CFD simulation on inlet configuration of plate-fin heat exchangers

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) program FLUENT has been used to predict the fluid flow distribution in plate-fin heat exchangers. It is found that the flow maldistribution is very serious in the y direction of header for the conventional header used in industry. The results of flow maldistribution are presented for a plate-fin heat exchanger, which is simulated according to the configuration of the plate-fin heat exchanger currently used in industry. The numerical prediction shows a good agreement with experimental measurement. By the investigation, two modified headers with a two-stage-distributing structure are proposed and simulated in this paper. The numerical investigation of the effects of the inlet equivalent diameters for the two-stage structures has been conducted and also compared with experimental measurement. It is verified that the fluid flow distribution in plate-fin heat exchangers is more uniform if the ratios of outlet and inlet equivalent diameters for both headers are equal. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.