A distributed-parameter model for LNG spiral wound heat exchanger based on graph theory

Abstract For the purpose of designing LNG spiral wound heat exchanger, a distributed-parameter model is proposed in this paper. In the distributed-parameter model, the governing equations are established layer by layer instead of tube by tube to reduce the complexity of heat transfer calculation and improve the computation speed; a graph theory based method is proposed to describe the flexible flow circuits of different liquefaction processes, and an equivalent flow resistance is employed to replace the nonlinear equations to describe the mass flow rate distribution through flow circuits. An alternating iteration algorithm of heat transfer and pressure drop is proposed to quickly solve the equations of the distributed-parameter model. The presented model is validated by a practical application case and the results show that the predicted heat exchange capacity and outlet temperature of LNG agree well with the experimental data.

[1]  C. E. Kalb,et al.  Down‐flow shell‐side forced convective boiling , 1986 .

[2]  Iftekhar A. Karimi,et al.  Modeling and simulation of main cryogenic heat exchanger in a base-load liquefied natural gas plant , 2007 .

[3]  M. Shah.  A general correlation for heat transfer during film condensation inside pipes , 1979 .

[4]  FEM analysis of multifluid heat exchangers , 2004 .

[5]  Sangkwon Jeong,et al.  Effect of flow maldistribution and axial conduction on compact microchannel heat exchanger , 2014 .

[6]  Harald Taxt Walnum,et al.  A flexible and robust modelling framework for multi-stream heat exchangers , 2013, Comput. Chem. Eng..

[7]  H. W. Scholz,et al.  COILED TUBULAR HEAT EXCHANGERS , 1973 .

[8]  Guoliang Ding,et al.  Recent developments in simulation techniques for vapour-compression refrigeration systems , 2007 .

[9]  Vikrant Aute,et al.  CoilDesigner: a general-purpose simulation and design tool for air-to-refrigerant heat exchangers , 2006 .

[10]  Sangkwon Jeong,et al.  Effect of flow mal-distribution on effective NTU in multi-channel counter-flow heat exchanger of single body , 2007 .

[11]  P. Hrnjak,et al.  Effect of the header pressure drop induced flow maldistribution on the microchannel evaporator performance , 2013 .

[12]  D. Chisholm,et al.  Two-Phase Flow on the Shell-Side of a Segmentally Baffled Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchanger , 1979 .

[13]  Joan Soler Fossas,et al.  Modelling of Multistream LNG Heat Exchangers , 2010 .

[14]  Carlos A. Dorao,et al.  A study of the effect of flow maldistribution on heat transfer performance in evaporators , 2010 .

[15]  Tingting Wang,et al.  A general three-dimensional simulation approach for micro-channel heat exchanger based on graph theory , 2013 .

[16]  Guoliang Ding,et al.  Application of a genetic algorithm to optimize the refrigerant circuit of fin-and-tube heat exchangers for maximum heat transfer or shortest tube , 2008 .

[17]  Chun-Lu Zhang,et al.  A general steady state mathematical model for fin-and-tube heat exchanger based on graph theory , 2004 .

[18]  Ron Bower,et al.  An ever evolving technology , 2008 .

[19]  Xing Luo,et al.  A general solution for one-dimensional multistream heat exchangers and their networks , 2002 .

[20]  V. Gnielinski,et al.  Equations for calculating heat transfer in single tube rows and banks of tubes in transverse flow , 1979 .

[21]  Min Zhao,et al.  New integral-mean temperature difference model for thermal design and simulation of parallel three-fluid heat exchanger , 2012 .

[22]  G. N. Kruzhilin,et al.  Heat transfer and hydraulic resistance during condensation of steam in a horizontal tube and in a bundle of tubes , 1967 .

[23]  A. C. Mueller.  Effects of Some Types of Maldistribution on the Performance of Heat Exchangers , 1987 .

[24]  Bengt Olav Neeraas,et al.  Experimental data and model for heat transfer, in liquid falling film flow on shell-side, for spiral-wound LNG heat exchanger , 2004 .