Experimental and numerical investigation of a novel fractal tube configuration in helically tube heat exchanger

The effects of innovative fractal configuration in helically tubular heat exchangers on thermal and hydraulic performance are investigated using numerical and experimental methods in this work. With Reynolds ( Re ) numbers ranging from 12,025 to 21,220, the overall heat transfer coefficient (U), pressure drop ( ΔP ), and performance factor ( PF ) are investigated. The fluid flow within and outside the tubes is studied using temperature, velocity, and pressure distributions. The numerical model was validated by comparing the simulation results and the experimental data where the difference between the results was found to be acceptable and trustworthy. In comparison to the standard helically tube heat exchanger ( HTHE ), the results showed that the fractal tube heat exchanger ( FTHE ) is more favorable to heat transmission. The overall heat transfer coefficient enhancement ratio is around 289%. The exergy efficiency increases with the rise of the Re number where the fractal tube configuration has the highest exergy efficiency. The fractal tree-like structure is more beneficial in decreasing pumping powers than typical HTHE, with a reduction ratio of ΔP of roughly 57%. At the same Re number range, the FTHE has a higher PF than the HTHE, indicating that fractal tree-like heat exchangers are preferable to standard HTHE s. The fractal-like tree form is greater than the helical shape for velocity, according to velocity contours and streamlines.