Design and simulation of a virtual tubular heat exchange unit for educational applications

Abstract

One of the tasks of an industrial plant designer is the choice of the most suitable elements that will make up the said plant, so that all the devices complement and are synchronised with each other. If the industrial plant includes several heat exchanger units, each one of these should match its particular working conditions, which will be determined by the work process each exchanger performs. When designing and choosing the most appropriate heat exchanger for a set work process, certain international standards must be observed and likewise the recommendations of the classifying societies and the methods currently used in industry all have to be taken into account. In view of this, and taking into account the most advanced methods in heat exchange unit design, a computer program has been created that enables us to design a virtual heat exchanger that fits each of our needs and on which we can simulate different thermal processes and analyse its behaviour in all kinds of situations.