METALLURGY AND FOUNDRY ENGINEERING Vol. 34, 2008, No.

Krzysztof Karczewski

APPLICATION OF WATER EQUIVALENTS METHOD

TO CALCULATION OF RADIATION RECUPERATORS
WITH MICROFINNED SURFACE

NOTATION:

c convection heat-transfer coefficient of furnace gas, W/(m2K)

convection heat-transfer coefficient (microfinned element), W/(m2K)
g heat-transfer coefficient of furnace gas, W/(m2K)
ca heat capacity of air, kJ/(m3K)
cg heat capacity of furnace gas, kJ/(m3K)
D, d equivalent diameter, m
F heating surface area, m2
H height of recuperator, m
h height of micro-fin, m
l distance between axes of micro-fines, m
r equivalent radius, m
s thickness, m
k over-all heat-transfer coefficient, W/(m2K)
p pressure, Pa
Tg, tg temperature of furnace gas, K, oC

* Ph.D., Faculty of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Tech-
nology, Cracow, Poland; ztcos@agh.edu.pl

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 Tw, tw wall temperature, K, oC
Ta, ta temperature of air, K, oC
Re Reynolds Number
N Number of Heat Transfer Units
Q heat transfer rate, W
q heat flux, W/m2
V volumetric rate of fluid flow, m3/s
Wa water equivalent of air, W/K
Wg water equivalent of furnace gas, W/K
w velocity, m/s
dynamic viscosity factor, (kgm)/s
number of hydraulic resistance (microfinned element)
density, kg/m3
Y intensification function.

1. INTRODUCTION

Radiation recuperators are used for the recovery of heat from waste gases with indus-
trial heat furnaces, glass furnaces and foundry ones [13, 57, 9, 12, 13]. The radiation
recuperators work in range temperatures 700oC1500oC. For calculation of this recupera-
tors zonal model [8], single-zone model [11] and universal method of calculation [10] were
elaborated. In these models were applied the results of research on convective heat-transfer
coefficients and numbers hydraulic resistance of microfinned recuperator elements. In cal-
culation of heat exchangers the water equivalents method is very important [6, 9, 12, 14].
This method is more universal than balance method. The aim of this paper is mathematic
algorithm by water equivalents method to calculation of radiation recuperators with mi-
crofinned surface and application in this algorithm the model researches.

2. SIMILARITY FUNCTION USED TO CALCULATE

THE HEATING SURFACE OF PARALLEL-FLOW RECUPERATORS

Radiation recuperators with microfinned surface belong to parallel-flow heat exchang-

ers group. The water equivalent method enable to calculate the construction parameters of
heat exchangers. In recuperators recovered furnace gas from industrial furnaces water
equivalent of furnace gas is

Wg = Vg cg (1)

40
where:
Vg volumetric rate of furnace gas flow,
cg heat capacity of furnace gas.

Water equivalent of air is

Wa = Va ca (2)

where:
Va volumetric rate of air,
ca heat capacity of air.

Water equivalent of furnace gas is greater than air water equivalent

Wg > Wa (3)

The similarity function is expressed by equation

W
= f a , N (4)
Wg

ta ta
= (5)
t g ta

where:
t a air preheated temperature outlet,
t a air temperature inlet to recuperator,
t g furnace gas temperature inlet to recuperator,
N Number of Heat Transfer Units.

The Number of Heat Transfer Units is the measure of heat surface area and is ex-
pressed by equation

kF
N= (6)
Wa

where:
k over-all heat transfer coefficient,
F heat transfer surface area,
Wa water equivalent of air.

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 Similarity function by equation (4) illustrates Figure 1 and Figure 2.

W
Fig. 1. Similarity function = f a , N
Wg

used in parallel-flow heat exchangers [9, 15]

W
Fig. 2. Similarity function = f a , N
Wg

used in counter-flow heat exchangers [9, 15]

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3. THE CALCULATIONS OF RADIATION RECUPERATORS
WITH MICROFINNED SURFACE BY WATER EQUIVALENT METHOD

The proposed algorithm of calculation of radiation recuperators with microfinned sur-

face algorithm consist of:
equations by water equivalents method,
similarity equations by model researches (9), (11), (20), (21),
equations verifying value of over-all heat-transfer coefficient (1219).

The microfinned surface area of recuperator is

N Wa
F= (7)
k

where:
N Number of Heat Transfer Units,
Wa water equivalent of air,
k over-all heat transfer coefficient.

The water equivalent of air is

Wa = Va ca ,

where:
Va volumetric rate of air flow,
ca heat capacity of air.

The height of recuperator is

F
H= (8)
do

where do outer diameter of center tube.

The convective heat-transfer coefficient to air (microfinned element) is

wa0.8
= (1 + ) (3.5t + 0.00174 ta ) (9)
( D do )0.2
where:
Y intensification function,
wa velocity of air,
D diameter of inner cover,
do outer diameter of center tube.

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 The symbol ta denotes air arithmetic mean temperature

t + t
ta = a a (10)
2

The intensification function is

0.35 0.037 l
l
Y = 36.52 e h Re0.36 (11)
h

4000 Re 12000,

l
5 40,
h

h > hr > 0.

where:
l micro-fin pitch,
h height of micro-fin,
hr height of roughhes.

The heat-transfer coefficient of furnace gas is given by equation:

1
g = (12)
1 1

k

The weighted mean temperature of microfinned center tube is

g tg + ta
tw = (13)
g +

The symbol tg denotes arithmetic mean temperature of furnace gas

t g + t g
tg = (14)
2

cg Va ca (ta ta )
t g = t g (15)
cg Vg cg

44
where:
Va volumetric rate of air flow,
ca heat capacity of air,
Vg volumetric rate of furnace gas flow,
cg , cg heat capacity of furnace gas,
number of losses,
t g furnace gas temperature inlet to recuperator,
ta air preheated temperature outlet,
t a air temperature inlet.

The heat transfer rate is

Qa = Va ca (ta ta ) (16)

where:
Va volumetric rate of air flow,
ca heat capacity of air,
t a air preheat temperature outlet,
ta air temperature inlet.

The heat flux through recuperator wall is

Q
q= a (17)
F

The heat-transfer coefficient of furnace gas is

q
g = (18)
tg tw

The over-all heat-transfer coefficient is

1
k= (19)
1 1
+
p

The pressure drop of air is [1, 6]

w2 H
pa = a a (20)
2 D di

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 0.76 0.56 0.061 l
r l h
= 0.316 e (21)
h h

r l
2.67 16, 5 40 , h > hr > 0.
h h

4. THE CALCULATIONS OF RADIATION RECUPERATOR

WITH MICROFINNED SURFACE TO HEAT FURNACE

The parallel flow radiation recuperator with microfinned surface is installed in heat
furnace. The recuperator is determined by the following conditions:
volumetric rate of furnace gas flow Vg = 1130 m3/h (0.314 m3/s),
furnace gas temperature inlet to recuperator t g = 1250oC,
volumetric rate of air flow Va = 1030 m3/h (0.286 m3/s),
air preheat temperature ta = 500oC,
inner diameter of center tube di = 1.00 m,
thickness of center tube wall s = 0.005 m,
outer diameter of center tube do = 1.01 m,
diameter of inner cover D = 1.05 m.

The air water equivalent is

Wa = Va ca = 0.286 1330 = 380 W/K,

ca = 1330 J/(m3 K).

The furnace gas water equivalent is

Wg = Vg cg = 0.314 1640 = 510 W/K,

cg = 1640 J/(m3 K).

The simplex of water equivalent is

Wa 380
= = 0.75.
Wg 510

The temperature simplex is expressed by equation

ta ta 500 20
= = = 0.40.
t g ta 1250 20

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 The Number of Heat Transfer Units by Figure 1 is 0.60.
The over-all heat-transfer coefficient is 33 W/(m2 K).
The microfinned surface area of recuperator is

NWa 0.6 380

F= = = 6.91/ m 2 .
k 33

The height of recuperator is

F 6.91
H= = = 2.20 m.
d o 1.00

The air mean temperature is

t + t 500 + 20
ta = a a = = 260o C.
2 2

The velocity of air is

Va 0.286
wa = = = 4.4 m/s.
2
4
(
D d o2 )
4
(
1.052 1.012 )
The equivalent diameter of air gap is

dh = D do = 1.05 1.01 = 0.04 m.

The convection heat-transfer coefficient (smooth center tube) to air equals

wa0.8 4.40.8
o = (3.57 + 0.00174 ta ) = (3.57 + 0.00174 260 ) = 24.8 W/(m 2 K).
0.2 0.2
dh 0.04

The Reynolds number in air gap is

wa dh o 4.4 0.04 1.27

Re = = = 8266,
27.04 106

where:
wa = 4.4 m/s velocity of air,
o = 1.27 kg/m3 density of air,
po = 1000 hPa,
To = 273 K,
dh = 0.04 m hydraulic diameter,
= 27.04 106 (kg m)/s dynamic viscosity factor.

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 The intensification function is

0.35 0.037 l
l
Y = 36.52 e h Re0.36 = 36.52 100.35 e 0.03710 82660.36 = 2.19.
h

The heat-transfer coefficient of microfinned center tube is

= (1 + Y) o = (1 + 2.19) 24.8 = 79.1 W/(m2 K).

The heat-transfer coefficient of furnace gas is

1 1
g = = = 56.5 W/(m 2 K).
1 1 1 1

k 33 79.1

The furnace gas temperature outlet from recuperator is

cg Va ca (ta ta ) 1.64 0.286 1.33 480

t g = t g = 1250 = 906o C.
cg Vg cg 1.55 0.9 0.314 1.55

where:
t g = 1250C furnace gas temperature inlet to recupe-
rator,
cg = 1.64 kJ/(m3 K), cg = 1.55 kJ/(m3 K) heat capacity of furnace gas,
ta = 20oC air temperature inlet,
ta = 500oC air preheat temperature outlet,
ca = 1.33 kJ/(m3 K) heat capacity of air,
= 0.9 number of losses.

The furnace gas mean temperature is

1250 + 906
tg = = 1078o C.
2

The weighted mean temperature of microfinned center tube is

g tg + ta
tw = ,
g +

56.5 1078 + 79.1 260

tw = = 602o C.
56.5 + 79.1

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 The heat transfer rate is
Qa = Va ca (ta ta ) = 0.286 1330 (500 20 ) = 182 582W.
The heat flux through recuperator wall is
Qa 182582
q= = = 26423 W/m 2.
F 6.91
The heat-transfer coefficient of furnace gas is

q 26423
g = = = 55.5 W/(m2 K).
tg tw 1078 602

The over-all heat-transfer coefficient is

1 1
k= = = 32.5 W/(m 2 K).
1 1 1 1
+ +
g 55.5 79.1

The error calculation of over-all heat-transfer coefficient is = 1.5%.

The radiation recuperator with microfinned surface illustrates Figure 3.

Fig. 3. Radiation recuperator: 1 microfinned center tube, 2 inner cover, 3 outer cover, 4 inlet
chamber, 5 outlet chamber, 6 heat insulation

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 The number of hydraulic resistance in air channel is

0.76 0.56 0.061 l 0.76

r l 0.02
= 0.316 e h = 0.316 10 0.56 e0.06110

= 0.18,
h h 0.004

where:
r = 0.02 m equivalent hydraulic radius,
h = 0.004 m height of micro-fin,
l = 0.04 micro-fin pitch.

The pressure drop of air is

w2 H 4 42 1.27 2.2
pa = a a = 0.18 = 121.7 Pa.
2 D do 2 1.05 1.01

5. INFERENCES

Water equivalents method has a great importance in calculation of heat exchangers.

The algorithm elaborated to calculations of radiation recuperators with microfinned
surface consists of: equation by water equivalents method, similarity equations and
control ones.
The results of research on convective heat-transfer coefficients and numbers hydraulic
resistance of microfinned elements for ranges were applied in the algorithm:

l r
4200 < Re < 12000, 5 < < 40, 2.67 < < 16, h > hr > 0.
h h

This new algorithm made possible the projects of radiation recuperator with mi-
crofinned surface to glass furnaces and heat furnaces.

The work was made in contract no. 11.11.110.865.

REFERENCES

[1] Karczewski K.: Zeszyty naukowe AGH, Metalurgia i odlewnictwo, 16 (1990), 133
[2] Karczewski K.: Hutnik, 58 (1991), 172174
[3] Karczewski K.: Radiation Recuperators with Microfinned Surface. Int. Symp. Technical University of Ko-
sice, 1994
[4] Karczewski K.: Metallurgy and Foundry Engineering, 24 (1998), 8993
[5] Karczewski K.: Metallic Recuperators to Glass Tanks. Technical University of Kosice, Kosice, 1998
[6] Karczewski K.: Wpyw mikrouebrowania powierzchni rwnolegoprdowych rekuperatorw metalowych
na ich cechy konstrukcyjne i eksploatacyjne. UWND AGH, Krakw, 2000

50
 [7] Karczewski K.: Metallurgy and Foundry Engineering, 29 (2003), 97107
[8] Karczewski K.: Metallurgy and Foundry Engineering, 30 (2004), 4359
[9] Karczewski K.: Obliczenia cieplne rekuperatorw metalowych dla piecw przemysowych. UWND AGH,
Krakw, 2004, SU 1667
[10] Karczewski K.: Metallurgy and Foundry Engineering, 31 (2005), 185200
[11] Karczewski K.: Metallurgy and Foundry Engineering, 33 (2007), 129139
[12] Mikheyev M.: Fundamentals of Heat Transfer, Moscow 1968, Mir Publishers
[13] Seo K., Kim V.: Int. J. Heat and Mass Transfer, 43 (2000), 28692882
[14] Szargut J., Zibik A., Kozio J., Majza E.: Przemysowa energia odpadowa. Zasady wykorzystania.
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[15] Tajc N.: Raszczety nagrewatielnych pieczej. Moskwa, 1969

Received
October 2008

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