Heat exchanger: different fin geometries behavior under fouling
Kaarna, Joonas Benjamin Kaarlo (2023)
Kaarna, Joonas Benjamin Kaarlo
2023
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202402052486
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202402052486
Tiivistelmä
The thesis was done for a company MAHLE Industrial Thermal Systems GmbH & Co. KG (short: MITS) as part of their funding project together with the Deutsche Bundesstaat Baden-Württemberg. MITS Is a German company that produces heat exchangers for different mobility solutions (e.g., Railway applications) as a Profit center for the grater corporate conglomerate MAHLE which produces variety of products from electrical motors to automotive components.
To further develop heat exchangers and thermal solutions of MITS, theme fouling is one important part of a whole entity. With the thesis work there was a desire to have more background data and information on top of existing research made in the company, this time focusing on different fin geometries effect on fouling formation under certain fouling parameters to further aid future development of heat exchangers perfor-mance and assisting the choice of fin types for certain applications if the environmental fouling conditions are known and they apply to the thesis parameters.
The thesis was carried as a Case-study with the implementation on quantitative methods. Researching prior studies done to study fouling formation on heat exchangers and interviewing engineers in the company with years of experience in heat exchanger design and field application was used to gain a knowledge base.
As a result pressure drop data on different fin types was produced as well data of weight distribution and documentation on fouling formation/effects on test elements
As a Conclusion it was stated that fin density and shape on inlets has an effect on fouling formation and behavior. Fin geometry has major effect on material gain on the fins. Higher density fins yield higher pressure drop under fouling regardless of the geometry. Higher density fins start to block up sooner than fins with lower density regardless of the geometry
To further develop heat exchangers and thermal solutions of MITS, theme fouling is one important part of a whole entity. With the thesis work there was a desire to have more background data and information on top of existing research made in the company, this time focusing on different fin geometries effect on fouling formation under certain fouling parameters to further aid future development of heat exchangers perfor-mance and assisting the choice of fin types for certain applications if the environmental fouling conditions are known and they apply to the thesis parameters.
The thesis was carried as a Case-study with the implementation on quantitative methods. Researching prior studies done to study fouling formation on heat exchangers and interviewing engineers in the company with years of experience in heat exchanger design and field application was used to gain a knowledge base.
As a result pressure drop data on different fin types was produced as well data of weight distribution and documentation on fouling formation/effects on test elements
As a Conclusion it was stated that fin density and shape on inlets has an effect on fouling formation and behavior. Fin geometry has major effect on material gain on the fins. Higher density fins yield higher pressure drop under fouling regardless of the geometry. Higher density fins start to block up sooner than fins with lower density regardless of the geometry