A Python based program to perform energy analysis of external forced convection systems

This paper presents AestusLab, a program for studying heat transfer by external forced convection, created with Python 3.5 and PyQt 4.11.4. AestusLab allows the study of heat transfer over ducts with cross flow and over tube banks. The program uses several experimental correlations reported in the literature for solving the problems. There are two different solving methods: cylinders with different cross section and tube banks in different arrangements. In AestusLab-Cylinders, it is possible to perform calculations for circular, square, hexagonal and elliptical sections, depending on the inclination. With AestusLab-Tube Banks, there are two different configurations: in-line and staggered. It was found that the effect of the pipe geometry on the heat loss for different fluids was not significant. The physical properties of the fluid have an important effect on the heat rate, no matter the type of geometry used. A significant effect on the arrangements of tube banks in the outlet temperature of the external fluids was found with a difference in temperature about 2C between them.