Thermal Effectiveness of Heat Exchangers: Effect of Manufacturing Inaccuracies and Deformation of Tube Bundles

Thermohydraulic irregularities may exert considerable effect on thermal performance of high-efficiency heat exchangers. There are two general types of such irregularities: uniform and nonuniform. The present paper presents the results of a study of nonuniform irregularities due to tube diameter and wall thickness deviations, inaccurate bores in tube sheets, initial deflection of bundle tubes, and their deformation accumulating during heat exchanger operation. The total effect on the effectiveness of heat exchanger operation is expressed in a single value referred to as the irregularity parameter ∊.