Turbulent flows in a spiral double-pipe heat exchanger: Optimal performance conditions using an enhanced genetic algorithm

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to study the fluid flow and heat transfer through a spiral double-pipe heat exchanger. Nowadays using spiral double-pipe heat exchangers has become popular in different industrial segments due to its complex and spiral structure, which causes an enhancement in heat transfer.

Design/methodology/approach

In these heat exchangers, by converting the fluid motion to the secondary motion, the heat transfer coefficient is greater than that of the straight double-pipe heat exchangers and cause increased heat transfer between fluids.

Findings

The present study, by using the Fluent software and nanofluid heat transfer simulation in a spiral double-tube heat exchanger, investigates the effects of operating parameters including fluid inlet velocity, volume fraction of nanoparticles, type of nanoparticles and fluid inlet temperature on heat transfer efficiency.

Originality/value

After presenting the results derived from the fluid numerical simulation and finding the optimal performance conditions using a genetic algorithm, it was found that water–Al₂O₃ and water–SiO₂ nanofluids are the best choices for the Reynolds numbers ranging from 10,551 to 17,220 and 17,220 to 31,910, respectively.

Citation

Tian, Z., Abdollahi, A., Shariati, M., Amindoust, A., Arasteh, H., Karimipour, A., Goodarzi, M. and Bach, Q.-V. (2020), "Turbulent flows in a spiral double-pipe heat exchanger: Optimal performance conditions using an enhanced genetic algorithm", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 30 No. 1, pp. 39-53. https://doi.org/10.1108/HFF-04-2019-0287