Heat Exchanger Essay

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Abstract
The function of a heat exchanger is to transfer heat between a solid object and a fluid, or between two or more fluids. The fluids may be separated by a solid wall to prevent mixing or they may be in direct contact. They are used in space heating, refrigeration, air conditioning, power stations, chemical plants, petrochemical plants, petroleum refineries, natural-gas processing, and sewage treatment. The classic example of a heat exchanger is found in an internal combustion engine in which a circulating fluid known as engine coolant flows through radiator coils and air flows past the coils, which cools the coolant and heats the incoming air. Another example is the heat sink, which is a passive heat exchanger that transfers the heat …show more content…

It does this in several ways, each of which has its own advantages and drawbacks. In each and every case, the transfer of heat takes place even though the two mediums never mix with one another [19]. In a typical heat exchanger, one medium, i.e., water, enters the heat exchanger at a certain place at a certain temperature. The other medium, also water, enters the heat exchanger from a different location at a different temperature than the first. Regardless of what function the heat exchanger fulfils, in order to transfer heat, the fluids involved must be at different temperatures and they must come into thermal contact. And in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics, heat cannot of itself pass from a colder body to a hotter body. It will always move from the hotter to the cooler medium. Whether you want to heat a fluid using a hotter fluid, reduce the temperature of a fluid using a cooler fluid, heat pool water using solar heat, condense a gaseous fluid using a cooler fluid or boil water while condensing a hotter gaseous fluid, the right heat exchanger will help you to do this more efficiently. To pick the right heat exchanger for your application, you will need to know what kind of heat exchanger is needed. Heat exchangers are classified according to their flow pattern and their

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