S-SS-3-11 Analysis of ANL Shell-and-Tube Pressure-Drop Data and Comparison with the ST-5 Computer Program
Total and local pressure drop measurements taken at Argonne National Laboratory for various shell-and-tube exchanger configurations have been discussed and compared with the HTRI ST-5 Computer Program. The heat exchanger configurations used for the experiments have been described in detail, and the total pressure drop data have been reduced in terms of a power-law function.
In general, the total pressure drop data confirmed the trends expected for the various exchanger configurations and tube layout patterns. The comparison with the ST-5 Computer Program showed that the computer program conservatively predicted the total pressure drop to within 30 percent. At the inlet region of the exchanger, the pressure drop measurements were significantly higher than those produced by the ST-5 Computer Program. In contrast, the pressure drop measurements in the outlet region were notably lower than those produced by the ST-5 Computer Program. These differences were caused by dynamic pressure effects on the pressure taps in the exchanger shell which could not be quantified. Therefore, the local pressure drop data were not used for comparison with the ST-5 Computer Program. The total pressure drop measurements are credible because the pressure taps were placed on the inlet/outlet piping walls outside the exchanger. The total pressure drop measurements taken at Argonne National Laboratory confirm the Stream Analysis Methods currently used in the ST-5 Computer Program.