Design a helical coil heat exchanger via CFD simulations

Abstract

Helical coil heat exchangers are featured as compact and high heat transfer coefficient devices. Due to which the nuclear industry is focusing on efficient designs of helical coil steam generator to employ in advanced Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). In this work, CFD simulations have been carried out to study the heat transfer through helical coil heat exchanger by using a commercial code (Fluent). Constant heat flux boundary condition has been used in this work. Temperature distribution along its length and radial direction has been monitored. The significant effect of centrifugal forces has been visualized with the aid of contours of velocity distribution along radial direction. The analytical calculations have corroborated the simulations results.