Predicting the effect of the rib pitch on thermal performance factor of small channels plate heat exchangers fitted with Y and C shapes obstacles

Abstract This study presents a numerical analysis of a laminar counter flow inside small channels plate heat exchanger fitted with Y and C shape obstacles. Using the Computational Fluid Dynamics CFD, an advanced and modern simulation technique, the influence of the geometrical parameters (such as geometry, rib pitch) on the flow characteristics, the thermal and the hydrodynamics performance of the PHE (plate heat exchanger) is investigated numerically. The main goal of this work is to increase the flow turbulence, enhance the heat transfer and the thermal efficiency by inserting new obstacles forms. The computational domain is a conjugate model which is developed by the Computer Aided Design CAD software Solidworks. The results, obtained with Ansys Fluent, show that the presence of the shaped ribs provides enhancement in heat transfer and fluid turbulence. The CFD analysis is validated with the previous study. The non-dimensional factors such as the Nusselt number Nu, the skin friction factor Cf and the thermo-hydraulic performance parameter THPP are predicted with a Reynolds number Re range of 200–800. The temperature and the velocity distribution are presented and analyzed. The Y ribs and the C ribs offer as maximum THPP values respectively about 1.44 and 2.6 times of a smooth duct.