Module 10 : HVAC industrial field case studies

This lecture introduces the fundamental principles of shell and tube heat exchangers, one of the most widely used heat transfer systems in industrial and energy applications. Students will understand how heat is transferred between two fluids while keeping them physically separated by the tube walls. The lecture covers the main components of a shell and tube heat exchanger, including: Shell Tubes and tube bundle Tube sheets Front and rear heads Baffles Tube-side and shell-side inlets and outlets Students will learn the different flow arrangements, including parallel flow, counterflow, and crossflow, and understand how flow configuration affects temperature distribution and overall heat transfer performance. The lecture also introduces important thermal and hydraulic parameters such as: Heat transfer rate (Q) Overall heat transfer coefficient (U) Heat transfer area (A) Mass flow rate Pressure drop (ΔP) Log Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD) The basic heat exchanger equation will also be introduced: Q = U × A × ΔTₗₘ Finally, students will explore the advantages, limitations, common shell configurations, industrial standards, and real-world applications of shell and tube heat exchangers in power plants, oil and gas, refineries, chemical industries, HVAC systems, marine systems, and food and pharmaceutical industries. By the end of this lecture, students will have a strong foundation in heat exchanger terminology, components, operating principles, and performance parameters, preparing them for advanced thermal design calculations and CFD simulations in the following lectures.