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<p>This study presents a comprehensive experimental investigation of the thermo-hydraulic and second-law performance of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger operating under counter-flow conditions. Water, propylene glycol/water (PG/water), and glycerol/water mixtures at different concentrations were employed as working fluids to evaluate the influence of thermophysical properties on heat-transfer, hydraulic, and exergy characteristics. A total of 105 experimental runs were conducted over a Reynolds number range of 400–4800, covering laminar and transitional flow regimes. The overall heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop, Nusselt number, friction factor, entropy generation, and exergy efficiency were systematically analyzed and compared under identical operating conditions. The results demonstrated that increasing Reynolds number significantly enhances heat-transfer performance, resulting in higher overall heat-transfer coefficients and Nusselt numbers. However, this improvement is accompanied by increased pressure losses and entropy generation, reflecting the thermodynamic trade-off between heat-transfer enhancement and irreversibility. Among the investigated fluids, water exhibited the highest thermal and exergy performance, whereas glycerol/water mixtures produced the lowest performance due to their higher viscosity and associated flow resistance. To provide practical predictive tools, empirical correlations were developed for both the Nusselt number and friction factor based on the complete experimental dataset. The proposed correlations were expressed as Nu = 2.43*Re^0.30*Pr^0.094 and f = 5.47 Re^-0.62*Pr^-0.08, showing satisfactory agreement with the experimental measurements. Validation against established literature correlations confirmed the capability of the proposed models to predict thermal and hydraulic performance within the investigated Reynolds number range. The novelty of the present work lies in the comparative experimental assessment of water, propylene glycol/water, and glycerol/water mixtures under identical operating conditions, together with the simultaneous evaluation of thermal, hydraulic, and second-law performance metrics and the development of predictive correlations based on an extensive experimental database. The findings provide reliable benchmark data and engineering correlations that can support the design, optimization, and exergy-based evaluation of heat exchangers operating with viscous heat-transfer fluids in industrial thermal systems.</p>

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Thermo-hydraulic and second-law analysis of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger using water, propylene glycol, and glycerol mixtures in the laminar–transition regime

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月20日

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  • Amr M. Hassaan

摘要

This study presents a comprehensive experimental investigation of the thermo-hydraulic and second-law performance of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger operating under counter-flow conditions. Water, propylene glycol/water (PG/water), and glycerol/water mixtures at different concentrations were employed as working fluids to evaluate the influence of thermophysical properties on heat-transfer, hydraulic, and exergy characteristics. A total of 105 experimental runs were conducted over a Reynolds number range of 400–4800, covering laminar and transitional flow regimes. The overall heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop, Nusselt number, friction factor, entropy generation, and exergy efficiency were systematically analyzed and compared under identical operating conditions. The results demonstrated that increasing Reynolds number significantly enhances heat-transfer performance, resulting in higher overall heat-transfer coefficients and Nusselt numbers. However, this improvement is accompanied by increased pressure losses and entropy generation, reflecting the thermodynamic trade-off between heat-transfer enhancement and irreversibility. Among the investigated fluids, water exhibited the highest thermal and exergy performance, whereas glycerol/water mixtures produced the lowest performance due to their higher viscosity and associated flow resistance. To provide practical predictive tools, empirical correlations were developed for both the Nusselt number and friction factor based on the complete experimental dataset. The proposed correlations were expressed as Nu = 2.43*Re^0.30*Pr^0.094 and f = 5.47 Re^-0.62*Pr^-0.08, showing satisfactory agreement with the experimental measurements. Validation against established literature correlations confirmed the capability of the proposed models to predict thermal and hydraulic performance within the investigated Reynolds number range. The novelty of the present work lies in the comparative experimental assessment of water, propylene glycol/water, and glycerol/water mixtures under identical operating conditions, together with the simultaneous evaluation of thermal, hydraulic, and second-law performance metrics and the development of predictive correlations based on an extensive experimental database. The findings provide reliable benchmark data and engineering correlations that can support the design, optimization, and exergy-based evaluation of heat exchangers operating with viscous heat-transfer fluids in industrial thermal systems.