International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)

ISSN (Online): 2319-7064

Index Copernicus Value (2016): 79.57 | Impact Factor (2017): 7.296

Experimental and CFD Analysis of Effect of

Curvature Ratio on Helical Coil Tube Heat
Exchanger
Harshal Chothe1, K. B. Bokankar2
1
P.G. Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT, Aurangabad, MS (India)
2
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT, Aurangabad, MS (India)

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the heat transfer characteristics of helical coil tube heat exchanger with
different curvature ratio (0.0952, 0.1670, 0.238, and 0.257) versus straight tube heat exchanger. Hot water is used as working fluid in
inner tube and cold water surrounded the tube. The three mass flow rates of hot water taken as 0.03 kg/s, 0.04 kg/s and 0.05 kg/s. Effect
of curvature ratio on helical coil tube heat exchanger with constant wall temperature condition were studied. This paper deals with
commercial CFD tool Ansys Release 14.5 simulation comparison with experimental results. It is found that the CFD simulation results
show good agreement with experimental results. It was reported from experimental results pressure drop increases by 14.81 percent as
curvature ratio increases from 0.0952 to 0.238. Based on results, it is found that helical coil with curvature ratio 0.0238 is more
efficient than straight tube and its overall heat transfer coefficient increases with hot water mass flow rate.

Keywords: CFD, Helical coiled tube, curvature ratio, Straight tube, Heat transfer Characteristics, Pressure Drop

1. Introduction k = 2Re2*(r/R). After that white et al.[2] had extended dean

study for different viscosity with laminar flow in cured pipes
Heat transfer in curved and helical circular tubes has been the and they had concluded that in curved pipe flow is more
subject of several studies and it has been widely reported in stable as compare to straight pipes.
literature that heat transfer rates in helical coils are higher as
compared to a straight tube. In the present days Heat Sidda reddy et al.[3] had performed parametric analysis of
exchangers are the important engineering systems with wide helical tube heat exchanger using water as working fluid.
variety of applications including power plants, nuclear Research study focus on various parameters like number of
reactors, refrigeration and air-conditioning systems, heat coil turns, mass flow rate inlet temperature that affect the
recovery systems, chemical processing and food industries. effectiveness of a heat exchanger. Helical copper tube of
Helical coil configuration is very effective for heat 9.5mm internal diameter with 0.187 curvature ratio used for
exchangers and chemical reactors because they can analysis. From the research work it was found that
accommodate a large heat transfer area in a small space, with effectiveness and overall heat transfer increases with increase
high heat transfer coefficients. Fluid flows through a curved in flow rate. It was also noted that for counter flow the
tube will experiences a centrifugal force. This centrifugal effectiveness of pipes both helical and straight flow is greater
force induces a secondary flow pattern inside the tube. This in parallel configuration. From the effect of temperature on
secondary flow pattern has significant ability to mixing the overall heat transfer coefficient is was observed that overall
fluid which enhances the heat transfer rate. The secondary heat transfer coefficient more in parallel flow than counter
flow is perpendicular to main direction of fluid motion. flow for helical pipe, but U varies up and down periodically
for straight tube. Rogers et al.[4] Effectiveness increases with
temperature in helical pipe for both parallel and counter flow
configuration but it drops in straight pipe. In counter flow
configuration outlet temperature of cold water rises by 70C −
210C, it implies that for the same surrounding area the
helical pipe absorbed more heat than that of straight copper
tube. Many researchers have reported that a complex flow
pattern exists inside a helical pipe which leads to the
enhancement in heat transfer. The centrifugal force results in
Figure 1: Secondary flow Pattern the development of secondary flow and this centrifugal force
is governed by the curvature and also affected by the pitch or
2. Literature Survey helix angle of coil.

First time dean et al.[1] mathematically described flow Kang et al. [5] investigated the heat transfer characteristics of
through curved pipes in which they had made approximation a helically baffled heat exchanger combined with a finned
of steady incompressible flow through circular cross section tube experimentally and theoretically. Commercial Fluent 6.0
and state that reduction in mass flow rate depends on variable CFD code was used for predicting its fluid flow and heat

Volume 7 Issue 4, April 2018

www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: ART20181997 DOI: 10.21275/ART20181997 1348
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN (Online): 2319-7064
Index Copernicus Value (2016): 79.57 | Impact Factor (2017): 7.296
transfer performances. The authors reported a good 3.4 Experimental Setup and Description
agreement between the modeling and experimental results.
Timothy et al. [6] a computational fluid dynamics package
(PHOE-NICS 3.3) was used to numerically study the heat
transfer characteristics of a double-pipe helical heat
exchanger for both parallel flow and counter flow. The
results of these simulations were well within the range of
result from the literature for helical coils. It was noted that
very little difference in overall heat transfer coefficient in
parallel and counter flow configuration, but heat transfer rate
is higher in counter flow due to higher log mean temperature
difference.

3. Methodology
3.1 Geometrical Parameter of Helical Coil Tube

Copper tubes of 9.52 mm outer diameter and 1257 mm Figure 3.1: Experimental Setup
length are used for analysis as it higher thermal conductivity
than steel, aluminum etc. First straight tube analysis is done Experiments were conducted under steady state conditions
then helical coil of same length is going to analyze. Analysis with hot water used as working fluid. The fluid flow rate was
made by different curvature ratio of helical coil done by varied a range 0.03 to 0.05 kg/s. Helical coil tube made of
varying PCD of coil, details given below table. copper is completely immersed in sheet duct which act as
shell which contains cold water at constant temperature of
Table 3.1: Geometrical Parameters 303 k. Water is heated in hot water tank with the help of
Curvature Ratio PCD Tube Length Pitch No. of electric heater up to 333 k and then flow through PVC pipe
Sr. No
δ mm mm mm Turns from hot tank to inlet of heat exchanger. In order to measure
1 0 0 1256 - 0 various parameters various devices fitted to control panel i.e.
2 0.0952 100 1256 25 4 the tube side hot water flow rate was measured using
3 0.1641 58 1256 25 6.89
rotameter, inlet and out let temperature of hot water were
4 0.238 40 1256 25 9.99
recorded using k type thermocouple, Pressure P1, P2
5 0.257 37 1256 25 10.81
measure using U tube manometer. By varying flow rate for
single tube then number of readings is taken and then again
3.2 Curvature Ratio
reading are taken similar procedures repeated for other
helical tube configuration.
The pipe diameter to coil diameter is called curvature ratio
(δ) where d is the diameter of the coiled tube, D is the coil
diameter. 4. Results
δ=d/D (1)
4.1 Experimental Results
3.3 Formulation

In this experimental work heat transfer coefficients and heat

transfer rate depends on the measured temperature data.
Reynolds number
Re = (ρ*V*d) / µ (2)
Dean number
De = (Re)* √δ (3)
Nusselt number
Nu = 0.023 *(Re0.85 * Pr0.4 *δ0.1) (4)
Heat transfer coefficient Figure 4.1: Temperature Drop Vs Curvature Ratio
h = (Nu*k) / D W/m2K (5)
Heat flux Figure 4.1 show that temperature curve goes on increasing up
q = h*A*(Thi − Twi) W/m2 (6) to 0.23 after words decreases due to decrease in pressure
drop. Output temperature drop corresponding to the helical
Pressure drop coils are higher than straight Tube for all mass flow rate. i.e.
dp = (Phi–Pho) (7) temperature drop increases by 28.57 percent on increasing
curvature ratio from 0.095 to 0.23.
Friction factor
f = (hf *d * 2 * g) / (L*V2) (8)
Prandtl Number
Pr = (µ* Cp) / K [2] (9)
Volume 7 Issue 4, April 2018
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: ART20181997 DOI: 10.21275/ART20181997 1349
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN (Online): 2319-7064
Index Copernicus Value (2016): 79.57 | Impact Factor (2017): 7.296

Figure 4.2: Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Vs Curvature

Ratio Figure 4.5: Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Vs Curvature
Ratio
Figure 5.2 was noted that Overall heat transfer coefficient
increases with increase in curvature ratio of helical tubes up Figure 5.5 indicates that as the mass flow rate of hot water
to 0.23 afterwards decreases due to decrease in heat transfer increase inside the tube the overall heat transfer coefficient
rate. Result shows that helical tube gives 52.60 percent increases for each corresponding mass flow rate.
higher value of Overall heat transfer coefficient over straight
tube. 4.3 Comparison between Experimental and CFD Results

Figure 4.6 gives variation of heat transfer rate against mass

flow rate. It is noted that CFD methodology gives 20.36
percent higher of heat transfer rate for 0.23 curvature ratio
tube at 0.05 kg/s mass flow rate and such variation is may be
due to assumption and practical errors.

Figure 4.3: Fanning Friction Factor Vs Reynolds Number

Figure 4.3 show that as friction factor decreases with increase

in Reynolds number due to relative roughness of surface, and
velocity of flowing fluid Figure 4.6: Heat Transfer Rate Vs Mass Flow Rate

4.2 CFD Results

Figure 4.7: Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient Vs Mass Flow

Rate
Figure 4.4: Temperature Drop Vs Curvature Ratio
Figure 4.7 gives overall heat transfer coefficient against mass
Figure 4.4 shows that output temperature drop corresponding
flow rate, it was reported 20.31 percent higher result of
to the helical coils are higher than straight Tube for all mass
overall heat transfer coefficient by CFD methodology as
flow rates. i.e. temperature drop increases by 9.30 percent on
compare to experimental methodology.
increasing curvature ratio from 0.095 to 0.23.
5. Conclusion
In this work the different helical tube models have been
designed, generated in modeling software and manufactured,
in order to investigate the effects of curvature ratios on

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Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: ART20181997 DOI: 10.21275/ART20181997 1350
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN (Online): 2319-7064
Index Copernicus Value (2016): 79.57 | Impact Factor (2017): 7.296
convective fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics two [7] N. Ghorbani, H. Taherian, “Experimental study of
methods. Using variation in mass flow rates, different mixed convection heat transfer in vertical helically
parameters have been analyzed experimentally and CFD coiled tube heat exchangers”, Experimental Thermal and
Modeling methodology. After results analysis and Fluid Science , vol. 34, 2010, pp. 900–905.
comparison several conclusions have been raised as given [8] Jayakumar J.S., Grover, R.B. and Arakeri, V.H.
blow: “Response of a two phase system subject to oscillations
1) Experimental study shows increments in various induced by the motion of its support structure”,
parameters i.e. Nusselt Number, Heat transfer coefficient, International journal of Heat Mass Transfer, vol. 29,
Dean Number and heat transfer rate if curvature ratio 2002, p.p.519–530.
increases from 0.0952 to 0.238. In experimental comparison [9] Van der Vyver, Dirker J. and Myer J.P. “Validation of a
of helical tube against straight tube, it was also noted that CFD model for a three dimensional tube in tube heat
these parameter increase by double percentage and hence exchanger”, 3rd International Conference on CFD in the
again it has been proved that helical coil tube is superior to Minerals and Process Industries, vol. 35, 2003, pp. 235–
straight tube. 240. 61
2) CDF modeling for same objectives followed by [10] J.S. Jayakumar, S.M. Mahajani, J.C. Mandal, “CFD
experimental study shows that all heat transfer characteristics analysis of single-phase ow inside helically coiled
increases with increase in curvature ratio up to 0.238. The tubes”, Computer and chemical engineering, vol. 6 2010,
curvature ratio 0.238 is optimizing condition where heat pp.430-446.
transfer rate will maximum. [11] Shiva Kumara, K.Vasudev Karanth, “Numerical
3) CFD modeling for same objectives followed by Analysis of a Helical Coiled Heat Exchanger using
experimental study shows that all heat transfer characteristics CFD”, International Journal of Thermal Technologies,
increases with increase in curvature ratio but at expense of vol. 3(4), 2013, pp.48-490.
pressure drop. It was also conclude here CFD results partially [12] Soby P. , Siddharth D. Mhaske, Yash B. Parikh,
match with experimental results i.e. Nusselt number and heat “Numerical Simulation of a Tube in Tube Helical Coiled
transfer coefficient are show larger deviation whereas Heat Exchanger using CFD”, Applied Thermal
percentage variation in friction coefficient are smaller and engineering Research, vol. 9(18), 2014, pp. 5209-5220.
increase in pressure drop is double. Justifications for such [13] Mrunal P, Kshirsagar1, Swapnil M, Trupti J,
variations in results are already given in previous parag “Fabrication and Analysis of Tube-In-Tube Helical Coil
Heat Exchanger”, International Journal of Engineering
6. Acknowledgment Research and General Science, vol. 2(3), 2014, pp.736-
745.
I am fortunate to have the opportunity to work under [14] R. Thundil Karuppa Raj, Manoj Kumar S, Aby Mathew
guidance of Prof. K. B. Bokankar. I am very thankful to them C. and T. Elango, “Numerical analysis of helically coiled
for their constraint inspiration and hawk eye criticism during heat exchanger using CFD technique”, Arpn Journal of
the preparation of the report. The work could not be Engineering and Applied Sciences , vol. 9 (3), 2014, pp.
completed without their motivation, support, exemplary 568-570.
guidance and constant encouragement through the work.

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Volume 7 Issue 4, April 2018
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Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: ART20181997 DOI: 10.21275/ART20181997 1351