Multi-Objective Thermal Performance Enhancement of a Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchanger Using CFD-Based Optimization of Baffle Geometry, Working Fluid, and Material

Abstract

This study presents a detailed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger with multiple baffle configurations and working fluids to enhance thermal performance. A total of six cases were investigated under identical inlet conditions, with a hot fluid entering the tube side at 353 K and 2.75 m/s, and a cold fluid entering the shell side at 300 K and 2.75 m/s. The baseline design consisted of a conventional 0°–180° and 180°–360° baffle arrangement with offsets of 90 mm and 40 mm from the center plane. Subsequent iterations focused on optimizing baffle orientation and positioning to improve heat transfer effectiveness. The second and third designs introduced modified angular distributions and offset variations, resulting in enhanced mixing and flow redistribution. Additionally, the influence of different working fluids, including water, air, and ethylene glycol, was analyzed, along with a material change from aluminum to copper in the final iteration. Results indicate that the optimized baffle configurations significantly affect thermal performance and fluid flow characteristics. The second optimized design with water achieved improved tube-side outlet temperature (315.72 K), indicating better heat transfer compared to the baseline. The use of air resulted in lower pressure drops but slightly reduced heat transfer efficiency due to its lower thermal properties. The ethylene glycol case combined with copper tubing showed improved heat retention and thermal conductivity effects. Overall, baffle arrangement, fluid selection, and material properties play a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency of shell-and-tube heat exchangers.