OTEC performance tests of the Trane plate-fin heat exchanger

Technical Report · Wed Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5989248· OSTI ID:5989248

Panchal, C. B.; Hillis, D. L.; Lorenz, J. J.; Yung, D. T.

The Trane heat exchanger was tested as an evaporator, and separately as a condenser, at the following nominal operating conditions: water flow rate, 3200 gpm; heat duty, 3.2 million Btu/h; and ammonia feed rate (applicable to evaporator test only), 26 gpm. Operated as an evaporator in the forced-convection mode, the overall heat-transfer coefficient (U/sub 0/) of the unit was 1235 Btu/h.ft/sup 2/./sup 0/F. The water-side and ammonia-side pressure drops were 3.1 psi and 1.6 psi, respectively. Tests were conducted at heat duties ranging from 2.4 million to 4 million Btu/h, and at ammonia feed rates ranging from 18 to 40 gpm. Over these ranges, U/sub 0/ did not change more than about 5%. Operated as an evaporator in the falling-film mode, at the same nominal conditions as listed above, U/sub 0/ was 1035 Btu/h.ft/sup 2/./sup 0/F. At a constant heat duty, increasing ammonia feed rate from 22 to 50 gpm increased U/sub 0/ by about 30%. A similar trend was observed when heat duty was increased to 4 million Btu/h. Operated as a condenser, the unit's U/sub 0/ was 870 Btu/h.ft/sup 2/./sup 0/F. When the heat duty of the condenser was increased from 2.4 million to 4 million Btu/h, U/sub 0/ decreased by about 25%.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5989248
• Report Number(s): ANL/OTEC-PS-7; ON: DE82001833
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140800* -- Solar Energy-- Ocean Energy Systems
CONDENSERS
DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS
ENERGY TRANSFER
EVAPORATORS
FINS
FLUID FLOW
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT TRANSFER
LIQUID FLOW
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PLATES
PRESSURE DROP
TEST FACILITIES
TESTING