A hybrid simulation method integrating CFD and lumped-parameter thermal networks for tubular heat exchangers
Journal
Applied Thermal Engineering
Journal Volume
279
Start Page
128024
ISSN
13594311
Date Issued
2025-11-15
Author(s)
Tseng, Meng-Fan
Abstract
Tubular heat exchangers are extensively used in industrial applications that require efficient thermal management. However, full-scale computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of these systems demands large amounts of computing resources due to the presence of numerous thin-walled tubes. In this study, a hybrid simulation method is proposed to integrate the lumped-parameter thermal network (LPTN) model with CFD to reduce computational costs while maintaining high accuracy. It takes into account multi-dimensional heat conduction within the tube walls, the significance of which was recognized through a preliminary investigation, and incorporates empirical local Nusselt number correlations to capture tube-side convective heat transfer. The hybrid simulation method is first validated against a cross-flow heat exchanger with 16 tubes, demonstrating a 1.4 times speedup in computational time and a maximum outer wall temperature error of 0.19 K (1.23 %). To further test its scalability, the simulation of a cross-flow heat exchanger with 2125 tubes is conducted, achieving a 2.8 times acceleration. Different Nusselt number correlations were attempted, and the corresponding overall heat exchange rate calculated through the hybrid simulation is less than 1 % different from that of the full simulation. These results confirm the proposed hybrid simulation method as a computationally efficient alternative to full-scale CFD simulation, while ensuring reliable thermal performance predictions for large-scale tubular heat exchangers.
Subjects
Computational fluid dynamics
Hybrid simulation method
Lumped-parameter thermal network (LPTN)
Tubular heat exchanger
SDGs
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd
Type
journal article