Sharif Digital Repository

Multi-stream Plate-fin heat exchangers (MSPFHEs) are among the most efficient heat exchangers in energy-based industries. They should be carefully designed to have maximum effectiveness and to avoid wasting energy. Flow maldistribution could significantly degrade the performance of heat exchangers. This study presents a novel modeling framework to capture the thermally-induced maldistribution in two-phase MSPFHEs. The developed model is used to show how thermally-induced flow maldistribution affects the performance of the heat exchanger, and some possible modifications are investigated to reduce its consequences. Our case study results show that thermally-induced maldistribution decreases... 

In this study, a novel pseudo-three-dimensional model is developed to find out both fluid and solid temperature distributions in multi-stream plate fin heat exchangers. In this simulation algorithm, heat exchangers can be in either parallel flow or cross flow configuration. The model considerations include: heat leakage of cap plates and side plates, conduction throughout the solid matrix of the heat exchanger, variable physical properties, and inlet mass flow rate maldistribution. Using the computational code, the effects of different factors such as: the number of layers, mass flow variation, inlet mass flow rate maldistribution, and stacking pattern on the thermal performance of the heat... 

Compact heat exchangers are among the vital components used in various industries. In this study, a general framework has been developed with a multi-scale point of view for three-dimensional simulation of multi-stream plate-fin heat exchangers. The most important features in the MSPFHEs simulation, such as phase change phenomena, multi-component mixtures, multiple streams, transversal, lateral and longitudinal conduction, non-uniformity of inlet flow, variable fluid properties, and heat leakage are simultaneously considered in this model. The modular form of the model structure has facilitated layer-by-layer simulation of cross flow heat exchangers as well as parallel flow ones. Our model...