Study on Testing Methods for the Heat Transfer Performance of Plate Heat Exchangers

Abstract

Plate heat exchangers are new-type compact heat exchangers with high heat transfer efficiency widely used in heating, food, medicine, shipbuilding and petrochemical industries. However, only the laboratory testing can accurately obtain the real heat transfer and flow resistance performance of plate heat exchanger. In this paper, the basic principles of modified Wilson plot method and equal velocity method are firstly introduced. Then the testing system including flow chart and testing instruments are discussed. Finally, contrast experiments using the different two methods are conducted. The results showed that for plate heat exchangers with equal channel, the equal velocity method and modified Wilson plot method can both be used to test the convective heat transfer performance of plate heat exchanger. The equal velocity method is recommended because the deformation of plate is relatively smaller.