Abstract:

The current study includes the effect of the type of porous medium on the heat transfer enhancement for double-pipe heat exchanger. Using the three types of the porous medium of balls (steel, ceramic and glass) with diameters (6.35, 6 and 7) mm respectively. The tests were carried out on a locally manufactured heat exchanger, consisting of a copper pipe with an inner diameter (20mm), an outer diameter (22mm) and a length of (1800mm), fixed inside a pipe made of galvanized iron with the same length of copper pipe with inner diameter (50mm) and thickness (5mm). The heat exchanger is insulated with a layer of glass wool to prevent leakage of heat to the area surrounding the exchanger. The tests carried out on the heat exchanger in four cases, the three cases for porous medium, also the case of exchanger without porous medium, and for all cases identical operating conditions, which is inlet temperature of hot, and cold water determined at (63 and 32)˚C and the number of Reynolds from (1100 to 9750) for cold water and (415 to 7500) for hot water. The experimental results showed that the highest thermal conductivity was obtained when the ceramic balls were used, which was estimated to be approximately (219.302) W/˚C and increased by (105.3%, 10.8%, 4.3%) for cases: without porous medium, glass balls and steel balls respectively. The effect of the pressure drop in the hot water side, was recorded the highest value for pressure drop when the ceramic balls were used and ranged from (0.5 to 19.5) mmHg and increased by (0.95%, 2.25%) when compared with the results of two cases for balls (steel and glass) respectively.

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