Paper Contents
Abstract
Shell and tube heat exchangers (STHEs) play a vital role in thermal energy management across various industrial applications. However, traditional baffle configurations often result in flow-induced vibration, increased pressure drop, and inefficient heat transfer. This study presents a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of a novel baffle configurationflower-shaped baffle platesto investigate their impact on heat transfer and flow characteristics in a shell and tube heat exchanger. A 3D steady-state CFD model was developed and simulated using ANSYS Fluent under turbulent flow conditions. The performance of flower baffles was compared with that of conventional segmental baffles in terms of Nusselt number, pressure drop, velocity profile, and temperature distribution. The results indicate a significant enhancement in heat transfer performance using flower baffles, with an acceptable increase in pressure drop. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of baffle geometry modification as a viable approach for improving thermal performance in STHEs and offers insight for future industrial-scale applications.
Copyright
Copyright © 2025 Kamlesh Bramhe. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.
