Performance simulation model and validation of printed circuit natural gas cooler

doi:10.11949/0438-1157.20241370

Abstract

Abstract:

Based on the printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE), a three-dimensional distributed parameter model was developed, utilizing a three-dimensional array to delineate the heat exchanger core and segment the control units. A method employing a vector matrix for flow path description was introduced. Correlations for heat transfer and pressure drop, pertinent to both the natural gas and water sides of PCHEs, were gathered and summarized from publicly accessible literature, subsequently applied to the simulation model. The governing equations for the model were formulated, alongside a swift iterative algorithm for solving the energy equation, leveraging the bisection method. A performance simulation of an aftercooler for a natural gas compressor on an offshore platform was conducted, yielding parameters such as heat load and flow path pressure drop within the heat exchanger. The model's accuracy was validated by comparing its results with on-site production data. The findings indicate that the simulation model calculates heat transfer with an average error of less than 5% and predicts an average pressure drop error of less than 10% on the natural gas side.

Key words: printed circuit heat exchanger, distributed parameter model, algorithm, computer simulation, experimental validation

摘要：

针对印刷电路板式换热器建立了三维分布参数模型，采用三维数组来描绘换热器芯体并划分控制单元，同时提出了一种基于向量矩阵的流路描述手段。将文献中提出的适用于印刷电路板式换热器天然气侧与水侧的换热及压降关联式应用于仿真模型中。建立了模型的控制方程，并开发了一种基于二分法的能量方程快速迭代算法。利用该算法，完成了某海上平台天然气压缩机后冷却器的性能仿真，成功获取了换热器的换热负荷、流路压降等关键参数。通过与现场生产数据的对比，验证了模型的计算精度。结果显示，基于该仿真模型计算的换热器平均换热误差低于5%，天然气侧的平均压降误差也小于10%。

关键词: 印刷电路板式换热器, 分布参数模型, 算法, 计算机模拟, 实验验证

CLC Number:

TK 172

Xiaoguang MI, Guogang SUN, Hao CHENG, Xiaohui ZHANG. Performance simulation model and validation of printed circuit natural gas cooler[J]. CIESC Journal, 2025, 76(S1): 426-434.

密晓光, 孙国刚, 程昊, 张晓慧. 印刷电路板式天然气冷却器性能仿真模型和验证[J]. 化工学报, 2025, 76(S1): 426-434.

Figures/Tables 11

Fig.1 Schematic diagram of PCHE

Fig.2 PCHE for an offshore platform

Fig.3 Control volume division of PCHE core structure

Table 1 Correlation equation for fluid flow and heat transfer

工质	关联式形式	适用范围	文献
天然气工质	$N u = (f / 8) (R e - 1000) P r 1 + 12.7 (f / 8) 1 / 2 (P r 2 / 3 - 1)$	2300＜Re＜5×10⁶ 0.5＜Pr＜2000	[29]
天然气工质	$f = 14 (0.79 l n R e - 1.64) - 2$	Re＞2300	[30]
海水工质	$N u = 4.089 + 0.00497 R e 0.95 P r 0.55$	0＜Re＜3000 0.66＜Pr＜1.41	[31]
海水工质	$f = 16 R e$	Re≤2300	[30]

Table 1 Correlation equation for fluid flow and heat transfer

工质	关联式形式	适用范围	文献
天然气工质	$N u = (f / 8) (R e - 1000) P r 1 + 12.7 (f / 8) 1 / 2 (P r 2 / 3 - 1)$	2300＜Re＜5×10⁶ 0.5＜Pr＜2000	[29]
天然气工质	$f = 14 (0.79 l n R e - 1.64) - 2$	Re＞2300	[30]
海水工质	$N u = 4.089 + 0.00497 R e 0.95 P r 0.55$	0＜Re＜3000 0.66＜Pr＜1.41	[31]
海水工质	$f = 16 R e$	Re≤2300	[30]

Fig.4 Calculation model of total heat transfer coefficient

Fig.5 Alternating algorithm flow chart of PCHE

Fig.6 Heat transfer calculation algorithm flow chart of control volume

Table 2 Structural parameters of natural gas cooler

项目	天然气侧	海水侧
板片规格	600 mm×180 mm×0.6 mm	600 mm×180 mm×0.6 mm
换热通道宽度	0.9 mm	0.9 mm
换热通道深度	0.8 mm	0.4 mm
换热通道间距	1.5 mm	1.5 mm
换热单元数	121个	121个
芯体换热面积	22.8 m²	19.3 m²

Table 3 Onsite data recording

工况编号	V_h,in/(Nm³/h)	V_c,in/(m³/h)	t_h,in/℃	t_h,out/℃	t_c,in/℃	t_c,out/℃	p_h,in/kPaG	∆p_h/kPa	p_c,in/kPaG	Q/kW
1	3677.0	2.5	54.2	21.00	18.7	41.1	4378.00	10.25	578.00	66.57
2	576.0	3.9	54.6	20.60	18.6	41.4	4396.00	15.00	579.00	106.83
3	6986.5	5.0	54.4	20.50	18.4	39.8	4399.00	17.83	557.00	129.10
4	8724.8	7.1	54.4	19.80	18.7	38.0	4418.00	22.00	575.00	164.60
5	10817.0	8.7	54.7	20.22	18.7	38.2	44.00	26.66	570.00	20.28
6	12579.0	9.8	54.9	20.40	18.6	38.8	4445.00	30.50	578.00	236.48

Table 4 Performance simulation results of PCHE

工况编号	V_h,in/(Nm³/h)	V_c,in/(m³/h)	t_h,in/℃	t_h,out/℃	t_c,in/℃	t_c,out/℃	p_h,in/kPaG	∆p_h/kPa	p_c,in/kPaG	∆p_c/kPa	Q/kW
1	3677.0	2.5	54.2	19.85	18.7	41.91	4378.00	11.23	578.00	3.44	68.99
2	576.0	3.9	54.6	20.09	18.6	41.79	4396.00	14.38	579.00	5.41	108.65
3	6986.5	5.0	54.4	19.83	18.4	40.28	4399.00	16.68	557.00	7.09	131.95
4	8724.8	7.1	54.4	19.94	18.7	37.97	4418.00	20.45	575.00	10.22	164.35
5	10817.0	8.7	54.7	20.21	18.7	38.27	44.00	25.86	570.00	1.43	20.93
6	12579.0	9.8	54.9	20.45	18.6	38.84	4445.00	31.11	578.00	1.85	236.12

Fig.7 Comparison between simulation results and production data

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