Counter-Flow Heat Exchanger CFD Analysis
This counter-flow heat exchanger study examines how inlet velocity changes temperature distribution and heat transfer. Hot shell-side water and cold water in a central copper tube flow in opposite directions, with inlet temperatures of 95°C and 12°C. Two cases compare velocities of 0.5 m/s and 0.05 m/s.
The analysis combines ε-NTU calculations for bulk thermal behavior with ANSYS Fluent simulations of local temperature and flow. The CFD model includes the energy equation and a realizable k-ε turbulence model. Both full-range temperature contours retain their original legends, so the local fields can be inspected without losing their scales.
The slower case gives the streams more residence time and produces larger temperature changes. The faster case carries more mass flow and yields a slightly greater theoretical total heat-transfer rate. The useful choice depends on whether the priority is a larger temperature change or greater total heat transfer. I carried out the CFD and thermal analysis.
The contours show local center-plane temperatures, not weighted outlet values. Mesh independence, experimental calibration and a validated convergence study were not established, so the comparison remains bounded to the documented model.
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