Dimensional analysis for the heat transfer characteristics in the corrugated channels of plate heat exchangers

Using the Buckingham Pi theorem, this study derives dimensionless correlations to characterize the heat transfer performance of the corrugated channel in a plate heat exchanger. The experimental data are substituted into these correlations to identify the flow characteristics and channel geometry parameters with the most significant influence on the heat transfer performance. Simplified correlations by omitting the factors with less influence are then obtained. The results show that Nux is affected primarily by Re, R/Dh, x/Dh, and β. Neglecting the minor effect of factors on Nux, it is shown that Num is determined primarily by Re, R/Dh and β.