Stream-Symmetry of Heat Exchangers and Heat Exchanger Assemblies

Sufficient conditions are given for a heat exchanger or an assembly of heat exchangers to be invariant under the interchange of the two fluids. Analysis of this symmetry is performed on tht basis of geometrical or topological properties of the exchanger, and no prior knowledge of the exchanger solution is required. The 1-2 and 1-4 TEMA E, the split-flow TEMA G, and the divided-flow TEMA J shell-and-tube exchangers are discussed as examples. A t tent ion is drawn to possible erroneous interpretations of published F-charts for stream-unsymmetric eases.