Reliable Method of a Non-Insulated Double-Pipe Heat Exchanger

Log mean temperature difference (LMTD) method neglecting the influence of heat radiation is conventionally used to calculate the total heat transfer rate of heat exchangers. From recent investigation of a single-pipe heat exchanger in some practical situations, it is found that the total heat transfer rate error of single-pipe heat exchanger obtained by LMTD method is up to 40% in the situation of oxidized metal heat exchanger with higher surface emissivity located in ambient air with low heat convection coefficient. A log mean heat transfer rate (LMHTR) method considering heat radiation has been developed to calculate the total heat transfer rate of a single-pipe heat exchanger and more accurate results can be achieved. It is also found in the present investigation that LMTD method is also not suitable to apply to non-insulated double-pipe heat exchangers and a more accurate LMHTR method considering heat radiation is developed to obtain the more reasonable results.