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ISSN Online: 2379-1748

ISBN Flash Drive: 978-1-56700-472-4

ISBN Online: 978-1-56700-471-7

3rd Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference (TFEC)
March, 4–7, 2018, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

OPTIMIZING MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY OF CONICAL COIL HEAT EXCHANGER USING THERMOELECTRIC GENERATION

Get access (open in a dialog) pages 1397-1404
DOI: 10.1615/TFEC2018.hte.021536

Abstract

Coiled tubes are designed to improve heat transfer performance and minimize pressure drops in compact heat exchangers. Heat loss is most common in heat exchangers and this heat is not often used. Waste heat recovery is an important pathway to more efficient technologies. In the present study, the heat energy that would normally be wasted in a heat exchanger is allowed to run through a thermoelectric generator prior to being introduced in the heat exchanger. This design allows the waste heat energy to be recovered by the thermoelectric generator, and the power generated is measured. A conical coil heat exchanger is built and the test set up is used to conduct experimental analysis at varying temperatures and flow rates. The obtained results are validated by comparing them to experimental results of a previous study. It is observed that with increase in flow rates, heat transfer coefficient increases and maximum effectiveness is obtained at lower flow rates. As the difference in fluid temperature increases, the thermoelectric generator produces more power.