Parametric Studies on Heat Pipe

Abstract

In order to maintain the width of the fabric and to expel the moisture content from it, textile industry incorporates Stenter machine. Large amount of hot exhaust gases are released from the Stenter machine. M/s InspirOn Engineering Private Limited is one of the leading manufacturers of Stenter machine in Ahmedabad. Energy recovery from these exhaust gases can provide large amount of valuable energy saving. The exhaust gases are maintained at higher temperature in the range of 80-200°C. The energy of the exhaust gases can be utilized to heat the fresh air entering in the Stenter machine. The energy from exhaust gases can be recovered by using different types of heat exchangers viz. shell and tube heat exchanger, plate fin heat exchanger etc. Heat pipe is one of the solution to increase the heat recovery effectively. Design of heat pipe heat exchanger is carried out in the present work which would help in recovering the waste heat of exhaust gases in the Stenter machine. Heat pipe is checked for various limits viz. sonic limit, entrainment limit, viscous limit in extreme conditions of exhaust gases. Nine different options of heat pipe heat exchangers were explored. The cost analysis and simple payback period of various options was carried out. From the techno-economic considerations, 64 numbers of Copper heat pipes with water as the working fluid, Stainless Steel as wick material and Aluminium fins (radial fin with pitch 8.8 fins/inch) was found to be most appropriate for the existing system. To carry out experimental investigations, experimental setup was designed and developed. The effects of various parameters were experimentally studied on the performance of heat pipe viz. material of heat pipe, fins, inclination of heat pipe, mass flow rate, power input. The provision of fins led to 11.57 % improvement in the efficiency of Stainless Steel heat pipe. The Copper heat pipe led to 16.66 % increase in efficiency in comparison with Stainless Steel heat pipe. The maximum efficiency of heat pipe was found as 94.2 % with Copper heat pipe provided with Aluminium fins in the vertical orientation of heat pipe.