Numerical analysis of full-scale multi-path shell-and-tube heat exchangers with corrugated tubes

Shell-and-tube heat exchangers (STHx) are extensively implemented in modern energy sectors due to their robustness and cost-effectiveness. Advancements in compact, high-performance STHx designs are critical for optimizing energy transfer and reducing overall energy consumption. The main drawback of STHx is their low compactness. This paper presents a detailed numerical study of retrofitted STHx with enhanced features aimed at improving the compactness and thermal efficiency. This study employs a high-resolution finite element method to model a series of multi-path STHx with plain and corrugated tube bundles. The study shows that even small-sized STHx models require a large number of grid points—10 million for plain tubes and 50 million for corrugated tubes. Retrofitting with PIC tubes increased heat transfer by 12 % to 28 %, albeit with higher pressure drops. Significant pressure losses were observed at the header and distributor, accounting for 35.8 % of total pressure loss in PIC configurations and 69.2 % in plain-tube cases. PIC tubes also promoted more uniform mass flux distribution and enhanced heat transfer via in-tube secondary flows, particularly at lower Reynolds numbers. These findings highlight the merit of high-resolution modeling in heat exchanger analysis and demonstrate the effectiveness of corrugated tubes in enhancing STHx performance.