Numerical method for determining pressure distribution in tube cross-flow heat exchangers

Abstract

This paper presents a numerical method for determining the pressure distribution along the fluid flow path in a cross-current hightemperature heat exchanger. The pressure drop across the superheater was determined using the momentum conservation equation, which was solved by the finite difference method. Local pressure losses at tube elbows were also taken into account. A new formula for calculating friction factor on rough tubes' inner surface is proposed. A straightforward model for the friction factor in tubes with a rough inner surface for Reynolds numbers in the interval 3000 - 108 has been proposed. The pressure distribution in the last stage of the live steam superheater in a 900 MWe supercritical boiler was calculated.