.
Using ANSYS for this activity, I have learned some of the tools being used in creating simulations and
what might be the parameters that can affect the end result of your simulation. Although it has a
learning curve, the updates introduced in the newer version of ANSYS made the necessary tools for the
job easily visible while being straight forward in operation.
