Thermal Hydraulic Effectiveness of Heat Exchangers with Volumetric Enhancers for High-Viscosity Liquid Media

This paper discusses the use of volumetric enhancers in ducts of heat exchangers for high-viscosity liquid media, which ensure the transition from a laminar flow to a turbulent one. Small random metal packings with a large free volume and an equivalent diameter of 5 to 25 mm were used as volumetric enhancers. It has been found that volumetric enhancers provide an increase in the heat transfer coefficient by a factor of 15 or more when industrial oil is heated. For a comparative assessment of the thermal hydraulic effectiveness of various packings, a modified expression of the Kirpichev energy coefficient has been obtained, which is associated with the thermal effectiveness of the process. The results of calculations are presented and conclusions are drawn about more effective designs of enhancers and operating modes.