Heat exchanger for small temperature differences - using tubes encapsulated in high thermal conductivity material e.g. aluminium

摘要

The exchanger has parallel tubes with inlet and outlet manifolds so that alternate tubes carry hot fluid and cold fluid respectively, there is no shell. Fluid flow is counter-current. The tubes are encapsulated in a material such as aluminium which high thermal conductivity used for heat transfer applications where temp. differences between the two fluids are small. The design gives the excellent counter-flow heat transfer properties, at small temp. differences, if the double-pipe heat exchanger in a much simpler and cheaper construction, partic. when multiple units of the latter would be needed.