Heat Transfer Enhancement Using Variable Pitch Swirl Flow Device in Single Tube Heat Exchanger

Abstract

Energy and material saving considerations, as well as economic incentives, have led toward making effort for producing more efficient heat exchange equipment such as solar air heaters, heat exchangers. The present study explored the effect of variable pitch swirl flow device on convective heat transfer. The experiments were performed with swirl floe device using different pitch of 150 mm, 100 mm and 50 mm using water as the testing tube. The Reynolds number is varied by varying the flow rate of the water. The experimental results demonstrated that convective heat transfer coefficient increases by using swirl flow device. As the pitch is decreased from 150 to 100 to 50 mm the heat transfer coefficient increased. Performance evaluation criteria is maximum for 50 m pitch of swirl flow device. 4. As the Reynolds number increases performance evaluation criteria for a particular pitch decreases which indicated that at higher Reynolds number effect of turbulence element becomes less significant.