Characterisation of a plate heat exchanger working as condenser. Comparative analysis

This paper presents a method to evaluate the heating capacity of a plate heat exchanger working as condenser. As in previous works with phe evaporators and single phase heat exchangers, the proposed methodology relays on a discretisation of the heat exchanger in cells, in such a way that the outlet temperature is assumed and the heat transferred is calculated by integrating along the heat exchanger by means of a 1D approach which allows us to determine the outlet variables iteratively based on a heat transfer area calculation.The input variables of the model are pressure, enthalpy, and flow rate of both fluids at the inlet of the heat exchanger .The study presents the method, pays attention the heat transfer coefficient correlations utilised, and is used to comparatively determine the heat transferred by the refrigerant to the secondary fluid. Experimental results are used for validation and to analyse the goodness of the different correlations tested. Some conclusions are finally drawn.