Thermal-hydraulic characteristics and performance of 3D wavy channel based printed circuit heat exchanger

Abstract

CFD study is done here to propose an efficient PCHE (Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger) model; used as a recuperator in International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). 3D steady state conjugate heat-transfer numerical simulations are done; considering the variation of thermo-physical properties as a function of temperature. Helium is used as a working fluid and alloy 617 as solid substrate. The study is done for various angle of bend (θ = 0°(straight), 5°, 10° and 15°) and Reynolds number (Re = 350, 700, 1400 and 2100). Various types of flow patterns, within one wavy-section, are presented to analyze thermal-hydraulic characteristics. Thermal hydraulic performance parameters are presented for the various wavy-sections as well as within a section; and for the complete PCHE model. Heat transfer enhancement as compared to pressure penalty is higher for the wavy channel; and increases with increasing Re and θ. Wavy as compared to plane channel based PCHE is demonstrated here to give better thermal-hydraulic performance. A detailed characteristics as well as performance-parameters for thermal hydraulics in a 3D wavy channel based PCHE model − not found in the literature − is presented here.