HEAT TRANSFER STUDIES IN WAVY CORRUGATED PLATE HEAT EXCHANGERS

In the present investigations heat transfer studies are made in three different types of corrugated plate heat exchangers having corrugation angles 300, 400 and 500. Water and Glycerol (40%, 50% and 60%) are taken as test fluid and water as the heating medium. The wall temperatures are measured along the length of the heat exchanger at seven different locations by means of thermocouples. The inlet and outlet temperatures of the test fluid and hot fluid are measured by means of four more thermocouples. Nusselt number is calculated from the experimental observations by calculating film heat transfer coefficient. These values are compared with different Reynolds numbers as well as corrugation angles. It is found from the experimental investigations that increase in corrugation angle has resulted in higher Nusselt’s number for a given Reynolds number and hence higher heat transfer rates. It is also found that 60% glycerol has higher heat transfer compared to 50%, 40% and water.