Thermal Design Considerations and Performance Evaluation of Cryogenic Tube in Tube Heat Exchangers

Heat exchangers are the most important equipment in refrigeration processes. Design and modeling of heat exchangers operating at low temperatures are different from other regular heat exchangers. This study includes two sections. In the first section, design and modeling considerations needed for evaluating the real thermal behavior of heat exchangers at low temperatures were discussed. These considerations are usually neglected by researchers who have modeled the heat exchanger at low temperatures. In the second section, a counter current helically coiled tube in tube heat exchanger operating in hydrogen liquefier was modeled and simulated considering notes discussed in the first section. The model was validated compared with the data presented by literature. The results showed the small positive effect of longitudinal heat conduction on hydrogen liquefaction. The heat in-leak into cold fluid resulted in higher cold fluid outlet temperature and higher hot fluid outlet temperature. Simulations showed that the heat in-leak into cold fluid leads to limit the overdesign for cryogenic heat exchangers. A comparison between models with considering different assumptions was presented and showed that the result may vary significantly based on the regarded assumptions.