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Experiment No:
Date:
PARALLEL AND COUNTER FLOW HEAT EXCHANGER
Aim: To find the overall heat transfer coefficient and effectiveness of parallel and counter flow heat
exchanger.
Apparatus: Parallel and counter flow heat exchanger.
Principle:
Heat exchangers are devices in which heat is transferred from one fluid to another by conduction or
convection. In parallel flow heat exchanger both hot fluid and cold fluid are traveling in the same
direction while both are moving in the opposite direction in counter flow heat exchanger. A simple
heat exchanger can be in the form of a tube arrangement. One fluid (hot fluid here) is flowing through
the inner tube and other (outer tube) through the annulus surrounding it. The heat transfer takes place
across the walls of the inner tube. Temperatures of the fluid can be measured by using thermocouples.
The flow rate can be calculated by using stopwatch and measuring jar.

Specifications:
Length of the heat exchanger, L = 1800 mm
Inner diameter of inner tube, di = 12 mm
Outer diameter of inner tube, do = 15 mm
Inner diameter of outer tube, Di = 40 mm
Procedure:
Connect water supply at the back of the unit. The inlet valve flows through geyser and inner pipe of
the heat exchanger. The cooling water flow through the annulus gap of the heat exchanger and flows
out. For parallel flow open valves V2, V4 and V5 while for counter flow V1, V3, and V5 are opened.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amrita School of Engineering, Amritapuri

Page no. .

Control the hot water flow approximately 2 lit/min and cold water 5 lit/min. Switch on the geyser.
Allow the temperature to reach steady state. Note the temperatures at different points. Find the flow
rate of hot and cold water.
Observation table:
Flow
type

Hot water
inlet
temperature,
Thi

Hot water
outlet
temperature,
Tho

Cold water
inlet
temperature,
Tci

Cold water
outlet
temperature,
Tco

Time for
collecting 1
liter of hot
water, th (s)

Time for
collecting 1
liter of cold
water, tc (s)

Parallel
flow
Parallel
flow
Counter
flow
Counter
flow
Calculations:
Parallel flow
Log mean temperature difference, LMTD =

Thi Tci Tho Tco

T T
ln hi ci
Tho Tco

Heat lost by the hot fluid, Qh = m h c ph Thi Tho

Heat gained by the cold fluid, Qc = mc c pc Tco Tci
Average heat transfer rate, Q = (Qh + Qc)/2 Watts
mh =h10-3/th (kg/s)
mc =c10-3/tc (kg/s)

mh, mc are the mass flow rate of hot and cold water
cph, cpc are the specific heats of hot and cold water
h & c are densities of hot and cold water at average temperatures
Overall heat transfer coefficient based on inside surface area, U =

Q
Ai LMTD

Ai = d i L
Effectiveness of the heat exchanger, =

Q
C min (Thi Tci )

Where Cmin = minimum of m h c ph and mc c pc

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amrita School of Engineering, Amritapuri

Page no. .

Counter flow
Log mean temperature difference, LMTD =

Thi Tco Tho Tci

T T
ln hi co
Tho Tci

Heat lost by the hot fluid, Qh = m h c ph Thi Tho

Heat gained by the cold fluid, Qc = mc c pc Tco Tci
Average heat transfer rate, Q = (Qh + Qc)/2 Watts
mh =h10-3/th (kg/s)
mc =c10-3/tc (kg/s)

mh, mc are the mass flow rate of hot and cold water
cph, cpc are the specific heats of hot and cold water
h & c are densities of hot and cold water at average temperatures
Overall heat transfer coefficient based on inside surface area, U =

Q
Ai LMTD

Ai = d i L
Effectiveness of the heat exchanger, =

Q
C min (Thi Tci )

Where Cmin = minimum of m h c ph and mc c pc

Sample Calculation:

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amrita School of Engineering, Amritapuri

Page no. .

Results and Inference:

Signature of the Staff in charge

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amrita School of Engineering, Amritapuri