High performance printed circuit heat exchanger

Three-dimensional thermal-hydraulic simulations have revealed a new flow channel configuration for Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger (PCHE) recuperators of a carbon dioxide gas turbine cycle. Simulation calculations were done changing the fin shape and angle parametrically to obtain an optimal flow channel configuration considering pressure drop and heat transfer performance. The new configuration has discontinuous fins with an S-shape, similar to a sine curve, in contrast to the conventional continuous zigzag configuration. The new configuration has one-fifth of the pressure drop reference to the conventional zigzag configuration with equal thermal-hydraulic performance. The pressure drop reduction is ascribed a superior uniform flow velocity profile in the flow area and elimination of reverse flows and eddies that occur around bend corners of zigzag flow channels in conventional PCHE.