Comprehensive Study of the Effect of the Addition of Four Drag Reducing Macromolecules on the Pressure Drop and Heat Transfer Performance of Water in a Finned Tube Heat Exchanger

In the present study the effects of the addition of four drag reducing agents (DRA), including carboxy methyl cellulose with high molecular weight (DRA1) and medium molecular weight (DRA2), polyacrylamide (DRA3) and the natural polymer, xanthan gum (DRA4), to water on the pressure drop and heat transfer performance in a finned tube-heat exchanger were compared. Laminar flow (Reynolds number (Re) <1400) was studied to transfer heat between water and air in the finned tube heat exchanger. The results showed that DRA1, with a maximum %DR of 26%, and DRA4, with a maximum %DR of 5%, were the highest and the lowest obtained results, respectively. In the case of heat transfer reduction percentage (%HTR), DRA4, having more than 34.5%, was the highest, and DRA1, with about 13.7%, was the lowest result for the concentration range of 0-100 ppm and temperature range of 40-65 degrees C.