Simulated Double Pipe Heat Exchanger Using Simulink Modeling

Heat exchangers are devices used to transfer energy by heat transfer from one medium to another, often utilizing common fluids such as water or air. Typical applications can include large-scale industrial complexes where hot working fluids passed through chemical processes are simultaneously passed through a heat exchanger alongside a coolant in order to regulate the working fluid's temperature. Furthermore, heat exchangers are useful in academic settings where they are used to provide students with exposure to thermal-fluids systems and experience working with practical engineering applications. To further assist in the learning experience, heat exchangers can be virtually simulated using computational modeling software such as MATLAB and Simulink. Using such software to simulate heat exchangers allows the process to be observed and analyzed without the need to have physical equipment. Given that physically constructing and maintaining a functioning heat exchanger is an expensive and laborious process, this use of computer software allows for a more affordable and convenient approach to test and analyze various heat exchangers. The Simulink heat exchanger model presented is a set of nonlinear transient mass and energy balance equations for given inputs such as fluid flow rates and was implemented using the Simulink S-function tool which is a specialized function suited for non-linear process modeling. This function is useful for generating real-time heat exchanger simulations which can be updated and changed by user-defined inputs as the simulation is being conducted. By using this model, the user is given the ability to control the system as well as the changes and disturbances which are occurring and analyze how they affect the heat transfer process in real-time.