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Experimental study on the effects of the number of heat exchanger modules on thermal characteristics in a premixed combustion system

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Abstract

The effects of the number of heat exchanger modules on thermal characteristics were experimentally studied in a premixed combustion system with a cross-flow staggered-tube heat exchanger. The various heat exchanger modules, from 4 to 8, combined with a premixed burner were tested to investigate the performance of the heat exchanger through the surface area of the heat exchanger at various equivalence ratios. Additionally, the performance of the heat exchanger was analyzed by applying entropy generation theory to the heat exchanger system. As a result, although the heat transfer rate increases with the increase of the equivalence ratio, the NOx and CO concentrations also increase due to the increasing flame temperature. In addition, the entropy generation increases with an increase of the equivalence ratio. Furthermore, the heat transfer rate and the effectiveness are increased with the increase of the number of the heat exchanger modules. Also, the effectiveness is sharply increased when the number of the heat exchanger modules is increased from 4 to 5. Consequently, the optimal operating conditions regarding pollutant emission, effectiveness and entropy generation in this experimental range are 0.85 for the equivalence ratio and 8 for the number of heat exchanger modules.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, Incheon, 402-751, Korea

    Byeonghun Yu & Chang-Eon Lee

  2. School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Halla University, Wonju, 220-712, Korea

    Sung-Min Kum

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, 561-756, Korea

    Seungro Lee

Authors
  1. Byeonghun Yu
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  2. Sung-Min Kum
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  3. Chang-Eon Lee
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  4. Seungro Lee
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Seungro Lee.

Additional information

Byeonghun Yu received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Inha University, Korea in 2001 and 2003, respectively. He received a Ph.D. degree from Inha University, Korea in 2013. Dr. Yu is a post-doctoral researcher at Regional Innovation Center for Automobile Powertrains in Inha University. His research interests are in the area of high efficiency and low emission technologies for gas combustion system.

Sung-Min Kum received a Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Inha University, Korea in 1994. Dr. Kum is currently a professor at the School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering in Halla University, Korea. His research interests are in the heat transfer enhancement in impinging air jet, turbulence promotor and heat exchangers.

Chang-Eon Lee received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Inha University, Korea in 1983 and 1985, respectively. He received a Ph.D. degree from Toyohashi National University of Technology, Japan in 1992. Dr. Lee is a professor at the department of Mechanical Engineering in Inha University, Korea and a director of Regional Innovation Center for Automobile Powertrains. He is currently on the president of the Korean Society of Combustion. His research interests are in the area of gas combustion system and internal engine.

Seungro Lee received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Inha University, Korea in 1998 and 2000, respectively. He then received his Ph. D. degree from University of Southern California, USA in 2008. He is currently an Assistant professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering in Chonbuk National University, Korea. His research interests are in the area of high efficiency and low emission combustion system, alternative fuels and flow visualization.

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Yu, B., Kum, SM., Lee, CE. et al. Experimental study on the effects of the number of heat exchanger modules on thermal characteristics in a premixed combustion system. J Mech Sci Technol 30, 447–456 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-015-1249-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-015-1249-9

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