Flow visualization and LES simulations inside a chevron type plate heat exchanger

Abstract

An up-scaled model of a single channel of CPHE was used under dynamically similar conditions for the experiments. In experiments, pressure drop measurements and flow visualizations were conducted with aluminum flitter and dye. For the numerical study, large eddy simulations are preferred in the turbulent regime which has the best fit with experiments. Also mixing inside the channel is analyzed and reported through numerical simulations. Results of this study exhibit flow structures differ from previous visualization studies with corrugated channels. The numerical results exhibit that LES estimates friction factor at high Reynolds numbers with maximum 5% error. Numerical visualizations are close the experimental visualizations in the study. Lastly mixing study exhibits that there is asymmetric mixing inside the channel.