HTRI heat exchanger calculation
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When using Aspen to create property curves for heat transfer, the program throws an error once surface tension is included; the issue is resolved only after removing it. Does surface tension have a significant impact on heat exchanger calculations? Anyone who knows the answer please explain
Surface tension is one of the intermolecular forces in liquids, and it affects the physical properties of liquids, particularly aspects such as droplet shape and the stability of liquid films. In heat exchanger calculations, the physical property parameters of the liquid have a significant impact on performance metrics such as heat transfer and pressure drop; therefore, considering surface tension is also important. When defining material properties in Aspen, including the surface tension parameter may cause the program to malfunction or lead to inaccurate calculation results, which could be due to numerical methods or parameter settings. However, if surface tension in the liquid actually has a significant impact, ignoring this parameter may lead to deviations in the calculation results. Therefore, when performing calculations for heat exchangers, it is necessary to determine based on the actual conditions whether the effect of surface tension on material properties needs to be taken into account, and make adjustments and optimizations accordingly. .
It has a greater impact when making condensers or evaporators, as one must take into account the formation and breakdown of the liquid film, which places considerable demands on heat transfer. Personal opinions are for reference only.