Counter Flow Heat Exchanger Example

We combine these two types together with an index n to indicate the flow direction of fluid 2.

Counter flow heat exchanger example.

In counter flow heat exchangers the fluids enter the exchanger from opposite ends. A cocurrent heat exchanger is an example of a cocurrent flow exchange mechanism. A counterflow heat exchanger will require less heat exchange surface area than a parallel flow heat exchanger for the same heat transfer rate and the same inlet and outlet temperatures for the fluids. In parallel flow heat exchangers the two fluids enter the exchanger at the same end and travel in parallel to one another to the other side.

For a parallel flow heat exchanger n 0 and for a counterflow heat exchanger n 1. The direction in which the two fluids travel through the heat exchanger can be either parallel flow or counter flow. The counter current design is the most efficient in that it can transfer. Crossflow parallel flow and counterflow heat exchanger configurations are three examples.

In a shell and tube heat exchanger coolant usually flows through the central tube core to cool hot oil water or air which passes over and around the tubes. The simplest heat exchanger is one for which the hot and cold fluids move in the same or opposite directions in a concentric tube or double pipe construction. Consider a parallel flow or counterflow heat exchanger consisting of fluid 1 fluid 2 and the wall separating these two fluids. A heat exchanger can have several different flow patterns.

Two tubes have a liquid flowing in the same direction. There are three primary classifications of heat exchangers according to their flow arrangement.