Thermodynamic optimization of heat exchanger tanks by exergy analysis method

Abstract

The paper introduces heat exchanger tanks, detailing their dominant thermodynamic relations to obtain the exergy analysis relations of heat exchanger tanks. Heat exchanger tank is examined under various laboratory conditions, including the power of heat element inside the tank, mass flow rate of cooling water of tank wall and the mixer speed inside the tank which were all variable. The needed data relating to the water temperature inside the tank as output water after cooling the tank wall based on these conditions. The exergy loss (irreversibility) and efficiency diagrams were then drawn and the optimization parameters of performance and their range were evaluated using exergy analysis. This was meant to increase the efficiency and decrease the energy consumption. The results indicate that under thr circumstances of controlling mass flow rate of input cold water and power of heat element as well as the mixer speed, respectively, in their possible minimum and maximum measures, the system performs in optimal conditions according to exergy analysis.

Keywords: Thermodynamic optimization; heat exchanger tank; exergy analysis