Paper Conference

Proceedings of eSim 2016: 9th Conference of IBPSA-Canada

     

Simplified Model For Sizing and Characterizing Natural Convection Heat Exchanger Systems

Nicholas Cramp, Stephen J. Harrison

Abstract: Natural convection heat exchangers have applications in heat pumps and solar domestic hot water (SDHW) systems due to their minimalist and low cost design. A simplified design tool was created to aid system designers in sizing and predicting the performance of a brazed plate heat exchanger (BPHE) as it charges a hot water storage tank via a natural convection flow. The program was designed in Microsoft Excel for ease of use and distribution, and applies iterative solutions built around Visual Basic algorithms. Previously, a complete system needed to be constructed and tested to characterize a specific configuration. The program allows the end user to specify their unique system geometry and components, in order to compare the effects of friction losses, pressure drops, and heat exchanger types. The program results can be used to identify critical design limitations which can increase both the performance and efficiency of a configuration.
Pages: 618 - 625
Paper:
esim2016_15-154